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Finally, no more bye week decisions to make, but we fantasy players still have choices to make when setting our weekly.jpg)
lineups. Remember that this week we have three games on Thanksgiving, not just the usual single Thursday night matchup. With six teams going Thursday, it is extremely important to work the wire and pick up some rising IDP options to help you run roughshod over your competition. With that advice ringing in your ears, let us move on to my suggestions for Week 13 in the IDP world.
Note please that on the Steeler front, both Ryan Shazier (LB) and Troy Polamalu (S) are primed to return in Week 13. While that is not yet definite, it certainly bears watching as practice continues this week.
Elevator Going Up
Linebackers
Bobby Wagner SEA
Sio Moore OAK
Aldon Smith SF
Jelani Jenkins MIA
Derrick Morgan TEN
Telvin Smith JAX
Craig Robertson CLE
Wagner’s return to action saw him reward his owner’s patience with eight total tackles, although only two were solos, which I credit to his assist-preferential stat team in Seattle. Expect the tackles to swing more to the solo side when he plays in San Francisco this Thursday night. I have mentioned Moore here before, but if he is still available on your wire, go grab him right now. I have rostered him all season, and his 12 tackle Week 12, with a sack was very tasty and a big reason for my success last week. The 49ers’Smith is still not playing every down, but he is contributing, picking up two sacks last week. As his playing time increases, expect his stat line to get fuller. Jenkins put up 11 tackles (nine solos) and a sack last week, and he gets to face the staggering Jets offense this week. Morgan has begun to adjust to the move from DE to LB, collecting a sack and six solos as part of his 10 total tackles in Week 12. Smith is an undersized linebacker, but based on his performance last week, he is going to be a tackle producer. He had 13 total tackles (10 solo) and recovered a pair of fumbles, too. Grab him now before the rest of your league realizes that he is going to be a huge value for the fantasy playoffs, with the Jacksonville defense likely to see a lot of time on the field. Robertson looks like the player to pick up with Karlos Dansby on the sidelines in Cleveland, having put up a seven solo tackle effort last week. He gets to go to Buffalo, where the IDP stats seem to explode for both the home and visiting players.
Defensive Linemen
Derrick Morgan DE TEN
Jurrell Casey DE TEN
Jerry Hughes DE BUF
Cliff Avril DE SEA
Jeremy Mincey DE DAL
Chris Clemons DE JAX
Jacquies Smith DE TB
Calais Campbell DE ARI
Stephen Paea DT CHI
Clinton McDonald DT TB
Both Morgan and Casey are good options to grab for a season-ending run to the playoffs, as both were credited with a sack in Week 12. Just realize that Morgan is listed as a linebacker and defensive linesman on both ESPN and Yahoo. My suggestion is to play him as a DL, if you needed the push. Hughes was a monster last week, racking up two sacks, two pass deflections and five tackles. I really like the Buffalo defense, both as a squad and for their IDPs. Avril moves back up to the top of the post this week, after putting up a disappointing Week 11. In Week 12, he had two sacks and could get to Colin Kaepernick in San Fran this Thursday evening, so he is worth adding in big play leagues. Mincey is starting to translate all his QB pressures into sacks lately, and with a sack and four total tackles (two solo) in Week 12, he should be a productive player when Dallas takes on Philly on Thanksgiving. Realize,however, that the Eagles have been fairly stingy with fantasy points allowed to DLs through the first 12 games of the season. Mincey may be more of a guy to pick up and stash this week, but ya never know. Clemons beneffited from facing off against the Colts, who are fifth in allowing points to defensive linesmen this season, and he gets the Giants this week, who are right behind the Colts. Coming off a three sack, three solo tackle, one forced fumble week will put him in demand, so if he is still available, grab him now. Smith is best used in Yahoo leagues, as he is listed with dual eligibility, and should be avoided in ESPN leagues where he only has LB eligility. Interesting about the ESPN listing, as the Bucs list him as a DE on the depth chart. Campbell really upped his sack total last week, being credited with three, but his tackle numbers have been good all season. Not necessarily a rising star, but the sacks are worth noting. Paea was a beast last week, grabbing two sacks, forcing a fumble and making three solo tackles against the Bucs. He now has six sacks, and Detroit is ranked 7th among the NFL teams in terms of DL points allowed. Plus, the Bears play Detroit tough, especially on Thanksgiving. McDonald would be a sneaky pickup in DT required leagues, having now grabbed one INT, one fumble recovery and three sacks in his last four contests.
Defensive Backs
Kemal Ishmael S ATL
James Ihedigbo S DET
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix S GB
Ryan Mundy S CHI
Micah Hyde S/CB GB
Ron Parker S/CB KC
Ishmael returns to the list this week, as he had a superb Week 12, posting nine tackles (seven solo) and an INT. If you have not 
added him to your roster yet, go do so now. Ihedigbo is another player that should be snagged before your opponents wise up. Nine solo tackles, two pass deflections and an interception last week should be pushing up his ownership percentage above 11%. Clinton-Dix is beginning to justify his draft selection, as his production continues to improve, although he has been solid since Week 4. He should have a bunch of chances to tackle Rob Gronkowski this week, since the Gronk is the top option of Tom Brady week in, week out in New England. Mundy also should have significant tackle opportunities when the Bears head to Detroit on Thursday for the early Thanksgiving game. The Chicago defense is rightly being maligned this season, but forget about that, Mundy is a playmaker on a bad D. Hyde and Parker both have dual eligibility depending on the site you play on, and while I would rank Parker higher than Hyde, you really cannot go wrong with either player. I like them better in CB required leagues, but both are fine sources of both tackles and big plays.
Escalator Going Down
Linebackers
Jadeveon Clowney HOU
Malcolm Smith SEA
Clowney is just not healthy, by his own admission. I would grab him in keeper or dynasty leagues if he has made his way to the wire based on his limited production, but he should be avoided in redraft leagues. Smith might have been a good add when Bobby Wagner was on the sidelines, but he is now droppable. He had a big goose egg in tackles last week.
Defensive Linemen
William Gholston DE TB
Gholston is the man looking in from the outside with Jacquies Smith’s emergence as a force in Tampa.
Defensive Backs
Nothing to see here of note, move along.
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
Brandon Marshall DEN (concussion)
Lavonte David TB (hamstring)
Lance Briggs CHI (groin)
Defensive Linemen
Sharrif Floyd DT MIN (knee)
Defensive Backs
Eric Berry S KC (non-football medical issue-out for season?)
Tashaun Gipson CB CLE (MCL-out for the season)
Kyle Fuller CB CHI (MCL sprain)
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.