Fantasy: Start, Sit, Stash, Quit - Week 14
SSSQ is a weekly look at underappreciated 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, or you can also listen to the Week 14 preview episode of theScore Fantasy Football Podcast.
Start
Kirk Cousins, Vikings
at Lions
Aside from his three-touchdown explosion against the Patriots on Thanksgiving, Cousins has had a forgettable month, fantasy-wise. Fortunately, that can easily be attributed to difficult matchups versus the Bills, Cowboys, and Jets.
A date with the Lions in Detroit is exactly what the Vikings' passing needs. Dan Campbell's defense is giving up the most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year and helped Cousins finish as the QB9 in Week 3.
Another top-10 fantasy performance is well within reach.
Boone's projection: 293 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, 4 rushing yards
Other QBs to start
- Geno Smith vs. Panthers
- Jared Goff vs. Vikings
D'Onta Foreman, Panthers
at Seahawks
Foreman exceeded 100 rushing yards in four of his last six outings, achieving the feat against some tough defenses. That includes a 113-yard effort versus the Broncos in Week 12.
Coming off the bye, he's being eased back into practice due to foot and rib injuries, but neither Foreman nor head coach Steve Wilks expressed concern about his ability to suit up for this week's matchup with the Seahawks.
Seattle is the second-easiest opponent for fantasy running backs. It allowed some big stat lines recently to the likes of Josh Jacobs (303 yards from scrimmage, 2 TDs), Rachaad White (105 yards), Leonard Fournette (58 yards, TD), and Cam Akers (60 yards, 2 TDs).
As long as he stays healthy, Foreman should have no problem delivering a top-20 fantasy showing this week.
Boone's projection: 107 rushing yards, TD
Other RBs to start
- Tony Pollard/Ezekiel Elliott vs. Texans
- Miles Sanders at Giants
- Isiah Pacheco at Broncos
DeVonta Smith, Eagles
at Giants
Smith ranks 10th in targets among all wide receivers over the last month, as he continues to benefit from tight end Dallas Goedert being sidelined.
The increase in volume has resulted in four straight quality fantasy outings:
- Week 10: 6 catches, 39 yards, TD
- Week 11: 6 catches, 78 yards
- Week 12: 4 catches 50 yards
- Week 13: 5 catches, 102 yards, TD
Smith will now take on a banged-up Giants defense likely missing its top corner Adoree' Jackson and stud lineman Leonard Williams.
New York has been getting carved up through the air lately, with five different wideouts hitting double-digit half-PPR fantasy points against it in just the past three games. The Commanders' Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel all accomplished the feat Sunday.
Get ready for another spike week from Smith.
Boone's projection: 96 receiving yards, 6 receptions, TD
Other WRs to start
- Marquise Brown vs. Patriots
- Jerry Jeudy vs. Chiefs
- Adam Thielen at Lions
Hunter Henry, Patriots
at Cardinals
Henry hasn't been a reliable fantasy option this season. In fact, he topped 50 yards or scored a touchdown in just four of his 12 appearances.
Luckily for him, the Cardinals' defense's attempts to stop opposing tight ends have been abysmal. Arizona allows the most fantasy points to the position by far.
With New England's top receiver Jakobi Meyers in concussion protocol and looking likely to miss this game, Henry enters the streamer conversation as a fringe low-end TE1 in an excellent matchup.
Boone's projection: 68 receiving yards, 5 receptions, TD
Other TEs to start
- Evan Engram at Titans
- Chigoziem Okonkwo vs. Jaguars
Sit
Tom Brady, Buccaneers
at 49ers
Despite leading the league in pass attempts through 13 weeks, Brady is just QB22 in average fantasy points per game this season.
The Buccaneers' offense has stumbled its way through most of the season, and when you factor the 49ers' defense into the equation, Sunday's game has the makings of a long afternoon for the 45-year-old.
Demeco Ryans' unit is the fifth toughest against fantasy quarterbacks. Since its bye, San Francisco has held opposing passers to fantasy finishes of QB18, QB26, QB24, and QB24.
You shouldn't expect much more than that from Brady this week.
Boone's projection: 224 passing yards, TD, INT
Other QBs to sit
- Deshaun Watson at Bengals
- Daniel Jones vs. Eagles
Najee Harris, Steelers
vs. Ravens
Harris has been productive over the last month thanks to a softer schedule, but he continues to miss practice or be a limited participant due to an oblique injury.
He'll also face a much more difficult challenge versus a Ravens defense that's tightened up in the last six weeks. Baltimore only let one ball carrier top 30 rushing yards against it since Week 8 - and that was just a 47-yard effort from Latavius Murray.
Considering most of Harris' yardage comes on the ground - one target in three of his last four outings - this doesn't bode well for his fantasy outlook.
Boone's projection: 42 rushing yards, 9 receiving yards, 1 reception
Other RBs to sit
- Dameon Pierce at Cowboys
- Leonard Fournette/Rachaad White at 49ers
- Latavius Murray vs. Chiefs
JuJu Smith-Schuster, Chiefs
at Broncos
While it was nice to see Smith-Schuster get back to his pre-injury participation last week, he's now been held under 40 yards in three consecutive contests.
The Chiefs' willingness to spread the ball around has led to lower target totals for Smith-Schuster, who hasn't had more than four passes thrown his way in a single game since Week 9.
Expecting that to change against a Broncos defense that gives up the fewest fantasy points to receivers seems like a stretch.
Keep your projections in check and only start JuJu as a WR3/flex option this week.
Boone's projection: 45 receiving yards, 4 receptions
Other WRs to sit
- Brandon Aiyuk vs. Buccaneers
- Darius Slayton vs. Eagles
- Devin Duvernay/Demarcus Robinson at Steelers
Injuries at tight end
It seems foolish to recommend sitting any tight end this week given all the injuries to top players at the position, like Dallas Goedert, Zach Ertz, Kyle Pitts, and Darren Waller.
While Dawson Knox, Tyler Conklin, and Noah Fant aren't in ideal spots, some fantasy managers will have no choice but to use them as streamers in Week 14.
Stash
Backup running backs
With the fantasy playoffs almost here, it's more important than ever to load your bench up with high-upside backup running backs.
Here's a list of ball carriers rostered in 15% of leagues or less who are one injury away from having a significant fantasy impact down the stretch:
- Travis Homer (10% rostered)
- Jordan Mason (13% rostered)
- Josh Kelley (3% rostered)
- Keaontay Ingram (1% rostered)
- Dontrell Hilliard (13% rostered)
- Mike Boone (4% rostered)
Quit
Quarterbacks (1QB): Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson
Running backs: Damien Harris, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, James Robinson
Wide receivers: Brandin Cooks, Cooper Kupp, Devin Duvernay
Tight ends: Hayden Hurst, Mike Gesicki