Hard as it may be to believe, it’s already the 12th week of the 2017 NFL season – Thanksgiving Week.
There’s much to be thankful for in IDP leagues.
Along the defensive line, we should be thankful for the play of Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell, who has already set a career year with 11.5 sacks. He’s been matched in that regard by Demarcus Lawrence of the Dallas Cowboys, who has emerged in his fourth NFL season as one of the league’s most feared pass-rushers.
At linebacker, we should be thankful for Zach Brown of the Washington Redskins, who has already topped 100 tackles one year after pacing the AFC in that regard. Bobby Wagner of the Seattle Seahawks, who led the league with an eye-popping 167 stops last season, is hot on Brown’s heels with 92 stops.
Among the defensive backs, we should thankful for the likes of Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker – who stepped into the starting lineup for the Arizona Cardinals last week against the Houston Texans and exploded for 13 total tackles, a sack and two forced fumbles.
It’s those kind of surprise stars in the secondary who can win IDP leagues.
And with any luck, 12 weeks into the season you can be thankful that you’re still in the hunt for a fantasy playoff spot with just a few weeks left in the regular season – hopefully with a bit of help from this column.
Still, there’s much work to be done, so let’s get at it with another look around IDP Nation.
WEEK 12 IDP WAIVER WIRE TARGETS
Derek Barnett – DE, Philadelphia Eagles: Barnett, who was the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, showed off some of that first-round potential in last week’s rout of the Dallas Cowboys, piling up three tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble.
James Burgess – OLB, Cleveland Browns: With Jamie Collins out for the season with a knee injury Burgess took over on the strong side for the Browns and had a huge game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, racking up a career-high 16 total tackles.
Vonn Bell – S, New Orleans Saints: Bell finishes off a “Killer Bs” edition of waiver wire targets. With Kenny Vaccaro sidelined by a groin injury Bell had a big outing against the Washington Redskins in Week 11, notching 13 tackles with a sack and a forced fumble.
WEEK 12 IDP INJURY REPORT
Ezekiel Ansah – DE, Detroit Lions (Questionable Back): In what’s shaping up as another lost season for Ansah that’s been littered with injuries, he’s now battling a sore back that has sidelined him in each of the last two games. He can’t be counted on in Week 12.
Zach Brown – ILB, Washington Redskins (Questionable – Achilles): Brown’s been hampered a bit of late by a sore Achilles and he was limited in practice Tuesday. But there’s been no indication he’s in real danger of missing Thursday’s matchup with the Giants.
Morgan Burnett – S, Green Bay Packers (Questionable – Groin): Burnett has now missed two games with this latest injury. It’s possible the veteran safety could return in Week 12, but I wouldn’t bet my Starbucks money on it.
Kevin Byard – S, Tennessee Titans (Questionable – Shoulder): The NFL’s interception leader dinged his shoulder last week against the Steelers, but indications from the Titans staff are that Byard will be available to play in Week 12.
Kam Chancellor – S, Seattle Seahawks (OUT – Neck): The Seahawks haven’t yet ruled Chancellor out for the rest of the season (as reports have suggested), but the veteran safety won’t be on the field at San Francisco Sunday.
Clayton Geathers – S, Indianapolis Colts (Questionable – Neck): Geathers hasn’t played at all this season after preseason neck injury, but there’s some hope the young safety could make his 2017 debut Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.
B.J. Goodson – ILB, New York Giants (Questionable Ankle): Goodson, who has missed substantial time this year with an assortment of injuries, wasn’t on the practice field Tuesday. His odds of returning in Week 12 don’t look especially good.
Damon Harrison – DT, New York Giants (Questionable – Ankle): Harrison played on a limited snap count last week but was effective when he was on the field. “Snacks” will likely be looking at a similar role in Week 12.
Anthony Hitchens – OLB, Dallas Cowboys (Questionable – Groin): Because the Cowboys didn’t have enough problems at linebacker, Hitchens left the loss to Philadelphia with a groin injury. On a short turnaround, his status for Week 12 is shaky.
Micah Hyde – S, Buffalo Bills (Questionable – Knee): There were fears that Hyde suffered a significant knee injury in last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, but a Monday MRI revealed no structural damage. The hope is that Hyde will be able to play in Week 12.
A.J. Klein – ILB, New Orleans Saints (Questionable – Ankle): Klein sat out the Saints wild win over the Washington Redskins in Week 11 with an injured ankle. His status for this week’s tilt in Los Angeles is unknown at this time.
Sean Lee – OLB, Dallas Cowboys (OUT – Hamstring): The Cowboys are in the midst of a string that includes three games in 11 days. It’s not believed Lee will play in any of them – including on Thanksgiving Day against the Chargers.
C.J. Mosley – ILB, Baltimore Ravens (Questionable – Ankle): The Ravens appear to have dodged a bullet with Mosley, who hurt his ankle late in Baltimore’s win over the Green Bay Packers. The injury isn’t believed to be serious.
Calvin Munson – ILB, New York Giants (Questionable – Quadriceps): Munson didn’t practice Tuesday, but he’s been listed on the injury report and played through the injury the past few weeks – including last week’s win over the Chiefs.
Alex Okafor – DE, New Orleans Saints (IR – Achilles): Okafor’s promising first season with the Saints came to a disappointing end against the Redskins – the 26-year-old suffered a torn Achilles and will miss the rest of the 2017 season.
Jason Pierre-Paul – DE, New York Giants (Questionable – Knee): Pierre-Paul missed some practice time last week but was on the field against the Chiefs. His availability for Thanksgiving Night’s contest with the Redskins isn’t believed to be in jeopardy.
Vincent Rey – ILB, Cincinnati Bengals (Questionable – Hamstring): If Rey misses Week 12 it isn’t his absence that will have the larger IDP impact. It’s that Cincinnati will likely again resort to shifting Vontaze Burfict inside, where he’s struggled at times this season.
Andrew Sendejo – S, Minnesota Vikings (Questionable – Groin): Sendejo’s one of many prominent safeties on the shelf with a groin injury. Until we see Sendejo on the practice field IDP owners need to have alternate plans for Week 12 at the ready.
Martrell Spaight – ILB, Washington Redskins (Questionable – Ankle): One of approximately 37 dinged-up inside linebackers for the Redskins. He was in a walking boot on Tuesday, which puts his Week 12 status in real jeopardy.
Solomon Thomas – DE, San Francisco 49ers (Questionable – Knee): Thomas hasn’t played since the end of October compliments of a sprained MCL, but the hope is that the rookie will be able to play again with the Niners returning from their bye week.
Danny Trevathan – ILB, Chicago Bears (Questionable – Calf): The Bears have admitted that Trevathan’s calf injury, which has cost the veteran linebacker the last two games, could linger all season. His Week 12 status is iffy at best.
Olivier Vernon – DE, New York Giants (Questionable – Shoulder): Vernon finally made it back from his ankle injury just in time to be forced from last week’s game with a bad shoulder. His status for this week is uncertain.
Kenny Vaccaro -- S, New Orleans Saints (Questionable – Groin): Vaccaro hasn’t played since injuring his groin back in Week 9. Barring a change in his status that includes some time on the practice field, Vaccaro can’t be counted on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams.
THE WHAT THE HECK DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE WAIVER PLAY OF THE WEEK
Reggie Ragland – ILB, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BUF)
Ragland’s play against the Giants last week impressed head coach Andy Reid. “I think he did a nice job,” Reid told Pete Sweeney of SB Nation. “There are a couple plays he’d like to have back but for the most part, he did a nice job. He’s getting better every week. I think we’re seeing that. Remember, [2017] is really his rookie year. But I think we have a nice rotation there with [Derrick Johnson] and him and (Kevin) Pierre-Louis. We’re able to keep everybody fresh and playing downhill and the whole deal, so I think it’s a positive thing there.”
That rotation, surprisingly, featured Ragland playing more snaps than Derrick Johnson – with Ragland on the field more than 70 percent of the time. The youngster responded with nine total tackles against New York, which is enough to get Ragland on the spot-start radar ahead of a matchup with a Bills team giving up the fourth-most fantasy points to linebackers this season.
GUYS I LIKE IN WEEK 12
Mario Addison – DE, Carolina Panthers (at NYJ): Addison was quiet his last time out, but the 30-year-old defensive end has at least one sack in seven of 10 games this season and draws a favorable matchup Sunday against the Jets.
Jurrell Casey – DE, Tennessee Titans (at IND): Casey’s a better player than his three sacks indicate, and he has a good chance at getting number four Sunday against a Colts team that has allowed the most sacks in the NFL (39) in 2017.
Jason Pierre-Paul – DE, New York Giants (at WAS): Yes, Pierre-Paul made an appearance on this week’s injury report. But he’s expected to be out there Thursday against a Washington team that’s third in fantasy points allowed to defensive linemen.
Deone Bucannon – ILB, Arizona Cardinals (at JAX): Bucannon was one of several Redbirds who had big stat lines last week, and this week’s opponent (the Jaguars) is second in the league in fantasy points given up to linebackers.
Benardrick McKinney – ILB, Houston Texans (at BAL): McKinney’s coming off one of his best games of the season last week and gets a Ravens team Monday night that has allowed the most fantasy points per game to linebackers in 2017.
Nick Vigil – OLB, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. CLE): The Cleveland Browns are a raging dumpster fire of a football team, but they’ve been giving up fantasy points by the bushel to linebackers all season long. Only teams allow more.
Barry Church – S, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. ARZ): Church isn’t the fantasy option we thought/hoped he’d be in 2017 but I just can’t quit him – especially heading into a matchup with a Cardinals team allowing the third-most fantasy points to defensive backs.
Karl Joseph – S, Oakland Raiders (vs. DEN): I would say that Paxton Lynch starting for the Broncos can’t go worse than Trevor Siemian and Brock Osweiler before him. I have no evidence, however, that this is true.
T.J. McDonald – S, Miami Dolphins (at NEP): McDonald’s had one big game and one slow one since his return to action. Look for the former this week in Beantown – no team has surrendered more fantasy points to defensive backs this season.
Bradley McDougald – S, Seattle Seahawks (at SFO): Granted, starting McDougald in a must-win fantasy matchup is a bit of a Hail Mary play. But only the New England Patriots have given up more fantasy points to safeties in 2017.
GUYS I DON’T LIKE IN WEEK 12
Trey Flowers – DE, New England Patriots (vs. MIA): Flowers finally broke out of his funk last week against the Raiders, but asking for sacks in back-to-back weeks in terrible IDP matchups may be asking for trouble.
Derek Wolfe – DE, Denver Broncos (at OAK): Wolfe’s coming off a big game (five tackles and a sack) against the Cincinnati Bengals, but this week’s matchup with the Oakland Raiders is as bad as they get for defensive linemen.
Anthony Zettel – DE, Detroit Lions (vs. MIN): Zettel’s been a sneaky-good IDP option this year and the Lions’ most effective pass-rusher. But no team in the NFC has given up fewer fantasy points to d-linemen this year than the Vikings.
De’Vondre Campbell – OLB, Atlanta Falcons (vs. TBB): Sunday’s matchup between the Falcons and Buccaneers features the two worst fantasy matchups in the NFL for linebackers this year. That does not inspire a ton of confidence.
Lavonte David – OLB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at ATL): If last week’s game in Seattle was any indication, Kwon Alexander should at least be OK against the Falcons. David, on the other hand, could be in for a down game against the stingiest team in the NFL for linebackers.
Calvin Munson – ILB, New York Giants (at WAS): Assuming he plays, some hard-up IDP owners may be considering Munson after his big Week 12. Don’t – the Redskins were a lousy matchup for linebackers before injuries tore through their running backs.
Adrian Amos – S, Chicago Bears (at PHI): Amos is inside my top 10 this week, but I fear it’s a ranking I’ll regret – believe it or not, no team in the NFL is allowing fewer fantasy points to safeties this year than the Philadelphia Eagles.
Antoine Bethea – S, Arizona Cardinals (at JAX): It’s nigh impossible to sit Budda Baker in Week 12 after what he did against Houston, but it’s worth pointing out that the Jags are dead last in the AFC in fantasy points given up to safeties.
Daniel Sorensen – S, Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BUF): This is how bad a matchup the Buffalo Bills are for defensive backs – even after Nathan Peterman threw all the interceptions ever last week the Bills are still 28th in fantasy points allowed to defensive backs.
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.
Dontae Johnson, San Francisco 49ers (vs. SEA): Johnson’s 12 total tackles over his last three starts aren’t going to blow anyone’s doors off. But he’s played 100 percent of the defensive snaps in each of his last two games and draws a Seahawks team Sunday who just gave up 13 combined tackles to Robert Alford and Desmond Trufant of the Atlanta Falcons.
