Fantasy: Start, Sit, Stash, Quit - Week 14

SSSQ is a weekly look at under-the-radar fantasy players to consider starting and potential busts you should leave on your bench. We also identify breakout candidates to stash on your roster and players you can safely cut.

For the rest of your lineup decisions, consult our Week 14 rankings. You can also listen to the Week 14 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.

Start

Taysom Hill, Saints

at Jets

Early in the week, we weren't sure whether Hill would be able to play through the finger injury he suffered last Thursday versus the Cowboys. However, he's been a full participant in practice and is ready to go.

Despite throwing four picks against Dallas, the Saints' dual-threat QB still delivered a strong fantasy performance thanks to 101 rushing yards and a pair of passing touchdowns.

He should face little resistance from a Jets defense allowing the fourth most fantasy points to quarterbacks, including multiple passing scores in eight straight games. Consider Hill a low-end QB1 for Week 14.

Boone's projection: 238 passing yards, 2 passing TDs, 67 rushing yards

Other QBs to start

• Cam Newton vs. Falcons
• Russell Wilson at Texans
• Taylor Heinicke vs. Cowboys

Josh Jacobs, Raiders

at Chiefs

The Raiders have been reluctant to give Jacobs a consistent role in the receiving game, but they may have no choice now that Kenyan Drake is out for the season and Jalen Richard is on the COVID list.

Jacobs, who has at least five receptions in three of his last four outings, is coming off a nine-catch effort versus Washington.

With winds over 15 mph in the Kansas City forecast this week, the Raiders will likely need to lean on their rushing attack and plenty of short passes - which is the perfect setup for Jacobs to come away with a big fantasy line.

He's a strong RB1 play against a Chiefs defense that just gave up 178 yards from scrimmage to Javonte Williams.

Boone's projection: 79 rushing yards, TD, 36 receiving yards

Other RBs to start

• Sony Michel at Cardinals
• Devonta Freeman at Browns
• D'Onta Foreman vs. Jaguars

Van Jefferson, Rams

at Cardinals

Jefferson has emerged as a solid fantasy asset this season, with at least 40 yards in nine of his 12 appearances and five touchdowns on the year.

Since Week 7 - when his playing time and targets were increased - he's the WR27 in average fantasy points per game.

In his last meeting with the Cardinals earlier this season, Jefferson went off for six catches, 90 yards, and a score. Monday night's matchup has the second-highest projected point total on the week, setting the stage for another productive night for the sophomore wideout.

Boone's projection: 84 receiving yards, TD

Other WRs to start

• Hunter Renfrow at Chiefs
• Marquez Valdes-Scantling vs. Bears
• Jamison Crowder vs. Saints

Jared Cook, Chargers

vs. Giants

Cook hasn't been much of a fantasy factor this season aside from the odd game when he found the end zone.

The difference this week is the depleted receiving corps that will likely be without Keenan Allen, who was placed on the COVID-19 list earlier this week. And it may also be missing Mike Williams if he's unable to get cleared after being deemed a close contact.

Even if Williams is active, Justin Herbert will be looking to redistribute the 10.3 targets Allen is averaging per contest this season.

Get ready for a rare spiked week from Cook, who deserves to be on your streamer radar for this one.

Boone's projection: 52 receiving yards, TD

Other TEs to start

• Ricky Seals-Jones vs. Cowboys
• Austin Hooper vs. Ravens
• Cole Kmet at Packers

Sit

Derek Carr, Raiders

at Chiefs

Season-long stats can sometimes be deceiving. A perfect example is the Chiefs defense that was helpless in the first five weeks against the likes of Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, and Josh Allen. Each one those passers finished as a top-four fantasy QB in the week they faced Kansas City.

Thankfully for the Chiefs, that trend began to change around Week 6, and since then, their pass defense has improved dramatically. Steve Spagnuolo's unit hasn't allowed more than 270 passing yards during that stretch, and only two QBs have throw for multiple touchdowns against them.

Carr's success versus the Chiefs has often been aided by the deep ball, but with winds potentially impacting downfield passing, this isn't the week to start him.

Boone's projection: 241 passing yards, TD, INT, 16 rushing yards

Other QBs to sit

• Matt Ryan at Panthers
• Jimmy Garoppolo at Bengals
• Baker Mayfield vs. Ravens

Mike Davis, Falcons

at Panthers

After weeks of irrelevance, Davis surprisingly totalled 69 yards from scrimmage and a score in last week's loss to the Buccaneers.

Don't be fooled by the stat line, though. It's far more likely that turns out to be an outlier rather than a sign of things to come in the final month of the regular season.

The 28-year-old back simply hasn't looked like he has much juice left, averaging 24.5 yards from scrimmage per game in the four outings prior to last week's sudden surge. The Falcons didn't even turn to him when Cordarrelle Patterson was sidelined.

Davis doesn't belong in your lineup and really shouldn't be occupying a spot on your roster at this point.

Boone's projection: 29 rushing yards, 18 receiving yards

Other RBs to sit

• Melvin Gordon vs. Lions
• Devin Singletary/Zack Moss/Matt Breida at Buccaneers
• Rashaad Penny/Adrian Peterson/Alex Collins at Texans

Courtland Sutton, Broncos

vs. Lions

Since Jerry Jeudy returned from injured reserve, Sutton has managed stat lines of 2-40-0, 1-9-0, 2-29-0, 2-17-0, and most recently 2-15-0.

There's no typos there. That's the extent of Sutton's production over the last five games.

Even in a matchup with the Lions, against whom the Broncos should be in control and have scoring opportunities, Sutton can't be trusted as anything more than a dart-throw fantasy option.

Boone's projection: 39 receiving yards

Other WRs to sit

• Allen Robinson at Packers
• Kenny Golladay at Chargers
• Rashod Bateman vs. Browns

Tyler Higbee, Rams

at Cardinals

Higbee hasn't benefited from the arrival of Matthew Stafford the way some of the other Rams pass-catchers have.

He's topped 50 yards only twice this year and has just two trips to the end zone.

Arizona permits the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends, and his last encounter with the Cardinals back in Week 4 resulted in four catches for 36 yards. He's not likely to do much better this time around.

Boone's projection: 38 receiving yards

Other TEs to sit

• Evan Engram at Chargers
• Gerald Everett at Texans
• C.J. Uzomah vs. 49ers

Stash

Jordan Howard, Eagles

With byes almost over, there's nothing stopping you from turning your bench into a backup running back waiting room. Hold as many high upside runners as possible in the event their starter gets hurt and their value skyrockets.

Howard (9% rostered) wasn't available in the majority of leagues a few weeks back, but a knee injury that cost him a couple of games and a bye week have sent him to the waiver wire in most places.

However, if he's healthy post-bye, Howard should have a role in the Eagles' backfield after he helped them establish a presence with the ground game in the four weeks prior to suffering the injury.

It's also worth noting that Miles Sanders re-aggravated his ankle issue in their last outing, so it's possible he could be limited or miss time when the team returns to the field.

Justin Jackson, Chargers

Most of the quality backup RBs who are one injury away from significant playing time have already been scooped up in most leagues, but not Jackson (2% rostered).

Perhaps it's because the Chargers have given snaps to every back on their depth chart, especially in the middle of the season when Jackson was dealing with injuries.

He's healthy now and profiles as the immediate replacement if something were to happen to Austin Ekeler.

Quit

Carson Wentz/Nyheim Hines, Colts

It's puzzling why Wentz and Hines are still rostered in the majority of fantasy leagues.

Aside from the fact they're on bye this week, neither has made a real impact in over a month.

Wentz has been under 12 fantasy points in three of his last four contests, while Hines has hit double-digit fantasy points only once since September.

With matchups after the bye against the Patriots and Cardinals, there's no reason to burn a bench spot on either of these guys.