Taking a look at the NFL Week 13 from a IDP perspective; notes on what our writer @Orangeman3142 saw this weekend.

This is a continuation of our weekly article series that breaks down what we saw this week in IDP fantasy football. What happened and why, what we got right and what we got wrong and more importantly how to move forward and get better next week.

We look at possible waivers and trends, snap counts and issues that affect production for your IDP team. Part two will cover the next four games of week thirteen. Keep an eye out for part three dropping tomorrow morning.

Let’s get into it.

Arizona Cardinals @ Green Bay Packers

Cardinals: With the season ending injury to Josh Bynes (LB) and the last two weeks production looking incredible it’s definitely time to pick up Gerald Hodges (LB) if you need linebacker help. He led the Cardinals in IDP production for the second week in a row recording 13 combined tackles on 100% of snaps this week. Grab him immediately if you need linebacker help.

Antoine Bethea (S) was next with 10 combined tackles and 1 PD on 100% of snaps and remains a solid mid tier one safety and a weekly auto start. Hasaan Redick (LB) had a serviceable week with 5 solo tackles on 100% of snaps this week but has been mostly bad this season so I’m not interested. Budda Baker (S) was back from injury this week with 5 solo tackles and 1 TFL on 89% of snaps, this is not near what he is capable of and he’s probably rusty so keep plugging him in a monster week is just over the horizon I can smell it.

Chandler Jones (DE) had a nice week as well with 4 solo tackles, 1 sack and 2 TFL on 89% of snaps and is still a great tier one producer at defensive end. Tre Boston (S) had a down week with only 4 solo tackles on 100% of snaps played, he’s definitely cooled down some since the beginning of the season it may be time to find other options if you play him weekly. Robert Nkemdiche (DT), Patrick Peterson (CB) and Markus Golden (DE) all had down weeks but are all still solid options and should be fine, especially in ideal matchups.

Packers: In water is wet news it was Blake Martinez (LB) leading the way for the Packers this week with 10 combined tackles playing 100% of snaps this week, he remains a tier one auto start weekly. Kenny Clark (DT) had a solid game as well with 7 combined tackles and 1 PD on 94% of snaps played, he’s been a rock solid tier two defensive tackle this year and is knocking on the door of a reliable tier one option.

The two new safeties, Josh Jones (S) and Tramon Williams (S) each had serviceable games but nothing spectacular, with Kentrell Brice (S) injured and out this week it was their opportunity to shine and 4 and 5 combined tackles each isn’t real shiny so I’m still not interested in either. Josh Jones (S) did have a sack as well but for a safety those kinds of plays are few and far between and not something you can rely on weekly.

Jaire Alexander (CB) and Clay Matthews (LB, EDGE) both had stinkers this week but Alexander didn’t have a good matchup at all going against a rookie quarterback that was never going to complete a ton of passes in this game. Matthews game this week (1 tackle assist) is the reason why I never play edge rush linebackers in a normal linebacker slot, if I had done so with him this week I would’ve gotten murdered by my opponent if he started even the most average tackle dependent linebacker across from my Matthews share.

Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins

Bills: It was a rare week where Tremaine Edmunds (LB) did not lead the way for the Bills in IDP production, in fact he had his worst game of the season with only 4 tackle assists and 1 PD on 98% of snaps this week. While his timing was not ideal I don’t think we need to worry overall, no one can have great games every single week and he’s still in a great position to succeed so I’m not worried. Also he hasn’t had two bad weeks in a row this season, not exactly scientific but true.

Matt Milano (LB) was the leading scorer on defense this week with 8 combined tackles and 2 TFL on 100% of snap this week, he remains a decent tier two option at linebacker. Jordan Poyer (S) was next with a decent week consisting of 5 combined tackles and 1 PD on 100% of snaps, he’s certainly capable of a bigger day than this but it wasn’t a total bust at least.

Trent Murphy (DE) had a great week with 2 solo tackles, 1 sack and 1 TFL on 36% of snaps, he’s most likely a DE2 in your lineup so that week was just what you’re looking for and about what you can expect out of him most weeks, keep an eye on that snap count though it’s probably just low cause he’s freshly returned from injury. Jerry Hughes (DE) has a stinker but will be fine as a spot start defensive end. Micah Hyde (S) had a decent week but is so inconsistent in both playing time and production I won’t waste anyones time talking about him.

Dolphins: Finally things were back to normal this week with Kiko Alonso (LB) on top of the box score with 11 combined tackles and 1 TFL on 100% of snaps, he’s been a tier one producer overall but was in a bit of a slump until this week so tread carefully with playoffs coming up, I’ve moved on to other options I won’t risk him screwing me in a big moment.

Raekwon McMillan (LB) continues to rise from the trash pile like a phoenix from the ashes recording 8 combined tackles and 2 TFL on 64% of snaps this week, he’s definitely found his stride in the second half of the season and is becoming the producer many of us thought he could be before the season and his slow start. Reshad Jones (S) had his second nice week in a row with 7 combined tackles on 100% of snaps but has been disappointing overall this season and sits on many a waiver wire in my leagues.

Minkah Fitzpatrick (S) had a serviceable game with 5 combined tackles and 2 PD on 100% of snaps but is still just a futures prospect in dynasty for me until Jones is gone for good and he claims the other safety spot. TJ McDonald (S) had a down week with only 4 combined tackles on 100% of snaps this week but overall has been super hot lately, this wasn’t an ideal matchup (Buffalos offense is hot garbage) so I’m not worried about him at all. Xavien Howard (CB) had 4 combined tackles, 2 PD and 2 INT on 99% of snaps this week and has been heating up at corner, he may be worth a roll of the dice we know what he’s capable of but he had a slow start to the season.

Chicago Bears @ New York Giants

Bears: It was the two IDP relevant linebackers leading the way for the Bears this week. Roquan Smith (LB) and Danny Trevethan (LB) both had monster games with Smith recording 10 combined tackles on 89% of snaps while Trevethan had 10 combined tackles and 1 TFL on 100% of snaps this week. Smith has the brighter future of the two but Trevethan has been just outside of tier one producer most of the season.

Akiem Hicks (DE) had a ridiculous game with 6 combined tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 PD and 1 rushing touchdown on 88% of snaps this week, he’s having a career year and if Khalil Mack (DE), who had 5 combined tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL and 1 PD on 89% of snaps, hadn’t have came to this team and made such a splash he surely would be getting more of the attention he deserves.

Eddie Jackson (S) and Adrian Amos (S) both had serviceable games this week with Jackson recording 6 combined tackles and 1 PD on 97% of snaps while Amos had 4 combined tackles, 1 TFL and 1 PD on 100% of snaps played. They’re both big play dependent spotty tier two safeties that a lot of people like in the IDP community, I’m just not one of them.

Prince Amukamara (CB) and Kyle Fuller (CB) both had solid games this week as well with Amukamara recording 5 combined tackles and 1 PD on 96% of snaps while Fuller had 2 combined tackles, 3 PD and 1 INT on 93% of snaps this week. Both remain solid options at IDP corner with the right matchup against a team that passes the ball well.

Giants: It was Alec Ogletree‘s (LB) time to shine today with a ridiculous game, he put up 10 combined tackles, 2 PD, 2 INT and 1 TD on 100% of snaps in a monster game, he remains a solid tier one producer and weekly auto start. Landon Collins (S) had a down game for him this week with 5 combined tackles and 1 TFL on 87% of snaps played, the fact that those numbers are a “bad” game for him show just how good he is, keep playing him.

Olivier Vernon (DE, LB) had a solid game this week with 5 solo tackles, 2 sacks and 1 TFL on 93% of snaps but is still best used as a spot start if you’re desperate. Janoris Jenkins (CB) did not have an ideal matchup this week playing against a backup quarterback who was never going to complete a ton of passes but still managed a serviceable game with 2 solo tackles and 3 PD on 99% of snaps played, he’s a much better option against teams that can pass better than Chase Daniels.

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Panthers: It was one of the best waiver wire deals of the season leading the way for the Panthers this season, Thomas Davis (LB), who sits atop of the box score this week with 8 combined tackles and 1 TFL on 100% of snaps this week, he’s been a rock solid tier two linebacker for the cost of a mouse click around week four this season, you’re welcome.

Captain Munnerlyn (CB) and James Bradberry (CB) took advantage of their ideal matchups against a Bucs team that passes more often than just about any other team in the league with Munnerlyn recording 7 solo tackles and 1 PD on 65% of snaps while Bradberry had 4 solo tackles playing 97% of snaps this week. I’d rather have Bradberry nine times out of ten, this week just happened to be the tenth, both are solid options in matchups like this one against solid passing offenses.

Luke Kuechly (LB) had a bit of a down week with only 5 combined tackles, 2 TFL and 2 PD on 100% of snaps played but obviously remains a tier one weekly auto start, this was just a Bucs team that doesn’t run often so the easy run stopping tackles he usually gets weren’t there this week.

Eric Reid (S) had a bit of a down game as well this week with only 4 combined tackles and 1 PD on 100% of snaps played, he should be fine this is pretty much his “worst” game of the season and it still wasn’t too bad at all. Kawan Short (DT) had a great game with 3 combined tackles, 1 sack and 1 TFL on 69% of snaps, he remains a solid tier one defensive tackle option. Mike Adams (S) and Mario Addison (DE) both had stinkers this week but Adams is still a pretty solid tier two safety and Addison remains a decent spot start at defensive end and playable weekly in deeper leagues.

Bucs: Totally not surprising to see LaVonte David (LB) at the top of the box score for the Bucs this week now that he’s healthy and back in action, he had 12 combined tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL and 1 PD on 100% of snaps and is back to a tier one auto start especially with Kwon Alexander (LB) injured and out for the season.

Jordan Whitehead (S) has been on a tear lately and kept it up this week with 7 combined tackles on 87% of snaps, he’s been a great recent waiver wire option at safety and continues to produce at a start of tier two level. Adarius Taylor (LB) continues to disappoint with only 4 solo tackles and 1 PD on 80% of snaps this week in an ideal matchup against a Panthers team that ran Christian McCaffery about a million times this week, he sucks it’s time to move on, I am.

Jason Pierre Paul (DE) had another great week with 3 solo tackles, 1 sack and 1 TFL on 80% of snaps and is having a career year, keep plugging him in with confidence. Justin Evans (S) had only 2 solo tackles on 36% of snaps and is just back from a multi week injury so I’d give him another week or so before plugging him back in. Gerald McCoy (DT) and Carl Nassib (DE) both had stinkers but McCoy is still a solid defensive tackle option and Nassib is still a decent spot start at defensive end if you need one.

Make sure you catch part three dropping tomorrow and keep an eye out for my start or sit article dropping Sunday morning. My bad habit of going too far into detail means this article is in multiple parts instead of one novel.

If you have any questions or need some advice feel free to hit me up on Twitter (@OrangeMan3142) or use the “Contact Us” box on our website (idpguys.org) to reach us. Our team of writers has over 100 combined years of experience in IDP fantasy football and we are always accessible and transparent with both our hits and misses.

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