The IDP Fantasy start and sits you need to set your lineups and succeed on Sunday!

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 got correct 117 takes and 36 wrong last week for about a 70% success rate, my percent correct each week has been hovering around 70% all year and the lowest has been 66% and the highest 75%. I don’t own a crystal ball so I’ll never be perfect but for having a take on literally every single IDP relevant player on every single team every week all year I’d say we’re looking pretty good.

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.

Let’s get into it.

Dallas @ Atlanta:

Cowboys:

Tier one starts: Leighton Vander Esch Mein Shizor (LB) Jaylon Smith (LB) DeMarcus Lawrence (DE) Chidobe Awuzie (CB)

Tier two starts: Randy Gregory (DE) Byron Jones (CB) Jeff Heath (S)

Sits: Kavon Frazier (S)

Falcons:

Tier one starts: DaMontae Kazee (S) Grady Jarrett (DT)

Tier two starts: Foye Oluokon (LB) DaVondre Campbell (LB)

Sits: Falcons Corners (Dallas can’t pass) Deion Jones (LB) *injured and out*

Carolina @ Detroit

Panthers:

Tier one starts: Luke Kuechly (LB) Eric Reid (S) James Bradberry (CB) Kawan Short (DT)

Tier two starts: Thomas Davis (LB) Mike Adams (S) Mario Addison (DE)

Sits: Shaq Thompson (LB, EDGE) *inconsistent*

Lions:

Tier one starts: Jarrad Davis (LB) Damon Harrison (DT)

Tier two starts: Quandre Diggs (S) Glover Quinn (S) Ezekiel Ansah (DE) *if healthy* Darius Slay (CB) *if healthy* Devon Kennard (LB)

Sits: NA

Tennessee @ Indianapolis

Titans:

Tier one starts: Wesley Woodyard (LB) Kevin Byard (S) Jurell Casey (DT)

Tier two starts: Jayon Brown (LB) Kenny Vaccaro (S) Adoree Jackson (CB) Malcolm Butler (CB) Logan Ryan (CB)

Sits: Rashaan Evans (LB)

Colts:

Tier one starts: Darius Leonard (LB) Clayton Geathers (S)

Tier two starts: Anthony Walker (LB) Jabaal Sheard (DE) Kenny Moore (CB)

Sits: Margus Hunt (DE, DT) *in a serious slump* Denico Autry (DT)

Tampa Bay @ New York Giants

Bucs:

Tier one starts: Adarius Taylor (LB) Jason Pierre Paul (DE)

Tier two starts: Gerald McCoy (DT) Brent Grimes (CB)

Sits: Justin Evans (S) *injured and out* LaVonte David (LB) *injured and out*

Giants:

Tier one starts: Landon Collins (LB) Alec Ogletree (LB)

Tier two starts: Curtis Riley (S)

Sits: NA

Houston @ Washington

Texans:

Tier one starts: JJ Watt (DE) Zach Cunningham (LB) Tyrann Mathieu (S) JaDaveon Clowney (DE, LB) *tier one as DE, tier two as LB)

Tier two starts: Bernardrick McKinney (LB) Justin Reid (S, CB)

Sits: DJ Reader (DT)

Redskins:

Tier one starts: Ha Ha Clinton Dix (S) Mason Foster (LB)

Tier two starts: Zach Brown (LB) Josh Norman (CB)

Sits: NA

Pittsburgh @ Jacksonville

Steelers:

Tier one starts: NA

Tier two starts: Jon Bostic (LB) Vince Williams (LB) Cameron Heyward (DT, DE) Stephon Tuitt (DE)

Sits: TJ Watt (LB, EDGE) *inconsistent* All Steelers safeties, massive inconsistency in both production and playing time*

Jaguars:

Tier one starts: Telvin Smith (LB) Calais Campbell (DE)

Tier two starts: Myles Jack (LB) Jalen Ramsey (CB) AJ Bouye (CB) Barry Church (S) Yannick Ngakoue (DE)

Sits: NA

Cincinatti @ Baltimore

Bengals:

Tier one starts: Jessie Bates (S) Geno Atkins (DT) Nick Vigil (LB) *if healthy*

Tier two starts: Vontaze Burfict (LB) *if healthy* Preston Brown (LB) Shawn Williams (S) Carlos Dunlap (DE) Jordan Evans (LB) *if Vigil and Burfict both don’t play, otherwise sit*

Sits: Bengals corners, Lamar Jackson not projected to complete a lot of passes, same thing with Flacco

Ravens:

Tier one starts: CJ Mosley (LB) Tony Jefferson (S)

Tier two starts: Eric Weddle (S) Terrel Suggs (LB, EDGE)

Sits: NA

Oakland @ Arizona

Raiders:

Tier one starts: Tahir Whitehead (LB)

Tier two starts: Maurice Hurst (DT)

Sits: Everyone else

Cardinals:

Tier one starts: Budda Baker (S) Chandler Jones (LB)

Tier two starts: Atoine Bethea (S) Tre Boston (S) Josh Bynes (LB) Robert Nkemdiche (DT) Patrick Peterson (CB)

Sits: Deone Buchanon (LB) Hasaan Redick (LB)

Denver @ Los Angeles

Broncos:

Tier one starts: Todd Davis (LB) Justin Simmons (S)

Tier two starts: Von Miller (LB, EDGE) Derek Wolfe (DE) Bradley Chubb (DE, LB)

Sits: Brandon Marshall (LB)

Chargers:

Tier one starts: Derwin James (S) Melvin Ingram (DE) Jatavis Brown (LB)

Tier two starts: Jahleel Addae (S) Adrian Phillips (S) Hayes Pullard (LB)

Sits: NA

Philadelphia @ New Orleans

Eagles:

Tier one starts: Fletcher Cox (DT) Malcolm Jenkins (S) Jalen Mills (CB) Nigel Bradham (LB) Jordan Hicks (LB)

Tier two starts: Micheal Bennett (DE) Brandon Graham (DE) Chris Long (DE)

Sits: Ronald Darby (CB) Derek Barnett (DE) *both injured and out*

Saints:

Tier one starts: DeMario Davis (LB) Cameron Jordan (DE) Sheldon Rankins (DT)

Tier two starts: Marcus Davenport (DE) *if healthy* Marcus Williams (S)

Sits: Vonn Bell (S) *snap percentage*

Minnesota @ Chicago 

Vikings:

Tier one starts: Danielle Hunter (DE) Everson Griffen (DE) Linval Joseph (DT) Harrison Smith (S)

Tier two starts: Trae Waynes (CB) Sheldon Richardson (DT) Eric Kendricks (LB) Andrew Sendejo (S) *if healthy*

Sits: NA

Bears:

Tier one starts: Khalil Mack (DE, LB) *tier one as DE, tier two as LB* Roquan Smith (LB)

Tier two starts: Akiem Hicks (DE) Danny Trevethan (LB) Adrian Amos (S) Eddie Jackson (S) Kyle Fuller (CB)

Sits: NA

Kansas City @ Los Angeles

Chiefs:

Tier one starts: Anthony Hitchens (LB) Reggie Ragland (LB) Kendall Fuller (CB)

Tier two starts: Chris Jones (DE)

Sits: All Chiefs edge rush linebackers, all Chiefs safeties *inconsistency, I’m sure one or maybe a couple of them will have monster games but I don’t know who, I would play someone more consistent with a safer floor personally*

Rams:

Tier one starts: Aaron Donald (DE) N’Damakong Suh (DT) Cory Littleton (LB) John Johnson (S) Marcus Peters (CB)

Tier two starts: Micheal Brockers (DE) Dante Fowler (DE) Marc Barron (LB) LaMarcus Joyner (S)

Sits: NA

***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 eleven 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.