The Bye Week Blues: Week 14 NFL Fantasy Football

December 6, 2022

Gladys Tyler gives some of her favorite potential waiver adds for Week 14 as six NFL teams are on byes, leaving fantasy managers with roster spots to fill.

Is there a more inopportune time to have six teams on a bye? Week 14 is either the start of your fantasy playoffs or the last week for you to make that push to get into the fantasy playoffs and now this.

For most, that means no Justin Fields, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, AJ Dillion, Jonathan Taylor, Alvin Kamara, and Terry McLaurin, just to name a few, if you are simultaneously lamenting and wondering what to do in your redraft league for Week 14 look no further.

I will list a few players who are good for the Week 14 matchup just to (hopefully) get you through the first week of playoffs or get you into your playoffs.

Quarterback

Jared Goff, 32% available

He has had nine completions where his wide receiver was tackled at the two-yard line. The touchdown was then taken in by Jamaal Williams( per fantasy football today). Pretty soon, his wide receivers will fall into the end zone. That type of trend can't hold up, can it?

Goff has proven he is a much better quarterback at home than away. In his seven games at home, he has 251 passing attempts, 1887 passing yards, 17 touchdowns, and three interceptions. In the five games away, he has 154 passing attempts and 1135 passing yards with two touchdowns and four interceptions. This week the Detroit Lions play the Minnesota Vikings at home.

The Vikings are giving up an average of 20.0 fantasy points per game to the quarterback position. Goff scored 21.6 fantasy points (at home) against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Mac Jones, 94% available

Jones is going against the Arizona Cardinals, who are quarterback friendly. This is just a one-week matchup pick-up.

The New England Patriots' offense is lackluster, something you would expect when the offensive play calls are from Matt Patricia and Joe Judge.

But the Arizona Cardinals are giving up an average of 19.4 fantasy points to the quarterback position.

In their last three games, the Cardinals have allowed Jimmy Garoppolo to throw for four touchdown passes, Rams' backup John Wolford to throw for 212 passing yards, and Geno Smith to throw for 275 passing yards with two touchdowns.

Running Back

Zonovan Knight, 39.3% available

Knight has played in two consecutive games. He has over 100 total yards in both games. Last week against the Minnesota Vikings, he had 20 carries for 118 yards.

This week the Jets play the Buffalo Bills. In their last two games, the Bills allowed Detroit Lions' Jamaal Williams to run for 66 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries, after allowing Kareem Hunt to average 6.4 yards per carry the week before.

Cam Akers, 53.2% available

This is a bit gross because the Los Angeles Rams are...well, a bit gross right now. And now, when all is lost, they are just playing with our fantasy teams.

Week 12 Kyren Williams was the leader in the backfield with the most snaps (38) and rushing attempts(11). Then last week, Akers led with 17 rushing attempts for 60 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

This week the Rams play the Las Vegas Raiders, who are giving up an average of 20.6 fantasy points to the running back position. They have surrendered nine rushing touchdowns and four receiving touchdowns to the position.

Wide Receiver

Nico Collins, 71% available

The Texans are a hot mess. But since his return from injury Collins has been reliable. Over the last three weeks combined, he has produced a 14-117-1 line.

This week the matchup on paper isn't the best. The Dallas Cowboys only give up 15.4 fantasy points per game to the receiver position.

The good news is that the Texans will have to pass the ball to stay in the game. Collins has an 18.1% target share and a 23.0% target rate. He has had 10, 9, and 7 targets in his last three games.

Michael Gallup, 47% available

The Dallas offense is on fire. Gallup led in targets in the first half of Sunday night's game and had a touchdown. He is WR2 in an offense that averages 27.8 points per game (3^rd) and has averaged 40.7 points per game in the last three weeks.

The Texans are giving up an average of 23.9 points per game (23^rd) and, in the last three weeks, have given up an average of 26.7 points per game.

Tight Ends

Hunter Henry, 65% available

Again, completely and totally matchup dependent. The Cardinals give up the most average fantasy points per game to the tight end position (12.2). The Cardinals have allowed nine touchdowns to the tight end position on 880 receiving yards.

Greg Dulcich, 71% available

This is an offense I do not want to count on in any way. However, in a pinch, in tough times, if I was forced, Dulcich can work. Last week Dulcich led the team with eight targets, six receptions, and 85 yards.

Bye, Bye, Bye

Not a blues song, I know but let's give the boy bands their due. And just as the men mentioned above don't qualify for the main stage, they can help in a pinch. Remember, it's only for a week, and it is all about the matchup and potential.

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