Week 14 Flex Rankings for Fantasy Football

Ladies and gentlemen, the time has arrived. It is Week 14. We have reached the regular season finale of the 2022 fantasy football campaign. Legacies are at stake and playoff berths hang in the balance. And with everything potentially on the line, how have the football gods chosen to bless us? By having six teams on a bye, of course! Yes, the sad reality is that many of us will have to fight the good fight without many of our top players this week. But there is no crying in fantasy football, at least not publicly. So we must do the best that we can with the tools with which we are given. With that in mind, I present to you my Week 14 Flex rankings.

As a reminder, these rankings are based on half-PPR scoring. You may need to tweak or tailor them to your league specifications. They are also subject to change, as it is still relatively early in the week. Make sure to keep up with the latest news from around the league regarding the players on your roster. In the meantime, you can always comment below or follow me on Twitter with any specific questions you may have. With all of that being said, let’s get to the rankings and I’ll see you in the fantasy football playoffs!

Running Back Notes

In a rare occurrence, I have two running backs ranked as RB1s in 12-team leagues. If that seems crazy to you, you probably have not been paying attention. Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliott have each been top-eight fantasy backs in two of the last three weeks. Over that stretch, they have scored a combined 114.4 fantasy points in six total games. On tap for the dynamic duo in Week 14 is a date with the Houston Texans. Through nearly three-quarters of the season, the Texans have proven to be the best fantasy matchup for running backs. They have given up the most fantasy points per game to opposing running backs, and no team has ceded more total yards to the position. Dallas is also a 17-point favorite in this game, so Pollard and Elliott should have plenty of chances to post huge numbers on Sunday.

My early rankings on Joe Mixon and Kenneth Walker are perhaps a bit aggressive. Mixon has missed multiple games with a concussion, while Walker is dealing with an ankle injury. Mixon did reportedly practice in full on Wednesday. That is a great sign that he has cleared the league’s concussion protocol. The timing could not be better, as Cincinnati has a chance to take over the division lead on Sunday. The matchup is solid for Mixon as well against a Cleveland Browns team that has allowed an NFL-high 16 total touchdowns to the running back position. The Bengals may choose not to overwork Mixon, especially with the recent emergence of Samaje Perine as a legitimate weapon. Having said that, I would deem Mixon a must-start in a favorable matchup.

As for Walker, his status is less clear. He did not practice on Wednesday, leaving his status up in the air. If he were to miss this game, it would be a real bummer for fantasy managers. Walker is the overall RB15 on the year and RB6 since Week 6. That was the first game in which he had double-digit touches. Since then, it has been all systems a-go for the talented rookie out of Michigan State. If Walker cannot go, Seattle would most likely go with a combination of DeeJay Dallas, Tony Jones, and Travis Homer. Dallas is dealing with an ankle injury of his own, so he is a question mark this week as well. No Seahawk back other than Walker would be a recommended Week 14 Flex option for me, even in a plus-matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

There are some muddy running back waters throughout the league, and that seems to be especially true in the AFC East. After looking like the Miami Dolphins’ best running back in recent weeks, Jeff Wilson earned one touch in Miami’s loss to San Francisco a week ago. So much for momentum and the revenge game narrative. Fellow Fin and former 49er Raheem Mostert led the backfield, albeit with just seven carries. The uncertainty regarding this backfield split comes at a bad time for fantasy managers. Miami has a pristine Week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers allow the most yards per carry and most yards before contact of any team in the league. I consider both Wilson and Mostert Week 14 Flex plays based on the upside, but it sure would be nice to get some clarity on their respective workloads before Sunday.

The Buffalo Bills clash with the New York Jets on Sunday, and both teams also have some ambiguity in their backfields. Devin Singletary has earned at least 10 touches in 10 of 12 games this season, including seven straight. However, rookie James Cook has become more involved in recent weeks. Cook saw a season-high 20 opportunities last week and has eclipsed 80 total yards in two of his last three contests. But his workload is still a bit inconsistent for my liking. He had only four touches for 18 total yards in Week 12. If I had to choose one for my Flex spot this week, it would still be Singletary. But Cook is trending upward and could be a factor in the fantasy football playoffs. The Jets present a middle-of-the-pack matchup for fantasy running backs.

On the other side of the field, undrafted rookie Zonovan Knight stepped in for an injured Michael Carter in Week 12 and has not looked back. Knight has gone over 100 total scrimmage yards in his first two NFL outings. He has been a top-20 fantasy back in that span despite not yet finding the end zone. The Jets removed Carter from the injury report this week, suggesting he will be available against Buffalo. But head coach Robert Saleh indicated that Knight is not going anywhere and has earned a place in the lineup. As is the case with Miami and Buffalo, I think both Jets’ backs could be in play this week depending on your other options. That is especially true considering how much Mike White likes to target running backs in the receiving game. I have Knight ranked slightly ahead of Carter at the moment.

Wide Receiver Notes

Treylon Burks’ first NFL touchdown was a spectacular 25-yard grab between two defenders in Tennessee’s loss last week. Unfortunately, one of those defenders leveled Burks in the head as he was making the grab. Burks was quickly ruled out for the day with a concussion. I currently have Burks ranked right at the cusp of Flex-worthy status, at WR38. However, he did not practice on Wednesday, which suggests that he may not be ready for Sunday. The timing is tough because the Jacksonville Jaguars have struggled to contain wide receivers this season. Jacksonville has given up 15 receiving scores to the position. Only two teams have allowed more. If Burks cannot go, Robert Woods would be the man most likely to step up. But I consider him a dicey Week 14 Flex option at best. Woods has cleared 40 yards just twice in 12 games this season.

As you could probably surmise based on my ranking of Los Angeles Chargers wide receivers, I am in the camp that believes Mike Williams will play this week. The big-play wideout got in a limited practice on Wednesday, which is a good sign. His potential return would likely be a hit to the fantasy potential of Joshua Palmer and DeAndre Carter, both of whom have stepped up while Williams and Keenan Allen have been dealing with injuries for most of the year. The Chargers do play on Sunday night, so this is a situation that fantasy managers will have to monitor throughout the week. You would hate to assume that Williams is playing, only to be left holding the bag if he is ruled out at the last minute.

I also have Brandin Cooks ranked right at the threshold of the Week 14 Flex conversation. However, I will concede that it is much less likely that Cooks suits up than Williams. While Williams and the Chargers are fighting for a playoff berth, the Texans are well out of contention. Cooks is also reportedly still upset about not being traded by Houston at the deadline. I do not think Cooks will go out of his way to play on Sunday, nor do I think the Texans will force the issue. Instead, Nico Collins is most likely to be Houston’s top wideout on Sunday. The matchup is not ideal, but you likely will not find better backdoor game script potential. Davis Mills is also expected to start this week, so there is at least the potential for Houston to field an NFL-caliber offense on Sunday.

Tight End Notes

Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews combined to score 13 fantasy points last week. Meanwhile, Taysom Hill scored 12.3. Welcome to the tight end position, folks! Perhaps that is a bit unfair, especially to Kelce, who is having one of the greatest seasons ever by a tight end. But it speaks to how random the tight end position can be. Other top-12 fantasy tight ends from last week include Cade Otton, Chigoziem Okonkwo, Connor Heyward, and Mecole Pruitt. Of the four players I just mentioned, only one finished the day with more than 28 yards and two had just a single catch each. We know fantasy football can be random, but tight ends seem to take that theory to a whole new level every week.

As for Week 14, I will continue to start the players who have been reasonably productive throughout the year. The player I had the most trouble ranking was Tyler Higbee. I currently have him at TE9, and it honestly doesn’t feel right. In two games without Matthew Stafford, Higbee has totaled 14 yards. Even in a good matchup and with a lack of pass-catching options, I just do not know how involved Higbee will be. He also plays on Thursday night, so that may factor into your decision. I was burned by Hunter Henry early and often this season, but he has been targeted at least four times in three of four games. He also has the best matchup known to man for tight ends against the Arizona Cardinals. Henry figures to at least have some upside this week and could be a sneaky Week 14 Flex option.

Week 14 Flex Rankings for Fantasy Football

More Week 1 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | Flex Rankings