Here it is, the final week of most fantasy football leagues’ playoffs. If your league uses a one week final playoff in Week 18, a strong suggestion is made that you revisit your playoff set up and cease that madness…just a suggestion, though. Once the seedings are set, teams tend to rest their stars to avoid injury and thus setting a lineup becomes a chore. Two week finals using total results in Weeks 17 and 18-not frowned upon but still not preferred. Enough ranting about playoff formats. Let’s take a look at the options to consider adding to your rosters to pursue the championship trophy.

 

NFL IDP Report - Week 17

Elevator Going Up

Linebackers

Luke Masterson Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders have lost both Divine Deablo and Jayon Brown to the IR, which has led to increased playing time (PT) for Masterson, an undrafted rookie LB. He collected 10 total tackles (TT) in Week 16, six of those being solos, and one for a loss of yards (TFL). He has a decent matchup against San Francisco this week on tap. 

Joe Thomas Chicago Bears

Another injury situation has led to another linebacker being asked to step up. With Jack Sanborn unable to take the field, Thomas has seen his PT increase dramatically the past two games, and he was an every down LB in Week 16, and snagged seven TT (six solo) as a result.

Ja’Whaun Bentley New England Patriots 

The Patriot LB was profiled here in Week 5, and he has been accumulating nice stats for those in tackle-oriented leagues of late, with double digit tackles in each of his last three games played. He is not much of a big play producer, although he has a sack and a pass deflection/defense (PD) in the last two contests.

Reggie Ragland Cleveland Browns

Despite playing less that two thirds of the snaps on defense, Ragland accumulated double digit tackles against the visiting New Orleans Saint offense, with 10 TT (seven solo). The matchup against the Commanders in Week 17 projects to be a tasty one for the veteran, and with injuries plaguing the Browns on defense, he should see substantial time on the field for at least one more week.

Defensive Linemen

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo DE Houston Texans

It has been a constant observation that the Texan defense is spending a great deal of time on the field this season as the offense struggles, and thus a number of Houston IDP have been profiled here over the weeks of the season. The fourth year DE had two sacks, giving him four in the past four games, and he also had a couple of QB hits/hurries (QH), making him a big play value. Five solo tackles, three of those for a loss of yards, makes him a value no matter the league format.

Cameron Sample DE Cincinnati Bengals

Sample has value if Sam Hubbard cannot take his place on the defensive line this week. As a nearly every down player, Sample collected six TT (three solo, one TFL) against the host New England Patriots, and also had a sack  and  QH on the stat sheet next to his name. Keep an eye on Hubbard’s status if you are considering adding Sample to your roster.

Michael Hoecht DT Los Angeles Rams

Despite his DT status, he has been playing as a DE which has led to superior fantasy stats for the defensive linesman, whose snap count has been elevated due to injuries to the defensive front. The Week 17 matchup against the Chargers is a tasty one of DEs, and his DT status makes for a fine addition to your lineup in DT-mandatory leagues.

Defensive Backs

Grant Delpit S Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland safety leads off a strong list of DBs to consider adding to replace your injured or underperforming IDPs as the fantasy season concludes. Delpit is an every down IDP, and snagged his second INT of the season against New Orleans last week. He had seven TT (five solo) last contest, while also contributing a PD.

Adrian Amos S Green Bay Packers

Amos is a reliable source of tackles although his big play potential is minimal. He had 11 TT in Week 16 (nine solo) and he is another DB that sees significant PT on the defense, playing 100% of the defensive snaps against the host Dolphins in Miami. The matchup in store against the Vikings looks to be decent, if not exactly great.

Ifeatu Melifouwu S Detroit Lions

Melifouwu has value only so long as DeShon Elliott cannot take the field for the Lions, otherwise his snap count will not be at a level where his fantasy stat potential is worth a lineup slot. If he is starting/playing significant snaps, then his potential CB status while toiling away as a safety makes him a sneaky IDP addition to your team.

Jalen Thompson S Arizona Cardinals

Budda Baker is lost for the season to the Cardinals now, and that opens up a slot for Thompson to build on his best game of the season with 11 TT (10 solo). The matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 17 will be potentially favorable for the new starting strong safety for the Cards.

Jeremy Reaves S Washington Commanders

Reaves could be useful, but that would depend on whether or not Kamren Curl is going to be sidelined this week. He snagged eight TT playing in place of Curl in Week 16’s game on the road in San Francisco, and this week he has a better potential matchup with the Browns on the schedule.

Marcus Jones CB New England Patriots

14 TT would be a substantial accomplishment for a CB, but tack on a pick-six INT and a PD and you have a valued hybrid DB, with tackle and big play significance for fantasy purposes. 12 of those tackles were solos, and one was a TFL. He is a must add now that his PT has become close to every down status.

Kader Kohou CB Miami Dolphins (10)

The undrafted rookie has been seeing significant snaps all season, and has amassed 59 solo tackles over the course of the season, including five last week against the Packers plus a pair PDs and an INT to make him big play worthwhile, too. 

Escalator Going Down

Linebackers

Chad Muma Jacksonville Jaguars

Since Muma came back from his ankle injury, he has seen little time on the field with the Jacksonville defense. As such, his tackle numbers are miniscule-one in the last two weeks. Any value he had has evaporated.

Quay Walker Green Bay Packers

Despite a full slate of snaps on defense, Walker came up with just one assisted tackle and a PD in Week 16’s matchup against the host Miami Dolphins. Now he has a bad matchup against the Vikings on tap for Week 17, and this seems a fine time to cut ties with the LB and find another to take his place in your lineup.

Defensive Linemen

Montez Sweat DE Washington Commanders

Four TT over three games, with just one solo to his credit, speaks to his lack of utility of late. Even when he was not coming up empty for his owners, he has been erratic in his production this season.

Marcus Davenport DE New Orleans Saints

Like the player profiled immediately above, Davenport is coming off a zero-tackle game. He is not being trusted to be on the field for more than about a third of the snaps, which also denotes him as an IDP to avoid rostering.

Kenny Clark DT Green Bay Packers

Seven TT over his last four contests, and nary a sack since he collected one back in Week 10 is not the sort of recommendation for a starting IDP, even in a DT-mandatory league. 

Defensive Backs

Kendall Fuller CB Washington Commanders

Playing every snap on defense yet putting up a goose egg on the stat sheet is not a shining endorsement for a DB as we head into most leagues’ final game. No big plays, either, over his past three games and he is not worthy of a roster slot currently.

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 Raiders or Chargers, but certainly you will do well if you own a top LB on the Browns, DL on the Colts or DB on the Giants or Falcons that you can plug in this week, for the most part.

Inside Linebackers

Los Angeles Chargers vs Los Angeles Rams

Las Vegas Raiders vs San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks vs New York Jets

Washington Commanders vs Cleveland Browns

New Orleans Saints @ Philadelphia Eagles

Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts @ New York Giants

Outside Linebackers

Cleveland Browns @ Washington Commanders

Cincinnati Bengals vs Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions

Washington Commanders vs Cleveland Browns

Defensive Ends

New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins

Los Angeles Chargers vs Los Angeles Rams

Loas Angeles Rams @ Los Angeles Chargers

Atlanta Falcons vs Arizona Cardinals

Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers

New York Giants vs Indianapolis Colts

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs

Defensive Tackles 

New York Giants vs Indianapolis Colts

Washington Commanders vs Cleveland Browns

Indianapolis Colts @ New York Giants

Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings

Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions

Safeties

Baltimore Ravens vs Pittsburgh Steelers

Indianapolis Colts @ New York Giants

Arizona Cardinals @ Atlanta Falcons

Green Bay Packers vs Minnesota Vikings

Cleveland Browns @ Washington Commanders

Cornerbacks

Indianapolis Colts @ New York Giants

Buffalo Bills @ Cincinnati Bengals

Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs

Arizona Cardinals @ Atlanta Falcons

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

Luke Masterson Las Vegas Raiders

Joe Thomas Chicago Bears

Ja’Whaun Bentley New England Patriots 

Reggie Ragland Cleveland Browns

Defensive Linemen

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo DE Houston Texans

Cameron Sample DE Cincinnati Bengals

Michael Hoecht DT Los Angeles Rams

Defensive Backs

Grant Delpit S Cleveland Browns

Adrian Amos S Green Bay Packers

Ifeatu Melifouwu S Detroit Lions

Jalen Thompson S Arizona Cardinals

Jeremy Reaves S Washington Commanders

Marcus Jones CB New England Patriots

Kader Kohou CB Miami Dolphins 

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

Tanner Vallejo Arizona Cardinals knee

Matt Milano Buffalo Bills knee

Sterling Weatherford Chicago Bears illness

Andre Anthony Chicago Bears undisclosed

Christian Albright Chicago Bears undisclosed

Baron Browning Denver Broncos back

Randy Gregory Denver Broncos knee

Josh Woods Detroit Lions biceps

Tipa Galeai Green Bay Packers hamstring

Leonard Floyd Los Angeles Rams illness

Travin Howard Los Angeles Rams hip

Bradley Chubb Miami Dolphins ankle

Jaelan Phillips Miami Dolphins toe

Pete Werner New Orleans Saints hamstring

Areez Ojulari New York Giants ankle

Myles Jack Pittsburgh Steelers groin

Darrell Taylor Seattle Seahawks shoulder

Bruce Irvin Seattle Seahawks knee

Carl Nassib Tampa Bay Buccaneers pectoral

Defensive Linemen

DE

Zach Allen Arizona Cardinals hand

Calais Campbell Baltimore Ravens knee

Boogie Basham Jr. Buffalo Bills calf

Marquis Haynes Carolina Panthers ankle

Ledarius Mack Chicago Bears undisclosed

Sam Hubbard Cincinnati Bengals calf

Jadeveon Clowney Cleveland Browns concussion

Aaron Donald Los Angeles Rams ankle

Everson Griffen Minnesota Vikings personal

Kerry Hyder San Francisco 49ers ankle

James Smith-Williams Washington Commanders concussion

Bunmi Rotimi Washington Commanders foot

DT

Antwaun Woods Arizona Cardinals undisclosed

Jacob Tuloti-Mariner Carolina Panthers knee

D.J. Jones Denver Broncos knee

Mike Purcell Denver Broncos elbow

Tyler Lancaster Las Vegas Raiders undisclosed

Greg Gaines Los Angeles Rams shoulder

Marquise Copeland Los Angeles Rams ankle

James Lynch Minnesota Vikings shoulder

Jordan Davis Philadelphia Eagles concussion

Linval Joseph Philadelphia Eagles illness

Larry Ogunjobi Pittsburgh Steelers toe

Javon Kinlaw San Francisco 49ers knee

Arki Armstead San Francisco 49ers foot

Kevin Givens San Francisco 49ers knee-MCL

Al Woods Seattle Seahawks Achilles

Vita Vea Tampa Bay Buccaneers calf

Defensive Backs

S

Charles Washington Arizona Cardinals chest

Jovante Moffatt Atlanta Falcons calf

Geno Stone Baltimore Ravens hamstring

Jordan Poyer Buffalo Bills knee

K’Waun Williams Denver Broncos knee

DeShon Elliott Detroit Lions shoulder

Kerby Joseph Detroit Lions back

Kelsean Nixon Green Bay Packers groin

Kolby Harvell-Peel Houston Texans hamstring

Andrew Wingard Jacksonville Jaguars shoulder

Derwin James Los Angeles Chargers concussion

Eric Rowe Miami Dolphins quadriceps 

Clayton Fejedelem Miami Dolphins knee

Adrian Phillips New England Patriots illness

Marcus Maye New Orleans Saints shoulder

Xavier McKinney New York Giants hand

Jordan Mosley New York Giants undisclosed

Tre Norwood Pittsburgh Steelers hamstring

Ryan Neal Seattle Seahawks knee

Antoine Winfield Jr. Tampa Bay Buccaneers ankle

Mike Edwards Tampa Bay Buccaneers hamstring

Percy Butler Washington Commanders hip

Kamren Curl Washington Commanders ankle

Josh Drayden Washington Commanders undisclosed

CB

Antonio Hamilton Arizona Cardinals hip

Marco Wilson Arizona Cardinals neck

Nate Hairston Arizona Cardinals undisclosed

Marcus Peters Baltimore Ravens calf

Jaycee Horn Carolina Panthers wrist

Tavon Young Chicago Bears undisclosed

Reggie Robinson II Cleveland Browns undisclosed

Kenny Moore Indianapolis Colts ankle

Cre’von LeBlanc Las Vegas Raiders undisclosed

Zavien Howard Miami Dolphins knee

Jonathan Jones New England Patriots chest

Marcus Jones New England Patriots concussion

Jalen Mills New England Patriots groin

Jack Jones New England Patriots knee

Marshon Lattimore New Orleans Saints abdomen

Adoree’ Jackson New York Giants knee-MCL

Brandin Echols New York Jets quadriceps

Zane Lewis New York Jets undisclosed

Avonte Maddox Philadelphia Eagles toe

Ambry Thomas San Francisco 49ers ankle

Carlton Davis Tampa Bay Buccaneers shoulder

Jamel Dean Tampa Bay Buccaneers toe

Rashard Robinson Tampa Bay Buccaneers undisclosed

Christian Holmes Washington Commanders ankle

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, 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.
 

 

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