The worst of the bye weeks are now in our rearview mirrors, although injuries are still a concern. There are good tidings, however, 
especially in the linebacking corps this week based on some things we saw in Week 10. Actually, looking over the lists, there are plenty of IDP to target on the wire this upcoming week and thanks be to the powers that be, I am going to steer you to some help in this important week leading up to your fantasy playoffs. Let’s get to it, shall we?
Elevator Going Up
Linebackers
Aldon Smith SF
Jameel McClain NYG
Ramon Humber NO
We were wondering when Matthews would start to look like the stud LB he was prior to his injuries. Moving him inside in Week 10 seemed to be just the impetus he needed to regain his mojo. If he can adjust to the move inside, and for that matter even if he gets moved back outside, he is someone you need to grab immediately. It is not like a high-octane offense such as Green Bay is not going to have plenty of time for its defense to attack the opponent. Barwin posted 3.5 sacks in Week 10 in the dismantling of the Panthers last Monday night, and if you are in a big play league, he is well worth an add. He has racked up 10.5 sacks over the past six games the Packers have played. Borland’s stock rose significantly upon the news that Patrick Willis would miss the balance of the season. He has posted 43 total tackles over the past three weeks, and I do not see him slowing down against the Giants this week. Smith finally returns following his suspension, and while he may show some rust in his initial appearance on the gridiron, he is a pass rush specialist that should be grabbed while available. Butler has an on/off 2014 unfolding. His last week was a bye, and he plays well against Oakland traditionally, so expect good results this week. McClain is facing a linebacker friendly offense in the 49ers, and is coming off a 12 tackle week. Humber had a sack and 12 total tackles last week, and so long as David Hawthorne is banged up, he will see significant time on the field.
Defensive Linemen
Robert Ayers DE NYG
Allen Bailey DE KC
Ezekiel Ansah DE DET
Jonathan Newsome DE IND
Derrick Morgan DE TEN
Marcell Dareus DT BUF
Ayers is fresh off a five tackle/one sack week, and while he is not a starter, he is seeing significant snaps on defense. If you need someone to cover for an injury or bye, he should be available. Bailey is another guy that should be available on your wire, and he is coming from a Week 10 eight total tackle (six solo) effort. He is also rushing the passer more, and that added to his run stopping ability makes him a consideration. Ansah came into the league as a raw DE, but has been refining his skills. A sack, forced fumble and six solo tackle Week 10 effort makes him well worth consideration against a Cardinals team that just lost its starting QB to injury. Newsome was great against the Giants, rolling up two sacks, a forced fumble and seven tackles. He gets to face the Patriots who are not unknown to yield sacks in Week 11. Morgan is another match up guy, facing the sackable Ben Roethlisberger this week. In a DT required league, he could give you a handful of tackles and potentially a big play or two. Dareus is the top DT in the NFL. Last week saw him put up four solos, three assists and not one, not two but THREE sacks. Nice production from a DT, eh?
Defensive Backs
Patrick Chung S NE
Mike Adams S IND
Jaiquawn Jarrett S NYJ
T.J. McDonald S StL
Larry Asante S OAK
Eric Berry S KC
Buster Skrine CB CLE
Ron Parker CB KC
Robert Alford CB ATL
Chung is revitalizing his career, back in New England and racking up the tackles and pass deflections. I like him to continue his
ascent in Week 11 against the Colts. On the other side of the field, Adams is coming off a couple of big weeks prior to the bye in Week 10, and is at home with the most helpful stat team around, so look for his tackle numbers to be juicy. I do not necessarily like to recommend players on a bye, but it is impossible to ignore Jarrett’s Week 10 line: 10 tackles (seven solo), a sack, two pass deflections and two interceptions. Make room on your bench for him before your league mates figure out he is available on the wire. McDonald had a nine solo tackle week that also saw him record a sack. He will be facing the Broncos this week, and while that may limit his time in the box, the running game will provide him tackle opportunities. Asante put up a eight solo tackle effort in Week 10 as part of his 10 total tackles. If your league values tackles over big plays, he is a good addition to your lineup. Berry is now a full time defensive back, and the tackle numbers should increase as a result. He may be on your wire, after coming back slow from his injury. Skrine is seeing lots of action, as teams avoid Cleveland’s No. 1 corner Joe Haden, as witnessed by his three tackle, two interception and three pass deflection output last week. Parker also had a huge Week 10, collecting eight total tackles (six solos), a forced fumble and three pass deflections. Grab him now before your league realizes what he can provide down the stretch. I am not much for any Atlanta defensive player, but it is hard to ignore the quiet steady production of Alford. He plays the Panthers in Week 11, and as it is an inter division game, I suspect he will provide big plays and solid tackle numbers for a cornerback.
Escalator Going Down
Linebackers
Tahir Whitehead DET
Tamba Hali KC
Whitehead was looking like a sleeper early on, but has been losing time to Josh Bynes of late. Limited production from limited time means you should drop him. Hali is a rare Kansas City full time linebacker that is not putting up the numbers you would expect. Keep him on your watch list but do not start him until he starts to put up some decent numbers.
Defensive Linemen
Cliff Avril DE SEA
George Johnson DE DET
Avril is playing nearly full time, but certainly did not look good in Week 10. He had zero tackles against the Giants, and while I suspect that was an aberration, I still do not trust him in my starting lineup right now. Johnson gets the snaps as third DE on the Lion depth chart, but he has not been doing much over the past three games and cannot be relied on at this point.
Defensive Backs
Calvin Pryor S NYJ
Tony Jefferson S ARI
Kyle Fuller CB CHI
Quintin Demps S NYG
Stevie Brown S NYG
Pryor was benched, presumably for missing team meetings, despite the denials coming from head coach Rex Ryan. Add in Jaiquan Jarrett’s recent huge game, and he is worthy of being benched until he turns things around, and perhaps matures. Jefferson was a strong add earlier this season, but his snap count has been decreasing since the first month of the season. The Cardinals have defensive backfield depth, and the concussion he suffered in Week 8 does not help his case. Fuller has been banged up (hand and hip injuries) and that has slowed the rookie’s production. I would not drop him, but he needs to be benched for the present. Plus, Chicago is a mess on the defensive side of the ball. Demps and Brown have both been benched this season, and I personally will not take a chance on which one is going to play in a given week. Inconsistency is not what you want from an IDP.
Ouch (My Aching Roster)
All the injury reports below need to be evaluated at kickoff. Teams are notoriously sketchy about injury reports, and we often do not know a player's status until just before game time. The list below is intended as a "heads up" as to what is going on early in the week, and should not be considered definitive.
Linebackers
Patrick Willis SF (toe-requires season ending surgery)
Vontaze Burfict CIN (knee)
Brian Cushing HOU (knee)
Jadeveon Clowney HOU (knee)
Koa Misi MIA (ankle)
Manti Te'o SD (foot)
Ryan Shazier PIT (knee)
Bobby Wagner SEA (toe)
NaVorro Bowman SF (knee)
Defensive Linemen
Michael Johnson DE TB (hand)
Chandler Jones DE NE (hip)
Brandon Mebane DT SEA (torn hamstring)
Geno Atkins DT CIN (knee)
Star Lotulelei DT CAR (ankle)
Defensive Backs
Alterraun Verner CB TB (hamstring)
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.
Player News
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the Cowboys are finalizing a trade for Steelers WR George Pickens.
The move, which includes a 2026 third round pick and a 2027 fifth round pick sent to the Steelers, comes after another ESPN report saying Pickens, 24, wanted to remain in Pittsburgh. Acquiring Pickens — who has 2,841 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns over three NFL seasons — addresses an area of acute need for the Cowboys, who have one of the league’s weakest wideout room behind CeeDee Lamb. Pickens and Lamb will make for one of the NFL’s best receiver duos, with Pickens functioning as a viable downfield threat for Dak Prescott, who last season ranked 15th out of 40 qualifying quarterbacks in deep ball accuracy. Pickens in 2024 was third in deep targets and second only to Alec Pierce in receiving yards on downfield receptions. Pickens will have far more upside in the Dallas offense than he did in Pittsburgh. DK Metcalf, meanwhile, will enter the 2025 season as the unquestioned No. 1 wideout for the run-heavy Steelers. His fantasy prospects look much brighter with Pickens in Dallas.
NFL Network’s Jane Slater reports Saints QB Derek Carr wants to “see if he can play through with this shoulder injury.”
Slater reports that Carr believes he injured his throwing shoulder in the same Week 14 game against the Giants that he injured his left wrist last season. The shoulder issue was apparently discovered as he ramped up throwing in the spring, not as the season wound down in 2024. Carr has already had surgery on that arm and wants to see if he can play through the injury. Slater adds that Carr made two trips to New Orleans to meet with the team doctor and a decision will be made “sooner rather than later” as the 34-year-old tries to make the best decision for his shoulder and the Saints aim to make the best decision for their franchise. It would be a surprise to see Carr return to start for the Saints, especially without having surgery. New Orleans has signaled an attempt to move on by selecting Tyler Shough in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Carr has two seasons left on his four-year, $150 million contract with the Saints and a decision on his future is looming.
9News’ Mike Klis reports free agent QB Desmond Ridder will get a veteran tryout at the Broncos’ rookie minicamp.
Ridder is a former third-round pick of the Falcons in 2022 and started 13 games for them in 2023. Atlanta moved on from Ridder after his 12-touchdown, 12-interception season; he joined the Raiders to play six games and start one in 2024. The 25-year-old is searching for backup jobs around the NFL after throwing for 5.4 yards per attempt and earning a 45.7 PFF grade last season, good for No. 69 out of 75 quarterbacks. The Broncos will bring him into rookie minicamp on a tryout basis, where Ridder looks to earn the chance to compete with Sam Ehlinger for the third-string quarterback spot in Denver.
Bengals DT B.J. Hill was seen in a protective boot at Tuesday’s voluntary workout.
Hill was seen in a protective walking boot for his left foot at the Bengals’ voluntary workout session on Tuesday. It seems to be a new injury for the veteran, though it is not yet clear what the injury is. The Bengals just signed Hill to a three-year, $33 million contract in the offseason and will be hoping one of the investments into their defense gets healthy for the start of the regular season.
The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf reports Brian Schottenheimer was “non-commital” on whether the Cowboys would have a lead back or take a committee approach.
“Schottenheimer wants to see how things unfold during offseason workouts and training camp,” Yousuf continues. It certainly seems to be a situation where Jaydon Blue could carve out a role in a hurry. “If Blue proves himself, he’ll have the chance to carve out a significant role,” Yousuf writes. Certainly nothing we saw from Javonte Williams or Miles Sanders in recent years would lead us to believe that they’ll be blocking Blue if he shows out in training camp.
Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson said he’s “expecting Kyle [Pitts] to take a big jump.”
“Year 2 of the system. Year 2 of understanding what we’re trying to do offensively. All those things that come with it, so expecting a lot of good things from Kyle,” Robinson continued, presumably while trying to sell the people who asked him this question a bridge. The good news for those who would want to buy in on Pitts is, like the Spanish Inquisition, nobody is expecting a Pitts breakout year in his fifth season. He’s now a freeroll. But it’s hard to believe he’ll do any better than low-end TE1 duty this year.