Every Friday throughout the NFL regular season I will be sending you this lineup helper that I like to call: Tough Decisions. In this article I will breakdown players with similar value, ranking and projection heading into this coming week.
Since this piece does come out on Fridays, injury news may pop up after posting time. Make sure you’re checking all your sources so you have up to date information regarding injuries, playing status, etc. Once again, if you want your lineup question featured in this piece, just hit me up on Twitter and your question could be featured. Anyways, let’s get into it.
Let's take a look at the TOUGH DECISIONS for Week 14:
QUARTERBACKS
Kirk Cousins (@PHI) or Matthew Stafford (vs. CHI)
The Case for Cousins: The Washington gunslinger has played very well this season, especially of late. He’s thrown for more than 370 yards in three of his last five games, including an exceptional 11:2 TD/INT ratio in that span. He’s scored more than 20 fantasy points in four of his last six games, with the lowest outpoint being a 16-point performance last week against Arizona. Over the last four weeks, the Eagles have allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Cousins is 3-1 in his career against the Eagles, while averaging a healthy 336.25 yards per game. He’s as good as it gets this week ladies and gentlemen.
The Case for Stafford: Detroit goes as Stafford goes and right now, Stafford is going and going well. He’s thrown 14 touchdowns in the team’s last eight games, compared to just one interception. Stafford also eclipsed 300 passing yards last week, albeit against the porous Saints secondary and that marked only the third time all year he’s completed that feat. The Bears have tallied just five interceptions all year, which is third fewest in all of football. Stafford is one of the better plays on the Week 14 slate, given his recent play and solid matchup.
The Verdict: Cousins. I’m a big fan this week.
RUNNING BACKS
Lamar Miller (@IND) or Jeremy Hill (@CLE)
The Case for Miller: Flashback to the beginning of the season. Many people, myself included, touted Miller as being one of the best running backs in fantasy this year. Well, that hasn’t been the case. He’s struggled to find the end zone and he hasn’t been utilized in the passing attack like many expected. However, his best game of the season came in Week 6 against this same Indianapolis defense. The Colts have been friendly to opposing running backs this season and will be without starting linebacker D’Qwell Jackson for the contest. Without its leading tackler, the Colts defense is even more vulnerable to a workhorse like Miller. Start him with confidence as a RB1 this weekend.
The Case for Hill: Hill is one of my favorite plays on this slate, beyond the fact that he gets to square off against the winless Cleveland Browns. Yes, the Browns have sucked against running backs this year and yes, Hill rumbled for a season-high 168 rushing yards and a touchdown against them back in Week 7. Since Giovani Bernard and A.J. Green went down with injuries, Hill has become the de facto second best option in the offense, behind tight end Tyler Eifert. Hill has averaged 21.5 touches over the last two weeks and while he hasn’t done much in terms of yardage, the workload is definitely there. In his defense, however, he has had to face off against the Ravens and Eagles the past two weeks. He’s a high-end, luxury RB2 in my eyes this week.
The Verdict: Miller. I love Hill this week, but if Miller has a big game, it’s going to be yet again against the Colts.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Tyrell Williams (@CAR) or Brandin Cooks (@TB)
The Case for Williams: Since Week 9, Williams has hogged the targets in the passing attack and he’s found the end zone in each of the past four games. Quarterback Philip Rivers loves to target Williams and we all know how suspect the Josh Norman-less Carolina has been this season. The Panthers have allowed the fourth-most receiving yards this season and seeing as Rivers love to sling the football around, Williams is a good lock for WR2 production in Week 14. Also, for you DFSers out there, he’s a very good play at just $6,800 on FanDuel.
The Case for Cooks: Cooks has 75 or more receiving yards or seven receptions in three of his last four games, but mixed in there is that zero-target game in Week 12 against the Rams. At this point, he’s a risky play where you hope for one big play for him to reach and/or exceed value. Cooks gets to face a Tampa Bay defense that has 16 touchdowns to wide receivers and for a lack of better of words, he could get cookin’ in this one. I know, terrible pun. He’s risky, but one can’t deny the potential for Cooks in this one. Consider him a WR2 in Week 14.
The Verdict: Williams. He’s been more consistent than Cooks and he’s one of my favorite plays of Week 14.
THE FLEX CONUNDRUM
Robert Kelley (@PHI) or Stefon Diggs (@JAX)
The Case for Kelley: Washington personnel have said that they want to get Kelley more involved, meaning more touches within the offense. After rushing for 97 yards in Week 10 against Minnesota and erupting for 137 and three scores against Green Bay, Kelley has been held in check the past two weeks. His workload has also decreased, in that he received 47 touches between Weeks 10 and 11, but that number dipped to 30 between Weeks 12 and 13. Expect Kelley to see close to 20 touches against an Eagles defense that has allowed 4.08 YPC this season. Consider him a RB2 in Week 14.
The Case for Diggs: Diggs is a possession receiver who is benefited by Sam Bradford’s willingness to feed him the ball early and often. However, Bradford, AKA Checkdown Charlie, has limited Diggs’ yardage in games. Sure, he has a 9-182 game and a 13-164 performance, but outside of that, it hasn’t exactly been long, defining plays for Diggs. In his last two games he has 14 receptions for 96 yards, good for a mark of 6.86 yards per reception. Despite some defensive struggles, Jacksonville has been good against the pass, especially of late. In the past four weeks, they’ve allowed just one wide receiver touchdown. One. He must start in PPR formats, but outside of that, he’s a WR3.
The Verdict: Kelley. Diggs may be a PPR machine, but I’m buying into the “get Kelley more touches” campaign.
TIGHT ENDS
Dennis Pitta (@NE) or Coby Fleener (@TB)
The Case for Pitta: Pitta finally found the end zone last week, in fact, he even got there twice against the Dolphins. His nine receptions tied his season-high and his 90 receiving yards were the most in a game since going for 102 against the Browns in the second week of the season. However, last week’s performance should be considered an outlier, because from Weeks 3-12, he averaged just 4.4 receptions for 33.1 yards per game. Baltimore will likely throw a lot in an effort to keep up with New England, so that should benefit Pitta. However, don’t expect a repeat of last week’s performance. Don’t do that yourself. Please.
The Case for Fleener: Fleener came into the season with a ton of hype and man, he hasn’t lived up to it. It got bad enough that Josh Hill started playing more than Fleener. However, Hill broke his fibula, which puts Fleener back on board as the team’s top tight end. Drew Brees loves to throw the football and has always been fascinated with getting the football to his tight end. Fleener caught five passes for 86 yards last week, making that performance his second-best fantasy output of the season. Yikes. He has some upside against this Tampa Bay defense, but predicting his big game is as tough as it comes.
The Verdict: Pitta. As much of an outlier as his last performance was, I’m not risking it with Fleener’s consistent inconsistencies.
You can find me on Twitter: @colbyrconway