Week 14 Fantasy Football Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: Dak Prescott Vs. Jared Goff
In this story:
Fantasy football managers will count on the production of two quarterbacks in Week 14 of the NFL season: Dak Prescott and Jared Goff. The two NFC signal-callers rank among the league’s top passers this season, commanding two of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. These two offenses will look to best one another on Thursday Night Football, as the Dallas Cowboys go on the road to take on the Detroit Lions. But who presents a better argument to start for fantasy lineups in Week 14?
The Case For Dak Prescott
Prescott enters Week 14 of the season ranked second in the NFL in both passing yards and passing touchdowns, leading the Cowboys to wins in each of their last three games, two of which came over last year’s Super Bowl participants. Dallas’ offense will pose a threat to a Lions defense that has dealt with injuries throughout the season. Prescott, who has eclipsed 21.0 fantasy points during the team’s three-game win streak, projects to continue his success through the air versus the 17th-ranked pass defense in the NFL through 12 games.
The Case Against Prescott
Injuries throughout the Cowboys’ offensive line could raise concerns entering a Week 14 matchup versus a Lions defense that is tied for eighth in the league in sacks. Starting tackle Tyler Guyton has missed practice to start the week and could be in jeopardy to play on Thursday. Aidan Hutchinson and Detroit’s stout front could manage to throw Prescott off his rhythm and force turnovers through the air. Prescott has thrown interceptions in four of his last five games, which could force fantasy owners to look in the direction of Goff.
The Case For Jared Goff
Goff has seen similar success to Prescott this season, entering Thursday’s game ranked as the league’s sixth-leading passer, looking to break a second-place tie with Prescott for passing touchdowns. While he hasn’t sustained the recent high-end fantasy production to that of Dallas’ star signal-caller, he’s remained largely consistent. He has limited turnovers over his last five games, eclipsing 18.0 points four times, while throwing just two interceptions. A matchup versus the 30th-ranked pass defense of the Cowboys presents a favorable matchup for Goff to continue his recent trend of production.
The Case Against Goff
Since moving for star defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, Dallas’ pass-rush has seen a noticeable surge. Over the team’s last four games, the Cowboys’ defense has eclipsed three sacks in three games, racking up 13 total sacks during that stretch. A budding Cowboys rush could create problems for Goff, who has struggled when facing pressure throughout his career. Given Detroit’s nagging injuries to their offensive front, Williams and company could be in for another big day, causing fantasy owners to defer to Prescott.
The Final Verdict
Given his recent performances, I’m going to pick Prescott over Goff for Thursday night’s showdown. The Cowboys offense has performed at a high level versus some notable defenses throughout the season and is hitting its stride late in the year. Dallas’ defense has also elevated its performance, which could slow down Goff and Detroit’s offense. A red-hot Cowboys offense shows no signs of slowing down as Prescott looks to continue his budding MVP case.
Read More Fantasy On SI News
Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.