Week 14 Sit/Start
By now everyone should be into their playoffs. Hopefully you were able to earn a bye week if you league has them, and if not no worries I got your back on who to start in this weeks sit start article. If you have questions about players not found here be sure to hit me up and get some feedback before you lock in your line ups. You can hit me up in my Facebook group Dynasty League Problems or on twitter @MikeKelleyDLPÂ Good luck this week!
Start and Sit of the week
The LootCrate START of the Week:
QB Eli Manning (NYG)
Does anyone have more motivation to light it up then Manning does this week? Two time Super Bowl champion Manning was benched last week in favor of Geno Smith, which also ended a consecutive game streak of 210 games. If that is not enough motivation, they are playing division rival Dallas Cowboys at home as well. Even still more motivation the coached that benched him was fired this past week along with the GM. If I am interim head coach Steve Spagnuolo I tell Eli to just go ahead and run what ever plays you want. If you want to throw 60 times, go for it. If you want to run the score up, go for it. Whatever you want to do, just do it. This is a statement game for Manning to prove to the Giants and the last coach that benching him was a mistake and that he still can play. I see him going over 300 yards and tossing three touchdowns as well this week. It’s a go big or go home week for Manning.
The LootCrate SIT of the Week:
QB Cam Newton (CAR)
Four out of the last five weeks Newton has thrown for less than 185 yards and a total of three passing touchdowns. His saving grace has been in the extra 209 yards on the ground he has added along with two rushing touchdowns. This week though he face a very tough Vikings defense that is fourth in the league in fantasy points allowed to opposing quarterbacks. I imagine he will struggle again this week to break 200 passing yards and he might even find little to no running room preventing him from using his legs to give his owners a few extra points in a critical week.
Quarterbacks
STARTÂ Alex Smith (KC)
After a couple of recent duds out of Smith, he had a very nice week 13 game against the Jets. Throwing for 366 yards and four touchdowns. Which is actually pretty similar to his week seven output against the Raiders when he threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns, and his opponent this week just so happens to be those same Raiders. Neither the Raiders or Chiefs are playing good defense so I expecting plenty of offense in this one. Look for Smith to go over the 300 yard mark for the fifth time this season and throw a couple of touchdowns along the way.
Other STARTS:
- Derek Carr (OAK)
SITÂ Kirk Cousins (WAS)
Cousins is actually have a pretty good year statically. I think most people are not realizing it because the team as a whole is not playing very well. The offensive line has been destroyed this year, yet Cousins has hung in there and played as well as anyone can reasonable expect in those conditions. This week though the Skins travel to LA to play the Chargers, who are as hot as any team right now. The Chargers are playing well in all phases of the game, especially on defense where they are giving up the 5th least amount of point to fantasy quarterbacks. This week Cousins is looking at a game with less than 250 yards and possibly only one touchdown with at least one pick along the way.
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Other SITS:
- Drew Brees (NO)
Running Backs
STARTÂ Isaiah Crowell (CLE)
Minus a game against Jacksonville, over the last 5 games Crowell has been running the ball well. He has ran for 290 yards with an average of over five yards per carry. What is killing him is only two touchdowns in that span. Which also happen to be his only two touchdowns all year. This week is probably the last week this year he gets a favorable match up, going up against the Packers who have been giving up plenty of points to opposing running backs this year. It’s Corwell’s last good shot at a 100 yards which I think he comes close too, but not over. It is also a good chance he finds the end zone at least once this week, which would make him a solid RB2 play this week.
Other STARTS:
- Mike Davis (SEA)
- Marshawn Lynch (OAK)
SITÂ Christian McCaffrey (CAR)
In PPR formats McCaffrey is a top 10 running back. He has been in double digits in all but two weeks this year. This week could easily be his third. The Vikings are coming is as the best team in fantasy at stopping opposing running backs. The only thing that could save him this week is if he can manage to pull in eight or so receptions. If the Viking can limit his receptions he could easily be held in check this week. I think he will be lucky to get 60 total yards and I don’t see him getting in the end zone either this week.
Other SITS:
- Kareem Hunt (KC)
- DeMarco Murray (TEN)
Wide Receivers
STARTÂ Cooper Kupp (LA)
With Robert Woods likely out at least another week Kupp should continue to see plenty of work. In the two week Woods has missed Kupp has seen 17 targets for 13 receptions and 184 yards. I would have liked to see a touchdown, but regardless it is a lot of work and plenty of points for PPR owners. If Kupp can manage another six receptions for 90 plus yards even if he is kept out of the end zone again this week he should still be a solid start giving you right around 15 points. He is clearly Jared Goff‘s favorite target the last few weeks and as long as that keeps up he will be a very solid WR2 play, even against some of the better defenses.
Other STARTS:
- Jermaine Kearse (NYJ)
- Demaryius Thomas (DEN)
SITÂ Adam Thielen (MIN)
For a while there Thielen was has hot as they come, but over the last two weeks he has been coming down to Earth. 12 total receptions for 140 yards. Not terrible numbers but certainly not the WR1 numbers we had been getting used to from him. While as a team the Vikings are still playing well, I feel like the offense might be slowing down and three of their remaining four games are against some pretty tough defenses including this week against the Panthers in Carolina. This game could easily be a low scoring defensive battle. Resulting is some pretty off numbers for players managers have been relying on all season. I see less than six receptions for Thielen and with unlikely success deep yards will be less than 70. I know those are not terrible numbers but if you have been winning because you get WR1 from Thielen you could be in trouble this week.
Other SITS:
- Brandin Cooks (NE)
- Dez Bryant (DAL)
Tight Ends
STARTÂ Hunter Henry (LAC)
12 receptions on 14 targets for 157 yards and a touchdown is what Henry has done in the last two weeks. He has been Philip Rivers second favorite target behind Keenan Allen and he is producing as well as any tight end right now. So with a red hot Chargers offense, a heavily targeted tight end, and a team that has stopped almost no tight ends makes this weeks match up against the Skins a pretty favorable one for Henry. Five receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown this week is what I am expecting out of Henry against the Skins.
Other STARTS:
- Jason Witten (DAL)
SITÂ Jack Doyle (IND)
Doyle has been so inconsistent this year it is really hard to rely on him. He will get seven or eight receptions one week and the next two for less than 10 yards. That kind of production is playoff run killer. While the Bills have given up plenty of yards to tight ends they have managed to limit most of the damage to just yards. I have a feeling this week will be closer to one of the down week than one of his up weeks. Look for three or four receptions for less than 30 yards. Hopefully you have a more reliable tight end than Doyle to use for the playoffs.
Other SITS:
- Tyler Kroft (CIN)
Michael Kelley is a member of the Going For 2 team. You can check out his website Dynasty League Problems for more writings or find him on Twitter @mikekelleydlp spreading fantasy knowledge for the masses.
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