By Andrew Doherty
Week 14 kicks off with the Raiders traveling to Los Angeles to take on the struggling Rams. The Raiders, who have won 3 straight games, are favored by 6.5 with the over/under currently sitting at 43.5 points. The Rams are pretty much waving the white flag at this point and while it may not make for the most exciting slate, it does present an opportunity if you know where to look. As always, I’ve got you covered with the top plays to help you win tonight’s slate. Here’s who I’m playing tonight:
Davante Adams
This could end up as the chalkiest play I’ve had all year, but good luck winning this slate without him. There is at least a chance that a potential shadow from Jalen Ramsey keeps Adams ownership down, however. With how poorly Ramsey has played in recent weeks there is zero need to worry about him potentially matching up against Adams. Over the last 4 weeks, opposing number one wide receivers have posted the following stat lines against the Rams: 8-127-1 (DK Metcalf), 5-102-1 (Chris Olave), 10-98-0 (DeAndre Hopkins). With Ramsey being more name than game over the past month or so, Adams is a smash play here as the best player on the slate.
Kyren Williams
He didn’t do much last week after taking the lead-back role in Week 12, but I prefer him slightly to Cam Akers because of his price tag. Game flow likely had a lot to do with his usage surge in Week 12 and we could see a similar game script tonight. While it’s difficult to trust any player on the Rams offense right now, a running back matchup against the Raiders is simply too good to pass up. He’s a dart throw just like every other Rams player at this point but if we’re going to be able to afford the next play when we’re already targeting Davante Adams, then a cheap dart throw is a must.
Josh Jacobs
More chalk? Maybe, but being listed on the injury report with both calf and quad injuries could keep his ownership levels down. With Jacobs averaging an astronomical 30.3 touches per game over his last 4, I’m willing to play him regardless of injuries or matchup. Speaking of matchup, this is actually a far better one for Jacobs than the season-long numbers would suggest. Only 8 teams rank as a tougher fantasy matchup for running backs than the Rams but without DTs Aaron Donald and A’Shawn Robinson, this matchup is much better than it appears on paper. You can expect another massive performance from Jacobs in primetime tonight.
Raiders D/ST
It’s been a while since I’ve included a D/ST in this article but those who have followed along all year know that it’s paid off each time I’ve done it. The Rams offense is quickly becoming a revolving door of subpar quarterback play and their struggling offensive line has been the cause of their issues even when Matt Stafford was under center. With pass rushers Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones hunting whoever the Rams choose to trot out at QB tonight behind a porous offensive line, it’s safe to assume the Raiders D/ST will be racking up the sacks tonight.
