Fantasy Football Week 14 Matchup Meanings: Which RBs, WRs & TEs are set for success?
Fantasy football analyst Sal Vetri breaks down the top three matchups at the three money positions — running back, wide receiver and tight end — every week.
Best RB Matchups
Alexander Mattison vs. Raiders
He returns from his bye week with a great matchup against Las Vegas. The last time the Raiders took the field, they allowed 89 total yards and two touchdowns to Isiah Pacheco. Las Vegas allows the eighth-most yards and seventh-most points to opposing backs this season.
Mattison’s role has been a bit murky the past few games. Back in Week 11, Ty Chandler totaled 110 yards on 14 touches. He outproduced Mattison and was beginning to earn more work in the offense. But in Week 12, we saw Mattison earn 67% of the rush attempts. This was his strongest usage since Week 6 and despite the tough matchup against Chicago, Mattison was able to earn 5.3 yards per touch. You can start him this week against Vegas.
AJ Dillon vs. Giants
Aaron Jones missed his second straight game in Week 13. Jones didn’t practice all week with a knee injury and his Week 14 status remains unclear. This bodes well for Dillon who is coming off his most impressive performance of the season.
Dillon’s snaps increased to 62% in Week 13 and he handled a strong 19 opportunities. Dillon totaled 87 yards against a good Chiefs defense. He now enters Week 14 with a juicy matchup. The Packers are 6.5-point favorites against the Giants. New York was last seen giving up 100+ yards and a score to Rhamondre Stevenson in Week 12. The Giants allow the third-most yards and fifth-most points to opposing backs this season. Dillon is a must-start if Aaron Jones is out.
Keaton Mitchell vs. LAR
We last saw Mitchell in Week 12 when his snaps increased to a season-high 46%. This led to a strong 89-yard performance on just 11 total touches. Mitchell now ranks second in yards per touch this season, behind only De’Von Achane.
He’ll be returning from his bye week in Week 14. Oftentimes you’ll see rookies earn larger roles coming out of their bye. Mitchell has already been trending in this direction, so it would make sense to see him earn over 50% of the snaps for the first time this year in Week 14. The Ravens are seven-point favorites against an average Rams run defense. In similar spots, starting RBs average over 14 points this season.
Best WR Matchups
Jayden Reed vs. NYG
He entered Week 13 with an injury which limited his snaps. Reed ran just 51% of the Packers' routes, his lowest in a game he’s finished this season. Despite seeing a 28% decrease in his route rate, Reed still earned five targets against a strong Chiefs defense and added two rush attempts.
The second-round rookie has now earned five or more targets in four straight games. This week he’ll have a strong matchup against the Giants. New York ranks in the bottom 10 against fantasy receivers, allowing the fifth-most points to the position.
Christian Watson also injured his hamstring late in the game in Week 13. Reed earned six targets per game with Watson out earlier this season. Expect his volume and role to increase if Watson is out or limited. You can start Reed in Week 14.
Drake London vs. TB
London is coming off his worst game since his zero-point performance in Week 1. He caught just one of his five targets for eight yards against the Jets. This was not a great matchup for Desmond Ridder and the Falcons passing attack. Atlanta knew this as they only attempted 27 passes and 30% of these were checkdowns to the RBs.
Let’s forget about the Week 13 dud from London because his Week 14 matchup is fantastic. He’ll face a Bucs secondary that allows the second-most yards to opposing receivers this season. Heck, even Jonathan Mingo had 69 yards on 10 targets against them last week.
It’s been an up-and-down season for London in this offense, but he has remained efficient. London ranks top 30 in yards per route run and has managed to earn seven targets per game despite this offense’s lower passing volume. You can start him against Tampa this week.
Brandin Cooks vs. PHI
He continued his strong stretch of play on Thursday night against Seattle. Cooks earned 12.5 fantasy points as he found the end zone for the fifth time in the past seven games. He saw season-high usage in Week 13 too, running 96% of the Cowboys routes. He seems to be over his early season injuries.
Cooks will have a positive matchup against the Eagles this week. The last time he faced Philadelphia, he struggled to produce. Cooks earned just two targets and one reception in Week 9 against Darius Slay and the Eagles. But since then, he’s been trending up and the Eagles defense has been trending down.
Philadelphia allowed the most fantasy production to opposing receivers the past month and they’re coming off a week where they allowed 300+ yards and four touchdowns to Brock Purdy and the 49ers. Cooks is startable this week and moving forward, so long as Dak Prescott continues to play at an MVP level.
Best TE Matchups
Cade Otton vs. ATL
He produced a whole lot of nothing in Week 13. Otton earned zero targets for the first time this season. This was clearly an outlier performance and you shouldn’t expect this to continue.
Now here’s the wild part: Otton actually saw season-high usage in this game. His 94% of the routes run were the most of his career. When he’s seen similar usage this season, Otton averages over five targets per game. Expect him to bounce back this week against the Falcons. Atlanta allows the second-most receptions and third-most yards to opposing tight ends this season.
Gerald Everett vs. DEN
He’s performed well the past few weeks. Everett has caught 100% of his targets in the past two games, leading to back-to-back top-10 finishes.
This week Joshua Palmer could return to the lineup. This will give us a good gauge for Everett’s future usage. He’ll face an improving Broncos secondary but they still struggle against tight ends. Denver allows the most yards and fantasy points per game to opposing TEs. Everett is startable this week if you’re searching around the TE wastelands.
Tyler Conklin vs. HOU
This one may seem gross, but Tyler Conklin has actually been earning targets lately. In the past two games with Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian, Conklin has averaged seven targets per contest. In Week 13, he led the team with a 26% target share and nine targets.
This week Conklin finds himself in a good matchup. The Jets face the Texans, and although their secondary has been solid this season, they do struggle against tight ends. Houston’s linebackers allow the most receptions to opposing TEs. The Jets offense and QB situation are bad, but if you need a TE for this week, Conklin is worth considering.
