If you are still searching for IDP to pick up for your roster, congratulations on surviving the initial period of the fantasy playoffs. Below are a number of potential defensive players to pick up to fill in for an underperforming IDP or one that has landed on the injury list below. Good luck on your quest for a league championship!
Elevator Going Up
Linebackers
Roquan Smith has landed on the IR, and Pierre-Smith will move from backup to starter. He had five total tackles (TT) last week with one of those for a loss of yards (TFL). Add in a QB hit/hurry (QH) and a pair of pass deflections (PD) and you have an IDP worthy of LB2 status going forward.
Robertson became an every down LB in Week 14, collecting eight TT (five solo, one TFL) with an INT and a PD to boost his big play value. With both Kiko Alonso and A.J. Klein both questionable for this week’s contest against the visiting Colts, he could again start in a game with great matchup potential, as Indy ranks third among teams in terms of allowing fantasy points to opposing LBs.
Samson Ebukam LAR
Ebukam has joined in the strong pass rush corps in LA, picking up 3.5 sacks over the past three games. Against the visiting Seahawks, he had two sacks, a pair of QH and five TT (four solo, two TFL).
Vince Biegel MIA
Biegel has been seeing an uptick in playing time (PT), on the field for 80% of the defensive snaps in Week 14, where he collected nine TT (six solo). He now has the Giants on tap, the team allowing the second most fantasy points to opposing LBs.
Jahlani Tavai DET
Tavai saw an increase in PT in Week 14, and starting MLB Jarrad Davis is questionable for Week 15’s tilt against the Bucs, which could mean another opportunity to shine on defense. He is coming off a 10 TT effort in Week 14 (four solo) and to continue a theme, he has a great matchup as Tampa Bay ranks fourth overall in allowing opposing LBs fantasy production.
Defensive Linemen
Danielle Hunter DE MIN
It seems difficult to believe that this is the first mention of Hunter in the IDP Report this season, but he finally deserves a profile here. Note, though, that he is more heavily owned that most of the other DLs that have graced this article (37% in Yahoo, 50% in ESPN leagues). He has 12.5 sacks on the season, after collecting 3 against the visiting Lions in Week 14. In that game, he also grabbed seven TT (six solo, three TFL) with a trio of QH as well. He has a so-so matchup against the Chargers this coming Sunday, but his production has been picking up since the bye week in Week 12.
Larry Ogunjobi DT CLE
The Browns’ nose tackle led the defense with nine TT (four solo) and also was credited with half a sack and three QH against the Bengals. Unfortunately, the Week 15 opponent is not as great a matchup with the team heading to the desert to take on the Cardinals, so temper your expectations of a repeat dominant performance, but in a DT-mandatory league, he is a worthwhile consideration.
Defensive Backs
Darian Thompson S DAL
Thompson has stepped in for the injured Jeff Heath , who is still questionable this week, and has amassed 16 TT (nine solo) over the past three weeks with 1.5 sacks and a pair of PDs.
Sheldrick Redwine S CLE
The rookie continues to see significant PT in the Brown defensive backfield, racking up eight TT (six solo) against the Bengals in Week 14. This week, he takes on the Cardinals, a lower tier matchup, but so long as he is on the field, he has a chance to produce IDP value for is owners.
Adrian Amos S GB
Amos has been providing some big play production lately, not his usual forte, but Week 15 is a good matchup with the Bears coming to visit. His stat line for Week 14 looked quite full and tasty: seven TT (six solo, one TFL) a sack, a QH, and INT and two PD. The potential is there again, but even if the big play production falters, he has been a relatively steady source of tackle production.
Quandre Diggs S SEA
Diggs has landed in Seattle after leaving Detroit in a trade, and is settling in as a solid DB option for fantasy purposes. He had five TT (four solo) with couple of INT and PD each against the host Rams, and scored a TD. No point in expecting more six pointers, but look for him to continue to create turnovers on defense and toss in some tackle numbers weekly.
Kareem Jackson S DEN
The Bronco starting strong safety is coming off a double-digit tackle effort in Week 14: 11 TT, six solo. He also picked off a pass and had three PDs. He heads to KC this week to face Pat Mahomes, and while that is not the ideal matchup, it is a division rivalry game, so there is that factor to consider.
Tye Smith CB TEN
Smith should see another start with Adoree’ Jackson questionable for Week 15 against the Texans. He is fresh off an eight TT effort (five solo) performance last week in Oakland, where he also forced a fumble (FF). The next two weeks should provide plenty of aerial action for the corner to take on.
Escalator Going Down
Linebackers
Whitney Mercilus HOU
The edge rusher is not lacking for PT, but has collected just half a sack in the last nine games he has played, and that was back in Week 7. Coupled with an inconsistent tackle effort week to week, he is not worth a roster slot.
Terrell Suggs ARI
The 37-year old veteran may be finally chugging into the station on his last bit of fuel. Over the past three games, he has collected a paltry three solo tackles and one fumble recovery (FR). Feel free to cut him loose without concern.
Hitchens is giving his fantasy owners limited tackle numbers for the most part over his last six games, at least in terms of solos, and no big play production at all. Unless you are looking for total tackles and/or assists, he is not worth starting.
Clay Matthews LAR
Since returning to the field from his broken jaw, he has produced just a pair of sacks and only 11 TT over those five contests. Not exactly starting LB stats, especially with the playoffs going on now.
Defensive Linemen
Jason Pierre-Paul DE TB
When he returned to action, there was hope that he would return to his former productive self. He does have 3.5 sacks but only 18 TT over his seven games this season. Unless you absolutely can get by with potential sack production from your DE, he is not the DL to trust in the playoffs.
Clelin Ferrell DE OAK
It was looking promising for Ferrell, with 2.5 sacks in Week 10 versus the Chargers. Unfortunately for those who added him based on this writer’s promotion of him as a wire pickup, his value has severely diminished with just eight TT and one PD over the past four games he has played. Drop him now if you have not acted on that impulse already.
Defensive Backs
None to speak of except for those listed below in the Injury Report.
Matchups to Exploit
Remember, the first team listed is the one to use your IDPs against. Do not go crazy, and play a LB5 against the Giants, but certainly you will do well if you own a top LB on the Seahawks or Dolphins, or a DL on the Texans that you can plug in this week, for the most part.
Linebackers
Carolina Panthers vs Seattle
New York Giants vs Miami
Defensive Ends
Carolina Panthers vs Seattle
Tennessee Titans vs Houston
New York Jets @ Baltimore
Defensive Tackles
Tennessee Titans vs Houston
Miami Dolphins @ New York Giants
Minnesota Vikings @ Los Angeles Chargers
Safeties
Atlanta Falcons @ San Francisco
New York Giants vs Miami
San Francisco 49ers vs Atlanta
Cornerbacks
Cincinnati Bengals vs New England
Seattle Seahawks @ Carolina
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Detroit
Waiver Wire Targets
This section is intended to serve as a shortened cheat sheet listing those waiver wire targets you should be considering if you need to plug a hole in your starting lineup. All these players are spotlighted above, and you can read my comments about them in the "Elevator Going Up" section of this article. 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
Samson Ebukam LAR
Vince Biegel MIA
JahlaniTavai DET
Defensive Linemen
Danielle Hunter DE MIN (Owned in 49.8 % of ESPN leagues, 37% of Yahoo leagues)
Larry Ogunjobi DT CLE
Defensive Backs
Darian Thompson S DAL
Sheldrick Redwine S CLE
Adrian Amos S GB
Quandre Diggs S SEA
Kareem Jackson S DEN
Tye Smith CB TEN
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
Chris Board BAL concussion
Mario Addison CAR chest
Roquan Smith CHI pectoral IR
Danny Trevathan CHI elbow
Sione Takitaki CLE illness
Leighton Vander Esch DAL neck
Malik Reed DEN ankle
Myles Jack JAX knee IR
Najee Goode JAX knee IR
Ben Gedeon MIN concussion IR
Kiko Alonso NO thigh
A.J. Klein NO knee
Chris Peace NYG knee IR
Kyle Wilber OAK ankle
Cody Barton SEA ankle
Mychal Kendricks SEA hamstring
K.J. Wright SEA finger
Anthony Nelson TB hamstring
Daren Bates TEN shoulder
Derick Roberson TEN illness
Cameron Wake TEN undisclosed IR
Ryan Kerrigan WAS calf
Ryan Anderson WAS shoulder
Defensive Linemen
DE
Jonathan Bullard ARI hamstring IR
Jihad Ward BAL elbow
Marquis Haynes CAR knee
Roy Robertson-Harris CHI foot
Sam Hubbard CIN knee
Olivier Vernon CLE knee
Dre’Mont Jones DEN ankle
Derek Wolfe DEN elbow
Da’Shawn Hand DET ankle
Austin Bryant DET hip
Carlos Watkins HOU hamstring
Frank Clark KC illness
Henry Anderson NYJ shoulder
John Franklin-Myers NYJ undisclosed
Dee Ford SF hamstring
Ezekiel Ansah SEA neck
Jadeveon Clowney groin
DT
Corey Liuget BUF lower body
Gerald McCoy CAR knee
Dontari Poe CAR quadriceps IR
Akiem Hicks CHI elbow
Antwaun Woods DAL knee-ACL
A’Shawn Robinson DET shoulder
Montravius Adams GB illness
Byron Cowart NE head
Sheldon Rankins NO ankle
Steve McLendon NYJ knee
Quinnen Williams NYJ neck
Jullian Taylor SF elbow
Defensive Backs
S
Sharrod Neasman TL shoulder
Anthony Levine BAL ankle
Sherrick McManis CHI groin IR
Brandon Wilson CIN hand IR
Eric Murray CLE knee
Robert Jackson CLE ankle IR
Jeff Heath DAL shoulder
Tony Brown GB heel
Rashad Fenton KC hamstring
Patrick Robinson NO calf
Jabrill Peppers NYG back IR
Jamal Adams NYJ ankle
Jaquiski Tartt SF ribs
K’Waun Williams SF concussion
Neiko Thorpe SEA sports hernia IR
Tedric Thompson SEA shoulder-labrum IR
Kenny Vaccaro TEN concussion
Deshazor Everett WAS shoulder IR
CB
Prince Amukamara CHI hamstring
Jamal Agnew DET ankle
Kevin King GB shoulder
Kenny Moore IND ankle
Rock Ya-Sin IND undisclosed
Morris Claiborne KC shoulder
Cordrea Tankersley MIA knee-ACL
Ken Crawley MIA shoulder IR
Xavier Rhodes MIN ankle
Mike Hughes MIN oblique
Janoris Jenkins NYG ankle
Brian Poole NYJ concussion
Arthur Maulet NYJ calf
Kyron Brown NYJ quadriceps IR
Richard Sherman SF hamstring
LeShaun Sims TEN ankle
Adoree’ Jackson TEN foot
Chris Milton TEN undisclosed IR
Quinton Dunbar WAS 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. FANation Chat is now live on the site, to help you work through your fantasy football dilemmas. Or if you have any fantasy football questions, especially about IDP leagues, you can also send a message to ia@fantasyalarm.com for a personal response from the writer of this article. Naturally, the more detail you can send about your league, such as number of teams, platform you play in (Yahoo, ESPN, etc.), scoring and roster system, the better the ability to provide accurate advice.