Early Week 14 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Decisions: Ezekiel Elliott, Jaylen Warren, Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth and Diontae Johnson

Week 14 of the NFL season kicks off with a matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots on Thursday night. 

I covered the Steelers and Patriots in separate stories earlier this week, but several players are now part of trending decisions on the FantasySP start/sit tool, so it’s time to give some final decisions.

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Running Back Debate

Patriots’ Ezekiel Elliott and Steelers’ Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris are all part of trending decisions.

Elliott will be the workhorse back for New England after the injury to Rhamondre Stevenson. No other back on the active roster has been even sparingly used this season, so his workload alone should be high enough to consider him a fantasy starter.

Warren looked like he’d be the workhorse for Pittsburgh after Harris missed some practice time with a knee injury. It turns out Harris is going to play after all. 

Harris and Warren have split the workload pretty evenly most of the season, with Harris getting a few extra touches per game. That could change tonight in an effort to keep Harris healthy.

They should be the focal point of the offense with quarterback Kenny Pickett out and Mitch Trubisky starting in his place.

The matchup for Elliott is an average one, while the matchup for Harris and Warren is a bit tougher.

Elliott is part of trending decisions with Warren, Miami Dolphins’ Raheem Mostert, Minnesota Vikings’ Alexander Mattison, Baltimore Ravens’ Gus Edwards, Carolina Panthers’ Chuba Hubbard, New York Jets’ Breece Hall, Cleveland Browns’ Jerome Ford, Tennessee Titans’ Derrick Henry and Detroit Lions’ David Montgomery. 

Warren is part of additional decisions with Baltimore Ravens’ Keaton Mitchell, Montgomery and Hall. Harris is part of a decision with Mitchell as well, and probably would be part of several others if he didn’t have an injury concern.

Let’s just lump all the running backs together and determine the best of the bunch that way.

A lot of the matchups are pretty even, with Mattison’s clash with the Las Vegas Raiders being the easiest matchup on paper. Several backs are tied for the most difficult matchup. 

Mostert is the top-ranked back, coming in seventh overall. 

I’d skip over Mostert and Mattison and take Montgomery first of this group of running backs. He’s got a matchup with the Chicago Bears, and although he splits the work with Jahmyr Gibbs, I see Montgomery enjoying another big week, with a couple scores vaulting him near the top of the top fantasy RB this week.

I like Mattison’s matchup against the Raiders a bunch, and think he finds the end zone at least once, while putting up a healthy amount of yards. Give me Mattison second. 

I like Ford next in his matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, closely followed by Hall against the Houston Texans.

Elliott is my next choice. His matchup is more favorable than a few others I’ve already taken, but the dismal Patriots’ offense makes me drop him down a few spots.

I think Warren ends up leading the Steelers’ backfield on Thursday, so I’d take him here. I’d take Hubbard in his matchup against the New Orleans Saints next. 

I think Mitchell, not Edwards, leads the Baltimore backfield in the matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, so give me Mitchell here. I like Henry next against the Dolphins, followed by Harris against the Patriots.

Give me Edwards next against the Rams, followed by Mostert against the Titans. Why Mostert last of the bunch? I think De’Von Achane continues to take on the lead role, and I don't see Mostert scoring a touchdown to produce a decent fantasy outing.

Wide Receiver Debate

Steelers’ Diontae Johnson is part of a couple trending decisions.

Johnson has at least four targets in each of the past four games. He’s second on the team to George Pickens in several receiving statistics, although Johnson has missed several games. Pickens has 20 targets over the past four games, while Johnson has 26.

Johnson is part of decisions with Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Chris Godwin, Raiders’ Jakobi Meyers and Green Bay Packers’ Jayden Reed.

Reed is the highest-ranked receiver of the four, coming in 36th. Johnson is the lowest, at 45th. The Packers’ receiver also have the most favorable matchup ahead. 

I’d follow the numbers here and take Reed over the other three wideouts. I like Meyers next in his matchup against the Vikings. Give me Johnson over Godwin because of the more favorable matchup.

Tight End Debate

Steelers’ Pat Freiermuth is part of just two trending decisions, but let’s go ahead and tack him on to this story.

Freiermuth had 11 targets in week 12, but just five a week ago. With Pickett out, it’s hard to know what to expect for Freiermuth. He might be a good checkdown option.

He’s part of trending decisions currently with Philadelphia Eagles’ Dallas Goedert and Bears’ Cole Kmet. Goedert is expected back this week.

Kmet has the easiest matchup on paper, and he’s also ranked the highest in the projections, coming in fifth.

I like the matchup and projections here and would take Kmet over the other two TEs.

Freiermuth’s matchup is more difficult, but I'd still take him over Goedert. It’s hard to trust a player coming off a big injury, and it’s like not the matchup is all that favorable either.

Best of luck in week 14!