As we step into Week 14 of the 2023 Fantasy Football season, the significance of this point in the season cannot be emphasized enough. Whether you're strategically managing the clock for a shot at a first-round bye, fighting your way back for a last-minute comeback and a playoff berth, or aiming to disrupt a rival's season, the stakes are at their highest. Week 14 is here, and the careful decision-making on whom to start or sit holds considerable weight, potentially determining the outcome with significant consequences for any misjudgment.
December has arrived for fantasy football enthusiasts. This marks the final week of the fantasy football regular season. The running back choices we make in our PPR leagues this week could significantly influence our playoff destiny. Our Week 14 fantasy RB PPR rankings aim to assist you in optimizing your lineup as we approach this pivotal weekend.
Of course, this season hasn't been all festive cheer. In fact, it has often resembled a turbulent sleigh ride. We've faced a barrage of injuries to key RBs in recent weeks. However, we persevere, staying proactive to outmaneuver our opponents. A positive note is that only two teams will be on bye this week. That's a welcome relief following the six-team bye we saw in Week 13. However, teams grappling with injuries will find it challenging to replace their star players. Meanwhile, deep squads will wrestle with tough start 'em, sit 'em decisions.
As is our routine, we delve into the running back position each week, scrutinizing stats, matchups, and injuries before presenting our rankings. So, let's dive in and assess the RB landscape for the final week of the fantasy regular season.
Teams on Bye
After a substantial six-team bye week, only the Commanders and Cardinals will have a break in Week 14. This means Brian Robinson Jr and James Conner won't be in action. That said, the impact is relatively limited. However, losing two below-average run defenses is notable. Remember that Washington and Arizona have both been among the 10 most “generous” teams to running backs this season.
Top Fantasy Football Picks
Christian McCaffrey will face the Seahawks in Week 14. Not surprisingly, he continues to prove himself as the best overall running back in the NFL. Of course, he maintains his top position on this list. For his part, Austin Ekeler has raised some concerns lately. He is averaging less than 3.0 yards per carry since returning from IR eight games ago. Still, a favorable home matchup against the Broncos should be his rebound game. Ekeler owners can look forward to facing Denver. They have conceded the most PPR points to running backs in the NFL. That's a very good omen for Ekeler.
Despite a challenging matchup, we're fully backing Travis Etienne Jr. Jacksonville has been performing well over the past month. Playing against the Browns, led by Joe Flacco, it'll be interesting to see how the Jaguars do. Remember that they will likely not have Trevor Lawrence under center. As such, their once-high-flying offense will not dominate time of possession. Still, we think Etienne should have a lot of touches here as the Jaguars prioritize their ground game. With that, Etienne should build on his impressive per-game PPR average of 17.4 points.
Standout rookie De'Von Achane is also back in action against the Titans after a Week 13 return from a knee injury. Achane immediately made an impact last week. He accumulated 103 yards and two TDs against the Commanders. Despite a somewhat tough matchup with Tennessee, Achane is in the top half of our list this week. Achane's teammate, Raheem Mostert, also boasts more PPR points than everyone except CMC. As for Achane, he ranks just two spots behind CMC at third in PPR points per game (20.6).
Another dynamic duo, Detroit's Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, also make it to our list. They dominated the Bears a few weeks ago, combining for 193 yards and two TDs. The Lions, coming off a strong performance against the Saints with 142 rushing yards and 33 points, should maintain their momentum in Week 13.
Fantasy Football Sleepers
Let's welcome Tyjae Spears to this list! We've been impressed with his performance all season, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. He played a crucial role for Tennessee when Derrick Henry left the game against Indy due to a head injury. Spears contributed 20 yards on the game-tying drive in the fourth quarter and another 27 yards in OT. Yes, that's though the Titans ultimately lost. We expect Spears to be a key target for rookie QB Will Levis, particularly if Henry is unavailable. Remember also that this should turn out to be a high-scoring game against the Super Bowl-hopeful Dolphins.
Ezekiel Elliott is another potential stand-in who should deliver some positive stats this week. With Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) sidelined, Elliott could see around 20 touches. Similarly, Kenneth Gainwell and Roschon Johnson might see increased touches if D'Andre Swift and D'Onta Foreman are unable to play. Having said that, confidence in their production is less certain given their matchups.
Sure, Jaylen Warren is still among our preferred choices. However, Najee Harris should be taken out of the fantasy football doghouse for good. Harris has been running with determination, and his involvement in the passing game makes him a high-ceiling RB2 in a run-first offense without Kenny Pickett (ankle) this week. Despite New England's injuries, it remains a challenging defense to gain significant yardage against through the air. Expect Harris to be involved in screens and dump-downs in a gritty Thursday night game in Pittsburgh.
Fantasy Football Busts
James Cook makes it to the bottom half of this list due to his usage in passing downs. To be honest, we aren't overly excited about his prospects at Arrowhead against the defending champions. Kansas City's front seven has proven tough against speedsters, and the 5-11, 190-pound Cook squarely falls into that category. Manage your expectations accordingly.
Zach Charbonnet (@ 49ers) elicits a similar sentiment from us. While it's reassuring that his Week 13 injury was just a bruise, facing a 49ers defense that already stifled him on Thanksgiving doesn't bode well. If Kenneth Walker III remains sidelined with his oblique injury, fantasy football managers might start Charbonnet out of necessity. However, exploring other options is advisable. The outlook remains modest against this confident Niners defense.
Tyler Allgeier (vs. Buccaneers) is experiencing a diminishing role for the NFC South-leading Falcons. Head coach Arthur Smith realized that Bijan Robinson was the key to sustained success. Against a solid Tampa Bay run defense, Allgeier can't be trusted beyond a desperate flex play. This is given his average of nine touches over the past two weeks.
Fantasy Football Injuries
Derrick Henry (head/neck), Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), Kenneth Walker III (oblique), Aaron Jones (knee), D'Onta Foreman (ankle), and D'Andre Swift (undisclosed) are all at best “questionable” to play this week. Stevenson is confirmed to be out, but monitoring injury reports throughout the week is essential for the others.
Jonathan Taylor (thumb) underwent surgery last week and will be sidelined for the next few weeks, creating an opportunity for Zack Moss to resume his role as Indy's primary backup.
Now, let's dive into our NFL Fantasy Football Running Back rankings for Week 14 of the 2023 regular season. Standard rankings are indicated in parentheses.
NFL Fantasy Football Week 14 Running Back Rankings
1. Christian McCaffrey, SF vs. SEA (1)
2. Alvin Kamara, NO vs. CAR (7)
3. Isiah Pacheco, KC vs. BUF (11)
4. Austin Ekeler, LAC vs. DEN (2)
5. Zack Moss, IND @ CIN (26)
6. Josh Jacobs, LV vs. MIN (13)
7. Rachaad White, TB @ ATL (14)
8. Travis Etienne Jr JAC @ CLE (3)
9. Bijan Robinson, ATL vs. TB (12)
10. Tony Pollard, DAL vs. PHI (15)
11. Kyren Williams, LAR @ BAL (16)
12. Jahmyr Gibbs, DET @ CHI (6)
13. David Montgomery, DET @ CHI (9)
14. Saquon Barkley, NYG vs. GB (8)
15. De'Von Achane, MIA vs. TEN (4)
16. Raheem Mostert, MIA vs. TEN (5)
17. Javonte Williams, DEN @ LAC (18)
18. James Cook, BUF @ KC (25)
19. Breece Hall, NYJ vs. HOU (10)
20. D'Andre Swift, PHI @ DAL (19)
21. Joe Mixon, CIN vs. IND (17)
22. Najee Harris, PIT vs. NE (24)
23. Jaylen Warren, PIT vs. NE (20)
24. Jerome Ford, CLE vs. JAC (23)
25. AJ Dillon, GB @ NYG (29)
26. Alexander Mattison, MIN @ LV (21)
27. Gus Edwards, BAL vs. LAR (31)
28. Zach Charbonnet, SEA @ SF (27)
29. Ezekiel Elliott, NE @ PIT (30)
30. Keaton Mitchell, BAL vs. LAR (28)
31. Devin Singletary, HOU @ NYJ (37)
32. Chuba Hubbard, CAR @ NO (36)
33. Kareem Hunt, CLE vs. JAC (34)
34. Dameon Pierce, HOU @ NYJ (32)
35. Tyjae Spears, TEN @ MIA (22)
36. Khalil Herbert CHI vs. DET (40)
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