Fantasy Football: Five starts, four sits for Week 14

It just got real folks! The 2017 Fantasy Football playoffs are officially underway, and if you had Alvin Kamara going, OUCH. But isn’t that fantasy in a nutshell? The guy who gets you to the playoffs gets knocked out with a concussion five minutes into your playoffs. As they say, the show must go on. Crucial point before we get to start/sit: trust your gut. Read and study as much as you want, but you got the team to the playoffs, so be sure to have confidence in your own choices. Godspeed!

Starts

Giovanni Bernard, RB, CIN

Joe Mixon has yet to clear the concussion protocol, leaving Gio in a prime workhorse spot. Touch floors are the goal for RBs in the playoffs. You want a floor of 7-8 points from volume alone, and ideally a spike as well. Assuming 15+ carries and 5+ targets, he’s any easy RB2 this week.

Peyton Barber, RB, TB

This is risky, as Doug Martin has been cleared to play. However, in a lost season and Martin a likely cut casualty this Spring, it makes sense to let Barber build on his 143-yard effort in Green Bay, and see if he’s the future of the backfield.

Chris Hogan, WR, NE

Hogan is finally back from a shoulder injury, and his timing is impeccable. Not only is Gronk suspended and they need a red zone target, but we also have the #RevengeGame narrative to boot. Like Wes Welker before him, Hogan was a depth WR for the Dolphins who blossomed as a Patriot.

Sterling Shepard, WR, NYG

This is the most excited I’ve been all year for a Giants game, and I hope Eli freaks out. Shepard would be the prime beneficiary of that, and 10 targets feel like the floor. This may be scary with the playoffs on the line, but Shepard is a solid WR2 in this critical week.

Russell Wilson, QB, JAX

This usually goes without saying, but Russ is away against Sacksonville, and the some experts have advised to bench him. I can’t do that. He may struggle, but the stats will be there. Unless you have a slam dunk No. 2 option, role with who got you there.

Sits

Cam Newton, QB, CAR

Minnesota, like Jacksonville, is a shy away defensive matchup. But Cam is no Russ, and I would not trust him in what should be a low scoring slugfest.

Duke Johnson Jr., RB, CLE

With Josh Gordon returning to the lineup, Duke had his worst game of the year. You have to assume more targets will transfer to Gordon, leaving Johnson an extremely risky proposition. Remember, we want RB touch floors, and Johnson’s is too low for my blood.

Marqise Lee, WR, JAX

Lee has been the Jags WR1 since Allen Robinson tore his ACL in Week 1, and has played better than anyone projected. But the Seahawks are a team possessed, and after the big win over Philly, I actually think they win this week, while shutting down the Jaguars offense in the process.

Cincinnati Bengals DST

The Bengals are ranked very high this week with the 3-9 Bears coming to town, but I don’t like it. Cincy is missing two starters on defense. The Bears have been erratic, but have shown signs of life on offense. They are on the streaming radar, but with only four teams playing this weekend, there should be better options on the wire.