Below are notes covering each of the NFL's 32 teams from a fantasy perspective. Use these tidbits to make the best waiver-wire, trade and lineup decisions for Week 14. Be sure to check back each week of the season for a new version of the Fantasy 32.
Throughout this piece, I'll be referencing "OTD." OTD stands for opportunity-adjusted touchdowns. It is a statistic that weighs every carry/target and converts the data into one number that indicates a player's scoring opportunity. For example, if a player has an OTD of 3.0, it means that a league-average player who saw the same number of carries/targets in the same area of the field would have scored three touchdowns.
Adrian Peterson missed Week 13 with a neck injury, which opened the door for Kerwynn Williams to operate as the team's feature back. Williams played 30 snaps and impressed with 97 yards on 16 carries, though he wasn't targeted. Instead, D.J. Foster was targeted on five of his 28 snaps and caught two passes for 20 yards. Elijhaa Penny scored the team's only rushing touchdown but was limited to two carries on five snaps in the game. Should Peterson miss this week's game against Tennessee, Williams will be a low-ceiling flex option and Foster a desperation PPR option. Especially with Penny vulturing goal-line work, this will be a committee to avoid, if possible.
Devonta Freeman returned from a two-game absence and played 37 snaps against the Vikings on Sunday. Despite playing at a high level while Freeman was out, Tevin Coleman returned to a complementary role and was limited to 20 snaps. Freeman carried the ball 12 times for 74 yards and caught one of two targets for 7 yards. Coleman handled eight carries for 22 yards and, most notably, caught three of six targets for 27 yards. Coleman entered Week 13 without a multi-catch game since Week 4. The six targets marked his highest total since Week 1. Freeman is clearly the top fantasy option between the two and in the RB1 mix, but Coleman can suffice as a flex if he returns to a prominent role in the passing game.
Danny Woodhead has appeared in three games since returning from injury in Week 11. The 32-year-old has eight carries for 33 yards and 11 catches for 58 yards on 12 targets in that span. He's totaled 53 snaps (85 percent of which have been pass plays) and hasn't recorded a top-30 fantasy week in the three weeks. Woodhead's snap total puts him ahead of Javorius Allen (37 snaps) but well behind Alex Collins (99) the past three weeks. Although game script has been a major factor here (Baltimore has trailed on only 9 percent of its offensive snaps since Woodhead's return, third-lowest in the NFL), it's worth noting that Collins trails him by only seven pass routes and two targets the past three weeks. Woodhead is not being used as much as we expected, but his usage is very likely to increase in more competitive games. That might be the case against Pittsburgh in Week 14. Woodhead is a risky start but remains on the flex radar.
Charles Clay has failed to eclipse four targets in a game in his past five outings. That includes four games since his return from injury in Week 10. Clay was a viable TE1 out of the gate this season, scoring a touchdown during two of his first three games before hitting 112 receiving yards in Week 4. On the other hand, Clay has failed to eclipse 40 receiving yards in six of his nine games and hasn't found the end zone since Week 3. Especially with Tyrod Taylor dealing with a knee injury and likely to miss time, Clay is no more than a TE2 option. He can be dropped if you have a better starting option.
Jonathan Stewart found the end zone against New Orleans on Sunday and now has four touchdowns on the season, three of which have come in his past five games. Stewart has played 211 fewer snaps than rookie Christian McCaffrey but has exactly double the number of carries (164 to 82). Stewart's heavy usage but poor efficiency (3.2 YPC) as a rusher and minimal role as a receiver (six receptions) have limited him to the 45th-most fantasy points among running backs. Stewart hasn't posted a weekly finish better than 25th since Week 1 (11th). He's no more than a low-ceiling flex option in non-PPR leagues.
Jordan Howard has registered a total of 73 yards and one touchdown on 25 touches his past two games. After playing 63 percent of the team's snaps in Weeks 1-8, Howard played 46 percent in the three games that followed Chicago's Week 9 bye. His snap rate rebounded to 58 percent against San Francisco on Sunday, though that worked out to only 21 snaps since the Bears' ran 36 plays in the game. Howard sits 17th at the position in fantasy points and has five top-15 weekly performances to his name, but he has finished 48th or worst at the position in three of four games since the bye. Howard's heavy volume was offsetting Chicago's low-volume, low-scoring offense, but with his touches dwindling, the second-year back has dropped out of the RB1 conversation. He'll still be a top-20 option against Cincinnati this week.
Tyler Kroft was limited to two catches for 30 yards on two targets against Pittsburgh on Monday. Kroft entered the game having scored a touchdown in back-to-back games, but he's got just 60 yards receiving in his past four games combined. Kroft has five touchdowns this season and sits 10th at the position at fantasy points since Tyler Eifert went down for the season in Week 2. Still, he's been very touchdown dependent and his average of 2.0 receptions over the past five weeks simply isn't going to cut it. Kroft is worth starting only in leagues that start two tight ends.
Josh Gordon caught four of 11 targets for 85 yards against the Chargers on Sunday. It was his first appearance since Week 16 of the 2014 season. Gordon started and played 44 (or 77 percent) of 57 possible snaps, which trailed only Corey Coleman's tally (46 snaps) among the team's wide receivers. Gordon's catch rate is obviously underwhelming, but his average depth of target was a hefty 18.1, it came against a tough Chargers pass defense, and it was certainly offset by a massive 34 percent target share. Gordon is clearly locked into a full-time role in the Cleveland offense, and his life will be much easier in Week 14, with Cleveland set to host a Packers' defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points to wide receivers the past two months. Gordon is a WR2.
Jason Witten's targets have been all over the place this season. The veteran tight end was targeted at least nine times during three of his first five games, but he hasn't been targeted more than seven times in a game since then. He has been limited to two or fewer targets in a quarter of his 12 appearances. Witten is handling a 19 percent target share on the season, which is down from 20 percent in both 2015 and 2016. He sits 10th at the position in fantasy points but has been limited to three top-10 weeks and no top fives in his past 10 outings. Witten is a fringe top-12 option in PPR leagues.
C.J. Anderson carried the ball 15 times for 67 yards and caught four of seven targets for 43 yards against Miami in Week 13. The veteran back played a position-high 38 snaps and led Denver in both rushing and receiving. It was a surprising high-volume day for a player who had taken a back seat to second-year back Devontae Booker in recent weeks. Booker, who paced the backfield in snaps in four consecutive games entering the week, was limited (reportedly by illness) to three touches on 11 snaps in the game. Jamaal Charles carried the ball three times and caught five targets on 23 snaps. Although Booker had been trending up, his efficiency has been poor (3.5 YPC), and his role is uncertain. Anderson is a risky flex play against the Jets in Week 14.
Tion Green came out of nowhere to register 11 carries for 51 yards and one touchdown against Baltimore in Week 13. The undrafted free-agent signing played 20 snaps in his NFL debut. Although Green's workload was somewhat necessitated by injuries to Ameer Abdullah and Dwayne Washington, it's notable that he carried the ball more than both Theo Riddick (nine carries) and Zach Zenner (one). Additionally, Green averaged 4.6 YPC, which is well ahead of marks posted by Abdullah (3.4), Riddick (3.4), Washington (2.2) and Zenner (2.2) this season. Granted, the sample is small, but Green's productive day figures to land him a larger role in a struggling backfield. He's a fine addition on waivers this week, but note that he has limited upside as a player who won't contribute much as a receiver (zero targets on four routes on Sunday). He's in the flex discussion only if Abdullah misses Week 14.
Aaron Jones returned from injury in Week 13 but was limited to one carry (a game-winning 20-yard touchdown in overtime) on two snaps. Jamaal Williams, meanwhile, played 46 snaps and registered 123 yards and one touchdown on 23 touches. Although Williams has now posted back-to-back top-10 fantasy weeks, he's a strong bet to return to a complementary role once Jones returns to fully healthy. Williams is averaging 3.7 YPC on 91 carries this season. Jones sits at 5.5 YPC on 71 tries. If reports indicate that Jones is healthy and, in fact, set to resume lead back duties, he'll be the better play and an RB2 option at Cleveland in Week 14. In that scenario, Williams should be on benches.
Stephen Anderson had a career day in Week 12, catching five of 12 targets for 79 yards and one touchdown on 63 snaps. Anderson entered the game with one career touchdown in two professional seasons. His previous single-game career-high marks were 47 snaps, six targets and 63 yards. Anderson's heavy usage was somewhat necessitated by C.J. Fiedorowicz's concussion, which, considering that he has missed most of the season due to a previous concussion, figures to cost him some additional time. That would leave talented pass-catcher Anderson as Houston's clear No. 1 tight end. In that scenario, Anderson would be a viable Week 14 TE2 and streaming option against a 49ers' defense allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to tight ends the past two months. The 24-year-old is also worth holding in dynasty.
Jack Doyle was held to three catches for 16 yards on five targets against the Jaguars on Sunday. Doyle has now failed to eclipse 16 receiving yards in two of his past three games, though the poor outings bookended a 94-yard effort against Tennessee in Week 12. Despite the inconsistent recent production, Doyle sits eighth at the position in fantasy points this season. He has scored only twice, but he trails only Travis Kelce with 62 receptions. Doyle has posted five top-six fantasy weeks this season but has finished 18th or worse (average 27.2) in his other six outings. Doyle's massive 25 percent target share is enough to keep him in the mix as a back-end TE1.
Dede Westbrook caught six of nine targets for a career-high 78 yards against the Colts in Week 13. The rookie has now handled 25 targets in his first three professional games, including nine-plus in back-to-back outings. Westbrook has yet to find the end zone but has been on the field for 85 percent of the team's pass plays the past two weeks. His 26 percent target share (albeit over a small sample) ranks among the highest in the NFL. Westbrook's fantasy production will continue to be limited by the Jaguars' low-volume pass offense and the eventual return of Allen Hurns, but his heavy usage is enough to put him in the flex discussion when the matchup is right. That won't be the case against Seattle in Week 14.
Alex Smith torched the Jets for 366 yards and four touchdowns and added a 70-yard run on Sunday. It was the best fantasy performance of Smith's career and his first top-10 fantasy outing since Week 7. Smith is now the No. 3 scoring quarterback on the season and, believe it or not, has scored eight more points than Tom Brady. Although Brady has nearly 400 more passing yards and three more passing touchdowns, Smith's rushing ability (305 yards and one touchdown) has separated him from many top pocket passers. Smith will play his next three games at home and will certainly be a viable QB1 against Oakland this week and Miami in Week 16.
The emergence of rookie Austin Ekeler has been fun to watch, but it hasn't stopped starter Melvin Gordon from producing at a high level. Gordon has 17-plus touches and at least 78 yards from scrimmage in nine of 12 games. He has scored nine touchdowns and sits sixth among running backs in fantasy points. Gordon's efficiency continues to disappoint (3.7 YPC. 5.4 YPT), but heavy volume (248 touches) and scoring opportunity (8.3 OTD ranks fifth in the NFL) have carried him to big-time fantasy production. Gordon and the Chargers' offense will enjoy one of the league's easiest schedules moving forward, and that starts with Washington in Week 14.
Josh Reynolds was targeted six times but managed only two catches for 6 yards against Arizona on Sunday. Reynolds has been on the field for 86 percent of the team's pass plays while operating as the No. 3 receiver with Robert Woods sidelined, but he hasn't come close to matching Woods' production. Reynolds has been targeted six times during each of the games Woods has missed. He has six catches for 43 yards and one touchdown in that span. Woods is not expected to play against the Eagles in Week 14, but Reynolds is no more than a desperation heave at flex.
With Damien Williams sidelined against Denver in Week 13, Kenyan Drake exploded for 141 yards and one touchdown on 26 touches. Drake was on the field for a career-high 50 snaps and reached double-digits in carries (23) for the first time in his career. Drake's big day brings him to 4.9 YPC on the season and 5.09 YPC on 98 career carries. That's the best mark by a Dolphins back in the past decade, and it ranks third in the NFL among non-rookies who have at least 70 carries the past two years (Jalen Richard 5.36, Mark Ingram 5.10). Drake is averaging 2.55 yards after contact this season, which is fifth in the league. If Williams remains out, Drake will again be a solid RB2 option against New England this week.
Case Keenum completed 25 of 30 passes for 227 yards for two touchdowns and zero interceptions against Atlanta on Sunday. The yardage total was Keenum's lowest since Week 7, but his efficiency was good once again, and he has now accounted for at least two touchdowns in four of his past five games. That's after managing only one such game in his first six outings. Keenum has finished as a top-10 fantasy quarterback in four of his past five games. Although Keenum is red-hot, he isn't an ideal Week 14 starter against a Panthers' defense allowing the 10th-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks. He will, however, be a better option at home against the Bengals in Week 15 and in Green Bay in Week 16.
James White put up 50 yards on nine touches against Buffalo on Sunday after failing to eclipse 18 yards in a game in his previous three outings. During Weeks 1-8, White averaged 6.4 targets per game. In four games since the team's Week 9 bye, he is averaging 3.0 per game. Despite White's slight rebound in terms of usage on Sunday, New England has turned to Rex Burkhead and Dion Lewis as its primary backs. The Patriots' play-calling is less predictable when one of those two is on the field. The team has called pass on 83 percent of White's snaps, which is much higher than the 48 percent for Lewis and 62 percent for Burkhead. White is averaging 5.9 fantasy points per game since the bye and shouldn't be close to starting lineups.
What else is there to say about Alvin Kamara? The rookie is absolutely lighting up the NFL. Kamara ran for 60 yards and two more touchdowns on nine carries while adding 66 yards on five receptions against a tough Panthers' defense on Sunday. Kamara isn't even leading his own team's running back room in snaps (he trails Mark Ingram 411 to 341), but still sits third at the position in fantasy points behind only Todd Gurley and Le'Veon Bell. Kamara has finished as fantasy's top-scoring back four of the past five weeks and has been top-10 in eight of the past nine outings. Kamara's efficiency (7.0 YPC) and scoring rate (11 touchdowns on 145 touches and a 4.1 OTD) are nowhere close to sustainable, but it appears clear that the Saints found a gem in the third round of April's draft. Even with some inevitable regression-to-the-mean, Kamara is a solid RB1 play each and every week.
Geno Smith is one-and-done as the Giants' starter, and Eli Manning will be back under center against Dallas on Sunday. Don't rush to waivers in order to scoop up Manning. The veteran passer entered Week 13 ranked 23rd at the position in fantasy points and dead last among quarterbacks who appeared in all 11 games. Manning has registered one top-10 fantasy week this season (Week 4) and has finished 21st or worst in five of his past six outings. Manning was fantasy's No. 21 scoring quarterback and managed only two top-10 fantasy weeks last season, so his struggles are hardly a surprise. The firing of Ben McAdoo might provide the team with an offensive boost, but it's unlikely to generate a big turnaround with the likes of Tavarres King and Roger Lewis working as the team's top perimeter receivers.
Jermaine Kearse caught nine of 10 targets for 157 yards against the Chiefs on Sunday. The former Seahawk is now 22nd at the position in fantasy points, joining Robby Anderson (13th) to create one of only three teammate duos inside the top-24 this season (Dolphins, Lions). Both Anderson (32 percent) and Kearse (21 percent) are managing hefty target shares and playing full-time roles in an offense that ranks 12th in the league in touchdowns (2.4 per game). That's the good news. That bad news is that the duo's remaining slate includes the Broncos, Saints, Chargers and Patriots, each of which sports a tough perimeter corner duo. Anderson is best viewed as a WR3 and Kearse a flex down the stretch.
After catching one of five targets for 2 yards against the Broncos in Week 12, Jared Cook was held to one catch for 9 yards on five targets against the Giants in Week 13. At least he's consistent? Although Cook's stat lines look similar the past two weeks, he has been extremely boom/bust this season. He has posted 107-yard and 126-yard efforts but has failed to eclipse 57 yards in any of his other 10 games. Cook has one touchdown on the season, and that came way back in Week 3. Volume hasn't been a problem for Cook -- he has handled five-plus targets in all but one game this season -- but the fantasy production has not followed. Cook sits 12th at the position in fantasy points and hasn't posted a top-10 outing since Week 9. He's a fringe TE1 against a Chiefs' defense allowing the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends the past two months.
Nelson Agholor exploded for six receptions, 131 yards and one touchdown on nine targets against Seattle on Sunday. The yardage and targets are both career highs. Agholor has been a boom/bust producer this season. He has finished outside the top 40 receivers six times but 17th or better on five occasions. Agholor has scored seven touchdowns this season (4.2 OTD) and sits 25th at the position in fantasy points. Agholor's 16 percent target share isn't particularly inspiring, but the Eagles' high-scoring offense keeps him in the flex discussion.
Le'Veon Bell has eclipsed 90 scrimmage yards in nine of 12 games this season, including four straight. Bell went over 100 yards receiving for the time this season against the Bengals on Monday night and now has 251 yards and a score on 26 catches during his past three outings. For perspective, only 22 running backs have more than 26 catches this entire season. Bell leads the position with 65 receptions on the season and, despite having scored only six touchdowns, his heavy volume has him second at the position in fantasy points (he trails Todd Gurley by six points for the top spot). Bell has been on the field for more than 90 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps this season, and as long as that doesn't change, he'll remain an elite fantasy asset during the fantasy playoffs.
Making his first start with the 49ers, Jimmy Garoppolo completed 26 of 37 passes for 293 yards against the Bears on Sunday. Although he failed to find the end zone, Garoppolo positioned the team for five field goal attempts, which led to a 15-14 victory. Garoppolo is not yet a reliable QB1, but his strong outing makes him a streaming option in Week 14 against a Texans' defense that has allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. Garoppolo made heavy use of both Marquise Goodwin (eight targets, 99 yards) and Trent Taylor (six targets, 92 yards) in his first start with the team. Goodwin quietly sits 41st among wide receivers in fantasy points, and coupled with the quarterback upgrade, he is now very much in the flex mix. Taylor needs to be added only in very deep PPR leagues.
Mike Davis returned from a one-game absence and clearly took over as Seattle's lead back. The ex-49er carried the ball on 16 of his 42 snaps and was targeted four times. J.D. McKissic remained the passing-down specialist and was targeted on three of his nine targets. Thomas Rawls (three snaps) and Eddie Lacy (two) played a minimal role. Davis has been serviceable enough that he's a good bet to remain the team's lead back. That's enough to get him into the flex discussion, though he should be on benches at Jacksonville in Week 14. It's worth noting that Chris Carson could return in the next two or three weeks, which would throw a wrench into Davis' potential offerings during the fantasy playoffs. In the meantime, however, he's worth a roster spot.
With Doug Martin sidelined on Sunday, Peyton Barber ran for 102 yards on 23 carries and hauled in four passes for 41 yards. He was on the field for 51 of 74 snaps and led the team in both rushing and receiving. Charles Sims (18 snaps) and Jacquizz Rodgers (five) both played minimal roles. Barber hasn't exactly torn it up this year (3.6 YPC), but he has played well enough that he has to be considered a threat to struggling Martin's workload once the veteran returns. Of course, with Sims operating as the primary passing-down back, a timeshare would crush the fantasy relevance of all involved. Barber should only be started against Detroit this week if Martin is ruled out.
In two games with Rishard Matthews sidelined, Corey Davis has managed a grand total of six catches for 51 yards and zero touchdowns on eight targets. It's an extremely disappointing development for the fifth overall pick in April's draft. That's especially the case considering Davis had seen at least seven targets in three of his first four professional games. Davis was the No. 24 scoring fantasy receiver in Week 1, but he hasn't posted a top 50 since then. The future appears bright for the rookie receiver, but especially with Matthews on track for a Week 14 return, Davis should be on benches or waivers in your league.
Ryan Grant caught five of nine targets for 76 yards and one touchdown against Dallas on Thursday. The big game vaulted Grant into the top 50 at the position in fantasy points this season, though it marked only his second weekly finish better than 33rd. Grant's playing time increased when Terrelle Pryor Sr. was demoted (and played on injured reserve), but it hasn't led to a big boost in targets prior to Week 13. Grant has been on the field for at least 74 percent of the team's pass plays in four of his past five outings, but he has three or fewer targets in three of those games. Grant shouldn't be close to starting lineups except in the deepest of leagues.