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Week 14 IDP Hits

Loaded Injury Report to Sort

The Titans just might be in danger of running out of defenders this week.

In addition to any previously injured guys, these players turned up questionable for Sunday’s game against the Eagles:

• LB Kenneth Murray Jr. (hamstring)
• LB Jerome Baker (neck)
• CB Roger McCreary (shoulder)
• CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. (hip)
• DT T’Vondre Sweat (shoulder)

Both LBs look like shaky bets, even if they turn up active. Murray missed practice all week, and Baker missed Thursday and Friday.

Their replacements appear to be James Williams and Otis Reese. The first has yet to play a defensive snap in his rookie season. The latter has played just 98 total snaps in two NFL seasons.

The secondary expects to welcome CB Chidobe Awuzie on. We’ll see how the group sorts out with him back and the two injury questions.

Harold Landry and Arden Key remain potential IDP options on the edge. DT Jeffery Simmons carries upside, as does S Amani Hooker.

But try not to count on Titans in your lineup otherwise.

Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons seem to be trying to make their LBs irrelevant beyond Kaden Elliss.

Nate Landman played just 37% of snaps in last week’s loss to the Chargers. He dealt with a hamstring issue. But Landman finished the practice week with a full Friday and no game designation.

Troy Andersen returned for that game after missing Week 11, an absence that followed a one-game return from his five-week knee injury. Andersen played just 35% of snaps against the Chargers.

We’ll see what happens in Week 14, but neither Landman nor Andersen looks useful for IDP lineups.

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers face three key injury situations on an already-weak defense ahead of Sunday’s clash with the Eagles.

The team downgraded Edge Jadeveon Clowney (knee) to out on Saturday. That’ll leave just one Panther in the lineup with more than 2 sacks this season (A’Shawn Robinson, 3.0).

LB Josey Jewell (hamstring) is questionable.

He went from a limited Wednesday to sitting out Thursday's practice but then returning for a limited Friday. We'll need to watch Jewell's status ahead of the game. If he can’t go, rookie LB Trevin Wallace would likely see a playing-time boost.

Edge D.J. Wonnum (knee) is also questionable. But he appears to be headed toward playing. Wonnum finished the week with a full Friday practice, following two limited workouts. I’ll check his status ahead of the game as well.

Detroit Lions

Here were the Lions’ only three D-linemen to reach 50% playing time Thursday night against the Packers, in the wake of myriad injuries for the position group:

• Pat O’Connor (82%)
• Al-Quadin Muhammad (74%)
• Jonah Williams (50%)

Muhammad’s the only among those guys to have exceeded 2 sacks in an NFL season, making it a group unlikely to deliver much IDP impact.

Edge Za’Darius Smith, meanwhile, dipped to just 42% playing time against Green Bay after snap shares of 82%, 67%, and 77% the previous three weeks.

There’s been no indication of injury since. Perhaps the downturn came as a combo of Green Bay going run-heavy and the Lions playing on a short week.

I’ll bet on his playing time rebounding for Week 15. We’ll see how high it climbs, though.

Kansas City Chiefs

DB Nazeeh Johnson made his fourth straight start in last Thursday’s narrow victory over the Raiders. But he got yanked in the first quarter after a deep completion to WR Jakobi Meyers, and then replaced for good by Joshua Williams.

Johnson’s 19% playing time for that contest marked a steep decline from three straight games of 90%+. But we obviously can’t look to him as an option for Week 14, even if the Chiefs say they’re starting him again.

I also wouldn’t bother with Williams, who played just 6 total snaps between Thursday’s game and his lone previous full-time outing in Week 9 (when Johnson was out).

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers’ big boys on the edge just might be as healthy as they’ve been together all year.

Joey Bosa played a season-high 73% of snaps in last week’s win over the Falcons. You wouldn’t know it by his empty stat line, though. Bosa managed 1 QB hit but just 2 pressures, despite getting his second-most pass-rushing reps of the season, according to PFF.

Khalil Mack hit 70% playing time, his highest rate since Week 7 and largest snap total (57) of the year. Mack went without a QB hit, though, edging Bosa 3-2 in pressures.

They get a recently sack-friendly Chiefs matchup this week. Patrick Mahomes took 5 sacks each of the past two weeks and 4+ sacks in four of his past five outings.

After that come tougher spots against the Bucs and Broncos, but then a good sack matchup with the Patriots.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins activated Edge Bradley Chubb this week from the PUP list, where he’s been all season while continuing to work back from last December’s ACL tear.

He’s officially questionable for Sunday’s game against the Jets, but HC Mike McDaniel said Friday that it would be “a lot to expect” Chubb to play this week.

That pretty clearly signals that even an active Chubb would see sparing usage. Given that it’s already Week 14, I’m not expecting any real IDP impact from Chubb this season.

He remains stashable in dynasty ahead of what will be his age-29 campaign in 2025. It looks like Chubb’s contract should keep him in Miami through at least that season.

Minnesota Vikings

Vikings Edge Andrew Van Ginkel is questionable for Sunday's game against the Falcons, but he seems likely to play. 

Van Ginkel put in limited practices all week because of a thigh issue. And according to Ben Goessling of The Minnesota Star Tribune, HC Kevin O'Connell "seemed optimistic about most of the questionable players being able to go."

If he weren't optimistic about Van Ginkel, I have to think that'd come up. Expect to have Van Ginkel available for IDP lineups.

New York Giants

With LB Bobby Okereke ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Saints, LB Micah McFadden faces big opportunity.

McFadden already ranks 36th among LBs in total fantasy points for the season – depending on your format, of course. He sits outside the top 40 in points per game. But both rank higher than his No. 49 position among off-ball LBs in snaps.

McFadden gets the Saints, who have allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to LBs on the year. He has climbed to mid-LB2 territory in our Week 14 rankings and sports upside beyond that.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers expect to get S Talanoa Hufanga back for Sunday’s game against the Bears.

He practiced this week with a club on his repaired wrist and is officially questionable. That’s likely to mean limited playing time (assuming he plays). And the clubbed hand will limit Hufanga’s big-play ability.

How the Niners sort safety playing time will be interesting.

Greenlaw Back Soon

The team has been targeting Week 15 for LB Dre Greenlaw’s season debut.

Greenlaw, of course, is working back from the freak Achilles’ injury he suffered in the Super Bowl.

When he returns, he’ll almost certainly take the spot De’Vondre Campbell has covered this season.

Greenlaw won’t be a good play for Week 15. We’ll see if he can get enough playing time to be a Week 16 option.

Who Belongs in Your IDP Lineup?

Have trouble figuring out which IDPs to get into your lineup each week? The Team Intel page combines our 3D Projections with the specifics of your situation to give you a clear picture every week.

Matt Schauf, Editor

Matt has earned two Fantasy Pros accuracy awards for IDP rankings and won thousands of dollars as a player across best ball, dynasty, and high-stakes fantasy formats. He has been creating fantasy football content for more than 20 years, with work featured by Sporting News, Rotoworld, Athlon, Sirius XM, and others. He's been with Draft Sharks since 2011.