Taking a look at the NFL Week 14 from a IDP perspective; notes on what our writer @Orangeman3142 saw this weekend.

This article series throughout the season has focused on each teams IDP production with analysis and waivers every week. Now that we are into playoffs it will be short and sweet and most likely only a few parts for the next several weeks until fantasy playoffs are over. Let’s be realistic here, no one cares about bye week or short term replacements at this point and there are only three weeks left in the season so I’ll be focusing on just the important stuff.

I want to thank all of you that have read this series throughout the season I hope I was able to give you guys an edge in your leagues and the ability to grab the next big playmaker before anyone else did.

Make sure you check out our Sunday morning start or sit live show every Sunday at 11am Eastern time on Periscope and Twitter, we answer any start or sit questions and go over inactives as they get released, it’s a great last minute info session to check out before kickoff. Let’s get into week fourteen.

In the interest of saving time, which I don’t have a lot of this week due to work and other obligations, I’ll be skipping the complete breakdown with stats included but you’ll get the picture with the explanations of each players week. Make sure you caught part one from earlier this week and keep an eye out for part three dropping tomorrow.

Indianapolis Colts @ Houston Texans

Colts: Darius Leonard (LB) had another monster game and is THE tier one auto start for IDP, never sit him. Anthony Walker (LB) has been hot lately and had another nice week, it seems that even with Skai Moore (LB) stealing some snaps and him never playing 100% of snaps he’s able to be productive more often than not, he’s an ideal linebacker three or four.

Clayton Geathers (S) had a monster game and is a tier one auto start at safety while he’s healthy, which isn’t all that often so play him while you can. Kenny Moore (CB) has also been red hot lately and is an awesome option at cornerback in most matchups and a must play in ideal matchups. Jabaal Sheard (DE) had a solid day and is good at defensive end two or three in deeper leagues. Denico Autry (DT) had his third monster game of the season and his second in a month so he may be heating up at the right time, for me I don’t trust him completely yet, if you need to roll the dice at defensive tackle he’s not a bad option at all though.

Texans: It was the third safety and occasional corner (in some leagues) Kareem Jackson (S) with the best IDP day for the Texans this week, he’s been spotty overall this year but has had some monster games, if you can play him at corner it’s a decent move but at safety the consistency just isn’t there. Zach Cunningham (LB) is completely healthy and back to awesome end of tier one production, he’s a nice option especially in ideal matchups, if you can play him as a linebacker two or three that’s perfect.

Tyrann Mathieu (S) had a solid day also and remains an end of tier one safety option and a weekly auto start. Bernardrick McKinney (LB) had a crappy day and has been spotty lately, still I would feel fine playing him as a linebacker three or four. JJ Watt (DE) and Jadaveon Clowney (DE, LB) are tier one auto starts at defensive end, Clowney is not a great option at linebacker though.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Los Angeles Chargers

Bengals: Not surprisingly at all it was Jessie Bates (S) and Shawn Williams (S) with the two best days for the Bengals IDP production this week, they are both tier one auto starts at this point. Carlos Dunlap (DE) grabbed a sack so he ended up with a solid week but is still only a tier two defensive end going forward. Geno Atkins (DT) and his slump continue, he’s been cold as ice for well over a month now, find someone else.

Literally none of the Bengals linebackers had a startable day this week and even Nick Vigil (LB) only had 3 combined tackles, what used to be a really productive unit has been terrible lately, most of the tackles have been going to Jessie Bates and Shawn Williams, I am avoiding the Cincy linebackers corps for the rest of fantasy playoffs, just too risky. Darqueze Dennard (CB) had a serviceable day but you can stream corner elsewhere and get better production, both him and Dre Kirkpatrick (CB) had been shells of their former selves and last years production.

Chargers: The usual suspects led the way for the Bolts in blue this week, Jahleel Addae (S), Derwin James (S) and Jatavis Brown (LB) all had excellent weeks. Addae is the riskiest play of the three but is fine as a safety two in deeper leagues. Brown has established himself as a rock solid linebacker two and James is a tier one auto start at safety. Joey Bosa (DE) had another monster day and is obviously an auto start at defensive end.

Adrian Phillips (S) had a serviceable day and has proved to be a reliable safety two in deeper leagues. Melvin Ingram (DE) had a much better showing this week and is great as a defensive end two if you can play him there and a little risky as your overall number one defensive end. Desmond King (CB) is ideal in leagues with return yards but besides that is too spotty for my tastes.

Denver Broncos @ San Francisco 49ers

Broncos: Todd Davis (LB) had the best day for the Broncos this week and is having a career season, continue to start him weekly as a rock solid linebacker two. Justin Simmons (S) had a decent day and has been a tier one producer all year, I start him weekly in several leagues as my safety one and usually never worry about it. Derek Wolfe (DE) had a nice game but is still just a spot start unless your league is really deep.

Von Miller (LB, EDGE) had a sack so that saved his week but he’s still too risky unless you have a specific EDGE or OLB slot in your league. Bradley Chubb (DE, LB) has been red hot lately and is a great play at defensive end and a risky play at linebacker. Josey Jewell (LB) had another serviceable week but is still just a futures prospect in dynasty as far as this year is concerned.

49ers: Fred Warner (LB) is playable as a linebacker two but preferably three or four in deeper leagues, he is capable of greatness but usually only has a handful of tackles. Jaquiski Tartt (S) is an end of tier one safety when healthy, which isn’t often at all. DeForest Buckner (DT) is still a top five defensive tackle and a tier one auto start, he had a serviceable week. And Solomon Thomas (DE) had no stats of any kind this week, it’s way past the time of year where this guy should be an option, if you’re stuck starting him now that’s not a good sign.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys

Eagles: Nigel Bradham (LB) had a monster game in a perfect matchup but is still a rock solid linebacker two even when not playing the very IDP friendly Cowboys offense. Corey Graham (S) had the next best day but is inconsistent overall, he’s playable as a roll of the dice boom or bust safety two in deeper leagues. Malcolm Jenkins (S) had a great day as well and is a very steady end of tier one safety that never has a bad game.

Kamu Gruger Hill (LB) has been playing for the injured Jordan Hicks (LB) and had a great day but it was an ideal matchup, he’s spotty overall I would look for other options, especially since he’ll be useless when Hicks returns. Micheal Bennett (DE) had a monster game but has consistency issues as well, play him only as a defensive end two in super deep leagues. Fletcher Cox (DT) had a sack so he managed a startable day this week and remains a tier one auto start defensive tackle.

 Cowboys: It was the awesome linebacker duo of Jaylon Smith (LB) and Leighton Vander Esch (LB) both having monster games for them boys this week, they remain weekly auto starts until Jerry Jones screws it all up by putting Sean Lee (LB) back into his old slot and playing time, which he will do, so be ready for that. Demarcus Lawrence (DE) had a serviceable game and has been awesome all season, continue to start him as a tier one defensive end.

Randy Gregory (DE) had a sack but should only be played in super deep leagues. Chidobe Awuzie (CB) had a serviceable game but has cooled down significantly since the start of the season, I’ve been streaming elsewhere. There are others on this team that have been IDP relevant during the season but it’s crunch time now so I won’t lead anyone astray with shots in the dark.

Keep an eye out for part four dropping tomorrow and the start or sit article dropping Sunday morning as well as the Sunday morning live show at 11am Eastern time on Periscope and Twitter.

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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