.jpg)
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.
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.