This is the final IDP Report for the 2016 season. It will be a little different than what has gone before the prior 16 weeks, as most leagues have already determined their champions. If you are still playing to determine your league’s winner, I will once again urge you to change that setting for next season, as there is too much riding on a week where teams will be resting their starters, on offense and defense. I know we all love to compete in fantasy, but playing in a week where your results may be skewed due to coaching decisions to sit healthy players for some rest is unproductive.

This week, I will provide some little owned options on defense, which I believe have a chance to shine, even in Week 17. I am not going list any IDP that are losing steam, and will suggest you look to the injury report to see who to avoid starting this week.

Elevator Going Up

Linebackers

Shaq Thompson CAR -- Thompson is coming off an 11 total tackle effort against the Falcons, together with a pass deflection (PD). He gets to face the Buccaneers in Week 17, who are ranked right next to Atlanta in points allowed to opposing linebackers, so similar results are not out of the question.

Nick Kwiatkoski CHI -- It would appear I was a bit hasty to dismiss Kwiatkoski as a defensive presence in Chicago, with Jerrell Freeman back in action. He put up a seven total tackle effort (six solo) against Washington in Week 16, and played 67 snaps on defense. Appears his demise as an IDP to roster was a premature and incorrect call by yours truly. Sorry if you dropped him based on my faulty predictive powers.

Edwin Jackson IND -- Jackson put up a solid seven tackle effort last week (five solo) and now gets to face the Jaguars, who have allowed the fifth most points to opposing linebackers this season. He is most likely out there on your league’s waiver wire and the matchup is compelling.

Defensive Linemen

Trey Flowers DE NE -- Flowers was profiled here recently (well, Week 11), but he is the DE on the Patriots I am targeting. Of course, the Patriots never make things easy, rotating their defensive ends including Rob Ninkowski, Jaball Sheard and Chris Long at DE, but Flowers is the guy putting up tackle numbers and has seven sacks so far on the season.

David Irving DT DAL -- Irving had 1.5 sacks and PD against the visiting Lions in Week 16, to go with three total tackles (one solo). The Eagles are not the best option for a DT to face, being ranked 24th overall this season in points allowed, but the Cowboys are on a roll and I do not expect them to sit Irving at this point, even with their playoff picture set.

Defensive Backs

Sean Davis S PIT -- The rookie Davis has been seeing significant snaps on defense since Week 11, and putting up great tackle numbers over that period (34 total, 25 solo). He is also adding big plays to his repertoire with an INT, four PDs and half a sack. He is looking like a fine add in keeper or dynasty leagues.

Tavon Wilson S DET -- Wilson was profiled here recently in Week 13, but he has been playing as the lead strong safety for the Lions. He is useful in tackle-oriented leagues, but do not rely upon him for many big play points on defense. The Lions are in a must win situation this week at home against their division foes, the Packers, so slot him in and hope he racks up some useful tackle numbers.

A.J. Bouye CB HOU -- Bouye wraps up our profiles this week, and he is coming off a nine solo tackle effort, where he also collected three PDs. The Titans are not the greatest matchup, ranking 21st among NFL teams in points allowed to opposing corners. Despite being listed as the second option at right cornerback, he is seeing enough snaps to make him a starting option in IDP leagues where he offers both tackle and big play potential.

 

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Escalator Going Down

Linebackers

Except for those on the injury report, none this week.

Defensive Linemen

Same as with the linebackers.

Defensive Backs

Look to the injury report below.

Matchups to Exploit

Remember, the first team listed is the one to use your IDPs against. This is a fine week to play your IDPs against the Cardinals, the Rams, the Buccaneers or the Saints for the most part. Do not go crazy and expect some LB5 to suddenly produce big numbers just because of a good matchup, but your top players are good to employ against the teams listed below based on past production over the season.

Linebackers

Minnesota vs Chicago

Indianapolis vs Jacksonville

Cincinnati vs Baltimore

Defensive Ends

Cleveland @ Pittsburgh

Buffalo @ New York Jets

Arizona @ Los Angeles

Los Angeles vs Arizona

Defensive Tackles

Arizona vs Los Angeles

Los Angeles vs Arizona

Tampa Bay vs Carolina

Safeties

New Orleans @ Atlanta

Tampa Bay vs Carolina

Tennessee vs Houston

New York Giants @ Washington

Philadelphia vs Dallas

Cornerbacks

Arizona vs Los Angeles

New York Jets vs Buffalo

Jacksonville @ Indianapolis

Carolina @ Tampa Bay

New Orleans @ Atlanta

 

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Waiver Wire Targets

All these players are spotlighted above, and you can read my comments about them in the "Elevator Going Up" section of this article. Not all the players I comment on are necessarily here, however, as I am not going to waste your time searching for players that are heavily owned. This group consists of those that you may have a chance of locating on your league's waiver wire in that they are owned in significantly less than 50% of leagues. Happy claiming for your weekly matchups.

Linebackers

Shaq Thompson CAR

Nick Kwiatkoski CHI

Edwin Jackson IND

Defensive Linesmen

Trey Flowers DE NE

David Irving DE DAL

Defensive Backs

Sean Davis S PIT

Tavon Wilson S DET

A.J. Bouye CB HOU

Ouch (My Aching Roster)

All the injury reports below need evaluation prior to kickoff.  Teams are notoriously sketchy about injury reports, and we often do not know a player's status until just before game time. Consider the list below as a "heads up" as to what is going on early in the week, and should not be considered definitive.

Linebackers

De'Vondre Campbell ATL concussion

Jamari Lattimore BUF nose

Lerentee McCray BUF concussion

Luke Kuechly CAR coach's decision

Leonard Floyd CHI concussion

Vontaze Burfict CIN concussion

Jackson Jeffcoat CLE hamstring

Justin Durant DAL elbow

Ryan Davis DAL knee

Brandon Marshall DEN hamstring

Jay Elliott GB hand

Chris Carter IND shoulder

Justin Houston KC knee

Jelani Jenkins MIA knee

Dont'a Hightower NE knee

Lorenzo Mauldin NYJ ankle

Jordan Hicks PHI ankle

Denzel Perryman SD knee

Su'a Cravens WAS elbow

Defensive Linemen

DE

Jerel Worthy BUF shoulder

Demarcus Lawrence DAL back

Derek Wolfe DEN neck

Jason Pierre-Paul NYG groin

Stacy McGee OAK ankle

Stephon Tuitt PIT knee

Glenn Dorsey SF knee

William Gholston TB elbow

Mehdi Abdesmad TEN ankle                                                   

DT

Terrell McClain DAL ankle

Cedric Thornton DAL ankle

Tyrone Crawford DAL shoulder

Jordan Hill JAX calf

Damon Harrison NYG knee

Steve McLendon NYJ hamstring

Ahtyba Rubin SEA wrist

Defensive Backs

S

Deon Bush CHI ankle

T.J. Ward DEN concussion

Miles Killebrew DET eye                

Maurice Alexander LA concussion

Isa Abdul-Quddus MIA shoulder

Nat Berhe NYG concussion

Karl Joseph OAK toe

Jaylen Watkins PHI head

Robert Golden PIT ankle

Kam Chancellor SEA ankle

Kyshoen Jarrett WAS shoulder

CB

Marcus Cooper ARI back

Jimmy Smith BAL ankle

Stephon Gilmore BUF concussion

Cre'von LeBlanc CHI knee

Joe Haden CLE neck

Morris Claiborne DAL sports hernia

Anthony Brown DAL concussion

Kayvon Webster DEN concussion

Darius Slay DET hamstring

Ladarius Gunter GB elbow

Darius Butler IND head

Jalil Brown IND ankle

Tevin Mitchel IND hamstring

Phillip Gaines KC knee

Lamarcus Joyner LA ankle

Chimdi Chekwa MIA hamstring

Byron Maxwell MIA ankle

Janoris Jenkins NYG back

Craig Mager SD elbow

Dontae Johnson SF groin

Jason McCourty TEN chest

LeShaun Sims TEN concussion

Bashaud Breeland WAS ankle

Quinton Dunbar WAS concussion

As ever, good luck and Godspeed in your fantasy efforts. Make sure to read all of our great articles to help you win your fantasy match ups every week and ultimately bask in championship glory. If you have any fantasy football questions, especially about IDP leagues, I can be reached at ia@fantasyalarm.com.