Week 14 Flex Rankings: Dalton Abbey

Well, we have finally made it to the end of the fantasy football regular season. Hopefully, your 2023 season has gone well enough that have already clinched a playoff berth and do not need to sweat a victory this week. However, if it is a win you need, then hopefully my Week 14 Flex rankings will help you with any tough decisions you might encounter. There are only two teams on bye this week. They are the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders. That means that most of our rosters should be able to withstand the hit. I ranked well over 250 players this week just in case. That should be enough to accommodate virtually all league sizes.

Below are some notes regarding several players who you may be considering for your Flex spot this week. You do not need me to tell you to start some of the more obvious players on your roster. But there are enough injury concerns and other happenings around the league that may cause concern when setting lineups this week. As always, these are based on half-PPR scoring. Feel free to comment below or on Twitter with any specific lineup questions you might have.

Running Back Notes

Rhamondre Stevenson suffered a high-ankle sprain last week, which may or may not be the result of my betting on him. Regardless, Stevenson will miss multiple weeks. With New England seemingly in tank mode, I would not be surprised if they keep him out for the remainder of the 2023 season. As a result, Ezekiel Elliott should get plenty of work in Stevenson’s absence. Among 39 running backs with at least 100 carries this season, Elliott ranks dead last in 15-yard runs (one) and breakaway percentage (4.0 percent). He also ranks 36th among that subset in Pro Football Focus’ elusive metric. The good news for fantasy managers is that Elliott could be a viable fantasy commodity on volume alone.

Elliott did nothing special last week once Stevenson left the ballgame. He averaged 3.1 yards per carry, and his longest rush went for just eight yards. However, he finished as the overall RB17 in half-PPR scoring on the strength of 21 touches. That included four receptions, which boosts his value in PPR formats. Elliott’s Week 14 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers is decidedly average. Pittsburgh ranks 15th in defensive DVOA against the run, and they have allowed the 14th-most fantasy points to opposing running backs. I have Elliott as a low-end RB2 in 12-team leagues this week. To be perfectly honest, I do not feel great about that, and I’m thankful I do not have him on any teams. But if you are in a bind, you could certainly do worse. He should at least have a decent floor given the expected volume he should get out of the backfield.

On the other side of the field on Thursday night will be the combination of Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In recent weeks, the team has mentioned that Warren will be the team’s starting running back. But that has not stopped Harris from getting more opportunities than Warren. Over the last three weeks, Harris has 48 opportunities to Warren’s 40. Harris has also scored more fantasy points in each of the last two weeks. I currently have Warren ranked just a smidge higher, in part because he has the highest elusive rating among the 39 running backs with at least 100 carries. But I am fine starting either Steeler running back as a Flex this week. Please note that Harris is dealing with a knee injury. If he is out or limited, Warren would become a solid RB2.

Wide Receiver Notes

There are three wide receivers inside the top 100 overall in my Week 14 Flex rankings that I wanted to touch on, mostly because none of the three are guaranteed to play. I am ranking them as if they are playing, which may admittedly be a bit optimistic given the circumstances. Use your best judgment when setting your lineups.

Just when Christian Watson looked like he was starting to put it together after an up-and-down season, he suffered yet another injury. This time it is a hamstring. Those types of injuries are always tricky for players to overcome in a short time. And this particular injury comes at a terrible time, as Watson and the Green Bay Packers have an excellent matchup against the New York Giants. New York has allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. The Giants have four cornerbacks graded among PFF’s 119 qualifiers at the position this year. Three of the four rank in the bottom 17 among those 119 corners in pass coverage. If Watson cannot go, Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed should get a boost. Both would be considered WR3s or Flex plays in that case.

Amari Cooper is the next receiver whose Week 14 status is in doubt. Cooper suffered a concussion last week and has yet to take the practice field this week. Though he is the team’s leading receiver, the insertion of Joe Flacco as the starting quarterback makes for an interesting narrative. With Flacco under center on Sunday, Elijah Moore posted the largest single-game air yard total (255) of any wide receiver this season. Flacco and Moore exhibited excellent chemistry last season as members of the New York Jets. I currently have Moore just outside the range in which I would feel comfortable starting him as a Flex. However, if Cooper cannot clear the league’s concussion protocol in time for this game, Moore makes for a very interesting (albeit volatile) WR3.

I also ranked Rashid Shaheed as if he will play on Sunday. This could be an interesting situation on a couple of fronts. Shaheed is one of the best deep threats in the entire NFL. He is one of three receivers with at least 15 deep targets and a perfect PFF grade on said plays. The others? Tyreek Hill and Ja’Marr Chase. I’d say that’s pretty good company for Shaheed to keep. And Derek Carr is currently questionable as he deals with a rib injury and possible concussion. Could the fantasy gods possibly bless us with a healthy Shaheed chasing down deep passes from the king of the YOLO ball, Jameis Winston? Only time will tell. But if such a scenario were to play out on Sunday, I would bump Shaheed up in my Week 14 Flex rankings.

Tight End Notes

Few tight ends have been more productive over the past six weeks than Dalton Kincaid of the Buffalo Bills. The rookie has the eighth-most fantasy points since then and is seventh in points per game. That stretch coincided with the injury to Dawson Knox. Now Knox is on track for a potential Week 14 return. I can understand the cause for concern on the surface, but I do not believe Knox’s presence will hinder Kincaid much at all. Knox was hardly lighting it up even before he was injured. He was the TE29 in fantasy, and only scored more than four points in one of six games. Kincaid is still the Bills tight end you want, and he should benefit from a potential shootout with the Kansas City Chiefs. I have Kincaid as my TE9 this week.

Another situation where we could see a return to action from a tight end is with the Houston Texans. Dalton Schultz returned to practice on Wednesday and could be back in action on Sunday. His potential would be a big help for Houston in their matchup with the New York Jets. The Jets are notoriously tough on opposing wide receivers, which has occasionally opened things up for tight ends. Only the New Orleans Saints have allowed more touchdowns to enemy tight ends than the Jets have. Schultz did find the end zone in his game against the Saints, so he has exploited favorable matchups already this year. I have Schultz just outside my top 12 at the position, but I would have no issue with anyone who starts him provided he has a clean bill of health.

More Week 14 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | Half-PPR by Position | Flex Rankings | Positional Ranks w/ K & DST | Dynasty | Superflex Dynasty

Week 14 Flex Rankings