This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
With rosters of all shapes and sizes, IDP advice can be a bit tricky, so the purpose of this article is to point out players whose values are elevated for the upcoming week. Some of these players will be superstars, while others will be found on many waiver wires. We'll look at team positional groupings, based on the potential for a favorable game script. Whether you're streaming IDPs each week or have a stocked roster, this "one size fits" all approach hopefully will help most everyone find a weekly edge.
Linebackers
Lions at Vikings: Jarrad Davis, Devon Kennard and Christian Jones.
At their core, the Vikings prefer to win with their running game and strong defense. Playing on their home field against an inferior opponent is just the type of matchup that should allow them to use their preferred style. Expect this game to include a heavy dose of Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison, and as they grind out a number of long drives, the Detroit linebackers should post strong fantasy numbers.
Raiders vs. Titans: Tahir Whitehead, Nicholas Morrow and Preston Brown.
The Titans have been able to ride Derrick Henry, which has led to them becoming a better team than they were earlier in the season. Although they're playing on the road, they'll be facing an Oakland defense that has become less effective against the run as the season has progressed. That should allow Tennessee to continue its recipe for success, and meanwhile,
With rosters of all shapes and sizes, IDP advice can be a bit tricky, so the purpose of this article is to point out players whose values are elevated for the upcoming week. Some of these players will be superstars, while others will be found on many waiver wires. We'll look at team positional groupings, based on the potential for a favorable game script. Whether you're streaming IDPs each week or have a stocked roster, this "one size fits" all approach hopefully will help most everyone find a weekly edge.
Linebackers
Lions at Vikings: Jarrad Davis, Devon Kennard and Christian Jones.
At their core, the Vikings prefer to win with their running game and strong defense. Playing on their home field against an inferior opponent is just the type of matchup that should allow them to use their preferred style. Expect this game to include a heavy dose of Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison, and as they grind out a number of long drives, the Detroit linebackers should post strong fantasy numbers.
Raiders vs. Titans: Tahir Whitehead, Nicholas Morrow and Preston Brown.
The Titans have been able to ride Derrick Henry, which has led to them becoming a better team than they were earlier in the season. Although they're playing on the road, they'll be facing an Oakland defense that has become less effective against the run as the season has progressed. That should allow Tennessee to continue its recipe for success, and meanwhile, the Oakland run stoppers will have their hands full.
Chiefs at Patriots: Reggie Ragland, Anthony Hitchens and Damien Wilson.
To the surprise of absolutely no one, Bill Belichick will attack his opponent's greatest weakness mercilessly. With Kansas City being the worst run defense in the league, look for the Patriots to employ a heavy rushing attack to not only move the chains but keep the Chiefs offense off the field. Although New England typically throws the ball more than 40 times per game, this week certainly could be the exception to that rule, and as a result, the Kansas City linebackers will spend much of the afternoon chasing down ball carriers.
Pass Rushers
Steelers at Cardinals: T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Javon Hargrave and Bud Dupree.
In most cases, teams struggle to generate pass rush on the road, but the Steelers have been one of those defenses that has impressed regardless of where the game is played. Their outstanding run defense should force Arizona into plenty of obvious passing situations, which should lead to Pittsburgh relentlessly pressuring Kyler Murray. Despite the Steelers not being a strong offensive team, there's a great chance they also play this game with a lead, making this a solid spot for solid sack numbers.
Eagles vs. Giants: Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett and Fletcher Cox.
Although this is a divisional contest, the Giants have really struggled on defense and commonly force their offense to play from behind. In a game the Eagles must win, look for their offense to put the pressure on New York, which should allow them to take the Giants rushing attack out of the equation. With an improving secondary, Daniel Jones could struggle to find open receivers, which should force him To the hold the ball longer than he'd like. Altogether, this is looking like a game in which the Eagles pass rush could have a big night in terms of sacks.
Packers vs. Redskins: Preston Smith, Za'Darius Smith and Dean Lowry.
There's no question that Washington wants to run the ball more than most teams in the league, and it frequently has success with that game plan. However, playing on the road at Green Bay in December could find the team falling behind on the scoreboard very early. Once that happens, the Redskins will have no choice other than to call pass plays for Dwayne Haskins, and it's very unlikely that it turns out well. Look for the Green Bay pass rush to have one of its better performances of the season as the rookie QB Haskins holds the football too long while WRs can't get open quickly enough.
Defensive Backs
Dolphins at Jets: Nik Needham, Jomal Wiltz, Eric Rowe, Ken Webster and Ken Crawley (questionable).
It's been a struggle all season for the Jets to put together any type of consistent rushing attack. Fortunately, they've had many games in which they were been able to move the ball with their short-passing attack, and facing a vulnerable Miami defense should allow them to continue that approach. In addition, the Dolphins have been scoring enough points to keep games close, so Sam Darnold likely will be throwing the ball for most of the afternoon, which should keep the Miami defensive backs both busy and productive.
Bengals at Browns: Darqueze Dennard, William Jackson III, B.W. Webb, Jessie Bates and Shawn Williams.
The depleted offensive line of the Bengals has kept its rushing attack largely ineffective for much of the season. Playing on the road against a solid but not spectacular Cleveland defense, it's unlikely that it will have sustained success on the ground. That should lead to Andy Dalton throwing the ball frequently, and he actually hasn't been horrible when on the field this year, so there's a good chance that he can move the ball with some consistency. Based on that success, there should be plenty of tackle opportunities for the Browns' defensive backs.
Colts at Buccaneers: Pierre Desir, Kenny Moore (questionable), Rock Ya-Sin, Malik Hooker and Clayton Geathers.
Despite playing on the road, the Indianapolis run defense has been an excellent unit all season. Since they'll be facing a below average Buccaneers' rushing attack, the coaching staff likely will be forced to put the ball in the hands of Jameis Winston, as that should be its most successful approach to moving the football. Look for the potential of nearly 50 passing attempts, which should result in the Colts' defensive backs piling up solid IDP numbers.
