Fantasy Football Week 14 Start 'Em and Sit 'Em: Philip Rivers will continue vintage production against Redskins

Philip Rivers and the Chargers turned around a nightmare 0-4 start and are rolling as the Redskins come to town. We are fully onboard with the QB as our start of Week 14.

More Week 14: Waiver Wire — Trade Values — Streaming Options — Rankings — Start 'Em and Sit 'Em — Cheat Sheet — Sleepers — DFS Values

Wow, when did Week 14 get here?

It seems like just yesterday we were debating David Johnson vs. Le'Veon Bell, waiting for an initial progress report on Andrew Luck's shoulder and trying to figure out who would be the best rookie running back this season.

It goes by fast.

This week is the start of the Fantasy playoffs in the majority of leagues, and if you're reading this then you are probably alive in the postseason tournament. All your draft preparation, free agent moves and tough lineup decisions over the past 13 weeks have paid off in a big way.

Congratulations. And now it's time to win the whole freaking thing.

Your team is hopefully set with only a few lineup decisions to deal with, although injuries (Joe Mixon and Zach Ertz, for example) and suspensions (Rob Gronkowski and JuJu Smith-Schuster) could make for some tough choices. What, did you expect winning in the playoffs to be easy?

We'll do our best to steer you in the right direction. And hopefully you'll be setting your lineup for at least one more time in Week 15. 

For now, we'll just wish you good luck. Because as much as skill and being a good Fantasy player got you to this point, it will take a little bit of luck to win a championship.

Editor's Note: Projections are provided by CBS Sports and not Jamey Eisenberg.

Start of the Week 

The Chargers looked like they were headed for a disastrous campaign when the 2017 season began. They lost their first four games, including two because of missed field goals, and some NFL pundits were questioning if Philip Rivers was done at 35 years old.

Fast forward to Week 13, and the Chargers look like the best team in the AFC West. Although they are tied with the Chiefs and Raiders at 6-6, the Chargers have passed the eyeball test of late with their recent level of play. And a big reason has been Rivers.

He comes into Week 14 against the Redskins averaging 343 passing yards in his past three games, with six touchdowns and no interceptions over that span. The Chargers are 3-0 in those games.

Rivers is averaging 24.3 Fantasy points in those outings against Buffalo, Dallas and Cleveland, and he's scored at least 19 points in four of his past five games. He's taken advantage of some plus matchups, and he should do the same thing this week against Washington.

The Redskins are allowing an average of 19.5 Fantasy points a game to opposing quarterbacks, and three of their past five opponents have scored at least 25 points, with four quarterbacks scoring at least 18.

Rivers has played well at home this season, and he's averaging 20.8 Fantasy points in his past four games in Los Angeles. And he should have another strong performance this week against the Redskins to help the Chargers in their quest to win the AFC West.

For what it's worth, I expect the Chargers to win the division. And I expect Rivers to help Fantasy owners win their playoff matchup this week.

I'm starting Rivers over: Carson Wentz (at LAR), Russell Wilson (at JAC), Jared Goff (vs. PHI), Cam Newton (vs. MIN) and Drew Brees (at ATL)

Quarterbacks

Start 'Em

19.7 projected points	Ben Roethlisberger Pittsburgh Steelers QB
The Steelers have a great track record of playing at home in prime-time games, and this matchup will be Sunday night in Pittsburgh. Roethlisberger is 19-3 when it comes to Heinz Field in prime time, and he should love facing the Ravens without standout cornerback Jimmy Smith (Achilles). Roethlisberger has faced Baltimore twice since 2014 without Smith, and both of those games have come at home. In those two games, Roethlisberger has 619 passing yards, nine touchdowns and two interceptions. Even without Smith-Schuster, Roethlisberger is a great starting option this week.
17.8 projected points	Andy Dalton Cincinnati Bengals QB
Dalton is playing great heading into Week 14 against the Bears, and he should have another solid outing in this matchup. He hasn't thrown an interception since Week 7, and he has at least 22 Fantasy points in four of his past six games, including three in a row. The Bears have allowed two of the past three opposing quarterbacks to score at least 21 Fantasy points in Matthew Stafford and Carson Wentz, and Jimmy Garoppolo played well against Chicago with nearly 300 passing yards. Dalton has top-five potential in this matchup at home.
22.8 projected points	Alex Smith Kansas City Chiefs QB
Smith responded well with coach Andy Reid giving offensive coordinator Matt Nagy the play-calling duties in Week 13 at the Jets. He passed for 366 yards and four touchdowns, and he also added a 70-yard run, which was good for 45 Fantasy points. Smith has the chance for another solid performance this week against the Raiders, and he scored 31 Fantasy points at Oakland in Week 7. He has scored at least 20 Fantasy points in three of his past five meetings with the Raiders, and Oakland is allowing an average of 20.3 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this year.
20.6 projected points	Jameis Winston Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB
Winston returned from his three-game absence from a shoulder injury in Week 13 at Green Bay and played well with 21 Fantasy points. We hope it's a sign of things to come, especially in Week 14 against the Lions. Detroit has allowed three of the past four opposing quarterbacks to score at least 22 Fantasy points, and Case Keenum and Joe Flacco combined for 551 passing yards and five total touchdowns against the Lions in the past two games. Winston should be a top-10 Fantasy quarterback in Week 14.
19.0 projected points	Dak Prescott Dallas Cowboys QB
Prescott doesn't have a good track record against the Giants, and his 18 Fantasy points in Week 1 was his best performance against this defense in three career meetings. And Prescott has gone four games in a row without scoring 20 Fantasy points despite hitting that total in five of his first eight games this year. But the Cowboys offense finally looked good in Week 13 against Washington for the first time since Ezekiel Elliott was suspended in Week 10, and Prescott looked competent with 18 Fantasy points. He should build on that performance this week against the Giants, who allow an average of 21.7 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this year.

Sleepers

• Jimmy Garoppolo (at HOU): The Texans allow the most Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, and Garoppolo is worth using as a streaming option. He fared well in his first start for the 49ers at Chicago in Week 13 when he passed for 293 yards and completed 70.3 percent of his passes, along with an interception. He should have a better Fantasy performance this week, and I like him as a low-end starting option in all formats.
  
• Josh McCown (at DEN): This might seem like a tough matchup against the Broncos, who are getting cornerback Aqib Talib back from his one-game suspension last week at Miami, but Denver has allowed four of the past five opposing quarterbacks to score at least 20 Fantasy points. McCown has 62 Fantasy points combined against Carolina and Kansas City in the past two games, and this is now seven games this year with at least 18 points. McCown is worth trusting in this game on the road.
  
• Blaine Gabbert (vs. TEN): Gabbert had a rough game in Week 13 against the Rams, but that was an extremely difficult matchup compared to what he'll face this week against the Titans. Tennessee comes into Week 14 allowing 20.2 Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, and four of their past five opponents have scored at least 18 points. Gabbert had at least 20 Fantasy points in Week 11 at Houston and Week 12 against Jacksonville, and he is worth using as a starter in two-quarterback leagues this week.
• Brett Hundley (at CLE): Hundley let us down last week in a major way given his matchup with the Buccaneers at home, and he only scored seven Fantasy points. But he's still worth a look in two-quarterback leagues this week with the matchup at Cleveland. The Browns have allowed an average of 20.3 Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season, and only Marcus Mariota in Week 7 and Blake Bortles in Week 11 failed to score at least 17 points against Cleveland this year. This is likely Hundley's last start this season with Aaron Rodgers (collarbone) expected to return in Week 15.
  

Sit 'Em

18.6 projected points	Kirk Cousins Washington Redskins QB
As of Wednesday, the Redskins were still having issues with injuries along their offensive line since left tackle Trent Williams (knee) and right tackle Morgan Moses (ankle) weren't able to practice. We'll see if they play this week at the Chargers, and Cousins has struggled of late with his offensive line banged up. He's scored fewer than 20 Fantasy points in four of his past six games, including two in a row against the Giants and Cowboys, and this is a tough matchup against the Chargers, who allow the third-fewest Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Only one quarterback has scored 20 Fantasy points against the Chargers this year, which was Trevor Siemian in Week 1. Cousins is only worth starting in two-quarterback leagues this week.
17.4 projected points	Cam Newton Carolina Panthers QB
Newton had a good Fantasy performance in Week 13 at New Orleans with 24 points, which was just the second time he's scored 20-plus points in his past six games. It will be hard for him to reach that total this week against the Vikings, who are allowing an average of just 14.5 Fantasy points a game to opposing quarterbacks this year. Only Cousins in Week 10 and Roethlisberger in Week 2 have scored 20-plus Fantasy points against Minnesota, and Jared Goff, Matthew Stafford and Matt Ryan combined for 33 Fantasy points against the Vikings in the past three games.
16.5 projected points	Marcus Mariota Tennessee Titans QB
Mariota scored 20 Fantasy points in Week 13 against Houston, which was just the second time he's reached that total this season. But he's gone two games in a row with fewer than 185 passing yards, and he's only passed for multiple touchdowns twice this year. Now, hopefully he's start using his legs more since he ran for 23 yards and a touchdown against the Texans, but prior to that he combined for nine rushing yards against the Steelers and Colts. The Cardinals have held three of the past five opposing quarterbacks to score 18 Fantasy points or less, and I expect Mariota to be in that range. He's only worth starting in two-quarterback leagues this week.
13.8 projected points	Eli Manning New York Giants QB
Manning is back as the starter for the Giants in Week 14 against Dallas after he was inexplicably benched for Geno Smith last week at Oakland, which snapped his 210-game starting streak. He comes back to potentially being without Sterling Shepard (hamstring), which would be a huge downgrade, and he's facing a Cowboys defense that held him to six Fantasy points in Week 1. Manning also has four touchdowns and three interceptions in his past five meetings with the Cowboys, and he's been held under 225 passing yards in each game over that span.
18.4 projected points	Derek Carr Oakland Raiders QB
Carr's best game this season was against the Chiefs in Week 7 when he passed for 417 yards and three touchdowns, which was good for 35 Fantasy points. And Kansas City has struggled against opposing quarterbacks this year, allowing an average of 20.3 Fantasy points to the position. But I'm still avoiding Carr this week. We're still waiting to see if Amari Cooper (ankle) will play in Week 14, but he continues to miss practice. And Carr has not played well on the road this season -- or in Kansas City for his career. Carr is averaging just 13.8 Fantasy points a game on the road, with only one game with at least 20 Fantasy points, which was Week 1 at Tennessee. And Carr is averaging just 9.3 Fantasy points in three career games at Arrowhead Stadium. Carr is just a No. 2 Fantasy quarterback this week.

Bust Alert

Wilson being listed here does not mean sit him. I have him ranked No. 11, which makes him a starter in the majority of leagues. But I don't like him as much as Rivers, Dalton or Winston this week, among others. And I am nervous about the matchup against Jacksonville. While Wilson has scored at least 22 Fantasy points in seven games in a row and has put himself in the NFL MVP discussion, this will be his toughest matchup to date. The Jaguars allow the fewest Fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks, giving up an average of 9.3 points a game to the position. Blaine Gabbert in Week 12 is the lone quarterback to score 20 Fantasy points against Jacksonville, including matchups with Roethlisberger, Goff and Rivers this season. You can argue that Wilson is better than those guys, and I would agree, but this could be a letdown game for him on the road.

Running backs

Start 'Em

11.5 projected points	Lamar Miller Houston Texans RB
Miller is one of the safest Fantasy running backs, and he has been for the past two years since joining the Texans. In 26 games with Houston, Miller has scored at least eight Fantasy points in a standard league 20 times. He's scored double digits in points 12 times over that span, and he should be in that range this week. The 49ers haven't allowed a running back to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in three games in a row, but they've faced some bad rushing offenses in the Giants, Seahawks and Bears. Prior to that, a running back had scored a touchdown or gained 100 total yards against San Francisco in 24 games in a row going back to last year. Miller will start that streak again, and he has the chance to be a top-10 Fantasy option in Week 14. Andre Ellington (6.0 projected points) is also worth a look as a sleeper in PPR leagues with the Texans banged up at receiver. Ellington had five catches for 56 yards on six targets in Week 13.
8.6 projected points	Rex Burkhead New England Patriots RB
Burkhead and Dion Lewis (9.4 projected points) have been exceptional of late, and both are worth starting this week. I like Burkhead better since his production in the passing game could increase with Rob Gronkowski (suspension) out. In his past two games, Burkhead has 25 carries for 128 yards and three touchdowns and five catches for 28 yards and a touchdown, including 17 Fantasy points in a standard league against the Dolphins in Week 12. Lewis has either 90 rushing yards or a touchdown in four games in a row, including 11 Fantasy points against Miami in the first meeting. The last time Gronkowski was out in Week 5 at Tampa Bay with a thigh injury, Tom Brady threw 12 of his 40 passes to his running backs, which is a great sign for Burkhead this week.
9.7 projected points	Marshawn Lynch Oakland Raiders RB
Lynch has been great with his Fantasy production for the past two games, and it appears like the Raiders were saving him for this point in the season. After only having one game with more than 15 total touches since Week 1, Lynch has 29 and 19 total touches in each of his past two outings against Denver and the Giants. He has 34 Fantasy points combined in a standard league in those games, and he should get another heavy workload against the Chiefs this week. Remember, he was ejected from the first meeting against Kansas City in Week 7 for making contact with an official, but he should have a good game in the rematch. The Chiefs have allowed a running back to score a touchdown in five of their past six games.
8.7 projected points	Alfred Morris Dallas Cowboys RB
Morris had the game everyone was hoping for when he replaced Elliott with his performance against the Redskins in Week 13. With the Cowboys offensive line looking dominant for the first time since Week 9, Morris had 27 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown, and he could have similar results this week. The Giants have allowed back-to-back 100-yard rushing games to Samaje Perine and Lynch, and the Cowboys have had a running back score or rush for 100 yards against New York in four games in a row going back to 2015. I expect Morris to extend that streak in Week 14.
12.5 projected points	Kenyan Drake Miami Dolphins RB
On our Sunday morning Fantasy Football Today show on CBS Sports, my bold prediction for Week 13 was that Drake would have 150 total yards and a touchdown against the Broncos. I was wrong – but not by much. He dominated Denver with 23 carries for 120 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 21 yards, and he should have the chance for another heavy workload against the Patriots this week with Damien Williams (shoulder) still hurt. Drake had eight Fantasy points in a standard league at New England in Week 12 with nine carries for 20 yards and three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown, and he's scored at least eight points in four of five games since the Dolphins traded Jay Ajayi to Philadelphia.

Sleepers

• Peyton Barber (vs. DET): We'll see if Doug Martin (concussion) is able to play in Week 14 against Detroit, but it might not matter. The Buccaneers might make Barber the starter after his performance in Week 13 at Green Bay when he had 23 carries for 102 yards and four catches for 41 yards on four targets. It was the first 100-yard rushing game for Tampa Bay this year, and he has a tremendous matchup against the Lions, who have allowed a running back to score in 10 games in a row. 
• Giovani Bernard (vs. CHI): The Bears are banged up defensively, and Mixon will likely be out with a concussion. If Mixon plays then don't plan on using Bernard, but he played great in Week 13 against Pittsburgh after Mixon got hurt with 13 carries for 77 yards and two catches for 19 yards on three targets. Bernard has the chance to be a top-15 Fantasy running back in all formats if Mixon is out this week. 
• Frank Gore (at BUF): The Bills run defense has been awful since trading Marcell Dareus to Jacksonville, and Gore should have the chance for a good game this week. In the past five games, Buffalo has allowed 970 total yards and 11 touchdowns to running backs, with seven scoring double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league over that span. Gore only has one game with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in his past nine outings, but this is a great week to trust him as at least a flex option. 
• Bilal Powell (at DEN): One of the reasons I liked Drake last week was the Broncos run defense, which has fallen apart of late and has key injuries along the defensive line. Denver has allowed 10 touchdowns to running backs in the past five games, and the Jets just got a good Fantasy performance from Powell and Matt Forte in Week 13 against the Chiefs. Powell had 10 Fantasy points in a standard league on 20 total touches, and Forte had 14 points on 18 touches. I like Powell better in standard leagues, and Forte is better in PPR. Both are strong flex options this week. 
• Kerwynn Williams (vs. TEN): If Adrian Peterson (neck) is out again this week then Williams should be in line to start, and hopefully he'll perform like he did in Week 13 against the Rams. Williams had 16 carries for 97 yards, and he'll have the chance to be a flex option in Week 14 against the Titans. The workload should be there for Williams since the Cardinals have given their starting running back at least 15 touches in five games in a row. And the past three running backs against the Titans with at least 15 touches has scored a touchdown or gained 90 total yards.
  

Sit 'Em

8.7 projected points	DeMarco Murray Tennessee Titans RB
Murray ran well in Week 13 against Houston with 11 carries for 66 yards, and it was the first time he's averaged more than 4.0 yards per carry since Week 5. He only has one game with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in his past six outings, and Derrick Henry continues to look like the better Titans running back as each week passes. The Cardinals allow the fifth-fewest Fantasy points to opposing running backs, and Murray is just a flex option at best in Week 14 given his recent level of play. I'd rather start Henry over Murray in standard leagues, but Murray is better in PPR. He does have at least two catches in each of his past nine games.
7.9 projected points	Latavius Murray Minnesota Vikings RB
Prior to last week, when the New Orleans duo of Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara ran through the Panthers, Carolina's run defense had been among the best in the NFL. It didn't look that way when Ingram and Kamara combined for 145 rushing yards and three touchdowns and 11 catches for 103 yards, but the Panthers only allowed four rushing touchdowns in the first 12 weeks of the season. They should be able to contain Murray in this matchup, and he's only worth using as a flex option. He comes into this game with at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in four games in a row, but he will likely need to score in this matchup to be productive. And Jerick McKinnon (6.6 projected points) should also be considered just a flex option this week, with his value slightly higher in PPR.
7.7 projected points	C.J. Anderson Denver Broncos RB
Anderson had his best game since Week 4 with his performance at Miami in Week 13. He had 15 carries for 67 yards and four catches for 43 yards on four targets. We hope he continues to get that type of workload, and it doesn't appear like Devontae Booker is pushing him aside any time soon. But this is a tough matchup against the Jets, even at home. The Jets haven't allowed a running back to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league in their past four games, with just one rushing touchdown over that span. The Jets are in the top 10 of fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs for the season, and Anderson's track record for the season doesn't make him trustworthy even after he played well against the Dolphins in Week 13.
7.6 projected points	Orleans Darkwa New York Giants RB
The Cowboys are expected to get linebacker Sean Lee (hamstring) back this week after he's been out for the past three games, and he's a huge difference maker for the Dallas run defense. Darkwa has played well this season, but he's struggled of late with a combined 25 carries for 62 yards and a touchdown and two catches for 8 yards on two targets in his past two games against the Redskins and Raiders. He's scored just 12 Fantasy points combined in a standard league over that span. Darkwa can be considered a flex option in standard leagues, but this could be a rough game for him, even at home.
8.2 projected points	Christian McCaffrey Carolina Panthers RB
McCaffrey is more of a bust alert than a must-sit option, and he should still be started in PPR leagues. But in standard formats, he should be considered just a flex option at best given the matchup with the Vikings. Minnesota has allowed just four touchdowns to running backs all season, and only four running backs have scored double digits in Fantasy points against the Vikings this year. McCaffrey has scored at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league in four games in a row, but he has two games over that span with fewer than 25 rushing yards. He also has 11 touches or less in three games in a row. If he doesn't score a touchdown this week it could be a difficult game for his overall production.

Bust Alert

The Bears are struggling to run the ball lately, and losing right guard Kyle Long (shoulder) won't help matters. In three of their past four games, the Bears rushed for fewer than 65 yards, including Week 13 against San Francisco. And in the past two games for Howard, he has a total of 44 rushing yards on 20 carries. He's been a non-factor in the passing game lately with three catches for 8 yards in his past four games. And the Bengals have only allowed one rushing touchdown in their past three games. Now, if linebacker Vontaze Burfict (head) is out this week then that will certainly help Howard, who should still be considered a low-end No. 2 running back in the majority of leagues. But if Burfict plays you should be concerned about Howard's production given his recent level of play, as well as Long being out.

Wide receivers

Start 'Em

7.1 projected points	Josh Gordon Cleveland Browns WR
Gordon's return to the NFL in Week 13 at the Chargers has to be considered a success since he had four catches for 85 yards on 11 targets in a tough matchup. This week, he will make his return to Cleveland and play in front of his home crowd for the first time since Week 15 of the 2014 season. He has a much easier matchup this week against the Packers, who allow the fourth-most Fantasy points to opposing receivers. We hope DeShone Kizer continues to lean on Gordon this week, and he has the potential to be a top-10 Fantasy receiver in Week 14.
8.7 projected points	Dez Bryant Dallas Cowboys WR
The Cowboys offense looked good in Week 13 against the Redskins, and Bryant was part of the reason why with five catches for 61 yards and a touchdown on seven targets. He still has a 19-game streak without going over 100 receiving yards in a game, but we're glad he snapped his five-game scoreless streak against Washington. This week, he faces a Giants defense that has allowed a receiver to score or gain 100 receiving yards in six of the past seven games, with nine receivers scoring at least nine Fantasy points in a standard league over that span. Bryant is worth trusting again now that the Cowboys offensive line is back to form.
9.6 projected points	Michael Crabtree Oakland Raiders WR
Crabtree is back after missing Week 13 because of his one-game suspension for fighting with Talib, and this is a great situation for him to reward Fantasy owners. The Chiefs are tied for the most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers, and the team just suspended cornerback Marcus Peters after his meltdown against the Jets in Week 13. Crabtree should get a boatload of targets this week with Cooper likely out, and he's scored in three of his past five meetings with Kansas City, including Week 7 when he had three catches for 24 yards on seven targets. I'm expecting much more from Crabtree in the rematch.
5.7 projected points	Mike Wallace Baltimore Ravens WR
Wallace has emerged as the No. 1 receiver for the Ravens, and he's playing well of late with either a touchdown or 100 receiving yards in three of his past four games. He's facing a Steelers defense that has struggled with receivers of late, with nine guys either gaining 80 receiving yards or scoring a touchdown in the past five games. And Wallace, a former Steelers standout, had six catches for 55 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets against Pittsburgh in Week 4. It wouldn't surprise me if Wallace is a No. 1 Fantasy receiver in Week 14.
6.8 projected points	Marquise Goodwin San Francisco 49ers WR
Goodwin was excellent in his first game with Garoppolo in Week 13 at Chicago. He had eight catches for 99 yards on eight targets, and he has a great matchup in Week 14 at Houston since the Texans allow the eighth-most Fantasy points to opposing receivers. Goodwin has at least seven Fantasy points in a standard league in each of his past three games, and he's worth trusting as at least a high-end No. 3 receiver in the majority of leagues in Week 14. I like Goodwin as a top-20 Fantasy receiver given the matchup.

Sleepers

• Martavis Bryant (vs. BAL): Bryant will start for the Steelers with Smith-Schuster out, and we just had this scenario in Week 12 when Smith-Schuster had a hamstring injury against the Packers in a prime-time home game. Bryant had four catches for 40 yards and a touchdown against Green Bay on six targets, and he played well the last time he faced the Ravens when Jimmy Smith (Achilles) didn't play. It was 2014, and Bryant had three catches for 44 yards and two touchdowns, and we'd love to see a repeat of that performance in Week 14. 
• Sammy Watkins (vs. PHI): In two games since Robert Woods (shoulder) got hurt, Watkins has seven catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets. Woods isn't expected to play this week, so Watkins has the chance to be a No. 2 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues. Watkins also has a touchdown in four of his past five games, so after a slow start he's finally starting to deliver for Fantasy owners, especially since Woods went down. 
• Nelson Agholor (at LAR): With Ertz not expected to play this should be a good spot for Agholor to help Fantasy owners. He's scored in each of his past two games against Chicago and Seattle, and he has 10 catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns on 18 targets over that span. He now has a touchdown in 5-of-6 games when he has at least five targets, and his targets should be up if Ertz sits because of his concussion. 
• Kenny Stills (vs. NE): Stills didn't slow down in Week 13 against Denver even though Jay Cutler was back under center in place of Matt Moore. He had five catches for 98 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets, and he's clearly ahead of DeVante Parker as the No. 2 receiver behind Jarvis Landry. Stills has at least 13 Fantasy points in two of his past three games, and the one down performance was at New England in Week 12 when he only had three catches for 47 yards on six targets. But he scored in his previous two games against the Patriots, and he should be considered a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week. 
• Jermaine Kearse (at DEN): Kearse has played great of late, and hopefully he will keep it going for another week at Denver. He comes into Week 14 with 16 catches for 262 yards and a touchdown on 21 targets in his past two games against Carolina and Kansas City, and he and Robby Anderson have formed a formidable tandem. Kearse is worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver this week, and the Broncos have allowed four touchdowns to receivers in their past three games.
  

Sit 'Em

7.1 projected points	Demaryius Thomas Denver Broncos WR
Thomas has not done well with Trevor Siemian under center, and he's hard to trust even in a good matchup against the Jets. In nine games with Siemian, Thomas has failed to score a touchdown, and he's averaging just 4.8 Fantasy points in a standard league over that span. Now, he did have six catches for 98 yards on nine targets at Buffalo in Week 3 with Siemian and 10 catches for 133 yards on 14 targets in Week 6 against the Giants. But he also has four games with two Fantasy points or less with Siemian, so you should downgrade Thomas to a No. 3 receiver in the majority of leagues despite the positive matchup.
8.9 projected points	Josh Doctson Washington Redskins WR
Doctson has scored in two games in a row, and he has exactly eight Fantasy points in a standard league in three consecutive games. It's nice to see the Redskins leaning on him more with 16 targets over that span, but this is a matchup to avoid for most of the Washington receiving corps. I'd still use Jamison Crowder as at least a No. 3 Fantasy receiver, especially in PPR, and Ryan Grant has scored a touchdown in two of his past three games. But the Chargers pass defense is among the best in the NFL, and they've only allowed one receiver to score in their past six games. Doctson is only worth using as a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues.
7.6 projected points	T.Y. Hilton Indianapolis Colts WR
The status for Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White (concussion) will likely determine how I feel about Hilton by the end of the week, but I'm not sure he's trustworthy in the Fantasy playoffs given his overall production this year. He only has four games this season with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league and eight games with four points or less. The Bills also have allowed just one touchdown to a receiver at home, which was Mike Evans in Week 7. Hilton could have success this week if White is out, so stay tuned to his status, but most likely Hilton will disappoint you like he has for most of this season thanks to Luck being out.
6.7 projected points	DeSean Jackson Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR
You've seen me use the word trust a lot this week because that's what the Fantasy playoffs is all about. Who can you trust in your lineup? And I can't trust Jackson to produce enough to make me start him in the majority of leagues. He's gone eight games in a row without scoring double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, and he's been held under 40 receiving yards in five games over that span. He could always have that big play that he's known for, but Jackson only has one game this season with over 100 receiving yards. He's only worth using (trusting?) as a low-end No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues.
6.0 projected points	Rishard Matthews Tennessee Titans WR
Matthews is expected to return in Week 14 at Arizona after being out for the past two games with a hamstring injury. And while he played well prior to getting hurt, this is not the matchup to trust him as anything more than a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in deeper leagues. Matthews will likely see the most of Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson, who continues to make things tough on opposing No. 1 receivers, which is what Matthews is for the Titans. He had at least 13 Fantasy points in a standard league in two of his past three games before getting hurt, but you should expect minimal production this week against Peterson.

Bust Alert

Funchess has been awesome since the Panthers traded Kelvin Benjamin to the Bills. In his past four games, Funchess has 21 catches for 346 yards and three touchdowns on 33 targets, and he's clearly been the No. 1 receiver for Newton. Greg Olsen (foot) is expected to return this week, which should take away targets from Funchess, and he has a brutal matchup against the Vikings. Only five receivers have scored double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league against Minnesota, and Funchess will likely see plenty of standout cornerback Xavier Rhodes. Consider Funchess just a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues this week.

Tight ends

Start 'Em

6.2 projected points	Hunter Henry Los Angeles Chargers TE
Henry has been excellent in the past two games, and we wish the Chargers had featured him like this all season. He has 12 catches for 157 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets, and he has 19 targets in his past three games overall. He has a great matchup in Week 14 against Washington, and the Redskins have allowed a tight end to score in four of the past five games.
5.7 projected points	Cameron Brate Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE
It seems to be simple enough that Winston comes back for the Buccaneers and all of the sudden Brate is good again. In three starts with Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brate combined for two Fantasy points on eight targets. But with Winston at Green Bay in Week 13, Brate had six targets for two catches, 39 yards and a touchdown. He faces the Lions this week, and Detroit has allowed four touchdowns to tight ends in the past three games. Brate is a must-start tight end in Week 14 and a great replacement for Gronkowski or Ertz.
4.6 projected points	Stephen Anderson Houston Texans TE
The Texans might not have a choice but to lean on Anderson as the No. 2 option in the passing game behind DeAndre Hopkins. Will Fuller (ribs) could return this week, but Braxton Miller (concussion) is hurt, along with Bruce Ellington (hamstring) and C.J. Fiedorowicz (concussion) just going on injured reserve. Anderson had a great game against the Titans in Week 13 with five catches for 79 yards and a touchdown, and he has a good matchup against the 49ers, who have allowed four touchdowns to tight ends in their past four games. Anderson is one of my favorite streaming options at any position in Week 14.

Sleepers

• Jason Witten (at NYG): Witten has a great track record against the Giants, and they have been awful against opposing tight ends all season. He comes into this matchup with three touchdowns against the Giants in his past five meetings, including seven catches for 59 yards and a touchdown on nine targets in Week 1. The Giants haven't allowed a tight end to score or go over 100 receiving yards in two games in a row, but they were miserable against tight ends for the first 10 games of the year. 
• Ricky Seals-Jones (vs. TEN): Seals-Jones saw his two-game scoring streak end in Week 13 against the Rams when he finished with just two catches for 44 yards on five targets. But he still got at least five targets for the third game in a row, and he has a favorable matchup in Week 14 against Tennessee. The Titans have allowed a tight end to score or gain 90 receiving yards in three games in a row, and you can feel confident starting Seals-Jones in the majority of leagues this week. 
• Austin Seferian-Jenkins (at DEN): Seferian-Jenkins is due for a good game after struggling the past few weeks, and the matchup against the Broncos should help. Denver allows the third-most Fantasy points to opposing tight ends, and a tight end has scored against the Broncos in five of their past six games. Seferian-Jenkins hasn't scored since Week 7, and he only has one game with more than two Fantasy points in his past five outings. But the matchup against Denver should give you confidence to trust Seferian-Jenkins in Week 14. 
  

Sit 'Em

4.9 projected points	Charles Clay Buffalo Bills TE
It will be hard to trust Clay if Tyrod Taylor (knee) is out, and that appears to be the case this week against the Colts. Clay also has struggled in four games since coming back from his three-game absence due to a knee injury. He has 11 Fantasy points combined in a standard league over that span, and he hasn't scored a touchdown in his past six games overall. We'll see if Taylor can return this year and help get Clay back on track, but I'm not starting him if Nathan Peterman is under center for Buffalo in Week 14.
5.5 projected points	Austin Hooper Atlanta Falcons TE
Hooper has fallen off the past three games with five Fantasy points combined against Seattle, Tampa Bay and Minnesota. He also has just 11 targets over that span after he had 18 targets in the three games prior. The matchup with the Saints isn't enticing either since they have allowed just one tight end to score double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league, which was Gronkowski in Week 2. He's also the lone tight end with more than 70 receiving yards against New Orleans this year.
7.5 projected points	Vernon Davis Washington Redskins TE
The Redskins woes on their offensive line have impacted Davis since his production has plummeted due to the injuries up front. Despite two dream matchups in the past two games against the Giants and Dallas with Jordan Reed (hamstring) out, Davis combined for two catches for 15 yards on three targets. He has a much tougher matchup in Week 14 even though Reed will be out again. The Chargers are No. 2 in Fantasy points allowed to tight ends, and Davis will likely be held to minimal production again in Week 14.

Bust Alert

Cook is the lone tight end to have success against the Chiefs this year, and we'll see if he can do it again in the rematch in Week 14. He went off for six catches for 107 yards on seven targets against Kansas City in Week 7, and he's the lone tight end with double digits in Fantasy points in a standard league against the Chiefs. Kansas City has also allowed just one touchdown to a tight end this year. It will be hard to trust Cook this week since he has three Fantasy points combined in a standard league in his past three games against New England, Denver and the Giants, and those last two matchups are as good as it gets for a tight end. I would only start Cook in deeper leagues this week.

Defenses/Special teams

Start 'Em

Patriots (at MIA) – 13.7 projected points

You knew, despite a slow start, that the Patriots defense would turn things around as the season went on. And here we are, in December, and New England's defense has quietly been among the best in the NFL. The Patriots haven't allowed an opponent to score more than 17 points since Week 5, and they've held two teams (Oakland in Week 11 and Buffalo in Week 13) to fewer than 10 points in their past three games. The Patriots DST comes into this matchup at Miami with at least 11 Fantasy points in four games in a row, including 17 points against the Dolphins in Week 12 when they had seven sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery with Matt Moore under center. It won't change much against Jay Cutler, and Miami has allowed the past three opposing DSTs to score at least 14 Fantasy points.

Sleepers

• Jets (at DEN): The Jets don't have a great defense, and the Jets DST has one game with double digits in Fantasy points in their past seven games. But the Broncos don't have a good offense and come into this matchup with an interception streak of eight games in a row. They have allowed 11 sacks in their past three games, and Denver has scored more than 20 points just once since Week 2. This is a great week to gamble on the Jets DST.
  
• Bengals (vs. CHI): Cincinnati has a handful of players banged up on defense, but that shouldn't matter against the Bears at home. Chicago comes into this game having allowed the opposing DST to score 54 Fantasy points in the past three road games, and the Bears have allowed the Eagles DST and the 49ers DST to combine for 36 points in the past two games. We hope the Bengals are 100 percent healthy on defense this week, but even at less than 100 percent they should perform well against the Bears.
• Bills (vs. IND): The Bills DST has struggled of late with only one game with double digits in Fantasy points in their past five outings. But it has been better at home this year than on the road with at least 11 Fantasy points in three of six games, and two of their failures came against New Orleans and New England. The Colts come into this game allowing the most Fantasy points to opposing DSTs this year, and six DSTs in a row have scored at least 11 points against them.
  
• Packers (at CLE): The Packers DST has played well of late and had a good showing in Week 13 against Tampa Bay. The Packers DST scored a touchdown, had seven sacks and recovered a fumble and has now scored at least 10 Fantasy points in three of the past four games. The Browns have allowed the opposing DST to score at least 13 Fantasy points in six of their past seven games, and this should be a good week for the Packers DST to reward your Fantasy team.

Sit 'Em

Eagles (at LAR) – 11.1 projected points

The Eagles DST has been great this year and a big reason the team is dominating the NFC East. But the defense struggled last week at Seattle with no turnovers and just two sacks, and this should be another down performance at the Rams. The Rams have only allowed one opposing DST in their last six games to score double digits in Fantasy points, which was Minnesota in Week 11. Jared Goff has just six interceptions on the season, and he's only been sacked 20 times. The Rams also score an average of 30.1 points per game. This is a good week to avoid the Eagles DST.

Kickers

Start 'Em

Coons had a great debut with the Chargers in Week 13 against the Browns. He made 4-of-5 field goals and one extra point, and he was among the best Fantasy kickers last week. Hopefully the encore will be just as successful against the Redskins, who have allowed six kickers to make multiple field goals this season. The Chargers offense is playing great right now, and Nick Novak, who Coons replaced because of a back injury, also made four field goals in Week 11 against Buffalo.

Sleepers

• Dan Bailey (at NYG): The Cowboys offense got back on track in Week 13 against Washington, and Bailey had one field goal and five extra points. Dallas should again be able to move the ball against the Giants this week, and New York is among the league leaders in Fantasy points allowed to kickers. Seven kickers have made multiple field goals against the Giants this year, including Bailey in Week 1 when he scored 13 Fantasy points.
  
• Randy Bullock (vs. CHI): Kickers have been exceptional against the Bears of late, and Bullock will hopefully follow suit. In the past five games, Chicago has allowed 13 field goals on 14 attempts, along with 11 extra points. Bullock also has done a nice job of late with five field goals and five extra points in his past two games for a combined 20 Fantasy points.
  
• Steven Hauschka (vs. IND): Hauschka only has one game in his past five outings with double digits in Fantasy points, and the offense could struggle with Peterman if he starts. But the Bills should be able to run the ball against the Colts, who allow the most Fantasy points to opposing kickers, which is why Hauschka should have a successful day. Three kickers in a row have made multiple field goals against Indianapolis coming into Week 14.
  

Sit 'Em

Forbath has been an excellent Fantasy kicker this season, and he could play well this week, although it should be a low-scoring game based on the over/under of 42 points in Las Vegas. But the numbers of late are working against him. Forbath hasn't made multiple field goals in four games in a row, including three missed field goals over that span. And the Panthers haven't allowed a kicker to score double digits in Fantasy points since Week 4, and only two kickers have made multiple field goals against Carolina over that span.