There it was, the entire season good, bad, and ugly has led us to this very week. The week where we see if we really built that championship team we dreamed about over four months ago. In dynasty, it is watching the culmination of rookie drafts, trades, and other roster moves. In redraft, it can be seen as the value drafting having paid off or gone oh so wrong. Whether you’re in redraft or in dynasty, one thing is for sure. It’s Super Bowl Week! That makes this as crucial as ever. Are you ready to find the diamond in the rough who will help you ascend the throne of King of your league? Have no fear, FootballGuys is here!
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DE Nick Bosa: Bosa is just one of those dudes that no matter the matchup, will likely produce for your teams. This season he has accumulated 48 tackles, two forced fumbles, and 17.5 sacks! He is the current DE2 and is having a year to remember. He has only had one game with less than six points excluding a game he missed due to injury. Last week was a 25-point outburst in the semi-finals. If Bosa is on your team, you play him and you enjoy every minute!
LB Alex Singleton: The Denver Broncos linebacker position may be the most valuable in all of fantasy football. No matter who the starter was, the position scored in bunches. Right now, Singleton carries that position and he has had a stellar end-of-the-season run. Since Week 10, Singleton has scored Double-digit points in four of the seven games. The other three were nine-point games. He has been a megastar in IDP and had 20 total tackles last week in the money weeks! If you have him, he absolutely must start!
LB Bobby Wagner: Sometimes, young and flashy is better served for the bench. Especially if you have ole reliable Wagner. Wagner has been an IDP staple since he entered the league in 2012. While his overall year statistics haven’t been what he produced in his prime, he has had a great year, specifically down the stretch. In three of his last four games, he has had 15+ points in standard-scoring leagues. Wagner is still dat dude, so make sure he is in your lineups. Don’t overthink the easy ones.
LB Nick Bolton: It was cause for concern when you see a dominant player post back-to-back bad weeks, Bolton being the unfortunate target of negative market analysis. Well, we need to re-route our ship. Bolton bounced back in a big way with a 17-tackle performance and has proved to us that he must be in your lineups at all times. As if you didn’t already know this, it was concerning that as soon as the playoffs started his statistics dipped, well he more than made up for it in the semifinals. Bolton is more than poised for a championship run for your team.
LB Roquan Smith: Smith continued his dominant run since the Week 10 bye with another 15+ point game. He had 15 total tackles giving him back-to-back double-digit tackle weeks. He now has 145 tackles on the year with 4.5 sacks and five defended passes. The 25-year-old linebacker is everything you would want in a dynasty player and in the short term can help you win your title. No matter the matchup or weather, Smith translates to wins. Period.
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DE Chase Young: Look, he is an absolute stud when healthy, and he finally seems to be. No matter his health status, he has no business being in lineups this season, especially in a start for your team in a Super Bowl. He is great and was saddled with an unfortunate injury, but he isn’t worth the risk that comes with starting him this season. Suck it up, bench him and wait till next year when we really get to see him feast! Young still has lots of football to play.
LB Demario Davis: If no one has said it yet, let me be the first. Davis is no longer a fantasy-relevant player. He used to be a week-to-week set-and-forget guy, but this season, even with injuries to players around him, he will barely exceed 100 total tackles and, outside of the occasional sack, has no other stats that help your team. It’s easy to be late on a guy and be burned, but if you have other options, I would consider starting them in your Super Bowl.
LB Deion Jones: Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Deion Jones was once a guy who you feared if you saw him on opposing lineups. He was once a perennial top-three linebacker with the ability to explode at a moment's notice. He now struggles to produce in an injury-riddled linebacker corps with no other notable names. Again, if you’re looking for a sign, here it is. Jones has had just one game of double-digit points this entire season. If you’ve been waiting for his pop, just move on, it isn’t happening this season.
LB Micah Parsons: Most of you have heard the old adage, “don’t sit your studs”. Well, I argue that there is a stud that we need to at least look at potentially sitting. Parsons is absolutely the kind of player you want on your team in a long-term regular season, acquiring stats and pop plays for your team, but we need to read the short-term trends. Parsons hasn’t scored double-digit points since Week 12 and has combined for five tackles and a sack in his last two games. Maybe it’s panic, but is he worth the risk of a Super Bowl?
LB Quay Walker: An article favorite for most of the season, the pendulum has now swung back to the bad side of things. Walker was having a great run in his rookie season, but the last game gives cause for concern. Maybe you want to chalk it up to a “bad game,” but the reality remains, is he trustable when he gave us a one-assisted tackle performance? That’s a red flag for any IDP owner, but it was his worst of the year, so maybe it was an outlier. Regardless, he has trended down and given us reason to double-think the start-and-forget mindset he had given us a few weeks ago…
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DE Josh Sweat: What’s a championship without a little bit of Sweat? Ok, bad jokes aside, look at the production the young man in Philadelphia has had in the games that have mattered most. In playoff Round 1, six tackles and two sacks. In the semifinals, three tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a pick-six! He will be hard-pressed to replicate those numbers, but he’s scored 15+ in three of his last four games, and Philly can clinch home-field with a win. Look for him to be motivated to contribute in a big way this week when we need him most.
LB Devin Lloyd: Is anyone else a fan of comeback stories? From darling, stud rookie to can’t start, we have now reversed again to Lloyd being a must-start in your fantasy Super Bowl. Back-to-back weeks of nine total tackles, last week he returned to the pass defense that separated him from the field early on with an interception. There is some risk here with Lloyd, and we have seen what a “bad” game looks like. But with Chad Muma suddenly disappearing, Lloyd is, without a doubt, the man to play outside of Foye. Roll the dice here, high roller; Lloyd is your dice kiss.
LB Christian Harris: From one rookie linebacker to another, Christian Harris, since being given the nod, has had a good rookie year. His point totals went through the typical rookie inconsistencies, but in the last two weeks, he’s really turned it around. Last week was his best career game, with six tackles, two defended passes, and one pick outburst that almost certainly contributed to some wins. Rookies are people too! You just have to have the right one, and Harris is one that may be able to contribute immediately to your championship-winning team.
LB Logan Wilson: One of the catalysts to the Bengals’ winning streak has been the play of the defense. While the names aren’t super notable, there are some significant contributors who have been IDP stars, Wilson being one. Since they last lost nine weeks ago, Wilson has had five double-digit games. His last three weeks have all been 18+ points. These aren’t “boom” plays either; it has been tackle production and an ability to sack the quarterback. If you’re questioning who to start in your Super Bowl, why not a player in the Bengals’ (and maybe the NFL’s) biggest game? Look for a motivated middle linebacker in a national TV game against the top of the league.
S Jalen Thompson: A player who may still be a free agent in your league that can immediately contribute is Thompson. He has had a weird year, to say the least, going on a five-game stretch of 8-9 points after having three straight of 13+. Last week he had his best game of the year, an 11-tackle performance against the Buccaneers. He could be a long-term dynasty hold as well, especially if Budda Baker’s injury proves more serious than we know. Either way, if you need a guy, he’s likely going to contribute early and often.
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CB Rasul Douglas: There’s just something about this time of year that meshes really well with Douglas. He has a streak of six straight games with double-digit points and appears to be peaking at the best time. You get tackle production, defended passes, and even the occasional sack. He has 76 tackles and four interceptions on the year. If you’re in a league that starts corners or need a flyer on a defensive back, why not try Douglas?
LB Jaylon Smith: Back in the glory days of the 2010’s Smith was a force to be reckoned with in IDP fantasy football. Since his surprise release from the Cowboys, he has not returned to that prominent spot of a LB1, but lately, we have seen a rejuvenation. Likely available on your waivers, Smith is a great option if you’re not deep at linebacker or have injuries. In three of his last five games, he’s had 12+ points in standard leagues and gets a favorable matchup against the Colts this week. A player with the talent of Smith doesn’t always fall in your lap during a Super Bowl run, and there are much worse options to start.
LB Tony Fields: Another player that is likely available on your waiver wire is Fields. The Browns have been absolutely devastated at linebacker this year, and as mentioned above, Deion Jones just ain’t it this year. Somebody has to get tackles and last week, Fields had ten of them. He is a relative no name who is getting playing time due to the injuries ahead of him, but he’s 23 years old and getting an opportunity to play. Dynasty managers need to pay attention, and if you have the room, why not roster a project or spot starter?
DE J.J. Watt: We are getting the farewell tour from Watt, so ya know what? We are going to get maximum effort from one of the NFL’s best defenders ever. He has been on a tear lately, and it makes sense why now, because this is it. Some things you can’t quantify, and one is the human spirit. Call me crazy because we are going with no stats here, simply heart. If J.J. Watt is committed to this being the last we see of him and you need a player desperately for your game, he’s worthy of the dice roll. Something tells me he will be as amped up as ever this week. Tip of the cap to a wonderful player, one of IDPs best EVER.
S Landon Collins: Finally, a player who has seemingly turned back the clock and has signed back to the team where he made his name, defensive back Landon Collins. Collins started his career as a New York Giant and had three straight 100+ tackle years. He played just under 50% of the snaps, so be wary, but if you’re looking deep on the waiver wire for any sign of life, Collins has had absolutely insane games in his career. He’s coming off his best game of the year and gets the Colts this week. There are worse matchups to have…
There you are, the final market of the year. Wasn’t that fun? 20 players a week, some great, some not so much, but one thing remains the same. The NFL is king because of its unpredictable nature and ever-changing landscape of players. I wish you all well in your Super Bowl endeavors unless you face me! Who knows, maybe one of these articles saved (or ruined) your year! Thanks for a great year, and cheers to many more.