FanDuel NFL Week 14 Picks, Sleepers and Strategies

Do you like free money? See who are the best plays this Week 14 of the DFS FanDuel season.

Welcome back to Fanduel Picks Week 14, your one-stop-shop for the best FanDuel player picks. The Locks at wide receivers attempted to thwart us in Week 13, but solid running back (Alex Collins 22.80, Alvin Kamara 27.10, Leonard Fournette 15.40) and tight end (Evan Engram 19.40, Hunter Henry 11.60) contributions catapulted us into the money. One of these days we will put all the pieces together, I promise. Until then, keep staying in the green like Kermit and enjoy the small collections. After all, it is Christmas season and every penny counts.  So let’s get to the Week 14 picks. As a note, these picks are based on Sunday only leagues, so players on Thursday and Monday night will be ignored, as well as London games.

Quarterbacks

The Locks

I do not like any of the higher priced quarterbacks this week. Nothing personal, I am sure they are great guys. But I do not love their matchups and prefer to spend a little less on this position and save for the monster wideouts below.

Sleeper

  • Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams ($7,700) – The Philadelphia Eagles boast the best run defense in the NFL, allowing the least amount of yards per game and the least rushing touchdowns this year. So with an implied team total of 26.75, expect the Rams to get their points through the air on Sunday. Jared Goff has throw multiple touchdown passes in four of his last five games and has scored below 16 just once in his past six. With a pivotal NFC game for seeding purposes, a shootout could be brewing in Los Angeles.
  • Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders ($7,700) – With Michael Crabtree returning from suspension and Amari Cooper expected (hopefully) to play Week 14, Derek Carr gets his high-octane offensive weapons back for a divisional showdown against Kansas City. In Week 7 when these teams met in Oakland, Carr threw for just 417 yards and 3 touchdowns, good for 30.18 FanDuel points. Last week, Josh McCown threw for 331 yards and scored three total touchdowns against this horrendous KC pass defense allowing the fifth most passing yards per game.
  • Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($7,200) – While the Detroit Lions rank middle in the pack in terms of points allowed to fantasy quarterbacks, they do allowed the sixth most passing yards per game. And better yet, over the past six weeks only Mitchell Trubisky scored below 15.4 against the Lions. And as noted in the Stream Team, that includes games against Joe FlaccoDeShone Kizer, and Brett Hundley. Given his price and playmaking ability, Jameis Winston could easily find himself ranked in the top 5 fantasy quarterbacks in Week 14.

Running Backs

The Locks

  • LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills ($9,000) – Whether it is Tyrod TaylorNathan PetermanJ.P. Losman or Doug FlutieLeSean McCoy‘s usage and volume rank up there with the best playmakers in the NFL. And in Week 14 McCoy gets a Colts defense allowing the sixth most points to opposing running backs and the 4th most touchdowns on the ground. His increased usage in the pass game this year just further solidifies himself as a weekly high-end RB1.
  • Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers ($8,600) – The Washington Redskins scuffling run defense finds itself ranked in the bottom 8 in the league in terms of touchdowns allowed on the ground and yards allowed per carry, so all-purposes workhorse Melvin Gordon should be heavily involved in Sunday’s gameplan. With Josh Norman likely shadowing the red-hot Keenan Allen, look for the Chargers to rely on Gordon’s diverse capabilities in the run and pass game. With at least 20 touches or 100 total yards in five straight games, Gordon is locked in as a volume heavy RB1.

Sleeper

  • Samaje Perine, RB, Washington Redskins ($6,600) – The lead back opposing Gordon, Samaje Perine has received 20+ touches and over 100 rushing yards in 2 of his last three games. Sure, the debacle last Thursday in Dallas was disappointing and unexpected, but the game flow got disrupted due to Washington’s untimely turnovers and all around poor play. With the Chargers boasting one of the best pass defenses in the league, look for Kirk Cousins to keep the ball on the ground more often against a Charger run defense allowing the most rushing yards per game, second most yards per carry, and fourth most fantasy points to opposing running backs.
  • Mike Davis, RB, Seattle Seahawks ($5,500) – I mentioned him on the Stream Team, and I will mention him here. Mike Davis performed as a workhorse type back for the Seahawks last Sunday night, receiving 20 total touches, while also being the only Seattle running back to receive more than 1 (yes, one) carry. With the Seahawks playing a historically good pass defense, Davis could receive a volume uptick against Jacksonville, making him an intriguing option at just $5,500.

Wide Receivers

The Locks

  • DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans ($8,600) – If I am paying this much for a wide receiver, he better be great and receiver a ton of volume. Well, DeAndre Hopkins is better than great and has been quite the target hog in 2017. Just once in his past six games has Hopkins received less than 10 targets, and in every game this year Hopkins has either scored a touchdown or recorded 73 receiving yards. I mean, he has just one game this year where he failed to record double digit FanDuel points, and in that game he scored a touchdown. He leads the league in targets and ranks second to the extraterrestrial Antonio Brown in receiving yards. He should have no problem burning the 49ers Week 14.
  • Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs ($7,800) – Did everyone see what Tyreek Hill did to the New York Jets last week? Let me remind you. 6 catches for 185 yards and two touchdowns. Oh and he caught three separate passes for at least 40 yard gains. Am I failing to mention any other relevant stats. Oh yeah. In Week 7 when the Chiefs first played the Raiders horrendous pass defense Tyreek torched Oakland for 6/125/1 touchdown, the touchdown coming on a 64 yard bomb. While most experts viewed him as an unreliable, boom-or-bust, gadget type player, The Wolf correctly identified Hill as a legitimate WR2 with WR1 potential in Andy Reid’s offense. He booms often, and very rarely busts, making Hill a top play this Week 14.
  • Michael Crabtree, WR, Oakland Raiders ($7,100) – Coming back from suspension, Michael Crabtree looks to return with a vengeance against a Kansas City team allowing the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. Just last week both Jermaine Kearse and Robbie Anderson torched KC for over 100 yards each. And I expect more of the same from the Raiders in what shapes up to be a pass heavy game Week 14. While most will point to the Week 7 game where Cooper put up an inhuman 11/210/2 touchdown line, he has struggled since then. And lets not forget Crabtree did score a touchdown in that meeting as well.

Sleeper

  • Sammy Watkins, WR, Los Angeles Rams ($6,300) – I am looking for the big play guy when going cheap. And with 4 touchdowns in his past 5 games Sammy Watkins could help make you a ton of money Week 14. I already mentioned the high total and shootout potential. And then there is Watkin’s unmatched speed that can help turn short screens and crossing routes into 80 yard touchdowns.
  • Marquise Goodwin, WR, San Francisco 49ers ($5,700) – Another Stream Teamer! After catching all 8 of his targets for 99 yards, Marquise Goodwin‘s connection with Jimmy Garoppolo could be the real deal. Goodwin has that blazing speed to make your DFS day on just on catch, and the Texans have struggled all year with Goodwin-esque type wideouts. He is one of the better bargains at $5,700.

Tight End

The Locks

  • Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs ($8,000) – Yet another Chief makes this list against the Raiders horrendous pass defense. Travis Kelce bulldozed the Jets in Week 13 for 94 yards and two scores. In their first matchup in Week 7, Kelce recorded just 33 yards but did score a touchdown. One of the better stacks Week 14, I expect another offensive explosion from the Chiefs, and their most consistent playmaker should be right in the middle of the action.

Sleeper

  • Jason Witten, TE, Dallas Cowboys ($5,800) – Three straight weeks without a tight end touchdown allowed by the Giants defense and I am starting to lose my religion. But not so fast my friends, as the Giants welcome the Dallas Cowboys and Jason Witten Week 14. In their Week 1 matchup, Witten gashed the Giants catching 7 balls on 9 targets for 59 yards and one touchdown. With no Ezekiel Elliot this week, look for an uptick in volume for Witten in an obvious mismatch.

Kicker

The Locks

  • Greg Zuerlein, K, Los Angeles Rams ($5,200) – At home in a dome. Over 50 over/under total game. A game that will greatly impact the NFC’s playoff seeding. Oh and he does not miss. Greg Zuerlein is 36/38 this year on field goal attempts (94.7%) and 35/36 on extra points. He has made at least 3 field goals in five of his last six games (scoring at least 17 fantasy points in those five), and at least 4 field goals in that same time frame. He’s automatic and can score like a WR2. Yessir.

Sleeper

  • Brandon McManus, K, Denver Broncos ($4,600) – Sure its a risk when you are banking on Trevor Siemian to move the ball down the field, but in that thin Denver air it may only take one kick to make it worth your while. The Jets just got shredded last week to the tune of 31 points by the Chiefs. And while Denver might not have the same firepower, I expect the Broncos to move the ball often enough to give Brandon McManus‘ big leg a chance to put up a solid fantasy kicking day.

Defense

The Locks

I am punting here as well. Some of the top defenses have good matchups (Buffalo against Indy, Green Bay against Cleveland) but I cannot justify spending $500/$600 more for those types of defenses. And good defenses like the Jaguars and Chargers don’t really have the best matchups. So let’s see if we can find some value below.

Sleeper

  • Cincinnati Bengals DST ($4,600) – The Cincinnati Bengals DST ranks in the top 5 in the NFL in getting to the quarterback this year, which could prove beneficial for our low-priced option here, especially given their opponent (the Chicago Bears) ranks 30th in the league in points scored. While the Bengals are not turning the ball often with enough frequency to warrant a weekly DST1 designation, their sack total will provide you a solid floor.
  • Dallas Cowboys DST ($4,400) – They just fired their coach. They just fired their GM. And now the quarterback they wrongfully benched last week will start Week 14. Whatever the Giants are doing right now, it ain’t working. And while the Dallas Cowboys DST has been one of the least reliable units this year, they have scored double digits four times this season, including a season high 19 just last week. In Week 1, the Cowboys scored 12 against the Giants, and that was before injuries ravaged New York.

And that’s a wrap for Fanduel Week 14 analysis. Remember to always look at the matchups and Vegas totals, which are always telling, and do not be afraid to admit they know more than you, because they usually do. Until next time, good luck and don’t forget to tip me 10% of your earnings. Thanks in advance.

To contact me with any questions or general fantasy football discussion, please email me at redsocker45@gmail.com or tweet me @AJGamballer.

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