Welcome to the IDP Guys’ weekly game preview and start/sit articles! Our team has broken down each game and the IDP outlooks for the most relevant IDP players to help you make those tough lineup decisions. May the fantasy gods be forever in your favor!
*Please check back frequently for written updates as our writers and editors are all on different schedules. Updates will occur all day throughout the day on Thursday and Friday*
This year we are bringing you a new format to help you with those pesky start/sit decisions. In addition to listing players, we hope these categories are more useful to you than a traditional start or sit classification. Here are our definitions for our four categories.
- Start Your Studs: These players should always be in your lineup or have SMASH matchups this week. Even your most shallow IDP leagues should include these players in their starting lineups.
- Solid Starting Options: These players may vary from week to week and are very matchup-dependent. They are likely weekly starters in 12+ team leagues starting at least two players at each IDP position.
- Hail Mary: These players have big question marks surrounding their roles, usage, and murky playing time projections. Lean towards benching them unless you are in very deep leagues (16+32 teams and/or 11+ IDP starters). If they see the field consistently, they have the potential to move up a category as Solid Starting Options but until then, they will likely be big-play-dependent with low tackle floors. Your classic boom/bust options.
- No Thank You: Clear sits for the week due to matchups, playing time trends, injuries, etc.
*Most CB and DT recommendations are meant for CB and/or DT-required leagues. If in DB or DL-only leagues, generally move down one category level.
Of course, your league sizes and scoring settings are going to be different from person to person and league to league. If you need further clarification or suggestions on who to start over another player in a similar tier, we have two additional solutions for you!
Our expert weekly positional rankings can be found here for subscribers.
New York Jets at Cleveland Browns
By Steve Tomasin (@DynastySanta)
wpDataTable with provided ID not found!Start Your Studs
Check out the points given up to opposing positions for the studs and it’s an easy explanation. I know, C.J. Mosley has been slumping and until last week, so was Quincy Williams. This should be an excellent get-right/stay-right matchup.
DT Quinnen Williams has been tough to trust lately as well but we’re going to have faith in the process and plus-matchup here. The Browns are still fighting for playoff positioning so I’d expect a full offensive effort.
This game is a perfect recipe for Jets IDPs with the Browns’ offense on the field for the most snaps on average in the NFL along with the Jets’ defense being on the field for the seventh most snaps.
Solid Starting Options
The Browns continue to be decimated by injuries on both sides of the ball this year. Safety Ronnie Hickman has inherited the full-time role so he figures to be a decent option, albeit against an anemic Jets offense. However, if they continue the recipe of feeding RB Breece Hall through the air and on the ground, Hickman could find himself with a solid tackle floor this week.
At linebacker, Anthony Walker for the Browns cannot stay healthy so Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has stepped up to the plate and finally proving his truthers correct with recent IDP fantasy production. He is a strong option this week.
With Ogbonnia Okoronkwo down for the count on the Browns’ defensive line, Alex Wright has been the next man up and producing nicely. Check out those fantasy finishes in the past two weeks using big-play scoring! He is a sneaky strong play this week along with his counterpart Za’Darius Smith.
Hail Mary
The other Browns’ safeties are a bit of a mess due to injury statuses and playing time splits. If Juan Thornhill actually plays, we would probably swap tiers with Ronnie Hickman. If not, D’Anthony Bell and Duron Harmon are splitting the job almost 50/50. Not great for IDP fantasy purposes.
Jets’ cornerback Ahmad Gardner is such a tough call. We assume he’ll be covering Amari Cooper in this game and should be peppered with targets. However, if he isn’t swatting passes or not getting tackle opportunities on Cooper, it will be a bad IDP fantasy day. We have D.J. Reed a tier above as he is just a bit safer.
I’m a big fan of Sione Takitaki but against the Jets, it’s usually just one LB who eats so he finds himself as a borderline Hail Mary option this week. He might have a safer floor than JOK though.
No Thanks
Browns’ edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo has been having a nice season but will miss this game.
Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys
By Steve Tomasin (@DynastySanta)
