NFL Week 14 will feature 30 teams in action, with only Arizona and Washington on Bye. After Week 14, Byes are over, as the playoff hunt heats up over the final month of the regular season. Fantasy football playoffs are underway beginning in Week 15, so maximizing points in fantasy lineups during Week 14 and beyond is imperative to winning a fantasy football championship. In this article, we rank the top performing offensive and defensive line units, while highlighting key matchups to target or fade from a fantasy football context.
Week 13 had six teams on Bye, so there were fewer players available to insert into fantasy lineups, forcing fantasy managers to pivot off of their main players to other fill-in prospects. There were some solid performances in Week 13, with D.K. Metcalf (WR – Seahawks) and Deebo Samuel (WR – 49ers) finishing with over 30 fantasy points each to wind up as the overall WR1 and WR2. Metcalf’s matchup against Dallas wasn’t good on paper, but the Seahawks’ offensive line was the healthiest it’s been all year, giving Geno Smith (QB – Seahawks) enough time to make accurate, downfield throws from the pocket, leading to an overall QB1 finish.
Tyreek Hill (WR – Dolphins) predictably torched Washington’s secondary for over 157 yards and two touchdowns, while Nico Collins absorbed more volume due to Tank Dell’s (WR – Texans) season-ending injury, going off for 9-191-1 in a big win over Denver. Despite playing with a backup quarterback and a pedestrian offensive line unit, Joe Mixon (RB – Bengals) wound up finishing as the overall RB1 in Week 13, scoring two rushing touchdowns and hauling in six receptions for an additional 49 receiving yards. Isiah Pacheco (RB – Chiefs) exploited Green Bay’s porous run defense behind a good run-blocking offensive line unit, finishing with a pair of rushing touchdowns and over 100 rushing yards in a losing effort to the Packers.
NFL fantasy analyst Matt MacKay is back to share his latest offensive and defensive line rankings, covering key matchups ahead in Week 14 that could prove pivotal in how fantasy skilled players perform in lineups during the final week of the regular fantasy football season. Let’s dive into the top-five offensive line rankings and key matchups to watch out for in Week 14, followed by defensive line rankings and key matchups to pay attention to during a jam-packed Week 14 slate.
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Offensive Line Rankings & Matchups
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Detroit Lions
3. Dallas Cowboys
4. Buffalo Bills
5. Los Angeles Rams
Key Week 14 Matchups
New York Jets vs. Houston Texans
The Jets’ season is in a full nose dive after what appeared to be a promising 2023 campaign with the acquisition of Aaron Rodgers (QB – Jets). Zach Wilson’s (QB – Jets) subpar play led to his benching yet again, while Tim Boyle (QB – Jets) filled in terribly, leading to New York cutting him from the roster a few days ago. It doesn’t help when most of the offensive line starters are injured, creating constant pressure in the Jets’ backfield.
Houston’s pass defense is solid and their defensive pressure rate ranks sixth-best at 24.9 percent. The Texans are also top-five in hurry percentage and top-ten in quarterback knockdown percentage. It’ll be a long day for Trevor Siemian (QB – Jets) under center, downgrading both Garrett Wilson (WR – Jets) and Breece Hall (RB – Jets) into fringe WR3 and RB3 value in Week 14.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Atlanta Falcons
Tampa Bay’s offensive line has helped Baker Mayfield (QB – Buccaneers) utilize his mobility to extend plays inside and outside of the pocket, but they will get a big test within the NFC South division on the road against the Falcons in Week 14. Atlanta’s inside the top-ten for pressure rate, quarterback knock down percentage, and hurry percentage. During their first meeting in Tampa Bay, Atlanta won 16-13, allowing only 73 total rushing yards.
Rachaad White (RB – Buccaneers) is the biggest downgrade, although his pass-catching role keeps him in low-end RB2 value in Week 14. Mike Evans (WR – Buccaneers) remains a must-start, as he logged 17.2 fantasy points in their first matchup, scoring the Buccaneers’ only touchdown, but if Mayfield is pressured in the pocket as frequently as expected, Evans may cool off. Calais Campbell (DT – Falcons) and the rest of Atlanta’s defensive line have been wrecking havoc in opposing backfields all season, so temper expectations for Tampa Bay skilled players during Week 14.
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Buffalo Bills
The Chiefs’ offensive line performed well establishing the run against a bad Packers run defense, but they get a bigger test against the Bills’ defensive line, which is quietly ranked top-five in pressure percentage and quarterback knockdown rate. Buffalo has studs like Greg Rousseau (DE – Bills), Ed Oliver (DT – Bills), and Jordan Phillips (DT – Bills) up front, while Leonard Floyd (LB/EDGE – Bills) creates matchup problems off the edge.
The Chiefs’ offense has looked stale in the passing attack, despite a healthy Patrick Mahomes (QB – Chiefs), so expect a run-centric game plan like we saw against Green Bay last week. This upgrades Isiah Pacheco into fringe RB1 value, as the Bills defense has allowed two opponents to surpass 120 rushing yards in two of their past three games played. Mahomes’ mobility as a ball carrier could raise his floor in this highly anticipated AFC matchup in Week 14, but due to Buffalo’s stingy pass defense, holding three consecutive teams under 200 passing yards, Rashee Rice (WR – Chiefs) and Travis Kelce (TE – Chiefs) are bumped down a notch, but still qualified to start in fantasy lineups.
Defensive Line Rankings & Matchups
1. Dallas Cowboys
2. Cleveland Browns
3. Miami Dolphins
4. Kansas City Chiefs
5. Philadelphia Eagles
Key Week 14 Matchups
Green Bay Packers vs. New York Giants
Green Bay’s defensive line doesn’t get talked about nearly enough for how good they’ve played thus far. The Packers are top-12 in all three relevant pressure metrics, ranging from pressure percentage, to quarterback knock down rate, as well as hurry percentage. The Giants’ offensive line remains in shambles due to injuries and poor performance. They are going to continue starting Tommy DeVito (QB – Giants), leaving only Saquon Barkley (RB – Giants) as a relevant fantasy asset in Week 14.
Barkley’s outlook is favorable, as Green Bay’s defense has surrendered over 140 total rushing yards in four consecutive contests. Darren Waller (TE – Giants) can be deployed, cautiously, if cleared to return, but the Packers’ pass defense is much more air tight than its run defense. Green Bay should have no issues ravaging a porous New York offensive line unit despite a road trip in prime time on Monday Night Football.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys
Another highly anticipated matchup awaits in Week 14, with Philadelphia traveling to Dallas during Sunday Night Football. The Eagles bested the Cowboys back in Week 9, holding the Dallas rushing attack to 73 total yards. The Eagles’ struggles against the pass are well-documented and Dak Prescott (QB – Cowboys) is on fire right now, sitting atop the NFL MVP odds, as he accounted for over 330 passing yards during the Cowboys’ 28-23 road loss a few weeks ago.
Tony Pollard has been scoring rushing touchdowns each week since Week 11 against Carolina, but he’ll likely regress against a defensive line that plugs opposing running backs at the line of scrimmage. Expect Dallas to continue its aerial assault with CeeDee Lamb (WR – Cowboys), Brandin Cooks (WR – Cowboys), and Jake Ferguson (TE – Cowboys) all getting bumped up in a favorable matchup against the Eagles’ porous secondary. Prescott remains a top-five quarterback option, with the main downgrades due to the Eagles’ defensive line talent impacting Pollard, Rico Dowdle (RB – Cowboys), and Prescott’s potential upside as a ball carrier.
Miami Dolphins vs. Tennessee Titans
Miami lands another plus-matchup in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans. Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa (QB – Dolphins) are both firmly in the MVP odds after dismantling Washington 45-15 in Week 13. The Dolphins’ defensive line is an underrated unit though, as DC Vic Fangio has Miami rounding into form across their last few games played. Miami held opponents under 100 total rushing yards in five straight games before allowing Washington to go over this mark last week, but it’s secondary with Jalen Ramsey (CB – Dolphins) is even more impressive.
The Dolphins’ pass defense has held four of its past five opponents under 200 passing yards, holding teams to 21 or fewer points since Week 8. Obviously, this does not bode well for DeAndre Hopkins (WR – Titans) and Will Levis (QB – Titans). Derrick Henry (RB – Titans), who has been on a tear with four rushing touchdowns during the last two weeks, gets a sizable downgrade against the stout defensive line Miami rosters, featuring Christian Wilkins (DT – Dolphins), Andrew Van Ginkel (EDGE/LB – Dolphins) off the edge, and Raekwon Davis (NT – Dolphins), a former second-round pick out of Alabama.
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Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.
