👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Mad Libs: Starts and Sits For Week 14

Pop Quiz: What's the football version of a perfect game?

Most of you who read my column are heading to the playoffs (haha, I'm kidding), and you need a perfect game out of your team. And though it's likely your quarterback won't be the one to set the bar no other NFL QB has set, you can always hope.

Editor's Note: New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive BOTH our full season NFL and NBA Premium Passes for free, a $119.99 value. Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium Passes.

Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!

 

A QB's Perfect Game

I found myself thinking of that when Derek Carr stared down the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon, and couldn't miss in the fourth quarter. Mind you, Carr hasn't been perfect in the last quarter of every game in 2016, but his QBR is 120.8.

A bit of quick research showed me that unlike Major League Baseball, where a perfect game is.... quite literally perfect, the NFL doesn't have any perfect game holder. A "perfect game" for a quarterback requires a 158.3 rating, the highest QBR a quarterback can achieve. The record for completion percentage is held by Kurt Warner, going 24-for-26 (though there's also an interesting story about Alex Smith technically having some small claim to the title as well.)

It's actually one of the few amazing things left in the NFL. Despite 23 major league pitchers being held accountable for every single pitch they've thrown, no NFL quarterback has gone 20-for-20 (or more.) Not Tom Brady. Not Peyton Manning. Not Broadway Joe, or Joe Montana. For all the amazing quarterback performances we've seen through the years, and you can think of three or four off the top of your head that still give you a funny grin, there's never been that QB who has put all twenty balls in the bread basket.

It may be the last thing in the NFL Hall of Fame that doesn't have a picture or a name attributed to it. We'll see it in our lifetime, almost certainly, because in a game that increasingly favors the QB, it's only a matter of time. What a fantastic thing to be able to witness, and with any luck, it'll be the QB on your team. Or much more likely, your most hated rival's team.

 

Running Back

Carlos Hyde will either be on my bench or will ruin my week.

A quick count would probably show that Carlos Hyde ends up in the "Hell no!" column for guys I recommend not starting week after week. Carlos Hyde is technically a top-20 RB in PPR leagues, but he's had a funny way of earning that distinction; no touchdowns since week 5, and he's only topped 20 carries once since the bye week. The Jets, for all their struggles, have not exactly let RB run all over them this year, only surrendering one multi-touchdown game to offensive backfields in 2016. Hyde might be a tempting flex option if you're stacked and are rolling into the playoffs, but resist him if you can.

Dear Lamar Miller, do you like like me? I like like you this week.

If you spent a first-round pick on Miller, odds are.... well, you aren't in the playoffs, or at the very least just edged into the match-up. But if you've survived despite Miller, this could be a really interesting week to see if the RB can break out just one more time. Lamar's best game in 2016 was against the same Indianapolis Colts defense he's seeing this Sunday, and even though they'll be in Indianapolis instead of Houston, Miller should be fully healthy this week, commanding over twenty touches and a very attractive flex option (or.... if you're really bored... RB2.)

Am I going to really start Rex Burkhead in Week 14? (less than 10% of leagues)

I've been writing this column for enough weeks now that I've earned this moment. No. Don't start Burkhead.

There are no RBs in Week 14 with such a low ownership rate that also have potential upside, Burkhead arguably being the best choice among them. Despite a few impressive showings, Burkhead is just a change-of-pace guy who never gets a goal-to-go opportunity.

My first "No" to this question in 2016. I'm very impressed with myself.

 

Wide Receiver

Don't hand me my money back, I'm going double-or-nothing on Tyrell Williams

Tyrell Williams is one of those guys I would absolutely trade for in a keeper league; the talented WR is only 24, and this year is a top-20 PPR WR and yet there isn't a lot of buzz on him. Williams has four straight weeks of touchdowns, facing a team who gave up nearly that many last week alone to the Seahawks (technically on the ground, but still.) The Chargers are traveling for this game, but Williams is legitimately talented enough that he's got a shot at his first multi-touchdown game.

I will be discarding my Mike Wallace and replacing him with two cards from the deck

Remember when we had to start Mike Wallace in the beginning of the year? The receiver had a breakout start on his new team but now that Steve Smith is completely healthy he's gone quiet. No touchdowns since Week 9, and no more than six receptions since the bye. Wallace may see a fluke score in garbage time mode, but he's not reliable in a crucial week such as this.

I am out of options, and will be swiping right on Tyler Boyd (owned in less than 40% of leagues)

I've had a lot of people this week ask me my pick between two guys, and Boyd's name keeps popping up. What's there not to like about Tyler Boyd right now? He's targeted on 24 percent of his routes, though the number of receptions is a bit concerning. He's facing the Cleveland Browns, who have been Swiss cheese through the air, and I like his chances to get at least five targets, 50+ yards and a touchdown, which is a very reliable fantasy day for a flex play.

 

Tight End

Parachute? I don't need no parachute, I have Cameron Brate

Man I was wrong on Brate last week; I thought he was going to be ignored in the red zone vs a team traditionally good against TEs. Neither of these things happened, and Brate faces a much easier match-up defensively against the Saints. My apologies to Brate, and to fantasy owners who sat him on my recommendation.

Don't cry kids! We will bury Dennis Pitta in the yard

Fun fact: Dennis Pitta scored as many touchdowns in Week 13 as the New England Patriots have allowed all year. You could also say that Dennis Pitta hasn't had a touchdown in... as many years as he got touchdowns last week. It won't happen again.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Shohei Ohtani

Will Pitch on Wednesday, But Won't DH
Nick Pivetta

Confident he'll Pitch Again This Year
Alex Lyon

Expected to Miss Playoff Opener
Jett Howard

Good to Go on Wednesday
Zach Hyman

Set to Return Thursday
Sam Steel

Back in Action Wednesday
Gustav Forsling

Sits Out Season Finale
OG Anunoby

Practices on Wednesday
Matthew Tkachuk

Rejoins Panthers Lineup Wednesday
TB

Max Crozier Available Against Rangers
Brandon Hagel

Returns for Regular-Season Finale
Trevor Story

Carries Red Sox With Five RBI on Wednesday
Sam Antonacci

Officially Called Up by White Sox
Jorge Soler

Suspension Reduced to Four Games
Harrison Bader

Giants Place Harrison Bader on 10-Day Injured List With Hamstring Strain
Matthew Golden

Packers "Clearing the Way" for Matthew Golden on WR Depth Chart
CFB

Michigan Lands Commitment From Quarterback Kamden Lopati
Arizona Cardinals

Ty Simpson Visiting With Cardinals on Wednesday
De'Von Achane

"Not Available for Trade"
Travis Hunter

Will Still Play Receiver in 2026
Ketel Marte

Serving as Designated Hitter on Wednesday
Kevin McGonigle

Tigers, Kevin McGonigle Agree to Eight-Year Contract Extension
Sahith Theegala

Brings Strong Form Into Harbour Town
Kansas City Chiefs

Jordyn Tyson in Play for Chiefs at No. 9 Overall in NFL Draft?
Wyndham Clark

Needs Putter to Show Up at RBC Heritage
Ryan Weathers

Allows Four Homers, Strikes Out 10 on Tuesday
Byron Buxton

Sets the Tone for Twins With Two Homers on Tuesday
Hunter Goodman

Homers Twice in Loss to Astros
JJ Wetherholt

Goes Yard Twice in Win Over Guardians
Colston Loveland

Could Colston Loveland Emerge as the Dynasty TE1?
Khalil Shakir

Has Khalil Shakir Fallen Too Far in Dynasty Rankings?
Christian Watson

How High is the Ceiling for Christian Watson?
Pat Freiermuth

Can Pat Freiermuth Become More Than a Depth Piece Again?
Cale Makar

Returns With Three-Assist Performance
Jimmy Snuggerud

Records First Career Four-Point Game
Tua Tagovailoa

How Much Value Does Tua Tagovailoa Offer as Falcons' Starter?
Jeremy Swayman

Ends Losing Run With Shutout Performance
Oliver Moore

Won't Play Wednesday
Nils Lundkvist

Returns for Regular-Season Finale
Roope Hintz

to Miss First Two Playoff Games
Pavel Zacha

Will Be Available for Start of Playoffs
Jalen Green

Scores Team-High 35 Points During Play-In Loss
Jrue Holiday

Nets 21 Points in Playoff Clincher
Deni Avdija

Helps Trail Blazers Into Playoffs With 41-Point Effort
Miles Bridges

Caps Off Big Night With Game-Winning Block
LaMelo Ball

Leads Hornets to Victory Versus Heat
Isaiah Jackson

Questionable Wednesday
Jacob Bridgeman

Looks to Return to Elite Form at Harbour Town
J.J. Spaun

a Volatile Option at RBC Heritage
PGA

Sungjae Im Offers High-Upside Value at RBC Heritage
Matt Fitzpatrick

Set for Another Strong Showing at RBC Heritage
Jason Day

Eyes Bounce-Back After Sunday Struggles at the Masters
Akshay Bhatia

Looking to Rebound at Harbour Town
Zay Flowers

Set to Face Competition After Career-Best Season?
Detroit Lions

Lions Open to Trading Up in the NFL Draft
New York Giants

Giants and Dexter Lawrence Reach a Contract Impasse
Jordan Mason

Is Jordan Mason's Buy-Low Window Still Open?
Dak Prescott

Still a Dynasty Target After Leading NFL in Completions
CeeDee Lamb

Trending Down Slightly in Dynasty Leagues?
Ketel Marte

Diamondbacks Expect Ketel Marte to Return on Wednesday
Zay Flowers

Ravens Could Add Receiver in First Round to Pair With Zay Flowers
Cameron Young

Hoping to Secure Second Win of Season at RBC Heritage
Scottie Scheffler

Looks to Win Again at RBC Heritage
Shane Lowry

Has Disappointing Final Round at Masters
Viktor Hovland

Hoping to Build on Final Round at Masters
Brian Harman

Struggling For Consistency Heading to RBC Heritage
Chris Gotterup

Putting Together Outstanding 2026 Season
Derwin James Jr.

Looking for a New Deal?
NFL

Oscar Delp to Visit With Buccaneers, Chargers
Emilio Pagán

Emilio Pagan Getting Hamstring Checked After Earning Save on Tuesday
Justin Thomas

Looks to Defend in Hilton Head
Kimani Vidal

Chargers Officially Re-Sign Kimani Vidal
Jordan Spieth

in Search of Improved Putting at RBC Heritage
Willson Contreras

Exits Early on Tuesday Due to Lower-Back Tightness
A.J. Brown

Still With the Eagles
Marco Penge

May Continue Up-and-Down Ride at the RBC Heritage
Jerami Grant

Coming Off the Bench Tuesday
Xander Schauffele

Could Get The Job Done at RBC Heritage
Quinten Post

Won't Play Wednesday
Jake Knapp

Keeps Building Strong Results in 2026
Draymond Green

Available Wednesday Night
Bam Adebayo

Ruled Out for Rest of Tuesday's Game
Kurt Kitayama

Trying to Regain Form From Florida
Collin Morikawa

Continues to be a Scary DFS Play at RBC Heritage
Kawhi Leonard

Ready for Play-In Action
Grayson Allen

Won't Play Tuesday Night
Bam Adebayo

Questionable to Return Tuesday
Jerami Grant

Returns to Action Tuesday
Triston Casas

Shut Down With Abdominal Strain
Jaxson Hayes

Ready for Game 1 Against Rockets
Zion Williamson

Pelicans Not Interested in Trading Zion Williamson
Johni Broome

Remains Out Wednesday
Trendon Watford

Probable for Wednesday
Wyatt Langford

is Returning on Tuesday
Royce O'Neale

and Mark Williams Available on Tuesday
Ketel Marte

Scratched on Tuesday With Back Tightness
Nick Pivetta

Heads to 15-Day Injured List With Elbow Inflammation
John Marino

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Pyotr Kochetkov

Starting for Hurricanes Tuesday
Gabriel Moreno

Diamondbacks Put Gabriel Moreno on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain
Matvei Gridin

Returns to Action Tuesday
Cole Ragans

Returning to the Mound on Tuesday Against Tigers
Ryan Pulock

Unavailable for Season Finale
Evander Kane

Not Expected to Play This Week
Erik Karlsson

Kris Letang Won't Play Tuesday
Sidney Crosby

Evgeni Malkin Resting on Tuesday
CFB

Tramell Jones Jr. Outperforms Aaron Philo During Florida's Spring Scrimmage
CFB

Keelon Russell Flashes in Alabama's Spring Game
Ty Gibbs

Holds off the Field for His First Cup Series Victory at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Earns His First Runner-Up Finish at Bristol
Kyle Larson

Dominant Performance At Bristol Falls Short of Victory
Tyler Reddick

Matches his Career-Best Finish at Bristol
Alex Bowman

Crashes Early at Bristol in Return From Injury
Carlos Ulberg

Is The New Light Heavyweight Champion
Jiří Procházka

Jiri Prochazka Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Azamat Murzakanov

Suffers His First Loss
Paulo Costa

Wins Back-to-Back Fights
Curtis Blaydes

Drops Decision At UFC 327
Josh Hokit

Remains Unbeaten
Carson Hocevar

Is Carson Hocevar A Worthy DFS Option for Bristol Lineups?
NASCAR

Could Bubba Wallace Be A Solid DFS Option for Bristol Lineups?
Carlos Ulberg

A Slight Underdog
Jiří Procházka

Jiri Prochazka Can Become UFC Champion Again
Paulo Costa

Makes his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Azamat Murzakanov

Looks To Remain Unbeaten
Josh Hokit

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Curtis Blaydes

A Favorite At UFC 327
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF