I don’t understand the NFL and why it schedules a week with no byes and then a week with six teams on bye. Whatever the reason, that is where we are in Week 14. We have some key pieces of our fantasy teams missing so finding the right option to fill in is paramount. It’s the last week of the regular season so this could be do or die for you. If that’s the case we believe we have a solid list of wide receiver streamers and sleepers to help you get the win.
Week 14 Wide Receiver Streamers
Jayden Reed – Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are making a late-season run. Not only to make the playoffs, a spot they currently have but also to maybe take the NFC North division crown. They have a balanced running and passing attack. A big part of that has been Jayden Reed especially as of late. While he only has 11 targets in the past three games he has three touchdowns. He is even more necessary when Romeo Doubs is dealing with a concussion. Doubs is expected to return in Week 14 but Reed will still be a part of this Packers offense.
The Packers are going up against the current division leaders in the Detroit Lions. While the Lions defense has been very good they do have a weakness. That weakness is the slot corner. Currently, that is Amik Robertson. He is ranked by PFF.com as the 95th out of 113 cornerbacks. The slot is where Reed is lining up on over 80% of his snaps. It’s a spot where he and the Packers can find an advantage. An Advantage that they desperately need if they want to take over as lead dogs in the division. Reed hasn’t been as good as we all wanted this year but he is a good spot start in Week 14.
Adam Thielen – Carolina Panthers
Don’t tell Adam Thielen that he is old and over the hill. Currently, he is a big part of the turnaround of not only the Carolina Panthers but quarterback Bryce Young. Thielen was robbed of an earlier touchdown in Week 13 but still had an amazing game recording eight receptions for 99 yards and a score. Can the elder statesman do it again in Week 14 and for your fantasy team? I say yes and here is why.
While the matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles isn’t the best it might be better than expected. The Eagles are dealing with injuries in their secondary. This will shift some of their key players around. This should mean that Thielen won’t see sensational rookie corner Cooper DeJean in his normal slot role. If that is the case Thielen should have another solid game. His years of experience give him a slight edge no matter who he is facing. He excels in his route running and finds soft spots in zone defense. The Eagles are an offensive powerhouse. The Panthers will have to try to match them. The only way they will be able to do that is to feed Thielen.
Brandin Cooks – Dallas Cowboys
Speaking of another older receiver who returns from injury and adds a spark to their team, we have Brandin Cooks for the Dallas Cowboys. He comes back to an offense that has sputtered but still shows signs of life. Cooks’s first game back he saw seven targets. He only caught three of them but one was for a touchdown. While we want his receptions to be better I love that he got seven targets. I love it even more considering he only played on 39% of the team’s snaps.
Entering Week 14 I expect Cooks’s snap share to jump back closer to what he was doing before the injury. It should be around the 80% mark. He should see closer to double-digit targets. He gets a good matchup going against the Cincinnati Bengals. CeeDee Lamb should see Josh Newton most of the game while Cooks will see a lot of Cam Taylor-Britt. Britt is better than his PFF.com rating indicates but he has weaknesses that Cooks can exploit. I like him to continue to be worked into the offense more and more as he gets back to fully healthy from the injury. He is a late-season bump for your fantasy team.
Wide receiver Sleepers
Ray Ray McCloud – Atlanta Falcons
I was skeptical about the Falcons offense coming off their Week 13 bye. What we saw in Week 13 was Ray-Ray McCloud stepping up and pushing Darnell Mooney as the second receiving option for Kirk Cousins. It ended up being a game that Cousins would like to forget after four interceptions but McCloud had his best game of the year. With catching five of his six targets for 95 yards he looks poised to continue to be a piece of the Falcons’ game plan.
Week 14 brings a matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have one of the most creative defenses in the league but their secondary has some weak spots. The one I expect McCloud to exploit is going against Shaquill Griffin. PFF.com rates him as the 92nd-best cornerback. With Byron Murphy looking to lock down Drake London and Stephon Gilmore across for Mooney, McCloud will have to step up to be the difference maker. The Vikings also don’t have a ton of help in the back end at safety so McCloud’s speed and deep ball ability will come into play.
Calvin Austin – Pittsburgh Steelers
I’m a sucker for speedy slot guys. We have another one here in the sleeper section. This time it’s Pittsburgh Steelers wideout Calvin Austin. What Austin has done in limited work is really impressive. Austin has only five targets in the past two games. He has caught all five of them and two of them were for touchdowns. I’m willing to chase those points going into Week 14. The Steelers are looking for someone to step up behind George Pickens. Calvin Austin is possibly that player.
The Steelers face the Cleveland Browns. A team with a subpar secondary. Their slot corner is Greg Newsom III who is having a down year. I expect Austin to take advantage and maximize his opportunities even if they are limited. With The Steelers winning these divisional games they are starting to look more and more towards the playoffs and getting all of their offense clicking. A game against a weak secondary is just what they need.
Parker Washington – Jacksonville Jaguars
Not much has gone right for the Jacksonville Jaguars this season. Injuries have taken their toll and poor play has stopped them even when they are healthy. The latest injury to quarterback Trevor Lawrence was horrible. Mac Jones again was pressed into service. One of the bright spots of that game was the play of sophomore wide receiver Parker Washington. He ended with a stat line of 12 receptions, 6 catches for 103 yards and a score. I expect that to continue in Week 14.
The Jaguars are playing the Tennessee Titans. They have a solid cornerback in Darrell Baker jr but he will be covering sensational rookie Brian Thomas Jr. That will leave Washington across from either Jarvis Brownlee Jr when out wide or Roger McCreary when he is in the slot. Parker Washington has been splitting his time between the two roles. Even with Mac Jones under center who is a sub-optimal option, Washington should see plenty of opportunities.
Make sure to check out all of our Week 14 Fantasy Football Rankings and Analysis!