Week 14 of the NFL Season ends tonight in Dallas. At the outset of the season, a December battle between the Bengals and Cowboys looked appealing. Now, both teams are trending toward the off-season. But we still might have some fun on Monday night. A full preview of the game is below, but first let’s consider what we learned from the rest of Week 14.

The Falcons are in Trouble

The Falcons were once 6-3 seeming to be in good shape on top of the NFC South. They’ve now lost four straight games over a five-week span. In that time, Kirk Cousins has tossed eight interceptions and no touchdowns. They now trail the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6) in the South. That leaves them precious little time to turn things around if they want to make the post-season.

Sam Darnold will be a Hot Commodity this Off-Season

Darnold has been more than adequate in leading the Minnesota Vikings this season. The Vikings sit at 11-2 and boast one of the best records in the NFL. That’s largely a credit to Darnold, who was spectacular at home in a win over the Falcons on Sunday. But with the Vikings having J.J. McCarthy, it’s likely it will be one and done for Darnold and the Vikings. That could well leave a him as the most appealing target for QB-needy teams this off-season.

Saquon Closes in on History

Saquon Barkley rushed for 124 more yards Sunday. That leaves him with 1,623 rushing yards with four games to play. It’s not just a 2,000-yard season that’s in range, but a shot at NFL history. Barkley remains on pace to catch Eric Dickerson’s all-time single season rushing mark if he can just average 122 yards per game to finish the season. So far, so good for Saquon, who every day steps closer to an NFL MVP award as well.

And now, on to Monday’s game.

Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) at Dallas Cowboys (5-7)

The Bengals’ offense has been incredible this season. The Bengals defense has been a rumor. Thus, though 12 games, the team is four games under .500, and tracking for a worse record than 2023 when Burrow was out. That’s disappointing. The Cowboys, meanwhile, have been decimated by injuries and inefficiency. It’s left them trending toward missing the playoffs for the first time under Head Coach Mike McCarthy.

For the Bengals, Burrow is a QB1. Ja’Marr Chase is a WR1, and Tee Higgins is a WR2 with upside. In the backfield, Chase Brown has been hot. I like him as an RB2. I also like Mike Gesicki as a TE2 with upside.

For the Cowboys, Cooper Rush has been decent, falling into the low-end QB2 range this week. In the backfield, Rico Dowdle has been hot of late. I like him as an RB2. In the passing game, CeeDee Lamb is still a low-end WR1, while Jake Ferguson has low-end TE1 upside. I like Brandin Cooks as a flex option.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.