Delusion Football: Previewing TNF plus updating your complete injuries, news and lineup advice for Week 14

Fantasy Football Injury Updates: Christian McCaffrey likely out for Week 14; Mike Evans in question too

The Patriots-Rams sport appears esteem an intelligent matchup, but not for Delusion survivors.

Dec 10, 2020

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1: 07 pm ET17 min be taught

Here is it. Week 14 of the NFL season kicks off tonight, and with it, potentially the ruin of your Delusion season. And unfortunately, it appears esteem you can per chance seemingly seemingly also not own Christian McCaffrey on hand, all over again. McCaffrey, who has conducted fair correct three video games this season due to the a excessive-ankle sprain after which a shoulder atomize, popped up on the atomize document with a current malady Wednesday, a quad atomize.

He used to be limited at put collectively Wednesday as a results of the atomize after which overlooked put collectively Thursday, with coach Matt Rhule telling newshounds he does not mediate McCaffrey is going to play this week. That’s a serious disappointment for McCaffrey, who suffered the atomize working out at some point soon of the crew’s bye; he used to be anticipated to come abet from the bye following his three-sport absence, fair correct in time for a playoff speed. No longer so unprecedented.

Now, these of you with McCaffrey to your lineup who soundless own something to play for are left scrambling all over again. The evident trudge is to be definite Mike Davis isn’t undoubtedly on waivers to your league, and so that you can add him if he’s, attributable to he’ll proceed to possess in for McCaffrey, even when that hasn’t labored out huge lately; heading into the bye, Davis had extra than 11 PPR aspects fair correct once in his earlier 5 video games. He’s in the low-ruin No. 2 RB discussion against the Broncos if he does secure the starting up, even when would likely heinous in the abet of any individual esteem J.D. McKissic must you will own him on hand as a possess-in.

We furthermore realized Thursday that Mike Evans‘ hamstring atomize fair correct could per chance seemingly preserve him out for Week 14 as effectively. He used to be limited Wednesday after which sat out Thursday’s session, putting him in loyal doubt for Sunday’s sport against the Vikings. That’s not a undeniable ingredient but, but given Evans’ historical past of hamstring injuries — along with earlier this season — it’s a likelihood. If Evans did sit down, Antonio Brown figures to trudge attempting to search out a closer characteristic for the Buccaneers and would be a borderline No. 2 WR for a respectable matchup against the Vikings, while Chris Godwin is a excessive-ruin No. 2. The Bucs offense hasn’t somewhat clicked but, but without Evans, their targets could per chance soundless be extra consolidated between these two, which could per chance soundless lead to fair correct issues.

The comfort of at the moment’s Delusion Football At the present time Newsletter — subscribe here for primarily the most trendy news and prognosis despatched factual to your inbox every morning — specializes in Dave Richard’s Week 14 preview, with starting up and sit down suggestions for each and each sport on the NFL time table, plus a roundup of your complete leisure of the news from all over the league that it’s some distance extremely foremost be taught about and a preview of Thursday’s Rams-Patriots sport. Plus, you can per chance seemingly seemingly investigate cross-check Jamey Eisenberg’s Starting up ‘Em & Take a seat ‘Em column here for added lineup advice. And we will be breaking down your complete most trendy news and answering your lineup questions on the FFT Twitch stream from 4-5 p.m. ET. Subscribe here to secure in the chat:

Begins & Sits, Sleepers & Busts

Dave Richard has passed thru every sport on the Week 14 time table, identifying his favourite performs and the excellent risks for the week. Here are some of his calls for this week, and you can per chance seemingly seemingly investigate cross-check the chubby column here:

Three guys Dave likes

Kirk Cousins — “It’s scarier to roll with Cousins on the avenue against an aggressive defense esteem this one, but the Buccaneers own let up a minimal of 20 Delusion aspects to 6 straight quarterbacks (along with Daniel Jones, Derek Carr and Jared Goff). That’ll swimsuit Cousins neatly as he’s managed a minimal of 21 Delusion aspects in 5 straight, along with a cultured avenue sport at Chicago four weeks abet. There are two extra layers to put up in thoughts: The matchup is de facto more challenging for Dalvin Cook dinner than it’s for Cousins, and the Buccaneers offense could per chance soundless make not own any effort matching the 27.4 aspects per sport that the Vikings are allowing this season. That must push Cousins to own a elevated-than-typical pass quantity sport script, a serious ingredient in his contemporary Delusion success.”
Keke Coutee — “Given the likelihood to trudge attempting to search out each and each-down work for the Texans, Coutee regarded esteem a very different participant from after we closing saw him. He thrashed the Colts zone defense with over routes, even finding soft spots and settling in for straight forward targets from Deshaun Watson. He even could per chance soundless own had a landing on a corner-put up route but Watson used to be a dinky bit leisurely with the soccer. Chicago performs zone coverage about two-thirds of the time and had a lackluster pass mosey closing week, affording a mountainous sport to Matthew Stafford and the Lions. If the defense performs esteem that all over again, Watson can own a fracture-hit sport and Coutee could per chance soundless search for rather a lot of of targets out of the slot. It helps that the Bears own allowed a pair of touchdowns to receivers in three straight video games. Coutee is ranked as a flex, but I could per chance well not be the least surprised if he done as a top-24 receiver in PPR.”
Giovani Bernard — “There are huge have faith components with Bernard as a Delusion starter since his past four video games were colossal duds (3.8 non-PPR/6.8 PPR aspects per sport). However these past four matchups were against the Dolphins, the Giants, Washington and the Steelers, three of which heinous in the ruin-seven of fewest Delusion aspects allowed to working backs up to now 5 weeks (the Giants heinous 16th). This week he will get the Cowboys, who own allowed the third-most Delusion aspects to working backs up to now 5 weeks and primarily the most over the final three weeks (5 touchdowns, 5.9 yards per lift). And if that isn’t adequate to convince you that they are convincingly awful, preserve in thoughts that the Cowboys are on the avenue for his or her second sport on 5 days’ leisure. Bernard is in the factual keep on the factual time as a No. 2 Delusion rusher and a dreamy DFS tournament likelihood.”

Three guys Dave does not esteem

Jared Goff — “Goff’s predictability has been exhausting to address — he’s been unprecedented better in seven avenue video games (5 with effectively over 20 Delusion aspects) than in 5 dwelling video games (one with exactly 20, four with below 20). He furthermore appears to assign effectively when his working backs assign effectively — in the eight video games when a Rams rusher amasses a minimal of 10 Delusion aspects, Goff has 20-plus in six. Goff finds himself on a short-week dwelling sport against a Patriots defense that is by surprise making improvements to against the speed and the pass. If the Patriots found methods to stump Kyler Murray and Justin Herbert in consecutive weeks (they scored 11 Delusion aspects blended!), then my money’s on them keeping Goff from having a mountainous sport.”
Clyde Edwards-Helaire — “The Chiefs own gone chubby Mahomes. Over the past 5 weeks, the Chiefs heinous in the bottom-5 in working abet touches per sport (19.8) and working abet carries per sport (15.8). Fully once in these video games has a Kansas City working abet managed 15 touches (Edwards-Helaire, Week 11 at Las Vegas). Also happening: The Chiefs ought to not consolidating their working backs at all. Le’Veon Bell and Darrel Williams own floated spherical a 26% snap fee each and each when Edwards-Helaire has been healthy, giving the rookie the comfort of the playing time. It’s some distance the three-headed monster CEH detractors feared abet when the season started. He’s not even the most traditional likelihood on the aim line, playing fair correct seven snaps on aim-to-trudge downs of 3 yards or closer in his past 5 with one lift transformed for a salvage. Till Edwards-Helaire performs extra (and performs better), Delusion managers ought to not have faith him. That goes double this week as the Dolphins own yielded fair correct two rushing touchdowns to working backs in their past seven video games with out a 100-yard mosey video games allowed on the year.”
Raheem Mostert — “Mostert is soundless a glossy, mercurial working abet who fits into the 49ers speed map completely. However he’s furthermore soundless seeing not as much as 50% of the snaps and, as closing week proved, a candidate to be stuck spherical 10 touches per sport. Having Jeff Wilson be extinct as a hammering energy abet hurts Mostert’s upside, but it completely’s the matchup against a legitimately fair correct Washington entrance seven that if truth be told makes me worried to starting up Mostert. In its past seven video games, Washington has allowed fair correct one rushing landing to a working abet, keeping the placement to about a.7 yards per lift. Mostert has come thru with 10-plus non-PPR aspects in four of six video games this year, but when he’s going to lose touches to Wilson transferring forward then he could per chance soundless potentially easiest be extinct when matchups are better than this.”

We discuss AFC starts & sits and if we’re trusting CEH, Gio, Herbert, Lamar this week on the Delusion Football At the present time podcast. Hear below and subscribe at Apple, Spotify or wherever you secure your podcasts:

Injury updates

With the first day of put collectively all over the league in the books, here are your complete atomize updates it’s some distance extremely foremost be taught about:

QB injuries

Daniel Jones (hamstring) — Runt at put collectively. It sounds esteem Jones has a quite fair correct likelihood of making his return in Week 14 against the Cardinals, even when he’ll ought to assign it thru put along with none setbacks. He’d fair correct be a low-ruin starting up likelihood, particularly if his mobility is limited.
Drew Brees (ribs; IR) — Brees is reportedly aiming to come abet in Week 15, which is knowing. It might per chance perchance perchance per chance seemingly give him four video games off to secure better and would give the Saints their starting up QB abet for a key matchup against the Chiefs. Prepare for the likelihood that Taysom Hill will not be there for you need to always you come to Week 15.

RB injuries

Josh Jacobs (ankle) — Failed to put collectively. It does not sound esteem Jacobs is going with the plan to play in this one. Devontae Booker used to be a disappointment in his starting up with Jacobs out in Week 13, but he’d soundless be a low-ruin starting up likelihood for Delusion if Jacobs is out against the Colts.
Antonio Gibson (toe) — Failed to put collectively. Gibson is going thru a turf toe atomize and certain appears esteem he could per chance omit Sunday’s sport against the 49ers. That could per chance well push J.D. McKissic and Peyton Barber into higher roles, with McKissic the unprecedented extra attention-grabbing Delusion likelihood. You would ought to be quite determined to starting up Barber, who is averaging 2.7 yards per stick to it the season and a pair of.9 relationship abet to closing season.
James Robinson (knee) — Runt at put collectively. It does not sound esteem this is too mountainous of a effort for Robinson at this point, but we will ought to preserve an witness on it for the following few days to be definite. He has been one of many fair correct every-down backs as a rookie, and is a ought to-starting up Delusion likelihood against the Titans as prolonged as he’s healthy.
D’Andre Swift (illness) — Runt at put collectively. That’s no tell Swift will play in Week 14 against the Packers, but it completely appears likelier than not at this point, assuming he can steer clear of to any extent extra complications. He could per chance soundless return as a starter, but could per chance split work with Adrian Peterson for this one, given the illness.
Joe Mixon (foot) — Mixon will not be abet for Week 14, coach Zac Taylor told newshounds Wednesday, but he would not rule him out for the season fair correct but. There might per chance be some hope, but it completely’s faint.
James Conner (COVID-19) — Conner has been activated from the Reserve/COVID-19 listing and can soundless be abet for Week 14 against the Bills Sunday. Given how poorly Benny Snell ran in Conner’s absence, Conner could per chance soundless own his fashioned characteristic anticipating him, assuming he isn’t struggling from any after-effects from coronavirus that could per chance seemingly impact his conditioning.
Ezekiel Elliott (calf) — Runt at put collectively. It does not sound esteem unprecedented to be sharp on, particularly since this used to be an estimated put collectively document for the Cowboys. Essentially the most basic effort is that it’s some distance a short week ahead of the Sunday sport against the Bengals, nonetheless if Elliott is cleared to play, it could per chance seemingly be quite unprecedented not likely to sit down down down him against any such juicy matchup.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (illness) — Paunchy participant at put collectively. Edwards-Helaire used to be lively but didn’t play closing week, unprecedented to the chagrin of these Delusion gamers who started him. He could per chance soundless be abet at it this week against the Dolphins and is in the low-ruin No. 2 RB discussion for these of you who didn’t already lose your season closing week.
Todd Gurley (knee) — Runt at put collectively. The Rams are going to proceed to limit Gurley’s publicity, and in Week 13 their contrivance used to be to make advise of him in the purple zone and on third downs. We could per chance search for a same contrivance in keep against the Chargers, which could per chance well assign Gurley a landing-or-bust desperation play.
Frank Gore (concussion) — Runt at put collectively. That’s a respectable note for Gore after he used to be forced out of Sunday’s sport. He’ll soundless ought to be cleared, and would be fair correct a low-ruin starting up likelihood against the Seahawks if he’s. If not, Ty Johnson would be a honest riskier starting up likelihood, on condition that he’s liable to separate time with Josh Adams.
Rashaad Penny (knee; IR) — Penny has been designated for return from IR, that manner he’s in the closing phases of his return from a torn ACL suffered closing Week 14. He potentially will not be ready to play this week against the Jets, but he also can own a characteristic in the closing video games with Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde going thru nagging injuries.

WR injuries

Tyreek Hill (illness) — Failed to put collectively. From what every person knows factual now, this isn’t undoubtedly COVID-19 linked, even when as we realized with Edwards-Helaire and Swift closing week, that does not necessarily mean there is nothing to panic about. At the very least, own a contingency contrivance in keep fair correct for the likelihood that Hill would be forced to sit down down down out, even when make not starting up panicking factual now.
Chris Godwin (finger) — A chubby participant in put collectively Thursday. Godwin had 10 pins eradicated from his surgically repaired finger earlier in the week, a minor process that does not resolve to limit him for Sunday, no topic sitting out put collectively Wednesday.
Mike Evans (hamstring) — Failed to put collectively Thursday.
A.J. Brown (ankle) — Failed to put collectively. We’re extinct to Brown sitting out put collectively at this point, but in most cases it has been to leisure his knee after his early-season atomize. Here is a current one, so we will ought to trudge attempting to search out if it limits him the comfort of the week. He has a dream matchup against the Jaguars, but Corey Davis could per chance very effectively be a honest better starting up likelihood if Brown is out or limited.
Julio Jones (hamstring) — Failed to put collectively. This it will likely be the norm for Jones transferring forward, even when we will gaze to trudge attempting to search out if there might per chance be any note of a setback this week. If he performs, he’ll be a ought to-starting up Delusion likelihood against the Chargers — he proved as unprecedented in going for 94 yards on six catches against a rare more challenging Saints defense in his return from the atomize.
Kenny Golladay (hip) — Failed to put collectively. It has been 5 weeks since Golladay conducted and two weeks since he used to be ready to assign anything else at put collectively, so it appears esteem nothing has modified here, unfortunately. He would be a sturdy starting up likelihood against the Packers, but he’ll ought to enhance in a speed.
D.J. Moore/Curtis Samuel (Reserve/COVID-19) — There might per chance be no current news here; Moore reportedly examined definite earlier in the week and is probably going out for Sunday’s sport against the Broncos, while Samuel has a likelihood to be cleared to play as a discontinuance contact if he assessments adversarial for the comfort of the week. We can’t know unless the weekend, likely.
Brandin Cooks (foot/neck)/Keke Coutee (knee) — Runt at put collectively. At this point, this does not seem like something to be sharp on, but we will gaze these two. Both would be in the WR2 conversation against the Bears if they play.
Deebo Samuel (foot) — Failed to put collectively. Here is relating to, but it completely will not be as miserable as it appears — it sounds as if this isn’t linked to the atomize Samuel suffered in the offseason, but is fair correct a bruise. Restful, own a backup contrivance must you’re planning on starting up Samuel.
Tee Higgins (hamstring) — Runt at put collectively. We are going to fair correct desire to gaze this the comfort of the week, but Higgins is soundless extra esteem a low-ruin starting up likelihood even against the Cowboys.
Denzel Mims (private) — Mims isn’t with the crew factual now as he’s going thru a family emergency. Hopefully all the pieces ends up all factual, but Mims will likely not be ready to come abet to the crew in time to be cleared from the COVID-19 protocol to play in Week 14.
Laviska Shenault (thumb) — Runt at put collectively. Shenault is a candidate to discontinuance the season out sturdy if he can secure healthy, but first a hamstring atomize and now this own undoubtedly been a avenue block.

TE Injuries

Mark Andrews (COVID-19) — Andrews used to be activated off the Reserve/COVID-19 listing and would be fair correct to play Monday against the Browns, assuming he does not suffer from any lingering effects.
Kyle Rudolph (foot) — Failed to put collectively. This can even present why Rudolph used to be any such non-ingredient in Week 13. Even supposing he does play, it could per chance seemingly be exhausting to have faith him after he used to be held with out a decide against the Jaguars.
Jonnu Smith (knee) — Runt at put collectively. Here is an enchancment for Smith, who overlooked Week 13 with the atomize. Even supposing he does play, it’s refined to have faith any individual who hasn’t had even 40 yards in a sport since Week 5. Nonetheless, he did own four catches for 84 yards and a pair of touchdowns in his earlier matchup with the Jaguars.

TNF Preview: Patriots at Rams

Here is a form of video games where, if either side could per chance secure away with working the ball 40 times, they potentially would. The important thing for the Rams will likely be if they can map performs for Cooper Kupp and Robert Woods in condo. In the occasion that they can, they might per chance well soundless be ready to position up too many aspects for the Patriots to put up it discontinuance.

Line: LAR -5.0; o/u 44.5
Implied totals: Patriots 19.75, Rams 24.75
What to gaze for: With Cam Akers fair correct to trudge no topic the shoulder atomize that limited him early in the week in put collectively, the evident ingredient we desire to trudge attempting to search out is whether he’ll be extinct as an every-down abet all over again. He benefited from Darrell Henderson missing some time in Week 13, but he furthermore conducted the second-most snaps of any Rams working abet all season, split very evenly between rushing and passing downs, which is to express he regarded extra esteem a No. 1 RB than any Rams abet has this season. Let’s hope that stays the same this week. He’s not a ought to-starting up abet for Thursday, but he could per chance very effectively be one for Week 15 if they advise him that manner.
Toughest lineup pickle: Cam Newton — Take a seat. Newton is constantly a volatile sit down due to the his rushing ability — he could per chance rack up 70 yards and some touchdowns on the ground even when he isn’t throwing the ball effectively. Nonetheless, factual now, he undoubtedly isn’t undoubtedly throwing the ball effectively, and that puts heaps of pressure on the rushing stats to retain a heavy load. On condition that it’s some distance a cultured matchup against a crew that could per chance secure pressure up the center, Newton could per chance undoubtedly war.
Injuries: Cam Newton (abdomen) — Oh, and Newton isn’t undoubtedly 100% healthy factual now and he’s playing on a short week. Here is fair correct a cultured time to ought to depend on him. Retain some distance from it will you can per chance seemingly seemingly.