RADIO
The quarterback position can be a tough one in regards to choosing who to start. QB scoring can be highly variable and dependent on matchups and injuries on both sides of the ball.
Sometimes, even quarterbacks who have great games can regress massively, and it's important to break things down to understand why.
Let's look at three quarterbacks in less-than-ideal situations and whether you should start them in Week 14.
Should I Start Patrick Mahomes for Fantasy Football?
Yes. You should start Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II. He's been playing better football the past few weeks, and it looks like the team's pass-catching corps has made strides. He's a low-end QB1 against a solid Los Angeles Chargers pass defense, though.
Patrick Mahomes is ridiculous. pic.twitter.com/I5DfZDuYlE
— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) November 29, 2024
He's still elite but has had to deal with a severely depleted WR room. Remember that WRs Rashee Rice (knee) and Hollywood Brown (shoulder) have played in a combined three games. Rookie wideout Xavier Worthy has severely underperformed, and tight end Travis Kelce is 35. But the pass offense is making strides.
He is the QB7 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.
Should I Start Kirk Cousins for Fantasy Football?
No. It's interesting because by all means Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins has been terrible this season other than in two games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Kirk Cousins has some dramatic passing splits vs. man and zone coverage this season. The numbers get even worse if you remove his two games against the zone-heavy Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- 8.15 adjusted net yards per attempt vs. man
- 5.44 adjusted net yards per attempt vs. zone
-… pic.twitter.com/XemA8x0IeR— Matt Harmon (@MattHarmon_BYB) December 4, 2024
4.52 adjusted net yards per attempt against teams that aren't the Bucs. That's awful He's also significantly worse vs zone coverage, which defenses are likely to exploit. He's simply played too poorly against zone defenses to trust.
He is the QB22 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.
Should I Start Baker Mayfield for Fantasy Football?
Yes. You can trust Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield to perform well most of the time in offensive coordinator Liam Coen's passing attack.
BAKER MAYFIELD WITH ONE OF THE CRAZIEST PLAYS OF THE YEAR.
HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. WOW.
🤯🤯🤯
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) November 10, 2024
We're seeing him live up to his true potential now that he's not a part of the Cleveland Browns poverty franchise and he's fully recovered from a torn labrum in his shoulder that he played through in 2022. This is just who he is in a good offense. He should have wide receiver Mike Evans (hamstring) healthy for Week 14. He can be started.
He is the QB4 in our half-PPR consensus staff rankings.
Popular Week 14 Searches - Start/Sit Comparisons
Below are some popular Week 14 searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Patrick Mahomes, Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield compared to others. You can also use the free Who Should I Start tool to run your own start/sit comparisons, up to four players at once:
Jordan Love or Baker Mayfield
Jared Goff or Baker Mayfield
Brock Purdy or Baker Mayfield
Jordan Love or Patrick Mahomes
Jared Goff or Patrick Mahomes
Tua Tagovailoa or Baker Mayfield
Brock Purdy or Patrick Mahomes
Baker Mayfield or Patrick Mahomes
Sam Darnold or Patrick Mahomes
Russell Wilson or Patrick Mahomes
Derek Carr or Kirk Cousins
Tua Tagovailoa or Patrick Mahomes
Justin Herbert or Baker Mayfield
Will Levis or Kirk Cousins
Patrick Mahomes or Baker Mayfield
Joe Burrow or Baker Mayfield
Bo Nix or Baker Mayfield
Russell Wilson or Kirk Cousins
Caleb Williams or Kirk Cousins
Sam Darnold or Baker Mayfield
Jameis Winston or Kirk Cousins
Russell Wilson or Baker Mayfield
Kyler Murray or Baker Mayfield
Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins
Jameis Winston or Patrick Mahomes
Justin Herbert or Kirk Cousins
Justin Herbert or Patrick Mahomes
Kyler Murray or Patrick Mahomes
Will Levis or Patrick Mahomes
Jared Goff or Kirk Cousins
Matthew Stafford or Kirk Cousins
Sam Darnold or Kirk Cousins
Geno Smith or Kirk Cousins
Aidan Oconnell or Kirk Cousins
Caleb Williams or Baker Mayfield
Cooper Rush or Kirk Cousins
Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes
Will Levis or Baker Mayfield
Cj Stroud or Baker Mayfield
Derek Carr or Baker Mayfield
Jalen Hurts or Baker Mayfield
Jalen Hurts or Patrick Mahomes
Caleb Williams or Patrick Mahomes
Jordan Love or Kirk Cousins
Tua Tagovailoa or Patrick Mahomesii
Anthony Richardson or Kirk Cousins
Baker Mayfield or Kirk Cousins
Geno Smith or Kirk Cousins/1000
Joe Burrow or Patrick Mahomes
Josh Allen or Baker Mayfield
Kirk Cousins or Baker Mayfield
Kyler Murray or Kirk Cousins
Patrick Mahomes or Kirk Cousins
Sam Darnold or Patrick Mahomesii
Amonra Stbrown or Baker Mayfield
Anthony Richardson or Baker Mayfield
Bo Nix or Kirk Cousins
Brock Purdy or Kirk Cousins
Bryce Young or Patrick Mahomes
Dak Prescott or Baker Mayfield
Geno Smith or Baker Mayfield
Geno Smith or Patrick Mahomes
Jameis Winston or Baker Mayfield
Joshua Dobbs or Baker Mayfield
Justin Herbert or Patrick Mahomesii
Khalil Shakir or Patrick Mahomes
Lamar Jackson or Baker Mayfield
Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes
Mac Jones or Kirk Cousins
Marquez Valdesscantling or Baker Mayfield
Matthew Stafford or Baker Mayfield
Matthew Stafford or Patrick Mahomes
Nick Chubb or Patrick Mahomes
Nick Westbrookikhine or Kirk Cousins
Sam Howell or Baker Mayfield
Saquon Barkley or Baker Mayfield
Tua Tagovailoa or Kirk Cousins
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