NFL Week 14 bold predictions: Trey McBride snaps receiving TD drought ... with TWO scores

Trey McBride has been exceptional, racking up the second-most receiving yards (781) and third-most receptions (73) among tight ends so far in 2024. But as good as he's been in his third pro season, the end zone has eluded him (at least, as a pass-catcher; he did power his way to a rushing TD against the Bears in Week 9). In Sunday's massive divisional matchup against the Seahawks, with Arizona's playoff fate on the line, McBride notches not one but TWO touchdowns, marking the first multi-score game of his career.

Tua Tagovailoa has been red-hot lately, but his success has mostly come via collaboration with De’Von Achane and Jonnu Smith. We haven’t seen a vintage Tyreek Hill game since Week 1 of the season. A quick glance at the New York Jets might give you pause, but they’ve been a shell of their former selves in the secondary and can be beaten downfield. We get a blast from the past Sunday as Hill generates 165 of Tua’s 315 passing yards and scores two of the QB's four touchdown tosses.

Kirk Cousins has been mired in a disastrous three-game stretch (0:6 TD-to-INT ratio, 59.1 passer rating) with the Falcons. On Sunday, he will try to rebound in a homecoming against his former team. Unfortunately, Brian Flores and his blitz-happy D will sack Kirk three times and pick him off twice in the FIRST half, ultimately leading to his benching at halftime for eighth overall pick Michael Penix Jr. in a Vikings rout of Atlanta.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling has been on a tear while playing the role Rashid Shaheed occupied in the Saints offense. Before knee surgery ended his season, Shaheed was targeted on 14 passes of 20-plus air yards, hauling in three (all TDs) for 172 yards. In the four games Valdes-Scantling has played with the Saints since joining them in October, he's been targeted deep six times, notching three catches for 135 yards and two scores. This week, he faces the Giants, who have allowed the highest completion percentage on deep passes (69.2%) in the NFL by far. It seems like MVS has averaged one long touchdown per game lately, so to make this a truly bold prediction, I'll call for two 50-yard scores! 

All hail the new king of fantasy tight ends! He’s 21 years old, has a receding hairline, and looks like he could help you bundle your home and auto. It’s Brock Bowers! He has been eating all year, regardless of who’s at quarterback for the Raiders. Now he gets a choice matchup against a soft Buccaneers secondary. Week 14 could be the rookie’s crescendo, in which he finishes as the week's top fantasy scorer -- just in time to get you to the fantasy playoffs.

The last time the Chargers were in prime time, in a Week 12 loss to the Ravens, Quentin Johnston faltered in multiple big spots, including with a drive-killing drop on third down in the fourth quarter, when the Bolts were trying to keep pace with Baltimore. Back under the lights for Sunday Night Football this week, Johnston rebounds with two touchdowns against the rival Chiefs.