What…a…week.
With the IDP playoffs rapidly approaching, and the stretch drive underway, the absolute last thing fantasy owners needed was a rash of injuries hitting prominent defensive players.
So, guess what happened?
Along the defensive line. Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen was a late scratch. He was joined by New York Giants defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison, who was carted off the field against the San Francisco 49ers.
At linebacker, a pair of elite IDP options didn’t make it through their games in Jamie Collins of the Cleveland Browns and Sean Lee of the Dallas Cowboys. One of them will be out at least a few weeks. The other is done for the year.
And in the secondary Thursday night’s tilt between the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals saw Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman fall prey to a season-ending Achilles tear…
And that wasn’t close to the most impactful injury (from an IDP perspective) of that game.
We’ll sift through the walking wounded in a moment, but before we do let’s kick off the Week 11 edition of IDP Nation by trying to find a replacement or two amidst all the carnage.
WEEK 11 IDP WAIVER WIRE TARGETS
Adrian Clayborn – DE, Atlanta Falcons: Heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Cowboys, Clayborn had two sacks on the season and ranked outside the top 100 defensive linemen in fantasy points. After exploding for a career-high six sacks against Dallas, Clayborn now ranks inside the top 15 – for the season.
Anthony Hitchens – ILB, Dallas Cowboys: Lee picked a heck of a time to pull his hamstring, as the Cowboys are about to peel off three games in 11 days. From the looks of things, Hitchens will be playing every down over that entire stretch.
T.J. McDonald – S, Miami Dolphins: After serving an eight-game suspension to open the season, McDonald saw his first game action as a member of the Miami Dolphins, piling up nine total tackles (seven solo) in Monday’s loss to the Carolina Panthers.
WEEK 11 IDP INJURY REPORT
Ezekiel Ansah – DE, Detroit Lions (Questionable – Back): Ansah, who has battled an assortment of injuries for most of the season, now has a new one – he missed Sunday’s win over Cleveland after popping up on the injury report late last week with a sore back.
Tyvon Branch – S, Arizona Cardinals (IR – Knee): Branch was leading all NFL defensive backs in tackles before tearing his ACL against the Seahawks. With Branch on IR, rookie Budda Baker will step into a prominent role for the Redbirds defensively. He had nine stops on Thursday night.
Morgan Burnett – S, Green Bay Packers (Questionable – Groin): After suffering a groin injury against the Detroit Lions in Week 9 Burnett missed Green Bay’s Week 10 victory over the Chicago Bears. His potential status for Week 11 is unknown.
Kam Chancellor – S, Seattle Seahawks (Questionable – Neck): Chancellor had a huge game last week against the Arizona Cardinals, but he also suffered a neck injury that leaves his status for Monday night’s go-round with the Atlanta Falcons in jeopardy.
Frank Clark – DE, Seattle Seahawks (Questionable – Thigh): Clark was forced from last Thursday’s win over the Arizona Cardinals with what’s being called a thigh bruise. Monitor practice reports, but it looks like Clark will probably be out there against the Falcons Monday night.
Jamie Collins – OLB, Jamie Collins (IR – Knee): In a season where nothing has gone right for the Browns one more thing went wrong against the Detroit Lions – Collins went down with what’s been diagnosed as a season-ending MCL tear.
Will Compton – ILB, Washington Redskins (OUT – Foot): Compton’s just the latest Redskins linebacker to suffer a major injury when he sustained a Lisfranc sprain. Martrell Spaight will take over next to Zach Brown in Compton’s stead.
B.J. Goodson – ILB, New York Giants (Questionable – Ankle): As time passes, it’s looking more and more like Goodson’s gonzo stat line in Week 1 was the exception. Him being banged up and/or missing time is (unfortunately) the rule.
Everson Griffen – DE, Minnesota Vikings (Questionable – Foot): Griffen reportedly made the call to sit out Sunday’s win over the Washington Redskins with a bad foot. The Vikings hope to have him back for the big Week 11 matchup with the 7-2 Los Angeles Rams.
DeAngelo Hall – S, Washington Redskins (Questionable – Knee): Hall made it just 21 snaps into the Minnesota game before going down with what was feared to be a serious knee injury. Luckily, an MRI revealed nothing more than a bone bruise, Hall’s Week 11 status is unknown.
Damon Harrison – DT, New York Giants (Questionable – Ankle): When Harrison was carted off the field it looked bad, but it appears that “Snacks” may have dodged a major injury. Monitor his practice participation as the week progresses.
Jeff Heath – S, Dallas Cowboys (Questionable – Concussion): Sean Lee wasn’t the only Cowboys starter who got banged up against the Atlanta Falcons – Heath is in the NFL’s concussion protocol and questionable for Sunday’s huge divisional battle with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jerry Hughes – DE, Buffalo Bills (Questionable – Leg): Hughes left Sunday’s blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints after injuring his shin. He’s being called day-to-day ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Chargers in Los Angeles.
A.J. Klein – OLB, New Orleans Saints (Questionable – Ankle): Klein, who leads the Saints in tackles this season, left the Week 10 matchup in Buffalo relatively early with an ankle injury. If he can’t go in Week 11, Craig Robertson would see a bump in value.
Sean Lee – OLB, Dallas Cowboys (OUT – Hamstring): When he’s healthy, Lee is one of the most valuable defensive players to his team in all of the NFL. But has been the case often in his career, in 2017 at least Lee just can’t stay healthy.
Hayes Pullard – ILB, Los Angeles Chargers (Questionable – Neck): Pullard was a waiver wire darling for much of this season, but now not only is he dinged up, but Denzel Perryman is back and Jatavis Brown looks healthier than he has been in weeks.
Andrew Sendejo – S, Minnesota Vikings (Questionable – Groin): Sendejo played 55 snaps last week before exiting the game with a groin injury. His status for the big NFC showdown against the Rams on Sunday is uncertain at the writing of this piece.
Earl Thomas – S, Seattle Seahawks (Questionable – Hamstring): Thomas has missed Seattle’s last two games with a hamstring strain, but early indications are that Thomas will be back on the field Monday against the Atlanta Falcons.
Danny Trevathan – ILB, Chicago Bears (Questionable – Calf): After missing practice all week with a calf injury, Trevathan was on the sideline for Chicago’s loss to the Green Bay Packers. His Week 11 status is up in the air at the moment.
Kenny Vaccaro – S, New Orleans Saints (Questionable – Groin): Vaccaro sat out the Saints’ romp in Buffalo with that worst of injuries – the dreaded groin. We won’t know his Week 11 status until later on this week.
Shawn Williams – S, Cincinnati Bengals (Questionable – Hamstring): Williams, who has struggled to stay on the field this season, missed Sunday’s loss to the Tennessee Titans with a hamstring injury. He’s an iffy bet at best for Week 11.
THE WHAT THE HECK DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE WAIVER PLAT OF THE WEEK
Anthony Hitchens – ILB, Dallas Cowboys (vs. PHI)
Hitchens told the Dallas Morning News that with Sean Lee on the shelf it will fall to him to be, well, Sean Lee. “Communication is huge, getting the guys lined up,” Hitchens said. “I’m going to be the guy making the calls if [Lee’s] not. I just try my best to imitate him and get everyone lined up. He’s going to help me throughout the week. At the end of the day if he’s out, I’ve got to step up and play the Sean Lee role.”
I hate to keep beating the same horse, but there’s a reason why Hitchens is getting the double-dip treatment. Not only is the 25-year-old absolutely worth picking up off the waiver wire after amassing 10 total tackles against the Falcons last week, but he’s worth a start Sunday against a Philadelphia Eagles team giving up the third most fantasy points to linebackers this year.
GUYS I LIKE IN WEEK 11
Geno Atkins – DT, Cincinnati Bengals (at DEN): Over his last three starts Atkins has 10 total tackles and two sacks, and that hot streak should continue against a Denver team allowing the second-most fantasy points to defensive linemen.
Akiem Hicks – DE, Chicago Bears (vs. DET): It’s gone largely unnoticed on a bad Bears team, but Hicks is having a career year in 2017. Add a Lions team giving up the sixth-most fantasy points to defensive linemen, and you get the recipe for a good day.
Cameron Jordan – DE, New Orleans Saints (vs. WAS): Jordan’s career year hit a snag last week when he posted a goose-egg against the Buffalo Bills. He’ll get back on track Sunday in a favorable home matchup with the Redskins.
Blake Martinez – ILB, Green Bay Packers (vs. BAL): Martinez is quietly having a breakout season – he’s sixth in the NFL with 76 total tackles – and no team in the NFL has given up more fantasy points to linebackers this year than the Ravens.
Telvin Smith – OLB, Jacksonville Jaguars (at CLE): Smith’s play this year earned him a contract extension worth $11 million a season. His play in Week 11 in a great IDP matchup is going to earn his fantasy owners a much-needed win.
Vince Williams – ILB, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. TEN): Williams has been something of a disappointment of late, failing to hit the five-solo mark since Week 5. He’ll get there on Thursday night in a top-five IDP matchup with the run-heavy Titans.
Adrian Amos – S, Chicago Bears (vs. DET): Amos has essentially become a must-start since taking over at strong safety for the Bears, and Week 11 is no different – the Lions are sixth in fantasy points given up to defensive backs in 2017.
Barry Church – S, Jacksonville Jaguars (at CLE): Church hasn’t produced at the level IDP owners are accustomed to in 2017, but this week the veteran safety draws a Browns team that’s been the best matchup for defensive backs this year.
T.J. McDonald – S, Miami Dolphins (vs. TBB): Another player going straight from my Waiver Wire adds into the fray. The reason is simple – the Buccaneers have surrendered the fourth-most fantasy points per game to defensive backs this season.
GUYS I DON’T LIKE IN WEEK 11
Robert Ayers – DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at MIA): Ayers has heated up of late, with none tackles and a pair of sacks over the past two weeks. Miami (29th in fantasy points given up to defensive linemen in 2017) may well cool him off though.
Trey Flowers – DE, New England Patriots (at OAK): Flowers hasn’t notched a full sack since Week 3 and hasn’t topped three tackles in a game since Week 7. A rotten pass-rush matchup with the Raiders isn’t going to help snap that cold streak.
Dante Fowler – DE, Jacksonville Jaguars (at CLE): Bad matchup or no there’s no way I’m sitting Calais Campbell, but Fowler’s another story against a Browns team surrendering the second-fewest fantasy points to d-linemen.
Ramon Humber – OLB, Buffalo Bills (at LAC): Humber’s been quite the late find for IDP owners in 2017, but it’s going to be hard to keep the good times going against a Chargers team that’s 30th in fantasy points allowed to linebackers.
Lawrence Timmons – ILB, Miami Dolphins (vs. TBB): The NFC South has not been kind to fantasy linebackers in 2017. Three of the five worst matchups for the position hail from that division, including the Buccaneers at No. 31.
K.J. Wright – OLB, Seattle Seahawks (vs. ATL): Much like Campbell I can’t sit Bobby Wagner, well, ever. But there’s risk in the Monday night affair – the Falcons are dead last in fantasy points allowed to linebackers this year.
Jahleel Addae – S, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. BUF): The Buffalo Bills have become a 10-foot pole matchup for fantasy defensive backs this year – they’ve spent most of the season mired at the bottom of the points allowed rankings.
Landon Collins – S, New York Giants (vs. KCC): Collins owners suffering through a highly disappointing fantasy season from the young safety don’t want to hear this, but only the Bills have allowed fewer fantasy points in the secondary than the Chiefs.
Malcolm Jenkins – S, Philadelphia Eagles (at DAL): It’s possible that if the Cowboys are forced to throw the ball more they could become a better fantasy matchup on the back end. But so far this season they’ve been an awful one.
THE SCRAP-HEAP STREAMING CORNERBACK PLAY OF THE WEEK
In recent years the number of dependable weekly fantasy starters at the cornerback position has dwindled to just about zero. So as a service to those hearty souls who play in IDP leagues that require them, each week I’ll point out a player at that position available in many leagues who should serve as a fine streaming option.
Dre Kirkpatrick, Cincinnati Bengals (at DEN): Although quiet for much of the year Kirkpatrick has picked it up of late, and he gets the IDP perfect storm in Week 11. He can be thrown on and the Broncos have a pair of talented wide receivers and an error-prone quarterback who makes ill-advised throws. Situationally it just doesn’t get better than this.
