The New Orleans Saints will visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, specifically regarding RB Devin Neal.
Is Devin Neal Playing in Week 14?
Neal is not on the injury report, and barring a surprise, he is expected to play.
We’ll continue to monitor the Saints’ injury report leading up to kickoff for any changes. You can also visit and bookmark our Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Neal in Week 14?
I’m not sure what you expected last week, but the Neal performance was roughly in line with projections. He assumed the lead role (17 touches, though I wasn’t thrilled with seeing Mason Tipton handle the first carry against the Dolphins), showed some versatility, and finished with 9.9 PPR points.
He was able to fall forward at a high rate (92.9% gain rate), but offered very little in the way of explosive play potential. Evan Hull got five carries, and we’ve seen the Saints show comfort in calling designed runs for Tyler Shough, so his six rush attempts shouldn’t be viewed as an outlier.
What New Orleans didn’t do was lean into the Taysom Hill packages (one carry), and that has me thinking that there is more room for Neal’s value to decline than to improve.
This is a brutal matchup for any traditional run game. The Bucs rank third in success rate against running backs this season, and you don’t have to go far back to see an ultra-impressive performance (James Cook turned 16 carries into just 48 yards against them).
The Saints lack offensive options, and that leaves the door open for Neal, presuming he’s the lead back again, to catch a handful of passes and slip into the back-end of flex consideration. Still, I think you’re swallowing an awful lot of risk for a limited reward.
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Cheat Sheet.
Neal’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 14
Neal is projected to score 11.1 fantasy points in PPR formats.
We project Neal to rush for 51 yards and 0.6 rushing touchdowns, while adding one reception for 10 receiving yards.
Check out the free PFSN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Week 14 Weather Impact: Saints at Buccaneers
The forecast for kickoff is 73 degrees Fahrenheit with 10 mph winds. These are ideal conditions for fantasy production.
