Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers: 2019 Edition

Quarterback
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
The 49ers might've come out on top in Sunday's thrilling shootout at the Superdome, but Brees ended up outdueling Jimmy Garoppolo in fantasy. Brees cashed in on the many golden opportunities he was given to make big plays, throwing for 349 YDS and 5 TD while also punching in a 1 YD TD run on the day. He's in an excellent position to light it up again this week against a vulnerable Colts defense that just allowed Jameis Winston to throw for 456 YDS and 3 TD's.
Honorable Mentions: Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers), Jameis Winston (Buccaneers), Deshaun Watson (Texans)

LVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
While he did just enough to win the game (195 YDS/1 TD/16 Rushing YDS/FUM Lost), he severely letdown his fantasy owners that were relying on him to take full advantage of a soft matchup with the Redskins in the opening week of the playoffs. Rodgers will look to return to glory in Week 15 against a Bears defense that he's slaughtered many, many times in the past.
Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Tom Brady (Patriots), Baker Mayfield (Browns)

Running Back

MVP: Austin Ekeler (Chargers) 

After a few quiet-ish games in a row, Ekeler returned with a vengeance on Sunday. He absolutely demolished a Jaguars defense that has given up on playing hard, registering 213 scrimmage YDS (101 rushing, 112 receiving) and a TD grab on only 12 touches. Ekeler has remained terrific in the wake of Melvin Gordon's return and will be an RB2 for their Week 15 home showdown with a Vikings defense that has struggled to defend the pass all season long. 

Honorable Mentions: Aaron Jones (Packers), Joe Mixon (Bengals), Derrick Henry (Titans)

LVP: Alvin Kamara (Saints)

Kamara just can't seem to right the ship for more than a week or two at a time. His performance against the 49ers ended up being one of, if not the absolute worst of the season as he picked up only 43 scrimmage YDS (25 rushing, 18 receiving) and lost a key fumble on 17 touches. Considering his top 3 draft status and very middling output (1,074 scrimmage YDS, 2 TD's in 11 games), Kamara is a strong contender for 2019's top fantasy bust.

Dishonorable Mentions: Leonard Fournette (Jaguars), Sony Michel (Patriots), Benny Snell (Steelers)

Wide Receiver

MVP: Emmanuel Sanders (49ers)

What an afternoon for 2019's best offensive midseason acquisition. Sanders' monster day against the Saints included 7 REC for 157 YDS and a TD and a 35 YD TD throw to Raheem Mostert on a beautifully-executed trick play. Even in a prime matchup against the Falcons, Sanders is likely to come back down to Earth a bit in Week 15.

Honorable Mentions: Michael Thomas (Saints), DeAndre Hopkins (Texans), Robert Woods (Rams)

LVP: John Brown (Bills)

After Cole Beasley teared up the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, Brown failed to make it back-to-back successful revenge games for the Bills top wideouts. Marcus Peters, Marlon Humphery and Brandon Carr kept the explosive playmaking threat contained all game long as he hauled in just 3 catches for 26 YDS. Brown has struggled a bit over the past few games, failing to reach 40 YDS in 3 straight games after clearing 50 in each of the previous 9. He'll be a shaky WR3 play against a tough Steelers secondary this Sunday.

Dishonorable Mentions: Davante Adams (Packers), Jamison Crowder (Jets), Courtland Sutton (Broncos)

Tight End

MVP: Zach Ertz (Eagles)

With all of their receivers in the morgue and facing an inexplicable 17-3 deficit at home against a Giants squad that hasn't won since September 29th, Carson Wentz fed Ertz like crazy in a not exactly triumphant comeback win for the Eagles last night. The star tight end hauled in both the game-tying and game-winning scores to cap off a 9 REC/91 YDS performance. Fire up Ertz as a TE1 for another good matchup with the Redskins in Week 15. 

Honorable Mentions: Jared Cook (Saints), Noah Fant (Broncos), George Kittle (49ers)

LVP: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)

Rudolph's recent resurgence as a viable receiving threat took a hit this week. He received only 2 dump-off targets, which he hauled in for a whopping 11 YDS against a Lions secondary that is just about completely decimated at the moment. With the status of Adam Thielen's hamstring continuing to look bleak, Rudolph could conceivably continue to operate as the #3 passing game option behind Stefon Diggs and Dalvin Cook the rest of the way. 

Dishonorable Mentions: David Njoku (Browns), Jack Doyle (Colts), Austin Hooper (Falcons)

Defense/Special Teams

MVP: Steelers

There was no drought in the desert for the Steelers defense. The Cardinals allowed 5 sacks, 3 INT's and a kickoff return TD in a 23-17 victory for a Steelers squad that continues to scratch and claw their way to wins. The Bills will be a plus matchup for this takeaway/sack-happy group in Week 15.  

Honorable Mentions: Rams, Vikings, Browns

LVP: Texans

Anybody who thought this banged-up Texans group had turned a corner after shutting down the Patriots before garbage time in Week 13 got burned big time this week. Outside of a single sack and INT, it was nothing but a house of horrors for Romeo Crennel and co. as their poor play (32 points allowed!!!!) was a big reason why the Drew Lock-led Broncos were able to easily pull off the shocking upset. Steer clear of these soft clowns when they travel to Nashville to take on the redhot Titans on Sunday.

Dishonorable Mentions: Eagles, Jets, Bears 

Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers (2018 Edition)

Quarterback
MVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)
If you set aside the hilarious miracle lateral play that only further confirmed that Hard Rock Stadium is a loopy, inexplicable house of horrors for the Patriots, Brady had himself a nice afternoon in Miami. He made several highlight-worthy throws and was able to get both his long-time safety nets (Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski) to snap out of lengthy cold streaks during a season-best performance (358 YDS/3 TD) that still wasn't enough to sink those pesky Dolphins. While he hasn't been as sharp as usual this season, especially on the road, Brady is still an uncontested QB1 and I expect him to be out for blood this Sunday when the Pats travel to Pittsburgh to take on a reeling Steelers squad.
Honorable Mentions: Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Andrew Luck (Colts), Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)

LVP: Jared Goff (Rams)
Goff followed up a shaky performance in Detroit with his worst game since Jeff Fisher left town. The 3rd-year rising star got punched in the face by the Chicago cold and a ferocious Bears defense, throwing for 180 YDS, 0 TD and 4 INT's in a stunning primetime loss. A return to the LA sunshine for a showdown with the Eagles makeshift secondary should be just what the doctor ordered to cure whatever has ailed him over the past couple weeks.
Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Kirk Cousins (Vikings), Cam Newton (Panthers)

Running Back
MVP: Derrick Henry (Titans)
We should've known that Week 14 was going to be a wild one after Derrick Effin' Henry put forth one of the most dominant rushing performances in recent memory. The 3rd-year back didn't look like a guy who had failed to clear 500 YDS on the ground in the first 12 games of the year as he barreled through an increasingly lackadaisical Jaguars D for 238 YDS and 4 TD's last Thursday night. Henry will look to recreate this piece of pure rushing magic this week against a Giants defense that has surrendered the 7th most fantasy points to running backs this season, but has looked a lot better in recent weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Saquon Barkley (Giants), Joe Mixon (Bengals), Ezekiel Elliott (Cowboys)

LVP: James White (Patriots)
With the aforementioned heavy involvement of Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, someone was bound to get their workload reduced and White ended up being that poor soul. The Patriots swiss-army knife out of the backfield only logged 6 touches (4 carries, 2 receptions) for 28 YDS in their befuddling 34-33 last-second loss to the Dolphins. Regardless of how he performs over the next couple of weeks, White was arguably the biggest steal at the RB position this season, managing double-digit TD's and over 1,000 scrimmage YDS with an ADP that was in the 80-100 range on every major site. His continued heavy involvement on this reliably strong albeit aging offense should make him an intriguing mid-round pick next year.
Dishonorable Mentions: Todd Gurley (Rams), Leonard Fournette (Jaguars), Adrian Peterson (Redskins)

Wide Receiver 
MVP: Amari Cooper (Cowboys)
Cooper's domination in Dallas continued on Sunday against the porous Eagles, hauling in 10 receptions for 217 YDS and 3 TD to help America's Team earn a huge OT victory that all but officially clinched them their 3rd NFC East crown in the last 5 years. The notoriously erratic 4th-year wideout has made the naysayers like myself look like complete jackasses since he joined the Cowboys in mid-October and given his heavy target share in this otherwise underwhelming passing attack, he should be a borderline WR1 for the rest of the fantasy playoffs.
Honorable Mentions: JuJu Smith-Schuster (Steelers), Julio Jones (Falcons), Jarvis Landry (Browns)

LVP: Kenny Golladay (Lions)
Sure Golladay drew a tough assignment from Cardinals lockdown corner Patrick Peterson on Sunday afternoon that was likely to going to limit his production, but his putrid performance (2 REC for 5 YDS) was downright unacceptable for an uncontested top receiver on a team that currently has no other viable offensive options at their disposal. The sophomore breakout isn't a safe bet to get back on track against a tough Bills secondary that has held the likes of DeAndre Hopkins, T.Y. Hilton and Josh Gordon to under 65 YDS this season.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Cortland Sutton (Broncos), Chris Godwin (Buccaneers), Brandin Cooks (Rams)

Tight End
MVP: George Kittle (49ers)
While Kittle squandered a chance to make it into the history books by failing to secure a reception after halftime, his monster 1st half against an unsuspecting Broncos team was enough to turn a lot of heads (7 REC, 210 YDS, 1 TD) and clinch a lot of W's for his owners. Kittle has been the only real breakout star to emerge out of this dreadful position group this year and with Jimmy Garoppolo back in the fold next year, he appears to be on track to join Zach Ertz and Travis Kelce as the only TE's to be top 40 overall fantasy picks in 2019.
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Cameron Brate (Buccaneers)

LVP: Jimmy Graham (Packers)
Mike McCarthy's long overdue dismissal led to an offensive explosion for the Packers in a 34-20 victory over the Falcons. Unfortunately, Graham was left out of the fun, finishing the day with just 2 catches for 13 YDS. With only 549 YDS and 2 TD's on the year so far, Graham hasn't even come close to delivering on his top 60 ADP.
Dishonorable Mentions: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Chris Herndon (Jets), Trey Burton (Bears)

Defense/Special Teams
MVP: Bears 
Anyone that had the stones to start the Bears D against the Rams this week was handsomely rewarded for their bravery. Vic Fangio's group absolutely stifled one of the league's most lethal offenses,  securing 4 INT's, 3 sacks, a safety and only allowing 6 points in a huge win for the NFC North leaders. The Bears welcome a Packers team that walked all over them back in Week 1 to Solider Field this Sunday.
Honorable Mentions: Giants, Seahawks, Packers

LVP: Chargers
While they were far from disastrous, Chargers D owners definitely expected better than 3 sacks, 0 takeaways and 21 points allowed to the Jeff Driskel-led Bengals. The Chargers have been up-and-down from a fantasy perspective all year long and I highly doubt they'll be able to shed that frustrating label over the final 2 weeks of the season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Bills, Texans, Broncos 

Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
For the first 2 months of the 2017 season, there was a national debate about whether or not Ben Roethlisberger's days as a top-tier QB were officially over. Since the calendar turned to November, he's been one of the hottest QB's in the NFL and this run of excellence continued during the 1st week of the fantasy playoffs. Roethlisberger made the Ravens 12th-ranked pass defense look like a scout team as he torched them for 506 YDS and 2 TD's in another improbable win for the 11-2 Steelers. Despite the warpath he's been on for the past month, I have a hard time trusting Big Ben to deliver against a highly motivated Patriots squad in Week 15's marquee matchup.
Honorable Mentions: Carson Wentz (Eagles), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)

LVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)
Miami once again proved to be a house of horrors for the typically brilliant Tom Brady. The 5-time Super Bowl Champ was uncharacteristically sloppy and unpoised (24-43, 233 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT) in a stunning upset loss to the lowly Dolphins last night. Despite his poor play in 2 straight weeks, I'd be shocked if Brady didn't bounce back in a major way against an injury-depleted Steelers secondary that just got lit up by Joe Flacco.

Dishonorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Derek Carr (Raiders), Marcus Mariota (Titans)

Running Back

MVP: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
While his YDS per touch weren't overly impressive (5.6), Le'Veon Bell still put together an absurd fantasy statline. Bell picked up 125 yards from scrimmage (48 rushing, 77 receiving) and 3 TD's (2 rushing, 1 receiving) on 24 touches in the Steelers remarkable 39-38 comeback against the Ravens on Sunday Night Football. With home field advantage throughout the playoffs on the line, Bell will more than likely be the Steelers primary offensive weapon this week versus the Patriots weak run defense.

Honorable Mentions: Jonathan Stewart (Panthers), Jordan Howard (Bears), Todd Gurley (Rams)

LVP: Latavius Murray (Vikings)
Poor Latavius Murray simply didn't stand a chance against the Panthers on Sunday. A combination of Carolina's stout front preventing him from finding any room to run and the Vikings playing from behind for most of the game led to Murray's horrible 11-touch, 20 YD performance. Murray has greatly exceeded expectations since taking over as the Vikings primary back following the season-ending ACL injury to star rookie Dalvin Cook in early October and should be able to return to his typical high-end RB2 role in Week 15 against a Bengals defense that has really struggled to contain the run in recent weeks. 

Dishonorable Mentions: LeGarette Blount (Eagles), Lamar Miller (Texans), Christian McCaffery (Panthers)

Wide Receiver

MVP: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
Seemingly nothing can stop DeAndre Hopkins from dominating right now. The dream team of Tom Savage and T.J. Yates forced the ball to the star wideout for the majority of the game with spectacular results (149 YDS and 2 TD on 11 receptions) in a 26-16 loss to the suddenly competent 49ers. Hopkins will look to continue his nearly season-long reign of dominance against the Jaguars top-ranked passing defense in Week 15. 

Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Davante Adams (Packers), Cooper Kupp (Rams)

LVP: Mike Evans (Buccaneers)
Mike Evans underwhelming 2017 campaign continued on Sunday afternoon against the Lions. The Bucs top wideout struggled to separate from Pro Bowl corner Darius Slay, finishing the game with only 2 receptions for 25 yards. Evans, who hasn't found the endzone since Week 7, has been wildly ineffective in both games since Jameis Winston returned from injury and his fantasy owners can't feel good about rolling him out this week against a stingy Falcons secondary that has shut down just about every top wideout they've faced this season.

Dishonorable Mentions: Robby Anderson (Jets), Brandin Cooks (Patriots), Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)

Tight End

MVP: Jared Cook (Raiders)
Right on cue, the world's most volatile fantasy tight end managed to bolster his owner's spirits a week after destroying them. Jared Cook was on the receiving end of Derek Carr's lone garbage time TD pass to cap off a nice 5 reception, 75 YD performance against the Chiefs on Sunday. With injuries aplenty making this notoriously depth-deprived position even thinner than usual, feel free to keep rolling the dice on Cook for the rest of the season. 

Honorable Mentions: Hunter Henry (Chargers), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), O.J. Howard (Buccaneers)

LVP: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
After finding the endzone in 4 straight games, Jimmy Graham failed to register a reception against the Jaguars outstanding pass D. Even with this monumental dud on his resume, Graham has still managed to score 9 TD's in his 8 last games, so he'll be a no-brainer starter against the Rams this week.

Dishonorable Mentions: Greg Olsen (Panthers), Stephen Anderson (Texans), Cameron Brate (Buccaneers)

Defense/Special Teams
MVP: Denver Broncos
Don't look now, but the Broncos defense finally had a game where they played up to their exceptional talent level. An impressive 4 sack, 2 takeaway (an INT and a fumble recovery) performance helped Denver snap their 8-game losing streak with a 23-0 victory over the Jets. The Broncos talented, but underachieving D have a decent shot of finding success once again this Thursday against a Colts offense that has allowed 19 sacks and turned the ball over 5 times in their last 5 games.

Honorable Mentions: Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers

LVP: New England Patriots
The Patriots defensive resurgence took a huge unexpected hit in a 27-20 loss to the Dolphins last night. Matt Patricia's troops managed just 2 sacks and 0 takeaways on a night where Jay Cutler, Kenyan Drake and Jarvis Landry regularly exploited the early-season deficiencies (run D, massive coverage lapses, poor linebacker play) that they'd done a good job of hiding since the Jets game in mid-October. Even though I expect them to win by a decent margin, the Pats D will be a below-average fantasy play this week against a Steelers offense that doesn't allow a lot of sacks and has only turned the ball over in 1 of their last 4 home games.

Dishonorable Mentions: Cincinnati Bengals, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks 

Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)
After back-to-back underwhelming performances against the Jets and Rams, Tom Brady returned to a form with an eye-popping performance against the Ravens. Outside of an ugly redzone interception in the 3rd quarter, Brady was simply unreal as he tore up the league's top scoring defense (406 YDS and 3 TD) in a huge Monday night win that put the Patriots in sole possession of the #1 seed in the AFC. As brilliant as he was against the Ravens, Brady owners should think twice about starting him this week as he goes up against the Broncos top-ranked passing D in Denver. 
Honorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Joe Flacco (Ravens)

LVP: Derek Carr (Raiders)
Derek Carr did not look anything like an MVP candidate against the Chiefs last Thursday. The combination of cold weather, playing in a hostile environment and bad drops from his receivers led to Carr playing the worst game of his 3-year career (17-41/117 TD/0 TD). The broken pinkie on Carr's throwing hand has had a pretty noticeable effect on the accuracy of his throws over the past couple of weeks and the status of his finger will be worth monitoring leading up to his Week 15 matchup against an underrated Chargers secondary. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Drew Brees (Saints), Jameis Winston (Buccaneers), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)

Running Back
MVP: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
Le'Veon Bell is a cyborg. With Ben Roethlisberger putting up an epic 3 INT stinker, Bell took charge of the Steelers offense in a messy, snow-filled game in Buffalo, torching the Bills D for 298 total YDS (236 rushing, 62 receiving) and 3 TD's on 42 touches. Bell has yet another enticing matchup on the schedule this coming week against a woeful Bengals run D that just allowed 118 yards to Isaiah friggin' Crowell.  
Honorable Mentions: Carlos Hyde (49ers), Jeremy Hill (Bengals), Lamar Miller (Texans)

LVP: Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
Devonta Freeman was just about the only Falcons player that didn't go off against the Rams on Sunday afternoon. The 3rd-year back made nothing out of his small workload, picking up just 18 yards on 8 touches. Freeman has been up-and-down all year and will be hard to trust for the rest of the playoffs with a healthy Tevin Coleman-who scored a pair of TD's against the Rams- back in the fold.
Dishonorable Mentions: Spencer Ware (Chiefs), Mark Ingram (Saints), Devonate Booker (Broncos)

Wide Receiver
MVP: T.Y. Hilton (Colts)
T.Y Hilton atoned for his past sins in Week 14. Hilton made up for his underwhelming 49-yard performance in the Colts' initial clash with the Texans this season by almost single-handily keeping them in the game with his impressive 9 REC/115 YD/1 TD line this time around. Hilton's weekly flurry of targets will once again make a solid WR1 option in a brutal tilt against the Vikings elite secondary in Week 15. 
Honorable Mentions: Tyreek Hill (Chiefs), Davante Adams (Packers), DeSean Jackson (Redskins)

LVP: Dez Bryant (Cowboys)
I think it's safe to say that no player killed more fantasy playoff dreams this weekend than Dez Bryant. Despite being targeted 9 times, Bryant managed just 1 catch for 10 yards and of course, that reception ended in a fumble that sealed the game for the Giants. Bryant's 2016 season has been a confusing ride full of triumphant highs and disheartening lows, and it's anyone's guess what version of Dez we'll see on Sunday night when the Cowboys face the Buccaneers tough secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Amari Cooper (Raiders), Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)

Tight End
MVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert's efficient 2016 campaign continued against the Browns on Sunday afternoon. He led the charge for the Bengals banged-up receiving corps, picking up 48 YDS and a pair of back-breaking TD's on 5 receptions in an easy win for Marvin Lewis' struggling squad. Eifert has been great since returning from injury in mid-October and he has a pretty decent chance of having another solid performance against the Steelers mediocre pass defense in Week 15.
Honorable Mentions: Martellus Bennett (Patriots), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Zach Ertz (Eagles)

LVP: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
It was an ugly afternoon for the Seahawks at Lambeau Field and Jimmy Graham wasn't able to make it out of the fray unscathed. On a day where Russell Wilson got picked off 5 times, Graham mustered just 1 catch for 16 yards. Graham has an excellent bounceback opportunity in a home contest against the emotionally-broken Rams on Thursday night. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Jordan Reed (Redskins), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Coby Fleener (Saints)

Defense
MVP: Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons defense looked like the '85 Bears in their 42-14 win over the bumbling trainwreck otherwise known as the Los Angeles Rams. Taking advantage of Jared Goff's inexperience, special team miscues and the general ineptitude of the sadsack Rams, the Falcons forced 5 turnovers (2 INT's, 3 fumble recoveries), got 3 sacks and scored 2 TD's. The Falcons D will once again be worth a look in Week 15 as they head back to Atlanta to take on California's other disgraced football franchise (the 49ers). 
Honorable Mentions: Green Bay Packers, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins

LVP: Seattle Seahawks
I can't remember the last time the Seahawks D look this helpless. Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner and co. had no answers for the suddenly-awake Packers offense, getting just 1 sack and 0 takeaways in a horrific 38-10 blowout road loss. The Seahawks are a strong bet to rebound on a short week against the Jared Goff-led Rams at home.
Dishonorable Mentions: Los Angeles Rams, New York Jets, San Diego Chargers

Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
Russell Wilson's career-long hot streak continued with yet another another absurd outing (292 YDS, 5 TD) against the Ravens in Week 14. This marked Wilson's 2nd 5 TD outing in 3 games and he's now thrown 16 TD's and 0 INT's over his past 4 games. I expect Wilson to air it out even more this week against the Browns now that running back Thomas Rawls is officially out for the year with an ankle inury.

Honorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Jets)

LVP: Jameis Winston (Buccaneers)
Jameis Winston has garnered a lot of praise for his recent performances, but there was nothing masterful about his play against the Saints on Sunday afternoon. Winston only managed 206 total yards(182 passing, 24 rushing) and a TD against a Saints defense that has gotten torched by just about every other quarterback they've faced this season. Despite the remarkable progress he's made after a horrible start to his rookie campaign, Winston is still a shaky fantasy play at this point in time. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Running Back
MVP: Todd Gurley (Rams)
After a month-long hiatus, Todd Gurley has officially returned to the land of the living. The Rams fed the rookie phenom all game long and it paid major dividends as Gurley's 140-yard, 2 TD performance led the Rams to a much-needed victory over the Lions. With Gurley seemingly out of his slump, he should be a solid RB1 play in Week 15 as the Rams take on the middling rush defense of the Buccaneers.  
Honorable Mentions: James Starks (Packers), DeAngelo Williams (Steelers), Lamar Miller (Dolphins)

LVP: Shaun Draughn (49ers)
Shaun Draughn has done a pretty serviceable job since taking over as the 49ers de facto starting running back in Week 9, which makes his poor performance against the Browns that much more disappointing. Draughn mustered just 51 total yards (43 rushing, 8 receiving) on 13 touches versus a Browns defense that has allowed the 2nd most fantasy points to running backs this season. Despite this lackluster performance, Draughn will be a mid-tier RB2 for the 49ers week 15 contest against a banged-up Bengals defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Devonta Freeman (Falcons), Frank Gore (Colts)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Remember when people thought that Odell Beckham Jr. was an overrated player who was only praised because he made one unforgettable catch? Beckham Jr. made his legions of irrational and uninformed detractors look foolish once again by roasting the Dolphins for 166 yards and 2 TD's (his 6th straight game with 100 + receiving yards) under the bright lights of Monday Night Football. Beckham Jr. has proved throughout 2015 that his tremendous rookie campaign wasn't a fluke and his status as the Giants sole offensive weapon has made him one of the most reliable WR1's in fantasy football. Beckham Jr. faces his toughest challenge of the season so far in Week 15 as he goes up against the Panthers top corner Josh Norman, who has all but completely shut down the likes of Julio Jones, Dez Bryant and DeAndre Hopkins this season.
Honorable Mentions: Doug Baldwin (Seahawks), Ted Ginn Jr. (Panthers), Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)

LVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
I can't remember the last time I saw Calvin Johnson play as bad as he did this past Sunday against the Rams. Megatron reeled in just 1 of his 5 targets for 16 yards and also managed to commit a couple of uncharacteristically ugly drops along the way. Johnson has an excellent chance of redeeming himself in Week 15 against the Saints horrible secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Amari Copper (Raiders), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Mike Evans (Buccaneers)

Tight End
MVP: Jordan Reed (Redskins)
Sunday at Solider Field served as a reminder of just how great Jordan Reed can be when's healthy. The 3rd-year tight end caught all 9 of his targets for 120 yards and a TD and was the catalyst for the Redskins 24-21 victory over the Bears. Reed should continue to be a top 5 tight end option in Week 15 as the Redskins face a Bills defense that just allowed 98 yards to Eagles tight end Zach Ertz.  
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Gary Barnidge (Browns), Julius Thomas (Jaguars)

LVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Travis Kelce's recent woes continued in Week 14 as he picked up just 18 yards on 3 receptions against the below average defense of the Chargers. Kelce has now only scored 1 TD and had 1 50+ yard performance since returning from Bye in Week 10 and is a shaky bet to return to form against a Ravens defense that has allowed the 3rd fewest amount of fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Buccaneers), Coby Fleener (Colts), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)

Defense
MVP: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers took advantage of the Falcons slumping offense and put together one of the most impressive performances (0 points allowed, 5 sacks, 2 INT, 2 FUM REC) of their stellar 2015 season.
Honorable Mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs

LVP: New York Giants
The Giants defense has been pretty horrible in real life all season long, but their ability to create turnovers and get defensive touchdowns have made them a solid fantasy option. Week 14 was not one of their brighter moments as they had a pretty lackluster game (24 points allowed, 1 sack, 1 FUM REC) against the vastly underachieving and often sloppy offense of the Dolphins.
Dishonorable Mentions: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills  

2014 Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Where the hell has this Cam Newton been? Newton has had a miserable 2014 campaign thanks to playing through a laundry list of injuries and having one of the worst offensive lines in the league tasked with protecting him. Against all odds, Newton broke out this week and showed everyone what is he capable of doing when he's given a chance to make plays. Newton was a menace through the air on the ground, accumulating 309 total yards (226 passing, 83 rushing) and 4 total TD's (3 passing, 1 rushing) in the Panthers epic beatdown of the Saints on Sunday afternoon. Newton's mostly horrid performances this year make him hard to trust, but owners can take solace in the fact that Newton has another relatively favorable matchup next on the schedule, as the Buccaneers travel to Carolina this week.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)

LVP: Peyton Manning (Broncos)
Well I don't think anyone saw this coming. Manning's streak of 51 consecutive straight games with a touchdown pass came to a close this week as the Broncos faced a stingy Bills defense. Manning threw the ball just 20 (completing 14 passes) times for 173 yards and got picked off twice, as the Broncos once again heavily leaned on the running game to pick up a victory. Manning has faced basically every elite defense in the NFL over the past month, so you can't really fault him for not putting up his typical inhuman numbers of late. Manning gets a bit of a reprieve this week against a decent, but not particularly scary Chargers defense, so you should except a solid performance at the very least out of him.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Phillip Rivers (Chargers)

Running Back
MVP: Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)
Anyone still doubting the legitimacy of Le'Veon Bell as a running back should finally be silenced after this week. Bell became the first running back since Walter Payton to pick up 200+ yards from scrimmage in 3 consecutive games, as he trounced the Bengals defense on Sunday. Bell ran 26 times for 185 yards and 2 touchdowns and added another 60 yards and a touchdown on 5 receptions. Bell is an absolute freak that can do anything that's asked of him on the field. Bell faces the lowly Falcons run D in Week 15, so another monster performance could very well be in the cards.
Honorable Mentions: DeMarco Murray (Cowboys), Joique Bell (Lions), C.J. Anderson (Broncos)

LVP: Mark Ingram (Saints)
It was an embarrassing afternoon for everyone on the Saints, as the Panthers came into the Super Dome and manhandled the Saints 41-10. On the offensive side of the ball, no one looked worse than Mark Ingram. Ingram-who gassed the Panthers for 100 yards and 2 TD's in their previous meeting- was held to just 43 yards and fumbled this time around. Ingram has looked solid for most of the year, but he's also put up a fair amount of stinkers. Ingram faces the relatively solid Bears run defense in Week 15, so its far from a guarantee that he bounces back.
Dishonorable Mentions: Alfred Morris (Redskins), LeSean McCoy (Eagles), Tre Mason (Rams)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
When Julio Jones is on, he's as good as any wideout in the league. For the second straight week, Jones set a career-high in receiving yards in a game, as he decimated the Packers secondary for 259 yards and a touchdown on Monday night.Unfortunately for his fantasy owners, Jones exited the game in the 4th quarter with a hip injury and his status is currently unknown. If Jones is good to go, he has arguably the best schedule of any WR for the last 3 weeks of the season as the Falcons face the Steelers, Saints and Panthers. I can speak for Jones owners everywhere, having him not be available for these matchups would be devastating. In the case the Jones misses time or god forbid, the rest of the season, you need to race to the waiver wire and put in a claim for Harry Douglas if he's available in your league.
Honorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), T.Y. Hilton (Colts), Jordy Nelson (Packers)

LVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
The Demaryius Thomas double-digit fantasy point streak is over. For the first time since the Broncos returned from bye in Week 5, Thomas had a garbage fantasy outing on Sunday against the Bills. Between Peyton Manning's performance and going up against the Bills highly underrated top corner Stephon Gilmore, Thomas just didn't have a lot of chances to produce this week. Thomas faces a Chargers secondary this week that he torched for 105 yards earlier this season, so as long as Manning can be effective, Thomas should be able to return to form.
Dishonorable Mentions: Randall Cobb (Packers), Josh Gordon (Browns), Mike Wallace (Dolphins)

Tight End
MVP: Jared Cook (Rams)
Another week, another random tight end ends up being the top fantasy play of the week. The typically silent Jared Cook had his best game of the year in Week 14, picking up 61 yards and 2 TD's against the Redskins on Sunday afternoon. Cook is far too inconsistent to expect good numbers from every week, but he's worth a start for desperate owners this week, as he faces a Cardinals team that he scored on in their first matchup and continues to struggle against tight ends.
Honorable Mentions: Mychal Rivera (Raiders), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Martellus Bennett (Bears)

LVP: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
Remember all the talk of Kyle Rudolph being a huge factor for the Vikings offense once he returned from injury? Well, that hasn't exactly happened so far. Rudolph picked up just 9 yards on 2 receptions in Sunday's contest with the Jets, who have been awful against tight ends all season long. With Teddy Bridgewater at the helm, this offense is extremely limited in the passing game, and owning a Vikings receiver is just not a wise choice at this point in time.
Dishonorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Antonio Gates (Chargers), Jimmy Graham (Saints)

Defense
MVP: St. Louis Rams
The Rams defense continued their return to dominant form in Week 14 as they suffocated the trainwreck otherwise known as the Redskins. The Rams picked up their second straight shutout, and registered 7 sacks, 2 INT's and a kick return touchdown on the afternoon. The sledding gets tougher this week against the Cardinals, but with the way they're playing right now, you just can't bench them.
Honorable Mentions: New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions

LVP: San Francisco 49ers
The rapid demise of the 49ers hasn't been more evident than it was this week, as they got their asses kicked by the Raiders, who were coming off of a laughable 52-0 loss against the Rams a week ago. The 49ers defense, which has been the backbone of this squad this season, couldn't bail out their limp offense this week as they allowed 24 points, got only a single sack and failed to get a turnover against their Bay Area "rivals". The 49ers are traveling to Seattle this week to face the Seahawks, so don't even think about starting their defense (or anyone else on the team for that matter.)
Dishonorable Mentions: Cincinnati Bengals, Chicago Bears,  Miami Dolphins

Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Josh McCown (Bears)
The show that Josh McCown put up last night against the Cowboys was just a spectacle. McCown led the team to a score on every single drive of the game and was involved in all 5 touchdowns the Bears scored (4 passing, 1 rushing.) Save for a mediocre performance against the Rams a couple weeks ago, McCown has been fantastic in relief of Jay Cutler. With Cutler back at practice and very much in the mix to start on Sunday against the Browns, this may be McCown's last fantasy hooray of the season and if it was, he certainly went out with a bang.
Honorable Mentions: Andrew Luck (Colts), Peyton Manning (Broncos), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Drew Brees (Saints)

LVP: Matthew Stafford (Lions)
Yes the conditions were terrible but that still doesn't fully excuse Matthew Stafford's underwhelming performance on Sunday against the Eagles. Stafford wasn't really using his check downs and kept trying to do too much with limited visibility leading to a 148 yard-performance with no touchdowns on the day. Stafford should do a lot better in his home sweet dome at Ford Field when the Lions take on the Ravens on Monday.   
Dishonorable Mentions: Matt Ryan (Falcons), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Robert Griffin III (Redskins)

Running Back
MVP: LeSean McCoy (Eagles)
LeSean McCoy continued his monster 2013 campaign with arguably his most impressive performance of the season. McCoy picked up 217 yards and two touchdowns in a full-on blizzard against the Lions on Sunday. McCoy wasn't just running up the gut either, he was cutting and juking in eight inches of snow. McCoy continues his reign as the top fantasy running back and faces about as favorable of a schedule as you can have in the last 3 games against the porous run defenses of the Vikings, Bears and Cowboys.
Honorable Mentions: Jammal Charles (Chiefs), Shane Vereen (Patriots), Ryan Matthews (Chargers), Matt Forte (Bears)

LVP: Alfred Morris (Redskins)
With the Redskins getting absolutely smoked right out of the gate against the Chiefs, there really wasn't much of a call for Alfred Morris to run the ball. Morris only picked up 31 yards on a measly 12 carries. Morris will get a chance to redeem himself against an awful Falcons defense on Sunday. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Tate (Texans), Andre Brown (Giants), Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Le'veon Bell (Steelers)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Josh Gordon (Browns)/Marques Colston (Saints)
After having no ties all season, there's now been two straight weeks with a tie at a given fantasy position. Josh Gordon, who has been lights out for the past month, put on another show against the Patriots on Sunday punctuated by an 80-yard touchdown. On the exact opposite side of the spectrum, Marques Colston snapped a giant cold streak with his 125-yard, 2 touchdown performance against the Panthers. This was easily Colston's best performance of the year and will hopefully lead to a turnaround after being relatively quiet for much of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Cordarrelle Patterson (Vikings), Keenan Allen (Chargers)

LVP: Torrey Smith (Ravens)
The most consistent piece in the Ravens offense did not deliver the goods this week. Smith was held in-check by a weak Vikings secondary managing only a single catch for 11 yards and a 2 point conversion score on the day. Smith has another beatable matchup on Monday against the Lions and is still a great WR2 or WR3 play for any team that is fortunate enough to be alive in the playoffs.
Dishonorable Mentions: Calvin Johnson (Lions), Victor Cruz (Giants), Harry Douglas (Falcons), Kendall Wright (Titans)

Tight End
MVP: Charles Clay (Dolphins)
Charles Clay has made a strong resurgence the past few weeks after being quiet for quite a while after his hot start in September. Clay scooped up 97 yards and two touchdowns against the Steelers on Sunday. There's a real nice chemistry between Clay and Ryan Tannehill right now and that's more enough of a reason to keep playing him. Clay faces a Patriots defense on Sunday that is very-banged up and just got torched by Browns TE Jordan Cameron this past week.
Honorable Mentions: Jordan Cameron (Browns), Jimmy Graham (Saints), Garrett Graham (Texans), Jermaine Gresham (Bengals)

LVP: Antonio Gates (Chargers)
Antonio Gates had a quiet day amidst the Chargers manhandling of the Giants on Sunday managing 50 yards on 4 catches. Gates has been really quiet of late scoring just 1 touchdown and eclipsing 60 yards once over the past five games. Gates does have a solid matchup against the Broncos on Thursday but he's by no means a must-start at this point in time. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Greg Olsen (Panthers), Coby Fleener (Colts), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Ladarius Green (Chargers)

Defense
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
Well safe to say The Chiefs defense woke up after struggling for the past 3 games. The Chiefs managed 6 sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and two kick return touchdowns in their absolutely pounding of the Redskins on Sunday. The Chiefs have a good shot at an encore performance against the struggling Raiders offense this week.
Honorable Mentions: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Arizona Cardinals, Detroit Lions, New York Jets

LVP: New England Patriots
The Patriots did not bring their A-game on defense at all on Sunday. They managed only 1 sack and picked up no takeaways on the lacklusterBrowns offense. This marks two weeks in a row that the Patriots defense has failed to perform with really easy matchups. They have another creampuff matchup this week against the Dolphins, which certainly has potential for big points but based on their play the last couple weeks is far from a lock. 
Dishonorable Mentions: St. Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans, Cincinnati Bengals