Start em or sit em? Fantasy football start or sit decisions can be excruciating. While it feels great to make the right call and cruise to fantasy glory, it hurts just as much when you have someone erupt while on your bench. You can use our Who Should I Start? tool to gauge advice from fantasy football experts as you make your lineup decisions. And you can also sync your fantasy football league for free using our My Playbook tool for custom advice, rankings and analysis.
Let’s take a look at a few polarizing players and what fantasy football expert Derek Brown advises. And you can find all of DBro’s fantasy football outlook in this week’s fantasy football primer.
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Fantasy Football Start’em, Sit’em Lineup Advice
Start’em
Baker Mayfield has seen a dip in his production in recent weeks. Overall, he is the QB16 in fantasy points per game. Since Week 7, he has finished as the QB7 in weekly scoring twice and as the QB18 or lower four times. Since Week 7, among 35 qualifying passers, he ranks 33rd in yards per attempt, 34th in CPOE, 19th in highly accurate throw rate, and 25th in catchable target rate. Mayfield could be a QB1 this week as the Saints’ pass defense has been abysmal. Since Week 9, they have allowed the 12th-most yards per attempt, the 12th-highest passer rating and success rate per dropback, and the third-highest CPOE.
Jacoby Brissett has been a QB1 in EVERY START he has made in 2025. I know it’s crazy, but it’s absolutely true. Since Week 6, Brissett has been the QB4 in fantasy points per game. During that span, he has ranked first in passing yards per game, fifth in passing touchdowns (tied), 14th in highly accurate throw rate, and 28th in hero throw rate. This week, he’ll have a tough test. Since Week 9, the Rams have ranked 18th in success rate per dropback while also holding passing offenses to the 13th-fewest yards per attempt, the 14th-lowest CPOE, and forcing the most interceptions. Brissett has displayed the ability to overcome tough matchups, so I won’t shy away from him this week.
Jordan Love is coming off his fourth QB1 outing of the season. Last week, he finished with 234 passing yards and four passing scores as the QB2 for the week against Detroit. Overall, Love is the QB17 in fantasy points per game. Among 42 qualifying passers, Love ranks seventh in yards per attempt, seventh in passing touchdowns (tied), 12th in catchable target rate, and fifth in hero throw rate. Last week, Chicago got Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson back, but I still view this as a middle-of-the-road pass defense at best. Since Week 9, Chicago has allowed the 14th-highest yards per attempt, the seventh-most passing yards per game, and the ninth-highest CPOE. Love could be a QB1 again this week.
Since Week 7, Sam Darnold has fallen off some. He has been a QB1 twice in weekly scoring but QB24 or lower in four other games. Since Week 7, among 42 qualifying passers, he has ranked third in yards per attempt, fourth in hero throw rate, and third in highly accurate throw rate, but he has also been 29th in catchable target rate and 23rd in fantasy points per dropback. This could be the Darnold bounce-back spot. The Falcons’ pass defense has had serious issues in recent weeks. Since Week 9, they have allowed the third-most passing yards per game, the ninth-most yards per attempt, the sixth-highest CPOE, and the 13th-highest success rate per dropback.
Last week, Tyrod Taylor managed his second QB1 performance of the season as the QB7 for the week. In his three starts this season, he has averaged seven rushing attempts and 36 rushing yards (one rushing touchdown). Among 47 qualifying passers, he ranks fifth in CPOE, 19th in highly accurate throw rate, and 20th in catchable target rate. Taylor should be able to exploit a Miami pass defense that, since Week 9, has allowed the 12th-most yards per attempt, the second-highest passer rating, the fourth-highest CPOE, and the 12th-most passing yards per game.
Tyler Shough has finished as the QB12 in weekly scoring in two of his last three games. Since Week 10, among 35 qualifying passers, Shough has ranked 14th in yards per attempt, second in CPOE, 22nd in highly accurate throw rate, 14th in catchable target rate, and 18th in hero throw rate. He has been showing some growth. He could flirt with QB1 production again this week. Since Week 9, the Bucs’ pass defense has been pitiful, giving up the most passing yards per game, the second-most yards per attempt, the second-most passing touchdowns (tied), and the second-highest success rate per dropback.
Since Week 8, C.J. Stroud has continued to play at a middling starter level. Since Week 8, among 46 qualifying passers, Stroud ranks sixth in yards per attempt but 34th in highly accurate throw rate, 29th in catchable target rate, and 33rd in hero throw rate. He could have a nice spike week in Week 14, though. The Chiefs’ pass defense has been struggling. Since Week 9, they have allowed the sixth-highest yards per attempt, the fifth-most passing yards per game, the fourth-highest success rate per dropback, and they have generated the 13th-lowest pressure rate. Stroud is a QB2 that could turn in QB1 numbers this week.
Deep Plays to Consider
Daniel Jones has fallen off a ton in recent weeks. Jones is dealing with a fractured fibula, and with his one rushing yard last week, we should consider any rushing upside off the table (for possibly the rest of the season). Since Week 9, Jones has been the QB16 in fantasy points per game, ranking 14th in yards per attempt, 18th in catchable target rate, and 18th in hero throw rate. He faces a Jacksonville pass defense that has been feasting on bad quarterback play. Since Week 9, they have allowed the fourth-lowest yards per attempt, the 12th-lowest CPOE, and the 11th-lowest success rate per dropback, but in that span they faced Geno Smith, Davis Mills, and Cam Ward among others. This is best viewed as an average matchup for Jones, but expecting more than QB2 production from Jones right now is asking too much.
Bo Nix might be the QB11 in fantasy points per game, but he has been extremely volatile this season and hasn’t been a QB1 in weekly scoring since Week 8. Among 47 qualifying passers, he ranks 33rd in yards per attempt, 31st in CPOE, 28th in highly accurate throw rate, and 39th in catchable target rate. He struggled against this pass defense in Week 10 with only 150 passing yards, one passing touchdown, and 5.4 yards per attempt as the QB25 for the week. We’ll see if he can fare better the second time around, but Nix should be viewed as a QB2 this week. Since Week 9, the Raiders have allowed the 11th-most yards per attempt, the eighth-highest CPOE, and ranked 15th in passer rating.
Since Week 9, Trevor Lawrence has been the QB12 in fantasy points per game with QB1 outings in four of his last five games. Since Week 9, among 38 qualifying passers, Lawrence ranks 19th in passing yards per game, 11th in yards per attempt, 13th in highly accurate throw rate, tenth in catchable target rate, and 15th in hero throw rate. Since Week 9, Indy has ranked 16th in yards per attempt and success rate per dropback while allowing the 11th-lowest CPOE and passer rating. This should be considered an average matchup for Lawrence with Sauce Gardner out. Lawrence could be a low-end QB1 again this week.
In his two starts, Shedeur Sanders has finished as the QB18 and QB24 in weekly scoring. Since Week 12, among 36 qualifying passers, Sanders ranks sixth in yards per attempt, 23rd in highly accurate throw rate, 25th in hero throw rate, and eighth in deep ball rate. His aggressiveness downfield could work to his advantage in Week 14. The Titans have been a horrible pass defense, but they have also been giving up downfield production. Since Week 9, they have allowed the ninth-most passing yards per game, the third-highest yards per attempt, and the sixth-highest success rate per dropback. During that same timeframe, Tennessee has allowed the third-highest deep ball completion rate, the second-most deep passing yards per game, and the third-highest deep passer rating. Sanders could flirt with QB1 production if he hits a few explosives in the passing game this week.
If there was ever a week for JJ McCarthy to flash the upside and potential that I think he still has, this is it. Can he do it? We shall see. It’s a definite leap of faith when the product on the field to this point has been worrisome. In his six starts, McCarthy has only one QB1 finish. Among 47 qualifying passers, he is 43rd in yards per attempt, 45th in highly accurate throw rate, 46th in catchable target rate, and second in hero throw rate. The Commanders’ pass defense looked improved last week, but I still don’t think this is a good pass defense. Since Week 9, they have allowed the second-most passing yards per game, the most yards per attempt, the highest CPOE, and have ranked dead last in pressure rate.
Concerning Starts
In his first game back, Burrow finished as the QB11 for the week. The high-end moments were there as Burrow had an 8.7% hero throw rate, while he also had spots where the rust was evident. Burrow also had only a 56.5% highly accurate throw rate and a 67.4% catchable target rate. Burrow will round back into form with more snaps in the coming weeks. This week will be a good litmus test. The Bills’ pass defense has been one of the best in the league for the last few weeks. Since Week 9, Buffalo has allowed the eighth-fewest yards per attempt, the second-lowest passer rating, the tenth-fewest passing touchdowns (tied), and the second-lowest CPOE. Burrow could still be a QB1 this week, but he’ll need to raise the bar of his play-to-play consistency quickly.
Lamar Jackson isn’t playing good football. There, I said it. He is the QB14 in fantasy points per game this season. The last time that he cleared 40 rushing yards in a game was Week 4 against the Chiefs, and he’s done it only twice this season. After his four passing touchdown performance against the Dolphins in Week 9, Jackson has had only one passing touchdown. Across his last four games, he has finished as the QB15, QB29, QB25, and QB27 in weekly scoring. Since Week 10, among 35 qualifying passers, he ranks 16th in yards per attempt, 35th in highly accurate throw rate, and 29th in catchable target rate. It has been horrible. There’s no way around that, and if Jackson can’t supplement his struggling passing production with rushing equity, it’s tough to trust him in fantasy. Now, as I write this, watch Jackson go out and have a massive bounce-back game against a struggling defense in a divisional game and spike everything I just said in my face. That’s the risk of benching Jackson this week, but we can also say that he hasn’t played well over the last four games. Since Week 9, Pittsburgh’s pass defense has picked up the slack, allowing the seventh-fewest yards per attempt, the ninth-lowest passer rating, the fourth-lowest CPOE, and the eighth-lowest success rate per dropback.
Sit’em
Caleb Williams continues to beat up on bad defenses and struggle against good ones. He has finished as the QB20 or lower in weekly scoring in six games this season. Among 42 qualifying passers, he ranks 22nd in yards per attempt, 34th in highly accurate throw rate, 39th in catchable target rate, and 28th in hero throw rate. Williams looks like he’s headed for another “down” week. Since Week 9, Green Bay has allowed the second-fewest passing yards per game, the second-fewest passing touchdowns (tied), the eighth-lowest passer rating, and the 14th-lowest success rate per dropback.
Tua Tagovailoa has been a middling QB2 for most of the season, with the upside for a low-end QB1 performance if everything breaks right. I don’t think things will move in his favor for him to return to top 12 status this week. Among 47 qualifying passers, Tagovailoa ranks 25th in yards per attempt, 15th in highly accurate throw rate, and 21st in catchable target rate and hero throw rate. Since Week 9, the Jets have been an average to above-average pass defense, depending on the week. During that span, they have ranked 19th in yards per attempt while holding offenses to the 13th-lowest adjusted completion rate and the sixth-fewest passing touchdowns (tied). Tagovailoa likely logs another mid-to-low-end QB2 performance in Week 14.
Aaron Rodgers is the QB24 in fantasy points per game, and now he’s severely limited with a wrist injury. Rodgers hasn’t finished as a QB1 since Week 7 against Cincy. He hasn’t managed more than 205 passing yards or multiple passing touchdowns since Week 8. There’s no way I’m playing Rodgers this week. Since Week 9, Baltimore has allowed the fifth-fewest yards per attempt, the lowest passer rating, the lowest CPOE, and the third-lowest success rate per dropback.
Cam Ward is a sit this week. He has one game this season where he has finished higher than QB17 for the week. He hasn’t passed for more than 265 yards in any game this season, and he has zero games with multiple passing touchdowns. Since Week 9, Cleveland has allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards per game, the tenth-lowest yards per attempt, the sixth-lowest passer rating, and the lowest success rate per dropback.
Kirk Cousins doesn’t have a QB1 finish in weekly scoring this season. His best effort was against the Saints as QB14. He hasn’t surpassed 240 passing yards in any game, and only once has he thrown for multiple touchdowns. I have zero interest in playing him this week against one of the best pass defenses in the NFL. Since Week 9, Seattle has held passers to the fifth-fewest passing yards per game, the lowest yards per attempt, the fourth-lowest passer rating, and the third-lowest CPOE.
The last time Geno Smith faced this pass defense, he was the QB27 for the week with 143 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and 5.5 yards per attempt. I don’t see Smith faring much better this time around. I have zero interest in starting him in fantasy in Week 14. Since Week 9, Denver has allowed the third-fewest yards per attempt, the fifth-lowest passer rating, the ninth-lowest CPOE, and the second-lowest success rate per dropback.
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