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 parts one, two and three from earlier this week and keep an eye out for the weekly start or sit article coming out Sunday.

Pittsburgh @ Oakland

Steelers: Terrel Edmunds (S) had a solid day with 7 combined tackles and has been playing 100% of snaps for awhile now, he has a great matchup against the Patriots this week so he becomes a great option as they are an IDP points gold mine. Cameron Heyward (DT, DE) had a nice day as well and has been a solid tier two option at defensive tackle all season, I continue to play him weekly in several leagues.

LJ Fort (LB) and Vince Williams (LB) only combined for 5 tackles between them, they are playable this week though with the Pats in town but not as anything better than a linebacker two or ideally three in deeper leagues. TJ Watt (LB, EDGE) had a stinker of a week and is a massive risk in a regular linebacker slot I won’t be taking. Stephon Tuitt (DE) was playable during the season with injuries and bye weeks but is not a great option for the playoffs.

Raiders: Tahir Whitehead (LB) had a tier one performance this week and has been an end of tier one producer at linebacker all season and is literally the only IDP option I care about on this team, anyone besides him will have reliability and consistency issues. Maurice Hurst (DT) had no stats of any kind this week and is still just a futures option for dynasty.

Detroit @ Arizona

Lions: It was Jarrad Davis (LB) with a monster day for the Lions this week, he’s been pretty reliable most of this season but is best used as a linebacker two or three for playoffs in deeper leagues. A’Shawn Robinson (DT) had a monster day but has been real spotty all year so I’m definitely not relying on him during playoffs. Damon Harrison (DT) only had 4 combined tackles this week but has been back to his tier one producer ways since joining the Lions and remains a weekly auto start at defensive tackle.

Glover Quin (S) and Quandre Diggs (S) both had serviceable days but I don’t own either in any of my leagues they’ve just never interested me, not consistent enough. Darius Slay (CB) had a touchdown and a nice day besides that but doesn’t have a great matchup against the Bills next week so I’m streaming elsewhere. Ezekiel Ansah (DE) has been put on IR for the season and was a pretty inconsistent option before then so that’s that.

Cardinals: With Josh Bynes (LB) gone to IR it has been Gerald Hodges (LB) and Hasaan Redick (LB) picking up the slack, Redick had a huge week and has been a solid option since Bynes went down, he’s a decent option if you need linebacker help. Hodges had 5 combined tackles and 1 TFL but had a monster the week before, both are linebacker two or three options in deeper leagues. Antoine Bethea (S) had a monster game and has had a great season, keep plugging him in as an end of tier one safety.

Budda Baker (S) was back this week but only had a serviceable game, I’ll keep playing him as long as he’s healthy though I know he can put up a week winning performance any time he’s on the field. Chandler Jones (DE) had a stinker but is still a tier one defensive end and a weekly auto start, Tre Boston (S) had a serviceable game but shouldn’t be played as anything better than a safety two in really deep leagues. Patrick Peterson (CB) had a stinker but the Lions offense is in shambles, he’s a nice option against teams that can throw the ball effectively.

Los Angeles @ Chicago

Rams: Cory Littleton (LB) and N’Damakong Suh (DT) both had really nice games this week, regardless of this weeks stats nothing changes for me with this team. Littleton is still a tier one linebacker, Suh still a tier one defensive tackle, Donald a tier one auto start defensive end and John Johnson still an end of tier one safety.

Marcus Peters (CB) is a nice option against teams with a solid passing offense and Micheal Brockers (DE) and Dante Fowler (DE) are still rolls of the dice at defensive end if you need help there. Marc Barron (LB) is still a massive disappointment and doesn’t play when it’s cold out. Aqib Talib (CB) is now completely healthy and becomes a nice streaming option against efficient passing offenses as well. Carry on.

Bears: Honestly, same deal here, nothing that happened this week is going to change my opinions on any of these guys. Khalil Mack (DE, LB) is still a tier one auto start at defensive end and a roll of the dice at the linebacker position. Roquan Smith (LB) and Danny Trevethan (LB) both remain very solid options at linebacker, Smith knocking on the door of tier one and Trevethan at the very start of tier two with guys like Nigel Bradham (LB) of the Eagles. Eddie “Skid Marks” Jackson (S) still remains an extremely risky play at safety, he’s almost completely reliable on big plays to score his points and that will screw you over at some point.

Adrian Amos (S) has the same style of production but puts up tier one performances far more rarely compared to Jackson. Kyle Fuller (CB) is a great streamer against teams that pass the ball well, Prince Amukamara (CB) as well. Akiem Hicks (DE) is having a career year and has been involved on offense in goal line situations two weeks in a row now, scoring a touchdown on one of those attempts, that kind of upside plus his career year production in sacks, tackles for loss and stats in general makes him an auto start for defensive end unless you have an embarrassment of riches in that department.

Minnesota @ Seattle

Vikings: I’m not going to lie to you guys, it’s been a long freaking week and I’m low on sleep and patience at this point, so please excuse the JV level effort here on this last matchup. On the Vikings we all know out studs, Danielle Hunter (DE) will be a tier one auto start at defensive end, Everson Griffen (DE) an end of tier one guy at the same position, I’m playing both currently and have confidence in each guy. Linval Joseph (DT) has been hot lately and remains a top five IDP defensive tackle and a tier one auto start at that position.

Sheldon Richardson (DT) is best used as a defensive tackle two in deeper leagues. The Vikings corners are all beat to hell so I’m not going near that mess. Harrison Smith (S) is seen as a tier one auto start by most in the IDP community but I know his secret, his underwear has just as many skid marks as Eddie Jacksons (S) does. They’re both spotty. I don’t own him anywhere and don’t trust him as far as I can throw him with no arms. Eric Kendricks (LB) has been super hot lately and is a tier one play when the matchup is right and a rock solid tier two producer with a great floor when the matchup is just OK.

Seahawks: Frank Clark (DE) is an end of tier one defensive end, Bobby Wagner (LB) is a tier one auto start at linebacker and Bradley McDougald (S) is an end of tier one safety that’s been a bit spotty lately but has had a great season overall. KJ Wright (LB) is playable as a tier two linebacker if he ever gets healthy again.

Jarran Reed (DT) has been a nice tier two defensive tackle all season and Tre Flowers (CB) and Shaq Griffin (CB) have been streamable at corner in the right matchup this seaon. Tedric Thompson (S) has been an option for bye weeks and short term injuries but probably shouldn’t be starting in fantasy playoffs.

Keep an eye out for my weekly start or sit article dropping Sunday and catch our weekly start or sit periscope live show this Sunday @ 11AM Eastern.

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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