Football Fantasy Advice: Week 14 Start ’Em, Sit ’Em Picks; Saquon Barkley & Baker Mayfield Are Must Starts

There is perhaps no week more important in modern fantasy football leagues than Week 14. It’s the last week of regular season play for the vast majority of fantasy outfits. That’s why our start ’em, sit ’em picks for this week are going to be so crucial.

In Week 14, with several crucial byes for fantasy teams like the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens, you might need to dig deeper into your bag of tricks. That’s why we’re here to help.

This week, there are two players in particular that really stood out as must starts: Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley and Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield.

Week 14 Must Start: Saquon Barkley, RB (PHI) vs. CAR

Saquon Barkley has been so darn good this season, he might even shove himself into the MVP conversation. He won’t win, but even being in the discussion is a big win for a running back these days.

He’s got six 100-yard games in his last seven games, a span during which he’s scored eight TDs. Carolina has played better of late, but they’ve still allowed the most rushing yards to RBs (nearly 20 more yards per game than any other team), the 3rd-most rushing TDs, and the 6th-highest yards per carry (4.8). This could be another record-setting day for Barkley.

Week 14 Must Start: Baker Mayfield, QB (TB) vs. LV

There hasn’t been a much better story than that of Baker Mayfield over the last two years. After a rough (and, if we’re being honest, unlucky) stretch mid-season, Baker and the Bucs are on a roll again.

Mayfield left a bit to be desired last week, but he’s been about as consistent as they come, posting 18+ fantasy points in 9 of 12 outings this year. The Raiders have allowed the 7th-most fantasy points per game to QBs, and they’ve allowed 300 passing yards in back-to-back games.

Start ‘Em QBs

Sam Darnold (MIN) vs. ATL: Baker is our go-to option this week, but we’ve got another reclamation project you might want to check out at QB. Sam Darnold’s got a safe floor, dropping below 15 fantasy points just twice this season.

He’s also gone for 19+ in four of his last five. There’s an emotional element to this one, though: he will be taking on the guy he replaced in Minnesota in the aging Kirk Cousins. No doubt Darnold will want to prove himself, and play-caller and HC Kevin O’Connell will want him to do so. Atlanta allows the 8th-most fantasy points (18.3) to QBs to boot.

Streaming Options: Cooper Rush (DAL) vs. CIN, Aidan O’Connell (LV) @ TB, Will Levis (TEN) vs. JAX

Sit ‘Em QBs

Kirk Cousins (ATL) @ MIN: Flipping over to the other side of that matchup, Kirk Cousins seems to be all but cooked as a starting QB in the NFL. He’s definitely finished when it comes to fantasy.

His passes looked like frisbee tosses last week, allowing DBs to break on balls and make plays. If he loses his velocity, there won’t be much else for him to fall back on. While we expect his receivers to play well (more on them later), Cousins himself will struggle in an emotional return to Minnesota where he could try to do too much. Cousins has had 12 or fewer fantasy points in seven of his last 10, anyway.

Other Sits: Aaron Rodgers (NYJ) @ MIA, Jameis Winston (CLE) @ PIT

Start ‘Em RBs

Tony Pollard (TEN) @ JAX: One of the quiet success stories of this season has been Tony Pollard in Tennessee. The return of Tyjae Spears doesn’t seem to have affected Pollard’s workload.

The Titans RB is a bit of a boom-or-bust player, but a boom feels like a lock here. The Jags give up the 2nd-most fantasy points to RBs (22.8), and they’re especially poor defending them through the air, where Pollard has been a solid contributor. Jacksonville has allowed an RB to go for 85+ rush yards in four of the last five games. The lone exception saw both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery go for 65+ with 1+ TDs.

Other Start ‘Em RB Options: Chase Brown (CIN) @ DAL, D’Andre Swift (CHI) @ SF

Sit ‘Em RBs

Gus Edwards (LAC) @ KC: For all those that went rushing to the waivers to scoop Gus Edwards after J.K. Dobbins suffered yet another season-ending injury in a tragic string of them, you’ll need to head on back to the wire this week.

The Chiefs are basically impossible to run on, allowing the 3rd-fewest rush yards per game (87.8) and the 2nd-lowest yards per carry (3.7). K.C. has allowed more than 116 rushing yards just once this year, back in Week 1. Edwards likely won’t be the bell cow either, so steer clear this week.

Other Sits: Josh Jacobs (GB) @ DET, Chuba Hubbard (CAR) @ PHI

Start ‘Em WRs

Jayden Reed (GB) @ DET: The Lions are great at a lot of stuff, but defending the pass is certainly not one of them. We don’t love to touch Green Bay’s passing game just because of the sheer volume of options, but Reed seems clearly to be the cream of the crop.

Detroit has allowed the most yards per game to WRs (187.8), and Reed already torched them once this year, going for 113 yards on five catches in Week 9. Not to mention that Detroit’s already leaky secondary is dealing with a litany of injuries right now as well. Load ’em up, Jordan Love.

Other Start ‘Em WR Options: Drake London (ATL) @ MIN, Jakobi Meyers (LV) @ TB

Sit ‘Em WRs

Jaylen Waddle (MIA) vs. NYJ: Talk about a disappointment. Jaylen Waddle was being drafted as the No. 20 WR in PPR leagues back in August, but through 13 weeks, he ranks 40th among wideouts.

He has only gone above 10 fantasy points twice this season, and the Jets are not the team to try through the air: they allow the 3rd-fewest fantasy points per game (17.3) to WRs. We’ll get to the other big reason for Waddle’s fall-off in just a moment.

Other Sits: Deebo Samuel (SF) vs. CHI, Garrett Wilson (NYJ) @ MIA

Start ‘Em TEs

Jonnu Smith (MIA) vs. NYJ: While Waddle has faded into the background, athletic TE Jonnu Smith has emerged as perhaps Tua Tagovailoa’s favorite target, ahead of even Tyreek Hill. The Jets are pretty stingy against tight ends too, but Smith’s target volume makes him matchup-immune. Over the last three weeks, Smith has piled up 25 receptions for 301 yards and three TDs. Expect similar production this time around.

Other Start ‘Em TE Options: Will Dissly (LAC) @ KC, Philly TE (Dallas Goedert or Grant Calcaterra if the former is out)

Sit ‘Em TEs

Tucker Kraft (GB) vs. DET: The Thanksgiving darling is about to crash back down to earth in a hurry. While Jayden Reed and the WRs should have a field day against an injured Detroit secondary, the Lions’ rangy LBs are still there, and they’ve shut down opposing TEs all season. The Lions have allowed just 3.48 fantasy points per game to opposing TEs, by far the fewest in the NFL.

Other Sits: Travis Kelce (KC) vs. LAC, Cole Kmet (CHI) @ SF