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Week 14 of the 2023 fantasy football season will begin with a matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football. While this may not be the most exciting game for NFL fans, fantasy managers will be locked in as always. This is the penultimate or final week before the fantasy playoffs in most leagues, so every game will be crucial.
Managers always look for players to target in their lineups each week, but it should be equally important to identify the fade candidates as well. Choosing the right players for a lineup is required, but leaving certain ones out can be just as valuable. Starting the wrong players can be costly in fantasy leagues, so the following breakdown can help managers navigate this tricky TNF showdown.
Thursday Night Football Week 14 Start 'Em & Sit 'Em fantasy football
This particular matchup on Thursday Night Football may be a bit challenging for fantasy managers to navigate. Both offenses have severely struggled during the 2023 NFL season, resulting in the projected point total for this game being the lowest of the week. Add in key injuries and a short week of preparation, and this could be a recipe for a low-scoring contest.
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The potential game script makes both of their defenses solid Week 14 streamers. The New England Patriots have allowed the fewest overall points over the past five weeks, while the Pittsburgh Steelers rank in the top 10 when playing at home this season. With both facing backup quarterbacks and relatively weak offenses, they are strong lineup options.
While this game doesn't create a favorable environment for many fantasy football options on offense, that doesn't mean it should be ignored when finalizing lineup decisions. Some value still exists for certain players and managers must also be aware of the proper fades.
Some get too excited to use Thursday Night Football players in their lineups, but most of the rostered options should be avoided in this one. Determining which fantasy players to target in any game is based on a large number of variables.
Some of these include recent individual performances, injuries to relevant players, potential game scripts, expected offensive roles, direct weekly matchups, and projected team totals. This helps to reveal which players make the best lineup options.
This process can be complicated, but the Start/Sit Optimizer makes it much easier. This useful tool considers all of the factors for any player in a given week to generate line-up suggestions and fantasy projections. Managers who take advantage of it often gain an edge over the rest of their league.
Official injury reports are always another important factor when making lineup decisions for fantasy players in any game. For this particular showdown on Thursday Night Football, several injuries are expected to play a major role in the landscape of the game.
The Patriots are dealing with pivotal injuries on their offense as Rhamondre Stevenson and Demario Douglas have both already been ruled out for this contest. This will allow Ezekiel Elliott to be the Patriots' starting running back for the first time this season.
The Steelers have officially listed Najee Harris as questionable to play, though he is reportedly trending in the right direction. In more unfortunate news, they will be without Kenny Pickett, so Mitchell Trubisky is expected to be named the starting quarterback.
Injuries in key positions could result in further offensive struggles, which both teams have already been dealing with this year. Taking all of this and much more into careful consideration, here is a list of potential players to target and avoid in fantasy football on Thursday Night Football in Week 14 of the 2023 NFL season.
TNF Week 14 Fantasy Football Start 'Em Picks
Ezekiel Elliott
When Rhamondre Stevenson left the Patriots' most recent game early with an injury, Ezekiel Elliott took over as the featured running back. Despite serving this role for just three-quarters of the game, Zeke turned in his best fantasy football performance of the season, including 92 scrimmage yards on 21 touches.
With the Steelers ranking in the bottom half of the NFL in defending fantasy running backs, and Elliott likely in line for a massive workload, he makes for a solid lineup option this week.
Najee Harris
Over the past seven weeks since the Steelers' bye week, Najee Harris has emerged as a reliable fantasy football running back. He has finished in the RB1 range on most rosters in four of his past seven games with six finishes among the top 25 running backs this year. His solid form earns him a lineup spot, despite a challenging matchup with the Patriots' defense.
George Pickens
Despite Diontae Johnson being listed as the WR1 on the Steelers' depth chart, George Pickens has been more productive and more efficient. He has also been busy, recording at least five targets in 11 of his 12 games so far. The Patriots rank in the top 10 in passing defense across the board this season, so expectations should be tempered for Pickens, but he still makes for a solid Flex option.
Managers looking to acquire any of these Week 14 targets should consult the fantasy football trade analyzer first.
TNF Week 14 Fantasy Football Sit 'Em Picks
Bailey Zappe
The Patriots decided to bench the struggling Mac Jones two weeks ago and have stuck with Bailey Zappe as their starter since. He hasn't exactly been an upgrade as he has still failed to score a touchdown this season and managed just 141 yards in his start last week. He is completely off of the radar in fantasy football leagues.
Mitchell Trubisky
With Kenny Pickett reportedly set to miss multiple weeks, Mitchell Trubisky is expected to fill in as the Steelers starting quarterback. While he may carry streaming value into certain matchups, the Patriots aren't one of them. They allow the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
Jaylen Warren
Before last week's game, Jaylen Warren was recently earning a nearly even split with Najee Harris for the Steelers' backfield touches. That changed in their most recent games, with Warren failing to exceed ten touches for the first time in the past five games. His questionable volume, paired with a tough matchup, makes Warren hard to trust in fantasy football this week.
Diontae Johnson
The Patriots' passing defense has ranked among the top ten teams all season long. Diontae Johnson hasn't exceeded 50 receiving yards in any of his past four games. This combination makes him a relatively easy fade candidate in Week 14 lineups.
Pat Freiermuth
Except for his breakout TE1 performance in Week 12, Pat Freiermuth has been a major disappointment in fantasy football this year. He has failed to surpass three receptions and 30 yards in any other game this season and spent time on the IR. The Patriots allow the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to his position, so he should be left on the bench.
Hunter Henry
Despite three top-10 finishes among weekly tight ends this season, Hunter Henry is too risky to start in Week 14. He has totaled just five receptions and 36 yards across his past three games. He can be safely dropped in most fantasy football leagues at this point, especially with Zappe limiting his upside.
