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 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.
Sunday 1pm Games
Tennessee @ Buffalo
Titans:
Tier one starts: Kevin Byard (S) Jurell Casey (DT)
Tier two starts: Malcolm Butler (CB) Jayon Brown (LB) Adoree Jackson (CB) *if you have return yards*
Sits: All other players, the Bills offense doesn’t run a ton of plays per game so even with these known and reliable producers I don’t expect huge games this week.
Bills:
Tier one starts: Tremaine Edmunds (LB) Jordan Poyer (S)
Tier two starts: Matt Milano (LB) Kyle Williams (DT)
Sits: Micah Hyde (S)
Miami @ Cincinatti
Dolphins:
Tier one starts: Reshad Jones (S) *if healthy, if not play Minkah Fitzpatrick (S) Kiko Alonso (LB) Davon Godchaux (DT)
Tier two starts: Jerome Baker (LB) TJ McDonald (S)
Sits: Raekwon McMillan (LB)
Bengals:
Tier one starts: Carlos Dunlap (DE) Geno Atkins (DT) Vontaze Burfict (LB) Jessie Bates (S)
Tier two starts: Shawn Williams (S) Preston Brown (LB) Nick Vigil (LB) Dre Kirkpatrick (CB) Darqueze Dennard (CB)
Sits: Carl Lawson (DE)
Baltimore @ Cleveland
Ravens:
Tier one starts: CJ Mosley (LB) Tony Jefferson (S)
Tier two starts: Terrel Suggs (LB, EDGE) Eric Weddle (S)
Sits: Kenny Young (LB)
Browns:
Tier one starts: Myles Garrett (DE) Joe Schobert (LB) Denzel Ward (CB) Larry Ogunjobi (DT)
Tier two starts: Christian Kirksey (LB) Damarious Randal (S)
Sits: Jabril Peppers (S)
Green Bay @ Detroit
Packers:
Tier one starts: Blake Martinez (LB) Ha Ha Clinton Dix (S)
Tier two starts: Oren Burks (LB) Clay Matthews (LB, EDGE) Jaire Alexander (CB)
Sits: Kentrell Brice (S)
Lions:
Tier one starts: Jarrad Davis (LB) Darius Slay (CB) Ezekiel Ansah *if healthy*
Tier two starts: A’Shawn Robinson (DT) Devon Kennard (LB) Quandre Diggs (S) Glover Quinn (S)
Sits: All other Lions players
Jacksonville @ Kansas City
Jags:
Tier one starts: Myles Jack (LB) Telvin Smith (LB) Calais Campbell (DE)
Tier two starts: Barry Church (S) Malik Jackson (DT) Jalen Ramsey (CB) AJ Buoye (CB)
Sits: N/A
Chiefs:
Tier one starts: Anthony Hitchens (LB) Kendall Fuller (CB)
Tier two starts: Reggie Ragland (LB) Justin Houston (LB, EDGE)
Sits: Eric Barry (S) *Injury
Denver @ New York Jets
Broncos:
Tier one starts: Justin Simmons (S)
Tier two starts: Brandon Marshall (LB) Todd Davis (LB) Von Miller (LB, EDGE) Chris Harris (CB)
Sits: Bradley Chubb (DE, LB) Darian Stewart (S)
Jets:
Tier one starts: Avery Williamson (LB) Jamal Adams (S)
Tier two starts: Darron Lee (LB) Marcus Maye (S) Leonard Williams (DE)
Sits: Doug Middleton (S)
Atlanta @ Pittsburgh
Falcons:
Tier one starts: Grady Jarrett (DT) DaMontae Kazee (S) Brian Poole (CB)
Tier two starts: Vic Beasley (DE) Takkarist McKinley (DE) Duke Riley (LB) DeVondre Campbell (LB)
Sits: Foye Oluokun (LB)
Steelers:
Tier one starts: Vince Williams (LB) Cameron Heyward (DT, DE)
Tier two starts: Jon Bostic (LB) TJ Watt (LB, EDGE) *sack dependent* Stephon Tuitt (DE) Terrel Edmunds (S) *if Morgan Burnett doesn’t play* Sean Davis (S)
Sits: N/A
New York Giants @ Carolina
Giants:
Tier one starts: Alec Ogletree (LB) Landon Collins (S) Damon Harrison (DT)
Tier two starts: Janoris Jenkins (CB) Oliver Vernon (LB, EDGE, DE) *if healthy*
Sits: BJ Goodson (LB)
Panthers:
Tier one starts: Luke Kuechly (LB) Kawan Short (DT)
Tier two starts: Mario Addison (DE) Thomas Davis (LB) *assuming he gets activated* James Bradberry (CB)
Sits: Shaq Thompson (LB) Julius Peppers (DE) Dontari Poe (DT)
Sunday 4pm Games
Oakland @ LA Chargers
Raiders:
Tier one starts: Tahir Whitehead (LB)
Tier two starts: Maurice Hurst (DT) Rashaan Melvin (CB) Marquel Lee (LB)
Sits: Jonathan Hankins (DT)
Chargers:
Tier one starts: Derwin James (S)
Tier two starts: Melvin Ingram (DE) Denzel Perryman (LB) Jatavis Brown (LB) Desmond King (CB)
Sits: Kyzir White (LB, S) *injury*
Minnesota @ Philadelphia
Vikings:
Tier one starts: Danielle Hunter (DE) Linval Joseph (DT) Everson Griffen (DE) *if healthy* Eric Kendricks (LB) Harrison Smith (S)
Tier two starts: Sheldon Richardson (DT) Mike Hughes (CB) Andrew Sendejo (S)
Sits: Stephen Weatherly (DE)
Eagles:
Tier one starts: Fletcher Cox (DT) Jordan Hicks (LB)
Tier two starts: Nigel Bradham (LB) Jalen Mills (CB) Ronald Darby (CB) Malcolm Jenkins (S) Corey Graham (S)
Sits: N/A
Arizona @ San Fransisco
Cardinals:
Tier one starts: Chandler Jones (DE) Josh Bynes (LB) Budda Baker (S)
Tier two starts: Robert Nkemdiche (DT) Patrick Peterson (CB) Antoine Bethea (S) Tre Boston (S)
Sits: NA
49ers:
Tier one starts: DeForest Buckner (DT) Fred Warner (LB) Ruben Foster (LB) Jaquiski Tartt (S) *if healthy*
Tier two starts: Solomon Thomas (DE)
Sits: Malcolm Smith (LB)
LA Rams @ Seattle
Rams:
Tier one starts: N’Damakong Suh (DT) Aaron Donald (DE, DT) John Johnson (S)
Tier two starts: Cory Littleton (LB) Marc Barron (LB) *if healthy* Marcus Peters (CB) LaMarcus Joyner (S)
Sits: Ramik Wilson (LB) *if Marc Barron plays*
Seahawks:
Tier one starts: Frank Clark (DE) Bobby Wagner (LB) Bradley McDougald (S) *if healthy*
Tire two starts: Jarran Reed (DT) KJ Wright (LB) *if healthy* Tre Flowers (CB) Shaq Griffin (CB)
Sits: Mychal Kendricks (LB) *suspended*
Sunday Night Game
Dallas @ Houston
Cowboys:
Tier one starts: DeMarcus Lawrence (DE) Jaylon Smith (LB) Chidobe Awuzie (CB)
Tier two starts: Taco Charlton (DE) Leighton Vander Esch (LB) Byron Jones (CB)
Sits: David Irvin (DT)
Texans:
Tier one starts: JJ Watt (DE) Zach Cunningam (LB) Tyrann Mathieu (S) JaDaveon Clowney (DE, LB, EDGE)
Tier two starts: DJ Reader (DT) Bernardrick McKinney (LB)
Sits: NA
Monday Night Game
Washington @ New Orleans
Redskins:
Tier one starts: Zach Brown (LB)
Tier two starts: Mason Foster (LB) DJ Swearinger (S)
Sits: Ryan Kerrigan (LB, EDGE)
Saints:
Tier one starts: Cameron Jordan (DE) DeMario Davis (LB)
Tier two starts: Sheldon Rankins (DT) Marcus Williams (S) Vonn Bell (S)
Sits: Marcus Davenport (DE)
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 and analysis. And make sure you catch the podcast dropping Tuesday where we discuss this week in all things IDP from week five as well as “The Thursday Night Massacre” where all the Colts stud IDP players were taken out one after the other until none were left even before halftime.
All that and more at idpguys.org.
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