Week 14 Fantasy Football Studs
Praised be the fantasy football gods! For they have blessed us with a wildcard win (or a playoff berth) on the backs of these fantasy football stud muffins. These stud muffins were mighty indeed in Week 14, the most important week of the football season thus far. This article will be a shrine to their accomplishments.
Quarterbacks
Ben Roethlisberger vs BAL
506 passing yards, 2 TDs, 5 rushing yards
FIVE HUNDRED AND SIX! It’s a good thing too because the Steelers needed every last one of those yards to beat the Ravens 39 to 38.
Carson Wentz @ LAR
291 passing yards, 4 TDs, INT, 16 rushing yards
From a fantasy perspective, this was an amazing performance. Real football though? Not so great. Carson Wentz tore his ACL at the end of this game and will obviously be done for the season. There have been whispers in the bushes that Wentz’s start to 2018 may be in jeopardy as well.
Dak Prescott @ NYG
332 passing yards, 3 TDs, 13 rushing yards
Just in time for his owners who finally lost faith and benched him. This was the perfect get right script though. A loss would’ve clinched the division for the Eagles (though it’s probably over anyway) so this was a game the ‘Boys had to have. Dak got it for them.
Brett Hundley @ CLE
265 passing yards, 3 TDs, 31 rushing yards
Not unlike the Wentz story, this one has far bigger real football implications that just this stat line from a QB who is probably on waivers. The win for the Packers leaves the door open for Rodgers to return.
Russell Wilson @ JAX
271 passing yards, 3 TDs, 3 INTs, 50 rushing yards
1st Quarter: 16 passing yards, 12 rushing yards
2nd Quarter: 20 passing yards, 30 rushing yards, INT
3rd Quarter: 86 passing yards, 8 rushing yards, TD, 2 INTs
4th Quarter: 149 passing yards, 2 TDs
Wow. Just Wow.
Runningbacks
Le’Veon Bell vs BAL
13 carries, 48 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 9 receptions, 77 receiving yards, TD
Le’Veon Bell IS going to reset the RB market this offseason. Just like he said he would.
Kenyan Drake vs NE
25 carries, 114 rushing yards, 5 receptions, 79 receiving yards
I have been pounding the table for Drake for weeks. This is why. He is an elite athlete with quickness and speed to make defenses pay. Drake failed to score in this matchup but he put up plenty of yards.
Chris Trotman / Stringer
Alex Collins @ PIT
18 carries, 120 rushing yards, TD, 2 receptions, 46 receiving yards
The Baltimore-Pittsburgh game was supposed to be a defensive slugfest. Much to the delight of fantasy owners, it wasn’t.
Javorius Allen @ PIT
6 carries, 25 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 2 receptions, 32 receiving yards
Buck was supposed to go away once Danny Woodhead returned to the lineup. Somebody forgot to tell him.
Rod Smith @ NYG
6 carries, 47 rushing yards, TD, 5 receptions, 113 receiving yards, TD
Smith only had 11 offensive opportunities in this game and he made the most of them. It will make him difficult to trust in Week 15 which is the last week he will hold value, as Elliott should return in Week 16.
Jonathan Stewart vs MIN
16 carries, 103 rushing yards, 3 TDs
Raise your hand if these points got wasted on your bench.
:raises hand: (twice)
Jordan Howard @ CIN
23 carries, 147 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 1 reception, 8 receiving yards
Due to his limited skills as a receiver, Howard can have some really bad games against good run defenses or where the game script works against him. He is, however, a very talented runner, so when he gets it going on the ground, you get studly weeks like this.
Jamaal Williams @ CLE
15 carries, 49 rushing yards, TD, 7 receptions, 69 receiving yards, TD
2 weeks ago the play by play announcer for the Packers game said a star was born in Green Bay when Aaron Jones scored a TD on his first carry of the game in overtime. I think he intended the statement to apply to Jamaal Williams and I think Williams is worthy of the praise.
Todd Gurley vs PHI
13 carries, 96 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 3 receptions, 39 receiving yards
Nobody runs on the Eagles.*
*except for Todd Gurley
Theo Riddick @ TB
10 carries, 29 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 6 receptions, 64 receiving yards
It was reported on Sunday morning that Abdullah’s inactive status had as much to do with his poor play as it did with an injury. That boded well for Riddick and he delivered for his fantasy owners.
LeSean McCoy vs IND
32 carries, 156 rushing yards, TD
McCoy is extra slippery in the snow. He has now had a couple snow games like this in his career and he had been dominant.
Kareem Hunt vs OAK
25 carries, 116 rushing yards, TD, 3 receptions, 22 receiving yards
I don’t know who needed this ‘get right’ game more, the Chiefs, Andy Reid, or Kareem Hunt.
Icon Sportswire/ Contributor
Leonard Fournette vs SEA
24 carries, 101 rushing yards, TD, 4 receptions, 16 receiving yards
Start your studs, Exhibit A.
Wide Receivers
DeAndre Hopkins vs SF
11 receptions, 149 receiving yards, 2 TDs, 16 targets
There will be an article in the Houston Classifieds this week. Wanted: QB. Qualifications: Must know who DeAndre Hopkins is and target him relentlessly.
Antonio Brown vs BAL
11 receptions, 213 receiving yards, 18 targets
18 targets. I’m blushing.
Davante Adams @ CLE
10 receptions, 84 receiving yards, 2 TDs, 14 targets
Adams is going to be a very interesting name this offseason. Though it may all hinge on the last 3 weeks of this season. Is his success due to a rapport with backup QB, Hundley, or is it sustainable with Rodgers behind center? Also, Adams is a free agent after the season. Will he even be a Packer?
Jarvis Landry vs NE
8 receptions, 46 receiving yards, 2 TDs, 8 targets
High volume. High receptions. Low yardage. Just another day at the office for Landry, right?
Nope. Two TDs.
Michael Thomas @ ATL
10 receptions, 117 receiving yards, TD, 14 targets
Is it just me or does it seem like the Week 14 edition of Thursday Night Football took place 3 weeks ago?
Kevin C. Cox / Staff
Tyrell Williams vs WAS
4 receptions, 132 receiving yards, TD, 4 targets
Not to be outdone by Keenan Allen again, Williams made the most of his 4 targets. Though still overshadowed by Allen’s 4th straight 100-yard performance in the boxscore.
Cooper Kupp vs PHI
5 receptions, 118 receiving yards, TD, 7 targets
For as long as Robert Woods remains out, you need to start Kupp.
When Robert Woods returns, you need to start Kupp.
Adam Thielen @ CAR
6 receptions, 105 receiving yards, TD, 13 targets
Thielen is now tied for 3rd in the league with 1,161 receiving yards on the year. He shares that total with Julio Jones and has only been outdone by DeAndre Hopkins and Antonio Brown.
Demaryius Thomas vs NYJ
8 receptions, 93 receiving yards, TD, 12 targets
There he is.
Golden Tate @ TB
8 receptions, 85 receiving yards, TD, 9 targets
Hopefully, the injury to Stafford’s hand didn’t scare you away from Golden Tate this week.
Tight Ends
Trey Burton @ LAR
5 receptions, 71 receiving yards, TD, 6 targets
The Eagles use their TEs more than anyone else in the league. I’d be tempted to use Celek too if he was their starting TE.
Jesse James vs BAL
10 receptions, 97 receiving yards, 12 targets
You didn’t think Roethlisberger through for 500 yards with just Bell and Brown, did you?
Honorable Mentions
Philip Rivers vs WAS
319 passing yards, 2 TDs
Case Keenum @ CAR
280 passing yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, 40 rushing yards
DeShone Kizer vs GB
214 passing yards, 3 TDs, 2 TDs, 7 rushing yards
Giovani Bernard vs CHI
11 carries, 62 rushing yards, 6 receptions, 68 receiving yards
Devonta Freeman vs NO
24 carries, 91 rushing yards, TD
Dez Bryant @ NYG
3 receptions, 73 receiving yards, TD, 5 targets
Doug Baldwin @ JAX
3 receptions, 78 receiving yards, TD, 6 targets
Tyler Lockett @ JAX
4 receptions, 90 receiving yards, TD, 5 targets, 10 rushing yards
Paul Richardson @ JAX
3 receptions, 72 receiving yards, TD, 7 targets
Dede Westbrook vs SEA
5 receptions, 81 receiving yards, TD, 8 targets
Keelan Cole vs SEA
3 receptions, 99 receiving yards, TD, 3 targets
Keenan Allen vs WAS
6 receptions, 111 receiving yards, 8 targets
Kendall Wright @ CIN
10 receptions, 107 receiving yards, 11 targets
Jared Cook @ KC
5 receptions, 75 receiving yards, TD, 6 targets
Hunter Henry vs WAS
4 receptions, 50 receiving yards, TD, 6 targets
Eric Ebron @ TB
10 receptions, 94 receiving yards, 11 targets