In the final week of the fantasy football regular season, fantasy owners are eager to know the playing status of several fantasy-relevant pass-catchers (Taysom Hill, Christian Watson, Dalton Schultz, Dallas Goedert, Amari Cooper). While nothing is official following Wednesday's practice, owners can get a good sense of these players' Week 14 status by staying in the loop with their up-to-date injury news.
Below, we'll give you the latest news on these pass-catchers and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 14 fantasy landscape.
For updates on banged-up RBs Kenneth Walker, Zach Charbonnet, Aaron Jones, and Isiah Pacheco, click here; for the latest on hurting QBs Trevor Lawrence and Derek Carr, click here.
Taysom Hill injury update, Week 14 fantasy outlook
UPDATE: Hill missed practice again on Thursday.
Hill (foot, left hand) popped up on the Saints' injury report after logging a DNP during Wednesday's practice. Considering Hill would be in line for a high-volume day in certain packages at QB with Derek Carr's (concussion, rib, right shoulder) status looking bleak, a DNP to begin the practice week isn't ideal for fantasy owners.
Hill is coming off one of his better fantasy performances of the year in Week 13, totaling 13 carries for 59 yards and a TD while securing two receptions for 15 yards. Hopefully, Hill will be able to return to practice on Thursday or Friday, as a juicy matchup against a putrid Panthers' rush defense awaits. If Hill is active, he's a must-start, but if he's not healthy enough to play, fellow TE Juwan Johnson could be a viable option in 12-team leagues. Johnson doesn't have nearly the same floor and ceiling as Hill, but with New Orleans banged up at receiver, he figures to see an increase in usage.
WEEK 14 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Christian Watson injury update, Week 14 fantasy outlook
UPDATE: Watson missed practice on Thursday.
In the final minutes of Sunday night's upset win over the Chiefs, Watson (hamstring) aggravated his hamstring injury that cost him the first three games of the season. While the Packers' Week 14 injury report has yet to be released with the team playing on Monday night, there's a good chance Watson will begin the practice week with a DNP.
That figures to complicate his status for Week 14, and if the second-year wideout's unable to play, look for Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and Tucker Kraft to see the bulk of the receiving work. All three players are attractive options in 12-team formats.
WEEK 14 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Dalton Schultz injury update, Week 14 fantasy outlook
UPDATE: Schultz missed practice on Thursday.
Schultz (hamstring) practiced in limited fashion on Wednesday, according to the Texans' official injury report. Schultz sat out of the Texans' Week 13 home victory over the Broncos, but his return to practice on Wednesday seemingly boosts his chances of suiting up for Week 14.
Fellow TE Brevin Jordan produced in Schultz's place (three receptions, 64 yards) but won't command the same level of usage with Houston's TE1 back in action. The Jets rank in the bottom half of the league in fantasy points per game (FPPG) allowed to TEs, which puts Schultz in TE1 territory if he's indeed active.
WEEK 14 DFS:
DK lineup | FD lineup | Best values | Best stacks
Dallas Goedert injury update, Week 14 fantasy outlook
Goedert (forearm) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, according to the Eagles' official injury report. All signs point to Goedert suiting up and returning to his TE1 role in the Eagles' offense for a crucial divisional clash with the Cowboys. Since Goedert suffered an upper-body injury, it seems unlikely he'll be put on a snap count in his first game back since Week 9, a big plus for fantasy owners.
Although the Cowboys rank in the top half of the league in fewest FPPG allowed to TEs, Dallas' pass defense was shredded by Seattle last week. In a potential shootout on Sunday night, fantasy owners should trust Jalen Hurts' safety blanket to have a respectable fantasy day.
WEEK 14 FANTASY ADVICE:
Sleepers | Busts | Projections | Start-sit
Amari Cooper injury update, Week 14 fantasy outlook
UPDATE: Cooper didn't practice again on Thursday.
Cooper (concussion, ribs) did not practice on Wednesday. Cooper remains in the league's concussion protocol after taking a big hit in the Browns' Week 13 road loss to the Rams. A DNP on Wednesday indicates it will be a tall order for Cooper ready for Sunday's home contest against the Jaguars, as fantasy owners should start searching for backup plans.
If Cooper ends up landing on the team's inactive list, look for Elijah Moore, who led the Browns in receiving last week (four receptions, 83 yards) to see the bulk of the targets from Joe Flacco, while rookie Cedric Tillman figures to see an uptick in targets, as well. Moore vaults into must-start territory in PPR leagues, while Tillman profiles as a deeper-league dart throw and DFS value.
