Week 14 is likely a make or break time for your fantasy football playoff chances, and you have to make sure your best roster is out there. Our Week 13 panic meter will help you get a better gauge on how much you should trust some of the big names on your roster heading into crunch time.
As always, the following list provides cases for why you should not worry at all, be a little bit worried, and be in a full panic for bigger names on your fantasy football rosters. This is not any advice to move on from any players in the ‘Full Panic’ section, but you should absolutely be exploring moves to try and move that problem somewhere else.
No Need to Panic
Jahmyr Gibbs
A week of only 10 touches could be seen as problematic for rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, but limiting some of his work down the stretch would be a smart idea for the Lions as they make their trek to the postseason.
In Gibbs’ first professional season you don’t want your prized rookie to get worn down, so even in earning only 45 percent of snaps in Sunday’s win over the Saints, he still led the backfield in total yardage. Expect Gibbs to have a strong showing in Week 14 against the Bears, hopefully quieting any concerns.
Some Panic
Sunday’s win over the Panthers marked the first game of the 2023 NFL season that Chris Godwin received fewer than five targets. Having entered the game with a questionable tag due to a neck injury, Godwin didn’t record a single reception, the first time this has happened since 2018.
While he did salvage his day with a rushing score, Godwin recorded his fifth consecutive game of single-digit fantasy points, so the signs have been there for a bit. With Atlanta up next for Tampa Bay, Godwin has a great shot at getting back into the groove, but temper your expectations.
As was the case for Godwin, Terry McLaurin also failed to haul in any passes in Week 13, only the second time this has happened in his whole career. With the Washington passing attack having struggled in a 30-point blowout loss, it was McLaurin who took the brunt of those struggles.
A Week 14 bye comes at a good point for the Commanders, who need to reset their offense. With Sam Howell putting up strong numbers for your fantasy football team, it’s only a matter of time before McLaurin and his quarterback get back on the same page.
Javonte Williams
With questions surrounding his health at the start of the year, Javonte Williams has looked quite strong in his first season post-ACL tear. While the Denver Broncos have had a surprising turnaround year, Williams has had his fair share of struggles.
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His consistent passing game work (two-plus receptions in all but one game) has helped keep his fantasy points semi-regular. But his rushing efficiency needs to improve, and with matchups against the Chargers (x2), Lions, and Patriots upcoming, hopefully Williams will be able to right the ship.
Full Panic
Last week we had Austin Ekeler in the ‘Some Panic’ section of this panic meter article, but it’s fair to say that his three-week span of sub-10 fantasy points certainly has put a damper on his impact this season.
The sirens are in full bore for the RB26 on the year, and with Ekeler’s high draft capital looking like it could be the reason why your team doesn’t make the playoffs, expecting him to figure things out seems a bit moot at the moment.
His only saving grace could be the two matchups with the Broncos upcoming, who have one of the most porous rush defenses in the whole league. If Ekeler cannot get things going in Week 14 against Denver, he might be entering the unthinkable – not locked in as a weekly starter.
Pittsburgh WRs
This group was already on thin ice, having to catch passes from Kenny Pickett, but with Mitch Trubisky at the helm, the Pittsburgh Steelers receivers may have an even tougher battle to make your starting lineups.
While Diontae Johnson did find the end zone in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, George Pickens led the team in receiving yards. Both Johnson and Pickens will be downgraded moving forward, especially with Pickett missing multiple weeks (and having an unknown timeline) until Trubisky familiarizes himself with the offense.
And even at that point, he isn’t a good-enough quarterback to give you any confidence in starting Johnson or Pickens moving forward, so only in a pinch should you look to start one of these two Pittsburgh receivers.
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