Week 14 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Candidates: Quarterbacks
Wondering whom to start and sit at quarterback this week? Below are two top-notch start and two sit options at the quarterback position for Week 14 of the 2022 NFL season.
Week 13 Review – half-PPR scoring
Starts
- QB Mike White (New York Jets) @ Minnesota Vikings – 20.32 fantasy points (QB11)
- QB Trevor Lawrence – 15.96 fantasy points (QB18)
- QB Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) @ Chicago Bears – fantasy points (QB)
Sits
- QB Kirk Cousins (Minnesota Vikings) vs. New York Jets – 0.0 fantasy points (N/A)
Quarterback – Starts
Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Houston Texans
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has been on a tear since returning from a thumb injury in Week 7. The table below ranks his passing production among 30 NFL quarterbacks with at least 100 dropbacks. The data used comes from 4for4's NFL Player Stats Explorer.
| NFL QB Passing | Pass Yards/Game | TD % | INT % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dak Prescott | 232.3 (No. 14) | 7.2% (No. 2) | 3.3% (No. 26) |
Prescott has averaged 10.8 rushing yards per game during that span. Dallas’s red-hot offense has scored 40 or more points in three of those six contests.
Houston’s 0.06 interceptions per drive are tied for the eighth-worst rate in the league and their 9.2% explosive pass plays allowed rate is the sixth worst.
Geno Smith (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Carolina Panthers
The Seattle Seahawks have a fantasy-friendly 23.5-point implied team total versus the Carolina Panthers.
Quarterback Geno Smith, fantasy football’s QB7, should have one of his highest-volume outings of 2022 this week as Seattle’s running back room has been decimated by injury. Week-6 signee Tony Jones Jr. is the only healthy running back that was active in Week 13. All remaining running backs are highly questionable to play.
The table below ranks Smith’s per-game passing production among 33 NFL quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks.
| NFL QB Passing Data | Pass Yards/Game | TD % | INT % | On-Target % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geno Smith | 264.1 (No. 7) | 5.6% (T-No. 6) | 1.5% (T-No. 8) | 77.4% (No. 1) |
With quarterback Sam Darnold at the helm in Week 12, Carolina tallied 350 total offensive yards, the 14th most, and 23 points, tied for the 18th most, against the stout Denver Broncos defense. Carolina’s improved offense should help push Seattle’s pace.
Carolina's No. 1 cornerback Donte Jackson landed on Injured Reserve three weeks ago.
Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) vs. Minnesota Vikings
The Detroit Lions boast a sky-high 27.75 implied team total in Week 14’s highest-totaled game, 53.0 points, on BetMGM.
Detroit’s last four games have cleared 53.0 points. The table below ranks Goff’s passing production in parentheses among NFL quarterbacks with at least 75 dropbacks during that span.
| Jared Goff Passing Data | Adj. Yards/Att. | TD % | INT % | Time to Throw |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 10-13 | 8.32 (No. 9) | 3.8% (No. 20) | 0.0% (T-No. 1) | 2.36 (No. 9) |
Goff has averaged 280 passing yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions with wide receiver D.J. Chark (ankle) back in the lineup. Round 1 rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams (ACL) made his albeit limited 2022 debut in Week 13. Though he will continue to be eased in, his presence is helpful.
Detroit’s offensive line has had four-of-five starters in six-of-seven games since their Week 6 bye. The unit has allowed a 17.1% quarterback pressure rate in those six games, the 13th-best best rate during that span, per 4for4's NFL Team Stats Explorer.
Minnesota’s pass rush has produced an 18.0% quarterback pressure rate, the 10th worst in the league, and their 10.9% explosive pass plays allowed rate is tied for league-worst honors with Detroit.
Minnesota’s 19.4 fantasy points per game allowed to opposing quarterbacks is the sixth most in the league, per 4for4's Schedule-Adjusted Fantasy Points Allowed.
*Check out the full QB Rankings here.
Quarterback – Sits
Deshaun Watson (Cleveland Browns) @ Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson took the field for the first time last week, after serving an 11-game suspension for violating the league’s personal-conduct policy.
The table below ranks Watson’s passing and rushing data among 30 NFL quarterbacks with at least 10 dropbacks and 15 NFL quarterbacks with at least three rushing attempts in Week 13.
| NFL QB Passing & Rushing - Week 13 | Pass Yards/Game | TD % | INT % | Rush Yards/Carry | Rush Yards/Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Watson | 131.0 (No. 30) | 0.0% (T-No. 25) | 4.5% (No. 25) | 5.5 (No. 8) | 22 (No. 9) |
Cleveland’s 22.8% quarterback pressure rate allowed, the ninth worst in the league, is unlikely to hold up versus the Cincinnati Bengals’ 21.6% quarterback pressure rate, tied for the ninth best. Watson should be under duress all game as Cleveland currently sits as +6.0-point road underdogs.
