Optimize your Week 14 fantasy football lineups with these exploitable matchups.
Jakobi Meyers vs. TB
Meyers is coming off another strong performance in Week 13. Despite a tougher matchup against the Chiefs, Meyers turned 11 targets from Aidan O’Connell into six catches for 97 yards. Since the Raiders changed play-callers in Week 10, Meyers is averaging a strong 25% target share and has back-to-back games of earning at least 31% of the team’s targets.
Dating back to last year, Meyers now averages over 13 fantasy points per game with O’Connell as his QB. This week, the duo will take on a poor Bucs secondary. Tampa allows the third most receiving yards per game this season. In Week 3, the Bucs allowed Bryce Young to produce a season-high 298 passing yards. WR Adam Thielen benefitted most from Young’s production in Week 13, earning 99 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets.
Meyers is a similar receiver to Thielen in terms of where they win on the field. Expect another big week for Meyers against the Bucs; he’s a top-20 WR and must-start in Week 14.
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Rico Dowdle vs. CIN
Dowdle is coming off a career-best performance on Thanksgiving Day. He topped 100 rushing yards for the first time in his career and earned a career-high 25 touches. He had a strong matchup at home against the Giants last week. New York entered Week 13 allowing the most rushing yards per play, and Dowdle took advantage for 123 total yards while averaging five yards per touch.
Since the Cowboys’ bye week, Dowdle has commanded 62% of the RB snaps and over 65% of the backfield carries. This usage has only gotten stronger each week. In the past two games, Dowdle has averaged 23.5 touches and 110 total yards per contest.
The strong matchups continue this week on Monday Night Football against the Bengals. Cincinnati ranks 23rd in tackling according to PFF and it allows the sixth-most rushing touchdowns this season. Last week, the Bengals allowed 129 total yards and a score to Najee Harris. Make sure Dowdle is in your lineups this week.
Calvin Ridley vs. JAX
In Week 13, Ridley caught just two balls for 45 yards on seven targets. It was a disappointing day when you consider the Titans fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter. Tennessee played from behind the entire game. You would normally expect a bigger day from Ridley as the Titans were forced to throw more to keep up, but QB Will Levis was only able to complete 48% of his passes for 212 yards.
But Levis and the offense have the perfect bounce-back spot in Week 14.
The Titans will face the Jaguars this week. Jacksonville has been a “get-right spot” for opposing offenses all season. It allows the most receiving yards per game and the second-most receiving touchdowns this season. Over their last two games, the Jaguars have allowed three different receivers to produce at least 119 yards. Expect Ridley to find success in this positive matchup. He still leads the team with a 30% target share since DeAndre Hopkins was traded away before Week 8. Ridley is a must-start and a top-12 option at the position this week.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. vs. NO
Tracy has been dynamic this season for the Giants, but he has had one big weakness: ball security. Tracy fumbled in back-to-back games for the Giants in Weeks 10 and 12 which put his workload in question entering Week 13. On Thanksgiving against the Cowboys, Tracy played 71% of the snaps and handled 53% of the team’s carries. This was close to his normal role, so it appears the fumbles didn’t end up putting Tracy in the doghouse. This usage led to 11 touches for 65 yards and a score. Backup Devin Singletary earned just 23 yards on seven carries.
This week, Tracy gets another strong matchup against the Saints. New Orleans allows the second most rushing yards per play, and it ranks 29th in tackling according to PFF. The Giants are five-point home underdogs this week which could lead to more passing-game usage for Tracy. He’s a must-start this week and has the ability to top 100 total yards in this matchup.
Bucky Irving vs. LV
Irving is cementing himself as THE league winner in fantasy football.
Since his Week 11 bye, Irving has produced games of 151 and 185 total yards while scoring in both contests. He finished as the RB3 in Week 12 and the RB1 overall in Week 13. During this time, Irving has totaled 46 touches and averaged 7.3 yards per touch while teammate Rachaad White has earned 25 touches and averaged 4.9 yards per touch. Irving has become the clear lead back in Tampa.
Over the past month, Irving ranks third in RB fantasy points per game behind only Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs. It’s also important to point out that Sean Tucker saw zero snaps in Week 13 for the Bucs. Tucker fumbled at the goal line in Week 12 and hasn’t played since. This only increases the weekly floor and ceiling for Irving as it should lead to more snaps and touches.
Irving has taken advantage of some strong matchups against the Giants and Panthers in the past two weeks. These are arguably the two worst run defenses in the NFL. But the good matchups don’t stop this week because Irving and the Bucs will face the Raiders. Tampa comes into this game as seven-point home favorites. The game script should set up nicely for Irving to see another 16+ touches. The Raiders rank 23rd in tackling according to PFF, which matters because Irving ranks third in broken tackle rate this season. Bucky is a top-10 RB this week and a league winner the rest of the season.
