Empty the Bench

Starting your fantasy studs at RB, QB, and WR is easy; sifting through the fringes of your roster every week is not. We agonize over these decisions until 5 minutes before kickoff, then kick ourselves about the guys we started 10 minutes after kickoff. We’re talking about the WR/TE Flex and WR/RB Flex plays, and they’re a pain in the friggin’ arse.

Our Position Rankings now include more running backs and wide receivers, so you can now refer to those ranks for your WR3 and RB2 options. ETB’s Cheat Sheet only focuses on those crucial flex-spot ranks.

Fighting child obesity with every waking breath, it’s ETB’s Week 14 Fantasy Cheat Sheet.

Week 14 Cheat Sheet Rankings

Week 14 WR/TE Flex Plays

1. Calvin ‘Megatron’ Johnson, Detroit vs. DAL
2. Patrick Crayton, Dallas @ DET
3. Mike Furrey, Detroit vs. DAL
4. Shaun McDonald, Detroit vs. DAL
5. Alge Crumpler, Atlanta vs. NO
6. Tony Scheffler, Denver vs. KC
7. Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh @ NE
8. Greg Olsen, Chicago @ WSH
9. Jerry Porter, Oakland @ GB
10. Owen Daniels, Houston vs. TB

Fortune Cookies: We’re having as much trouble sorting through Detroit’s post-Roy Williams injury pass attack as you are, but logic says that Calvin Johnson figures to be called on to finally make good on that second-overall pick potential with a significant boost in looks… He seems fully healthy after being hobbled a week or two, so expect Patrick Crayton to post one of his stronger games of the season against the woeful Lions secondary; a score is very possible… Mike Furrey will reportedly be working out of the slot, with Shaun McDonald assuming WR2 duties due to Williams’ PCL injury. Jon Kitna established an excellent rapport with Furrey last year (when he led the NFC in receptions), but this year he’s developed a fondness for McDonald. We obviously have them pretty even, but Furrey gets the slight edge… Chris Redman gets the start at QB for Atlanta this week, which could be good news for Alge Crumpler; last week the two hooked up seven times… You should never expect big reception or yardage totals from Tony Scheffler at this point in his young career, but there’s always a reasonable shot at 4 catches, about 40 yards, and a possible score, especially at home… After sitting out the last two games, Santonio Holmes does not appear on the Steelers’ injury report for Week 14. Still, don’t expect anything crazy against the Patriots… We’re never pleased when Desmond Clark steals a TD from the team’s TE of the future, Greg Olsen, like he did last week. We hate to bring it up, but Washington’s secondary is softer over the middle now and we think Olsen could find some room to operate… It’s really not a great matchup for Jerry Porter in Green Bay with Charles Woodson expected back in the starting lineup, and you should look elsewhere if you have better options. If you don’t, though, he is still the team’s WR1… Owen Daniels has been a steady source of production pretty much all season long, but his value takes a hit when Sage Rosenfels is behind center instead of injured starter Matt Schaub.

Week 14 WR/RB Flex Plays

1. Chester Taylor, Minnesota @ SF
2. Adrian Peterson, Chicago @ WSH
3. Calvin ‘Megatron’ Johnson, Detroit vs. DAL
4. Patrick Crayton, Dallas @ DET
5. Thomas Jones, New York Jets vs. CLE
6. Mike Furrey, Detroit vs. DAL
7. Shaun McDonald, Detroit vs. DAL
8. Kevin Jones, Detroit vs. DAL
9. Fred Taylor, Jacksonville vs. CAR
10. Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh @ NE

Fortune Cookies: Chester Taylor saw just 18 carries in the three games before Peterson’s injury, but we think Minnesota will enforce a more equitable timeshare to keep AP healthy. This should be a laugher for the Vikes as well, so a garbage TD is probable… The Original AP did about as well as expected last week, with modest yardage on the ground and a huge impact in the passing game (7 receptions for 82 yards). He should keep it up by posting solid yardage totals this week and is an especially strong play in PPR leagues… (Insert Lions WR) should see more looks in the absence of Roy Williams, as the Lions will likely be forced to throw much of the game and the Dallas secondary is beatable… Patrick Crayton doesn’t get much defensive attention playing with Owens and Witten, and he’ll take advantage against Detroit… He only has 1 TD on the season, but Thomas Jones is still the starting RB on an NFL team that plays at home against the Cleveland Browns—he should be capable of something here… (Insert Lions WR) and (Insert Lions WR) should see more looks in the absence of Roy Williams, as the Lions will likely be forced to throw much of the game and the Dallas secondary is beatable… Since abandoning the running game Detroit has gone into a tailspin, and we keep expecting them to go back to it. Still, Mike Martz refuses to swallow his pride and give Kevin Jones the touches he needs, so he goes from a strong RB2 option to a mediocre Flex play until we see it happen… Fred Taylor has been running like the starting RB he is (sorry, MJD owners), totaling 293 rushing yards and 1 TD over the past three weeks. This week he draws a very average Panthers rush defense allowing 108/per… Santanio Holmes may not be on the injury report, but we don’t expect him to be at 100% just yet

More Free Week 14 Fantasy Goodness:

ETB’s Week 14 Stock Report

ETB’s Week 14 Matchups

ETB’s Week 14 Position Ranks

Calvin Johnson Photo Credit: AP Photo/Paul Sancya
Chester Taylor Photo Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images