The 13th Sunday of the NFL season was a relatively quiet one for fantasy purposes, with so many outstanding performances occurring in games earlier in the week, as Patrick Mahomes, A.J. Brown and a pair of Chicago Bears running backs starred. Still, on Sunday we were entertained by the Carolina Panthers upsetting the Los Angeles Rams and fantasy managers enjoyed standout outings by Bijan Robinson, Davante Adams and lesser-rostered wide receivers such as Adonai Mitchell and Devaughn Vele.
Welcome to December! With the fantasy playoffs beginning in Week 14 for many managers, an unfortunate wrinkle is added this season with fantasy's top option among those serving a far-too-late bye week. Yep, Christian McCaffrey is not playing in Week 14, through no fault of his own this time. Plus, we will miss the excellent quarterbacks from Monday's New York Giants-New England Patriots tilt along with the valuable Panthers running backs. Good luck with lineups!
Each Monday, before the current NFL weekend ends, we will identify players available in at least 50% of ESPN standard leagues worthy of your attention, from standard formats to deeper options. The NFL is a weekly league, and player valuation and roles seldom remain stagnant. It does not matter how you acquire players for your fantasy rosters, just that you acquire them!
Quarterback
Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals (50.2% rostered in ESPN leagues): Brissett continues to deliver top-10 fantasy efforts on a weekly basis, scoring 19.64 points in Sunday's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brissett has made seven starts, and his worst performance featured 18.68 points. Sure, the Cardinals step up in class to face the Rams in Week 14, but Bryce Young scored 22.54 points to beat the Rams on Sunday. It sure looks as if we can trust Brissett in the fantasy playoffs.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (33.9%): Lawrence scored 21.66 points in the easy win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, though facing the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14 should be tougher. The Colts permit 16.2 points per game to quarterbacks in fantasy, which nearly matches what Lawrence has averaged this season. While it's a different Colts defense than in past seasons, Lawrence has enjoyed much success versus the franchise, including last season, when he passed for 371 yards in a win.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
Perhaps Washington Commanders star Jayden Daniels (71%) isn't available in your highly competitive league (wink, wink), but look at that roster percentage. He's available in someone's league! Even though the 3-9 Commanders are not playoff bound, Daniels (elbow) sure seems likely to return to face the Minnesota Vikings (who sure have their own QB problems) in Week 14. If not, backup Marcus Mariota (9.3%), who lit up the Denver Broncos in a one-point loss Sunday night, is worth it.
New York Jets starter Tyrod Taylor (4.6%) scored 21.28 points in the team's last-second win over the Atlanta Falcons, though much of his production came with 44 rushing yards and a touchdown. Still, he faces the Miami Dolphins this week, presenting a streaming opportunity. It's a more favorable one than going with Tyler Shough (5.3%) against the Buccaneers or Kirk Cousins (4.8%) versus the mighty Seattle Seahawks.
Finally, four quarterbacks serve their bye in Week 14. Keep Drake Maye, Jaxson Dart and Brock Purdy rostered, while Bryce Young (11.7%), despite his Week 13 heroics and upward trajectory, can go.
Running back
Kyle Monangai, Bears (56%): The Bears embarrassed the Philadelphia Eagles with 281 rushing yards Friday, as the rookie Monangai and the veteran D'Andre Swift combined for 39.8 fantasy points. Monangai is the one available in myriad leagues. The Bears might not reproduce this rushing effort this week against the Green Bay Packers (or ever), but Monangai, with double-digit fantasy points in three consecutive games, certainly deserves more attention.
Bam Knight, Cardinals (36.8%): We're done guessing about when Trey Benson (57.6%) will finally return from his knee injury. Benson, who last played in Week 4, has been eligible to return for a few weeks but remains a limited practice participant. Perhaps Knight, who scored 16.8 points in Sunday's loss and has scored double digits in three consecutive games, makes it four in a row against the Rams. Michael Carter (10%) is a reasonable deep-league flex if Benson sits, too.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
Field Yates, Daniel Dopp and Stephania Bell explain why Bijan Robinson's fantasy dominance has no end in sight.
Falcons backup Tyler Allgeier (32.9%) scored his eighth touchdown of the season Sunday, reminding fantasy managers that even if Bijan Robinson is awesome and we cannot count on volume for his backup, Allgeier has value for bye weeks, at least. Rams backup Blake Corum (12.6%) has only two touchdowns, but his situation correlates a bit to that of Allgeier. Ah, if only these fellows got volume.
Chris Rodriguez Jr. (12.3%) scored another rushing touchdown Sunday night, his fourth in six games, and he is clearly the running back to roster in Washington. There might not be much upside, as Rodriguez has caught only one pass all season, but no starting running back should be this available, either.
The Vikings might go with Jordan Mason (53%) against the Commanders because Aaron Jones Sr. (shoulder) continues to have issues staying on the field. Mason averages 4.7 yards per rush.
We don't know whether the New Orleans Saints will get starter Alvin Kamara (knee) back for Week 14, but rookie Devin Neal (42%) was the lone running back to earn a rushing attempt in Sunday's loss to the Dolphins. He scored 9.9 points and could probably do it again this week against the Buccaneers.
In addition to keeping the awesome McCaffrey and the capable Tyrone Tracy Jr. rostered through their bye weeks, fantasy managers should hold on to all four options for the Panthers and Patriots timeshares (Rico Dowdle, Chuba Hubbard, TreVeyon Henderson, Rhamondre Stevenson) as well. Hubbard (63.5%) might be available in your league. Why not pick him up this week in advance of Week 15, in case his annoying timeshare with Dowdle is back in play?
Wide receiver
Adonai Mitchell, Jets (2.7%): A week after we discussed relatively new Jet John Metchie III (10.1%), Mitchell (a former Colt) starred with 24.2 points, catching 102 yards worth of passes and scoring his first touchdown. Tyrod Taylor is a passing upgrade over Justin Fields at QB. Which Jets WR should you want? Well, Metchie is more of a short-yardage option, which caps upside. Go with Mitchell, the younger, faster deep threat averaging 14.0 yards per reception, against the Dolphins and beyond.
Christian Watson (52%) and Dontayvion Wicks (1%), Packers: Wicks was the Thanksgiving Day star with 28 points, his first game all season with double-digit points. Watson enjoyed 10 targets in that game. Perhaps all three Packers WRs, including Romeo Doubs (72%) are worth a look for a critical Week 14 game against the surprising Bears, but one will never know which receiver to play.
Alec Pierce, Colts (53.7%): Pierce scored 17.8 points in Sunday's loss to the Houston Texans, but he continues to make his case as the top option for QB Daniel Jones, who is suddenly not so reliable. Michael Pittman Jr. caught only one pass Sunday, and he last surpassed 30 receiving yards in Week 9. Blame Jones if you desire, downgrade Pittman some, and get the undervalued Pierce into lineups for Week 14 against the Jaguars.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
Is Devaughn Vele a future fantasy star for the Saints?
Saints star Chris Olave is among the top 10 fantasy wide receivers for the season, and he scored his fifth touchdown Sunday, but second-year man Devaughn Vele (0.6%) had the better game with 23.3 points, including his second touchdown. Vele boasts 15 targets over the past two games, and he might continue his success this week against the Buccaneers.
Detroit Lions star Amon-Ra St. Brown (ankle) will likely miss a game or more, so those in deeper formats might consider Isaac TeSlaa (1%). The rookie from Arkansas is having an odd season, with touchdowns on half of his six receptions (11 targets), which is quite unsustainable. Still, if he gets more targets in the coming weeks, perhaps he is a legitimate sleeper.
Keep the lead WR for each of the Week 14 bye teams: Tetairoa McMillan, Stefon Diggs, Wan'Dale Robinson and Jauan Jennings, but that's it. While he is a great story, it is time to move on from Ricky Pearsall (64.6%), as he hasn't scored well since Week 3.
Tight end
Brenton Strange, Jaguars (22%): Strange scored 13.5 points Sunday, including the first touchdown of his abbreviated, seven-game campaign. Strange faces a Colts defense in Week 14 that is among the leaders in permitting fantasy points to tight ends. This tight end is surging to TE1 territory.
Dalton Schultz, Texans (51.6%): Schultz scored 12.5 points Sunday, the sixth time in eight games he reached double digits -- and he hasn't been TD-dependent, since he has only one score this season. He is doing it with volume and receiving yards.
Tristan H. Cockcroft breaks down why Brock Bowers is a must-have for fantasy managers heading into the playoffs.
Deep-league options/streamers/random thoughts
We don't know whether Buffalo Bills starter Dalton Kincaid (69.8%) will play in Week 14 against a Cincinnati Bengals defense that is historically awful against tight ends, for he has missed the past three contests with a hamstring injury. If he does play, go get him. Backup Dawson Knox is tough to justify in fantasy if Kincaid sits, even though Baltimore Ravens backup Isaiah Likely (7.4%) delivered his first double-digit fantasy game of the season against the Bengals on Thanksgiving. Likely is also worth a look this week against the sputtering Pittsburgh Steelers.
Keep George Kittle rostered, of course, but after that, fantasy managers can part with Hunter Henry (82%) and Theo Johnson (54.1%).
Defense
The Buccaneers D/ST (23%) hosts the Saints in Week 14. Some of us remember the last time these teams met, when the Buccaneers held the Saints to just three points in Week 8 and the D/ST unit scored 25 fantasy points. A repeat is certainly possible.
The Commanders D/ST (2.7%) is one of the worst in fantasy this season, averaging a paltry 2.1 points per game, ahead of only the Giants and Bengals. Still, did you see Minnesota's offense in Week 13? It did not score.
For those looking for D/ST units with a bit more pedigree, the Bills D/ST (45.2%) tallied 17 points against the Steelers but faces a tougher test with the Bengals. The Eagles D/ST (53.5%) looked terrible in losing to the Bears, but it faces a Los Angeles Chargers offense that potentially could be without Justin Herbert (hand), although the quarterback might attempt to play following surgery.
The Dolphins D/ST (13.6%) scored 13 fantasy points on Sunday against the Saints, and the Jets are up next. It's a prime streaming opportunity in fantasy. If the Dolphins are gone in your league, consider the Jets (8.8%), too. While the first matchup between these teams in Week 4 was a relatively high-scoring affair, in this case we should not assume a repeat.