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Fantasy football lineup advice based on Week 14 matchups. Pierre Camus gives his in-depth matchups analysis, lineups start and sit recommendations, and players he loves or hates for the late slate.
Welcome to the second part of our Week 14 matchups analysis and starts/sits column for fantasy football. We'll be covering every matchup from every Sunday game to help you make the best decisions for your fantasy lineups. We'll also be updating this as injury reports come in, so check back often for the latest advice.
This article will cover the late slate of games, beginning after 4:00 pm EST on Sunday as well as the Sunday night game. Don't forget to see our early game matchups analysis here and look for our MNF matchups analysis as well.
Check back here each week to get advice for your toughest start/sit decisions and take a look at our consensus rankings each week. For start/sit advice or anything fantasy football-related, find me on Twitter @Pfunk00 and I'll be glad to offer help.
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4:05 PM ET Games
This late slate of games is up to five, the most yet with no byes in the way. The Sunday action caps off with a huge NFC showdown as the Rams visit the Bears in windy Soldier Field. A lot has changed since last week, so make sure to analyze each matchup to get the most out of your fantasy lineup in the first round of the playoffs!
Broncos at 49ers
Matchups We Love:
Phillip Lindsay (RB, DEN)
He's been the best waiver wire add of the 2018 NFL season, but will he reward owners in the playoffs? It's more than likely, especially now that Denver has lost its top receiver for the year. The last two weeks have seen Lindsay post his best rushing totals of the year (110, 157) and he's scored five touchdowns in the last three games. On a team sure to rely on the ground game even more, Lindsay is a virtual RB1 lock against a middling Niners run defense.
Courtland Sutton (WR, DEN)
Suddenly, Sutton is the top target in Denver. DT is in Houston and Emmanuel Sanders suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in practice, a huge blow to the team's hopes for a playoff run. In fantasy terms, Sutton becomes a lot more interesting as he is almost guaranteed to see double-digit targets in this game. He is coming off a career-best game with four receptions for 85 yards and a TD. Those numbers should go up against the Niners, even if Richard Sherman takes on coverage for part of the day. Sutton should be a safe WR3 with high-WR2 upside in Week 14.
Dante Pettis (WR, SF)
If there's one player on San Francisco that brings enough upside on his own to be worth a start in competitive leagues, it's Pettis. In Week 12, he stood out with 77 yards and a touchdown but Week 13 was a true breakout with 129 yards and two touchdowns. Big plays aside, Pettis has caught four passes each of the last three weeks and is the one receiver developing a rapport with Mullens. Pettis also gets the benefit of facing CB Isaac Yiadom thanks to an injury to talented Chris Harris. Another big game could be in the works and Pettis is definitely worth a third receiver or flex spot.
Matchups We Hate:
Case Keenum (QB, DEN)
This might have been a matchup to exploit for Keenum, but the loss of his WR1 is too much to overcome, especially on the road. Despite a tasty matchup last week in Cincinnati, Keenum managed just 151 yards and one TD. This new version of Keenum has stopped turning the ball over (zero INT the last four games) but wasn't putting up numbers worthy of any fantasy team even before Sanders was hurt. He should be avoided altogether.
Nick Mullens (QB, SF)
Mullens played the role of garbage man in Week 13, racking up 414 yards in a 43-16 loss to Seattle. This game won't have that type of scoring output on either side, dropping Mullens below the QB2 threshold in most leagues. He's played just well enough to keep the starting job by posting a 7/5 TD/INT rate in four starts, but it's really a 4/5 TD/INT rate in the three games after his initial outburst against a shocked Raiders team that laid down. That won't get the job done in fantasy this late in the season.
Daesean Hamilton / Tim Patrick / Andre Holmes (WR, DEN)
Someone's got to pick up the slack without Emmanuel Sanders around. Most likely, it'll be more ground game and no one receiver stepping up to see a big increase in targets. Both Patrick and Hamilton are young guys that could see more action than usual but considering neither has more than three catches in a game all year, that isn't saying much. Holmes was cut from Buffalo hours earlier and was fortunate enough to find a job right away. He's never been a fantasy factor, however. It's best not to get overly confident based on opportunity alone.
Kendrick Bourne / Richie James (WR, SF)
Despite the persistent absences of Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin, James hasn't been a factor whatsoever, catching two of four targets for 27 yards the last two weeks, and Bourne hasn't fared much better with six catches for 87 yards. Neither is worth considering in Week 14.
Other Matchups:
Royce Freeman (RB, DEN)
If the score remains close throughout, there may not be enough touches to produce. That's been the story of his rookie season, playing behind Lindsay. If the Broncos can get a decent lead early, Freeman may be in line for a season-high in carries as the team is forced to air it out less. That said, Freeman will probably need to find the end zone to be of any use in PPR leagues and sits as a fringe RB3.
Jeff Wilson (RB, SF)
Meet your new starting running back in San Francisco. Introductions may be in order since nobody had any idea who Jeffrey Wilson was before last week. Matt Breida was limited by an ankle issue yet again, so Wilson stepped in to run for 61 yards and added another 73 through the air. Breida has been ruled out for Week 14, so Wilson has a chance to shine. Playing at home against the Broncos, who've allowed the seventh-most rushing yards in the league, could be enough to talk you into flexing him or even sticking him at your RB spot this week as a Conner/Gordon/Hunt replacement.
Matt LaCosse (TE, DEN)
With Jeff Heuerman on IR, LaCosse has progressed from fourth-string TE to starter and losing Sanders could make him more valuable than ever imagined. Then again, he didn't catch his only target last week in an easy matchup with Cincy and Heuerman already out. His ceiling may be a pair of catches for 30-something yards and a TD, while his floor is the same as last week's donut.
Bengals at Chargers
Matchups We Love:
Philip Rivers (QB, LAC)
Incredibly, Rivers still hasn't gone a game with fewer than two touchdowns passes or 200 yards this season. Despite a tough road matchup in Pittsburgh last week, he came within a yard of his fifth 300+ yard game and tossed another two scores. With Melvin Gordon still sidelined and the Bengals allowing a league-worst 22.3 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, Rivers' already high floor makes him the safest QB play of the entire week.
Justin Jackson (RB, LAC)
There is no clear indication of how the rookie will be used this week, but common sense dictates that he earned himself a lot more touches after coming through with 63 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries in last week's comeback effort. Coach Anthony Lynn did indicate that Austin Ekeler may be a bit worn down from special teams and heavier usage throughout the season, so it could hint toward more work for Jackson. Even if he sees just 15 carries, Jackson could produce a fantasy RB2 day as the Bengals also happen to be the worst defense against opposing RBs. They allow five yards per carry and just over a touchdown per game. Jackson is a slight risk, but many RB-starved owners who suddenly lost their top back should take a chance here.
Keenan Allen (WR, LAC)
Numbers don't lie. The Bengals are bad on defense, and Allen is coming off a 14-catch, 148-yard effort on 19 targets. He'll easily generate top-10 WR numbers this week.
Matchups We Hate:
Jeff Driskel (QB, CIN)
Hopefully, this isn't a serious option for you as the playoffs get underway, but to reinforce the fact that Driskel isn't worth starting, the Chargers allow the fourth-fewest fantasy points to QBs. Since Joey Bosa returned, they're allowing an average of 191.6 passing yards per game. Driskel only ran three times for three yards last week, so don't count on rushing output to sustain a decent floor either.
John Ross (WR, CIN)
Ross has been devoid of big plays this year despite his blazing speed. Having a backup QB with whom he's barely worked turned out as expected in Week 13; Ross caught two balls for 13 yards and saw his TD streak snapped at three games. He'll be shadowed by Casey Hayward all day, making it unlikely he'll break loose for a score.
C.J. Uzomah (TE, CIN)
Once streamable in good matchups, Uzomah is nearly devoid of fantasy value. He could continue to see a decent target share, but that hasn't produced many tangible results lately with an average of 4.3 receptions for 34 yards in the last four games. Safety Derwin James could take Uzomah out of the gameplan completely. You are better off looking elsewhere for a TE streamer this week.
Antonio Gates (TE, LAC)
Zero catches last week, still just two TD on the year despite a career year by his QB. There are enough other tight ends with higher ceilings that Gates should remain a non-factor in fantasy.
Other Matchups:
Joe Mixon (RB, CIN)
One of the toughest calls this week will be whether to keep Mixon plugged in as your RB2 or take a chance on someone like Jackson instead. The last four weeks since their bye, Mixon has seen a decline from his strong first half, averaging 61.5 rushing yards and 35.3 receiving yards per game with one touchdown. If he can get in the neighborhood of 100 scrimmage yards, owners should be satisfied. That isn't a guarantee, however, as the loss of Andy Dalton and A.J. Green will allow the Chargers to stack the box regularly. Mixon can be considered an RB3 with lower expectations than usual.
Austin Ekeler (RB, LAC)
We should love Ekeler this week too, but his sudden lack of efficiency coupled with a heavier workload is concerning. Our suspicion is that Jackson gets the majority of the carries and Ekeler is limited to 12-15 touches as a change of pace, similar to how he's been used all season. There certainly could be a big play or touchdown in the works, but he may actually carry more risk than Jackson this week.
Tyler Boyd (WR, CIN)
Now that A.J. Green's season is done, Boyd is officially the WR1 in Cincinnati (wasn't he already though?). If Andy Dalton weren't also done for the year, Boyd might be a top-20 player at his position each week, but we have to lower the bar. Boyd was able to catch six passes for 97 yards last week, so it seems Driskel at least knows to look his way. Boyd should be started in all but the most shallow standard leagues, although we can't love his matchup against Desmond King, who has allowed only 19 first downs on 59 targets.
Mike Williams / Tyrell Williams (WR, LAC)
Both receivers are boom-bust options, as we've established will be the case in most weeks. The matchup screams of sleeper value but the Chargers may not need to push the ball downfield with Tyrell Williams, who has caught just three passes total in the last three games. Mike Williams remains touchdown-dependent, so gamble accordingly depending on your other options.
Lions at Cardinals
Matchups We Love:
LeGarrette Blount (RB, DET)
It appears Kerryon Johnson will sit another game out, keeping Blount alive in this discussion. He relies on volume so as long as he's getting it, he can be considered in standard leagues or 14+ team PPR leagues. Blount has managed 88 and 61 yards the last two games as the lead back with two touchdowns in Week 12 and none last week. Considering Arizona has allowed the most rushing touchdowns in the NFL (15) and third-most rushing yards (1,503 - 12 shy of Oakland for the most), Blount seems like a pretty strong play.
Larry Fitzgerald (WR, ARI)
It's a legitimate concern that Fitzgerald is being held back by a conservative offense and rookie QB. He's at least found a way to get into the end zone semi-frequently, scoring five times in the last six games. There isn't much volume in the Arizona passing game these days, so Fitz is becoming more TD-dependent by the week. If Quandre Diggs covers him for much of the day, Fitzgerald could be limited again but the fact that he is the only remaining starter of the wideouts for Arizona could mean a higher target count than usual. We'll tentatively slot him as a WR3 this week based on projected usage.
Bruce Ellington (WR, DET)
Believe it or not, Ellington has the biggest statistical advantage of all wide receivers this week according to PFF. He faces veteran CB Leonard Johnson, who is on his fifth team in five years and struggling to replace Deone Bucannon. The ceiling isn't very high for Ellington, who has a total of 115 yards in three games with Detroit, but he is averaging over six catches a game. If he can put together a few grabs and manage to find the end zone, a tricky proposition, he could put together a decent WR3 day in PPR.
Matchups We Hate:
Josh Rosen (QB, ARI)
Detroit is simply an average matchup toward opposing passers but Rosen is being held back by his own OC. In the last three weeks with Byron Leftwich calling the shots, Rosen is throwing it an average of 21.7 times per game, resulting in 130 yards per contest. This is best for his development and for the team right now, but it severely hampers whatever fantasy appeal he had in 2018.
Matthew Stafford (QB, DET)
Not since Week 10 has Stafford gone over the 250-yard mark or tossed two TDs and it's been since Week 8 that he reached 300 yards. Golden Tate and Marvin Jones aren't coming back and neither is Stafford's fantasy value. Arizona is actually third-best against quarterbacks so there is no reason to risk your playoff life with Stafford.
Kenny Golladay (WR, DET)
The sole survivor in Detroit, Golladay has been abandoned by the plethora of skill players on the field as this season began. With Golden Tate traded, Marvin Jones on IR and Kerryon Johnson out for the past couple of weeks, Golladay was a great candidate to become a target monster. While he has seen 44 targets the last four games, he's only been able to pull down half of those for an average of 5.5 receptions and 82.8 yards per game. Along with two scores, that puts him as a solid WR2 but not a league-winner. This week, he'll be followed around by Patrick Peterson all afternoon. While Golladay did have two touchdowns against Arizona last season, that was under different circumstances. Golladay is a fringe WR2 this week.
Ricky Seals-Jones (TE, ARI)
With exactly one catch each of the last three weeks, RSJ has fallen off the TE streaming radar. An average matchup against the Lions does nothing for him either way, so he can be safely ignored.
Other Matchups:
David Johnson (RB, ARI)
Season-long stats can be misleading, as the Lions have been a much different run defense with Damon "Snacks" Harrison on the line. The sudden vulturing by Chase Edmonds was a shock to the system for DJ owners last week but may not necessarily become a trend. Still, the last two weeks Johnson has totaled 151 yards from scrimmage and is being spelled more frequently. He should sustain RB2 value this week at least, even if he's not in a spot to shine.
J.J. Nelson / Trent Sherfield (WR, ARI)
Christian Kirk's sudden IR placement along with Chad Williams' prolonged ailments have created openings for veteran Nelson and rookie Sherfield. This should have little to no bearing on your fantasy team. Sherfield has caught three of six targets this year, all in the last three weeks. Nelson hasn't caught a pass since Week 7.
Theo Riddick (RB, DET)
He is what he is. 6.6 receptions and 33.8 yards per game with no clear outliers. If you want a fairly safe 10 points in a full PPR league, Riddick is your man. If you need a higher ceiling, you can do better.
Steelers at Raiders
Matchups We Love:
Ben Roethlisberger (QB, PIT)
To inject a bit of personal bias here, I have Big Ben as my top-ranked QB of the week for a number of reasons. First, he's facing the Raiders, who have allowed the most passing touchdowns and eighth-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Second, no James Conner means a heavier emphasis on the pass. The supposed committee of Samuels and Ridley won't match what Conner has done this year and we've seen this offense fall back into pass-first mode often even when the running game is working. Third, the Raiders showed signs of life last week which means the Steelers may be forced to score more than we'd first be inclined to think. Finally, he and the Steelers should be mad after last week's collapse and could take it out on Oakland with a world-class beating. Expect big things.
Antonio Brown / JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR, PIT)
Facing a weak secondary compounded with all the reasons listed above for loving Roethlisberger, you could rightfully rank both Steelers receivers in the top 10 this week. Regardless of matchup, they are no-brain starts the rest of the season throughout the fantasy playoffs.
Jared Cook (TE, OAK)
Cook remains the most reliable player on the team (never thought you'd hear those words) and is riding a three-game TD streak. Oakland is bound to be passing plenty this week and Pittsburgh is simply average against the tight end, keeping Cook as a firm TE1.
Vance McDonald (TE, PIT)
We've established that the Raiders are not good on defense. They're especially bad against tight ends. The worst, in fact, allowing a league-high nine TD in 11 games and 11.8 fantasy PPG. McDonald was slowed by his hip injury last week but should be close to 100% for this prime matchup. Throw him in the TE1 discussion for Week 14.
Matchups We Hate:
Doug Martin / Jalen Richard / Deandre Washington (RB, OAK)
Last week, Richard ran for 95 yards on six carries and totaled 126 from scrimmage. Martin ran for 61 yards and scored a touchdown. Washington was a non-factor. The problem is they each had a fumble and now at least one will be the odd man out after the Raiders signed C.J. Anderson mid-week. Richard could have some appeal in deep PPR leagues as the pass-catching back but the others have too much risk to consider. Martin has a knee injury and may not even suit up in Week 14.
Jordy Nelson / Marcell Ateman / Seth Roberts (WR, OAK)
It was both surprising and encouraging to see Nelson's big day in Week 13 with 10 catches for 97 yards. Meanwhile, rookie Ateman scored his first NFL touchdown and Seth Roberts... is still there. That was against a porous Chiefs secondary though. The Raiders receivers simply cannot be trusted.
Other Matchups:
Derek Carr (QB, OAK)
The Steelers had been doing great against opposing passers until last week and still didn't give up a 300-yard game to Philip Rivers despite their semi-collapse. Carr was given free rein to throw the ball and was finally able to find open receivers in their second-half comeback attempt. This game could play out very similarly if Pittsburgh jumps on top early, leaving Carr as a great candidate for garbage time production again.
Jaylen Samuels (RB/TE, PIT)
We aren't going to begin to argue whether he should qualify at tight end or not, so let's focus on production. While we absolutely love the matchup, we really don't know how many touches Samuels will get. The word out of Pittsburgh is that they are employing a committee at running back, which means Stevan Ridley will get a few carries. There is absolutely no reason to add or consider Ridley though, since it would take a short plunge into the end zone for him to have any fantasy value and that's a bet you shouldn't take in the playoffs. Samuels needs to be universally owned and started at TE everywhere he qualifies. At RB it all depends on your situation. While any running back could have top-10 potential in this offense, he has carried the ball 12 times for 31 yards this season, not too encouraging. First guess is he'll probably see 10 or fewer carries while making most of his gains in the passing game, catching 5-8 balls with adequate yardage and a good chance to score.
James Washington (WR, PIT)
In a super-deep league that requires four or five WR or faced with a depleted bench that is forcing you to scour waivers for a flex play? Washington could be a sneaky play, as he gets the benefit of a great matchup with inexperienced corner Nick Nelson filling in for injured Leon Hall the rest of this season. We could see more JuJu in the slot than usual, which means Washington plays outside opposite Daryl Worley, which is still a good matchup. It's a lotto ticket for sure but sometimes you gotta be in it to win it.
Eagles at Cowboys
Matchups We Love:
Ezekiel Elliott (RB, DAL)
While the adage "you gotta dance with you brung you" is, aside from being an affront to the English language, not sound fantasy advice, it does apply to Zeke in this case. The Eagles defense used to be a strong run-stopping unit but they've ceded 143.5 rushing yards per game since their Week 9 bye. That was kicked off by Elliott's 151-yard game in Week 10 where he ran all over the field in Philadelphia. Expect another strong game from your RB1.
Amari Cooper (WR, DAL)
In Cooper's first appearance as a Cowboy, he caught six of 10 targets for 75 yards against the Eagles. Since then, their secondary has become thinner and Cooper has gotten more comfortable in the offense. This should be a chance for Cooper to showcase his talents and reward those who either bought low or stuck with him.
Golden Tate (WR, PHI)
It took a couple of weeks, but Tate finally found his groove in this scheme. Tate is fresh off a seven-catch game on Monday Night Football, scoring his first TD as an Eagle. He won't have to square off against Byron Jones in the middle of the field and could find himself open often as the Cowboys try to contain Ertz to stop him from repeating what he did to them in the previous matchup.
Zach Ertz (TE, PHI)
When these teams last met, Ertz was setting records with 14 receptions, 145 yards and two touchdowns in Week 10. After a small bump in the road the next week, he's been back to his prolific pace with nine catches last week for 83 more yards. We know now that Ertz and Tate can co-exist in this offense and there's no reason to treat Ertz as anything lower than the second-best fantasy tight end after Travis Kelce, although he's likely to outscore him this week.
Matchups We Hate:
Corey Clement / Darren Sproles / Wendell Smallwood (RB, PHI)
Having Sproles back in the mix effectively kills the value of all three backs. The snap count went in favor of Clement last week (31%), while the other two pass-catching backs barely saw the field. Even so, Clement saw eight touches last week and hasn't reached double digits since Week 10. None of these should even be desperation starts in Week 14 with a tough matchup against the Cowboys.
Cole Beasley / Michael Gallup (WR, DAL)
Gallup emerged last week with a career-best five receptions for 76 yards, his second-best total of the year. That's not enough to get the blood pumping, though. Trusting a rookie WR on a run-first offense isn't a good idea this time of the year, even if the Eagles' secondary is battered. Meanwhile, Beasley has totaled 14 yards the last two weeks and has mostly been an afterthought since Cooper arrived. He can't be trusted to put up big numbers.
Alshon Jeffery / Nelson Agholor / Jordan Matthews (WR, PHI)
The strength of this team, in reality, is their weakness in fantasy - a plethora of weapons at receiver. With Ertz and Tate hogging all the targets and Adams now seeing upwards of 20 carries per game, there aren't enough balls going around to make any of these receivers reliable options. Agholor went for 83 yards in the first matchup with Dallas, but that was also Tate's first game being eased into the offense. Jeffery hasn't been fantasy-relevant since week 7, averaging 37.2 yards in the last five games with no touchdowns. Matthews is a touchdown-dependent WR5 for standard leagues. It's best to stick with the primary receivers on this offense unless you're playing a single-game DFS contest and need to reach deeper.
Other Matchups:
Dak Prescott (QB, DAL)
In the first matchup between these division rivals, Prescott put up 270 passing yards with one TD and ran in a score as well. A very Prescott-like stat line, in other words. You can expect much of the same, although he did have his three-game TD streak on the ground snapped last week. As usual, that will make or break his fantasy day, making him a dicey start in all but the largest leagues.
Carson Wentz (QB, PHI)
On one hand, Wentz finally looked like last year's version again in Week 13, throwing for 306 yards and two touchdowns while getting Tate involved. On the other hand, Dallas' defense just shut down the Saints and have been playing like an elite unit lately, allowing an average of 287 total yards in the past three. That includes matchups with New Orleans and Atlanta, not pushovers on offense. The last time the Cowboys gave up a 300-yard passing game was to these Eagles, however, with Wentz throwing for 360 yds and two TD in Week 10. Which side prevails? Dallas has the momentum and the home field advantage but Wentz has never been shut down by the Cowboys and his offense is clicking at the right time. Bet on a low-end QB1 performance with a chance for more.
Josh Adams (RB, PHI)
Adams has been a great mid-season waiver add so far, handling a bigger workload suitably. In the last two weeks, Adams has turned 22 and 20 carries into 84 and 85 rushing yards respectively. A similar output would be just fine, with the chance for a touchdown giving him RB2 upside. The Cowboys are allowing the fifth-fewest rushing yards in the league, however, so the ceiling may be a bit lower than his previous matchups with the Giants and Redskins.
Sunday Night Football - Rams at Bears
Matchups We Love:
Tarik Cohen (RB, CHI)
When the Bears put up big point totals, Cohen is usually at the forefront. His biggest games against the Bucs, Phins, Pats, and Giants all saw the Bears score 27 points or more. The Rams yield 24.8 points per game and a showdown between offensive gurus Sean McVay and Matt Nagy could find Cohen involved in creative ways once more. He is a solid flex play in all formats with tremendous upside.
Allen Robinson (WR, CHI)
A-Rob has been fairly quiet the past couple of weeks but he's been missing a healthy Trubisky. It would seem to be a game where the Bears lean on Robinson quite a bit as they try to keep pace with the Rams. CB Aqib Talib returns in time to cover Robinson, however, which will be one of the key matchups to watch. If he squares off against Marcus Peters at some point, that works in his favor. We like his chances to see red zone looks and make enough plays to keep WR3 value in PPR leagues.
Taylor Gabriel (WR, CHI)
If it is Gabriel who gets to face Marcus Peters on Sunday night, we have to be tempted to start him. The yardage hasn't been there but Gabriel has seen an average of eight targets over the last three games and is the leading target for the Bears this season, second only to Cohen in receptions on the year. There's enough upside to consider Gabriel in PPR leagues as a flex play.
Brandin Cooks / Robert Woods (WR, LAR)
Although nobody disputes the dominance of their defense, the one area where Chicago has been somewhat susceptible is in the secondary, allowing the occasional big game to an opposing receiver. Chicago allows the seventh-most receiving yards to wide receivers. Both Cooks and Woods will be targeted plenty and always have a decent chance to score but it's obviously not a smash spot either. Consider each a low-end WR2 in Week 14.
Matchups We Hate:
Mitch Trubisky (QB, CHI)
It's been all or nothing for Trubisky this year, making him the ultimate boom-bust QB. He's gone over 300 yards four times and been held to 200 or less four times with not much else in between. 12 of his 20 touchdowns have come in three games. The bottom line is that most of his big games, with the exception of a Week 7 loss to New England, have come against teams with losing records. Trubisky's shoulder is supposedly good enough for him to play but a shoulder injury is definitely worrisome, as is the fact he's been on the sidelines for two weeks. If you have a more reliable option, roll it out. If not, hope that the Rams can put up enough points to force Trubisky into action.
Jared Goff (QB, LAR)
Statistically speaking, there's every reason to stay away from Goff this week. The Bears allow the second-fewest fantasy points to QBs, having intercepted their opponents more times (21) than touchdowns allowed (20). Goff's unsightly home/road split is another factor that can't be ignored; he has thrown half as many touchdowns on the road in an equal number of games and throws for 259 yards per road game, compared to 366 yards at home. You may not like sitting him in favor of someone like Josh Allen or Baker Mayfield, but it may be the smart move.
Jordan Howard (RB, CHI)
It's been four games without a touchdown for Howard, which means four weeks without much fantasy value. He has only gone over 100 total yards once on the season and that was in Week 1. In a game where the Bears won't have the luxury of playing conservative on offense, Howard's day could be limited to a handful of carries.
Josh Reynolds (WR, LAR)
If Goff is expected to have a down game, you can't rightfully advise starting his WR3 who is only playing due to Cooper Kupp's injury. Reynolds has the worst individual matchup of the week too, facing Bears CB Kyle Fuller who should be a Pro Bowler. You can probably do better than Reynolds this week.
Trey Burton / Adam Shaheen (TE, CHI)
The Rams have allowed the fourth-most points to tight ends this year and could be exposed across the middle of the field if they become a funnel defense once again. The problem is deciding if Burton will see enough action to be worth starting. He didn't catch a pass last week with just one target upon Shaheen's return to the lineup, as Shaheen scored on a three-yard touchdown grab. This situation makes for a tough call since Burton has been extremely productive in spurts this year. Recent history of nine catches for 77 yards in the last four games suggests he is too risky in this important week.
Other Matchups:
Todd Gurley (RB, LAR)
The top RB in all of fantasy football now faces the best defense in the league. Gurley has scored at least one touchdown in every game other than Week 11 against the Chiefs, which was the highest-scoring game of the NFL season. Go figure. The last time Gurley faced a top-five rush defense was at New Orleans when he came away with just 79 total yards and one TD. This game being in Soldier Field could be a factor, although it's expected to be a sunny day despite freezing temperatures. You have no choice but to start Gurley and hope he sees enough volume to produce his typical game, but it's likely he will fall under 100 scrimmage yards.
Anthony Miller (WR, CHI)
His targets have gone down recently but he hasn't gone two straight games without a touchdown all season (he missed Weeks 4-5 with an injury). Miller has a slightly negative individual matchup and can't be trusted in more shallow leagues. The possibility he turns red zone looks into a score can't be dismissed though.
