While the Dallas Cowboys come in flying high, at least the Detroit Lions recognize this may be their only path to the playoffs. And here are the fantasy football Week 14 start ‘em and sit ‘em players for the Cowboys clash against the Lions.
The Thursday Night Football showdown will feature the Cowboys at 6-5-1 as they have won three straight games. Included in the mix, they bumped off the two teams in last year’s Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, the Lions are 7-5. They’ve lost three of their last five and don’t look like the same team that got off to a 4-1 start.
Start ‘em — Cowboys QB Dak Prescott
Thanksgiving is in the rear-view mirror, but Prescott will feast on a Thursday anyway. Look for him to absolutely torch the Lions. They will be unable to cover any of the Cowboys' receivers. And Prescott will have a field day.
Look for Prescott to easily top the 300-yard passing mark with three touchdown passes to boot.
Prescott said he attributes a lot of his good season to head coach Brian Schottenheimer, according to ESPN.
“I just credit him for being the same, being consistent, and it's something that he talks about,” Prescott said. “But to actually watch him be consistent and be the same man through the adversity and now through some success, he's a hell of a leader. He's the right guy for the job. We're all following him. I know you all see clips of the emotions and guys follow him, but that's just throughout the day.
“If you were in every team meeting, you would understand that's who Schotty is. That's the way he's going to lead this group, and we're going to follow.”
There’s a reason Prescott is strongly considered in the MVP voting. He leads the league in passing yards (3,261), is tied for second in touchdown passes with 25). Also, he has the league's highest QBR (75.3). Furthermore, Prescott has thrown only eight interceptions this season. Quite simply, Prescott is a star, and the Lions are in trouble.
Start ‘em — Cowboys WR George Pickens
The Cowboys seemed to make sure CeeDee Lamb had a big game against the Chiefs. They wanted everybody to know he’s still the Alpha in the receiver room.
But the truth is, the Cowboys have two Alphas in the mix. And Pickens should create many problems for the Lions’ secondary. Look for Pickens to catch a 30-plus-yard touchdown. And he should easily go over the 100-yard mark receiving. Lamb may eclipse that mark, too.
The Cowboys won’t hesitate to chuck the ball up and into Pickens in this game. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him collect seven or eight catches.
Start ‘em — Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs
It wasn’t a great day for Gibbs as the Lions suffered a tough loss to the Packers on Thanksgiving Day. But that likely means a bounce back will be in the offing. It’s especially true if Amon-Ra St. Brown isn’t on the field. Gibbs will need to make some big plays through the air.
Gibbs has alternated big rushing games with lesser ones all season. Look at this breakdown:
- 19 followed by 94
- 67 followed by 91
- 54 followed by 65
- 136 followed by 25
- 142 followed by 39
- 219 followed by 68
Yes, you can make a small case for some of the lesser games being against good run defenses. But the truth of the matter lies in the record. When Gibbs rushes for 90-plus yards, the Lions are 5-0. When he doesn’t, they are 2-5.
If the Lions are going to have any chance at knocking off the hot Cowboys, Gibbs will need to shine.
Quarterback Jared Goff said Gibbs is special, according to ESPN.
“I've got the best seat in the house,” Goff said. “It's really cool. I think I put my hand up when he was about 7 yards down the field. You can see the angle he's about to take and the angle the safety's at, and it's over. That's what makes him so special is that next-level speed.”
Sit ‘em — Lions defense
Folks, this is a no-brainer. After five weeks as a startable D/ST in 12-team leagues, the Lions have finished 23, 21, 24, and 30. And now they get the Cowboys.
They have only produced one sack over the last three weeks. And that means Prescott will operate with space and time. The Lions’ defense will get crushed by the Cowboys’ offense.
Forget hoping for a weird Thursday night thing. And just … don’t.
Look for the Cowboys to score early and often in this game. They should be able to pull away and earn a 34-24 victory.
