Sit em, Start em – Week 14
Start em
Shaun Draughn – As ‘unsexy’ a play Draughn may be, he is acting as the 49ers workhorse and has been flirting with RB2 value in recent weeks and is worth starting in many leagues despite the higher stakes this time of year. View Draughn as an RB2 this week with a plus matchup versus the Browns on the schedule. This is one of the rare matchups the 49ers actually have a chance in on paper which means we may see a production spike in this contest. Trot out Draughn where needed.
David Johnson – As displayed last week David Johnson is a legit talent and will continue to make noise as the Cardinals new starting running back. Johnson piled up 99 rushing yards to go with 21 yards and a score through the air. David Johnson is expected to keep rumbling as an RB1 this week versus a banged up Vikings defense and could be on the verge of seizing the 2016 job from veteran Chris Johnson if he can continue to finish his runs and channel ‘the inner dog’. Start Johnson in all league sizes.
Doug Baldwin – I know none of you drafted him to start him and that some of you in smaller leagues actually added him off the waiver wire as a stash. I also know that some of you just don’t trust Russell Wilson enough to trot out one of his receivers during the fantasy playoffs. The fact of the matter however is that Wilson has been playing as an RB1 in the past few weeks and has brought Doug Baldwin as well as teammate Tyler Lockett into the weekly sit/start conversation. Baldwin has forced his way to borderline WR2 status and is someone who should be started as a flex if your league has one or more.
Devante Parker – Ryan Tannehill….not a fan. Devante Parker is just that good. Despite Tannehill’s struggles he has supported Jarvis Landry for most of the season and as we saw last week he managed to lead Parker to fantasy relevance despite throwing for under 100 yards on the day. As I have said in many spaces Parker is a legit WR1 type talent and was only held back by the depth chart, now that he has ascended it is time to find ways to get him in your fantasy lineups both your custom redraft and DFS leagues. Start Parker where possible.
Blake Bortles – It is quarterfinals week and Blake Bortles is a suggested start for owners in 12 team leagues. Bortles is coming off the best game of his young career and is expected to welcome back standout wide receiver Allen Hurns to the fold for this week’s contest against the a weak Colts defense who have given up the seventh most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Bortles is expected to improve upon his ho hum 298 passing yard, one touchdown performance against them in week four. It is true that Bortles has been better on the road this season but a plus matchup makes him a solid QB1 option for week fourteen.
Sit em
Spencer Ware – Ware is a low upside play this week as he is looking like a largely touchdown dependent play based on the workload split last week. The Chargers do have a plus matchup this week so those in the deepest of leagues may still want to consider starting him but Ware is more of a flex2/3 than a legit flex option for week fourteen. Start Ware in shallow leagues at your own peril.
Alfred Morris – This is one stud you want to sit. Generally we suggest a roll with your studs strategy when debating sits and starts but despite Morris’ proven top tier NFL talent Jay Gruden continues to misuse him and get Matt Jones involved at his expense. Alfred Morris still has the talent to shine in the right system but Washington is not it and Jay Gruden does not the former Pro Bowl running back for whatever reason. Sit Morris in all leagues.
Torrey Smith – Blaine Gabbert has resurrected Torrey Smith’s fantasy value in San Francisco but he remains a weekly boom or bust option with a bottomless floor. Gabbert is just not consistent enough to trust Smith as anything more than an ocean deep league flex3/4 and he should not be in many lineups for quarter-finals week. Smith will once again find standard size fantasy relevance but it will not be this year, and likely will not be with Blaine Gabbert either. Sit Torrey everywhere as you have been playing the last eight plus weeks without him anyways.
Rueben Randle – Telltale stat of the week, Randle’s 1.18 yards per route run puts him behind the likes of Brian Hartline and Cole Beasley. Need I say more? Randle has proved time and time again that despite envious physical gifts he just does not have the football IQ to be an impact receiver on Sundays or on the virtual gridiron. No one should be considering starting Randle this week. No one.
Matt Ryan – While much has been made about Matt Ryan’s supposed struggles this season the fact is we just had much higher expectations for him than we had previously coming into the 2015 campaign. Ryan’s number are close enough to his numbers from previous years and with only Julio Jones as a legitimate threat on the outside or between the numbers Matt Ryan simply is not good enough to be an every week QB1. This week the Falcons square off against a surging Panthers defense that has allowed the seventh fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Closer analysis reveals that the Panthers have given up big games to top tier quarterbacks but we can no longer view Ryan as consistent enough to be counted among them.
