Booms and Busts - Fantasy Football Starts and Sits for Week 14 Lineups (2025)

Dave's fantasy football start 'em and sit 'em booms and busts for Week 14 of 2025. Sneaky starts that may boom, and typical starters who will disappoint.

The final week before the fantasy football playoffs has arrived. Hopefully, you are reading this article knowing your spot in the postseason is safe. Perhaps you’ve even locked up a first-round bye. If not, then I do not envy your position, as being forced to sweat out a spot in the playoffs is about as comfortable as your annual prostate exam.

So, which players this week could single-handedly propel managers to a spot in the playoffs? And which ones could flush their championship dreams down the toilet? We’ll examine both sides of the coin, and hopefully, it will help give your team a shot at a championship trophy.

Make sure you’re following RotoBaller on X and download the RotoBaller app for all your fantasy football needs. Let's discuss our boom/bust picks for Week 14 of the 2025 NFL season.

Sonic Boom of the Week

Lamar Jackson - QB, Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Before you roll your eyes at this call, let me first tell you a cautionary tale.

Back in 2022, I had a dynasty team that was going for its third straight championship. My quarterback that year was Tom Brady. If you recall, that was his final season in the NFL, and it was not one of his best campaigns.

Week after week, I endured mediocre performance after mediocre performance and was left thoroughly disappointed with the results. I had traded for Brady early in the season, thinking he was the missing piece for a three-peat, but here I was, stuck with an old quarterback delivering middling fantasy results.

Despite my weakness at quarterback, I managed to make the championship game and still had a chance to win my third straight title, but I’d had enough of starting Brady. He was fresh off a two-interception QB17 outing in a plus matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in the fantasy semi-finals, and I felt lucky enough to have survived that game. In the championship week, Brady was facing a Carolina Panthers defense that had started playing very well. So, I made a decision and decided to make a move.

In an act that can only be described in hindsight as the biggest overthink of the century, I benched Brady for Mike White in the championship game with a three-peat on the line. In my head, the move made sense. Brady was struggling, and the Panthers' defense was playing better. White had taken over for Zach Wilson as the Jets' starter and had posted two top-7 finishes in his three starts. He was facing a struggling Seahawks defense, and it seemed like the right time to roll the dice.

Well, fast forward to game time, and White imploded and scored a whopping 3.6 fantasy points. Brady would throw for 432 yards, three touchdowns, finish as the QB1, and have his best game of the season. Of course, that move came back to bite me. Had I started Brady, I would have won the title. I lost out on my three-peat by starting Mike White over Tom Brady.

Now, let’s circle back to the present day. Lamar Jackson has been supremely disappointing since returning from injury. I have heard many analysts advocating that it is time to bench Jackson after his dud against the Cincinnati Bengals last week.

But this is still Jackson. He is one of the most talented players to ever play the quarterback position, and is still capable of delivering a week-winning performance at any moment.

The Steelers' defense has struggled immensely this season and has allowed the most points to quarterbacks this year, per Fantasy Football Today. Even though he’s had his struggles, it doesn't feel like sending the Ravens’ QB1 to the bench is the right move.

I completely understand the argument to pivot off Jackson following his poor run, but take it from someone who lost out on a title in a similar situation. The pain you will feel if you lose with Jackson in your lineup is nowhere near the agony you’ll go through if you lose with Jackson going off on your bench.

Don’t pull a Mike White. Start Jackson in all formats this week.

Other Week 14 Fantasy Football Booms

Dalton Kincaid - TE, Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Hopefully, Kincaid will return to the Bengals' lineup this week. It would come at a good time, as this is a great opportunity for Kincaid to post a big game. The Cincinnati Bengals are the worst team in the league when it comes to defending tight ends. Cincinnati allows a whopping 23.1 PPR points per game to tight ends and has allowed the most receiving touchdowns to the position this year.

Even though Cincinnati’s defense held the Ravens in check on the scoreboard last week, they almost allowed a long touchdown reception to Isaiah Likely before he fumbled at the goal line. Had it not been for that play, the narrative surrounding the Bengals' defense (as well as Jackson) would be much different.

Don’t believe what you saw from the Cincinnati defense last week. Expect the Bengals' defense to return to form here and for Josh Allen and the Bills' offense to move the ball at will in this game.

Death, taxes, and starting tight ends against the Bengals. Expect a big outing from Kincaid.

Dalton Kincaid is wide open for a Buffalo TD!

NOvsBUF on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/2aUjmKYR7H

— NFL (@NFL) September 28, 2025

Brian Thomas Jr. - WR, Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts

Thomas returned to the Jaguars' lineup last week after missing the team’s previous three games with a high-ankle sprain. He only posted a 2-28-0 line on three targets, but he appeared to be healthy.

This week, Jacksonville has a huge division game against the Indianapolis Colts, and it might be the perfect opportunity for Thomas to get rolling. The Colts currently rank 29th in PFF’s pass coverage grade and will now be missing star cornerback Sauce Gardner due to a calf injury. The Colts have allowed the eighth-most PPR points per game to wide receivers this year, so Gardner’s injury should open up more opportunities for Thomas and this passing game.

Thomas has been one of the season’s biggest busts, and his 2025 campaign is a cautionary tale against penciling in a receiver to make a significant Year 2 leap. However, this is a good time for gamers to throw him into lineups.

Start him as a WR3 or flex play.

Zach Charbonnet - RB, Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons

Charbonnet found the end zone for the eighth time this year last weekend against the Minnesota Vikings.

Needed a yard. Got a 17-yard TD. #ProBowlVote + @zachcharbon

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/Ic7dAmIJkl

— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) November 30, 2025

Despite averaging just 3.5 yards per carry, Seattle has stayed true to its word of using Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker III as part of a running back by committee approach. That’s frustrating for Walker managers, but Charbonnet has emerged as a weekly touchdown-dependent RB2 play.

Seattle now travels to Atlanta to take on a Falcons team that is in the middle of a nasty downhill spiral and whose run defense has also taken a turn for the worse. Atlanta has allowed the ninth-most PPR points per game to running backs this year and now ranks 24th in FTN Fantasy's defensive rushing DVOA.

The Falcons look like a team checking out in the middle of a lost season, where they do not own their first-round pick in next year’s draft. Combine that with Seattle being listed as a 7.5-point favorite, and this looks like a prime opportunity for Charbonnet to amass yards and find paydirt once again.

Start him as a flex play or backend RB2.

Chris Rodriguez Jr. - RB, Washington Commanders at Minnesota Vikings

Jayden Daniels looks poised to return to the Commanders' lineup this weekend, and if he does, he would provide a massive boost to this offense. It would also be great news for Rodriguez as he’s emerged as the team’s preferred lead back. Even if Daniels doesn’t suit up, and we get Marcus Mariota under center, this is still a game where Rodriguez could flourish.

J.J. McCarthy is in line to start for Minnesota after missing Week 13 with a concussion. This is a great matchup on paper for McCarthy, but he has struggled immensely this year, and it’s hard to see him taking advantage of the Commanders’ porous secondary.

That means we are likely looking at a competitive game script for Rodriguez. That's good news, as the Vikings allow over 128 rushing yards per game.

Expect to see the Commanders take advantage of a Vikings run defense that’s struggled at times this year, and for Rodriguez to be a big part of that. Start him as a flex play with the potential for more if Washington jumps out to an early lead.

Landmine of the Week

Woody Marks - RB, Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs

Marks is coming off his fourth straight game with at least 16 touches. Unfortunately, he only has one top-12 finish in that span and draws a difficult matchup in Week 14.

The Chiefs' defense has not played to the standard we’ve seen over the last few years and is one of the many reasons why the team sits 6-6 and his currently out of the playoffs. However, Kansas City’s defense has still been effective against opposing running backs.

Kansas City ranks 10th in defensive rushing DVOA and allows the ninth-fewest rushing yards per game in the league. The Chiefs have also been stingy in terms of fantasy production and have allowed the sixth-fewest PPR points per game to opposing backs this year.

With both teams fighting for their playoff lives, we could see this game morph into more of a defensive struggle. That would mean few opportunities for Marks to accrue fantasy points. Combine that with a bad matchup, and it may behoove gamers to consider other options to secure a berth in the fantasy playoffs.

Other Week 14 Fantasy Football Busts

Evan Engram - TE, Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders

Engram is fresh off his best game of the season last Sunday night against the Washington Commanders. He posted a 6-79-0 line on a season-high nine targets and finished the week as the PPR TE6.

While the Raiders have been a mess, the one thing their defense has done well this year is limit opposing tight ends. Las Vegas allows just 37.1 receiving yards per game to tight ends, as well as the third-fewest PPR points per game to the position.

These two teams also combined to score a grand total of 17 points during their first meeting back in Week 10 in what may have been the worst game of the entire NFL season. The Broncos' defense is arguably the best in football, but the inconsistent play of quarterback Bo Nix means we never know exactly when Nix could crash and burn.

It’s not out of the realm that Nix struggles against Las Vegas again this weekend and posts a poor outing. That would also mean bad news for Engram.

Don’t chase Engram’s Week 13 stats and accept that you probably missed a good opportunity to start him. Leave him on the bench and consider other streamers this weekend.

Baker Mayfield - QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New Orleans Saints

Mayfield fought through an injury to his non-throwing shoulder last week and helped guide Tampa Bay to a 20-17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Unfortunately, it was a second straight poor fantasy performance from the Buccaneers’ QB1 as he only threw for 194 yards and one touchdown to finish Week 13 as the overall QB18.

Mayfield has really cooled off during the second half of the year, and his current play is a far cry from what we saw earlier in the year when he was an early MVP favorite. Now, he takes on a Saints team that has been surprisingly good at limiting quarterback production. New Orleans has currently allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game as well as the sixth-fewest passing yards to opposing quarterbacks this year.

This feels like a good spot for Tampa Bay to lean on its running back trio of Bucky Irving, Rachaad White, and Sean Tucker to pick up a victory and allow Mayfield to further recover from several injuries that have plagued him this year.

Gamers in single-quarterback leagues should pivot to other options this week.

DeVonta Smith - WR, Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Chargers

Smith only caught five passes for 48 receiving yards in last weekend’s surprising loss to the Chicago Bears. That was particularly disappointing because it was a perfect game script for Smith to accrue fantasy points, but he took a clear backseat to WR1 A.J. Brown.

Now Philadelphia travels to Los Angeles to take on a Chargers team that’s allowed the fewest PPR points per game to opposing wide receivers. Los Angeles also ranks eighth in defensive passing DVOA, as well as fifth in DVOA against opposing WR2s. The Chargers have also allowed just 32.2 receiving yards per game to opposing WR2s this year.

The Eagles’ offense has some major issues right now, and that was very apparent to anyone who watched the team’s Week 13 loss to the Chicago Bears. It’s unknown if this offense can turn things around. The one thing we do know is that, for the large majority of this year, Smith has been an afterthought in this offense (Smith has just three top 12 PPR finishes this year).

Gamers should not bank on a boom game from Smith to propel them into the postseason. Philadelphia’s offense is a mess, quarterback Jalen Hurts is not playing well, and this is a tough matchup for Smith. Leave him on the bench and consider other options for a WR3 or flex play.

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