Fantasy Football Week 14 Takeaways, Surprises & Disappointments (2023)

Ohio had an outstanding Week 14, and the vibes are good for the fantasy-relevant players on those clubs. It’s not all warm and fuzzy, though. Injuries are the worst, and two teams had critical injuries that will impact the fantasy football playoffs. Finally, it was more of the same for a pathetic offense.

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Fantasy Football Week 14 Takeaways

Surprises

Cincinnati’s Offense isn’t Cooked
Jake Browning has excelled in back-to-back contests. He completed 50 of 61 passes (82.0%) for 629 yards, three touchdowns and one interception since Week 13, and the Bengals scored precisely 34 points in each game. He also ran for 29 yards and two touchdowns.

Browning is an asset in superflex leagues and a potential streamer for gamers scrambling for a replacement for an injured starting quarterback — more on that to come. Additionally, while Ja’Marr Chase had a down game, Tee Higgins‘s two receptions for 72 scoreless yards weren’t massive numbers, and Joe Mixon ceded some work to explosive rookie Chase Brown, a must-add bench stash in leagues of all sizes, Cinci’s top-three skill-position players are viable fantasy options.

The Quarterback Carousel Has Stopped in Cleveland
The Browns have stumbled into a competent quarterback. Deshaun Watson was dreadful, P.J. Walker stunk, and Dorian Thompson-Robinson was overwhelmed, but 38-year-old Joe Flacco has added stability to the position. After Sunday’s victory, head coach Kevin Stefanski named Flacco the starter for the rest of the season.

Flacco’s ability to move the ball through the air is superb for Amari Cooper‘s and David Njoku‘s fantasy value. Flacco can even push Elijah Moore into the flex mix in deeper formats for desperate gamers. The following table has Pro Football Focus’s (PFF’s) data from Flacco’s two starts.

Disappointments

The Chargers Have Found a New Rock Bottom
The Chargers have the dubious distinction of appearing in this section in consecutive weeks. Unfortunately, Justin Herbert was knocked out of Sunday's game with a fractured finger on his throwing hand. The Chargers are 5-8 and don't have any incentive to rush their franchise quarterback back. Additionally, the choice is out of their hands if Herbert can't grip and throw the football.

Herbert's absence would knock Keenan Allen into volume-driven WR3 territory in point-per-reception (PPR) and half-PPR scoring formats. Austin Ekeler is the only other useful fantasy option, and he's in the low-end RB2 range.

Fortunately, Ekeler still had the lion's share of the backfield's opportunities, even with NFL Network's Ian Rapoport indicating Joshua Kelley and Isaiah Spiller could steal work.

From @NFLGameDay: The #Chiefs won't have RB Isiah Pacheco (shoulder), so Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Jerick McKinnon will split carries; Meanwhile, the #Chargers will have Austin Ekeler starting, but he's one of three RBs to be active. They'll ride the hot hand. pic.twitter.com/kxpwRoq5zS

- Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 10, 2023

According to PFF, Ekeler was on the field for 49 snaps, ran 33 routes, had seven targets and carried the ball 10 times versus 12, five, zero and six for Spiller and seven, two, zero and three for Kelley. The Chargers have a quick turnaround, playing on Thursday night in Week 15. Could the Chargers take more work off Ekeler's plate in a lost season on a short week? Maybe. Ekeler's not a must-start player on teams with depth at running back.

Houston, We Have a Problem
Tank Dell suffered a season-ending injury in Week 13, and things have snowballed since he was hurt. First, Dalton Schultz was a limited practice participant last Wednesday, was downgraded to a non-participant on Thursday and was out for the second consecutive game with a hamstring injury.

Second, Nico Collins left Sunday's game early with a calf injury. He previously missed a game with a calf injury, and it's unclear how severe the injury is this time.

Finally, C.J. Stroud is in the NFL's concussion protocol. Stroud probably shouldn't be started in 12-team non-superflex leagues or shallower if Collins can't suit up. Yet, if Davis Mills starts and Collins can play in Week 15, the big-play wideout isn't a slam-dunk fantasy starter.

Miscellaneous Note

The Panthers are On Futility Watch
The Panthers are pathetic. They've scored 18 points or fewer in seven straight games and had 13 or fewer in six of those games. Additionally, Bryce Young has taken at least three sacks in eight consecutive games, getting sacked at least four times in seven of those contests.

The No. 1 overall pick in this year's NFL Draft hasn't exceeded 200 passing yards in six straight games, and he's completed under 50% of his passes in the past two weeks. The Panthers have the Falcons, Packers and Jaguars on the docket in the last three weeks of the fantasy football season, and each of those defenses is a top-shelf streaming option against Carolina.

Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.