Week 14 Thursday Fantasy Football Starting Options: Is Detroit's Jared Goff or Green Bay's Jordan Love the Better Starting Option? Should You Play Jameson Williams, Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed?

Week 14 of the NFL regular season begins with an NFC North battle between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.

Let’s take a look at the top fantasy options from the game!

Looking for start/sit help? Be sure to check out the FantasySP Who Should I Start tool.

Quarterbacks

Detroit’s Jared Goff and Green Bay’s Jordan Love will lead their teams into battle.

Goff has 2,982 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and nine interceptions on 71.8% passing this season. He’s rushed for just 40 yards. Goff scored 17 fantasy points last week, and has been in double figures in all but two contests this season. He scored 10 fantasy points the last time these teams met.

Love is up to 2,518 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 63% passing. He’s rushed for 48 yards and a score. Love scored 19 fantasy points last week, and has been in double figures in four straight. Love scored 11 points in the last matchup with the Lions.

Both defenses allow opposing quarterbacks to score just 14 fantasy points per week. Both QBs are projected for 17 fantasy points.

It’s really a coin flip between these two quarterbacks, but I prefer Love ever so slightly. I think he’s got a safer floor, because Detroit could really pound the ground game, leaving Goff with subpar passing stats.

Running Backs

Josh Jacobs is the top Green Bay running back, while Chris Brooks and Emanuel Wilson back him up. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs power the Detroit running game.

Montgomery has 720 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 166 attempts, while adding 277 receiving yards on 27 catches and 29 targets. Montgomery scored 15 fantasy points last week, and has 13 or more in six straight games. He scored 13 points in the last clash with the Pack.

Gibbs has 973 rushing yards and 10 scores on 163 attempts, while going for 282 yards and a score on 28 receptions and 36 targets. He scored 10 fantasy points last week, which was his lowest mark of the season. He tallied 15 points against Green Bay in week 9.

Jacobs is up to 987 yards and eight touchdowns on 221 attempts. He also has 260 yards and a score on 27 catches and 34 targets. He scored 22 fantasy points last week, and has been above 20 points in three straight. Jacobs scored just 13 points the last time the teams met.

Brooks has 92 rushing yards on 20 attempts and 58 receiving yards on nine grabs and 10 targets. He’s scored between 3-7 fantasy points across the past four weeks, with the seven-point outing being against Detroit.

Wilson has 332 yards and a score on 68 attempts, while going for an additional 46 yards and a score on nine grabs and 12 targets. He’s scored just eight fantasy points over the past three games, but did tally 10 points against the Lions in week 9.

It’s a bit more favorable matchup for the Detroit backs, as Green Bay allows 22 fantasy points a week. Detroit only surrenders 16. In the weekly projections, Jacobs and Gibbs are projected for 16 PPR fantasy points. Montgomery is at 13 points, while no other backs make the top 50.

Jacobs, Gibbs and Montgomery all need to be in fantasy lineups, and I like them in that order, even though any order wouldn’t surprise me. I like Brooks over Wilson, but wouldn’t want to play either in the tough matchup.

Wide Receivers

Amon-Ra St. Brown is the top Detroit receiver, with Jameson Williams and Tim Patrick being the only other wideouts worth mentioning. Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and Christian Watson are the Packers’ wideouts worth mentioning.

St. Brown has 820 yards and nine scores on 76 receptions and 93 targets this season. He’s scored in double figures in all but two weeks, and scored 19 points the last time these teams met.

Williams is up to 630 yards and four scores on 34 catches and 55 targets. He’s scored in double figures in all but three games - he was suspended the last time these teams played.

Patrick has 306 yards, but no scores, on 21 grabs and 25 targets. He’s scored at least six fantasy points in three straight games, and had three points the last time the teams played.

Reed has 693 yards and six touchdowns on 44 receptions and 58 targets this season. He scored 20 fantasy points his last game out, but two touchdowns boosted that number. He scored 16 fantasy points without a touchdown in the team’s first meeting.

Doubs, who is working his way back from a concussion, has 483 yards and two scores on 34 grabs and 53 targets. In the three games prior to suffering his concussion, Doubs had combined for just 18 fantasy points.

Wicks has 247 yards and four scores on 21 catches and 51 targets for the year. He’s scored just 14 fantasy points over the past five contests, and had none against Detroit in week 9.

Watson has 450 yards and two touchdowns on 22 receptions and 38 targets. He’s scored eight or more fantasy points in four of the past five contests, but didn’t score in the other game. Watson had nine points against Detroit in the first matchup.

The matchup for the Packers’ wideouts is much better, as the Lions allow 38 fantasy points a week. Green Bay gives up just 29 points a week. 

In the weekly projections, St. Brown is the top wideout from this game, and is projected for 17 PPR fantasy points. Williams is at 13 points, Reed 12, Doubs 10, Watson nine and Wicks five.

I also think St. Brown is the best starting option from Thursday’s game. Reed and Williams are close in my book, but I’d give Reed the edge with Doubs banged up.

I’d take Watson over Doubs this week, then Wicks, and finally Patrick. The final four guys are just deep-league options to me, while St. Brown, Reed and Williams are the ones to deploy in standard leagues.

Tight Ends

Sam LaPorta is the top Detroit tight end, while Tucker Kraft powers Green Bay.

LaPorta has 391 and five touchdowns on 31 catches and 44 targets. He scored 16 fantasy points last week, but two touchdowns did most of that scoring. LaPorta had just five points in the team’s first matchup.

Kraft has 480 yards and six scores on 36 grabs and 49 targets. He scored 14 points last week and had eight in the game against Detroit in week 9.

The matchup for LaPorta is much more favorable, as Green Bay allows 14 fantasy points per week to tight ends. Detroit only gives up seven.

LaPorta is set for 11 PPR fantasy points, while Kraft is at eight. I wouldn’t mind playing either guy this week, but I do prefer LaPorta by a little bit. Kraft would be a safer play if Doubs is out again.

Kickers

Brandon McManus kicks for Green Bay, while Jake Bates is the Lions’ kicker.

Bates is 19-of-20 on his field goals and has made all but one of his 45 extra point tries. McManus is 10-of-11 on his field goals across six games, while being a perfect 16-for-16 on his extra points.

Both guys are projected for nine fantasy points this week. I wouldn’t mind starting either guy, but give Bates the edge since I think the Lions win at home.

Defenses/Special Teams

Detroit’s defense allows 320.3 yards and 16.9 points per game. The Lions have 19 takeaways and only 11 giveaways. 

Green Bay’s defense surrenders 325.5 yards and 20 points per contest. The Packers have 23 takeaways and 14 giveaways.

The Lions’ D/ST is projected for six fantasy points, while the Packers sit at just five. I really wouldn’t want to play either D/ST given that the opposing offense could erupt for a ton of points. I do prefer the Lions ever so slightly.