- For the final time this season, we have recommendations on players to start or sit. As always, we try to pick less obvious choices players whom fantasy owners might be on the cusp of starting or sitting.
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The fantasy football playoffs are here.
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The fantasy football playoffs are here!
This will be our last start/sit column of the fantasy season, as there are a dwindling number of people still playing, and, most of the time, those who are playing will roll with their players.
But one last time, we are recommending players to start and sit for Week 14. As usual, we try to pick less obvious choices players whom fantasy owners might be on the cusp of starting or sitting.
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Check out our start 'em, sit 'em for Week 14.
START: Ryan Tannehill, QB
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Team: Tennessee Titans
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Week 14 opponent: at Oakland Raiders
Why you should start him: Since Week 7, Tannehill is QB6 in fantasy scoring. Week 13 was his worst game yet, as he threw for only 182 yards and 2 touchdowns, and didn't add much on the ground, but he still finished with 14 fantasy points. This week, he gets a Raiders defense that has been good on the ground, but not through the air. Tannehill offers a safe floor for fantasy owners without better options at QB.
SIT: Drew Brees, QB
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Team: New Orleans Saints
Week 14 opponent: vs. San Francisco 49ers
Why you should sit him: Brees isn't a bad start, but like many QBs this week, he doesn't have a great matchup. The 49ers are allowing an average of 169 passing yards over their last five games. Brees is QB15 since Week 8 and has had two games where he's finished outside the top 20 among QBs in fantasy scoring. The 49ers run defense is somewhat vulnerable, and it seems unlikely that the Saints will rely on Brees throwing the ball a ton, even with the extra time they've had to prepare for San Francisco.
START: Devonta Freeman, RB
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Team: Atlanta Falcons
Week 14 opponent: vs. Carolina Panthers
Why you should start him: It's been an underwhelming season for Freeman, but the Panthers may be the juiciest matchup in the league for running backs right now. The Panthers just allowed 228 yards and 3 touchdowns on 23 carries to Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson last week. Freeman has had a long break after playing on Thursday last week, and he remains involved in the Falcons offense, with 21 touches last week.
SIT: Tevin Coleman, RB
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Team: San Francisco 49ers
Week 14 opponent: at New Orleans Saints
Why you should sit him: Coleman has been ineffective of late, topping 70 total yards just once in his last five games, while rushing for just 2.6 yards per carry. Last week, he gained 6 yards on 5 carries, a big worry on a 49ers team that has a backfield-by-committee approach. With Raheem Mostert running well lately and the Niners facing the Saints' sixth-ranked run defense, Coleman looks like a clear "sit."
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START: Kareem Hunt, RB
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Team: Cleveland Browns
Week 14 opponent: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
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Why you should start him: Since returning from suspension, Kareem Hunt has seen 10-13 touches every game, has compiled nearly 250 total yards, and is RB21 in standard fantasy scoring. That volume and efficiency put him firmly in the flex conversation. The Bengals defense did shut down the Jets last week, but the Browns are home, and their running backs have produced all season. Even with Nick Chubb maintaining a solid workload, Hunt is playable.
SIT: Derrius Guice, RB
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Team: Washington Redskins
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Week 14 opponent: at Green Bay Packers
Why you should sit him: Guice had his breakout last week, running for 129 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 10 carries vs. the Panthers. However, that might have been more about the Panthers defense than Guice. Before Week 13, Guice had only 56 yards on 17 carries over his previous two games. The Packers run defense isn't one to fear, but Washington going into Green Bay means it's unlikely Washington will lean on the run game quite so much. With Washington also limiting Guice's carries thus far, it isn't shaping up to be a promising matchup for the second-year back.
START: Devante Parker, WR
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Team: Miami Dolphins
Week 14 opponent: at New York Jets
Why you should start him: We've said it in these columns before Parker is having one of the best fantasy seasons among WRs this year. After posting 7 catches for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns last week against the Eagles, he is now WR15 on the year. He's topped 100 yards in two of his last three games and now gets a Jets defense that has given up the ninth-most fantasy points to WRs this season.
SIT: Curtis Samuel, WR
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Team: Carolina Panthers
Week 14 opponent: at Atlanta Falcons
Why you should sit him: Samuel is liable to post a big week at any given time, given his speed and knack for finding the end zone. However, while his six touchdowns this season are nice, he's yet to top 100 yards in a game and has topped 70 yards just twice. He's too dependent on touchdowns to comfortably start, especially against a Falcons defense that's been unpredictable lately.
START: Courtland Sutton, WR
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Team: Denver Broncos
Week 14 opponent: at Houston Texans
Why you should start him: Sutton is becoming nearly matchup- and QB-proof. Even with the Broncos quarterback turnstile, Sutton has posted 70 yards or more or scored a touchdown in 10 games this season. The Texans' pass defense is ranked 25th, and they've allowed 13 wide receivers to go for over 80 yards this season, with six going for over 100.
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SIT: Christian Kirk, WR
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Team: Arizona Cardinals
Week 14 opponent: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
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Why you should sit him: While Kirk remains heavily targeted in the Cardinals offense, his connection with Kyler Murray isn't consistent. Kirk has caught 17 of his last 31 targets and finished with fewer than 50 yards in three of the last four games. Of course, the one game in between there, he went off for 138 yards and 3 touchdowns, but that was against the Bucs. The Steelers present a tougher matchup, especially since acquiring Minkah Fitzpatrick.
START: Kyle Rudolph, TE
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Team: Minnesota Vikings
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Week 14 opponent: vs. Detroit Lions
Why you should start him: Rudolph has benefited from Adam Thielen's absence, as over the last six weeks, he's topped 50 yards three times and scored six touchdowns. He's a bit reliant on touchdowns, but he's TE3 over the last six weeks. With a solid matchup against the Lions, if Thielen is out, you almost have no choice but to roll with him.
SIT: Jimmy Graham, TE
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Team: Green Bay Packers
Week 14 opponent: vs. Washington Redskins
Why you should sit him: Graham has still been used in emergency situations in fantasy, but he's not one to rely on in the playoffs. Washington is a decent matchup, but Graham has been almost nonexistent in the Packers' passing game recently. Over the last five games, Graham has 11 catches for 119 yards, and over the last two, just 2 catches for 23 yards.
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