Nothing says welcome to the fantasy playoffs like injuries and suspensions laying waste to some key fantasy football contributors that have gotten teams this far. Maybe you were lucky enough to secure a first-round bye then consider yourself lucky if you’ve been throwing guys like Rob Gronkowski into your lineup week after week. Meanwhile, it’s possible players like Joe Mixon will miss Week 14’s tilts thanks to the painful hit he took Monday night against Pittsburgh.
Regardless of who you have starting this week, just getting in to your league’s playoff means you have a chance. So let’s break down the rankings heading into the most important stretch of the fantasy football season!
Quarterback
Brady will be without his top option in Gronkowski, but Miami is still susceptible enough to keep the Patriots’ quarterback atop the rankings. The Dolphins have allowed the third most fantasy points to signal callers over the last four weeks. Fade on Cam Newton this week as he goes up against a formidable Minnesota defense that continues to shut down top passers. Jimmy Garoppolo is an intriguing name this week for deep sleepers in DFS as he goes up against a porous Texans secondary in what could turn into a shootout.
| Rank | Name | Team | Opp |
| 1 | Tom Brady | NE | at MIA |
| 2 | Carson Wentz | PHI | at LAR |
| 3 | Drew Brees | NO | at ATL |
| 4 | Matthew Stafford | DET | at TB |
| 5 | Philip Rivers | LAC | vs. WAS |
| 6 | Alex Smith | KC | vs. OAK |
| 7 | Jared Goff | LAR | vs. PHI |
| 8 | Dak Prescott | DAL | at NYG |
| 9 | Russell Wilson | SEA | at JAC |
| 10 | Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | vs. BAL |
| 11 | Cam Newton | CAR | vs. MIN |
| 12 | Matt Ryan | ATL | vs. NO |
| 13 | Derek Carr | OAK | at KC |
| 14 | Kirk Cousins | WAS | at LAC |
| 15 | Josh McCown | NYJ | at DEN |
| 16 | Marcus Mariota | TEN | at ARI |
| 17 | Andy Dalton | CIN | vs. CHI |
| 18 | Jameis Winston | TB | vs. DET |
| 19 | Jimmy Garoppolo | SF | at HOU |
| 20 | Case Keenum | MIN | at CAR |
| 21 | Tyrod Taylor | BUF | vs. IND |
| 22 | Brett Hundley | GB | at CLE |
| 23 | Eli Manning | NYG | vs. DAL |
| 24 | Blaine Gabbert | ARI | vs. TEN |
| 25 | DeShone Kizer | CLE | vs. GB |
Running Back
The Saints’ running game keeps on rolling with Kamara and Ingram with no end in sight. The Falcons have allowed much success against pass-catching backs this season which line up for another big game from Kamara. Marshawn Lynch looks like he’s starting to get his rhythm back (at a much later time than many of his 2017 owners would have liked), but the Chiefs have allowed a running back to score in six of their past seven games.
Into the 20s, it’s worth watching the running back situation in Tennessee where Derrick Henry continues to receive more touches as the weeks continue. By the end of the season, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Demarco Murray taking around just 35% of the snaps.
| Rank | Name | Team | Opp |
| 1 | Le’Veon Bell | PIT | vs. BAL |
| 2 | LeSean McCoy | BUF | vs. IND |
| 3 | Alvin Kamara | NO | at ATL |
| 4 | Mark Ingram | NO | at ATL |
| 5 | Melvin Gordon | LAC | vs. WAS |
| 6 | Todd Gurley | LAR | vs. PHI |
| 7 | Lamar Miller | HOU | vs. SF |
| 8 | Leonard Fournette | JAC | vs. SEA |
| 9 | Samaje Perine | WAS | at LAC |
| 10 | Devonta Freeman | ATL | vs. NO |
| 11 | Kareem Hunt | KC | vs. OAK |
| 12 | Dion Lewis | NE | at MIA |
| 13 | Kenyan Drake | MIA | vs. NE |
| 14 | Marshawn Lynch | OAK | at KC |
| 15 | Rex Burkhead | NE | at MIA |
| 16 | Carlos Hyde | SF | at HOU |
| 17 | Alfred Morris | DAL | at NYG |
| 18 | Jordan Howard | CHI | at CIN |
| 19 | Christian McCaffrey | CAR | vs. MIN |
| 20 | Jamaal Williams | GB | at CLE |
| 21 | Jerick McKinnon | MIN | at CAR |
| 22 | Alex Collins | BAL | at PIT |
| 23 | Latavius Murray | MIN | at CAR |
| 24 | Derrick Henry | TEN | at ARI |
| 25 | DeMarco Murray | TEN | at ARI |
| 26 | Duke Johnson | CLE | vs. GB |
| 27 | Orleans Darkwa | NYG | vs. DAL |
| 28 | Giovani Bernard | CIN | vs. CHI |
| 29 | Mike Davis | SEA | at JAC |
| 30 | Jay Ajayi | PHI | at LAR |
| 31 | Isaiah Crowell | CLE | vs. GB |
| 32 | Peyton Barber | TB | vs. DET |
| 33 | Tevin Coleman | ATL | vs. NO |
| 34 | Matt Forte | NYJ | at DEN |
| 35 | Theo Riddick | DET | at TB |
| 36 | Adrian Peterson | ARI | vs. TEN |
| 37 | Danny Woodhead | BAL | at PIT |
| 38 | C.J. Anderson | DEN | vs. NYJ |
| 39 | Bilal Powell | NYJ | at DEN |
| 40 | Frank Gore | IND | at BUF |
| 41 | Kerwynn Williams | ARI | vs. TEN |
| 42 | LeGarrette Blount | PHI | at LAR |
| 43 | Devontae Booker | DEN | vs. NYJ |
| 44 | Austin Ekeler | LAC | vs. WAS |
| 45 | Tarik Cohen | CHI | at CIN |
| 46 | Joe Mixon | CIN | vs. CHI |
| 47 | Rod Smith | DAL | at NYG |
| 48 | Ameer Abdullah | DET | at TB |
| 49 | Aaron Jones | GB | at CLE |
| 50 | Jonathan Stewart | CAR | vs. MIN |
Wide Receiver
For those that expected Josh Gordon to take time to get acclimated to the NFL (myself included), safe to say that was the wrong take going up against a strong Chargers secondary. Green Bay has allowed the seventh most points to receivers over the last month which should set Gordon up for a great game.
With JuJu Smith-Schuster slated to miss Sunday night’s game against Baltimore, 2017 problem child Martavis Bryant should get a strong boost in value this week despite playing a good Baltimore defense who is now without Jimmy Smith.
| Rank | Name | Team | Opp |
| 1 | Antonio Brown | PIT | vs. BAL |
| 2 | DeAndre Hopkins | HOU | vs. SF |
| 3 | A.J. Green | CIN | vs. CHI |
| 4 | Keenan Allen | LAC | vs. WAS |
| 5 | Julio Jones | ATL | vs. NO |
| 6 | Adam Thielen | MIN | at CAR |
| 7 | Michael Thomas | NO | at ATL |
| 8 | Larry Fitzgerald | ARI | vs. TEN |
| 9 | Mike Evans | TB | vs. DET |
| 10 | Brandin Cooks | NE | at MIA |
| 11 | Marvin Jones | DET | at TB |
| 12 | Tyreek Hill | KC | vs. OAK |
| 13 | Alshon Jeffery | PHI | at LAR |
| 14 | Golden Tate | DET | at TB |
| 15 | Dez Bryant | DAL | at NYG |
| 16 | Josh Gordon | CLE | vs. GB |
| 17 | Davante Adams | GB | at CLE |
| 18 | Jarvis Landry | MIA | vs. NE |
| 19 | Robby Anderson | NYJ | at DEN |
| 20 | Michael Crabtree | OAK | at KC |
| 21 | Sterling Shepard | NYG | vs. DAL |
| 22 | Stefon Diggs | MIN | at CAR |
| 23 | Jamison Crowder | WAS | at LAC |
| 24 | Cooper Kupp | LAR | vs. PHI |
| 25 | Doug Baldwin | SEA | at JAC |
| 26 | Demaryius Thomas | DEN | vs. NYJ |
| 27 | T.Y. Hilton | IND | at BUF |
| 28 | Devin Funchess | CAR | vs. MIN |
| 29 | Amari Cooper | OAK | at KC |
| 30 | Marqise Lee | JAC | vs. SEA |
| 31 | Marquise Goodwin | SF | at HOU |
| 32 | Emmanuel Sanders | DEN | vs. NYJ |
| 33 | Sammy Watkins | LAR | vs. PHI |
| 34 | Mohamed Sanu | ATL | vs. NO |
| 35 | Martavis Bryant | PIT | vs. BAL |
| 36 | Ted Ginn Jr. | NO | at ATL |
| 37 | Dede Westbrook | JAC | vs. SEA |
| 38 | Nelson Agholor | PHI | at LAR |
| 39 | DeSean Jackson | TB | vs. DET |
| 40 | Jermaine Kearse | NYJ | at DEN |
| 41 | Corey Coleman | CLE | vs. GB |
| 42 | Jeremy Maclin | BAL | at PIT |
| 43 | Devante Parker | MIA | vs. NE |
| 44 | Kenny Stills | MIA | vs. NE |
| 45 | Rishard Matthews | TEN | at ARI |
| 46 | Josh Doctson | WAS | at LAC |
| 47 | Corey Davis | TEN | at ARI |
| 48 | Mike Wallace | BAL | at PIT |
| 49 | Danny Amendola | NE | at MIA |
| 50 | Paul Richardson | SEA | at JAC |
Tight End
No Gronk this week thanks to his one week suspension being upheld — and let’s be honest, he could have gotten more games. Jacksonville has looked susceptible to tight ends in recent weeks despite their overall numbers so Jimmy Graham should still be a solid play.
Cameron Brate meanwhile looks to have his value back with Jameis Winston under center again, he could easily end up as the top scorer of the week facing a Lions defense ranked 23rd against the position.
| Rank | Name | Team | Opp |
| 1 | Travis Kelce | KC | vs. OAK |
| 2 | Jimmy Graham | SEA | at JAC |
| 3 | Evan Engram | NYG | vs. DAL |
| 4 | Delanie Walker | TEN | at ARI |
| 5 | Hunter Henry | LAC | vs. WAS |
| 6 | Zach Ertz | PHI | at LAR |
| 7 | Jason Witten | DAL | at NYG |
| 8 | Jack Doyle | IND | at BUF |
| 9 | Kyle Rudolph | MIN | at CAR |
| 10 | Cameron Brate | TB | vs. DET |
| 11 | Austin Seferian-Jenkins | NYJ | at DEN |
| 12 | Ricky Seals-Jones | ARI | vs. TEN |
| 13 | Jared Cook | OAK | at KC |
| 14 | Charles Clay | BUF | vs. IND |
| 15 | Vernon Davis | WAS | at LAC |
| 16 | Greg Olsen | CAR | vs. MIN |
| 17 | Tyler Kroft | CIN | vs. CHI |
| 18 | Julius Thomas | MIA | vs. NE |
| 19 | Austin Hooper | ATL | vs. NO |
| 20 | David Njoku | CLE | vs. GB |
| 21 | Benjamin Watson | BAL | at PIT |
| 22 | Eric Ebron | DET | at TB |
| 23 | Stephen Anderson | HOU | vs. SF |
| 24 | O.J. Howard | TB | vs. DET |
| 25 | Marcedes Lewis | JAC | vs. SEA |
Defense/Special Teams
Weak matchups highlight a lot of the top 10 defenses in week 14 as the Patriots, Bengals and Chargers highlight some of the best options available.
Coming off a huge Thursday night victory, Dallas’ defense offers an intriguing option with their “re-tooled” secondary going up against the Giants.
| Rank | Name | Opp |
| 1 | Seattle Seahawks | at JAC |
| 2 | New England Patriots | at MIA |
| 3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | vs. SEA |
| 4 | Cincinnati Bengals | vs. CHI |
| 5 | Los Angeles Chargers | vs. WAS |
| 6 | Minnesota Vikings | at CAR |
| 7 | Buffalo Bills | vs. IND |
| 8 | Pittsburgh Steelers | vs. BAL |
| 9 | Denver Broncos | vs. NYJ |
| 10 | Philadelphia Eagles | at LAR |
| 11 | Tennessee Titans | at ARI |
| 12 | Dallas Cowboys | at NYG |
| 13 | Arizona Cardinals | vs. TEN |
| 14 | Green Bay Packers | at CLE |
| 15 | Detroit Lions | at TB |
| 16 | Baltimore Ravens | at PIT |
| 17 | New York Jets | at DEN |
| 18 | Carolina Panthers | vs. MIN |
| 19 | Los Angeles Rams | vs. PHI |
| 20 | New Orleans Saints | at ATL |
| 21 | Oakland Raiders | at KC |
| 22 | Chicago Bears | at CIN |
| 23 | Houston Texans | vs. SF |
| 24 | Kansas City Chiefs | vs. OAK |
| 25 | San Francisco 49ers | at HOU |
(Rankings based on .5 PPR scoring)
ChiCitySports Fantasy Review: Early 2018 Fantasy Quarterback Rankings
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