This is it. The final week of the fantasy football regular season. If you are in need of a win to get in to the playoffs, well, then the playoffs have already begun. Right? You can’t afford to lose any more this season if you want to claim that championship title in a few weeks. Unfortunately with injuries, bye weeks, and yes, Covid-19, still impacting your fantasy football teams, you may need to lean on a few bold predictions to help lift your team up this week.
Now, I’m still going to preach the “start your studs” strategy since the stakes are so high. Of course you should lock in your top players who have gotten you to this point of contention in the first place. However, if you do have a hole or two in your lineup, or are stuck deciding who to flex, look no further than the Week 14 Fantrax bold predictions.
Each week, our Fantrax staff writers make their fantasy football bold predictions for you to get excited about, help sway those lineup decisions, and take your team to the moon!
Be sure to follow all of these bold predictions and more @Fantrax on Twitter and @fantraxsports on Instagram!
More fantasy football fun for Week 14: Waiver Wire | FAAB Guide | Start & Sit | Loves & Hates | Stock Watch | Sleepers & Streamers | D/ST Streamers
2021 NFL Week 14 Bold Predictions for Fantasy Football
D’Onta Foreman and Dontrell Hilliard, RBs, Tennessee Titans
Bold Prediction: 29 rushes, 130 yards, 3 touchdowns
31.0 combined PPR fantasy points
Fantrax Writer: Colin McTamany, @Colin_McT on Twitter
Colin’s Breakdown: This bold prediction is an ode to Derrick Henry. I cannot help but wish King Henry could post yet another dominant performance against the Titans’ divisional rival Jacksonville Jaguars. In Week 5, Henry did just that rushing 29 times for 130 yards and three touchdowns.
Instead, it will be D’Onta Foreman and Dontrell Hilliard likely splitting the bulk of the Tennessee backfield’s work on Sunday. The Titans are coming off of a Week 13 Bye. In case you forgot, in Week 12, Foreman and Hilliard combined for 240 rushing yards on 31 carries against a tough New England Patriots defense. In Week 14, I believe they get going again against a Jaguars defense allowing the ninth-most fantasy points to running backs. They’ve also allowed 12 rushing touchdowns in 12 games this season so I expect some scoring from these two.
I know Jeremy McNichols is set to return from injury, but he barely had a role upon Henry heading to the Injured Reserve. Foreman and Hilliard are running well and the Titans should lean on them especially with their depleted group of pass catchers. My bold prediction gives you the green light to fire up both of these backs. If you’re making me choose one, it’s Foreman. He’s just one spot ahead of Hilliard in the Fantrax Week 14 running back rankings, too.
Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Buffalo Bills
Bold Prediction: 5 receptions, 90 yards, 1 touchdown
20.0 fantasy points
Fantrax Writer: Mike Omelan, @mikeomelan on Twitter
Mike’s Breakdown: Emmanuel Sanders is no stranger to the bold prediction column. I think because he had such a better than expected start to this season, anyone who has made bold predictions for a big game, before this one, has been hoping, like me, that Sanders is going to bounce back.
In Week 14, I have the veteran receiver posting 20.0 fantasy points. That’s something he’s only accomplished twice this season. What makes it a really bold prediction is that he’s barely eclipsed 20.0 fantasy points total in his last four games combined (23.7).
On Sunday, in one of the most anticipated games of the weeks, the Buffalo Bills travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers. Now, it’s no secret that the Bucs run defense is the toughest in the league. Teams have run the least amount of times against them, they are tied for the least amount of rushing yards allowed (765) and have only given up six rushing touchdowns in 2021.
With that said, it’s also why the Buccaneers’ passing defense has seen the fourth-most targets and given up the eighth-most receiving yards to wide receivers this season. For that reason, I am chasing the volume here. Stefon Diggs should draw most of the attention on Sunday. That will open the door for the long-awaited bounce-back performance from Emmanuel Sanders.
Lil’Jordan Humphrey, WR, New Orleans Saints
Bold Prediction: 5 receptions, 60 yards, 1 touchdown
17.0 fantasy points
Fantrax Writer: Ahaan Rungta, @AhaanRungta on Twitter
Ahaan’s Breakdown: With Michael Thomas out for the season, the Saints pass-catching unit was set to be led by speedy wideout Marquez Callaway and the dynamic talent of Alvin Kamara. In the last two games, however, the undrafted wide receiver, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, has been the surprising emergent of the New Orleans offense despite a change at quarterback.
For the first time this season, Humphrey recorded at least 40% of the team’s offensive snap share in back-to-back games. In that span, he has combined for 5 receptions on 7 targets and a touchdown. With Deonte Harris now suspended for three games, Humphrey should see more opportunities and against a Jets defense that ranks dead-last in the NFL in pass DVOA and has given up the highest explosive pass play rate in the NFL.
Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
Bold Prediction: 13 rushes, 56 yards; 7 receptions, 37 receiving yards; 2 total touchdowns
28.3 fantasy points
Fantrax Writer: Lauren Auerbach, @lkauerbach on Twitter
Lauren’s Breakdown: This season has been a tough one for Saquon Barkley. While he returned to action this year after tearing his ACL in 2020, he sprained his ankle in Week 5, forcing him to miss four games. On top of that, the Giants (and Barkley) have been unable to get much going offensively this season.
So, why the optimism this week? Barkley gets a favorable matchup against the Chargers, who’ve allowed the second-most rushing yards this season. They’ve also allowed opposing running backs to rush for a touchdown in all but three games.
Further, Barkley is involved in the passing game. He saw a season-high nine targets last week, which led the team. The Giants are 10.5-point underdogs this week and have lacked healthy pass-catchers all season. I expect Barkley to be heavily leaned on in both the rushing and passing game in Week 14. As part of my bold prediction, I also like Barkley to score multiple touchdowns – something he’s done only once this season.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Green Bay Packers
Bold Prediction: 5 receptions, 108 yards, 1 touchdown
21.8 fantasy points
Fantrax Writer: Mick Ciallela, @themick23 on Twitter
Mick’s Breakdown: Marquez Valdes-Scantling is widely known in fantasy circles as a boom or bust player. Well, my Week 14 bold prediction expects a “boom” week from the Packers’ wideout. Valdes-Scantling returned in Week 9 following a month-long absence. In his first two games back from injury, MVS was targeted just three times. However, Aaron Rodgers has made a concerted effort to get Valdes-Scantling more involved as of late. MVS has been on the receiving end of 19 targets in Green Bay’s last two games. If this trend continues on Sunday night, it could mean a big day for Valdes-Scantling.
Valdes-Scantling’s bread and butter is the deep ball. His 19.38 aDOT is far and away the most in the NFL among players with at least 30 targets. For reference, Courtland Sutton is next highest at 15.74, if we exclude Henry Ruggs’ 16.89 mark.
Defending the deep pass has been an issue for the Chicago Bears this season. Chicago has faced just 42 deep pass attempts (defined as attempts at least 20 yards downfield) on the year, tied for eighth-fewest in the NFL. Despite that, they have permitted six touchdowns on such pass attempts. That number is tied for the fifth-most in the league.
Opposing quarterbacks have a 117.6 passer rating on deep balls against Chicago. That is the fourth-highest mark in football. Valdes-Scantling is a high variance player, but this is the type of matchup that is tailor-made for his skill set and role in Green Bay’s offense.
Week 14 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Kicker | D/ST | PPR | Flex
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