This is my weekly start or sit article for your IDP players in fantasy football. Despite there being very little actual information presented, just a start, sit, and what tier of production I expect from the starting player, there is a lot of information that goes into these decisions each week.
I use snap percentages (playing time), past production, tendencies of the opposing offense and probable game flow to decide on these. I just want the reader to know that a lot of time and research goes into this each week so don’t be put off by the bare bones layout here.
I used to do this explaining exactly why each decision is made and the thought process behind it but it was getting so detailed I wasn’t able to finish a start or sit for every team playing each week and only ended up covering some of the games, this way you guys get a read on all of them.
If I don’t mention a specific player it means I don’t have enough of a read on them to make a recommendation one way or the other but odds are I wouldn’t play them. The known IDP producers or potential IDP producers for each team should all be covered here.
Tier one starts = These guys have the best matchups and a history of production along with playing time, they are most likely to have a big game this week.
Tier two starts = Play these guys in deeper leagues, they should get you some points but I wouldn’t expect a massive day out of them.
Sits = Don’t play them they don’t have an ideal matchup or won’t play enough snaps to be effective.
Full transparency I am at around 72% correct on the year with these calls, definitely not perfect but not too bad at all for calling pretty much every IDP relevant player on each team for every game all season.
And I’m pretty easily accessible if you want to call me an idiot, (@Orangeman3142 on Twitter). We believe in transparency and owning our mistakes here at IDP Guys as well as never making you go through a paywall for information.
It’s a labor of love here and I would put our team, who together have over 100 years of combined IDP experience, up against anyone or any site out there and bet on us to be more accurate and accessible 10 times out of 10. I’ll be skipping over all of the spot start and bye weekshort term guys this week since it’s playoffs.
Let’s get into it.
Arizona @ Atlanta
Cardinals:
Tier one starts: Budda Baker (S) Chandler Jones (DE) Antoine Bethea (S)
Tier two starts: Patrick Peterson (CB) Tre Boston (S) Gerald Hodges (LB) Hasaan Redick (LB) Robert Nkemdiche (DT)
Sits: Deone Buchanon (LB)
Falcons:
Tier one starts: Deion Jones (LB) Grady Jarrett (DT)
Tier two starts: Foye Oluokun (LB) DaMontae Kazee (S)
Sits: Falcons corners *there are better matchups to stream elsewhere*
Detroit @ Buffalo
Lions:
Tier one starts: Damon Harrison (DT)
Tier two starts: Jarrad Davis (LB) Quandre Diggs (S) Glover Quin (S)
Sits: Darius Slay (CB) *not an ideal matchup*
Bills:
Tier one starts: Tremaine Edmunds (LB) Jordan Poyer (S)
Tier two starts: Trent Murphy (DE) Jerry Hughes (DE)
Sits: Lorenzo Alexander (LB) Bills Corners *Lions receiving corps is decimated, they will be running alot*
Green Bay @ Chicago
Packers:
Tier one starts: Blake Martinez (LB) Kenny Clark (DT)
Tier two starts: Jaire Alexander (CB)
Sits: Clay Matthews (LB, EDGE) Packers Safeties *unless you have no other options, they’ve been underwhelming to say the least*
Bears:
Tier one starts: Kyle Fuller (CB) Roquan Smith (LB) Khalil Mack (DE, LB) *tier one as DE, two as LB* Akiem Hicks (DE)
Tier two starts: Danny Trevethan (LB) Adrian Amos (S) Eddie “Skidmarks” Jackson (S) Prince Amukamara (CB)
Sits: NA
Oakland @ Cincinnati
Raiders:
Tier one starts: Tahir Whitehead (LB)
Tier two starts: Maurice Hurst (DT)
Sits: Everyone else
Bengals:
Tier one starts: Jessie Bates (S)
Tier two starts: Shawn Williams (S) Carlos Dunlap (DE) Geno Atkins (DT)
Sits: Bengals linebackers (they’ve all been awful lately, even Nick Vigil) Bengals Corners (there are better matchups to stream this week)
Dallas @ Indianapolis
Cowboys:
Tier one starts: Leighton Vander Esch (LB) Jaylon Smith (LB) DeMarcus Lawrence (DE)
Tier two starts: Chidobe Awuzie (CB) *nice stream this week* Byron Jones (CB)
Sits: NA
Colts:
Tier one starts: Darius Leonard (LB) Anthony Walker (LB) Clayton Geathers (S) Kenny Moore (CB)
Tier two starts: Denico Autry (DT) Jabaal Sheard (DE)
Sits: Margus Hunt (DE, DT)
Miami @ Minnesota
Dolphins:
Tier one starts: Kiko Alonso (LB) TJ McDonald (S)
Tier two starts: Raekwon McMillan (LB) Reshad Jones (S) Bobby McCain (CB) Xavien Howard (CB) Mincah Fitzpatrick (S)
Sits: Davon Godchaux (DT)
Vikings:
Tier one starts: Danielle Hunter (DE) Linval Joseph (DT) Harrison Smith (S)
Tier two starts: Everson Griffen (DE) Sheldon Richardson (DT) Eric Kendricks (LB)
Sits: Vikings Corners
Tennessee @ New York
Titans:
Tier one starts: Wesley Woodyard (LB) Jurell Casey (DT) Kevin Byard (S)
Tier two starts: Jayon Brown (LB) Titans Corners
Sits: NA
Giants:
Tier one starts: Alec Ogletree (LB)
Tier two starts: Micheal Thomas (S) Olivier Vernon (DE, LB) Janoris Jenkins (CB)
Sits: NA
Washington @ Jacksonville
Redskins:
Tier one starts: Mason Foster (LB) Ha Ha Clinton Dix (S)
Tier two starts: Zach Brown (LB)
Sits: DJ Swearinger (S) Josh Norman (CB) *better streams elsewhere*
Jags:
Tier one starts: Calais Campbell (DE) Telvin Smith (LB)
Tier two starts: Yannick Ngakoue (DE) Myles Jack (LB) Ronnie Harrison (S)
Sits: Jags Corners (stream somewhere else)
Tampa Bay @ Baltimore
Bucs:
Tier one starts: Jason Pierre Paul (DE) Gerald McCoy (DT) Lavonte David (LB)
Tier two starts: Adarius Taylor (LB) Jordan Whitehead (S)
Sits: Bucs Corners (not an ideal matchup) Justin Evans (S) (playing time)
Ravens:
Tier one starts: CJ Mosley (LB)
Tier two starts: Eric Weddle (S) Terrel Suggs (LB, EDGE)
Sits: NA
Seattle @ San Francisco
Seahawks:
Tier one starts: Bobby Wagner (LB) Frank Clark (DE)
Tier two starts: Bradley McDougald (S) Jarran Reed (DT)
Sits: All others, 49ers offense shouldn’t put up a ton of plays if this game goes how it should
49ers:
Tier one starts: Fred Warner (LB) DeForest Buckner (DT) Jaquiski Tartt (S)
Tier two starts: Malcolm Smith (LB)
Sits: Solomon Thomas (DE)
New England @ Pittsburgh
Pats:
Tier one starts: Trey Flowers (DE)
Tier two starts: Devon McCourty (S) Patrick Chung (S) Kyle Van Noy (LB)
Sits: Pats corners have a good matchup, but the nature of the team means we have no idea who will have the big day, so I’m avoiding them
Steelers:
Tier one starts: Cameron Heyward (DT) Terrel Edmunds (S)
Tier two starts: LJ Fort (LB) Vince Williams (LB) Sean Davis (S) Stephon Tuitt (DE)
Sits: NA
Philadelphia @ Los Angeles
Eagles:
Tier one starts: Nigel Bradham (LB) Malcolm Jenkins (S) Fletcher Cox (DT) Jordan Hicks (LB)
Tier two starts: Corey Graham (S) Micheal Bennett (DE)
Sits: NA
Rams:
Tier one starts: Aaron Donald (DE) N’Damakong Suh (DT) Cory Littleton (LB) John Johnson (S)
Tier two starts: Micheal Brockers (DE) Dante Fowler (DE) Lamarcus Joyner (S)
Sits: Marcus Peters (CB) Aqib Talib (CB) *Nick Foles is in, stream elsewhere* Marc Barron (LB) *inconsistency*
New Orleans @ Carolina
Saints:
Tier one starts: Cameron Jordan (DE) Demario Davis (LB)
Tier two starts: Sheldon Rankins (DT) Marcus Davenport (DE) Marcus Williams (S) Vonn Bell (S) Eli Apple (CB)
Sits: NA
Panthers:
Tier one starts: Luke Kuechly (LB) Kawan Short (DT) James Bradberry (CB) Captain Munnerlyn (CB)
Tier two starts: Eric Reid (S) Mike Adams (S) Thomas Davis (LB) Mario Addison (DE)
Sits: Shaq Thompson (LB) *inconsistency*
Good luck in playoffs gentlemen, and if your gut tells you something trust it. In the end it’s still a bit of luck that will win you these titles, there’s only so much we can do, the rest is in the hands of the fantasy gods.
***Obviously if any of these players are inactive or injured before their game don’t play them, this article is usually written days ahead of each teams game and things change constantly in regards to injury and suspensions and the like. Make sure you check ESPN’s inactive list that drops at 11:30AM Eastern Time every Sunday morning for the latest and best information on injury status before the games kick off***
If you have any questions feel free to hit me up on Twitter (@Orangeman3142) or use the “contact us” box on the website idpguys.org. Good luck in your matchups this week and keep an eye out for my instant reaction & defensive waivers segment coming out next week starting Tuesday and continuing throughout the week. I break down every single teams IDP situation with snap counts, production and analysis.
And make sure you catch the podcast dropping Tuesday where we discuss this week in all things IDP from week fifteen as well as some offensive and defensive waivers and the latest IDP news and notes to keep you up to speed with all things IDP.
Our team of writers has been doing this for a long time, many of us since 2004 or earlier and altogether we have over 100 years of IDP experience combined. Between all of us we’ll find you the help or advice you need to get your team ready for the playoff push and win your IDP league.
All that and more, and never behind a paywall, at idpguys.org.
