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Jayden Daniels is back, the Panthers are officially on the rise, and Joe Burrow is still lighting the league on fire. Another week in the NFL brought more fireworks as we now enter the season's stretch run. Anything can happen at this point and we are here to help you identify the hottest players heading into the fantasy playoffs.
Week 13 provided us with several interesting games. Numerous games were within one score, and there were plenty of excellent individual performances mixed into those games. The woes experienced early in the season seem like they happened a lifetime ago.
With Week 14 bringing another "byemageddon" week, it is that much more important to identify the best fantasy plays as many fantasy managers make one last attempt at making the playoffs. Let's dive in and find out who the best options are this week.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for the 2025 playoffs:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Fantasy Football Quarterback Matchups We Love
Joe Burrow - Cincinnati Bengals
Opponent: at DAL
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 28th
Burrow is playing without any regard for human life right now. He gets to play one of the worst passing defenses in the league in Week 14 when the Bengals visit Dallas. This should be an explosion for Burrow on Monday night.
Expect a multiple-touchdown game and huge yardage output for Burrow this week. He should finish as a top-5 quarterback in Week 14.
In NFL history, six QBs have averaged 275 passing yards/game and had 30 TDs and 5 or fewer INT through the first 12 games of the season.
Joe Burrow is the only one of them to have a losing record. Four of the five won NFL MVP that season.
(via ESPN Research)
— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) December 1, 2024
Sam Darnold - Minnesota Vikings
Opponent: ATL
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 25th
Darnold should be a nice streaming option in Week 14. The Vikings will host the Falcons, who are one of the worst defenses against opposing quarterbacks in fantasy.
Darnold has been relatively efficient all season and he throws a fair amount of touchdowns. He has also neglected to throw an interception in three straight games. With a player such as wide receiver Justin Jefferson by his side, Darnold should give you a nice week with players such as Lamar Jackson on bye.
Fantasy Football Quarterback Matchup to Temper Expectations
Brock Purdy - San Francisco 49ers
Opponent: CHI
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 2nd
Purdy has been what Purdy is all season long. He is a solid fantasy quarterback due to efficient play and decent mobility. However, this 49ers offense has been anything but itself lately.
The 49ers draw a matchup with an excellent Chicago Bears passing defense in Week 14. If you have been relying on Purdy all season, it may be worth looking at other options as we head into fantasy football playoff season.
Brock Purdy without perfectly clear conditions in sunny California pic.twitter.com/OZz4RXHELF
— GhettoGronk (@TheGhettoGronk) December 2, 2024
Fantasy Football Running Back Matchups We Love
Tony Pollard - Tennessee Titans
Opponent: JAX
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 31st
Pollard has been relatively quiet of late, but he is headed into an excellent matchup in Week 14 with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars have a sorry defense and the Titans should be able to do quite a bit offensively in this game.
Pollard’s volume has been steady for most of the season. Touchdown opportunities have been scarce, but they should be plentiful in this game. Fire up Pollard as an RB2 with upside this week.
Saquon Barkley - Philadelphia Eagles
Opponent: CAR
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 32nd
This pick is pretty self-explanatory. Barkley has been on a heater lately and he shows no signs of slowing down this week. The Panthers defense has been better lately, but this is a different beast.
Barkley already has a 200-yard rushing game this season. Is it too much to think he could do it a second time this season? Look for Barkley to finish as the RB1 on the week. Anything outside of the top five would be a disappointment.
Fantasy Football Running Back Matchup to Temper Expectations
Josh Jacobs - Green Bay Packers
Opponent: at DET
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 2nd
Several fantasy managers have likely been riding Jacobs to victory in recent weeks. However, he is going to face the impenetrable front of the Detroit Lions in Week 14.
The Lions simply do not allow much on the ground. Their defensive line is almost unrivaled in the league. Additionally, this game is in Detroit, where the Lions tend to play very well. Jacobs checks in as more of an RB2 than an RB1 in Week 14.
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Matchups We Love
Jakobi Meyers - Las Vegas Raiders
Opponent: at TB
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 26th
With several teams on a bye in Week 14, let’s throw a Raider not named Brock Bowers into the starting discussion. Meyers has been a solid contributor in fantasy football over the last several weeks. The Raiders draw a plus matchup against the Buccaneers in Week 14.
The best part about this matchup is that the Buccaneers are susceptible to the pass but should put a lot of points on the scoreboard against the Raiders. As long as Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell does not turn the ball over repeatedly, there should be plenty of chances for Meyers in this game.
Jakobi Meyers throughout 10 games:
59 catches
676 yards
2 touchdownsBrock Bowers throughout 12 games:
84 catches
884 yards
4 touchdownsWR and TE duo of the future pic.twitter.com/OWsw9cThQz
— Łunaticø (@LakeShow4Life9) December 2, 2024
Ja'Marr Chase - Cincinnati Bengals
Opponent: at DAL
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 19th
Chase is having arguably the best season of his bright young career. The Bengals are playing for literally everything every week for the rest of the season. With Joe Burrow projected to go off in this game, Chase should reap all the benefits.
No one on the Cowboys can match up with Chase. The only thing that may slow him down in this game is if the Bengals turn to the ground due to the massive lead they should build.
Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Matchup to Temper Expectations
Garrett Wilson - New York Jets
Opponent: at MIA
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 2nd
Wilson got hot toward the middle portion of the season, but he has cooled off since then. The Jets look like a dejected franchise with no direction as the Aaron Rodgers experiment continues to fail.
Wilson and Co. will be matched up against an excellent Dolphins secondary in Week 14. This game will take place in Miami, which is less than ideal for the Jets. Wilson should be deployed with care this week.
Fantasy Football Tight End Matchup We Love
Cade Otton - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Opponent: LV
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 29th
Otton has cooled off in recent weeks, but let's throw a little bit of confidence back into this player. Otton earned seven targets in Week 13. He just happened to be inefficient with them. He gets to face a porous Raiders defense this week, so he has a great chance to bounce back.
With the Raiders offense looking serviceable under Aidan O'Connell last week, the Buccaneers may find themselves taking to the air more often than expected. Otton should be deployed as a TE1 this week.
Fantasy Football Tight End Matchup to Temper Expectations
Tucker Kraft - Green Bay Packers
Opponent: at DET
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 1st
Another Packer who could run into a Detroit Lions issue in Week 14, Kraft should have expectations tempered. Kraft has been a top-10 tight end all season. He has made that living primarily on the back of touchdowns, but he does have a respectable 480 receiving yards in 12 games.
The Lions surrender a lot to wide receivers, but tight ends are a different story. Kraft has been a quality starter throughout the fantasy season, but he is a risky play in Week 14. Given his status as a waiver wire addition earlier this season, you likely have a better option this week.
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