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IDP Start/Sit Advice & Rankings for Week 15 (Fantasy Football)

IDP Start/Sit Advice & Rankings for Week 15 (Fantasy Football)

Here are players to consider starting and sitting this week, along with analysis to help you make your IDP roster decisions.

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Start

Frank Clark (DL – SEA)
Some will be scared off due to the weak performance against the 49ers two weeks ago, but you shouldn’t be one of them. He was able to rack-up three quarterback hits, so even though he didn’t get a sack, he was awfully close. The 49ers have allowed the third-most points to defensive lineman, not only allowing plenty of sacks, but 156 solo tackles, which is 21 more than the next closest team.

Carlos Dunlap (DL – CIN)
After recording seven sacks in the first eight games, Dunlap has slowed down a bit and has just one sack over his last five games. The Raiders should cure that problem, however, as they’ve allowed the most points to defensive ends this season. While some will look to Geno Atkins, it’s Dunlap who should be the star on the Bengals defense this week.

Denico Autry (DL – IND)
If there’s a glaring weakness on the Cowboys offensive line, it’s right up the middle, as not only Travis Fredrick’s loss hurt them, but now Zack Martin is hurt and may not even play this game. Even with Martin, the Cowboys have allowed more points to defensive tackles than any other team in the league. Autry should find himself landing on Dak Prescott who’s been sacked more than any other quarterback in the league.

Avery Williamson (LB – NYJ)
The Texans are a team you want to attack across the board with your front-seven IDP players, as they allow tons of fantasy points to them. They’ve allowed the fourth-most points to defensive ends, defensive tackles, and linebackers. What are the odds? The last good matchup Williamson had was against the Bills when he tallied 11 total tackles, including one for a loss.

Alec Ogletree (LB – NYG)
We’ve known for some time that the Titans want to run the football and they finally got the performance they wanted last week. With the way the Giants have defended the run lately, it’s a lock that Ogletree will see plenty of opportunities this week. Ogletree has generated at least eight tackles in three of the last four games and the Titans have allowed the eighth-most points to linebackers to this point. He should offer a safe floor inside the top-20.

Todd Davis (LB – DEN)
Linebackers tend to get plays funneled to them against the Browns, as the defensive line doesn’t seem to get anything against them. Meanwhile, the linebackers have ranked top-10 against the Browns. On top of that, Davis has tallied at least 10 tackles in four of this last seven games. That’s the stability you look for from your linebackers.

Corey Graham (DB – PHI)
With the way this game is expected to go, the Eagles defense is going to be on the field a lot. The Rams offense is very RB/WR heavy, which are two areas of the game where Graham should need to make an impact on the back-end, especially when their cornerback play has been so bad. Like a linebacker, he’s totaled at least eight tackles in three of his last four games.

Ronnie Harrison (DB – JAC)
We’ve seen Harrison move into a full-time role over the last two weeks, and though the stats haven’t been great just yet, the Redskins are trotting out a fourth-string quarterback. Not only should Harrison have some interception opportunities, he’ll be asked to come down into the box to slow Adrian Peterson. On the season, the Redskins have allowed the third-most points to the safety position.

Sit

Akiem Hicks (DL – CHI)
Hicks has been a great start for much of the season, but when going against Aaron Rodgers, it will be tougher for him to land a sack. Rodgers is a magician in the pocket and it requires speed to get to him from behind, something Hicks doesn’t really have. It’s rare to see Rodgers take a sack from a defensive tackle because of his pocket awareness.

Cameron Heyward (DL – PIT)
He’s usually a top-15 play on the defensive line, but against the Patriots, it’s going to be tough. The Patriots have allowed Tom Brady to be sacked by defensive linemen just six times all season and have allowed the fewest points per game to them. In fact, they nearly allow defensive tackles as many points as they do defensive ends.

Damon Harrison (DL – DET)
The Bills have allowed the second-fewest points to opposing defensive tackles this year, as Josh Allen‘s mobility would allow him to escape a 300-plus pound man coming right in front of him. Harrison was brought in to slow down opposing run-games, which he’s done, but the Bills won’t be running the ball up the middle very often. It’s going to be tough to rely on him for anything this week.

Danny Trevathan (LB – CHI)
Not only is he splitting a lot of production with Roquan Smith, but he’s now going into a matchup with the Packers who have allowed the fewest points to opposing linebackers. Trevathan has totaled four or less tackles in three of his last five games, so he’s just not worth the risk in this matchup.

Bradley Chubb (LB – DEN)
There is no other team who’s protected their quarterback more than the Browns have over the last four weeks, as Baker Mayfield has taken one sack in that time. Chubb’s 12 sacks as a rookie is extremely impressive, but this is a week to lower expectations.

Anthony Barr (LB – MIN)
In a game where the Vikings are likely to dominate the time of possession, it’s unlikely Barr gets many opportunities. He also hasn’t topped seven total tackles all season, which is despite the defense being dominant all year. Even in a normal gamescript, the Dolphins rank in the bottom-12 for points allowed to linebackers.

Tre Boston (DB – ARI)
We haven’t seen many safeties perform well against the Falcons, let alone two of them on the same team. While Antoine Bethea is tough to bench, Boston belongs on benches this week. He’s totaled just 11 total tackles over the last three weeks and hasn’t intercepted a pass since Week 6.

Donte Jackson (DB – CAR)
The appeal with Jackson is his ball-hawking ability, though that’s not likely to come into play this week against Drew Brees. He’s thrown just three interceptions to defensive backs all season long, and it’s almost certain that James Bradberry will get most tackle opportunities while being in coverage of Michael Thomas. Brees doesn’t target his other receivers very often, so feel free to bench the stud rookie cornerback.

Here are my full IDP rankings for the week.

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Mike Tagliere is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @MikeTagliereNFL.

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