We are down to the final three weeks of the Fantasy Football regular season. There are six teams on bye during week 12, which is a massive bye week for fantasy football IDP managers. 

Those six teams are: Atlanta Falcons, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets.

 

 

 

2024 Fantasy Football Week 12 IDP Overview

If you have fantasy football IDPs from those teams on a bye, put them on the bench or if need be, cut them. 

If you can save your waiver wire priority, do it, as several great fantasy football IDP (and offensive players) will be dropped on one of the largest bye weeks of the season.

Fantasy Football IDP Risers Week 12 

Kamren Kitchens is a defensive back for the Los Angeles Rams that is having an excellent November. He is really rising up the board due to it too. In some deeper leagues he may already be rostered, but he should still be free in most fantasy football leagues.

He had eight combined tackles, 1 forced fumble, and 1 interception last week. He could be due for another busy game this week against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Rams are in a three way tie for second in the NFC West, and have no games to spare. 

Their defense must rely on its better players, and Kitchens has proved he is one of their best defenders. Look for another great performance from him in week 12.

Ar’Darius Washington is a defensive back for the Baltimore Ravens, and the Ravens are allowing the most fantasy football points by any secondary. This is a good thing in IDP leagues as opposing offenses utilize their advantage with several passes.

Washington recorded 11 combined tackles against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, an outstanding number for a defensive back. The Ravens play the Los Angeles Chargers Monday night in a battle of the Harbaugh brothers. A coaching rematch of Super Bowl 47, with completely different rosters.

Justin Herbert is having an excellent season and Washington will see tackling opportunities. Keep an eye on him going forward.

Kwity Paye is a defensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts and he is really rising up the waiver wire board. His injuries made him an afterthought for most fantasy football IDP leagues, but he is coming on strong the last few weeks.

Last week he earned 2 sacks and a forced fumble on top of 7 combined tackles. He has a sack in each of his last three games and with fellow defensive lineman Deforest Buckner back, Paye has really been thriving.

The Colts are also playing better and still have a chance to win the AFC South. Anthony Richardson can aid the IDPs by playing mistake free football and scoring points. The Colts play the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots the next two weeks and Paye could be a great fill in or starter going forward.

 

 

 

Fantasy Football Week 12 IDP Waiver Wire Targets

Reed Blankenship, Defensive Back, Philadelphia Eagles

There are several great IDP options in Los Angeles for week 12, and this one does not play for either team based in LA. Reed Blankenship has been playing excellently lately, and has 14 tackles, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 interception over the last two games. Vic Fangio is getting the best out of his young safety, and the Eagles are playing well.

The Rams have a high powered offense that will require Blankenship to be involved in both the running game and passing defense. He could have a double-digit tackle performance in a big Sunday Night game versus Matthew Stafford and Kyren Williams. 

Ernest Jones, Linebacker, Seattle Seahawks

After a couple of weeks it is safe to say Ernest Jones is in a better scheme and situation. He fits what the Seattle Seahawks need much more than he did with the Tennessee Titans. The Seahawks are also in contention for a divisional title, the Titans are in contention for the first overall pick of next year’s draft.

Jones has been a perfect fit for the linebacker needy Seahawks. He has 37 tackles in his last three games, and is an every down linebacker for their defense. The Seahawks have a pivotal divisional game against the NFC West first place Arizona Cardinals this week and again in week 14, a week loaded with several teams on bye.

Jones could be the player that carries fantasy football IDP managers to a fantasy football championship. Get him this week and have a set and forget linebacker for the rest of the season.

Devin Bush, Linebacker, Cleveland Browns

For those in IDP leagues looking for a deep dive, look no further than Devin Bush who plays Thursday Night against the run heavy Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns are all but officially eliminated from the season, and they could be looking at their future and depth pieces.

That is the case with Bush who is only in his sixth season. He came in as a backup but has played much more snaps for the Browns in the past two games. With their starters injured, look for Bush to play several snaps again Thursday. 

He has 8 combined tackles in each of Cleveland's last two games and should see around that again as the Browns offense is absolutely atrocious. He won’t cost much FAAB and on a week with 6 teams on bye there is a fantasy football team who needs a linebacker. Get Bush.

 

 

 

NFL Week 12 IDP Matchups To Capitalize On

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins, Sunday 1:00 PM ET

Jalen Ramsey is back, at least for fantasy football purposes. He has 12 tackles and 2 interceptions over his past three weeks. Now he gets to play against a rookie quarterback playing on the road. 

The Dolphins may not have much left to play for this season, but Ramsey is playing for a chance to get in the Hall of Fame, and every week is a chance to add to his resume. With a divisional opponent coming to Hard Rock Stadium, he has another great opportunity to add an interception. 

Should he do it that would be his third interception this month, and could earn him defensive player of the month. The Dolphins should get ahead early and force the Patriots to play from behind, which would aid Ramsey’s IDP numbers. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Giants, Sunday 1:00 PM ET

Vita Vea has been mentioned as a riser in this column and now it is time to play him. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are coming off of a much needed bye week. They had injuries at almost every position, including Vea and the defensive line. 

He has played through a great deal of pain this season, only missing one game in the process. Now after a couple weeks rest the Bucs travel to New York to play the Giants, who are benching Daniel Jones and rolling with backup quarterback Danny DeVito. 

The Giants have a terrible offense line and that is not going to change with DeVito starting. Vea collapses the interior of defenses and has 5 sacks on the season. Look for him to add another, with a few tackles in this crucial game for Tampa Bay.

Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Rams, Sunday 8:20 PM ET

Zack Baun was mentioned in week 2 of this article, but he went through a four-week slump in the middle of the season and was dropped in several leagues. Well, he is back and has been back for the past couple of weeks… it is time to get him back in the starting lineup.

The Philadelphia Eagles appear to have fully grasped new Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme. The Eagles are rolling, and their defense has been lights out during their 6-game win streak. 

Baun benefits from playing behind a tough, and deep defensive line rotation, and a two high shell above him. This gives him a lot of confidence knowing that he only has to account for his assignment. He can come up in the run game and play underneath routes in the passing game. 

Two things that should lead to a high tackle total against the Los Angeles Rams. He has 44 tackles over his past four games, and he should earn at least 11 in a primetime game this week.