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Sunday, December 13, 2020
If you're feeling stressed, you're not alone. The Sunday morning before the playoffs begin always give me a little anxiety, and if it makes you feel better, I've got six playoff matchups to stress out about today -- and yes, that is a humble brag. Please clap. 
One nice thing about this week is there aren't that many injury situations we're waiting on to be settled. Most of the biggest names on the injury report are active, and the ones who aren't -- Julio Jones, Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Brandin Cooks chief among them -- have already been settled. For the most part, we know who is in and who is out for Week 14, and that included one surprise name Sunday morning: Leonard Fournette is a healthy scratch for the Buccaneers. Bruce Arians talked about needing to give Ronald Jones more work during the bye week, and he's backing that up with actions. Sure, Jones could run the wrong route or wear the wrong gloves and wind up in Arians dog house again, but this the closest we're ever going to get to Arians lighting up a big neon sign that says, "START RONALD JONES." Jones is an RB1 for the Fantasy playoffs. 
If you have any other lineup questions, make sure you keep up with everything the Fantasy Football Today team is doing Sunday morning. In today's newsletter, I've got the latest on all of the injuries and replacements you need to know about for Week 14 and our expert consensus rankings for each position to help you make those lineup calls. Then you need to tune in to Fantasy Football Today live on CBS Sports HQ until kickoff for the latest news and analysis for today. We're also answering your questions on our Twitch stream starting at noon and going until kickoff — and you can always drop your questions on Twitter using the hashtag "#AskFFT" because the whole team is answering questions this morning.
Here are the key injury situations we're watching out for Sunday, along with some potential fill-in options if you need help: 
Quarterback
  • In: Matthew Stafford (thumb), Daniel Jones (hamstring), Brandon Allen (chest)
Well, that's easy enough. Moving on. 
Running back
  • In: Kenyan Drake (hip), Ezekiel Elliott (calf), James Conner (COVID-19), D'Andre Swift (illness), Frank Gore (concussion), DeAndre Washington (hamstring)
  • Expected to be in: Josh Jacobs (ankle), Justin Jackson (knee)
  • Out: Christian McCaffrey (thigh), Myles Gaskin (COVID-19), David Johnson (COVID-19), Antonio Gibson (toe), Travis Homer (wrist/thumb/knee), Alexander Mattison (appendix)
Most of the big names on the injury report are active or expected to be, but obviously the absences of McCaffrey, Gaskin, and Johnson will be felt. Mike Davis is a solid RB2, while Duke Johnson and DeAndre Washington are more like flex plays. I would lean toward starting Johnson if I had to choose, given the absence of so many pass-catching options in the Texans offense. 
The key thing I want to see this week is Swift's usage. He made the leap into the starting lineup and seemingly to must-start status for Fantasy with 147 total yards and a touchdown in Week 10, but we haven't seen him since. He's been dealing with pretty bad headaches over the last few weeks, apparently, and it's not clear how much the concussion he was diagnosed with played a part in that -- in fact, the Lions don't seem to be totally sure he actually suffered a concussion. It feels like there's some real risk of a setback in-game here, but there's also huge potential with a good matchup against the Packers. I'm starting him. 
  • Potential fill-ins: Frank Gore (39%) vs. SEA, Brian Hill (25%) @LAC, Ito Smith (5%) @LAC, DeAndre Washington (17%)
Wide receiver
  • In: DeAndre Hopkins (neck/back), Tee Higgins (hamstring), Keke Coutee (knee), Larry Fitzgerald (COVID-19)
  • Questionable: Jamison Crowder (calf)
  • Out: Brandin Cooks (foot/neck), Julio Jones (hamstring), D.J. Moore (COVID-19/ankle), Kenny Golladay (hip), Equanimeous St. Brown (concussion), Denzel Mims (personal)
Cooks is probably the only real surprise here, and it's a potentially big blow. Deshaun Watson is playing without his top two receivers with Will Fuller also suspended for the season, and it's fair to wonder if he'll be adversely affected by the ongoing talent drain. On the other hand, he made Keke Coutee and Chad Hansen look like stars last week. Coutee is a worthwhile No. 2 WR for Fantasy, while Hansen is a deep flex play -- and a solid DFS sleeper. 
The toughest situation to figure out here is Crowder's. He missed practice Friday after suffering the injury Thursday, but we haven't heard much about his chances to play. With a late start Sunday, lean toward sitting him unless you've got a good alternative you can pivot to when the inactives for 4 p.m. games come out; Breshad Perriman would be a good option if you have him, while Braxton Berrios is an intriguing deep-league option -- he has 22 catches for 192 yards and two touchdowns in the four games where he has played at least 70% of the snaps. He can fill the Crowder role well enough. 
  • Potential fill-ins: Tim Patrick (69%) @CAR, Sterling Shepard (58%) vs. ARI, Russell Gage (22%) @LAC, Collin Johnson (6%) vs. TEN
Tight end
  • In: Mark Andrews (Reserve/COVID-19), Jonnu Smith (knee), Irv Smith (back), Ian Thomas (knee) 
  • Out: Kyle Rudolph (foot), Jace Sternberger (concussion)
  • Questionable: Austin Hooper (neck), Tyler Eifert (shoulder)
Andrews belongs back in your lineup for Monday's game against the Browns, and hopefully he'll be able to avoid any complications from his bout with COVID-19 and can finish the season strong. He was coming on strong before the illness, with 157 yards on 12 catches with a touchdown in his last two games. 
Beyond Andrews, Jonnu and Irv Smith are both just low-end options you're hoping to get a touchdown from. Jonnu is the much better play of the two given the matchup against the Jaguars, but he hasn't had more than 40 yards in a game since Week 3, so he's no sure thing.
It probably isn't worth the risk of seeing whether Hooper will play Monday, because if he doesn't, you're likely stuck choosing between Harrison Bryant and David Njoku, and neither is a sure thing. If you do have to choose between them, Bryant seems like the safer bet, as he played more snaps and had better stats in the two games Hooper missed following his appendectomy. He had 81 yards on seven catches with a touchdown in those two games, so he's just a touchdown-or-bust guy. 
As of 12 p.m. EST from Jamey Eisenberg, Dave Richard, and Heath Cummings: 
QB Rankings
  1. Patrick Mahomes
  2. Aaron Rodgers
  3. Russell Wilson
  4. Josh Allen
  5. Tom Brady
  6. Ryan Tannehill
  7. Lamar Jackson
  8. Justin Herbert
  9. Deshaun Watson
  10. Kyler Murray
  11. Taysom Hill
  12. Ben Roethlisberger
  13. Matthew Stafford
  14. Derek Carr
  15. Kirk Cousins
  16. Philip Rivers
  17. Matt Ryan
  18. Mitchell Trubisky
  19. Tua Tagovailoa
  20. Jared Goff
  21. Baker Mayfield
  22. Teddy Bridgewater
  23. Nick Mullens
  24. Cam Newton
RB Rankings
  1. Derrick Henry
  2. Dalvin Cook
  3. James Robinson
  4. Austin Ekeler
  5. Aaron Jones
  6. Nick Chubb
  7. Alvin Kamara
  8. Chris Carson
  9. David Montgomery
  10. Mike Davis
  11. Jonathan Taylor
  12. Ezekiel Elliott
  13. Ronald Jones
  14. D'Andre Swift
  15. J.D. McKissic
  16. Wayne Gallman
  17. James Conner
  18. Kenyan Drake
  19. Clyde Edwards-Helaire
  20. Josh Jacobs
  21. Giovani Bernard
  22. Melvin Gordon
  23. Raheem Mostert
  24. Cam Akers
  25. J.K. Dobbins
  26. Nyheim Hines
  27. Kareem Hunt
  28. Miles Sanders
  29. DeAndre Washington
  30. Duke Johnson
  31. Chase Edmonds
  32. Devin Singletary
  33. Damien Harris
  34. Todd Gurley
  35. Frank Gore
  36. Jamaal Williams
  37. Latavius Murray
  38. Jeff Wilson
  39. Peyton Barber
  40. Adrian Peterson
  41. James White
  42. Phillip Lindsay
  43. Zack Moss
  44. Darrell Henderson
  45. Tony Pollard
  46. Ty Johnson
  47. Gus Edwards
WR Rankings
  1. Davante Adams
  2. Tyreek Hill
  3. Stefon Diggs
  4. DK Metcalf
  5. Keenan Allen
  6. Allen Robinson
  7. A.J. Brown
  8. Calvin Ridley
  9. Mike Evans
  10. Michael Thomas
  11. DeAndre Hopkins
  12. Justin Jefferson
  13. Diontae Johnson
  14. Adam Thielen
  15. Amari Cooper
  16. Tyler Lockett
  17. Corey Davis
  18. Chris Godwin
  19. Terry McLaurin
  20. Robert Woods
  21. Robby Anderson
  22. Cooper Kupp
  23. Marvin Jones
  24. Jarvis Landry
  25. Brandon Aiyuk
  26. Cole Beasley
  27. Deebo Samuel
  28. Keke Coutee
  29. JuJu Smith-Schuster
  30. DeVante Parker
  31. Curtis Samuel
  32. T.Y. Hilton
  33. Tim Patrick
  34. CeeDee Lamb
  35. Jamison Crowder
  36. Chase Claypool
  37. D.J. Chark
  38. Tyler Boyd
  39. Antonio Brown
  40. Sterling Shepard
  41. Allen Lazard
  42. Marquise Brown
  43. Tee Higgins
  44. Nelson Agholor
  45. Michael Pittman
  46. Breshad Perriman
  47. Chad Hansen
  48. Rashard Higgins
TE Rankings
  1. Travis Kelce
  2. Darren Waller
  3. T.J. Hockenson
  4. Mark Andrews
  5. Dallas Goedert
  6. Evan Engram
  7. Rob Gronkowski
  8. Mike Gesicki
  9. Robert Tonyan
  10. Eric Ebron
  11. Hayden Hurst
  12. Hunter Henry
  13. Logan Thomas
  14. Noah Fant
  15. Dalton Schultz
  16. Jonnu Smith
  17. Tyler Eifert
  18. Jordan Akins
  19. Cole Kmet
  20. Jordan Reed
  21. Austin Hooper
  22. Will Dissly
  23. Zach Ertz
  24. Jared Cook
K Rankings
  1. Harrison Butker
  2. Younghoe Koo
  3. Wil Lutz
  4. Justin Tucker
  5. Rodrigo Blankenship
  6. Jason Myers
  7. Jason Sanders
  8. Mason Crosby
  9. Ka'imi Fairbairn
  10. Robbie Gould
  11. Matt Prater
  12. Greg Zuerlein
  13. Tyler Bass
  14. Ryan Succop
  15. Daniel Carlson
  16. Nick Folk
  17. Joey Slye
  18. Mike Badgley
  19. Dan Bailey
  20. Brandon McManus
  21. Dustin Hopkins
  22. Graham Gano
  23. Chris Boswell
  24. Cody Parkey
DST Rankings
  1. Saints
  2. Seahawks
  3. Rams
  4. Ravens
  5. Football Team
  6. Packers
  7. 49ers
  8. Buccaneers
  9. Steelers
  10. Colts
  11. Chiefs
  12. Giants
  13. Patriots
  14. Cardinals
  15. Titans
  16. Cowboys
  17. Panthers
  18. Bears
  19. Texans
  20. Broncos
  21. Bills
  22. Chargers
  23. Vikings
  24. Dolphins
 
 
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