Key Starters and Tough Calls - Week 14 Lineup Spotlights for Fantasy Football Include Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Austin Ekeler, Nico Collins

December 9, 2023

Scott breaks down his fantasy football lineup starts/sits for Week 14 (2023). He spotlights key NFL players to start, and tougher lineup start/sit decisions.

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to my Week 14 Lineup Spotlights - Key Starters and Tough Calls for fantasy football. Every week, I zoom in on some of my favored players to go with when dealing with challenging lineup decisions. These picks are based on my Premium Weekly Lineup Rankings, available as part of the RotoBaller NFL Premium Pass. Enter promo code KING at checkout for a discount and get access to my ranks in all formats, plus a full roster of tools and analysis for the remainder of the 2023 fantasy football season.

We feature players that you should lean to in tough calls and guys who may exceed expectations this week are also highlighted, so you can feel even more confident about starting or adding them. Skill position analysis here is based on my PPR rankings.

When considering each player for your lineup, also consult our fantasy football rankings to see exactly where they are positioned when compared to your other possible lineup choices.

Running Backs – Fantasy Football Week 14

Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon, Kansas City Chiefs

Isiah Pacheco is out for Week 14 and possibly longer because of a shoulder injury. Fantasy players now want to know who will produce better totals in Week 14 between Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon. Andy Reid did confirm that he expects to utilize Edwards-Helaire as his lead RB. McKinnon, though, has demonstrated more upside in the past, and he should get his share of significant work in a return from a groin injury.

Undrafted free agent rookie Deneric Prince was elevated from the practice squad, and he also may be a player to watch and possibly add in deeper leagues. Some fantasy experts have suggested that Prince could also figure into the Week 14 RB mix for Kansas City. Initially, however, the expectation should be that Edwards-Helaire will be the lead ball carrier, with McKinnon being used on passing downs while having appeal as a true TD threat.

Isiah Pacheco is out. Here is my take- KC has significant injuries on D- I think they could trail BUF. I see McKinnon getting extended use as a receiver. I could see them elevating Deneric Prince to split early-down work with CEH . McKinnon's the only one I like here. @Rotowire

— Jim Coventry (@JimCoventryNFL) December 8, 2023

The last time we saw Edwards-Helaire as a regular starter was for six games at the beginning of the 2022 season, and he carried more than nine times just once while averaging 42.6 rushing yards per game. He rushed for two TDs during that six-game span and another in Week 7 when he was not listed as a starter. He also finished with 30-plus receiving yards and had three-plus receptions in his first three starts of the season. Pacheco took over as the starter in Week 7.

McKinnon was not much of a factor in the first six games of the 2022 campaign, with only two games of 35-plus scrimmage yards and one receiving TD. But he came on strong late, with eight TD receptions on 25 catches in the last five games of the regular season. He averaged 53 receiving yards per game during that stretch and he opened the playoffs by totaling 142 yards from scrimmage and a receiving TD with six receptions in a win over the Steelers.  In 10 games this season, McKinnon has 13 receptions for 155 yards and three TDs, but he has rushed for only 30 yards, as Pacheco clearly was the pure featured back.

With Pacheco out, McKinnon should get the opportunity to reclaim a busy role, as he played on over 45 percent of the snaps in eight of the Chiefs’ last nine games through the playoffs last season. I rank McKinnon and Edwards-Helaire right next to each other, just near the end of the top 20 RBs. Edwards-Helaire may be slightly safer for rushing volume and a rushing TD, yet I expect McKinnon to be on the field a lot and add receptions along with the obvious promise for a receiving TD. Both RBs should be viewed as back-end RB2/flex types for Week 14.

The projected total of 49 is the second-highest Over/Under on the Week 14 slate, so with a heavy passing game outlook, my lean is slightly to McKinnon when evaluating the two RBs for Week 14 fantasy production. Buffalo ranks 10^th in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to RBs, so the Chiefs RBs don’t have an obvious matchup to exploit, as I expect it to be a more neutral matchup overall with the projected higher-scoring outlook figured in. I would not start either Kansas City RB over a more established and dependable RB who gets regular touches, yet Edwards-Helaire can post adequate totals and McKinnon is an upside flex option.

Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers

This week, Brandon Staley indicated that changes might be ahead in how the Chargers RBs are utilized, creating more stress for fantasy players who have been trying to overcome Austin Ekeler’s recent struggles. The longtime fantasy superstar has not reached double figures in PPR fantasy points in his last three games.

According to ESPN, though, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore said there would not be a “drastic change” in Ekeler’s workload. The overall role, however, has already diminished fantasy-wise, as premier fantasy football analyst Jeff Mans reiterated here.

Back on June 19th I tried to warn #FantasyFootball players about Austin Ekeler. Did you listen?
👇👇👇 https://t.co/j9ExAqRmmL

— Jeff Mans (@Jeff_Mans) December 7, 2023

Ekeler has been inconsistent, yet he still can help you win in fantasy football, as evidenced by three 20-point PPR games from Weeks 8 to 10. Joshua Kelley averaged only 38.6 yards per game in three starts earlier this season, so I am not expecting too much from him even with more possible work this week. Some guys just are not capable of providing notably improved production with increased opportunities, and I believe Kelley fits that bill.

The Broncos allow the most FFPG to RBs, and Ekeler may be highly motivated with his job responsibilities being threatened. I have him ranked as a back-end RB1 this week. The matchup does put Kelley in deeper flex territory as a deeper option, but he is not ranked in my top 40 RBs.

Wide Receivers – Fantasy Football Week 14

Nico Collins, Houston Texans

In Week 12, some fantasy players actually asked me if they should bench Tyreek Hill against the Jets in favor of lesser WRs with better matchups. That was a matchup overreaction, as what team a player faces a should not be the pure overriding factor on whether to sit him or not. Plus, fantasy superstars can often overcome a challenging matchup, as Hill caught nine passes for 102 yards and a TD.

Collins is certainly not floating in Hill’s stratosphere, and no other WR is this season. But my point is that top fantasy football WRs should usually not be reserved based primarily on a matchup. The defense does not always win the matchup, and the best fantasy players can post good numbers against any opponent. CeeDee Lamb and A.J. Brown finished with 130-plus receiving yards against the Jets, and Keenan Allen and Davante Adams had 75-plus yards. The New York secondary doesn't have a “Revis Island” complete shutdown impact on fantasy football.

Collins has emerged as fantasy WR12 overall in his breakout 2023 campaign. He has not excelled for long enough in his career to be considered among most of the surefire WR1 types I just mentioned, but it has become hard to sit him in any matchup. Yet weather is also a concern for Sunday’s Texans-Jets game in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Advance forecasts on nflweather.com point to consistent rain and stronger winds.

In normal conditions, I would still have Collins ranked as a top-end fantasy WR2, with a slight downgrade for the matchup. The weather forecast, though, bumps him further down, where he lands outside the Top 18. If you want to reserve him for a slightly lower-ranked WR, such as Courtland Sutton, that is understandable.

I would not fully overreact and bench Collins for a much lesser WR with a better matchup, such as Jerry Jeudy or Alec Pierce. That is just too risky of a move and does not effectively replace the possible projected dip in production from Collins, who can still have a better floor for decent output than a totally unreliable alternative option.

Brandin Cooks, Dallas Cowboys

The six-time 1,000-yard WR has come on strong recently while cementing himself as the No. 2 WR in the explosive Dallas passing game. Cooks has caught TD passes in four of his last six games, and all of those games were at home. The Eagles have allowed the most FFPG and TD receptions (21) to WRs in 2023. I have Cooks ranked inside the top 24 at WR this week, ahead of guys like Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins, and Cooper Kupp.

Romeo Doubs, Green Bay Packers

Christian Watson is injured again, pushing Doubs into a prominent role at WR in the improving Green Bay passing game in a good matchup. The Giants rank 29^th in FPPG allowed to WRs. Doubs also has a top 12 WR/CB matchup grade against opposing CB groups on Pro Football Focus for Week 14. The heavy rain will have cleared out of New Jersey by Monday night, according to advance forecasts. Consider Doubs as a quality WR3 streamer or flex play for Week 14.

from the moment he noticed the ball in the air, romeo doubs had about less than one second to adjust to it and make the catch. might be the best throw Jordan Love has made yet pic.twitter.com/IECwl6GjLP

— zach jacobson (@itszacharyj) December 5, 2023

Quarterback And Tight End – Fantasy Football Week 14

Joshua Dobbs, Minnesota Vikings

After a four-interception outing in his last game, published reports indicated that Dobbs, who became a recent fantasy and NFL fan favorite as an unlikely overachiever, was in danger of losing his starting job. After the Vikings’ bye week, though, the coaching staff elected to give Dobbs another chance, and he should respond with at least respectable production in Week 14.

If you need a streamer or injury-related fill-in this week, I have Dobbs ranked just outside my top 10 at QB. Las Vegas ranks 21^st in FFPG allowed to QBs over the past four weeks, and Dobbs is always a threat to further elevate his totals with some rushing production. The return of Justin Jefferson further boosts him into the range of back-end QB1 options for Week 14.

Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars

Engram is coming off his best game of the season, as he caught all nine of his targets for 82 yards and a TD against the Bengals. In his previous three games, though, he failed to crack the 50-yard receiving mark and had just four receptions in two of those outings. The Browns rank first in FFPG allowed to TEs, and potential rain and strong wind factors are included in the advance forecast. I don’t have Engram ranked in my top 10 fantasy TEs for Week 14.

Scott Engel's fantasy and betting analysis is also featured at The Game Day.

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