Team of the Week
QB: Lamar Jackson, BAL
Jackson is the clear overall QB1 ahead of two Monday Night Football games, as the rain didn’t really impact his production with 316 passing yards, three passing touchdowns (one interception), and 11 carries for 70 yards on the ground. The former NFL MVP had been struggling a bit recently, but we’ll see if the performance carries over through a tough end-of-season schedule (@ JAX, @ SF, v MIA, v PIT).
RB: Ezekiel Elliott, NE
Elliott turned back the clock with 29 touches for 140 total yards and a score in the primetime win over Pittsburgh, and he ran hard all night as the offensive engine with Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) out. If he draws another start in Week 15, Zeke will be at least a strong RB2 versus a Kansas City defense that can struggle to defend opposing backs.
RB: James Cook, BUF
Buffalo might have gone away from Cook too much as the game progressed, but he did big-time damage through the air by catching all five of his targets for 83 yards—including a 25-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Overall, the 22.6 fantasy points for Cook was a new season-high.
WR: Deebo Samuel, SF
Samuel followed up a monster performance last week (33.8 fantasy points) with another one in the win over Seattle (30.5 fantasy points)—catching seven passes for 149 yards and a score and converting his lone carry for a score on the goal-line. Since the Week 9 bye, Deebo has scored a rushing touchdown in four of the past five games.
WR: Drake London, ATL
London was unsurprisingly quiet last week in the win over the Jets, but he bounced back in a big way against Tampa Bay with ten receptions for 172 yards. The former first-rounder will now look to stay hot to begin the fantasy playoffs versus a Carolina defense that held him without a catch in Week 1.
TE: Evan Engram, JAX
Engram went off late in the year last season, and his performance yesterday—with 11 receptions, 95 yards, and two touchdowns—could be the start of another late-season emergence for the 29-year-old tight end. Look for Engram to remain a significant part of the passing attack over the final four weeks with Christian Kirk (core muscle) out of the lineup.
FLEX: David Njoku, CLE
Jaguars-Browns was a showcase game for the tight ends, as Njoku went toe-to-toe with Engram by catching six passes for 91 yards and two touchdowns from a red-hot Joe Flacco. The usage in Kevin Stefanski’s offense should make Njoku at least a solid TE1 for the fantasy playoffs.
D/ST: Saints
The Saints allowed quite a bit of yardage against the Panthers (303), but they limited the division foe to six points—and a blocked punt for a touchdown boosted them to 18.0 fantasy points on the day. New Orleans also sacked Bryce Young four times and forced two fumbles in the victory.
K: Brandon Aubrey, DAL
Aubrey has been automatic this season, and Sunday night was no different with four majestic field goals—three of which came from 50+ yards—to finish with 22.0 fantasy points. The Dallas kicker has now made an NFL-record 30 consecutive field goals to begin his career.
Surprise of the Week: Zach Wilson
Wilson was awesome in the win over Houston—completing 27-of-36 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns in a 30-6 victory. The outing came in rainy conditions with C.J. Stroud (ten-of-23 for 91 yards) struggling, so Wilson should have growing confidence as New York looks to keep their very slim playoff hopes alive next week in a rematch versus Miami.
Disappointment of the Week: Justin Herbert
Unfortunately, the final week of the fantasy regular season featured plenty of disappointments, with C.J. Stroud, Justin Jefferson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Mike Evans, and Gabe Davis among the others that could have been chosen. But Herbert was limited to 1.84 fantasy points before leaving with a finger injury, and it followed up just 7.98 fantasy points last week—with the back-to-back performances surely costing many a spot in the fantasy playoffs.
Rookie of the Week: Chase Brown
Brown flashed last week with nine carries for 61 yards, and he was again a heavy change-of-pace option behind Joe Mixon by turning 11 touches into 105 yards and a score—which came on a 54-yard screen pass—in the decisive win over Indy. The balance Cincinnati has achieved in back-to-back wins should continue the rest of the way to put Brown on the FLEX radar.
Week 14 MVP: Evan Engram
Lamar Jackson or Deebo Samuel could have been chosen here with more than 30 fantasy points each, but Engram went for 27.0 fantasy points at tight end—making a major difference for those starting (or facing) him on Sunday. As stated, the absence of Christian Kirk should increase the likelihood of Engram staying hot with a combined 21 targets over the past two weeks.