Bears wide receiver Allen Robinson plays better with Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback, Austin Ekeler's return from injury has changed the Chargers offense for the worse and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is close to making history — what else is new? Here's a look back at Week 14's games:
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WEEK 14 RECAP
Rams 24, Patriots 3: After 53 touches and 288 total yards in the last two games, I'm starting to think Cam Akers is finally the primary running back for Los Angeles. Darrell Henderson and Malcolm Brown have seven and four touches, respectively, over that span.
Football Team 23, 49ers 15: Brandon Aiyuk has scored in six of the last nine games. Aiyuk has 30 receptions (49 targets!), 380 yards and three touchdowns over his last four games.
Bears 36, Texans 7: Allen Robinson's stats since Mitchell Trubisky got his job back: 23 receptions (33 targets), 272 yards and three touchdowns in three games.
Cowboys 30, Bengals 7: Stay. Away. From. Cincinnati. Wide receivers. A.J. Green scored the Bengals' lone touchdown in this game. It was Tyler Boyd last week and Tee Higgins the week before. The point: None of these guys can be trusted on a week-to-week basis because they're all touchdown-dependent without Joe Burrow.
Chiefs 33, Dolphins 27: Patrick Mahomes is 792 passing yards and seven touchdown passes from surpassing 5,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in the same season for the second time in his young career. Mahomes would join Drew Brees as the only other quarterback to accomplish the feat — Brees did it in 2011 and 2012.
Cardinals 26, Giants 7: The rushing upside for Kyler Murray is back! After three straight games with exactly five carries — he's been dealing with a shoulder injury — he ran 13 times for 47 yards. Good news for his upcoming matchups with Philadelphia and San Francisco.
Buccaneers 26, Vikings 14: This was only the fourth game this season Adam Thielen didn't score a touchdown.
Broncos 32, Panthers 27: Mike Davis seems to have gotten his swag back over the last three games. Davis has 251 total yards, 10 receptions and three touchdowns over that span and Christian McCaffrey will once again be sidelined on Saturday night against Green Bay.
Titans 31, Jaguars 10: In case you were still wondering if last season was a fluke for Ryan Tannehill, it wasn't. He's on pace for 3,950 passing yards, 34 touchdown passes and only six interceptions. He's actually improved his QBR (from 67.2 to 76.4).
Colts 44, Raiders 27: According to Pro Football Focus, Jonathan Taylor averaged 4.1 yards per carry and forced 12 missed tackles on rushing attempts through the first 12 weeks of the season. Taylor has 14 missed tackles over his last two games and is averaging 7.3 yards per carry. He had nine of those missed tackles against Las Vegas.
Seahawks 40, Jets 3: Seattle's defense isn't very good. Both Breshad Perriman and Jamison Crowder had no impact despite Denzel Mims missing this game with a family emergency and a perfect game script for "garbage" stats. Adam Gase refuses to turn the backfield over to the youngsters as long as Frank Gore lives and breathes. Simply put, under no circumstances, should you trust any of the Jets during the playoffs.
Packers 31, Lions 24: Robert Tonyan's emergence gets lost between Aaron Rodgers' MVP campaign and Davante Adams' brilliance. Tonyan has nine touchdowns this season and at least four receptions and a touchdown in four straight games.
Eagles 24, Saints 21: Miles Sanders was a fade for a lot of people with this matchup, but not with me. One of my tenets of fantasy football is you always start your studs when healthy. Sanders is a stud and he paid off for those who believed in him with 136 total yards, two touchdowns and four receptions.
Chargers 20, Falcons 17: Austin Ekeler's return has caused a systemic change for Justin Herbert. Herbert's average depth of throw (6.5 vs. 8.0) and air yards percentage (43.2 percent vs. 49.5 percent) have fallen off the map, according to Pro Football Focus. The offense was thriving because the rookie wasn't afraid of taking deep shots, but Ekeler's presence appears to have neutered that aspect of the passing game.
Bills 26, Steelers 15: Since Week 12, Stefon Diggs leads the NFL in receptions (27) and targets (37).
Ravens 47, Browns 42: Baker Mayfield has been really good the last three games. Mayfield has 935 passing yards and nine total touchdowns against only one interception over that span. He faces the Giants and Jets the next two weeks.
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Follow me on Twitter @UTEddieBrown if you have questions throughout the week.
Here are my best bets for Week 15:
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L.A. CHARGERS AT LAS VEGAS
Obvious starters: Austin Ekeler (LAC), Justin Herbert (LAC), Hunter Henry (LAC), Darren Waller (LV), Josh Jacobs (LV).
Who to start: Derek Carr (LV) deserves streaming consideration against a struggling pass rush after three solid games in his last four. Nelson Agholor (LV) has WR3/flex upside with at least four receptions or a touchdown in nine of 13 games this season.
Who to sit: Keenan Allen (LAC) and Mike Williams (LAC) are active, but both are reportedly on a rep count, so it's all about how much risk you're willing to shoulder in your playoff matchup. You can't trust Kalen Ballage (LAC), Joshua Kelley (LAC) or Justin Jackson (LAC) either. Home run hitters Jalen Guyton (LAC) and Tyron Johnson (LAC) are both lottery tickets that are only worth using if you're the most desperate in the deepest of leagues (if Allen and Williams are sidelined).
Sleeper: Hunter Renfrow (LV) deserves flex consideration in deeper PPR formats with at least four receptions and six targets in three straight games.
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BUFFALO AT DENVER
Obvious starters: Stefon Diggs (BUF), Josh Allen (BUF), Noah Fant (DEN).
Who to start: Cole Beasley (BUF) maintains his flex value in most PPR formats with at least four receptions or a touchdown in 10 of 13 games. The Bills D/ST face an offense that has produced multiple turnovers in four of the last five games. Melvin Gordon (DEN) has flex value because of a guaranteed double-digit touches if he's active. Tim Patrick (DEN) has flex value in deeper formats with at least four receptions or a touchdown in nine of 12 games.
Who to sit: Devin Singletary (BUF) and Zack Moss (BUF) are both touchdown-dependent. Jerry Jeudy (DEN) only has three receptions (nine targets) in the last three games. The opportunity has been there for Phillip Lindsay (DEN), but the production hasn't been. You're not trusting Drew Lock (DEN) this week despite the great stat-line against the Panthers. K.J. Hamler (DEN) remains a boom-or-bust option.
Sleeper: Gabriel Davis (BUF) has at least three receptions and a touchdown in four of the last five games (John Brown remains out).
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CAROLINA AT GREEN BAY
Obvious starters: Mike Davis (CAR), Robby Anderson (CAR), Davante Adams (GB), Aaron Jones (GB), Aaron Rodgers (GB), Robert Tonyan (GB).
Who to start: D.J. Moore (CAR) has WR3/flex upside if he's active with at least 54 yards in 10 of 12 games this season. Curtis Samuel (CAR) has at least five receptions, 68 yards or a touchdown in six of the last seven games. The Packers D/ST has 14 sacks in the last three games.
Who to sit: Teddy Bridgewater (CAR) has produced one-or-fewer touchdowns in seven of 12 games and faces a good pass defense. Marquez Valdes-Scantling (GB) remains a boom-or-bust option.
Sleeper: Allen Lazard (GB) has at least three receptions, 45 yards or a touchdown in five of seven games played this season.
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TAMPA BAY AT ATLANTA
Obvious starters: Mike Evans (TB), Chris Godwin (TB), Tom Brady (TB), Rob Gronkowski (TB), Buccaneers D/ST, Calvin Ridley (ATL).
Who to start: Leonard Fournette (TB) has RB2/flex upside with Ronald Jones likely out after finger surgery. Antonio Brown (TB) has flex value in most PPR formats with at least five receptions in three of four games. You're starting Julio Jones (ATL) if he's active.
Who to sit: Todd Gurley (ATL) is touchdown-dependent with eight-or-fewer carries in three straight games. Matt Ryan (ATL) has produced one-or-fewer touchdowns in eight of 13 games. It's hard to trust Hayden Hurst (ATL) despite a good matchup for his position, with one-or-fewer receptions in three of the last four games.
Sleeper: Russell Gage (ATL) has flex value (especially if Jones remains sidelined) with 19 receptions (32 targets), 225 yards and a touchdown in his last four games.
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SAN FRANCISCO AT DALLAS
Obvious starters: Amari Cooper (DAL).
Who to start: Brandon Aiyuk (SF) has at least six receptions, 115 yards or a touchdown in six straight games. The 49ers D/ST deserves streaming consideration against such a mistake-prone offense with an injury-riddled offensive line. Jordan Reed (SF) has at least four receptions in seven of 10 career games against the Cowboys. CeeDee Lamb (DAL) deserves flex consideration in most PPR formats with at least four receptions in 11 of 13 games. The Cowboys D/ST actually deserves streaming consideration if you're desperate against an offense that has produced multiple turnovers in nine of the last 10 games.
Who to sit: Raheem Mostert (SF) has been in a timeshare since returning from a high ankle sprain and he remains banged up. Jerick McKinnon (SF) hasn't touched the football since Week 12. This would be a difficult matchup to trust Ezekiel Elliott (SF) even if he and his offensive line were healthy (neither are). Michael Gallup (DAL) has at least five targets in six straight games, but has produced uneven results. This is a difficult matchup to trust Dalton Schultz (DAL). There are options at quarterback with more upside than Andy Dalton (DAL).
Sleeper: Jeff Wilson (SF) is a touchdown-dependent option against a run defense who has allowed 13 touchdowns to running backs in 13 games.
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DETROIT AT TENNESSEE
Obvious starters: T.J. Hockenson (DET), Derrick Henry (TEN), A.J. Brown (TEN), Ryan Tannehill (TEN).
Who to start: D'Andre Swift (DET) has at least 97 total yards or a touchdown in six of his last seven games. Matthew Stafford (DET) has a premium matchup if he's active. Marvin Jones (DET) is an obvious start if Stafford is active (deserves flex consideration if he isn't because of the premium matchup). Corey Davis (TEN) has at least five receptions or a touchdown in eight of 11 games played.
Who to sit: Adrian Peterson (DET) is touchdown-dependent with Swift active. Jonnu Smith (TEN) is a touchdown-dependent option with this matchup.
Sleeper: The Titans D/ST deserves streaming consideration against an offensive that has allowed 15 sacks in the last four games and may be without its starting quarterback.
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HOUSTON AT INDIANAPOLIS
Obvious starters: Deshaun Watson (HOU), Jonathan Taylor (IND), Colts D/ST.
Who to start: You're starting Brandin Cooks (HOU) if he's active. David Johnson (HOU) remains a high volume, low ceiling flex option. Keke Coutee (HOU) just produced eight receptions and 141 yards against the Colts two weeks ago. Jordan Akins (HOU) deserves streaming consideration despite the difficult matchup. Nyheim Hines (IND) remains a flex option in most PPR formats. T.Y. Hilton (IND) has at least four receptions, 81 yards and a touchdown in three straight games. Philip Rivers (IND) is a viable starter with such a premium matchup and multiple touchdown passes in four straight games.
Who to sit: Duke Johnson (HOU) only has value in the deepest of PPR formats. Michael Pittman Jr. (IND) remains touchdown-dependent despite the great matchup. Trey Burton (IND) remains touchdown-dependent.
Sleeper: Chad Hansen (HOU) has value in deeper PPR formats with at least five receptions and seven targets in two straight games.
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NEW ENGLAND AT MIAMI
Obvious starters: Dolphins D/ST.
Who to start: None (I can't recall the last time I did this).
Who to sit: There is simply not a single trustworthy option on the Patriots this week, especially considering the stakes. It's hard to trust DeVante Parker (MIA) even if he's active with a tweaked hamstring. Tua Tagovailoa (MIA) faces a pass defense that hasn't allowed a single touchdown to quarterbacks in five of the last nine games. Jakeem Grant (MIA) and Lynn Bowden (MIA) are both lottery tickets with a poor matchup.
Sleeper: DeAndre Washington (MIA) is the likely workhorse with Myles Gaskin sidelined on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
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CHICAGO AT MINNESOTA
Obvious starters: Allen Robinson (CHI), David Montgomery (CHI), Dalvin Cook (MIN), Adam Thielen (MIN), Justin Jefferson (MIN).
Who to start: The Bears D/ST face an offensive line that has allowed 10 sacks in the last two games. The volume is finally there for Cole Kmet (CHI) — seven targets in two straight games — with a breakout game on deck. Kirk Cousins (MIN) is a borderline QB1 in most formats with all the talent that surrounds him on offense. Irv Smith Jr. (MIN) deserves streaming consideration with all the tight end targets likely headed his way and such a good matchup this week.
Who to sit: Jimmy Graham (CHI) remains touchdown-dependent. Consistent production simply isn't there for the talented Anthony Miller (CHI). Darnell Mooney (CHI) remains a boom-or-bust option.
Sleeper: Mitchell Trubisky (CHI) is a solid streaming option against a pass defense that has allowed 26 touchdowns in 13 games.
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SEATTLE AT WASHINGTON
Obvious starters: Russell Wilson (SEA), DK Metcalf (SEA), Tyler Lockett (SEA), Chris Carson (SEA), Terry McLaurin (WAS), Logan Thomas (WAS).
Who to start: A resurgent Seahawks D/ST deserves streaming consideration with a potential matchup against Dwayne Haskins. J.D. McKissic (WAS) maintains his flex value in most PPR formats. The Football Team D/ST faces an offensive line that has allowed 40 sacks this season.
Who to sit: Antonio Gibson (WAS) is still dealing with a turf toe injury.
Sleeper: The volume (at least 11 carries in three straight games) is there for Peyton Barber (WAS) to have value in deeper standard formats if Gibson remains sidelined.
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JACKSONVILLE AT BALTIMORE
Obvious starters: James Robinson (JAC), Lamar Jackson (BAL), Mark Andrews (BAL), Ravens D/ST.
Who to start: D.J. Chark (JAC) maintains flex value with at least seven targets in six of seven games. Gardner Minshew (JAC) is a sneaky streaming candidate if you're desperate. J.K. Dobbins (BAL) is a solid flex option with at least 53 yards and a touchdown in three straight games. Marquise Brown (BAL) has WR3/flex upside if he's active.
Who to sit: Laviska Shenault Jr. (JAC) remains a boom-or-bust option. Tyler Eifert (JAC) remains touchdown-dependent. Gus Edwards (BAL) remains touchdown-dependent.
Sleeper: Keelan Cole (JAC) doubles his PPR production with Minshew at quarterback.
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N.Y. JETS AT L.A. RAMS
Obvious starters: Robert Woods (LAR), Cooper Kupp (LAR), Rams D/ST.
Who to start: Cam Akers (LAR) has 62 touches, 372 total yards and two touchdowns the last three games. Akers could limit the ceiling for Jared Goff (LAR), but this is too good of a matchup not to at least consider using him.
Who to sit: There are no circumstances I can think of that would allow me to recommend any Jets for a semifinal matchup in your fantasy playoffs. Darrell Henderson (LAR) joins Malcolm Brown (LAR) in the touchdown-dependent group.
Sleeper: Tyler Higbee (LAR) and Gerald Everett (LAR) face a pass defense that has allowed six touchdowns to tight ends over the last the four games.
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PHILADELPHIA AT ARIZONA
Obvious starters: Miles Sanders (PHI), Dallas Goedert (PHI), DeAndre Hopkins (ARI), Kyler Murray (ARI), Kenyan Drake (ARI).
Who to start: Jalen Hurts (PHI) deserves streaming consideration against a beatable/injury riddled defense.
Who to sit: Seven targets in two games since returning from injury doesn't excite me for Zach Ertz (PHI). Travis Fulgham (PHI) has four receptions in the last five games. I'm fading the Eagles D/ST against Murray. Chase Edmonds (ARI) only has flex value in deeper PPR formats. Although I expect him to bounce back, it's hard to trust Christian Kirk (ARI) with 35 yards over the last three games.
Sleeper: If you need a miracle, Jalen Reagor (PHI) is a big-time playmaker waiting to go off — eventually this will work.
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KANSAS CITY AT NEW ORLEANS
Obvious starters: Patrick Mahomes (KC), Travis Kelce (KC), Tyreek Hill (KC), Alvin Kamara (NO), Michael Thomas (NO).
Who to start: High volume and the touchdown potential in this offense helps Clyde Edwards-Helaire maintain his RB2/flex upside. Taysom Hill (NO) is a streaming candidate because the Saints offense will have to play keep up to be competitive. Emmanuel Sanders (NO) deserves flex consideration in deeper PPR formats with a possible positive game script for receivers on the horizon.
Who to sit: Le'Veon Bell (KC) remains touchdown-dependent, as does Sammy Watkins (KC). Mecole Hardman (KC) and Demarcus Robinson (KC) remain boom-or-bust options. I'm fading a good Saints D/ST, because, you know, Mahomes. Latavius Murray (NO) remains touchdown-dependent and only has nine carries in the last two games.
Sleeper: Jared Cook (NO) faces a pass defense that has allowed at least six receptions, 64 yards or two touchdowns to tight ends in four straight games.
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CLEVELAND AT N.Y. GIANTS
Obvious starters: Nick Chubb (CLE), Kareem Hunt (CLE), Browns D/ST, Evan Engram (NYG), Wayne Gallman (NYG).
Who to start: Jarvis Landry (CLE) has at least six receptions, 52 yards or a touchdown in three straight games. Baker Mayfeild (CLE) is a solid streaming option with 935 yards and eight touchdown passes in the last three games. Sterling Shepard (NYG) deserves flex consideration in most PPR formats with at least six receptions in six of nine games played this season.
Who to sit: A banged up Austin Hooper (CLE) remains touchdown-dependent. Darius Slayton (NYG) remains a boom-or-bust option. You're not starting Daniel Jones (NYG) even if he's active. I'm fading the Giants D/ST against a hot, usually efficient offense.
Sleeper: Rashard Higgins (CLE) deserves flex consideration with at least 65 yards or a touchdown in three of the last four games.
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PITTSBURGH AT CINCINNATI
Obvious starters: Steelers D/ST, JuJu Smith-Schuster (PIT), Eric Ebron (PIT).
Who to start: The big-play potential keeps Diontae Johnson (PIT) and Chase Claypool (PIT) in your lineup. Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) has multiple touchdown passes in 11 of 13 games.
Who to sit: James Conner (PIT) has evolved into a touchdown-dependent option and it's hard to trust him this week despite the matchup. Despite the talent, I simply can't advocate for Tyler Boyd (CIN) or Tee Higgins (CIN) with how awful this offense has been since losing Joe Burrow.
Sleeper: James Washington (PIT) seems to make a play every time he's on the field if you're desperate for a lottery ticket in a high-powered offense looking to bounce back against a bad defense.
