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The best Week 14 fantasy football matchups, predictions from Joey Pollizze. Strong start/sit matchups that he loves for fantasy football lineups and DFS plays.
The fantasy matchmaker is back for another edition. In this article, I will be reviewing which players have the best and worst matchups in Week 14.
Now, if we love a player's matchup or hate a player's matchup, that doesn't necessarily mean they are must-starts or sits. But if you are deciding between two players and one of them is on one of the lists, it should make those decisions a lot easier. This is an important fantasy week for most managers, so there could be plenty of tough lineup choices to make.
RotoBaller will have you covered all week and into the fantasy playoffs. In this article, I will give you quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends who have matchups we love and hate in Week 14. So, let's dive in and see which players come in on this list.
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Week 14: QB Matchups We Love
Justin Fields- Chicago Bears
Opponent: DET
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 28th
Quarterback Justin Fields has a lot to play for over the final five weeks of the season. He's fighting to remain the Bears starting quarterback for the future, and he'll have the chance to show that in a great matchup in Week 14 against the Detroit Lions. The Lions are giving up the fifth most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season (18.8). That average has also been higher over the past four games (22.2).
Fields just played this Lions secondary in Week 11 -- his first game back from his thumb injury. He totaled just 169 pass yards and one touchdown but managed to run 18 times for 104 yards in the contest. With 30 carries over the past two games and facing a Lions secondary that struggles against the pass, the 24-year-old quarterback should be in for a solid fantasy day.
Russell Wilson - Denver Broncos
Opponent: @LAC
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 29th
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson comes in as the QB14 in fantasy this season. He has 16-plus fantasy points in four of the past five games. Wilson doesn't seem to have a high ceiling in fantasy, but his floor remains very consistent. In Week 14 against the Los Angeles Chargers, the veteran has his best matchup yet. The Chargers are allowing the fourth most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks in 2023.
Los Angeles has been better against fantasy quarterbacks over the past two weeks, which included holding Lamar Jackson to under 15 fantasy points. But this is still a secondary that has plenty of problems. This matchup is a great one for Wilson, and he is a low-end QB1 option in 12-team leagues.
Week 14: QB Matchups to Avoid
C.J. Stroud- Houston Texans
Opponent: @NYJ
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 4th
It pains me to put Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud on this list. But this New York Jets defense is legit. The Jets have allowed just one 250-yard passer over the past six games, which was Josh Allen (275) in Week 11. They have also allowed just three quarterbacks this season to throw for multiple touchdowns (Dak Prescott, Wilson, Allen) in a game. For as great as Stroud has been this year, he might struggle against this secondary.
On top of the tough matchup, heavy rain, and winds are expected in this matchup at MetLife Stadium. It's hard to bench the likely rookie of the year in fantasy, but the Jets give up the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks this season (14.2). Stroud's two worst fantasy games this season have also come against the Carolina Panthers (12.9 points) and Baltimore Ravens (10.7), the top two fantasy defenses against quarterbacks in 2023.
Week 14: RB Matchups We Love
Austin Ekeler - Los Angeles Chargers
Opponent: DEN
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 32nd
It's been a struggle to roster Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler in recent weeks. He has less than 10 PPR fantasy points in three straight games, and earlier this week head coach Brandon Staley stated there could be a "competition for carries" in the Chargers backfield. But if there ever was a time for Ekeler to get going, it would be in Week 14 against the Denver Broncos. Denver is allowing the most fantasy points per game to running backs this season (26.4). Last year, the 28-year-old running back had 14 combined catches in two games against this unit.
Saquon Barkley- New York Giants
Opponent: GB
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 24th
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has been very inconsistent over the past few weeks. In Week 10 and Week 12, he failed to score above eight PPR fantasy points. In Week 11, he scored 30 PPR fantasy points against the Washington Commanders. In Week 14 against the Green Bay Packers, Barkley has a great chance to score a lot of fantasy points on Monday night football.
The Packers have allowed 115-plus team rushing yards in three of the past four games, including 110 yards and one touchdown to Isiah Pacheco last week. Barkley will see the volume in this Giants' offense, and he now gets a Packers run defense that is allowing 5.33 yards per carry since Week 10. He is a great play in Week 14 and should have a very safe floor, even with Tommy Devito under center.
Week 14: RB Matchups to Avoid
Tony Pollard- Dallas Cowboys
Opponent: PHI
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 32nd
The Eagles run defense has been a dominant force all season, which is not great news for fantasy running backs. In 12 games against this Eagles front seven, running backs have totaled only three total touchdowns while averaging 3.89 yards per carry. In the last meeting between the Cowboys and the Eagles, running back Tony Pollard had just 9.3 PPR fantasy in Week 9.
It's tough to run on Philadelphia, and the way to beat them is through the air. That surely caps Pollard's ceiling this weekend. But that could open up more opportunities for him in the passing game, where he has caught at least three passes in three straight games.
Week 14: WR Matchups We Love
Brandin Cooks - Dallas Cowboys
Opponent: PHI
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 32nd
Both Dallas Cowboys wide receivers, CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks, have great matchups in Week 14 against the Philadelphia Eagles. But with Lamb already a fantasy lineup lock, Cooks gets the shoutout here in a big matchup. The last time these two teams squared off, the veteran wideout had just one catch for seven yards. But since then, he has totaled over 16 PPR fantasy points in three of the last four games.
The 30-year-old wideout is starting to establish himself in this Dallas offense, and he should have a much better outing in Week 14. The Eagles are giving up the most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season. Philadelphia's secondary has also allowed more than 205 combined receiving yards to wideouts in five of the past six games. In a game that should feature a lot of points, Cooks is a nice flex play.
Jayden Reed / Romeo Doubs- Green Bay Packers
Opponent: @NYG
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 29th
I like both Packers wide receivers against the New York Giants in Week 14, especially if Christian Watson (hamstring) misses the contest. Watson has not practiced all week, which seriously puts him in jeopardy to play on Monday night. That means both rookie Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs would see an increase in usage.
It's also a great matchup for both playmakers, as the Giants allow the fourth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season. With the way Jordan Love is throwing the football, he should be able to exploit this secondary and feed both Reed and Doubs.
Week 14: WR Matchups to Avoid
Nico Collins - Houston Texans
Opponent: @NYJ
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 32nd
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins is coming off the best game of his career, catching nine passes for 191 yards and one touchdown. But he could have a tough time repeating that performance against a New York Jets secondary that is allowing the fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season (18 half-PPR points).
It's hard to sit Collins in Week 14, especially since Tank Dell (leg) is out for the season. However, quarterback C.J. Stroud could really struggle against this secondary this weekend. With rain and high winds in the forecast for Sunday and a possible shadow from Sauce Gardner, expectations might have to be tempered for the third-year wideout.
Week 14: TE Matchups We Love
Isaiah Likely - Baltimore Ravens
Opponent: LAR
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 29th
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely has taken over TE1 duties after Mark Andrews (ankle) was ruled for the season. In two games as the lead tight end, though, Likely hasn't done much to prove his potential. In Week 1, he caught just one pass for four yards, and in Week 12, he caught four passes for 40 yards.
However, Likely has his best matchup yet against the Los Angeles Rams this week. The Rams are allowing the fourth most fantasy points per game to tight ends and have given up at least eight catches and 70-plus yards in back-to-back games to that position group. That makes the Ravens tight end a great play in Week 14.
Week 14: TE Matchups to Avoid
Evan Engram - Jacksonville Jaguars
Opponent: @CLE
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 1st
Those who roster Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram were finally rewarded with a touchdown in Week 13 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Engram scored his first score of the year last week to go with nine catches for 82 yards. However, that line might be unattainable in Week 14 against the Cleveland Browns.
The Browns are currently allowing the fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends at just 4.8 half-PPR fantasy points. Over the past three weeks, Cleveland has given up a combined five catches for 58 yards and one touchdown to tight ends. On the year, opposing tight ends are averaging a mere 2.25 receptions and 21.8 receiving yards per game, making Engram a low-floor, low-ceiling option this week.
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