Are there too many IDP starting lineup decisions for you this week? Can’t decide which linebacker or edge rusher to start? Which safety gets the nod this week?”
This will not be the typical ‘obvious starters’ type of article. Always start your studs like Maxx Crosby, Jordyn Brooks, and Devon Witherspoon. What needs to be shared is who we start and sit out of the not-so-obvious players. You will not see many of the top-10 players listed in these articles because we are all already familiar with starting these players.
It is Championship Week! Good Luck to ALL! This week is not the week to take gambles. This is the week we go full trends.
***Please note that all rankings are pulled from FantasyPros.com’s current weekly rankings for DL, LB, and DB.
More NFL Week 17 Championship Fantasy Football Advice From IDP+
Week 17 – DL/Edge Starters
Danielle Hunter – Houston Texans
Hunter has at least one sack in five of his last seven games. The second-worst team in the NFL (Chargers) in points allowed to opposing DE/Edge players is his opponent this week. Justin Herbert is the third-most-sacked QB in the league. Playing about 70% of the defensive snaps gives Hunter plenty of opportunities to rush Herbert and add to his sack total. The Texans crowd should be very noisy and give Hunter a jump on the tackles trying to block him. Start him with a great deal of confidence, as he will add about 3-5 tackles to the 1-2 sacks he should obtain.
Tuli Tuipulotu – Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are going up against a tougher opponent this week, but the Texans still give up a little more than two sacks a game and have been sacked three times on four different occasions. Tuipulotu has been a one-man wrecking crew over the past four games. He has two 40+ IDP points scored in the last four games. In those 4 games, he has 5 sacks, 1 pass defended, and 1 fumble recovery. Add in 18 tackles, and you have a very nice streak going. Do not hesitate to start him even if the rankings say no.
Andrew Van Ginkel – Minnesota Vikings
Van Ginkel has four 20+ IDP point-scoring games in his last six games played. He is playing about 80% of the defensive snaps and has posted 30 tackles (14 solo), 5 tackles for a loss, 8 QB hits, 3.5 sacks, 4 passes defended, and 1 interception. The Vikings host the Lions this week, and Jared Goff has been sacked three or more times in seven games this year. Goff’s season high in sacks of five came in Week 9 against these Vikings. Start him and enjoy the plethora of points that will be attained for your championship squad.
Week 17 – DL/Edge Sits
Rashan Gary – Green Bay Packers
Gary has done absolutely nothing since Week 8. He has averaged just 7 points a game in his last 8 games played with a combined 20 tackles (10 solo), zero tackles for a loss, 6 QB hits, zero sacks, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 pass defended. The Packers host the Ravens, and Gary does not look to post a solid game, even if he is playing against a backup QB. He should not leave your bench.
Jalyx Hunt – Philadelphia Eagles
Hunt is playing about 60% of the defensive snaps and has had just one decent game out of his last six played. That game was against the second-worst team (Chargers) in points allowed to opposing DE/Edge players. He has played four teams ranked in the top 11 against DE/Edge players and has yet to score double-digit IDP points. He gets to play the #3-ranked Bills this week and will struggle again. Keep him on your bench.
Week 17 – LB Starts
Jamien Sherwood – New York Jets
Sherwood has played three very nice games in a row over the past three weeks. He has scored 27+ IDP points in two of those games. Sherwood has a combined 34 tackles (18 solo), 3 tackles for a loss, 1 QB hit, 1 sack, and 2 passes defended. Those three games were against three of the top 12 offenses in points allowed to opposing LBs. He gets a break this week, playing the Patriots, who are the ninth-worst team against linebackers. Fire him up for your championship matchup.
Nick Bolton – Kansas City Chiefs
Bolton has scored 20+ IDP points in four straight games now. This includes a game against the Titans last week, who are ranked as the 7th-toughest offense against opposing linebackers. He gets to play the 11th-ranked Broncos this week. Bolton has double-digit tackles in all four games, and that should continue this week on Christmas Day. There is zero reason to bench a player who has been making this many tackles consistently for a month.
Quay Walker – Green Bay Packers
Walker has at least nine tackles in each of his last three games played. This was against the #11 and #19 ranked offenses against linebackers. He gets to play a weaker opponent this week with the #23 Ravens coming to town. Walker should stay on his 9+ tackle streak this week. He should add a tackle for a loss also. Start him with confidence and enjoy his double-digit scoring for your team.
Week 17 – LB Sits
Payton Wilson – Pittsburgh Steelers
Wilson has been very inconsistent in the percentage of defensive snaps he has been playing over the last seven weeks, with the percentages being anywhere from 40-76%. His IDP scoring has also been very inconsistent, with Wilson scoring 9-10 points in 4 of his last 6 games. He posted 5-6 tackles with no other IDP points being scored. Keep him on your bench in your critical matchup this weekend.
Kaden Elliss – Atlanta Falcons
Ellis plays every defensive snap and has scored single-digit IDP points in two out of his last three games. One of those games was against the worst team in the NFL (Cardinals) in terms of points given to opposing linebackers. This week, the Falcons welcome the Rams to town, who happen to be the best team in the NFL against LBs. Park him on your bench and find another possibility.
Week 17 – DB Starts
Quick Tip – When having a hard time deciding on a DB to start, and a rookie CB is one of those players, always choose the rookie CB if they are going against a pass-heavy team.
Jordan Battle – Cincinnati Bengals
The third-year safety out of Alabama has been incredible this year, scoring double-digit IDP points in every game this season. He has scored 23+ IDP points in the last four games in a row. The ranking against Safeties does not matter as those scores were produced against the #3-26 teams in points allowed to opposing Safeties. This Safety has produced 120 tackles, with 60 of them being solo. Start him with an incredible amount of confidence, as he will continue to be the #1 IDP scoring Safety in the league.
Nick Emmanwori – Seattle Seahawks
Emmanwori has scored 26+ IDP points in the last three games played and 20+ points in five of the last seven games played. Three of those seven games had him scoring 30+ IDP points. He gets to play the 2nd-worst team (Panthers) this week and looks to post another 30 IDP point game. Emmanwori also has 3 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 3 passes defended, and 1 interception in his last 3 games. He will score early and often and needs to be in your starting lineup.
Cooper DeJean – Philadelphia Eagles
This CB has scored double-digit IDP points in nine straight games. He gets to play the 4th-worst team (Bills) in points allowed to opposing CBs. A CB with 84 tackles and 15 passes defended needs to be in your lineup every week. He has posted 5+ tackles in 11 of his 15 games played. DeJean has produced 4 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble, and 2 interceptions. He will produce for you this weekend and deserves that spot in your starting lineup.
Week 17 – DB Sits
Keisean Nixon – Green Bay Packers
Three of the last five games have Nixon posting 3 tackles or fewer. Those tackle numbers gave him two single-digit IDP scoring weeks against 11th and 18th-ranked teams in points allowed to opposing CBs. Nixon will be playing the #1 stingiest team against CBs this weekwhen they welcome Baltimore to town. He needs to be and stay on your bench this week.
Tyson Campbell – Cleveland Browns
After posting some really nice IDP performances after initially getting traded from the Jaguars to the Browns, Campbell has gotten a lot quieter on the stat sheet. His last 3 games have him posting a combined 10 tackles (7 solo) and 1 pass defended, with zero passes defended over the past 2 games. Campbell is going up against the 4th toughest opponent when looking at points given up to opposing CBs and will need to stay on your bench in your championship game.
Good Luck to Y’all and may the Championships rain in on your IDP Squads!
Thank you for checking out my Week 17 IDP Start/Sit Advice article! You can read all of my articles on my IDP+ author page. Be sure to follow me on X at @OldMan_FF and @IDP_Plus (we have offense, too), and please consider becoming a subscriber. Week 4 IDP Start Sit
