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.

Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs

Ravens: Inside linebacker and consistent tier one option CJ Mosley (LB) had a decent game this week in a not ideal matchup, Kansas City doesn’t give up a ton of points to opposing linebackers. He remains a weekly auto start. Eric Weddle (S) and Terrell Suggs (LB, EDGE) both had serviceable games but shouldn’t be an option unless in super deep leagues or in Suggs case if you have a specific OLB or EDGE slot. Chuck Clark (S) had a serviceable game as well replacing Tony Jefferson (S) who has been injured and out but there are better safety options out there.

Chiefs: It was Anthony Hitchens (LB) was a great game leading the way for the Chiefs, he’s ideally a linebacker two or three in your lineup going forward. Reggie Ragland (LB) had a decent game but has been horrible lately so most people have abandoned ship on him and should continue to. Kendall Fuller (CB) had a great game in a non ideal matchup against a Baltimore team that struggles to pass the ball, he remains about as matchup proof as they come for cornerback and a tier one option.

Chris Jones (DE) had a sack so his day was pretty good but he shouldn’t be anything more than a defensive end two or three in super deep leagues. I don’t care what any of the edge rush linebackers did I don’t use them, ever. None of the Chiefs safeties had great games or even decent games this week, I’ve seen them played in a few of the leagues I’m in but I’ve never been impressed by any of them besides Eric Berry (S) who hasn’t played this season.

New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins

Patriots: The only guy I trust on this squad is Trey Flowers (DE) and he delivered with 4 solo tackles, 2 sacks and 2 TFL this week, he’s my only auto start on the Pats. Devin McCourty (S) and Kyle Van Noy (LB) both had solid games but McCourty is spotty and will screw you at the worst possible time while Van Noy shouldn’t be played as anything more than a linebacker three or four ideally. Patrick Chung (S) had a serviceable game but is just as spotty as the rest of this team, besides Flowers I trust no one on this team and I suggest you follow my lead.

Dolphins: Kiko Alonso (LB) is definitely back on track and had a monster game this week, he remains a tier one auto start but had had a couple down games this season so he’s not without risk, if you have him as a linebacker two that’s pretty much perfect. Raekwon McMillan (LB) had another 9 combined tackles this week and has established himself as a pretty solid linebacker two himself. He’s been pretty solid the second half of the season and seems safe to play in that capacity going forward.

TJ McDonald (S) has been the safety to own on the Dolphins this season and had another awesome game this week, even with them rolling out a three safety set consistently now he’s still the safety to have going forward. Reshad Jones (S) and Minkah Fitzpatrick (S) both had serviceable games but haven’t been better than a safety two or three in deeper leagues for most of this season, I have trouble trusting either when the chips are down.

Xavien Howard (CB) was on a tear until missing this week with injury, Bobby McCain (CB) took his place this week and took advantage of an ideal matchup against a solid Patriots passing offense and had a tier one performance, this was mostly due to matchup so he’s probably going back to the waiver wire for me next week as I stream elsewhere.

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Saints: Demario Davis (LB) and Marcus Williams (S) led the way for the Saints, Davis is fine as a linebacker two or ideally three in deeper leagues but can be spotty while Williams has been a consistent end of tier two option for safety this year. Marshon Lattimore (CB) had a nice game as well in a perfect matchup for him against the pass happy Bucs this week, he’s streamable in matchups like this one but not playable weekly.

Cameron Jordan (DE) had a monster game and remains a tier one auto start at defensive end and Marshon Lattimore (DE) is back and had 4 combined tackles this week if you need defensive end help. Sheldon Rankins (DT) had another sack this week and is a solid tier two defensive tackle going forward. Vonn Bell (S) had only 4 tackles and isn’t a great option at safety and Eli Apple (CB) only had 3 combined tackles and 2 PD in a perfect matchup for him but has been more good than bad in good matchups by a wide margin this season if you need corner help.

Bucs: Lavonte David (LB) and Jason Pierre Paul (DE) both had monster games this week and are both tier one auto starts you’re not benching regardless to let’s keep it moving. Adarius Taylor (LB) had a big game but has been pretty terrible overall so I’m not trusting him during playoffs.

Jordan Whitehead (S) had a down game but remains a nice option at safety if you need help there while Brent Grimes (CB) had an ideal matchup and only put up 4 combined tackles this week, I still wouldn’t hesitate to play him in good matchups like this one was the odds are he generally has a better day than that. Gerald McCoy (DT) had a terrible game but is still an end of tier one defensive end, nature of the position every week isn’t going to be productive, not even guys like Snacks Harrison and Linval Joseph or Deforest Buckner are good every single week.

New York Jets @ Washington Redskins

Giants: Alec Ogletree (LB) had another monster game this week and has been red hot lately, he remains a tier one auto start at linebacker for playoffs. With Landon Collins (S) moved to IR it was a chance for Micheal Thomas (S) the safety this week and he made the most of it with 6 combined tackles, 1 PD and 1 INT, if you need safety help he’s not a terrible option at all.

Janoris Jenkins (CB) had a great game in a terrible matchup and has been a terrific IDP corner this entire season, I would not hesitate to start him in ideal matchups against teams that can pass effectively. Olivier Vernon (DE, LB) had his second great week in a row and seems to be heating up if you need defensive end help, I wouldn’t play him at linebacker though.

Redskins: It was Ha Ha Clinton Dix (S) with the best game for the IDP relevant players for the Skins this week, he’s a tier one auto start going forward throughout playoffs. Mason Foster (LB) put up a serviceable day and is a nice end of tier one linebacker going forward while Zach Brown (LB) absolutely bombed this week, he had been hot lately but overall this season has been super spotty, he remains ideally a linebacker three or four in deeper leagues, playing him at linebacker two could be a recipe for disaster.

Josh Norman (CB) had a down game but this was definitely not an ideal matchup, he is a nice streamer against teams that throw the ball better than the Giants. DJ Swearinger (S) had only 4 combined tackles this week and the majority were just assists, he has been pretty bad since Clinton Dix joined the team and should be avoided unless you have no other options.

Keep an eye out for part three 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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