Stars of Week 14 

QB: Dak Prescott, DAL: 42-54, 455 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs

RB: Derrick Henry, TEN: 17 carries, 238 yards, 4 TDs                                                

WR: Amari Cooper, DAL: 10 catches, 217 yards, 3 TDs

TE: George Kittle, SF: 7 catches, 210 yards, 1 TD

The Cowboys waged an epic battle with the Eagles this past Sunday for control of the NFC East. America’s team won the game in dramatic fashion, with Amari Cooper catching Dak Prescott’s overtime pass after the ball was tipped by an Eagles’ defender. Along with a likely division championship, Prescott’s game winning TD to Cooper secured both players’ spots in this week’s honor roll. Prescott threw two picks, but he otherwise had a very efficient and accurate day, with 455 passing yards and his three TD tosses to Cooper.

No player in recent memory has been resuscitated to life following a deadline trade than Amari Cooper, who has been a top 5 WR since being traded to the Cowboys. Prescott remains a high end QB2 who bumps up based on matchup, while Cooper’s a must start high end WR2.

Many owners who had Derrick Henry left him on the bench this week and have resorted to kicking themselves. If that’s you, my advice is well, don’t do that. We’ll take a closer look below as to why the logical move was to have Henry on your bench, even if the results didn’t pan out.

Last but not least, George Kittle has had a top three TE season, and has been QB proof. We’ll take a closer look at Kittle in relation to his draft position for next year.

Week 14 Takeaways – A Closer Look 

Each week we’ll take a closer look at a handful of performances and sort out what such performances mean going forward.

Derrick Henry, RB – TEN: 17 carries, 238 yards, 4 TDs

Analysis: For those of you who made the playoffs with Derrick Henry on your roster and chose not to start him this past week, what were you thinking? Well, you likely looked at Henry’s performance this season (as an RB4) and saw that you’ve got plenty of better options at your disposal. And you were right in process, even if the result didn’t back that up. Coming into the game, Henry had a stat line of 128 carries for 474 yards, with a 3.7 YPC mark and 5 TDs. He’s also been zero help in the passing game. In other words, Henry has been terrible – so terrible that the majority of rosters on which he’s on likely did not make the playoffs because he kept them out of the playoffs. Next week, Henry returns to being who he is – an RB4. Don’t be fooled by one week’s results. And on a more macro level, always remember that process is what you should judge yourself on, not results. There are far too many variables that are out of your control when making fantasy football decisions, so the most you can do is make sound, logical decisions and let the chips fall where they may. Derrick Henry has been mediocre all season, sans this past week. Next week, he’ll resume mediocrity. If he sat on your bench, don’t beat yourself up over it – the fantasy gods work in weird ways sometimes.

Jeffrey Wilson, RB – SF: 23 carries, 90 yards, 0 TDs

Analysis: With Matt Breida injured, Jeff Wilson was the next man up for the 49ers. Wilson and the 49ers faced a middling Broncos run defense, and the rookie from North Texas had himself a nice little game. Unlike last week, Wilson didn’t have an impact in the passing game, but he does have receiving skills as well to go with his rushing prowess. Breida’s injury status remains up in the air, but as long as he’s out, Wilson can help you in your fantasy playoffs. He’s a high floor performer due to his ability to catch passes, and he’ll get plenty of volume as the primary ball carrier. Alfred Morris had two carries this past Sunday, and the rest of the RB carries went to Wilson. Consider Wilson an RB2 in larger leagues (12 plus teams) and a flex option in leagues with ten teams. The 49ers face the Seahawks next week – a team that gives up plenty of yards on the ground. Start Wilson with confidence if Breida remains out.

Tim Patrick, WR – DEN: 7 catches, 85 yards, 0 TDs 

Analysis: While the Broncos season hasn’t gone as desired by the team brass, it would be wrong to state that all has been for naught. The team’s rookie class has been down right fantastic, with a rookie of the year candidate at defensive end, two solid running backs (including an undrafted free agent who has been electric), a future starting wide receiver, a future starting tight end, among others. While Courtland Sutton profiles as a starting wide receiver for the team going forward, this week we’re taking a closer look at an undrafted free agent rookie who’s making a name for himself. With Emmanuel Sanders unfortunately tearing his ACL, Tim Patrick stepped up in Sanders’ absence and led the team in receptions and yards against the 49ers. Patrick also led the team in targets with 10, with fellow young WRs Sutton and DaeSean Hutton with 6 and 9 targets, respectively.  With this being the first game in which both Patrick and Hutton have received extensive playing time, it’s a bit hard to predict how targets will follow over these final few games. But, the Broncos face the Browns and the Raiders over the next two weeks, which are very good matchups for wide receivers. For those of you in deeper leagues (twelve plus teams) or which have multiple flex positions, both Patrick and Hutton are worth a look as deep flex plays. I would rank them in that order.

George Kittle, TE – SF: 7 catches, 210 yards, 1 TD                                                               

Analysis: George Kittle has been the brightest spot in an otherwise rough season for the 49ers. A popular fantasy sleeper in the pre-season, Kittle has absolutely exploded this season, with 1,100 receiving yards through thirteen games to go along with 4 TDs. Most impressive about Kittle’s performance, however, is that he’s accomplished this feat with three different starting QBs. Kittle has essentially become QB proof. This past Sunday against the Broncos, Kittle fell just five yards short of breaking the all-time yardage mark in a game for tight ends. You don’t need me to tell you that Kittle is very good. Instead, we’re going to consider his prospects for next year’s fantasy drafts. I’m going to go on record here and state that you should draft Kittle over Gronk next season. For me, Kittle will be a top 3 tight end, along with Travis Kelce and Zach Ertz. For those of you in keeper leagues or scouting for next season, plan accordingly with Kittle. 

Rapid Fire Pickups

Each week we throw out potential free agent pickups from each position for deeper leagues, in each case 1) someone who has NOT been featured above, and 2) a player available in most leagues.

QB: Lamar Jackson, BAL (juicy matchup with Tampa Bay)

RB: Damien Williams, KC (Spencer Ware may miss Thursday’s game)

RB: Ito Smith, ATL (quietly taking over carries from Tevin Coleman)

WR: Dante Pettis, SF

WR: Curtis Samuel, CAR

TE: Ian Thomas, CAR

Week 15 Rankings 

Quarterbacks:

1. Jared Goff, LAR                Phi
2. Drew Brees, NO               @Car
3. Ben Roethlisberger, Pit      NE
4. Russell Wilson, Sea          @SF
5. Andrew Luck, Ind             Dal
6. Deshaun Watson, Hou      @NYJ
7. Matt Ryan, Atl                  Ari
8. Cam Newton, Car             NO
9. Kirk Cousins, Min             Mia
10. Tom Brady, NE                 @Pit
11. Dak Prescott, Dal             @Ind
12. Aaron Rodgers, GB          @Chi
13. Baker Mayfield, Cle          @Den
14. Derek Carr, Oak               @Cin
15. Mitchell Trubisky, Chi       GB
16. Jameis Winston, TB         @Bal
17. Lamar Jackson, Bal          TB
18. Josh Allen, Buf                 Det
19. Marcus Mariota, Ten         @NYG
20. Nick Mullens, SF              Sea

Running Backs:

1. Todd Gurley, LAR              Phi
2. Ezekiel Elliott, Dal            @Ind
3. C. McCaffrey, Car             NO
4. Saquon Barkley, NYG       Ten
5. Alvin Kamara, NO            @Car
6. Nick Chubb, Cle               @Den
7. Leonard Fournette, Jax    Wsh
8. Joe Mixon, Cin                 Oak
9. David Johnson, Ari          @Atl
10. Phillip Lindsay, Den         Cle
11. Lamar Miller, Hou            @NYJ
12. Tarik Cohen, Chi              GB
13. Aaron Jones, GB             @Chi
14. Dalvin Cook, Min             Mia
15. Mark Ingram, NO            @Car
16. Sony Michel, NE              @Pit
17. Chris Carson, Sea           @SF
18. James White, NE             @Pit
19. Dion Lewis, Ten              @NYG
20. Gus Edwards, Bal            TB
21. Jaylen Samuels, Pit         NE
22. Jeff Wilson, SF                Sea
23. Kenyan Drake, Mia          @Min
24. Marlon Mack, Ind            Dal
25. Derrick Henry, Ten          @NYG
26. Jordan Howard, Chi         GB
27. Doug Martin, Oak            @Cin
28. Adrian Peterson, Wsh      @Jax
29. Ito Smith, Atl                  Ari
30. Tevin Coleman, Atl           Ari
31. Josh Adams, Phi              @LAR
32. Jalen Richard, Oak          @Cin
33. Peyton Barber, TB           @Bal
34. Kenneth Dixon, Bal         TB
35. Elijah McGuire, NYJ         Hou
36. Chris Thompson, Wsh     @Jax
37. Theo Riddick, Det           @Buf
38. Frank Gore, Mia              @Min
39. TJ Yeldon, Jax                 Wsh
40. Nyheim Hines, Ind          Dal

Wide Receivers:

1. Michael Thomas, NO        @Car
2. DeAndre Hopkins, Hou     @NYJ
3. Julio Jones, Atl                Ari
4. Antonio Brown, Pit           NE
5. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pit   NE
6. Davante Adams, GB         @Chi
7. Adam Thielen, Min           Mia
8. Odell Beckham Jr., NYG    Ten
9. Amari Cooper, Dal           @Ind
10. Stefon Diggs, Min            Mia
11. Robert Woods, LAR          Phi
12. T.Y. Hilton, Ind                 Dal
13. Brandin Cooks, LAR         Phi
14. Mike Evans, TB               @Bal
15. Julian Edelman, NE         @Pit
16. Tyler Boyd, Cin               Oak
17. Josh Gordon, NE             @Pit
18. Jarvis Landry, Cle            @Den
19. Tyler Lockett, Sea            @SF
20. DJ Moore, Car                 NO
21. Corey Davis, Ten             @NYG
22. Alshon Jeffery, Phi           @LAR
23. Chris Godwin, TB             @Bal
24. Dante Pettis, SF               Sea
25. Larry Fitzgerald, Ari         @Atl
26. Adam Humphries, TB       @Bal
27. Allen Robinson, Chi          GB
28. Curtis Samuel, Car          NO
29. Doug Baldwin, Sea          @SF
30. Golden Tate, Phi              @LAR
31. Courtland Sutton, Den     Cle
32. Jordy Nelson, Oak           @Cin
33. Josh Reynolds, LAR         Phi
34. Kenny Golladay, Det        @Buf
35. Tim Patrick, Den             Cle
36. Calvin Ridley, Atl            Ari
37. DaeSean Hamilton, Den  Cle
38. Sterling Shepard, NYG    Ten
39. D. Thomas, Hou             @NYJ
40. Kenny Stills, Mia            @Min

Tight End:

1. George Kittle, SF             Sea
2. Zach Ertz, Phi                  @LAR
3. Rob Gronkowski, NE         @Pit
4. Eric Ebron, Ind                Dal
5. Jared Cook, Oak              @Cin
6. Cameron Brate, TB          @Bal
7. Austin Hooper, Atl            Ari
8. Ian Thomas, Car              NO
9. David Njoku, Cle              @Den
10. Jimmy Graham, GB          @Chi
11. Evan Engram, NYG           Ten
12. Kyle Rudolph, Min            Mia
13. Vance McDonald, Pit         NE
14. Trey Burton, Chi              GB
15. C.J. Uzomah, Cin             Oak
16. Benjamin Watson, NO      @Car
17. Gerald Everett, LAR         Phi
18. Vernon Davis, Wsh          @Jax
19. Dallas Goedert, Phi          @LAR
20. Vernon Davis, Wsh           @Jax

Defense/Special Teams:

1. Houston Texans               @NYJ
2. Chicago Bears                  GB
3. Buffalo Bills                      Det
4. Jacksonville Jaguars         Wsh
5. Baltimore Ravens             TB
6. Minnesota Vikings            Mia
7. Los Angeles Rams            Phi
8. Seattle Seahawks            @SF
9. Tennessee Titans             @NYG
10. Washington Redskins       @Jax
11. Denver Broncos               Cle
12. Dallas Cowboys               @Ind
13. Detroit Lions                   @Buf
14. New Orleans Saints         @Car
15. Atlanta Falcons                Ari