In our weekly look at winners and losers from the previous week, we're going to spend the last few weeks of the regular season looking as much at 2020 as the next few weeks, but Week 14 left us with no choice but to look at the short term, at least at first. There were just so many significant injuries coming out of Sunday's games that there's no way we can wrap up this week without talking about them.
So, before we get to the Winners and Losers from Week 14, let's run through the injuries you need to know about from Sunday's games, and the possible impact they might have on your Fantasy championship run:
- Patrick Mahomes (hand) will undergo X-rays after injuring the hand Sunday and having trouble gripping the ball. He played through the injury, and the expectation is he will continue to play through it, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a better option for Week 15 even given the injury.
- Jameis Winston (hand) suffered a small fracture that forced him out of Sunday's game briefly. Like Mahomes, he played through the injury and should be expected to remain out there moving forward. However, he will be without one of his top weapons, which could make this more difficult.
- Rashaad Penny (knee) tore his ACL Sunday and his season is over, the team confirmed Monday. He is also dealing with additional damage to the knee, which could complicate his recovery. According to NFL Network, Penny is out until training camp, but we'll keep an eye on his progress through the offseason to see whether he is likely to make an impact for Fantasy in 2020. For the rest of 2019, Chris Carson figures to continue to dominate touches, as C.J. Prosise has just 14 carries on the season despite Penny missing three previous games.
- Derrick Henry (hamstring) went to the locker room just before halftime and seemed to be slowed just a bit by the injury — Dion Lewis saw an expanded role as the Titans iced the game. We'll watch this one throughout the week just to make sure, but the fact he was able to play through it is a good sign for right now.
- Derrius Guice (knee) avoided any damage to his ACL, an MRI performed Monday confirmed. He has been diagnosed with a sprained MCL and is already ruled out for Week 15, and you have to imagine his season is likely done. Guice can be dropped in all yearly Fantasy leagues, however he showed enough between his two knee injuries to make you think he will come into the 2020 season as Washington's lead back — though obviously the number of knee issues he has suffered over the last two years will make him a risk on Draft Day. You can safely drop Guice.
- Bo Scarbrough (ribs) told reporters he'll be fine for Week 15, after leaving Sunday's game with more than 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter. He has a lot to play for down the stretch as free agent signee from the street looking to establish himself, however Kerryon Johnson is eligible to return from I.R. in Week 16 and was back at practice this week, so we'll want to watch that, too.
- Bilal Powell (foot/ankle) left Sunday's game early, and this one is mostly just bad luck for those of you who used Powell with Le'Veon Bell out. Bell should be back for Week 15 after recovering from his bout with the flu, but if Powell's injury proves serious, Ty Montgomery figures to be the primary backup to Bell.
- Mike Evans (hamstring) scored on a 61-yard touchdown Sunday, but that will likely be the last play of the season for him. According to ESPN, Evans is likely to miss the final three games of the season as a result of the injury, giving him 67 catches, 1,157 yards and eight touchdowns in what was likely to have been a career-best season. Justin Watson and Breshad Perriman both saw increased usage with Evans out, but neither is a recommended Fantasy option for Week 15 with Evans out — if I had to pick one as a desperation play, Perriman's big-play ability probably makes him the preferred option. You can safely drop Evans in all re-draft leagues.
- Calvin Ridley (abdomen) left Sunday's game with abdominal pain and was ruled out for the season Monday as a result of the injury. It's not clear what the nature of the injury is, but Ridley posted on his Instagram account that he will be back next season. For now, the Falcons move forward with Julio Jones and Austin Hooper leading their passing game, while Russell Gage figures to see an increased role. Gage has been a useful low-end Fantasy option when Jones was sidelined, but it will be interesting to see if Olamide Zaccheaus — who scored a 93-yard touchdown Sunday — can emerge as a more reliable big-play option. Right now, neither is much of a suggested option for Week 15, but could emerge as useful options for Week 16 with a big game.
- Alshon Jeffery (foot) reportedly felt something pop in his foot during Monday's game, and is set for an MRI to determine the extent of the injury Tuesday. We can't say how to handle him at this point, but it seems likely Jeffery could miss time, and that might make him droppable ahead of Tuesday's waiver runs.
- D.J. Chark (ankle) left the stadium in a walking boot Sunday, a bad sign after he exited the game in the fourth quarter. The Jaguars don't have much to play for down the stretch, so don't be surprised if they shut Chark down for the final three games. We'll have to watch this one in the next few days, but start making preparations now.
- Devante Parker (concussion) was ruled out after taking a hit in the second quarter and will now have to go through the concussion protocol to get cleared for Week 15 against the Giants. It doesn't appear as if Parker has been in the concussion protocol in the NFL before, so hopefully he is able to return soon.
- Mark Andrews (knee) appears to have avoided a serious injury, but his status for Week 15 is obviously up in the air. We'll watch this one during the week, but at least it looks like he has a chance to play.
- Jared Cook (concussion) was in the middle of what could have been a huge game against the 49ers Sunday but was knocked out of the game on his second touchdown. Like Parker, we'll just have to monitor this one through the week as he progresses through the concussion protocol.
Week 14 Instant Reaction
Winners and Losers
Winners
While we were debating whether Gurley was a must-start option earlier in the season, there's no way you can consider sitting Gurley for the stretch run given the work he has received lately — at least 20 touches in two straight and three out of his last four. And, perhaps more importantly, Gurley should enter 2020 without any concerns about his health. It will just be about whether the Rams offense can get back to being a juggernaut — keep an eye on any investments in the offensive line they make this offseason.
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How did Brown ever fall to the end of the second round? He tested extremely well at the combine after an incredibly productive collegiate career, and wouldn't you know it, he's been the best receiver on a playoff team as a rookie. You'd like to see more volume from Brown to start him in your Fantasy championship run — he has just 20 targets over his last four games despite 350 yards and three touchdowns — but if Ryan Tannehill is a must-start option for Week 15 against Houston, Brown has to be in the starting conversation too. And, looking ahead to 2020, Brown is going to be a very popular breakout pick, especially if the Titans make his seven Week 14 targets more of the norm moving forward. They should.
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I'll admit, I've been worried about Jones lately. He was splitting work pretty close to evenly with Jamaal Williams over the last few weeks, and hadn't shown much to suggest he deserved a bigger share of the pie. This Packers offense has produced a ton of value for running backs this season, but overall it has been pretty middling, and playing in a timeshare in a middling offense isn't exactly a recipe for Fantasy success. However, Jones has seen 13 targets over the last two games to go along with his 27 combined carries, and if that's the kind of work he's going to see moving forward, he'll be a must-start option even against the Bears and Vikings in Weeks 15 and 16.
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It's going to be basically impossible to figure out what Anderson's value is going to be for next season. Obviously, if he finds a new home in free agency, that will play a huge part, but it won't be everything. Anderson now has at least 86 yards in three straight games with a touchdown in two of them, and seems set to close out the season strong for the third year in a row — he had 384 yards and three touchdowns in five December games last season, and was on a 1,000-yard, 10-touchdown pace over the final half of the 2017 season, too. There's no doubting Anderson's talent, but he has yet to put together a consistent season. Maybe a full season of a healthy Sam Darnold would help, or maybe a change of scenery will do it. Either way, I know I'll be buying in next summer. Again.
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Losers
It's going to be really interesting to see where Davante Adams gets drafted among wide receivers next season. He was the No. 2 receiver off the board on average in 2019 drafts, and even if he had stayed healthy, he was never going to justify that cost. However, he actually doesn't look that different than last year overall. He is averaging 8.1 yards per target, right in line with last year and his 2016 breakout, and while his targets are down about one per game from 2018, he's on pace for by far the second-most of his career if not for the injury. The biggest issue? Aaron Rodgers no longer looks like a truly elite quarterback, and Adams' red zone dominance hasn't been there as a result. Adams has always relied on touchdowns more than your typical elite Fantasy wide receiver, and that's a tricky path to Fantasy dominance. This might be controversial, but I think Rodgers is clearly past his prime, and he isn't the rising tide lifting all boats he used to be. Adams is going to slip in the WR ranks next year, that much is for sure.
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Maybe the 49ers should stop spending big money in free agency. We never even got to see what Jerick McKinnon looked like in Kyle Shanahan's offense, but what we've seen from Tevin Coleman hasn't been particularly impressive. He is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry and hasn't had more than 40 yards in a game since Week 8. Coleman has basically been benched the last two games, playing just 21 snaps total. He isn't a must-drop, because if his role does return, he could be very valuable in this offense. But we know Shanahan is never going to have just one running back he feeds over and over, and even Coleman's price tag and history with Shanahan in Atlanta didn't earn him that this year.
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In his Cardinals debut, Drake rushed for 110 yards; in four games since, he has 170 yards. Sure, he's still been the team's primary back in that time, but that just hasn't meant very much as the Cardinals offense has stalled out the last two weeks and Drake hasn't been as effective. David Johnson caught a 24-yard touchdown Sunday and could be getting back to full health — his 22 snaps were his most since Week 10. Drake looked like he might have had a chance to earn a long-term look down the stretch, but I'm not sure he's even someone I would want to start in Week 15.
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What could Sony Michel even do down the stretch to make Fantasy players believe in him for 2020? He has played more than 41% of the Patriots snaps just once since Week 6 and has more than 10 carries in one of their last five games. At this point, he looks like a middling runner who simply takes what is blocked for him and doesn't catch passes, and he's playing on a team that is perfectly willing to take him off the field for long stretches if the game plan dictates it. Oh, and his fortunes are tied to 42-year-old quarterback struggling through the worst season of his career. Is Michel even a top-40 dynasty running back right now?
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The Week 15 matchup against the Cardinals is enticing, but Mayfield just put up his worst performance of the season against the Bengals, so you surely can't trust him for that one. And you're obviously not starting Mayfield in Week 16 against the Ravens. So, it's all about 2020. Mayfield looked like one of the top options in Dynasty and keeper formats after his rookie season, but has badly regressed in just about every way possible despite having much more talent around him. Your best hope is actually that the Browns opt to bring everyone back, because having to play for a third coach and coordinator in three years while trying to establish rapport with a new group of receivers would only make Mayfield's job harder next year. Now might be the perfect opportunity to buy low on Mayfield for 2020, but you can't feel great about going into next season with him as your starter if that's the situation you find yourself in.
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