Fantasy Football Week 14 Start/Sit Advice: Sleepers & Duds (2025)

Week 14 is here, which means fantasy football managers everywhere are doing the same delicate dance: Pretending they’re calm while frantically refreshing injury reports and wondering why their most reliable starter suddenly turned into a decorative bench piece. With the fantasy playoffs looming, every lineup decision feels like it should come with its own dramatic score and slow-motion montage.

Fortunately, you don’t have to navigate the chaos alone. Our Featured Pros have once again sorted through the matchup quirks, usage trends, and late-season weirdness to highlight the Sleepers who can save your week… and the Duds who might quietly derail it. Let’s dive into who deserves a spot in your lineup and who’s better left on the fantasy equivalent of airplane mode.

Fantasy Football Week 14 Start/Sit Advice

Sleepers

Which player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros Flex rankings is a good sleeper start, and why do you think he has upside this week?

Pat Bryant (WR – DEN)

“Pat Bryant is starting to carve out a larger role in this offense and is becoming a name to monitor, and in deeper formats, he is flex-worthy this week. Since Week 10, he has averaged five targets and a team-leading 55.7 receiving yards per game while ranking second on the team in yards per route run at 2.04. The matchup also works in his favor, with the Raiders allowing the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts. Recent slot-heavy receivers have produced well against Vegas, with Keenan Allen, Luke McCaffrey, and Parker Washington all scoring at least 13 half-PPR points while playing 40 percent or more of their snaps inside. Bryant has lined up in the slot on 57.7 percent of his routes, giving him a similar usage profile. If you need a deeper flex play with a legitimate path to volume, Bryant is quietly one of the best sleeper bets on the board this week.”
– Kyle Zeigler (Fantasy In Frames)

“Pat Bryant had a season-high seven targets last week, catching three passes for 42 yards. He has been getting more looks in recent weeks and has formed a good rapport with Bo Nix. Bryant has had 13 targets in his last two games. He could have a good showing this week against the Raiders, a team that struggles to stop the pass. Las Vegas allows the third most fantasy points to receivers. Bryant had a 43-yard reception against the Raiders in Week 10, so maybe he can build on that this week.”
– Jeff Paur (RTSports)

“Pat Bryant is a strong sleeper start this week after posting 40 yards in four of his last five games. His role has quietly expanded all season, and he’s now out-snapping and out-targeting Troy Franklin while leading the Broncos in yards per route run since Week 6. After the bye, his usage jumped again, signaling a rookie trending toward a more stable and trusted role in the offense. This week, he draws a Raiders defense that has allowed the 7th-most perimeter points to receivers, perfectly aligning with Bryant’s expanding perimeter role. With his efficiency, rising snap counts, and a favorable matchup, Bryant has real upside to surprise in Week 14.”
– Ryan Linkletter (Blitz Sports Media)

“Broncos rookie Pat Bryant played 12 more snaps than Troy Franklin last week and finished with three catches for 42 yards on seven targets against the Commanders. He has a friendly Week 14 matchup against the Raiders, who are giving up the seventh-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers. Bryant could be a sneaky-good flex play this week.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

“Pat Bryant posted a season-high 77% route rate on Sunday night. He also led Broncos WRs in targets (7). While his Week 13 production underwhelmed – 3 catches, 42 yards – the post-bye rookie bump could continue this week against a thin Raiders secondary.”
– Kevin English (Draft Sharks)

T.J. Hockenson (TE – MIN)

“I understand why people want to steer clear of the Minnesota Vikings, but I think there could be some sneaky value in T.J. Hockenson. In the last three weeks, he’s hauled in 13 of 16 targets for 117 yards. I get there is little room for optimism in this passing attack, but it seems clear that no matter who the quarterback is or how much they’re struggling, Hockenson is a safety blanket that has a decent floor even with a limited ceiling.”
– Trevor Land (FlurrySports)

Darren Waller (TE – MIA)

“The player outside of the top 100 in the FantasyPros flex rankings that is a good sleeper start for Week 14 is Darren Waller. He returned last week from an extended injury with 2 receptions and 47 receiving yards. He should be ramping up and has a great matchup this week against the New York Jets. Back in Week 4, Waller had two receiving touchdowns against the Jets. He also has favorable matchups in the first two rounds of your fantasy football playoffs in Weeks 15 and 16.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)

“Darren Waller. The Dolphins TE led the team in receiving yards (47) on two catches and three targets (1 RZ target and 23% of the air yards). He ran a route on 63% of the dropbacks – typical of a player coming off IR. Should ramp up similar to how we saw him start the season. In the first matchup versus the Jets earlier this season, he scored twice (finished as TE2 overall on the week). NY ranks 31st in DVOA vs TEs this season (Bengals are 31st). Coach Mike McDaniel also said they were conservative with him in his first game back.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

Rashid Shaheed (WR – NO)

“While there’s no denying this is a dart-throw choice, I’m backing Seattle’s Rashid Shaheed. The 27-year-old has been a relative non-factor since arriving in the Pacific Northwest, collecting just four receptions over four contests. But this week’s matchup against the Atlanta Falcons should provide plenty of opportunities downfield. The Falcons have allowed three receivers to go for 15+ over the last three weeks, giving Shaheed his opportunity to make an impact on his new team.”
– Matt De Lima (Athlon Sports)

Isaiah Likely (TE – BAL)

“It’s that time of year when you might have to reach outside the Top 100 to fill a roster spot. If your TE is on the bye or injured, you might want to look the way of Isaiah Likely. Lamar isn’t using his legs much since coming back, and Likely has yet to find the end zone. At home against the rival Steelers is the perfect place to change that. If he’s not available, Evan Engram has also seen an uptick in targets last week.”
– Steve Anagnos (Double G Sports)

Keon Coleman (WR – BUF)

“To say that Keon Coleman has been a disappointment would be an understatement. Coleman came into the league with expectations, or rather hope, that he would become Josh Allen‘s big target. That hasn’t really happened. Then, he was held out for disciplinary reasons for two weeks. He returned against Pittsburgh and scored a nice touchdown in the first game. His other numbers weren’t great, but at this point in the season, the waiver wire is thin; he is worth a start if in dire straits because Allen could target his big receiver in the endzone.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)

Tyler Allgeier (RB – ATL)

“Don’t let the ‘handcuff’ label fool you; Tyler Allgeier is a solid Flex play this week who co-exists with Bijan Robinson and is Atlanta’s preferred battering ram in the money zone, receiving 59% of the team’s carries inside the 5-yard line. Facing a Seattle defense that is tough to break down, Allgeier’s upside isn’t about yardage volume, but his high-risk high-reward role inside the 10-yard line, giving him a massive and reliable ceiling on what could be an otherwise ugly day on the ground.”
– Luke Renton (The Franchise Tag UK)

“While this is not the week to really go super off the reservation with who to start, Tyler Allgeier could make the cut as an intriguing play. Atlanta pounded the rock last week versus the Jets, with both Allgeier and Bijan Robinson gathering 31 carries between the two. What makes Allgeier intriguing is his potential to gain goal-to-go touches, which he did last week, leading to a score. Consider Allgeier a TD-dependent deep league flex play in Week 14.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

Mason Taylor (TE – NYJ)

“The Dolphins are one of the worst defenses in the NFL against the TE position, and over the last couple of weeks, Tyrod Taylor has finally provided some consistency to the Jets’ passing game. With limited weapons in New York, Mason Taylor will have a lot of target upside this week vs. Miami.”
– Aidan Weingartner (Fantasy In Frames)

Aaron Jones Sr. (RB – MIN)

“Aaron Jones Sr., Minnesota Vikings — The list of options outside the Top 80 of our Flex rankings is actually fairly strong this week. A few “Sleepers” who fall just barely inside the Top 100 that are possibly available on your waiver wire are Devaughn Vele, John Metchie III, Dontayvion Wicks, and Zach Ertz. However, our exercise dictates that we pick outside the Top 100 rankings, where there is also a reasonable share of recognizable players with name value and Brand ID this week. Players like Isiah Pacheco, Marvin Harrison Jr., and the explosive Omarion Hampton (if they suit up this week), Rashid Shaheed, and my choice for sleeper of the week, Aaron Jones Sr. Jones is on the back nine of a sneaky impressive career, but he still has some juice. He is still a three-down running back. He still contributes in both the rushing and passing game, and he faces a Washington Commanders defense that is fourth-worst in points allowed to running backs. Three things I look at strongly when trying to find a sleeper: Opportunities, explosive ability, and an easy matchup. Jones has nine rushing attempts or more in four of his last five games and four targets or more in the passing game in his last four games, as well as 55 total yards from scrimmage or more in four of his last five games. Jones wouldn’t be ranked outside the Top 100 if he’d just scored a few touchdowns along the way. Red zone touches are fickle and fleeting, but the ingredients are there for a Top 10 RB day from a player without a top 100 overall ranking. Jones is your guy in Week 14.”
– Chris Mitchell (FantasyData)

Duds

Which player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros Flex rankings is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week?

Emeka Egbuka (WR – TB)

“The targets are there, but at some point, we have to call out the lack of production from wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. While not everything falls on his shoulders, he has just 18 catches on 38 targets over the last four weeks and has been held under 45 yards and without a touchdown each of the last three weeks. This week, he faces a New Orleans Saints defense that held him to three receptions for 35 yards in Week 8. With just one touchdown and one 100+ yard performance over the last seven games, it may be time to sound the alarm on Egbuka’s production.”
– Trevor Land (FlurrySports)

Zay Flowers (WR – BAL)

“The player inside the top 40 in the FantasyPros flex rankings that is likely to disappoint fantasy managers this week is Zay Flowers. Flowers has only received 8% of his team’s red zone opportunities this season, and his red zone conversion rate is poor. Zay Flowers has not finished as a top 20 wide receiver since week 1 of this season. And his quarterback, Lamar Jackson, has not thrown a touchdown pass in any of his past 3 games. He has a tough matchup this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers.”
– Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire)

Ladd McConkey (WR – LAC)

“The matchup for Chargers’ wideout Ladd McConkey is doing him no favors in Week 14, when L.A. will host the Philadelphia Eagles. Only two receivers have scored double-digits in half-PPR against Philly since Week 8 (Jameson Williams & George Pickens). McConkey has failed to eclipse 40 receiving yards in each of his last two games and hasn’t earned more than six targets in a game since October.”
– Matt De Lima (Athlon Sports)

“Ladd McConkey is tough to bench, but the Philly matchup certainly doesn’t look favorable. The Eagles have allowed only 6 WR scores all year, with just 3 going to primary slot targets. The Chargers might also look to lean run in this one, with Justin Herbert either playing hurt or riding the bench in favor of Trey Lance.”
– Kevin English (Draft Sharks)

RJ Harvey (RB – DEN)

“The player inside the top 40 likely to disappoint is RJ Harvey. Dobbins’ injury has hurt the Denver run game so badly that Bo Nix threw the ball 45 times… against the Commanders. Harvey has been as touchdown dependent as it gets, and that’s a big dice roll for top 40 expectations.”
– Steve Anagnos (Double G Sports)

Ashton Jeanty (RB – LV)

“Ashton Jeanty has been productive on the ground and in the air, closing in on 1,000 scrimmage yards with eight total touchdowns. However, Week 14 presents a tough matchup against the Denver Broncos, who allow the fifth-fewest rushing yards and the fifth-fewest fantasy points to running backs. Jeanty has also had his share of quiet games, failing to combine for 70 rushing and receiving yards seven times this season. The last time these teams met in Week 10, he didn’t hit that mark but did find the end zone. Without a touchdown, Jeanty has limited upside, making him extremely touchdown-dependent in this matchup. Managers should temper expectations, as volume alone may not be enough to deliver a strong fantasy day.”
– Kyle Zeigler (Fantasy In Frames)

“Ashton Jeanty is a player that owners drafted early and often before the season. What we forgot in our excitement is that he plays for the Raiders. This hasn’t been the year that owners wanted, but he is still being ranked fairly high (No. 29 half-PPR/RB16). This poses a bigger problem for the Raiders, who play the Denver Broncos’ amazing defense in Week 14. If owners’ playoff dreams are based on a big Jeanty performance, they will be pretty disappointed and watching the playoffs.”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)

“Ashton Jeanty vs. the Denver Broncos. The Broncos are arguably the best defense in the entire NFL, and the Raiders are one of the NFL’s worst offenses as a whole. So that’s a problem right there, right off the bat. Couple that with the fact that the Raiders will most likely be down big early in this game, and Jeanty won’t get near the amount of work that we want, unfortunately. Many thought that firing Chip Kelly would mean better days ahead for Jeanty, but nope. Still the same old disappointment, sadly.”
– Aidan Weingartner (Fantasy In Frames)

DeVonta Smith (WR – PHI)

“DeVonta Smith is starting to cool off with AJ Brown getting so much work lately. Smith has fewer than double-digit fantasy points in two of three games. He even had a favorable matchup last week, but couldn’t do much. Smith gets a tougher matchup this week, so we might steer clear if you have better options. The Chargers allow the second fewest fantasy points to receivers and have given up less than 155 passing yards in five straight games.”
– Jeff Paur (RTSports)

“DeVonta Smith is a strong candidate to disappoint fantasy managers this week despite his impressive season-long production. The Chargers have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to wide receivers, creating a tough matchup for a player already struggling with consistency. Smith has failed to finish higher than WR26 in four of his last five games, and his volume has dipped as A.J. Brown‘s usage has increased. While Smith ranks top-10 in receiving yards, receptions, and EPA, the recent decline in scoring opportunities limits his upside. With the Eagles averaging just 17.3 points over their last three games and sitting 23rd in passing yards per game, expectations should be tempered.”
– Ryan Linkletter (Blitz Sports Media)

“DeVonta Smith. The Chargers have allowed the 6th-fewest fantasy points per game to slot WRs (4th-fewest PPG allowed to WRs overall). LA’s slot CB – Tarheeb Still – ranks 3rd in coverage snaps per target and 6th in coverage snaps per receptions when defending the slot.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)

Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN)

“Despite a consensus ECR drop, Justin Jefferson is likely to disappoint because his elite talent is being hindered by the Vikings’ unstable quarterback situation. The drop-off from last year is less than ideal: with Sam Darnold in 2024, Jefferson was a WR1, averaging 90.2 receiving yards per game and posting 10 touchdowns for the season. However, with J.J. McCarthy under center, his production has been severely limited, a mere 53 receiving yards per game and zero top-8 weekly finishes this season, despite commanding a high target share. After the Week 13 horror show with Max Brosmer, J.J. McCarthy looks set to return, but this doesn’t fill me with any confidence at all. Expect another substandard display!”
– Luke Renton (The Franchise Tag UK)

Kenneth Walker III (RB – SEA)

“While Kenneth Walker led the Seahawks in rushing during Week 13, he was sniped of another goal-to-go touchdown by Zach Charbonnet. In total, Walker only has one rushing touchdown dating back to Week 4 compared to Charbonnet’s six scores in that period of time. That is not great. Because of the general split between Walker and Charbonnet, plus the clear lack of TD upside for Walker, he can’t be considered as anything more than a high-end flex play because of volume for Week 14.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)

Christian Watson (WR – GB)

“Christian Watson has 17 targets over his last two games, but in his four other games, he had no more than five targets. The target trend is upward, which we like, but it wouldn’t be shocking if Watson only had four or five targets in any given week. Packers QB Jordan Love spreads the ball around. Tucker Kraft is out for the season, but the Packers still have Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and Matthew Golden, and there’s a chance they get Jayden Reed back from his broken collarbone this week. The Bears look like a favorable matchup on paper, but they played nearly the entire season without their two best cornerbacks, Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon, and both of those guys are now back. Watson has compelling upside, but his floor might not be sturdy.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)

Bucky Irving (RB – TB)

“I look to the matchup more than anything when evaluating a player’s potential value, more than even their ability, often times, but this week, Bucky Irving is the exception. Irving wasn’t filthy good – 61 total rushing yards and a touchdown – in Week 13 against an Arizona Cardinals team that ranks ninth in points allowed to RBs and 16th to WR. The key to Irving’s success is his contributions as a receiver. He rarely rushes for even 70 yards a game, and he doesn’t punch it in in the red zone as a runner. Almost all of his touchdowns are in the passing game. With Chris Godwin and Emeka Egbuka available, and Irving in only his second game back from a relatively serious injury, a No. 12 overall ranking in this week’s Top 100 is much too rich for my blood. I expect a lot of points for Tampa Bay, but to be ranked this high with this much uncertainty, I’m fading Irving and putting my chips on Bust this week for Bucky. ”
– Chris Mitchell (FantasyData)