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 104 takes and 36 wrong last week for about a 66% 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.

Detroit @ Chicago

Lions:

Tier one starts: Jarrad Davis (LB) Ezekiel Ansah (DE) *if healthy* Damon Harrison (DT)

Tier two starts: Glover Quinn (S) Quandre Diggs (S) Darius Slay (CB) Devon Kennard (LB) A’Shawn Robinson (DT)

Sits: NA

Bears:

Tier one starts: Khalil Mack (DE, LB) *Tier one as DE, two as LB* Kyle Fuller (CB) Danny Trevethan (LB)

Tier two starts: Akiem Hicks (DE) Roquan Smith (LB) Eddie Jackson (S) Adrian Amos (S)

Sits: NA

New Orleans @ Cincinatti

Saints:

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

Tier two starts: Sheldon Rankins (DT) Vonn Bell (S) Marcus Williams (S) Eli Apple (CB) Marcus Davenport (DE) *if healthy*

Sits: Marshon Lattimore (CB) *shut down corners aren’t ideal IDP producers*

Bengals:

Tier one starts: Geno Atkins (DT) Carlos Dunlap (DE) Jessie Bates (S)

Tier two starts: Preston Brown (LB) Vontaze Burfict (LB) *if healthy* Shawn Williams (S) Darqueze Dennard (CB) Dre Kirkpatrick (CB) Nick Vigil (LB) *if healthy*

Sits: Jordan Evans (LB) *if Burfict is playing*

Atlanta @ Cleveland

Falcons:

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

Tier two starts: Brian Poole (CB) Foye Oluokon (LB) DaVondre Campbell (LB)

Sits: Duke Riley (LB) Vic Beasley (DE) Takkarist McKinley (DE)

Browns:

Tier one starts: Myles Garrett (DE) Larry Ogunjobi (DT) Damarious Randal (S) Jamie Collins (LB) *if healthy* Joe Schobert (LB) *if healthy* Denzel Ward (CB)

Tier two starts: Emanuel Ogbah (DE) Genard Avery (LB)

Sits: Jabril Peppers (S)

New England @ Tennessee 

Patriots:

Tier one starts: Trey Flowers (DE) Kyle Van Noy (LB)

Tier two starts: Devin McCourty (S) Patrick Chung (S)

Sits: Everyone else, massive inconsistency in both production and playing time everywhere

Titans:

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

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

Sits: Rashaan Evans (LB)

Jacksonville @ Indianapolis

Jags:

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

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

Sits: NA

Colts:

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

Tier two starts: Anthony Walker (LB) Margus Hunt (DE, DT) Jabaal Sheard (DE)

Sits: Denico Autry (DT) *in a slump*

Arizona @ Kansas City 

Cardinals:

Tier one starts: Budda Baker (S) Chandler Jones (DE) Josh Bynes (LB) Antoine Bethea (S)

Tier two starts: Tre Boston (S) Patrick Peterson (CB) Robert Nkemdiche (DT) Marcus Golden (DE) Hasaan Redick (LB)

Sits: Deone Buchanon (LB)

Chiefs:

Tier one starts: Anthony Hitchens (LB) *just barely, I wouldn’t play him this week personally* Kendall Fuller (CB)

Tier two starts: Reggie Ragland (LB) Chris Jones (DE) Ron Parker (S)

Sits: All the edge rush linebackers (Justin Houston, Dee Ford, ETC) unless it’s for a specific OLB or EDGE slot

Buffalo @ New York Jets

Bills:

Tier one starts: Tremaine Edmunds (LB) Jordan Poyer (S)

Tier two starts: Matt Milano (LB) Jerry Hughes (DE) Trent Murphy (DE)

Sits: Tra’Davious White (CB) *not an ideal matchup, Jets don’t pass well* Micah Hyde (S) *inconsistency, playing time*

Jets:

Tier one starts: Jamal Adams (S) Avery Williamson (LB)

Tier two starts: Marcus Maye (S) Darron Lee (LB) Leonard Williams (DE)

Sits: NA

Washington @ Tampa Bay

Redskins:

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

Tier two starts: DJ Swearinger (S) Zach Brown (LB)

Sits: Ryan Kerrigan (LB, EDGE)

Bucs:

Tier one starts: Jason Pierre Paul (DE) LaVonte David (LB) Justin Evans (S)

Tier two starts: Gerald McCoy (DT) Adarius Taylor (LB) Jordan Whitehead (S) Brent Grimes (CB)

Sits: Devante Bond (LB)

LA Chargers @ Oakland

Chargers:

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

Tier two starts: Denzel Perryman (LB) Jatavis Brown (LB) Jahleel Addae (S) Desmond King (CB)

Sits: Kyle Emanuel (LB)

Raiders:

Tier one starts: Tahir Whitehead (LB)

Tier two starts: Jonathan Hankins (DT)

Sits: Everyone else, seriously.

Miami @ Green Bay

Dolphins:

Tier one starts: Kiko Alonso (LB) TJ McDonald (S)

Tier two starts: Reshad Jones (S) Minkah Fitzpatrick (S) Jerome Backer (LB) Raekwon McMillan (LB) Davon Godchaux (DT)

Sits: NA

Packers:

Tier one starts: Blake Martinez (LB)

Tier two starts: Jaire Alexander (CB) Kenny Clark (DE) Mike Daniels (DE)

Sits: Clay Matthews (LB, EDGE) *edge rush linebacker, you know how I feel about them* ANY GB SAFETY(S) *uncertainty about who is playing safety and how much they’ll play, we need to see what happens this week to get a read on it*

Seattle @ LA Rams

Seahawks:

Tier one starts: Bobby Wagner (LB) Bradley McDougald (S) Frank Clark (DE)

Tier two starts: Jarran Reed (DT) KJ Wright (LB) Tedric Thompson (S) Tre Flowers (CB) Shaq Griffin (CB)

Sits: NA

Rams:

Tier one starts: Aaron Donald (DE) Cory Littleton (LB) Marcus Peters (CB)

Tier two starts: N’Damakong Suh (DT) Micheal Brockers (DE) Marc Barron (LB) *unless it’s cold out, that’s not a joke* John Johnson (S)

Sits: Ramik Wilson (LB)

Dallas @ Philadelphia

Cowboys:

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

Tier two starts: Byron Jones (S, CB) Randy Gregory (DE) David Irving (DT) Xavier Woods (S)

Sits: Sean Lee (LB) *injured and out*

Eagles:

Tier one starts: Jordan Hicks (LB) Fletcher Cox (DT)

Tier two starts: Nigel Bradham (LB) Micheal Bennett (DE) Chris Long (DE) Malcolm Jenkins (S)

Sits: Ronald Darby (CB) Jalen Mills (CB) *not an ideal game for corner matchups, Dallas can’t pass the ball*

New York Giants @ San Francisco

Giants: 

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

Tier two starts: Olivier Vernon (DE, LB)

Sits: Everyone else

49ers:

Tier one starts: Ruben Foster (LB) *if healthy* Fred Warner (LB) Jaquiski Tartt (S) *if healthy* DeForest Buckner (DT)

Tier two starts: Solomon Thomas (DE) Richard Sherman (CB)

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 ten 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.