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

Sneaky Starts, Pivot Plays, and Post-Waiver Pickups for Week 14 - Joshua Dobbs, Keaton Mitchell, Isaiah Likely, DeeJay Dallas

Joshua Dobbs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Michael Florio's fantasy football sneaky starts, pivot plays, and post-waiver waiver pickups for Week 14 of the NFL season. Start 'em as under-the-radar fantasy sleepers this upcoming week.

It’s the final week of the fantasy football regular season. I cannot believe I am typing those words already. The weeks have flown by, but that means it's been a very fun season. Thank you for reading my work and supporting RotoBaller all season long! 

If you are still reading this, it means you are very likely in the hunt or already have secured a playoff spot. If you have secured a spot, you should already be planning to next week. If you have been streaming at a position like QB, TE, or defense, get out in front and grab one that has a favorable matchup next week. 

But if you are fighting for a playoff spot (I know plenty of you out there are), you will need plug-and-play options. Luckily, there are plenty of injury and bye-week replacements to be had this week! 

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Quarterback Pivot Options for Fantasy Football

Joshua Dobbs remains the starter for the Vikings and that very much so has him in play as a streamer. I know he had a huge letdown before their bye, but he has scored 16 or more in his previous five games -- topping 22 in three of them. He has five rushing touchdowns in his last six games and routinely rushes for over 40 yards. Oh, and he will be throwing passes to Justin Jefferson, T.J. Hockenson, and Jordan Addison. I guess there is some risk he could get pulled if he struggles, but he brings the most upside of any streaming option this week. 

Gardner Minshew is coming off one of his best games of the season. He threw 312 yards and two scores against the Titans, giving you nearly 19 fantasy points in the process. That is about as much upside as you can expect out of the Colts signal-caller, but he brings a safe floor this week against the Bengals, who have allowed the most passing yards since Week 9. 

Baker Mayfield has disappointed as of late, but he has still managed to throw multiple touchdowns in four of his last six games. He is never going to have a throw-the-team-on-his-back type of performance, but if you are looking for a safe 16 to 18 fantasy points, he is good for that most weeks. He gets the Falcons this week, who he scored 16.2 against in Week 7. While I prefer the two options listed above, Mayfield is a good fallback option this week. 

 

Running Back Pivot Options for Fantasy Football

Ezekiel Elliott scored 13 fantasy points last week after Rhamondre Stevenson exited early due to an ankle injury that will hold him out this week and likely more. Zeke saw 17 carries and five targets on 71 percent of the snaps while going for 92 yards. Volume alone has him in play as an RB2 or flex option against the Steelers, who are in the top 10 in rushing yards allowed to backs and just allowed a huge day to James Conner

Keaton Mitchell led the Ravens' backfield in snaps, carries, and targets before the bye. Now a potential post-bye week bump could be coming for the Ravens' young back. He is very explosive, so the more touches he gets, the more chances he has to break out a long run or two. For fantasy purposes, we are always interested in the Ravens backfield and Mitchell brings by far the most juice of their trio. He is a strong upside pivot option this week. 

Tyjae Spears is a great streaming option if Derrick Henry is out this week. Spears played 64 percent of the snaps with 16 carries and six targets last week. He saw every RB opportunity the rest of the way after Henry exited. Volume alone would have him in play as an RB2, but there is certainly more upside than that. He should be viewed as a more explosive Zeke if Henry is out this week. 

Roschon Johnson played 75 percent of the snaps for the Bears before their Week 13 bye. He led their backs with 10 carries and five targets in that game. There also could be a potential post-bye bump for the rookie. The Bears backfield is murky, but if you are diving deeper, he brings upside.

DeeJay Dallas is purely an option if both Kenneth Walker and Zach Charbonnet sit out this week. Walker has been out the last two weeks as he deals with an oblique injury. Charbonnet has filled in nicely but he is now dealing with swelling in his knee that has his status very up in the air. If both are out, the volume has Dallas in play. 

 

Wide Receiver Pivot Options for Fantasy Football

Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs are both in play this week with Christian Watson dealing with a hamstring injury. Doubs had the bigger game last week and is often used downfield and in the red zone, but Reed has been a reliable source of production with 15 or more fantasy points in his three prior games. He also gets used as a runner at times. They are both in play as pivot options against the Giants, who have allowed the fourth-most fantasy PPG to receivers. 

Noah Brown may have given you a zero last week. And there is a chance he could do so again as the Jets are a very tough matchup and extremely good at limiting deep ball production. Still, his QB leads the NFL in passing yards, and much of the Jets' focus will be slowing Nico Collins down. Brown is boom-or-bust, but he certainly brings upside and is someone you want on your roster moving forward. John Metchie played over Robert Woods last week and is a dart throw in deeper leagues. 

Elijah Moore saw elite volume with Joe Flacco last week. He finished with 12 targets, a ton of air yards, four catches, and 83 yards. It wasn’t the biggest fantasy game, but the volume is simply too good to ignore. Especially with Amari Cooper so banged up. Add in that Flacco has been talking Moore up since he got to Cleveland as the two had great chemistry with the Jets. Moore is a safe volume WR3, with the upside to be even better this week.

Khalil Shakir has been operating as the Bills' WR3 and it’s led to fantasy success. He brings a low floor but three times has topped nine fantasy points and twice has gone over 15, including one 20-point game. In a game where a lot of points could be scored, Shakir is an upside shot worth taking if you need a pivot option.

Jonathan Mingo is starting to come to life in Carolina. Two weeks ago, he caught four of six targets for 60 yards -- good for 10 PPR points. Last week, he saw 10 targets, catching six for 69 yards -- all season-highs. While there is not much upside so far, the increased usage is promising.

Jalin Hyatt is certainly boom-or-bust, there’s no denying that. But he brings big-play ability, which means he always has upside in fantasy football. Before the bye, he had his best game of the season, catching five of six targets for 109 yards. A post-bye bump could be in store as well. If you need an upside play this week, go with Hyatt. 

 

Tight End Pivot Options for Fantasy Football

Isaiah Likely has played one game without Mark Andrews and he saw six targets and scored eight fantasy points. That feels like a floor game for Likely. Clearly, he is never going to duplicate the production that Andrews has given us, but he can be highly productive and certainly bring TE1 upside. Due to the bye, he was still available in some leagues this week, but won’t be for long. He is a great plug-and-play option this week. 

Gerald Everett caught four of his five targets for 44 yards, going for 8.4 fantasy points. He has reached that number in four of his last five games and three times in that span has reached double digits. He also gets an amazing matchup this week against Denver, who has allowed the most catches, the second-most yards, most fantasy points, and the third-most touchdowns to tight ends this season. 

Cade Otton did not score a fantasy point last week. But before that, he had shown to be a reliable source of eight fantasy points. He has scored eight or more in five of his last seven games. He only topped double figures in one of those, but a safe floor is more than most tight ends.

Brevin Jordan would be in play if Dalton Schultz is out again this week. With Schultz out last week, Jordan ran 22 routes, was targeted four times, and caught three of them for 64 yards. That was good for nearly double-digit fantasy points. I would not expect much more than that, but if you are diving deeper at tight end, that is very useful.

Make sure to follow Michael on X, @MichaelFFlorio.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




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

Lamar Jackson

Shedeur Sanders Didn't Want to Play Behind Lamar Jackson, Nixed Ravens Pick
Davante Adams

Rams Want to Get Davante Adams More Involved in Week 2
Jayden Reed

Given 6-8 Week Timetable
Jauan Jennings

Expected to Play in Week 2
Brock Purdy

49ers Not Optimistic Brock Purdy Will Play in Week 3
Bryan Woo

Records Career-High 13 Strikeouts
Max Muncy

Exits Early on Saturday
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Quinshon Judkins

to Have "Snaps Closely Monitored" Versus Baltimore
Jauan Jennings

a "Game-Time" Decision for Week 2, Optimism That he'll Play
Salvador Perez

Reaches 300 Home Runs, 1,000 RBI
Jose Altuve

Exits Early With Foot Discomfort
Trey Yesavage

Heading to Big Leagues
Will Smith

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Russell Wilson

Giants Have No Urgency to Bench Russell Wilson
Ivan Demidov

Turning Heads in Rookie Camp
NHL

Calvin de Haan Signs With Swedish Team
Samuel Girard

Skates With Non-Contact Jersey
Mackenzie Blackwood

Dealing With Injury Ahead of Training Camp
Brock Bowers

Officially Questionable for Monday Night
Spencer Knight

Signs Three-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Corey Perry

Out 6-8 Weeks Following Surgery
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Christian Kirk

Ruled Out for Week 2
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Brock Bowers

Expected to Play on Monday Night
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
Ryan Preece

Seems Slower on Concrete Than on Asphalt
NASCAR

Legacy Motor Club's Short-Track Speed Will Likely Hold John H. Nemechek Back
Erik Jones

Definitely Faster This Year, but Short Tracks Still a Liability
Daniel Suarez

Despite Poor Qualifying Run, Daniel Suarez Might Not Be a Great Choice
Noah Gragson

Unlikely to Be Fast at Bristol but Still Might Be Worth Considering for DFS
Tarik Skubal

Avoids Serious Injury, Expected to Make Next Start
Chris Godwin

Officially Ruled Out for Week 2
Xavier Worthy

Officially Ruled Out for Week 2
Austin Ekeler

Suffers Torn Achilles
Quinshon Judkins

Expected to Play Against Ravens
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dealing With a "Tweak"
BUF

Alexandar Georgiev Joins Sabres on One-Year Deal
Corey Perry

Injured During Pre-Camp Skate
Kyle Larson

Can Kyle Larson Dominate at Bristol Again?
Denny Hamlin

One of the Best at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

All Eyes on Ryan Blaney at Bristol
Chase Briscoe

Whiffs in Qualifying, Will Start 31st in Bristol Night Race
Ty Gibbs

Could Contend at Bristol
Tanner Bibee

Fans 10 in Two-Hit Shutout
Zach Neto

Dealing With Wrist Soreness
Masyn Winn

Shut Down for Rest of Season
Tarik Skubal

to Undergo Imaging on Saturday
Jacory Croskey-Merritt

RapSheet: Jacory Croskey-Merritt Expected to Be Lead Back Moving Forward
Tyler Soderstrom

Scratched on Friday With Groin Tightness
Tarik Skubal

Exits with Side Tightness
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
Ketel Marte

Scratched From Friday's Lineup
Brock Purdy

Officially Ruled Out Against Saints
Jauan Jennings

Given Questionable Tag for Week 2
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest
CFB

Jaxson Moi a Game-Time Decision for Tennessee on Saturday
Dallas Goedert

Officially Ruled Out for Week 2
Xavier Worthy

Listed as Doubtful to Play in Week 2
Jayden Reed

Hopes to Return in November Following Surgery
Jean Silva

A Favorite At Noche UFC 3
Kyle Tucker

"Unlikely" to Return When Eligible on Tuesday
Diego Lopes

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Event
Ketel Marte

Expected to Return on Friday
Rob Font

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
David Martinez

Set For Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
Rafa Garcia

An Underdog At Noche UFC 3
Jared Gordon

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Dustin Stoltzfus

Looks To Return To The Win Column
Kelvin Gastelum

In Dire Need Of Victory
Diego Ferreira

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Alexander Hernandez

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Quang Le

Set For Noche UFC 3 Main Card Opener
Santiago Luna

Set For His Debut At Noche UFC 3
Malcolm Brogdon

Heading to Knicks on One-Year Deal
CFB

David Sanders Jr. Won't Play Against Georgia
Landry Shamet

Staying with the Knicks
CFB

Dylan Edwards Slated to Return on Friday
Jesús Luzardo

Jesus Luzardo Strikes Out 10 in Win
Aaron Judge

Matches Yankees Legend with Two-Homer Game
Anthony Volpe

Playing Through Partially Torn Labrum in his Shoulder
Adam Lowry

Aims for Early-Season Return
Charles Oliveira

Not Eyeing Retirement
CFB

Ryan Williams Expected to Play Against Wisconsin
CFB

Billy Edwards Jr. Unlikely to Play on Saturday
P.J. Washington

Officially Signs Contract Extension
CFB

David Sanders Jr. Questionable to Make Debut Against Georgia
Lauri Markkanen

Big at Both Ends as Finland Books Place in EuroBasket Semis
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Notches 39 Points in Losing Effort
NBA

Cam Reddish Expected to Move to Europe
NBA

Trey Lyles Joins Real Madrid
Charles Bassey

Signs Exhibit 10 Deal With Hawks
Sacramento Kings

Terence Davis Waived by Kings
Will Smith

Scratched With Hand Soreness on Wednesday
Ketel Marte

has Foot Contusion, Expected to Play Friday
Matthew Knies

Ready for Bigger Role With Maple Leafs
Jack Eichel

Unbothered by Lack of Extension
Sidney Crosby

Not Thinking About Leaving Pittsburgh
SJ

Michael Misa Signs Entry-Level Contract With Sharks
Rutger McGroarty

Nursing an Injury
Cameron Champ

the Ultimate Wild Card at Procore
Cameron Young

Looks to Extend Momentum in Napa
Davis Thompson

Searching for a Spark at Procore
Sahith Theegala

Looking to Reignite Form at Procore
Mackenzie Hughes

Aims for Another Strong Showing at Procore
Luke Clanton

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Napa
Seamus Power

Looking to Overcome Poor Course History at Procore
Joe Highsmith

Hoping to Find Form in Napa
Kristaps Porzingis

Reportedly Still Not Completely Healthy
Kelly Oubre Jr.

Reportedly on the Trade Block
Andre Drummond

Future in Philadelphia in Doubt
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Helps Greece Reach Semis at EuroBasket
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Posts Historic Triple-Double
Joel Dahmen

Finishes Tied For 15 at Wyndham Championship
Bud Cauley

Finishes Tied for 33rd at BMW Championship
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied for Seventh at Tour Championship
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied for 25th at Tour Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied for 19th at Tour Championship
Keith Mitchell

Misses Cut at Wyndham Championship
Ben Griffin

Finishes Tied for 10th at Tour Championship
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied for Second at Tour Championship
Gary Woodland

Could Hang Around at Procore Championship
Karl Vilips

Ready for Napa Valley This Weekend
Taylor Montgomery

Heating Up at the Right Time
Jackson Koivun

May Be a Little Rusty at Procore Championship
Doug Ghim

Looking to Rise Up at Napa Valley
Josh Giddey

Re-Signs With Bulls for Four Years
Shakir Mukhamadullin

Joins Informal Skate
William Eklund

Skates With Sharks
Owen Power

Back at 100 Percent
Tyler Seguin

Cleared for Action
Mathew Barzal

Good to Go for Season Opener
Dustin Wolf

Signs Seven-Year Extension
NBA

Mason Jones Takes His Talents to Australia
NBA

Talen Horton-Tucker Joins Reigning EuroLeague Champions
Malcolm Brogdon

on Knicks' Radar
Andrew Wiggins

Attracting Interest From Lakers
Miami Heat

Heat Interested in Reunion With Precious Achiuwa
New York Knicks

Ben Simmons Reportedly Declined Knicks' Contract Offer
Caio Borralho

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Nassourdine Imavov

Extends Win Streak
Mauricio Ruffy

Gets Submitted
Benoît Saint Denis

Benoit Saint Denis Taps Out Mauricio Ruffy
Paul Craig

Retires After UFC Paris Loss
Modestas Bukauskas

Scores First-Round Knockout
Bolaji Oki

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Mason Jones

Scores Comeback Win

RANKINGS

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