Winning in December is basically just a survival game. If you're looking at week 14 half PPR rankings right now, you're likely staring at a "win and you're in" scenario or fighting for a first-round bye. Honestly, the biggest mistake people make this late in the season is trusting names over actual usage. It's easy to look at a guy like Justin Jefferson and think he's an auto-start, but after he put up the worst game of his career in Week 13, you've got to ask if the Vikings' quarterback situation has finally tanked his floor.
Week 14 in 2025 is particularly nasty because of the bye weeks. We’re losing the 49ers, Giants, Panthers, and Patriots. That means no Christian McCaffrey. No Malik Nabers. No George Kittle. It’s a massive hole in the scoring landscape that forces you to dig into the "flex-me-maybe" tier of players.
The RB Landscape: Volume is King
When we look at the week 14 half PPR rankings for running backs, Jonathan Taylor stands out as the clear-cut RB1. The matchup against Jacksonville is a dream. He’s a workhorse in an offense that has finally figured out how to use Anthony Richardson as a decoy to open up lanes.
Jahmyr Gibbs is right there with him. Even though he had a relatively quiet Week 13 against the Packers, his usage is elite. With Amon-Ra St. Brown banged up and Sam LaPorta out, the Lions are basically funneling the entire offense through Gibbs. He’s seeing a 25% target share some weeks, which is unheard of for a back.
Here is how the top of the board is shaking out:
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The Elite Tier
Jonathan Taylor leads the pack against a shaky Jaguars front. De'Von Achane follows closely, though his matchup against the Jets' "brick wall" defense is a bit scary. If you have Achane, you're starting him, but don't expect 30 points. Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson round out the top four. Bijan finally erupted for 191 yards last week, and while the Falcons' coaching can be frustrating, you can't bench that kind of talent against Seattle.
The Volume Plays
James Cook and Josh Jacobs are the "steady eddies" this week. Cook has a high-scoring environment against Cincinnati, and Jacobs is the engine of the Green Bay offense. Breece Hall is a weird one. The talent is there, but the Jets' offense is so hit-or-miss that he’s slipped to the back end of the RB1 tier.
The "In-Betweeners"
Saquon Barkley and Kyren Williams are sitting in that RB10-RB12 range. Saquon is fighting a limited Eagles offense, and Kyren has a great matchup against Arizona but has seen some goal-line touches vultured lately.
Wide Receivers: The Target Funnel
The WR rankings this week are dominated by Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Yeah, you read that right. JSN has surpassed DK Metcalf as the guy in Seattle. He’s the WR1 in many models for Week 14 because his target floor is so safe.
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Ja'Marr Chase is obviously a titan, but Joe Burrow’s toe injury is something to watch. If Burrow isn't mobile, the Bills' pass rush might make life miserable for Chase. Puka Nacua is back to being a target hog for the Rams, and with Cooper Kupp’s health always a question mark, Puka is a top-five play against a porous Cardinals secondary.
The real drama is with CeeDee Lamb. He’s dealing with a concussion but got an extra three days of rest because he played on a Thursday last week. If he clears the protocol, he’s a must-start against Detroit in what should be the highest-scoring game of the week.
The Tight End Wasteland
Honestly, if you don't have Trey McBride or Brock Bowers, you're basically throwing darts. McBride is the TE1 this week against the Rams. He's been the most consistent player at the position all year.
A sneaky play is Brenton Strange for the Jaguars. With Evan Engram dealing with a nagging hamstring, Strange has been seeing a 17% target share. In a half-PPR format, that volume is gold. He’s a better start than a lot of "big name" veterans who are only getting two or three targets a game.
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Quarterback Tiers for the Final Push
Josh Allen is the 100% consensus QB1. He’s a cheat code. Behind him, Dak Prescott is looking like a league-winner. The Cowboys-Lions game has a projected total of 53.5, which is easily the highest on the slate. If you have Dak or Jared Goff, you're in for a fun Sunday.
Lamar Jackson is the big "buyer beware" this week. He’s playing through a lower-body injury and his production has dipped over the last month. He’s still a top-10 play because of his legs, but the ceiling isn't what it was in October.
Actionable Strategy for Week 14
Don't get cute. This is the week where people bench a struggling star for a "hot" waiver wire pickup and regret it for the next eight months.
- Check the Thursday night reports: If CeeDee Lamb or Jayden Reed are active, they go in your lineup. The Lions-Cowboys and Packers-Bears games are where the points are.
- Handle the bye weeks early: If you were relying on Christian McCaffrey or Malik Nabers, look at RJ Harvey (Broncos) or Bucky Irving (Bucs). Both are seeing increased workloads and have favorable matchups against the Raiders and Saints, respectively.
- Fade the Vikings passing game: Until we see Max Brosmer or whoever is under center actually complete a pass to Justin Jefferson, that whole unit is a risk. Jefferson is too good to bench, but lower your expectations.
- Target the Bengals vs. Bills: This is going to be a shootout. Chase Brown is a fantastic RB2/Flex play here because of his involvement in the passing game.
The path to the playoffs is narrow, but following the volume in the week 14 half PPR rankings is the only way to navigate it without losing your mind. Monitor the injury reports for Justin Herbert's hand and Lamar's mobility right up until kickoff.
Check your waiver wire for Ray Davis. He's only rostered in 7% of leagues and gets a crack at a Bengals defense that is currently the worst in the league against fantasy running backs. If you're desperate for a flex play, that's your guy.