It is that time of year, folks. Time to gobble up all the fantasy information you can. Whether it is a feast of good vibes looking at your roster and its potential or the tryptophan-like slumber after looking at analytics for an hour, you need to make sure you leave room for dessert this holiday season. The desert, of course, is that sweet, sweet victory in your league's Super Bowl! How do you get there, though? BY MAKING MOVES BAYBAY! So, whether you're a fan of the role players of your team (dare I say, side dishes) or have the elite players of the league (turkey, of course!) Now is the time to get risky and win your league. No more puns! Just that bell signifying the start of another week of the IDP Stock Market!
The Fortune 5
LB Blake Cashman, Texans: Let's make sure there are no more doubts about what the Houston linebacker order is. You can debate 2-3, but number one is no doubt, Blake Cashman. After a fantastic Week 11 where he had a career-high 19 total tackles along with a sack and defended pass, he plays 6 straight games against noteworthy running backs. Jaguars, Broncos, Jets, Titans, and Browns are the opposing teams in the home stretch and the fantasy playoffs. He has the potential to be a true league winner at the position and needs to be starting on your rosters in perpetuity. Make CASH by playing CASHman!
EDGE Jaelan Phillips, Dolphins: You ever have that defeated feeling when you go all in on a guy, and then he gets hurt, leaving you wearing that scarlet letter? That was me with Phillips this offseason and the early part of this year. Through the first six weeks of the year, due to various injuries, Phillips had 13 tackles and 0.5 sacks. Since then, he is clearly the player who we knew he could be. 26 tackles, 5 sacks, and even an interception this past week! He has a sack in four straight games and is showing no signs of slowing down. Hopefully, you didn't give up on the young man; he may be the next big thing at the edge position if he remains healthy down the stretch.
LB Alex Anzalone, Lions: Anzalone is the type of player who just survives roster construction and moving pieces. He is like Neo of the Matrix franchise if the slow-motion bullets were young linebackers trying to take away from the man's tackle production. To this point, no man has been effective in doing so, and we get yet another Anzalone-relevant fantasy season. He is currently on pace to have his best season yet, thanks especially to his 15-tackle performance this past week. Like him or not, he is a guy who needs to be starting for you down the stretch and, honestly, should be a long-term hold for your team.
CB DaRon Bland, Cowboys: I need to be honest with the readers here. I am anti-corner in fantasy, which does eliminate a lot of players from the player pool. The reason is simple: the good ones never get targeted, shrinking their ceiling. Something special is happening in Dallas this season, though. Bland has had four, read that again, FOUR touchdowns this season on interceptions. This is tied for the NFL record set in 1993 by Eric Allen. He is necessary to be a starter for you in leagues that demand corners but also may be worth a flyer in DB designation leagues. He plays some pass-happy teams down the stretch, including the Bills and Dolphins, around Super Bowl week!
S Kevin Byard, Eagles: We may have a rare IDP situation in Philadelphia this season. We don't typically get two fantasy-relevant safeties on the same team, so when the Eagles traded for Kevin Byard, there was the belief that either Reed Blankenship would dip or Byard wouldn't contribute. Neither of these things have happened. In fact, we have seen an uptick in production from both players since the trade, specifically from Byard. Since the move, Byard has played three games. In each of them, he has had 7+ tackles and last week defended two passes, one being an interception. Byard is here to stay and should also stay in your lineups down the stretch!
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The Falling 4
EDGE Brian Burns, Panthers: I am done trying to wait for Brian Burns to be the elite pass rusher we have seen him be. This is just not his year, and it could be a microcosm of the entire vibe that is the Panthers at this point. He started off incredibly, but once the trade deadline talks started, the production went down. Since Week 6, he has had just one sack (also his only tackle of the entire game in Week 8) and seven total tackles. Not to mention, we have also seen him suffer a concussion, which isn't just an injury that you get over as if nothing happened. Don't look to sell Burns just yet, but there may be some tough lineup decisions down the stretch for managers in the unfortunate position of managing Burns.
DT Christian Wilkins, Dolphins: One of the easiest predictions one can make is that because one player on a defensive line is doing well, it should directly benefit the players around him. Especially those who have a track record of production. So, when we are busy giving Jaelen Phillips his flowers, we should also see an uptick in production for the interior man in this same unit, Christian Wilkins, right? Unfortunately, it appears to be the opposite. Teams clearly must be scheming against Wilkins in the middle, and Phillips is feasting. Wilkins had a three-game stretch of dominance between weeks 6-8. During this time, he had 16 tackles and three sacks. Outside of this window, he has had 1.5 sacks and 25 tackles. Are two tackles a week worth the starting lineup spot Wilkins is likely filling for you? This writer says no!
LB Jack Gibbens, Titans: Gibbens has been an interesting player to monitor this season for many reasons. The main reason was that this position group was wide-open heading into this season, leaving an opportunity for someone to step up and take it. Most people (me included) expected Azeez Al-Shaair to step up and perform, and he has. What was unexpected was that Jack Gibbens was also becoming somewhat relevant due to the absence of Monty Rice. Rice is now seeing an increase in playing time, and it has been at the expense of Gibbens. Both are young assets, but it appears that coach Mike Vrabel prefers Rice.
LB David Long Jr, Dolphins: There may be no more confusing of a player than David Long in Miami. At the end of last year and heading into this season, I led the Long bandwagon. Then, after a Week 1 that showed him playing less than 22% of the team's total snaps, it appeared that the team had different plans, so as any clearheaded individual would do, I got off. Then we had a stretch of IDP glory that saw Long have 46 tackles in just five games. Since that stretch that ended in Week 6, he has had one game with five or more tackles. The linebacker position cannot be this volatile, and for that reason, I am done trying to capture the David Long glory. Relegate him to the bench and trade him if anyone else is willing to play with the fire that is Long.
Premiere Pennies
EDGE Yaya Diaby, Buccaneers: Every year, it seems that right around playoff time, the IDP Gods send us a player that no one has heard anything from nor expected, and he bursts onto the scene, ready to contribute. Could this year's candidate be a third-round rookie we should have been more invested in? To this point, Diaby hasn't exactly been a monster contributor, but for the first time in his career, he has put together back-to-back big weeks. The good news? While his snap count has been the same as it has been most of the year, his production has increased. He currently has the third-highest snap percentage at his position, but if he continues this production, this will change and benefit you. He is a great stash for the playoff push.
S Jordan Battle, Bengals: Hey Bengals fans, it's not all bad, right? Okay, maybe we are still down about the Burrow news, but on Thursday, we also saw the emergence of what the next great safety for the defense could be. Battle had a career night for the Bengals, and if you could still see after the tears were in your eyes, you saw him all over the field making plays. He has ascended above Nick Scott on the depth chart and, in the immediate short term, appears to be running away with the job. Battle could be a league-winner at the position, so if you have him stashed, congratulations. If he's somehow still available, grab him now!
LB Ivan Pace Jr Jr., Vikings: Ivan Pace Jr has been a difficult read this season. In the preseason, he appeared to be buried on the depth chart, only to surprise us in Week 1 with 8 tackles. Fast forward to midseason, where we saw him play six straight games of fewer than 40 snaps, which was approximately the 60% or below mark. It appears, though, that since Jordan Hicks is hampered, Pace is back to producing at a high rate and needs to be starting for your teams. If you held strong, you look like a hero, but even if you didn't, he is likely still available on the wire, considering this uptick started just a week ago. It remains to be seen if Hicks will return this year. If he cannot, Pace is a ride-or-die player to get you to the promised land!
Make sure that when you spend that family time together, the living room TV has that football game on! Even if you can't actively obsess over your roster, you can have that quick glance and see a tackle, sack, or even a turnover! Regardless, Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I am thankful you read these and thankful for the lovely discussions we have about the game we love! Make sure you continue to follow me on Twitter (X) @mattmontyff for more IDP and fantasy football content. As always, make sure you're following @footballguys to get all the great content from your favorite analysts!