With six teams on a bye in Week 14, fantasy managers who’d previously had the luxury of sitting struggling veterans — or, at the very least, starting them with the knowledge that you’d have to make up the points at other positions — were forced to rely on big performances from them.
Boy, did they come through!
With the playoffs on the line, veteran receivers turned out for the last-minute push into the fantasy playoffs. Who went off in Week 14 and what can we expect moving forward at the most critical time of our fantasy seasons?
Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, WRs, Miami Dolphins
It feels fitting to start this recap with the big games from Hill and Waddle. Few duos have endured a rougher season than this usually electric pair. When Tua Tagovailoa went down in Week 2, the Dolphins entered a dark period without a viable backup quarterback to produce even remotely salvageable fantasy numbers. The entire offense suffered, though fantasy managers stayed optimistic, knowing that when Tagovailoa returned, the offense could come back to life.
Unfortunately, the immediate resurgence only benefited De’Von Achane, while Hill and Waddle continued to deliver underwhelming performances. Despite Waddle’s pop in Week 12 and Hill’s three touchdowns over the past four games, we hadn’t seen a dominant performance from both — until now.
In Week 14, the long-awaited offensive explosion finally arrived. Hill caught 10 of his 14 targets for 115 yards and a touchdown, while Waddle hauled in nine of 12 targets for 99 yards and a 2-point conversion. Though Jonnu Smith came through in overtime, Hill and Waddle were at the heart of the Dolphins offense, making fantasy managers nostalgic for their peak performances of the past.
Pulse check: Can we truly trust that Hill and Waddle are both back to a weekly must-start?
I touched on the Dolphins’ rest-of-season outlook in the Pulse Check article two weeks ago, and so far, things are playing out as expected. Their remaining schedule includes Houston, San Francisco and Cleveland. Next week’s matchup against Houston should favor the passing game, as the Texans’ defense has struggled without Azeez Al-Shaair. San Francisco’s defense presents a tougher challenge but is still manageable. The Week 17 game at Cleveland game is the only potential issue due to weather. Nonetheless, Hill and Waddle offer significant upside through Week 16.
Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson, WRs, New York Jets
The Dolphins’ receivers weren’t the only ones who delivered in the Dolphins-Jets matchup. Adams and Wilson also came through with big games after weeks of underwhelming performances.
Adams has at least shown some level of a ceiling but had big volatility with multiple WR4 performances over the past month. This week’s performance, however, was his best of the year as a Jet, with nine receptions on 11 targets for 109 yards and a touchdown.
Wilson, on the other hand, had been stuck in a slump, failing to reach double-digit fantasy points since Week 9. I discussed Wilson on today’s episode of “Fantasy Football Live” and emphasized that we were at a “don’t panic” stage with Wilson. Despite frustrating performances, his volume has remained steady, with a minimum of eight targets in all but two games this season. My take was that Wilson’s guaranteed volume and a pass-friendly upcoming schedule meant brighter days were ahead, and he delivered on that prediction with seven receptions on 10 targets for 114 yards.
Pulse check: So, we have zero panic moving forward, right?
Looking ahead, the Jets face one of the league’s most pass-friendly matchups against Jacksonville next week, followed by another favorable game against the Rams. A tougher test looms in Week 17 against the Bills but, as the Rams proved today, strong veteran quarterback play can still take advantage and push high volume to match that of Josh Allen. The Jets’ receivers are both top-20 options moving forward and pure volume makes them a comfortable play.
Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns
Before diving into Jeudy’s performance, let me take a moment to thank Jameis Winston for finally unlocking a level of play in Jeudy that none of us truly expected, turning him into a true WR1. Jeudy has now finished as a top-24 receiver for four straight weeks and delivered again this week with five receptions on six targets for 64 yards and a touchdown against a typically stout Pittsburgh secondary.
While Cedric Tillman is expected to return at some point, Jeudy could still operate as the Browns’ WR1. The two receivers haven’t had much overlap this season but in Week 11 against New Orleans, both Tillman and Jeudy played full games, and Jeudy finished as the overall WR4. Regardless of Tillman’s presence, Jeudy has thrived since the exit of Amari Cooper.
Pulse check: Can we truly trust Winston?
Winston, for all his flaws, brings a certain level of fantasy consistency that the Browns lacked with Deshaun Watson. Under Watson, the offense rarely attempted over 40 passes and failed to surpass 200 passing yards in any game. By contrast, Winston has exceeded 200 passing yards in every start this season, near or exceeding 400 yards multiple times while regularly attempting over 40 passes.
Looking ahead, the Browns have pass-friendly matchups against Kansas City, Cincinnati and an inconsistent Miami defense to close out the season. Jeudy is a locked-in, easy WR2 with strong WR1 upside and a must-start for the rest of the season.
Adam Thielen, WR, Carolina Panthers
No list of standout veterans in Week 14 would be complete without the oldest of them all: 34-year-old Adam Thielen.
After one game to ramp up following his return from IR, Thielen has been on fire over the past two weeks, posting 17 receptions on 21 targets for 201 yards and a touchdown. The connection comes as no shock. In 2023, Thielen was Bryce Young’s top target and finished as a top-five receiver three times before tailing off deeper into the season. Thielen has again become Young’s favorite and most reliable target and Young has looked like a completely different quarterback since returning from his midseason benching.
Pulse check: Can Thielen actually sustain this level of production?
Thielen’s rest-of-season outlook depends largely on his ability to stay healthy, but the schedule is favorable. At his age — and I say this with love as someone of a similar age — it’s difficult to sustain long-term success but three more games of it isn’t asking a lot and he should finish the off season strong. Carolina faces the neutral, beatable defenses of Dallas and Arizona, with a dream Week 17 matchup against a Tampa Bay defense Thielen already tore apart earlier this season. Many fantasy managers may feel they have younger or bigger-name players to start over Thielen, but he remains a strong flex option with WR1 upside for the rest of the season.
Quick pulse check — How ‘bout Justin Jefferson?!
Let’s wrap things up with a quick note on Justin Jefferson. I’ve discussed Jefferson in previous Pulse Checks, emphasizing there was no need to panic over his underwhelming performances. His talent was never in question, it was simply a matter of defenses focusing on shutting him down, opting to let Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson do the damage instead.
Despite this, Jefferson’s targets remained consistent outside of one game against Chicago. This week, he made a statement, catching all seven of his targets for 132 yards and two touchdowns. Jefferson reminded us why he’s one of the best in the game.
