Fantasy ballers: Backups step up in Week 14

By Bruce Ewing | Last updated Dec 8, 2023 12:08 PM ET

You never know where you’ll find points in fantasy football. Not long ago, these players had little to no value. This week they could win your matchup.

Zack Moss (RB) Indianapolis Colts

Moss' owners were expecting more when he took over for injured running back Jonathan Taylor in Week 13. His 7.70 fantasy points were 27th-most at the position but it’s important to note that no other Colts running back had a single carry against the Titans.

He did much better filling in for Taylor to start the season, so better days could be ahead for the fifth-year running back. This week the Colts travel to Cincinnati to play the Bengals. Cincinnati’s run defense is much worse than Tennessee’s, giving up 133.9 yards per game, sixth-most in the NFL.

With only Trey Sermon behind him, Moss should continue to get most, if not all of the Colt’s carries. Fantasy managers would be wise to check the waiver wire just in case someone let him go when Taylor returned from injury.

This week, Moss ranks third among running backs in Yahoo! leagues making him a must-start against the Bengals.

Jake Browning (QB) Cincinnati Bengals

Speaking of the Bengals, their quarterback looked pretty good last week. Not Joe Burrow, backup quarterback Jake Browning. In his second career start, the former Husky led all NFL quarterbacks with 354 yards. He threw one touchdown and ran for another with 22 yards rushing.

Browning hit eight different targets in a 34-31 overtime win against Jacksonville and has an 80% completion percentage over his past two games. This week he’ll face a Colts defense that allows the seventh-most yards per game (355.3) and just gave up 28 points to the Titans.

Joe Flacco (QB) Cleveland Browns

Joe Flacco is expected to start against the Jaguars this week even though Dorian Thompson-Robinson has cleared the concussion protocol. You’re welcome, Al Saunders. The 38-year-old quarterback couldn’t beat the Rams last week but he looked good, finishing as QB13 after throwing for 254 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Flacco and Brown's wide receiver Elijah Moore showed good chemistry after spending two years as teammates with the New York Jets. Moore led the team with 12 targets and 83 yards, averaging 20.8 yards per catch against the Rams.

The Browns welcome the Jaguars this week after two straight road games but Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence could miss the game with a high ankle sprain. If that’s the case, Cleveland’s top-ranked defense should have no problem getting Flacco the ball, and he should do well against a Jags defense giving up the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks.

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