Week 14 of the 2020 NFL season is in the books. For the majority of the league, Tuesday morning brings a whole new week of football and preparing for their next game. However, a handful of players might not want to leave Week 14 so soon. Here’s a look at who impressed and who underachieved this week.
All point totals are based on PPR scoring.
Quarterback
Winner: Lamar Jackson (33.4 FPTS)
In one of the greatest games of the season, Lamar Jackson’s three touchdowns (two rushing, one passing) led the way for the Baltimore Ravens en route to a victory in Cleveland. Despite missing part of the game due to cramps, Jackson returned to fire a huge touchdown with less than two minutes to play and ultimately set up a game-winning field goal. While he completed just 11 of 17 passes for 163 yards, this week’s QB1 put his legs on display with nine carries for an additional 124 yards. Jackson will look to stay hot in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Loser: Cam Newton (4.36 FPTS)
Cam Newton could not get things going on Thursday night in Los Angeles. Newton threw a pick-six and was sacked four times. He completed a season-low nine passes for 119 yards, failing to find the end zone. He has a tough matchup with the Miami Dolphins next week and cannot be trusted in fantasy.
Running Back
Winner: Derrick Henry (36.2 FPTS)
One of the few normalcies in 2020, Derrick Henry was the clear-cut RB1 once again this past week. The Tennessee Titans’ workhorse posted 215 rushing yards, finding the end zone twice. Henry is a true league-winner and has the most attractive end-of-season schedule out of every running back in the NFL. The MVP candidate continues to obliterate opposing defenses and propel fantasy teams to the next round of the playoffs.
Loser: James Conner (1.8 FPTS)
Conner returned to the field in Week 14 after a bout with COVID-19 and saw the field for just 39 percent of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive plays. He carried the football 10 times for 18 yards and was a nonfactor in the passing game. He disappointed fantasy owners immensely and is a shaky option heading into Week 15. While his matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals is favorable, he added just 48 scrimmage yards in Pittsburgh’s last meeting with their divisional foes from The Queen City.
Wide Receiver
Winner: Stefon Diggs (29.1 FPTS)
Diggs exploded on Sunday Night Football as the Buffalo Bills outlasted Pittsburgh. Diggs hit 100 catches in a season for the first time in his career while also building on his receiving yards total, which now rests at 1,167. He caught 10 of 14 balls for 130 yards and a touchdown on Sunday, proving himself against a stingy Steelers pass defense. Diggs remains a must-start option at wide receiver as the Bills travel to Denver in Week 15.
Loser: Terry McLaurin (4.4 FPTS)
The monumental hype around McLaurin has faltered after he posted his second-straight two-catch game. While a sudden switch at quarterback and a respectable lead likely hurt his fantasy performance, it was still disappointing to see the Washington wideout tally just 24 yards. With that said, he has a chance to get back on track against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 15, especially if Alex Smith returns under center.
Tight End
Winner: Mike Gesicki (23.5 FPTS)
Gesicki exploded for another huge game on Sunday. While the Dolphins came up short against the Kansas City Chiefs, Tua Tagovailoa‘s favorite target hauled in five of six passes for 65 yards and two scores. That is the extent of the good news, though. Gesicki suffered a shoulder injury in the waning minutes of the game that, pending an MRI, could hold him out for an extended period of time. His injury coupled with a tricky matchup against the Patriots makes him a less-than-ideal fantasy option going forward.
Loser: Hayden Hurst (1.7 FPTS)
Hurst makes his second straight appearance on this list after catching just one of three passes for seven yards in the Atlanta Falcons’ heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He has just six catches over the past five weeks and cannot be trusted in Week 15 despite a favorable matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Defense
Winner: Washington D/ST (23.0 FPTS)
Coming off an upset win over Pittsburgh, the fun did not stop for the Washington Football Team. They cruised into Arizona and shut down the San Francisco 49ers, allowing just 15 points and 344 yards. In the process, they tallied four sacks, two fumbles, one interception, and two touchdowns. Washington will ride their win streak into a challenging matchup against the Seahawks.
Loser: Saints D/ST (-1.0 FPTS)
Tasked with slowing down the woeful Philadelphia Eagles and rookie Jalen Hurts in his first career start, the New Orleans defense underperformed. Widely ranked as a top-three defense this week, the Saints ended up allowing 24 points and 413 yards en route to losing. An interception was the lone bright spot for this defense, which will spend the coming week preparing for another strong opponent in the Chiefs.
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