🖥 TAP TO SAVE 50% 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
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
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.

Editor's Note: The FFPC Playoff Challenge is back with a massive $500,000 grand prize and $1.35 million total prize pool, paying down to 800th place. Here's the deal: no salary cap, no draft, no pickups, no subs. Choose 10 players, and as NFL teams get knocked out so will your players, so choose your team wisely. The 7,250 entries will sell out quickly, and registrations will close on Saturday January 10th at 4:30 pm ET . Don't wait - get your team now and end your fantasy football season with a shot at $500,000! 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
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jamal Murray

Carries Probable Tag into Friday's Game
Christian Braun

is Listed as Probable for Friday
Cedric Coward

Could Miss Third Straight Game
Michael Porter Jr.

is Tagged as Probable for Friday
Kawhi Leonard

Holds Questionable Tag for Friday
Brandon Ingram

Considered Game-Time Decision for Friday's Game
Scottie Barnes

Questionable Friday with Knee Sprain
Joel Embiid

Appears on Injury Report Ahead of Magic Matchup
Trey Murphy III

Uncertain for Friday's Game Versus Washington
Aaron Gordon

Expected to Play Friday vs. Hawks
Ja Morant

Remains Sidelined Versus Thunder
Rashee Rice

to be Reviewed Under League's Conduct Policy
LeBron James

Questionable Friday Against Bucks
Jerami Grant

Remains Sidelined Versus Rockets
Travis Konecny

Suffers Upper-Body Injury Thursday
Chet Holmgren

Sidelined Friday with Shin Soreness
Blake Coleman

Makes Early Exit for Precautionary Reasons
Isaiah Hartenstein

Remains Out Friday in Memphis
Carter Hart

Sustains Lower-Body Injury Thursday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Sidelined in Memphis
Joel Eriksson Ek

Out Day-to-Day
Jakob Poeltl

Remains Out Friday Against Celtics
Joel Kiviranta

Labeled Week-to-Week
Franz Wagner

to Miss Friday's Game Against Philadelphia
Brendan Smith

Out for 3-4 Months After Surgery
Jalen Suggs

to Miss Fourth Straight Game Friday
SJ

Sharks Acquire Laurent Brossoit
P.J. Washington

is Ruled Out for Thursday's Contest
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

is Returning on Thursday
Daniel Jones

Colts Plan to Re-Sign Daniel Jones
Jamie Drysdale

Unavailable Against Maple Leafs
Bobby Brink

Sits Out Thursday
Simon Nemec

Back for Devils Thursday
Troy Terry

Misses Thursday's Game
Alexis Lafrenière

Alexis Lafreniere Good to Go Against Sabres
Brad Marchand

Out Thursday
Evgeni Malkin

Set to Return Thursday
Davante Adams

Off the Injury Report, Will Play Against Carolina
Bo Bichette

Phillies to Meet With Bo Bichette
Rome Odunze

Will Return for Wild-Card Game on Saturday
CFB

DJ Lagway Commits to Baylor
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Fire Head Coach Mike McDaniel
Matvei Michkov

Expected to Play Thursday
Alex Lyon

to Miss at Least One More Week
Mason Marchment

Placed on Injured Reserve, Out Week-to-Week
Alexis Lafrenière

Alexis Lafreniere Battling Illness, Iffy for Thursday
J.T. Miller

Likely to Return Thursday
Adam Henrique

Out Through Olympic Break
Sam LaPorta

Plans to be Back for Training Camp
Owen Caissie

Shipped to Miami as Centerpiece of Trade
Edward Cabrera

Cubs Officially Acquire Edward Cabrera From Marlins
Nathan Walker

Ready to End 16-Game Absence
Rome Odunze

Plans to Play on Saturday
Edward Cabrera

Cubs Finalizing Deal to Acquire Edward Cabrera From Marlins
New York Giants

Giants "All-In" on Hiring John Harbaugh
CFB

Jackson Arnold Signs with UNLV
CFB

Sam Leavitt Scheduled to Visit Tennessee
New York Giants

John Harbaugh Expected to be Favorite to Become New Giants Head Coach
Baltimore Ravens

John Harbaugh Won't Return as Ravens Head Coach
Bo Bichette

Unlikely to Return to Toronto?
Jordan Love

Ready to Start in Wild-Card Game Against Bears
CFB

Jadan Baugh Staying with Florida for Junior Season
Washington Commanders

Commanders "Mutually" Parting Ways With OC Kliff Kingsbury
CFB

Byrum Brown Officially Commits to Auburn
CFB

Austin Simmons Signing with Missouri
CFB

Ty Simpson Undecided on 2026 Plans
CFB

Quarterback AJ Hill Following Ryan Silverfield to Arkansas
Atlanta Falcons

Falcons Have Requested an Interview With Klint Kubiak
Deshaun Watson

Browns Expect Deshaun Watson to be on the Team Next Year
Wan'Dale Robinson

Dealing With Fractured Ribs
Cam Skattebo

Hopes to be Back by Training Camp
Cameron Ward

Won't Need Surgery on his Shoulder
Davante Adams

Rams Expect Davante Adams to Return in Wild-Card Round
Arizona Cardinals

Cardinals Fire Head Coach Jonathan Gannon
Las Vegas Raiders

Raiders Fire Head Coach Pete Carroll
Malik Nabers

Unsure if He Will Be Ready for Week 1 of 2026 Season
CFB

Trinidad Chambliss Will Return to Ole Miss If Granted Sixth Year of Eligibility
Bo Bichette

Phillies Have Interest in Bo Bichette
Kansas City Royals

Matt Quatraro Signs Three-Year Extension With Royals
CFB

Transfer QB Billy Edwards Commits to North Carolina
CFB

Sam Leavitt Visiting Texas Tech on Saturday
CFB

DJ Lagway Expected To Visit Florida State
Kyle Tucker

Blue Jays "Remain the Favorite" to Sign Kyle Tucker

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP