Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em is the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups based on a PPR scoring system in fantasy football. This column will not cover the elite players in the NFL like Patrick Mahomes, Christian McCaffrey, Davante Adams, or Travis Kelce. Instead, I’ll look at the players you have the most questions about to help you set the most effective starting lineup possible. For all of your final fantasy lineup decisions, be sure to check out my weekly player rankings which will be updated daily throughout the 2021 NFL season.
Byes: Colts, Dolphins, Eagles, Patriots
Week 14 Start ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Start of the Week
Dak Prescott at Football Team (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Prescott is coming off a stinker last week, but I’d keep the faith in the Cowboys quarterback against the Football Team. This season, no team has allowed more fantasy points to opposing signal-callers, and Dak has owned them in the last two years. In that time, he’s scored more than 20 fantasy points in all four games while averaging a bananas 26.2 fantasy points.
Week 14 Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: QUARTERBACKS | RUNNING BACKS | WIDE RECEIVERS | TIGHT ENDS | KICKERS | TEAM DEFENSES
Start ‘Em
Aaron Rodgers vs. Bears (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC): Rodgers has been red hot in recent weeks, scoring a combined 59.8 fantasy points over his last two games after posting two stinkers in his previous contests. He’s a virtual must-start against the Bears, who have allowed 20 touchdown passes and the seventh-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. That includes Rodgers, who beat them for 23.7 points back in Week 6.
Russell Wilson at Texans (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Wilson has started to wake up in the stat sheets. He was the QB9 in Week 12, and he should have scored 20-plus points last week if Gerald Everett could catch a football. I’d start him this weekend in a matchup in Houston against a defense that’s allowed five quarterbacks to score 19-plus fantasy points against them. That list includes both Sam Darnold and Trevor Lawrence.
Joe Nicholson/USA TODAY Sports
Taysom Hill at Jets (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Hill produced 20-plus fantasy points last week despite throwing four interceptions, which shows how valuable he is based on his skills as a runner. This week he faces the Jets, who have surrendered the ninth-most points to quarterbacks on the season. However, Hill is dealing with an injured finger on his throwing hand, so be sure to keep tabs on his status before deciding to start him.
Cam Newton vs. Falcons (1 p.m. ET, Fox): The last time we saw Newton out on the gridiron, he was nothing short of terrible in a loss to the Dolphins. That’s the bad news. The good news is that he has a great matchup next on the slate against the Falcons. Their defense has allowed the second-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, and six players at the position have scored 26-plus points against them this season.
More Starts
- Justin Herbert vs. Giants (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox)
- Kirk Cousins vs. Steelers (Thur. 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL)
- Taylor Heinicke vs. Cowboys (1 p.m. ET, Fox)
DFS Bargains
- Taysom Hill at Jets ($5,600)
- Taylor Heinicke vs. Cowboys ($5,500)
- Cam Newton vs. Falcons ($5,400)
Week 14 Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks
Sit of the Week
Ryan Tannehill vs. Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Tannehill’s numbers have been less than stellar in recent weeks, as he’s scored 14 or fewer fantasy points in three of his last four games. And while a game against the Jaguars might look good on paper, their defense has allowed an average of just 14.3 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks since Week 10. Unless you’re in a superflex league, Tannehill should be sidelined.
Sit ‘Em
Matt Ryan at Panthers (1 p.m. ET, Fox): Another week, another lackluster stat line from Ryan. He scored 12.1 points in a loss to the Buccaneers, and that’s the most points he’s scored since Week 9! Next on the slate is a game against the Panthers, who have allowed opposing quarterbacks to score fifth-fewest fantasy points per game. That includes Ryan, who was limited to just 6.1 points against them back in Week 8.
Baker Mayfield vs. Ravens (1 p.m. ET, CBS): This weekend’s matchup against the Ravens isn’t bad on paper, as their defense has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Regardless, it’s tough to trust Mayfield, who has failed to hit double digits in three of his last five games. That includes a matchup against Baltimore before the bye when he scored just 12.3 points. Keep Mayfield on the fantasy bench.
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Ben Roethlisberger at Vikings (Thur. 8:20 p.m. ET, NFL): Big Ben has been better in the stat sheets lately, scoring 19-plus fantasy points in two of his last three games. So, while he is more attractive in multi-quarterback leagues, I still have a tough time starting Roethlisberger in traditional leagues. While the Vikings’ defense isn’t good, quarterbacks have averaged fewer than 17 fantasy points against them in Minnesota.
Jared Goff at Broncos (4:05 p.m. ET, Fox): This one feels like cheating, but I’d fade Goff even in multi-quarterback leagues (if possible). While he’s coming off one of his best performances of the season, good totals have been few and far between. He also has a tough matchup next on the slate, as the Broncos have surrendered an average of fewer than 16 fantasy points a game to enemy quarterbacks at Mile High this year.
More Sits
- Derek Carr at Chiefs (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Zach Wilson vs. Saints (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Trevor Lawrence at Titans (1 p.m. ET, CBS)
DFS Fades
- Patrick Mahomes vs. Raiders ($8,000)
- Lamar Jackson at Browns ($7,400)
- Ryan Tannehill vs. Jaguars ($6,400)
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on Sports Illustrated and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Click here to read all his articles here on SI Fantasy. You can follow Michael on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram for your late-breaking fantasy news and the best analysis in the business!
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