Here’s a collection of thoughts from the Fantasy Doc heading into Week 14:

• The Atlanta Falcons pose a number of fantasy problems. Matt Ryan is inconsistent. Michael Turner is old and looking rounder and rounder with each passing day. And the receivers: If you own Roddy White, you have to worry about Julio Jones. If you own Jones, you have to worry about Tony Gonzalez. And if you own the ageless Gonzalez, you have to worry about a sub-200-yard Matt Ryan performance. There’s no peace of mind in Atlanta.

• In case you were wondering, I earned my doctorate in fantasy football from the University of Louisiana-Monroe. That’s right — I’m a Warhawk.

• Before the season, I believed drafting one of the few top-tier quarterbacks — Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and that’s it — in the first round was good strategy. Now I believe it is a mistake. The drop-off between a first-round quarterback and a middle-round quarterback (for example, Andy Dalton) is not nearly as severe as the drop-off with running backs. The game has changed over the past five years, but running backs are still the key to fantasy success. You can pass on Rodgers and wait for Dalton. You cannot pass on Ray Rice and wait for Ahmad Bradshaw.

• There is no fantasy nurse.

• The Fantasy Comeback Player of the Year Award has come down to two finalists: Peyton Manning and Adrian Peterson. Both are cyborgs.

• Darren McFadden has made himself utterly undraftable. He makes his living on the injury report. His season-ending injury is no longer a matter of if, but when. I feel bad for the guy. He runs the ball with exciting speed and power when he can, and it’s not fair that he doesn’t get the opportunity to do that for 16 games. It’s also not fair that he is on the Raiders.

• I still miss Gronk.

• Cam Newton and Jay Cutler are exact opposites. Newton’s best trait is his fantasy ability. He fills up the stat sheet, both passing and running. Cutler’s game does not fit the fantasy mold at all. He’s too worried about passing the ball in the 0.8 seconds his offensive line allows him, to think about yards or passing touchdowns. Newton, however, cannot win games. Cutler can. Newton is overrated. Cutler is underrated. Newton and his winning smile are the darling of the media, appearing on magazine covers and in commercials and just loved, loved, loved by everybody. Cutler, his apathetic face and his chin fat are hated by everyone but Bears fans. If you need a win in fantasy, you start Cam. If you need a win in the NFL, you start Cutler.

And here are some players to start and sit this week.

START

Bryce Brown (running back, Eagles) — If LeSean McCoy is healthy, you start him without a second thought because you know he’s going to produce. If he is not healthy, as is the case this week, you should treat Bryce Brown the same way. 

The two running backs play an identical style of football. And the production is similar as well. Brown rushed 24 times for 169 yards and two touchdowns last week following a 178-yard, two-touchdown performance the week prior. Long strides, quick jukes, big play potential — Bryce Brown equals Shady McCoy. Play him.

Mikel Leshoure (running back, Lions)— Three games, three touchdowns. I-L-L …

T.Y. Hilton (wide receiver, Colts)— Hilton has tallied four touchdowns and three games of over 100 yards since he emerged onto the scene in Week Nine. The Colts are hot, Andrew Luck is hot and Hilton is reaping the benefits. This week, he faces a Titans defense that has allowed its opponents to score more than 30 points seven times this season. Hilton is a solid WR3 option.

Kyle Rudolph (tight end, Vikings) — Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder throws to Rudolph because, with Percy Harvin out, what other choice does he have? Michael “old man” Jenkins? Jerome “That’s not my marijuana, I swear” Simpson? Other than handing off to Peterson — a fool-proof offense, by the way — Rudolph is the only other offensive weapon Minnesota has. He has a touchdown and over 50 yards receiving in each of the past three games. That streak should continue Sunday.

SIT

Ryan Mathews (running back, Chargers) — There’s a sad, sobering fact that we all need to come to terms with: Ryan Mathews sucks. He has one touchdown this season. He has zero 100-yard games. Zero. Even the meatball formerly known as Michael Turner has stumbled his way to two. We need to stop drafting him in the higher rounds. We need to stop relying on him. We need to stop playing him. He sucks.

Tony Romo (quarterback, Cowboys) — Romo is enjoying a nice little streak of two games with at least 300 yards and three touchdowns. But those two games were against NFC East opponents. This week he’s playing the AFC North’s Cincinnati Bengals, which means a tougher defense, a tougher pass rush and a tougher time under center. I’ve been a Romo supporter when few others were, but there is no denying his tendency for interceptions. He could throw no picks, he could throw four. This week, I’m leaning toward four.

 Jack is a senior in LAS. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JCassidy10.