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 115 starts correct and 34 wrong last week for about a 71% success rate, my percent correct each week has been hovering around 70% all year and the lowest has been 67% 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.
Eagles @ Jaguars
Eagles:
Tier one starts: Fletcher Cox (DT) Jordan Hicks (LB)
Tier two starts: Micheal Bennet (DE) Nigel Bradham (LB) Malcolm Jenkins (S) Ronald Darby (CB) Jalen Mills (CB)
Sits: Derek Barnett (DE) Corey Graham (S)
Jags:
Tier one starts: Calais Campbell (DE) Telvin Smith (LB)
Tier two starts: Yannick Ngakoue (DE) Myles Jack (LB) Barry Church (S) Jalen Ramsey (CB) AJ Bouye (CB)
Sits: NA
Jets @ Bears
Jets:
Tier one starts: Jamal Adams (S) Avery Williamson (LB)
Tier two starts: Leonard Williams (DE) Darron Lee (LB)
Sits: Marcus Maye (S) *injury*
Bears:
Tier one starts: Khalil Mack (DE, LB) *as a DE, tier two if LB* Danny Trevethan (LB)
Tier two starts: Eddie Jackson (S) Adrian Amos (S) Roquan Smith (LB) Akiem Hicks (DE) Kyle Fuller (CB)
Sits: NA
Bucs @ Bengals
Bucs:
Tier one starts: Justin Evans (S) LaVonte David (LB) Jason Pierre Paul (DE)
Tier two starts: Gerald McCoy (DT) *if healthy* Adarius Taylor (LB) Brent Grimes (CB)
Sits: Jordan Whitehead (S) Devante Bond (LB) Vinny Curry (DE)
Bengals:
Tier one starts: Carlos Dunlap (DE) Geno Atkins (DT) Jessie Bates (S)
Tier two starts: Shawn Williams (S) Preston Brown (LB) Vontaze Burfict (LB) Dre Kirkpatrick (CB)
Sits: Nick Vigil (LB) *injured and out*
Seahawks @ Lions
Seattle:
Tier one starts: Frank Clark (DE) Bobby Wagner (LB) Bradley McDougald (S)
Tier two starts: Jarran Reed (DT) *if healthy* KJ Wright (LB) *if healthy* Tedric Thompson (S) Tre Flowers (CB)
Sits: NA
Lions:
Tier one starts: Damon Harrison (DT) *if he plays, just traded to team* Jarrad Davis (LB)
Tier two starts: Ezekiel Ansah (DE) *if healthy* Darius Slay (CB) Quandre Diggs (S) Glover Quinn (S)
Sits: Devon Kennard (LB) *sack dependent*
Broncos @ Chiefs
Broncos:
Tier one starts: Justin Simmons (S)
Tier two starts: Derek Wolfe (DE) Todd Davis (LB) Von Miller (LB) Brandon Marshall (LB) Chris Harris (CB) Bradley Chubb (DE, LB)
Sits: Domata Peko (DT)
Chiefs:
Tier one starts: Kendall Fuller (CB) Anthony Hitchens (LB)
Tier two starts: Reggie Ragland (LB) Chris Jones (DE)
Sits: NA
Redskins @ Giants
Redskins:
Tier one starts: Mason Foster (LB) DJ Swearinger (S)
Tier two starts: Zach Brown (LB) Josh Norman (CB) Ryan Kerrigan (LB, EDGE)
Sits: NA
Giants:
Tier one starts: Landon Collins (S) Janoris Jenkins (CB) Alec Ogletree (LB)
Tier two starts: Olivier Vernon (LB, DE)
Sits: NA
Browns @ Steelers
Browns:
Tier one starts: Larry Ogunjobi (DT) Myles Garret (DE) Jamie Collins (LB) Christian Kirksey (LB) Damarious Randal (S) Denzel Ward (CB)
Tier two starts: Emmanuel Ogbah (DE)
Sits: Joe Schobert (LB) *injured and out* Jabril Peppers (S)
Steelers:
Tier one starts: Vince Williams (LB)
Tier two starts: Cameron Heyward (DT, DE) Stephon Tuitt (DE) Jon Bostic (LB) Sean Davis (S) Terrel Edmunds (S) *if Morgan Burnett doesn’t play*
Sits: Morgan Burnett (S) *if not healthy, play in place of Edmunds if healthy* TJ Watt (LB, EDGE) *inconsistent*
Ravens @ Panthers
Ravens:
Tier one starts: CJ Mosley (LB) Tony Jefferson (S)
Tier two starts: Eric Weddle (S) Terrel Suggs (LB, EDGE)
Sits: NA
Panthers:
Tier one starts: Luke Kuechly (LB) Kawan Short (DT)
Tier two starts: James Bradberry (CB) Thomas Davis (LB) Mario Addison (DE) Mike Adams (S) Eric Reid (S)
Sits: Shaq Thompson (LB) *inconsistent*
Colts @ Raiders
Colts:
Tier one starts: Darius Leonard (LB) Clayton Geathers (S) *if healthy* Anthony Walker (LB)
Tier two starts: Jabal Sheard (DE) Margus Hunt (DE, DT) Denico Autry (DT) *if healthy*
Sits: Matthias Farley (S) *injured and out* Malik Hooker (S) *inconsistent*
Raiders:
Tier one starts: Tahir Whitehead (LB)
Tier two starts: NA
Sits: Everyone else
Packers @ Rams:
Packers:
Tier one starts: Blake Martinez (LB) Kenny Clarke (DT) Ha Ha Clinton Dix (S)
Tier two starts: Kevin King (CB)
Sits: Oren Burks (LB) *playing time* Kentrell Brice (S) *inconsistent, bad production*
Rams:
Tier one starts: Aaron Donald (DE) N’Damakong Suh (DT) Cory Littleton (LB) John Johnson (S)
Tier two starts: Marcus Peters (CB) Micheal Brockers (DE)
Sits: Marc Barron (LB) *inconsistent, doesn’t play in cold weather*
49ers @ Cardinals
49ers:
Tier one starts: Fred Warner (LB) Ruben Foster (LB) *if healthy* Jaquiski Tartt (S) DeForest Buckner (DT)
Tier two starts: Solomon Thomas (DE)
Sits: NA
Cardinals:
Tier one starts: Budda Baker (S) Tre Boston (S) *if healthy* Antoine Bethea (S) Josh Bynes (LB) Chandler Jones (DE)
Tier two starts: Hasaan Redick (LB) Patrick Peterson (CB) Robert Nkemdiche (DT)
Sits: Deone Buchanon (LB)
Saints @ Vikings
Saints:
Tier one starts: Cameron Jordan (DE) DeMario Davis (LB)
Tier two starts: Marcus Davenport (DE) Sheldon Rankins (DT) Marcus Williams (S) Marshon Lattimore (CB)
Sits: Kurt Coleman (S) Vonn Bell (S) *playing time*
Vikings:
Tier one starts: Danielle Hunter (DE) Everson Griffen (DE) *if playing* Linval Joseph (DT) *if healthy* Harrison Smith (S) Eric Kendricks (LB)
Tier two starts: Sheldon Richardson (DT) Stephen Weatherly (DE) *if Everson Griffen doesn’t play* Andrew Sendejo (S) *if healthy*
Sits: NA
Patriots @ Bills
Pats:
Tier one starts: Trey Flowers (DE)
Tier two starts: Devin McCourty (S) Kyle Van Noy (LB)
Sits: Everyone else
Bills:
Tier one starts: Tremaine Edmunds (LB) Jordan Poyer (S)
Tier two starts: Matt Milano (LB) Trent Murphy (DE) Jerry Hughes (DE)
Sits: Micah Hyde (S) *playing time, consistency*
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 eight 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 between all of us we’ll find you the help or advice you need to get your team ready for the playoff push.
All that and more, and never behind a paywall, at idpguys.org.
