Fantasy Football Saturday Mailbag for Week 14
Good Morning, FootClan, and a very warm welcome to Week 14 of The Fantasy Footballers’ Saturday Morning Mailbag! It’s Saturday, it’s early, and as always, I am here to select a handful of your questions from The Fantasy Footballers’ Discord server and some of the hot topics that didn’t quite make it to that week’s edition of The Footcast. The Ballers’ Discord is home to the biggest and best online fantasy football community in the world, and is your go-to if you’re looking to talk about all things fantasy football. Head over today and get involved with thousands of members across dozens of dedicated channels for start/sit questions, trade advice, and waiver wire insights, as well as exclusive areas available only to members of the Footclan.
This is it, FootClan…Week 14! This is the week where legends are made, where dreams are realized…and where hearts are broken. For those of you who are on the edge of your playoffs, I wish you all the luck in the world. For those of you who are sitting pretty in the fantasy post-season already, it’s time to put your feet up, relax, and enjoy the chaos!
In this week’s mailbag we continue to dwell on the sadness spiral that is the Vikings’ passing game, discuss some potential #FootClanTitle winning RBs returning from injury, consider just how good Drake Maye really is (spoiler…it’s really good), and check the temperature on Mike Evans as he finally nears a return from…let’s dive right in!
Question #1 – Season-Long Strategy (Justin Jefferson Sadness Special)
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Puka Puka, Pokeballers! Does Justin Jefferson need to go back into his Pokeball for the rest of the season? Would you start guys like Christian Watson and Jameson Williams over him going forward? – It’s Pukachu!
Answer: Justin Jefferson, I choose you…to sit on my bench until further notice. What an absolute disaster of a season it has been for Jettas managers – after investing a mid-first round pick in 2024’s overall WR2, they’ve seen their guy put up stinker after stinker thanks to somewhat uninspiring QB play from Nine himself, J.J. McCarthy, and the Vikings’ most recent experiment at the position – Max Brosmer.
Let’s look at the positives…well positive (singular) – since Minnesota’s Week 6 bye, Jefferson has seen 63 targets, the 3rd most at the position…unfortunatelly, a vast majority of those have come from Messrs McCarthy and Brosmer, after Carson Wentz’s shoulder injury back in Week 8 which saw ruled him out for the rest of the season. Jettas is averaging just 7.2 FPPG since the changing of the guard in Minneapolis, a mark that sees him sit as the WR47 though that five-week period…woof.
This Vikings offense is a mess, with the statistics for the passing game making for some particularly grim reading. On the season, the collective trio of Vikes QBs has thrown for fewer yards than both Tennessee’s rookie Cam Ward and the historically bad Geno Smith over in Las Vegas. With 13 total TDs through as many weeks, only the Browns, Falcons, and the aforementioned Titans have fewer scores through the air. All that said…this is still Justin Jefferson we are talking about here, and it’s so hard to sit that guy – but every year, we as fantasy players are too quick to place inflated value on a player due to their name, and this year Jefferson is no different.
Jameson Williams, on the other hand, is absolutely flying in the lethal Lions’ passing attack – even with a pair of gooses and a bye week, Jamo is the overall WR11 since Week 6 for fantasy football…he is a must start over JJ moving forward (just accept that a big ol’ 0 is the legitimate floor for Williams). Christian Watson, on the other hand, I am not so sure about – sure he’s looked sharp these past three weeks, notching up a WR6 and WR13 finish in the process – but I just don’t trust either him, or the Green Bay passing offense to string any kind of consistency together in any given week. If you need upside, then sure, Watson is your guy over JJ – but with the Vikings having the best strength of schedule at the WR position from here on in…I am still tempted to play Jettas ahead of Watson in the hope McCarthy finally starts to click.
Question #2 – Season-Long Strategy (League Winning IR RB Edition)
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Holla holla Ballas!! Are Trey Benson and Omarion Hampton league winners…or is it a trap to trust them heading into the playoffs? – FIFTY PERCENT
Answer: To borrow from the criminally underrated Taylor Swift song “ME!” – “one of these things is not like the others, like a rainbow with all of the colors” – and that multi-coloured #FootClanTitle winner is the Los Angeles Chargers’ rookie, Omarion Hampton.
Don’t hear what I’m not saying, this is not an anti-Trey Benson take – but with the sophomore back needing to be fully activated before his 21-day practice window slams shut on December 10th, it’s looking incredibly likely that we won’t see his return to the field until sometime in 2026. Even if we were to see Benson return in Week 15, he’ll square off against the Houston Texans and their 5th-ranked rushing defense – something I don’t want any part of. Sure, the Cardinals face the worst Run-D in football in Championship Week – but with the Bengals likely needing a victory, and the Cardinals being…well, terrible – would he even get a chance to take advantage of the plus matchup even if he were to play?
Let’s turn our attention back to the multi-colored – and multi-talented Hampton – and his potential to lead your fantasy team to glory as we enter the business end of the season. Despite Kimani Vidal warming the cockles of Chargers’ Head Coach Jim Harbaugh’s heart, the second L.A.’s first-round rookie draft pick is healthy enough to play; he’ll be slotting right back into that RB1 role for both the Bolts and your fantasy team. The former North Carolina Tar Heel’s 13.4 FPPG sees him sit just outside RB territory on the season – but with plus matchups against the NFC East pairing of Philadelphia and Dallas in Weeks 14 and 16, Hampton is undoubtedly a potential league winner. Sure, the Chargers may have to travel to Houston for your fantasy Championship matchup – but I don’t care…Hampton is that good. Start him with confidence as soon as he returns to action!
Question #3 – Playoff Primer (QB Special)
Howdy Ballers! Do you trust Drake Maye in the fantasy playoffs enough to consider him an auto-start, or should I be looking at streaming options? – The Inferring Coach
Answer: What a season it has been for the Patriots and their second-year QB Drake Maye. Sitting at 11-2, the men from Foxborough currently hold the best record in the National Football League, thanks in no small part to the form of their 3rd overall pick in last year’s Draft. Maye – the overall QB4 for fantasy – has been unstoppable on the year so far, with ten QB1 finishes in his thirteen starts this season. Heading into Week 14, the former North Carolina Tar Heel led the league in passing yards with 3,412 – putting him on a 17-game pace to throw for a whopping 4,462 yards and 30 passing TDs…all while only tossing eight INTs. Despite being a little behind Matthew Stafford in the TD department, Maye has more than made up for it with his legs, adding a further 319 yards and two scores on the ground.
Despite not exactly having the most impressive arsenal of receiving weapons (lead pass-catcher Stefon Diggs is the current fantasy WR25), Maye is still managing to consistently put up weekly QB1-level finishes as we head towards the fantasy playoffs. Week 15’s divisional clash at home to Buffalo isn’t the most attractive matchup on paper – but with Josh Allen and company knowing they have to win in order to keep alive their slim hopes of winning the division, Maye should have plenty of opportunities to air it out in what’s sure to be a tight game (expect Vegas to set an O/U north of the 50 points mark for that one). After the Bills, New England is on easy street at the position with the very QB-friendly Baltimore, and AFC East “rivals” (can we really call them rivals?) New York is rounding out their fantasy season, with a pair who offer the 13th- and 14th-best matchups against passers, respectively.
Don’t overthink this one – start whoever you have to this week with the Pats on bye and then plug Drake Maye straight back into your starting lineup. He’s taken you this far, don’t lose faith now.
Question #4 – Waiver Wire (Home Run Playoff Special)
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Hey Ballers! I have a couple of roster questions ahead for the playoffs. Should I drop Xavier Worthy for Mike Evans? How about dropping Jordan Mason for Chuba Hubbard? Full-PPR. – sklodo
Answer: Let’s tackle the WRs first. Despite being one of the hottest waiver wire pickups back in September, Xavier Worthy has done absolutely nothing since his WR20 finish back in Week 4 against the Ravens. His 83-receiving and 38-rushing yards that day were the only time all year that he’s eclipsed the 100 yards from scrimmage mark, or hit double-digits fantasy points – and despite being on the 6th best overall passing offense in the league…he’s a complete afterthought behind Rashee Rice, Travis Kelce, and even Hollywood Brown. I’m surprised he is still on your roster, to be honest, and if you have the chance to drop him to pick up a guy who may return and be the overall WR1 on his team…you have to do it.
Ok, how about these RBs? What a role reversal for Jordan Mason and Chuba Hubbard. Mason was a late-round draft day darling, with Chuba going in the middle of the 4th as a locked and loaded RB2 for fantasy rosters. Fast forward just three months, and Mason looks set to lead the Vikings’ run game due to a lingering shoulder injury impacting Aaron Jones, and Hubbard appears to be in a full-on time-share with Mike Wright’s favorite Rico Dowdle. I think this is a simple case of what do you need now – if you are already in the playoffs, I’m taking the longevity of Chuba, but if I need a guy who could get a heavy workload this week, I lean Mason.
The Vikings have a much easier strength of schedule at the RB position, coming up against both Dallas (28th) and the Giants (31st)…but I’m not so sure Mason will be the guy getting the bulk of carries in those games. Shoot for the stars, drop Worthy now and pick up Evans, then kick Mason to the curb for Chuba after this weekend’s matchups.
It’s time for Rapid Round…
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If Mike Evans is back this week, are we considering him an auto-start? – 6RingsMakaveli
Answer: As great as it is to see Evans making his long-awaited return from the collarbone injury that has kept him out since mid-October, I wouldn’t be putting my trust in him this week, even if he does suit up. Despite their somewhat beat-up offensive options, the Bucs should have more than enough to take care of divisional rivals New Orleans at home this week without Big Mike. If he starts, look for his workload to be managed as Todd Bowles and company try to ramp up the fitness of their veteran wideout. Keep him benched for now and hope he’s a potential #FootClanTitle winner come the fantasy playoffs.
Merry Christmas Ballers! Who has more upside this week: Oronde Gadsden or Isaiah Likely?– Iwana b da very 100th Percentile
Answer: With news of Mark Andrews signing a brand-new, three-year, $39.3m deal with the Ravens, you have to imagine Isaiah Likely’s days on this team are well and truly numbered. Sure, it’s been tough sledding for the Chargers’ rookie these past few weeks, but at least we know he is the TE1 on his own team and has flashed that upside this season. Stick with the rookie; it’s likely he outscores his counterpart in Baltimore this weekend.
Joe Burrow or Jalen Hurts in a 4PT TD league? Is it crazy to prefer Burrow in the 54-point projection game, even with the snow? – The Princess McBride
Answer: Both of these guys have pretty sketchy matchups in Week 14, with the Bengals heading to Buffalo to face the Bills and their 2nd-ranked defense against QBs, with Hurts also on the road with his Eagles to face the next best defensive unit in the form of the L.A. Chargers. This one is tight, but I sat Joey B. in a number of leagues last week and wish I hadn’t doubted him on his return from injury. Tee Higgins is back, and the Bengals need to win…I’m all in on Joe Cool in snowy Buffalo.
What would you rather have rest of season – DK Metcalf, Justin Jefferson…or a bucket to puke in? I’m leaning the bucket personally – alphalee
Answer: Pass the bucket once you’re finished with it, please, alphalee. I’ve laid out my case earlier for the potential of a JJ comeback later in the year…but it’s hard to see it. DK hasn’t fared much better on the year, but I trust his QB way more than Jefferson. I would legitimately be scouring the waiver wire for a guy like Alec Pierce or Michael Wilson to play ahead of either of these guys, but if they are already rostered, you’re just gonna have to pinch your nose and plug one of them in…good luck!
That will do it for this week, FootClan – good luck in Week 14!