RADIO
Week 14 is now here, and for most of you if you're reading this that means you've made it into your league's playoffs. Or perhaps you're still in the hunt and looking for that playoff berth. Regardless, these weeks tend to be entirely "win or go home". No mulligans here. Sure, some of you might have those two-week matchups, but even there you don't want to fall behind by a significant amount and find yourself in a hole.
While we'd all like to think we have a grasp on player and team trends, each week of football serves to remind us that "any given Sunday" is a real thing. We have upsets, expectations that are exceeded, injuries, and so on. For some of you the playoffs are already clinched, for many others you are in the middle of a dogfight for those last spots, and for some the dream is dead, but perhaps you are in a keeper or dynasty league and can make some moves based off of the changes we're noting.
Let's look at players who are on the rise heading into a crucial Week 14.
Week 14 Fantasy Football Risers
Russell Wilson - QB, SEA
Here are Russell Wilson's last three weeks: 66-of-86 for 879 yards, 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions. He has also casually chipped in 95 rushing yards and a touchdown. Seattle's offense is putting in work right now and it's all on Wilson.
Yes Thomas Rawls is performing admirably in relief of the injured Marshawn Lynch, but there is no question that Wilson is on fire right now. Oh, there's also the little fact that the next two games will have Wilson go up against the hapless Ravens and Browns, followed up by the Rams respectable defense (they face the Cardinals in Week 17). I'd be concerned about such an easy game meaning Wilson doesn't end up with much, but he did well against the 49ers and in this most recent shellacking of the Vikings, so really confidence should just be through the roof with Russell.
Javorius Allen - RB, BAL
I had zero confidence in Allen going into last Sunday. I told plenty of people to sit him (sorry). I figured the game would be ugly (at least that was correct) and that Allen just wouldn't be able to get anything going to the point where standard value would be gained. He went from having games of six and five targets, to 13! His receiving line was 12 receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown. Sheesh.
His rushing line was mediocre, 17 carries for 63 yards. That, combined with maybe 30 yards receiving or so, is what I figured. Nope, Allen really showed that he has some serious talent in the open field and this, combined with the fact that he is their best weapon available right now (especially with Crockett Gillmore also leaving the game with a back injury [Maxx Williams was already out]), meant that Allen just drowned in opportunity.
Matchups with Seattle, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati should bring the party to a halt, but hey, someone's got to get these looks, and it looks like that'll be Allen, Allen, and more Allen.
Matt Forte – RB, CHI
Speaking as a Forte owner, I know I felt great seeing him pace the Bears with the running back work this week. Yes, Ka'Deem Carey got a touchdown that I would have liked to go to Forte, but that's just too greedy I suppose. With Jeremy Langford in line for a fair share of snaps, there was some concern that Forte's ceiling really wasn't that great anymore. Yes, this was against the 49ers but all the same he played 44 snaps to Langford's 28 (Carey had six). That's an improvement on last week's 37-30 split, but more importantly Forte performed well and showed that he's in fact 100% and the same great RB1 we've come to love.
The Bears get the Redskins, Vikings, Buccaneers, and Lions to finish 2015, which are not the best matchups for a running back, but Forte is back in the RB1 mix after Sunday.
The Pittsburgh WRs – WR, PIT
(Insert bomb emoji here). This passing attack has just gone off lately. Antonio Brown is a monster, we knew this. Martavis Bryant was his usual boom/bust self, catching only four balls but getting 114 yards and a touchdown on them. Markus Wheaton has even shown some recent consistency, putting together back to back games of value for owners. The Steelers have shown this before with Ben Roethlisberger at the helm, just being monstrous point machines. DeAngelo Williams ain't half bad out of the backfield either.
The Steelers do have to tangle with the tough Bengals and Broncos defenses in the next two weeks and then they get two cupcake matchups against the Ravens and Browns. At this point, Bryant and Brown are must starts here on out.
Delanie Walker - TE, TEN
Walker is on fire as of late and deserves some love. His last three games have seen him total 30 target and he has over 90 yards in each of those games. He led the Titans skill players in snaps this past week and is clearly the guy to own on the Titans. They face the Jets, Patriots, Texans, and Colts to end the year. The Jets can be beat by the tight end with all of their blitzing and vacating of the middle of the field (Will Tye just did pretty well against them). The matchups aren't particularly juicy all things considered, but he is the #1 option for Marcus Mariota right now and is matchup-proof moving forward.
Other Risers to Note: Drew Brees (QB, NO), Tyrod Taylor (QB, BUF), T.J. Yeldon (RB, JAC), Allen Robinson (WR, JAC), Brandon Marshall (WR, NYJ), Greg Olsen (TE, CAR)
