The final week of the fantasy football regular season for most leagues is here. The stakes could not be higher. Week 14 is where playoff dreams are clinched or crushed. Quarterback decisions carry more weight than ever. With four teams on bye and multiple starters battling injuries or inconsistency, managers must navigate a treacherous landscape. Start the right passer, and you’re alive in December. Make the wrong call, and the season ends with regret. Below, we break down the quarterbacks you must trust or avoid as you fight for your playoff life.
Let’s break down the quarterbacks you must lock into lineups and the ones you should keep far away as we enter a critical Week 14 slate.
Start ’Em
Josh Allen, BUF (vs. CIN)
Josh Allen didn’t need to light up the stat sheet in Week 13. However, he still delivered a rock-solid fantasy football outing in Buffalo’s 26-7 win over Pittsburgh. He threw for 123 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. Allen also added 38 rushing yards and a rushing score. He remains a signature dual-threat performance even on a low-volume passing day.
More importantly, the Bills looked in control. Allen’s legs remain a cheat code in the red zone. Cincinnati’s defense has been vulnerable to mobile quarterbacks and explosive offenses. That makes Allen a top-tier play in a game where Buffalo may need every point. In a must-win Week 14, he’s a set-and-forget QB1.
Dak Prescott, DAL (@ DET)
Dak Prescott continues to play some of the best football of his career. With 320 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs last week, Prescott now has multiple passing scores in seven of his last nine games. He fueled elite fantasy football production.
Detroit’s secondary has been shredded repeatedly this season. He has given up chunk plays and struggled against well-timed passing concepts. That's something Prescott and CeeDee Lamb have exploited all year. With Dallas heating up late, Prescott rolls into Week 14 as a high-floor, high-ceiling QB1 in a premium matchup.
Jordan Love, GB (vs. CHI)
Jordan Love remains volatile. Week 13, though, showed the reward. He had four touchdowns and 234 yards in a decisive win over Detroit. His swingy play comes with major upside in matchups where Green Bay leans on the pass.
Chicago’s pass defense has tightened in stretches. Still, Love has shown a strong command of the offense and remains aggressive downfield. With bye weeks thinning out the QB pool, Love is well worth the start for managers needing ceiling potential in their do-or-die matchup.
Daniel Jones, IND (@ JAX)
Daniel Jones continues to battle through a fibula injury. His Week 13 performance had 201 yards and two touchdowns. Jones showed he’s settling in as a reliable facilitator of the Colts’ offense. His rushing involvement was limited, but his decision-making and accuracy were sharp.
Against Jacksonville’s inconsistent secondary, Jones offers a steady mid-tier QB2 option with TD upside. In superflex or two-QB formats, he belongs firmly in starting lineups.
Other Starts: Jalen Hurts, PHI (@ LAC); Jared Goff, DET (vs. DAL)
Sit ’Em
Patrick Mahomes, KC (@ HOU)
It feels unnatural to sit Patrick Mahomes in any context. Week 14, though, presents one of the worst fantasy football matchups of the season. Mahomes has been volatile, posting one touchdown or fewer in four of his last eight outings. The Texans have also quietly built one of the league’s best pass defenses.
Add in Kansas City’s continued issues with receiver separation and stalled drives, and Mahomes carries major risk in what could be a low-scoring, grind-it-out battle. He is a genuine risky play this week.
Baker Mayfield, TB (vs. NO)
Baker Mayfield gutted through a strained AC joint in Week 13 to lead Tampa Bay to a win. However, from a fantasy football perspective, 194 yards and one touchdown simply aren’t enough in a critical week. His rushing output helped inflate the floor. This offense, though, remains inconsistent and matchup-dependent.
New Orleans has been unpredictable. They have routinely made quarterbacks earn every throw. Mayfield profiles as a low-end QB1 or high-end QB2. That's fine in deeper formats, but it's a risky start in typical leagues where managers need more stability.
Caleb Williams, CHI (@ GB)
Caleb Williams has flashed brilliance at times. He has posted multiple touchdowns in three of his last five games. That said, Chicago’s offensive structure remains uneven. Green Bay’s defense has been excellent at limiting explosive plays. Williams’ floor remains scary-low. In Week 14, fantasy football managers should pivot toward more stable options unless forced to roll the dice.
Other Sits: Aaron Rodgers, PIT (@ BAL); Shedeur Sanders, CLE (vs. TEN)
Final thoughts
Week 14 is not about playing it safe. It's about making the right call. Josh Allen and Dak Prescott offer elite ceilings in proven matchups. Jordan Love and Daniel Jones bring the upside and steadiness needed to push teams over the playoff threshold. Meanwhile, big names like Mahomes and Williams pose real risks in matchups that could suppress their fantasy football contributions.
Trust the data, recent performance, and the matchup. One start or sit decision could define the rest of your season.
