RealTime DFS Strategy: Week 14

Fri Dec 5 10:52am ET
By MIKE BARNER
Contributing Writer

We have four teams on a bye during Week 14. We also won’t have players from the Lions and Cowboys available for the weekend slate because they faced off on Thursday Night Football. With that in mind, here are some players to consider at each position, as well as a few to possibly avoid.

Quarterbacks

Josh Allen, BUF vs. CIN ($7,700): This game being played in Buffalo should provide a boost for Allen. He has 21 total touchdowns at home, compared to nine touchdowns on the road. He is also averaging 276.5 passing yards per game in Buffalo, compared to 195.5 per game on the road. Add that to the Bengals allowing 31.2 points per game and Allen could be well worth his hefty salary.

Tyrod Taylor, NYJ vs. MIA ($4,900): Taylor had a modest 172 passing yards and one passing touchdown versus the Falcons last week. However, he turned eight carries into 44 yards and another touchdown. That marked his second game of the season with at least 44 rushing yards, despite Justin Fields being under center for most of the Jets’ games. At such a cheap salary, Taylor’s rushing upside makes him a viable tournament option.

Player to Avoid

Patrick Mahomes, KC vs. HOU ($6,800): Facing the Texans is usually bad news for quarterbacks. Not only have they given up the fourth-fewest passing yards per game, but they have allowed just 12 passing touchdowns. They are also tied for fourth in the NFL with 12 interceptions. Given that his salary doesn’t come at a discount, avoiding Mahomes could be wise.

Running Backs

James Cook III, BUF vs. CIN ($7,100): Cook steamrolled the Steelers last week, rushing 32 times for 144 yards. He also caught all three of his targets for 33 yards. With the Bills lacking weapons at wide receiver, Cook has averaged 21.5 touches per game. The Bengals have allowed the second-most yards per carry to running backs, so slowing down Cook could prove to be troublesome.

Chris Rodriguez Jr., WAS at MIN ($4,700): Rodriguez scored a touchdown in the Commanders Week 13 overtime loss to the Broncos. In total, he ran 11 times for 41 yards. Across the last four games, he has 44 rushing attempts for 201 yards and three touchdowns. He has surpassed Jacory Croskey-Merritt on the depth chart, so he has the potential to provide value at his cheap salary.

Player to Avoid

Ashton Jeanty, LV vs. DEN ($6,100): A lack of work isn’t a problem for Jeanty. He is averaging 18.7 touches per game. However, with the Raiders’ offense scuffling, he hasn’t run for more than 60 yards in a game since Week 6. The last time he faced the Broncos, he ran 19 times for 60 yards and one touchdown. While that’s not a terrible stat line, the Broncos are a very good defensive team that has allowed only 18.2 points per game. This is not the week to take a chance on Jeanty.

Wide Receivers

Alec Pierce, IND at JAX ($5,100): Pierce has quietly become an important member of the Colts offense. He has only caught 33 of his 59 targets, but he still has 689 receiving yards. He is a deep threat, posting an average depth of target of 19.2 yards. The Jaguars have given up the 10th-most passing yards per game, leaving Pierce as an appealing DFS option.

Adonai Mitchell, NYJ vs. MIA ($4,600): Another wide receiver with a cheap salary to consider is Mitchell. The Jets have made him an important part of their offense, targeting him 25 times over three games with the team. Last week, he turned 12 targets into eight receptions, 102 yards and one touchdown. Stacking Mitchell with Taylor could be a viable tournament strategy, especially at their salaries.

Player to Avoid

Justin Jefferson, MIN vs. WAS ($6,900): The Vikings’ mess at quarterback is resulting in a lost season for Jefferson. Last week was a disaster as he finished with two catches for four yards. Jefferson has not finished with more than five receptions in a game since Week 9. He hasn’t posted at least 100 receiving yards since Week 5. He comes with too much risk at his salary.

Tight Ends

Tyler Warren, IND at JAX ($5,000): Warren found his way into the end zone last week, which salvaged him, catching just two passes for 22 yards. His four targets in the game were his fewest since Week 5. A heavier workload could be in the cards against the Jaguars, who have allowed the second-most receptions to tight ends in the league.

Brenton Strange, JAX vs. IND ($3,900): Both tight ends have upside in this game. The Colts haven’t been much better at defending the position. They are tied for the fourth-most receptions allowed to tight ends. Enter Strange, who has caught eight of nine targets for 138 yards and one touchdown over two games since returning from injury.

Player to Avoid

Travis Kelce, KC vs. HOU ($5,400): The Texans have given up just 51 receptions to tight ends this season. Their 6.76 yards per target allowed to the position is the eighth-best mark in the league. Tight ends have also scored just four times against them. It’s difficult to be excited about anyone in the Chiefs’ offense for this matchup, including Kelce.

Mike Barner has been covering fantasy sports since 2007. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, SportsLine and RotoWire. Mike was also a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.

RealTime DFS Strategy: Week 14

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