Week 14 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Decisions: Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Jerick McKinnon, Jake Browning, Isaiah Likely

Week 14 of the NFL season has several intriguing matchups lined up, and there’s a number of tricky start/sit decisions that it’s created for fantasy football owners.

Let’s take a look at some of the trending decisions on the FantasySP start/sit tool and help you lock in a decision.

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Running Back Debate

Isiah Pacheco was a surprise inactive for week 14, which will lead to extended opportunities for Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire. McKinnon and Edwards-Helaire are all over trending decisions.

Coach Andy Reid said that Edwards-Helaire will be the team’s No. 1 option. McKinnon might be the better fantasy option because of his pass-catching ability though, especially in PPR leagues.

This season, Edwards-Helaire has 47 total touches, rushing 40 times for 140 yards and a touchdown, while adding 44 receiving yards on seven grabs and nine targets. McKinnon has 32 total touches, rushing just 13 times for 30 yards, but catching 13-of-26 targets for 156 yards and three touchdowns.

The KC backs have a pretty average matchup ahead against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills allow 23 fantasy points to opposing running backs. Buffalo is pretty good at slowing the run, but are below average against pass-catching backs.

McKinnon and Edwards-Helaire are pitted against each other in one trending decision. They are also pitted against Cleveland Browns’ Jerome Ford, Baltimore Ravens’ Gus Edwards and Keaton Mitchell, Miami Dolphins’ Raheem Mostert, Houston Texans’ Devin Singletary, Minnesota Vikings’ Alexander Mattison and Ty Chandler, Chicago Bears’ Khalil Herbert, and Seattle Seahawks’ Kenneth Walker. I covered Mattison, Ford, Mitchell, Edwards and Mostert earlier in the week.

I’d stick with Mattison as my top option in his matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. I’d take Ford against the Jacksonville Jaguars and then Mitchell against the Los Angeles Rams.

I’d slot McKinnon in here against the Bills, and then Edwards-Helaire right after him. I’d then take Singletary against the New York Jets.

Give me Edwards against the Rams next, followed by Chandler against the Raiders. To wrap things up, give me Walker against the San Francisco 49ers, Mostert against the Tennessee Titans and finally Herbert against the Detroit Lions.

Quarterback Debate

Cincinnati Bengals’ Jake Browning is the most popular name at the quarterback position. 

Browning has been better than expected in his two starts this season. He threw for 354 yards and a touchdown in week 13. Browning was 32-of-37 overall, and also rushed for a touchdown and 22 yards across two rushing attempts.

He matches up against the Indianapolis Colts this week, which is an average matchup. Indy allows 16 fantasy points per week.

Browning is part of trending decisions with Vikings’ Joshua Dobbs, Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud, Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield, Colts’ Gardner Minshew and Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence.

I like Minshew the best of the bunch here in his matchup against the Bengals. Give me Browning against the Colts next.

I’d then take Mayfield against the Atlanta Falcons, followed by Dobbs against the Raiders. Give me Stroud against the Jets next, and then Lawrence against the Browns to wrap things up.

Tight End Debate

Baltimore Ravens’ Isaiah Likely is part of several trending decisions at the tight end position.

Likely is starting in place of the injured Mark Andrews. He started the team’s last game and tallied 40 yards on four catches and six targets. It was the second-most yards he’s produced on the season, and he matched his season high in catches while being targeted the most times.

After the team’s bye week, I’d expect Likely to remain involved quite a bit in the Ravens’ offensive plans. Baltimore faces the Rams, which is a very favorable matchup for Likely.

Likely is part of trending decisions with Philadelphia Eagles’ Dallas Goedert, Los Angeles Chargers’ Gerald Everett, Bears’ Cole Kmet, Browns’ David Njoku and Titans’ Chigoziem Okonkwo.

Everett is the lowest-ranked TE in this group, but I like his matchup against the Denver Broncos enough to take him first. 

Give me Kmet next in his clash with the Lions, followed by Likely against the Rams. To wrap things up, I’d take Njoku against the Jaguars, Goedert against the Dallas Cowboys and finally Okonkwo against the Dolphins.

Best of luck in week 14!