It’s Week 14 and for the final time this year, let’s look at who’s Hot and Cold:
HOT:
QB: Justin Herbert, LAC
A few dud games can be found here and there, but Herbert displayed his elite arm strength last Sunday against the Bengals. It’s three straight games of over 300 yards passing for the sophomore signal caller, proving his rookie year to be no fluke.
RB: Josh Jacobs, LV
Jacobs has had a quietly respectable fantasy season, considering his ailments and the revolving Raiders backfield. A number of running backs are on the upswing, but Jacobs could see even more volume with Kenyan Drake now out for the year.
WR: Diontae Johnson, PIT
Johnson continues to get bombarded with targets, now fourth in the league in said category. Pittsburgh's first pass catcher off the board in a receiver-boastful 2019 draft has always had the skills, but is showing more consistency this year. Pittsburgh’s move-the-sticks future is bright with this star route runner.
TE: Rob Gronkowski, TB
Death, taxes and … Brady to Gronk? A rib injury held Gronkowski out from large parts of the fall but he's been dynamite when on the field, totaling over 250 yards in his past three outings. The now-32-year-old seems to have benefited from a short stint in the broadcasting booth.
COLD:
QB: Trevor Lawrence, JAX
The 2021 first overall pick hasn’t lived up to his John Elway comparisons just yet. Granted, Lawrence has hardly been given a strong supporting cast, and a rookie head coach in Urban Meyer makes things even more challenging. Maxing out at 18 fantasy points since Week 6, Lawrence's sights are set squarely on the future.
RB: Ezekiel Elliott, DAL
Elliott is clearly dealing with a knee injury, and speculation is mounting that the Cowboys are mismanaging it. Elliott has barely eclipsed 50 yards in any contest since Dallas’s late October bye week, resulting in an ever-increasing Tony Pollard spectacle. Fantasy seasons have already fallen victim to this free-falling ball carrier.
WR: Emmanuel Sanders, BUF
After showing promise in a potent Buffalo passing offense, Sanders has been cold for a while. Of course, Monday night’s tempestuous adventure against the Pats didn’t help, but Sanders truly hasn’t received the needed volume for a couple months. Stash him on the bench for now.
TE: Noah Fant, DEN
Fant had only one 50-plus yard performance over the past five weeks, relegating him to the dark depths of streaming status. The Omaha native has shown flashes of greatness, but it seems to be a case of too many weapons in Denver.
As advertised above, this is the last issue of Roster Rundown of the year. I hope that these articles gave you some advice, useful information and fun tidbits along the way. To those graduating to the playoffs in one week’s time, congratulations and good luck in the crux of your fantasy journey. To those finishing the season a middling 6–8 or 7–7, what happened? Was your roster average and inconsistent, or was luck not on your side in the points-against column? And to those who bottomed out and couldn’t muster more than a couple victories, say it with me: “There’s always next year.”
Whatever the case, enjoy the rest of the real NFL season. Until the next one!
