Fantasy Football Recap Week 14: 17 Things You Need To Know
Week 14 brought several surprises with NFL teams vying to lock up their position in the playoffs and fantasy leagues set to begin playoffs of their own. One game ended with a walk-off punt return. Another nearly ended scoreless. There was more wildly inconsistent quarterback play. Additionally, we witnessed a new rash of injuries, which is beginning to feel far too common. Time to discuss the relevant information of the day.
Top Players
Lamar Jackson had one of the best weeks of his season in helping the Ravens retain their first-place standing in the AFC. He threw for 316 yards and three touchdowns. Jackson also added 70 rushing yards on 11 carries. Baltimore controls their destiny as they seek a first-round bye in the postseason.
Deebo Samuel continued his excellent play of late. Facing the rival Seahawks, he caught seven passes for 149 yards and a touchdown. Samuel also received one carry and turned it into a 1-yard touchdown. Fantasy managers with Deebo on their team have to be feeling good about his recent production.
Deebo Samuel, last 2 weeks:
2 rushing TDs
3 receiving TDsOnly player to have 5+ combined TDs during that stretch.
— Underdog NFL (@Underdog__NFL) December 10, 2023
Drake London had the biggest day of his career against Tampa Bay. Hauling in 10 catches on 11 targets, he totaled 172 receiving yards. London picked the right time to heat up, but next week he will face the Panthers, who are far less friendly to receivers than the Buccaneers.
Evan Engram had another spectacular day. In Cleveland, he was able to set a season-high in receptions. Engram caught 11-of-12 targets for 95 yards and a pair of end zone trips. Most remarkably, he did this against the Browns who had been allowing the fewest fantasy points to tight ends.
David Njoku did not want to be outdone by Engram. Njoku also made two touchdown catches while pulling down six receptions for 91 yards. This was a season-high in both yards and touchdowns for the veteran tight end.
Flop Players
Mike Evans seemingly failed to arrive in Atlanta for the Buccaneers’ victory. Amid an outstanding fantasy season, Evans delivered a dud for fantasy managers in Week 15. Despite being targeted six times, he was able to secure just one grab for eight yards. Hopefully, this is not a sign of things to come and Evans will be back to his heroics for the fantasy playoffs.
Josh Dobbs dropped out of orbit on Sunday. After earning praise for his performances with two separate teams this year, Dobbs has been unimpressive of late. In Las Vegas, he completed only 10-of-23 attempts and amassed a lowly 63 yards passing. He was replaced by Nick Mullens on a coach's decision. He may have played himself out of a starting role.
remember when josh dobbs was fun
— Denny Carter (@CDCarter13) December 10, 2023
Sam LaPorta was a great disappointment in Chicago. In what was a very favorable matchup, the hot rookie tight end cooled significantly. He caught two passes on six targets and gained 23 yards receiving. He will look to bounce back in Week 15 against a Denver defense that allows the most fantasy points to tight ends.
Pop Players
Jake Browning has now put together back-to-back great fantasy performances. Hosting Indianapolis on Sunday, Browning had his first multi-touchdown passing game. He threw for 275 yards in addition to the scores. For the second straight week, he added a rushing score to his total. Browning is still widely available for those quarterback-needy squads.
Joe Flacco had a second strong start for Cleveland. On Sunday, he torched the Jaguars for 311 yards and three passing scores. His performance was strong enough to be named the Browns’ starting quarterback for the remainder of the year. He is another quarterback widely available on waivers.
Chase Brown had a breakout performance for the Bengals on Sunday. After receiving nine touches last week, Brown saw double-digit touches for the first time against the Colts. He rushed eight times for 25 yards and caught all three of his targets for 80 yards and a touchdown. Brown looks to be an interesting piece in dynasty leagues.
Drop Players?
Nico Collins exited the Texans’ loss at the Jets in the first quarter with a calf injury. Collins was injured after making a catch early in the game. He did not return.
C.J. Stroud was knocked out of Houston’s loss in the fourth quarter. He suffered a head injury. It was the end of a very disappointing day for the rookie sensation. Stroud is now in the concussion protocol and his status for Week 15 is in question.
Justin Herbert was forced from the Chargers’ game against Denver in the second quarter. The team later reported it was a finger injury on his throwing hand. Herbert was ruled out for the rest of the game. Head coach, Brandon Staley, later revealed it was a fractured right index finger.
#Chargers coach Brandon Staley announces that QB Justin Herbert has a fractured right index finger. Given where we are in the season, a fracture could mean his season is over.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 11, 2023
Justin Jefferson left the game with a chest injury. This was his first game since returning from injured reserve. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Reportedly, he was taken to the hospital to be evaluated for a possible rib fracture.
Alexander Mattison also left the Vikings’ win. He left the field in the third quarter with a right ankle injury. Mattison did not return to the game. His status for Week 15 will need to be monitored.
Josh Jacobs sustained a knee injury in the fourth quarter of the Raiders’ defeat. He was seen limping on the sideline. Jacobs was taken to the locker room for further evaluation.
