Fantasy Football Week 14 Lineup Cheat Sheet: Starts, sits and sleepers

Need help selecting a starter for your Week 14 lineup? Dave Richard combines film study, stats and confidence to help put your best foot forward.

Week 14 Rankings: Standard | PPR

The Lineup Cheat Sheet combines Fantasy analysis and game-flow predictions with a confidence scale to give you a definitive answer on who to start in your leagues.

The higher the number next to a player's name, the more confident you should be to start him. If a player isn't listed, don't start him.

Numbers are based on non-PPR scoring but are typically applicable to PPR formats.

To find a specific player, use your search function -- CTRL-F on PCs and Command-F on Macs. If neither of those are options, or if you're on a mobile device, you can search by game.

If you're still unsure, just send a note on Twitter (@daverichard) using #CBSFLCS and I'll give it a look, time permitting.

Steelers at Bills

Note: There are weather concerns for the game. Check the local weather forecast on Sunday before setting your lineup.

Steelers		Bills
Ben Roethlisberger	9.2	Tyrod Taylor	5.5
Le'Veon Bell	9.6	LeSean McCoy	9.2
Antonio Brown	9.3	Mike Gillislee	5.6
Ladarius Green	6.9	Sammy Watkins	6.4
Steelers DST	6.0	Bills DST	3.6

Start Him

Watkins was a big bust last week, especially after getting 32 of his 38 yards on the Bills' first drive of the game. But don't blame his injuries -- he glided and showed consistently good footwork. He dropped a couple of passes that he should have come up with and Tyrod Taylor missed him a couple of times. With the Bills expected to throw to keep up on the scoreboard, Watkins should be given another shot as a No. 2 Fantasy option as his playing time increases.

Start Him

As streaming tight ends go, Fantasy owners should flock to Green. His lack of playing time -- 35 of 73 snaps played last week -- is concerning, but there's nothing wrong with the 11 targets, six catches, 110 yards and one touchdown he delivered. No question, Green should become more involved in the Steelers offense moving forward, even if he's not a good run blocker. The Bills are giving up 14.2 yards per catch to tight ends this season, worst in the league.

Broncos at Titans

Broncos		Titans
Trevor Siemian	4.0	Marcus Mariota	6.3
Devontae Booker	6.3	DeMarco Murray	8.6
Demaryius Thomas	5.9	Rishard Matthews	4.0
Emmanuel Sanders	5.4	Delanie Walker	7.4
Broncos DST	8.4	Titans DST	8.2

Sit Him

Frankly, there's too much risk starting Matthews, a touchdown-dependent receiver, against a Denver defense that has allowed six scores to wideouts all season. True, four of those six have come in the past three weeks. Denver's defense is on the road for the second week in a row and the Titans are coming off a bye. Theoretically, we should have confidence in Matthews, but we've seen the Broncos make far superior receivers look mortal.

Matthews has had 70 yards or less in six of his last seven games -- if he doesn't score, that's the kind of stat he'll deliver.

Risky Starter

Since C.J. Anderson's injury, Booker has averaged 2.8 yards per carry, has barely been used as a receiver and has scored three times in five games. Worse yet, he's been above 10 Fantasy points just once in those five. Four straight running backs have hit 10-plus Fantasy points against the Titans, but they're stingy when it comes to touchdowns, yielding five on the ground through 11 games.

Booker is basically a No. 3 running back, saved because he should see a lot of touches and could get 70 yards on sheer volume of work. The addition of Justin Forsett might take five touches off his plate, not much more.

Redskins at Eagles

Redskins		Eagles
Kirk Cousins	9.1	Carson Wentz	4.1
Rob Kelley	6.9	Ryan Mathews	6.4
Chris Thompson	2.7	Darren Sproles	5.9
DeSean Jackson	7.6	Jordan Matthews	3.0
Jamison Crowder	7.2	Zach Ertz	7.2
Pierre Garcon	3.7	Eagles DST	4.0
Vernon Davis	4.9
Redskins DST	7.6

Start Him

The revenge game narrative is fun to think about, but Jackson should be started because of the matchup. Philly has allowed 15.3 yards per catch to receivers on the season, particularly ballooning over its past six games. The Eagles have also surrendered a receiver score in eight of their last nine, typically to speedy pass catchers who line up on the outside. Given the state of the Eagles secondary and Cousins' chances to attack deep, Jackson should be considered in the No. 2 receiver mix.

Cardinals at Dolphins

Cardinals		Dolphins
Carson Palmer	7.5	Ryan Tannehill	4.5
David Johnson	9.4	Jay Ajayi	8.4
Larry Fitzgerald	6.2	Jarvis Landry	5.7
Michael Floyd	3.6	DeVante Parker	3.9
J.J. Nelson	2.6	Kenny Stills	2.7
Jermaine Gresham	5.5	Dolphins DST	6.6
Cardinals DST	8.0

Sneaky Sleepers

Palmer isn't the easiest quarterback to trust, but he has shown signs of success against sub-par pass defenses, throwing for a lot of yards against inferior units (and even a pretty good Redskins defense last week). This week he faces off against a Dolphins defense that's given up three-plus passing scores in three of its last four. His offensive line is far from perfect but Palmer's been finding ways to put up stats.

One of those ways is leaning on his tight end, Gresham. He's had at least four catches in three of his past four games and has scored in two of his last three. Not only have the Dolphins struggled with tight ends recently, but linebacker Kiko Alonso will either play with a broken thumb or miss the game, making the matchup even more attractive. As streaming tight ends go, Gresham is a good one.

Vikings at Jaguars

Vikings		Jaguars
Sam Bradford	3.5	Blake Bortles	3.7
Jerick McKinnon	6.2	T.J. Yeldon	5.1
Matt Asiata	5.8	Marqise Lee	3.4
Stefon Diggs	5.5	Allen Robinson	3.1
Adam Thielen	4.5	Jaguars DST	4.6
Kyle Rudolph	6.0
Vikings DST	9.1

Sit Them

You already knew this wasn't a good matchup for Robinson, but it's not for Diggs either. The Jaguars pass defense has allowed just two scores to receivers over its past five, with no wideout eclipsing 80 yards in that span. That includes some notable names ... with some bad quarterbacks. Diggs suffers from quarterbackitis too, plus it looks like Diggs' target-hogging days are over. Don't overvalue him.

As for Robinson ... yeah, you know why he's a sit. Bad quarterback, very tough matchup versus cornerback Xavier Rhodes and surprisingly low catch totals lately (has caught 8 of 21 targets over the past three weeks).

Texans at Colts

Texans		Colts
Brock Osweiler	3.9	Andrew Luck	9.5
Lamar Miller	7.2	Frank Gore	7.3
DeAndre Hopkins	6.9	T.Y. Hilton	9.0
Will Fuller	3.2	Donte Moncrief	7.7
C.J. Fiedorowicz	3.5	Dwayne Allen	3.3
Ryan Griffin	2.9	Colts DST	5.6
Texans DST	3.2

Start Him

You can't go wrong with a guy who has scored in five straight games, can you? Particularly if he's playing the Texans, who have seen receivers score six times in their last four games including twice each in the past two weeks. Top cornerback Johnathan Joseph isn't expected to play, softening the matchup for Moncrief on the outside. Andrew Luck should also have time to make plays as the Texans could be without Jadeveon Clowney for the second consecutive week. Moncrief is a safe No. 2 receiver who should get around 10 Fantasy points in standard leagues.

Chargers at Panthers

Chargers		Panthers
Philip Rivers	8.1	Cam Newton	6.7
Melvin Gordon	9.1	Jonathan Stewart	7.6
Tyrell Williams	7.3	Ted Ginn	4.6
Dontrelle Inman	4.7	Kelvin Benjamin	4.1
Travis Benjamin	2.5	Greg Olsen	7.0
Antonio Gates	5.7	Panthers DST	5.8
Chargers DST	5.4

Start Them

After being on the road for two weeks, this feels like a homecoming game for a win-hungry Panthers team. Luckily, the Chargers have been pretty bad against the run lately, giving up a touchdown to a running back in eight of their past 10 games and 12 Fantasy points or more to five of six rushers.

That poor run defense should help Newton out as a runner, but don't be surprised if he passes with success. The Chargers have specifically struggled with top-tier tight ends for much of the year, and Greg Olsen's due. Between him, Kelvin Benjamin and super sleeper Ted Ginn (who has been more involved than Benjamin lately), Newton should find two scores through the air. He's a pretty good option.

Bengals at Browns

Note: There are weather concerns for the game. Check the local weather forecast on Sunday before setting your lineup.

Bengals		Browns
Andy Dalton	8.0	Robert Griffin III	4.7
Jeremy Hill	8.1	Isaiah Crowell	6.0
Rex Burkhead	4.1	Duke Johnson	5.0
Brandon LaFell	7.5	Terrelle Pryor	6.3
Tyler Boyd	5.8	Corey Coleman	5.1
Tyler Eifert	9.4	Gary Barnidge	3.1
Bengals DST	9.0	Browns DST	2.6

Start Him

This has everything to do with the role LaFell plays in the Bengals offense and the matchup he'll have against the Browns. Lining up along the outside, LaFell has worked as the No. 1 receiver while A.J. Green has been hurt. In three games, he has caught 12 of 25 targets for 165 yards and a score -- most of those numbers coming last week. The Browns have allowed seven receivers to notch 10 or more Fantasy points over their past six games, including LaFell back in Week 7 (and that was with Green on the field!). So long as the weather cooperates, LaFell should be a great one-week fill-in for Fantasy owners.

Bears at Lions

Bears		Lions
Matt Barkley	3.1	Matthew Stafford	7.9
Jordan Howard	8.2	Theo Riddick	6.7
Josh Bellamy	2.2	Golden Tate	6.5
Bears DST	4.2	Anquan Boldin	4.3
		Eric Ebron	6.4
		Lions DST	7.4

Start Him

The only reason why Ebron should figure into your lineup plans is because the matchup is so good. The Bears have given up a touchdown to a tight end in three of their past four -- and it may have been four for four if the 49ers didn't play so conservatively last week. This is a big deficiency in the Bears defense, and the Lions should try to capitalize. After scuffling through some tough matchups in recent weeks, and scoring once in his last five games, it's fair to see he's due.

Jets at 49ers

Jets		49ers
Bryce Petty	2.3	Colin Kaepernick	6.5
Matt Forte	8.3	Carlos Hyde	8.0
Bilal Powell	2.8	Shaun Draughn	3.1
Brandon Marshall	3.3	Torrey Smith	2.3
Jets DST	5.2	Vance McDonald	5.3
		49ers DST	4.4

Sit Him

Sure, Marshall has a splendid matchup against a 49ers defense that has allowed 20 touchdowns to receivers on the season. But Brandon ... your quarterback ... woof! Through essentially six quarters, Bryce Petty is completing 54.2 percent of his passes at 5.4 yards per attempt with two touchdowns and three interceptions. He's thrown at Marshall 11 times, completing seven passes for a grand total of 41 yards. No reception has gone for more than 13 yards. Even with a great matchup, Marshall's yardage should be limited and he cannot be any more likely to score than he has so far this season. Skip him.

Saints at Buccaneers

Saints		Buccaneers
Drew Brees	8.2	Jameis Winston	7.1
Mark Ingram	6.8	Doug Martin	7.5
Tim Hightower	5.3	Mike Evans	8.4
Michael Thomas	6.7	Cameron Brate	6.7
Brandin Cooks	5.2	Buccaneers DST	4.8
Willie Snead	3.5
Coby Fleener	4.7
Saints DST	2.8

Sit Him

Remember how last week was supposed to be the "squeaky wheel" game for Cooks? That didn't work out as Brees fell apart. Cooks has never scored or had more than 65 yards in a game against Tampa Bay (three tries). He also has struggled on grass compared to turf both this year and throughout his career. Meanwhile, the Bucs pass defense has started to come around. With less than eight Fantasy points in four of his past five, Cooks shouldn't be expected to be a yardage beast. Maybe he catches six passes or so but underwhelms otherwise.

Falcons at Rams

Falcons		Rams
Matt Ryan	6.9	Jared Goff	3.3
Devonta Freeman	8.7	Todd Gurley	7.0
Tevin Coleman	5.7	Benny Cunningham	2.9
Julio Jones	8.7	Kenny Britt	6.1
Taylor Gabriel	4.2	Lance Kendricks	4.8
Falcons DST	7.8	Rams DST	3.0

Risky Starter

You might not think much of the Falcons cornerbacks if you study them, but in their past three games they've collectively allowed zero touchdowns and kept every receiver to under 75 yards. That's pretty good for a unit missing its best cornerback. Jared Goff is still more of a detriment than a contributor, further hurting Britt's cause. And for whatever reason, Britt's best games have come on the road, not at home. It's best to think of Britt as a flex choice, not a bona fide No. 2 wideout.

Seahawks at Packers

Note: There are weather concerns for the game. Check the local weather forecast on Sunday before setting your lineup.

Seahawks		Packers
Russell Wilson	7.8	Aaron Rodgers	8.4
Thomas Rawls	7.4	Christine Michael	3.2
Doug Baldwin	6.8	Jordy Nelson	8.8
Tyler Lockett	2.4	Davante Adams	7.9
Jimmy Graham	8.3	Randall Cobb	5.6
Seahawks DST	7.2	Packers DST	6.4

Risky Starter Start Him

To call Wilson inconsistent is an understatement -- he's gone through hot streaks with 30-point games and skids where he can't break 18. He's managed to score two touchdowns in each of four career games against the Packers, but has topped 20 Fantasy points twice (and rushing totals played a big part). It bothers me that Wilson's had four road games without a touchdown on the season and has had under 30 rush yards in every game but one. But the absence of Packers pass rusher Nick Perry and the statuses of starting outside cornerbacks Damarious Randall and Ladarius Gunter should offer optimism. This isn't a tough matchup anymore.

Cowboys at Giants

Cowboys		Giants
Dak Prescott	7.7	Eli Manning	7.3
Ezekiel Elliott	9.5	Rashad Jennings	5.4
Dez Bryant	8.1	Paul Perkins	3.6
Cole Beasley	2.9	Odell Beckham	9.2
Jason Witten	3.9	Sterling Shepard	6.0
Cowboys DST	3.8	Giants DST	3.4

Start Them

If Jason Pierre-Paul were active, I'd argue Prescott would have a second straight tough matchup. But Pierre-Paul is out, and that really hurts the Giants pass rush and run defense, and helping Prescott. Logic suggests this will be a high scoring game (most of Dallas' games are) and Prescott should have time to make some plays downfield. He's a low-end starter for Fantasy owners in Week 14.

Dallas' defense has been good, but it doesn't get a lot of interceptions and tends to give up passing touchdowns to better quarterbacks (Aaron Rodgers in Week 6 being an exception). Manning has two or more touchdowns in five of his past seven against Dallas including three scores in Week 1. With the belief that the Giants will have to throw in order to compete, Manning's numbers should be OK.

Ravens at Patriots

Ravens		Patriots
Joe Flacco	5.7	Tom Brady	8.5
Kenneth Dixon	5.5	LeGarrette Blount	6.5
Terrance West	5.2	Dion Lewis	6.1
Mike Wallace	5.0	Julian Edelman	8.0
Steve Smith	4.9	Malcolm Mitchell	6.6
Breshad Perriman	4.4	Chris Hogan	4.8
Dennis Pitta	4.0	Martellus Bennett	3.4
Ravens DST	6.2	Patriots DST	6.8

Malcolm Mitchell - Start Him

Mitchell doesn't feel like your typical trendy waiver-wire pickup. In his past three Mitchell has turned 22 targets into 17 catches, 222 yards and three touchdowns. He has a minimum of eight Fantasy points in non-PPR and 16 Fantasy points in PPR formats in those three games. And how about this -- the only Patriot to get more targets than Mitchell in the last three weeks is Julian Edelman, which is standard operating procedure for the Pats.

Look for Mitchell to catch his third score of the season lined up to Brady's right on Sunday.

Raiders at Chiefs

Raiders		Chiefs
Derek Carr	5.9	Alex Smith	4.3
Latavius Murray	7.7	Spencer Ware	8.5
Jalen Richard	4.5	Tyreek Hill	5.3
Amari Cooper	7.8	Jeremy Maclin	3.8
Michael Crabtree	7.4	Travis Kelce	8.7
Seth Roberts	2.8	Chiefs DST	8.6
Raiders DST	5.0

Risky Starter

With the expectation that Andy Reid will aim to control the clock with his run game, Carr could be forced to take the reins of the Raider offense. That hasn't led to success at any point in his first five games against Kansas City, going 1-4 and never accumulating more than 17 Fantasy points. He's also delivered low stats in two career Thursday games including one at home against the Chiefs in 2014.