It’s hard to believe, but we’ve officially reached the first round (for most) of the fantasy football playoffs. Hopefully, you checked out last week’s super-sized article, as many of the names we discussed made considerable noise in week 13.
Starting with what was the biggest news that came out of last week: the benching of Philadelphia Eagles’ franchise quarterback Carson Wentz. It was another week of struggles offensively for Philly, and with his coaching job potentially on the line, Doug Pederson decided to pull Wentz for second-round pick Jalen Hurts. Hurts, and former UPNXT alum Jalen Reagor, provided an instant spark late in the game versus Green Bay, but ultimately came up short. Now that Hurts has been named the starter for week 14, could this be a sign of things to come? Or are the Eagles simply allowing Carson Wentz to step back and work through whatever is causing his regression this year? Either way, it might be time to pick Hurts up in your fantasy leagues and check out some of his cards on eBay.
Another week, another Cam Akers sighting in the end zone. It’s now been three straight weeks that Akers has scored a touchdown, and the bulk of the touches are shifting his way as well. Akers led the Rams’ backfield with a lofty 22 touches, converting them into 94 yards from scrimmage and a score. If you were fortunate enough to get him on your team last week, or you’ve been holding him and hoping he’d emerge as “the guy,” it looks like Cam Akers is finally worth starting during the fantasy football playoffs.
And last, but not least, we must mention Keke Coutee. Not only does he have one of the most memorable names in the NFL, but he stepped into a massive role that saw him capitalize on his newfound opportunity in a big way. Coutee lead the Houston Texans’ receivers with nine targets for eight receptions and 141 yards against a tough Colts’ defense. As we mentioned last week, he’s shown flashes of what he can do when given a larger role in the offense. Good news: he’s still widely available in fantasy leagues. I promise you, if he’s available in your league, he won’t be for long.
Now that you’re all caught up and we’ve tooted our horn a little bit, let’s see if we can pull back the curtain on a few more names to know as you gear up for the fantasy playoffs. Here’s who’s UPNXT for week 14 in the NFL!