Fantasy Football Week 14 start/sit cheat sheet best advice

The ESPN+ Cheat Sheet is your one-stop shop for Week 14 fantasy football advice. We’ve curated all of our best start/sit advice from this week, including Mike Clay’s Playbook and Shadow Report, Matt Bowen’s Last-Minute Pickups and Film Room, Tristan H. Cockcroft’s Matchups Map, Liz Loza’s Facts vs. Feelings, Eric Karabell’s Fantasy Hot Seat and Eric Moody’s NFL Nation information. Don’t have time to read it all? That’s why cheat sheets were invented in the first place! Catch up on a week’s worth of reading in mere minutes, see which players are on the injury report and then set your lineup with confidence.

Lines by ESPN BET. Injury aggregation powered by Rotowire.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons -2.5
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 40.5 (eighth highest)
FPI favorite: Buccaneers by 0.4 (51.3% to win outright)

Buccaneers injury watch: none to report

Falcons injury watch: none to report

Best of the Week

• Shadow report: Likely coverage by AJ Terrell, if he suits up, should not affect projections for Mike Evans. Continue starting the red-hot receiver.

• The Playbook:Chris Godwin has been mired in single-digit fantasy points for over a month and has a terrible matchup in Week 14 against Atlanta.

• Hot seat: Eric Karabell piles on that Godwin lacks chemistry with Baker Mayfield, and fantasy managers should not only bench but consider dropping the receiver.

Detroit Lions -3 @ Chicago Bears
Soldier Field, Chicago
Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 42.5 (seventh highest)
FPI favorite: Lions by 4 (62% to win outright)

Lions injury watch: none to report

Bears injury watch: WR Equanimeous St. Brown: Q

Best of the Week

• Matchups Map: Justin Fields has 30 rushing attempts in his past two games. The Lions surrendered 21.16 fantasy points to Fields in Week 11 and 33.88 points to similarly mobile quarterback Lamar Jackson in Week 7. Jackson passed for 357 yards and three scores in that game, which reminds that the Lions have surrendered the fifth-most fantasy points per passing attempt to quarterbacks for the season.

• Shadow report: Upgrade DJ Moore due to expected coverage by Jerry Jacobs, against whom Moore excelled in Week 11.

• The Playbook:Roschon Johnson is the best bet for success right now in the Chicago backfield, but that’s not anywhere near an endorsement to use him in Week 14.

• Facts vs. Feelings: Cole Kmet has at least seven targets in four of his past five games and has a defined role in the Red Zone. He’s got top-10 TE appeal.

Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati Bengals -2
Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati
Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 43.5 (fifth highest)
FPI favorite: Bengals by 1.2 (53.7% to win outright)

Colts injury watch: RB Jonathan Taylor: O

Bengals injury watch: WR Tyler Boyd: Q

Best of the Week

• Film Room: Trust the volume with Zack Moss against a Bengals defense that has allowed 4.8 yards per carry (second most in the NFL).

• The Playbook: While Chase Brown appears to be getting some play in Cincinnati’s backfield, for now he remains merely an insurance policy to Joe Mixon.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cleveland Browns -3
Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland
Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 32.5 (14th highest)
FPI favorite: Browns by 0.4 (51.3% to win outright)

Jaguars injury watch: QB C.J. Beathard: Q; RB Travis Etienne Jr.: Q; WR Zay Jones: Q; QB Trevor Lawrence: Q; TE Brenton Strange: Q; RB D’Ernest Johnson: Q; WR Christian Kirk: O; RB JaMycal Hasty: O

Browns injury watch: RB Kareem Hunt: Q; QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson: Q; WR Amari Cooper: Q; WR Marquise Goodwin: Q

Best of the Week

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints -5
Caesars Superdome, New Orleans
Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 37.5 (11th highest)
FPI favorite: Saints by 7.4 (71.1% to win outright)

Panthers injury watch: TE Stephen Sullivan: Q; TE Hayden Hurst: Q; TE Tommy Tremble: Q

Saints injury watch: RB Kendre Miller: Q; TE Juwan Johnson: Q; QB Derek Carr: Q; WR Rashid Shaheed: Q; WR Chris Olave: Q

Best of the Week

• NFL Nation: Carolina is committed to Chuba Hubbard as the lead back over Miles Sanders. The Panthers are also is committed to developing a running game to take the pressure off rookie quarterback Bryce Young. Expect Hubbard to continue to get 15-20 touches a game as long as the game is within reach.

• The Playbook:If Jameis Winston starts for the Saints, he’s not likely to do enough for fantasy managers against a Panthers defense that has seen only five QBs score double digits against them all season.

• Hot seat: Fantasy managers should move on from Adam Thielen, as he is unlikely to repeat his hot first half due to the unsteady quarterback play in Carolina.

• Shadow report: Downgrade DJ Chark Jr. and Jonathan Mingo due to expected tough coverage by corners Isaac Yiadom and Paulson Adebo of the Saints.

Houston Texans -3.5 @ New York Jets
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 33.5 (13th highest)
FPI favorite: Texans by 2.8 (58.4% to win outright)

Texans injury watch: TE Dalton Schultz: Q

Jets injury watch: TE Tyler Conklin: Q; RB Breece Hall: Q; WR Jason Brownlee: Q

Best of the Week

• NFL Nation: Expect WR Nico Collins to step up in Tank Dell‘s absence. After Dell suffered a leg injury last week, rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud began force-feeding Collins, who finished with 191 receiving yards — good for 69% of Stroud’s passing yards. Another receiver to watch is 2022 second-round pick John Metchie.

• Shadow report: The Jets are still the stingiest defense against perimeter receivers, but they have allowed opposing No. 1 receivers to reach 14 fantasy points in each of their past five games. This bodes well for Nico Collins, despite the tough matchup.

• The Playbook: With Dell is done for 2023, and despite having no receptions this past Sunday, Noah Brown should be able to rebound in a big way in Week 14.

• Matchups Map: In his stiffest test yet, Stroud, fourth at his position in fantasy points per game (19.9), faces the Jets, who have held the position’s categorical top 8 to an average of 14.2 points.

• Facts vs. Feelings: Brevin Jordan had emerged as a tandem TE to Dalton Schultz and would see his role further increased if Schultz misses another week. He would also content for a small share of the targets vacated by Dell.

• Facts vs. Feelings: Breece Hall‘s rushing efficiency is trending the wrong way but his receiving numbers keep him in the RB2 range.

Los Angeles Rams @ Baltimore Ravens -7.5
M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore
Sunday 1 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 39.5 (10th highest)
FPI favorite: Ravens by 8.7 (74.3% to win outright)

Rams injury watch: TE Tyler Higbee: Q

Ravens injury watch: QB Lamar Jackson: Q

Best of the Week

• Facts vs. Feelings: Lamar Jackson’s rushing keeps his floor high this week but the ceiling is capped by a game script unlikely to call for volume in the passing game.

• Matchups Map: Cooper Kupp‘s modest recent production — 22.8 PPR fantasy points and 14 total targets in three games since the bye — coupled with this matchup make him a highly risky play. The Ravens have limited opposing wide receivers to a by far league-low 1.25 PPR fantasy points per target for the season.

• The Playbook:Keaton Mitchell keeps looking better and better at the same time that Gus Edwards’ descent drops him down to flex status.

Minnesota Vikings -3 @ Las Vegas Raiders
Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 40.5 (eighth highest)
FPI favorite: Vikings by 4.5 (63.3% to win outright)

Vikings injury watch: RB Kene Nwangwu: Q

Raiders injury watch: none to report

Best of the Week

• Shadow report: Davante Adams is matchup-proof against Minnesota’s Byron Murphy Jr. Start as normal.

• The Playbook: Jordan Addison’s time in the fantasy spotlight is likely to be dimmed significantly with the expected return of Justin Jefferson in Minnesota.

• Hot seat: Quarterback Josh Dobbs is at risk of an in-game benching, if the Vikings were to struggle against the Raiders, making him a difficult play for fantasy managers.

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers -11
Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, California
Sunday 4:05 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 46.5 (third highest)
FPI favorite: 49ers by 10.3 (78.2% to win outright)

Seahawks injury watch: WR Dee Eskridge: Q; QB Geno Smith: Q; RB Zach Charbonnet: Q; RB Kenneth Walker III: Q

49ers injury watch: WR Ray-Ray McCloud III: Q; RB Elijah Mitchell: Q; TE Ross Dwelley: D

Best of the Week

• Film Room: Geno Smith is coming off a big game last week, but he has fewer than 15 fantasy points in six of his past eight games, including 7.3 vs. these Niners just two weeks ago. He’s QB2 material for this one.

• The Playbook: Zach Charbonnet might still have some staying power in the Seattle backfield even if Kenneth Walker III returns this week. However, a matchup with the 49ers is bad news for both backs.

• Facts vs. Feelings: Jaxon Smith-Njigba has increased his participation rates and figures to see more targets this time around than he did in Week 9’s matchup against the Niners. Consider him a flex play option for the ceiling, with a floor that has been rising.

Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs -1
GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 49.5 (2nd highest)
FPI favorite: Bills by 1.6 (54.7% to win outright)

Bills injury watch: none to report

Chiefs injury watch: RB Isiah Pacheco: Q

Best of the Week

Denver Broncos @ Los Angeles Chargers -2.5
SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
Sunday 4:25 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 43.5 (fifth highest)
FPI favorite: Chargers by 6.5 (68.7% to win outright)

Broncos injury watch: none to report

Chargers injury watch: TE Nick Vannett: Q

Best of the Week

• Matchups Map: Javonte Williams has served as the team’s clear lead back in four games since the bye, playing 59% of the team’s offensive snaps while absorbing 75 of the backfield’s 121 total touches. The Chargers have seen five different running backs score 10-plus PPR fantasy points against them in the past four weeks alone, largely because they’ve surrendered a league-high six rushes that went for at least 20 yards in that time.

• The Playbook: Austin Ekeler is in the midst of a slump, but Denver’s run defense may be exactly what the doctor ordered.

• Shadow report: Downgrade Quentin Johnston, as he’s expected to see both Pat Surtain and Fabian Moreau in coverage.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys -3.5
AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Sunday 8:20 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 51.5 (Highest)
FPI favorite: Cowboys by 5.3 (65.4% to win outright)

Eagles injury watch: WR Julio Jones: Q

Cowboys injury watch: RB Rico Dowdle: Q

Best of the Week

• Shadow report: Upgrade CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Brandin Cooks against an Eagles secondary that surrenders the most points and touchdowns to opposing receivers.

• Facts vs. Feelings: Cooks has been ridiculously efficient (83% catch rate) in the past six weeks. The high total in this matchup should provide opportunity for Cooks to contribute again this week in what has been a premium matchup for wide receivers so far this year.

• The Playbook: D’Andre Swift managed just 74 yards on 20 touches against Dallas in Week 10. It’s hard to imagine much more than that in the Week 14 rematch.

• Hot seat: Fantasy managers should look elsewhere from Swift, who has lacked receiving targets in recent weeks, and it at rish of falling out of the game plan if the Eagles were to trail the Cowboys this week.

• Film Room: Jake Ferguson scored a career-high 22.1 points vs. Philly in Week 9, and there are matchup advantages in the middle of the field that make him a top-5 TE this week.

Tennessee Titans @ Miami Dolphins -13
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
Monday 8:15 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 46.5 (third highest)
FPI favorite: Dolphins by 13.8 (85.1% to win outright)

Titans injury watch: TE Josh Whyle: Q

Dolphins injury watch: TE Durham Smythe: Q; RB Raheem Mostert: Q; WR Tyreek Hill: Q

Best of the Week

Green Bay Packers -6.5 @ New York Giants
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Monday 8:15 p.m. ET

Over/under total: 36.5 (12th highest)
FPI favorite: Packers by 8.1 (72.9% to win outright)

Packers injury watch: WR Jayden Reed: Q; RB AJ Dillon: Q; WR Christian Watson: Q; RB Aaron Jones: Q

Giants injury watch: none to report

Best of the Week

• The Playbook:The Giants have allowed the fourth-most WR fantasy points this season, which could be great news for those fantasy managers looking for QB Jordan Love to produce big passing numbers.

• Matchups Map: The Giants defense afforded six different wideouts 10-plus PPR fantasy points in their four games heading into their Week 13 bye. Between Weeks 9-12, they allowed seven receptions on throws at least 20 yards downfield, tied for second in the league. That’s good news for Jayden Reed and the Packers receivers.

• Shadow report: Upgrade all Packers receivers against a Giants secondary that has been among the league’s worst over the past eight weeks.