Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Week 14: Making the Call on Fantasy Football Fringe Starters
The fantasy football world has officially moved into now-or-never territory.
Week 14 of the 2023 NFL season marks the final regular-season matchup in most fantasy leagues, meaning this is likely the last chance you'll get to secure a playoff spot or improve your postseason seeding.
Nailing your lineup decisions is a must, and we're here to help by spotlighting some of our top starts and sits for the upcoming slate.
Start: Russell Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos (at Los Angeles Chargers)
Wilson made a mess of the second half on Sunday, throwing three interceptions and contributing to his club's first loss since mid-October.
In the fantasy world, though, he was far from disastrous. Thanks in no small part to his 10 carries for 44 yards and a score—his second rushing touchdown in as many games—he was still the 11th-best fantasy contributor at his position, per FantasyPros.
His ground game has helped raise his floor, and the hope is his ceiling could spike if he gets it going through the air again. He should have that chance against this Chargers defense which has given up the sixth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, per Yahoo.
Sit: Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams (at Baltimore Ravens)
Stafford deserves a huge tip of the cap for deftly handling the daunting Cleveland Browns defense Sunday. His offensive line managed to give him a clean pocket, and he used it to throw for 279 yards and three scores.
Fantasy managers should not at all expect a repeat. Not against a Baltimore defense that has more sacks than anyone—by a wide margin—and should be fully rested coming out of its bye.
The Ravens have the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. It's hard to see Stafford and his offensive line cracking the code this week.
Start: Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants (vs. Green Bay Packers)
Barkley may have been a no-brainer weekly starter in the not-so-distant past, but that hasn't been the case this season. He has struggled to produce against good defenses, most recently managing just 52 yards on 13 score-less touches against the New England Patriots.
Give him a favorable matchup, though, and the former No. 1 pick can still feast. Prior to that quiet performance against the Patriots, he steamrolled the Washington Commanders for 140 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns.
The schedule sets up for one of Barkley's big games here. The Packers have allowed the 10th-most fantasy points to the position and just let Isiah Pacheco get loose for 123 scrimmage yards and a score.
Sit: D'Andre Swift, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (at Dallas Cowboys)
It's always uncomfortable sitting a player as talented as Swift.
Know what feels worse, though? Marching him into a matchup that you know looks brutal on paper. If you tried trusting his talent against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, your wager went bust. He had six carries for 13 yards and two catches (on six targets) for seven yards. His eight touches were only one more than Kenneth Gainwell received (and Gainwell's at least yielded 47 scrimmage yards).
A similar script could play out here, as Dallas' defense is nearly every bit as stingy as San Francisco's. Swift has seen that firsthand. When these teams locked horns in Week 9, he had 20 touches but only turned them into 64 scrimmage yards.