The holiday has passed, and you're likely finally ready to not eat leftovers. This is an understandable feeling because when eating the same thing for many meals, it starts to be just a meal and not that cuisine for the special occasion. This same sentiment can be said about your fantasy football team. If the lineup decisions you're making feel very monotonous, you must make that change! Liven up your roster by watching the risers and fallers within the league. This week, we have some familiar faces, but maybe not in the tiers you would expect. What you do with this information is up to you, but the market never lies! (okay, sometimes it's…skewed…) Regardless of your opinion on these players, we must contextualize the information and march on! RING THE BELL!
The Fortune 5
CB DaRon Bland, Cowboys: For the first time in this market's history, a corner leads us off! Bland isn't just any corner; he is likely the most notable corner in the NFL currently, especially after shattering the touchdown record on arguably the league's most-watched stand-alone game that isn't the Super Bowl. Are you telling me that the same game that featured Dolly Parton in the iconic Cowboys cheerleader uniform also featured a record-setting pick-six, with Tony Romo and Jim Nantz on the call? Come on, folks! Some stories just write themselves. Bland is having one of those years. I'm not often a fan of corners in DB leagues, but he is assuredly worth starting for the remainder of this season.
S Jessie Bates III, Falcons: Turn your head, Bengals fans. Bates may be having his best season as a pro with Atlanta. He is pacing for his career high in tackles and has already tied his interception career high with four. He is just a guy you can set and forget in your weekly lineups. He doesn't miss games, plays nearly all snaps of every game, and produces stats in these snaps. The best part? He plays on the side of the ball where Arthur Smith's coaching can't hurt him. He has had back-to-back games of 12+ tackles and capped off a great Week 12 with a pick-six!
EDGE Khalil Mack, Chargers: Maybe it was too harsh saying Mack may be finished. Or maybe he heard this and took it personally?! Either way, Khalil Mack has had a great season and one that we should be talking more about. In three of the last four games, Mack has had at least four tackles and two sacks! He has 13 sacks this season with six games to go for his career-high of 15. I believe he will be on a tear to finish this season and needs to be an every-week starter down the stretch if he wasn't already for your team. Mack is turning BACK the clock and you just love to see it!
EDGE Nick Bosa, 49ers: Another player whose demise may have been exaggerated is that of the best Bosa, Nick Bosa! He has had a sack in six of his last seven games, and only in one of these did he not have multiple sacks. Simply put, Bosa is on a tear right now, and this is one I see continuing through the playoff run. He is currently at his career low in sacks but clearly is showing that he has found a groove or second gear and will look to continue this streak in the marquee game against the Philadelphia Eagles this week. A tough week for sure, but the Eagles are 21st-ranked in the league for points allowed by Des, meaning he is liable to score here.
EDGE Carl Granderson, Saints: At the beginning of the season, would you have believed me if I told you that the best Saints pass rusher would be Carl Granderson and not Cameron Jordan? There may be no other explanation for this than this. Granderson is ascending, and Jordan is descending. Jordan is 34 years old and has clearly lost a step. We are seeing the up-and-coming 26-year-old Granderson now make a name for himself in IDP. He already has career-highs in tackles and sacks with six games remaining! He could be in this next crop of elite pass rushers if he can carry this momentum into the playoffs and next season. Keep your eye on Granderson moving forward.
Continue reading this content with a ELITE subscription.
An ELITE subscription is required to access content for IDP (individual defensive players) leagues. If this league is not a IDP (individual defensive players) league, you can edit your leagues here.
The Falling 4
LB Jack Gibbens, Titans: I was a big supporter of Gibbens this season, but facts are facts, and the fact is, he has been playing poorly over the past few weeks. The puzzling part is that his snap count hasn't fallen; he is just producing less, which should be a red flag for managers everywhere. The reality of this game is that you must score points, or you are a liability. Gibbens can't be trusted for the playoff push. He needs to have a seat on the bench in dynasty leagues, barring an injury to someone ahead of him.
EDGE Boye Mafe, Seahawks: We all knew that the hot streak would eventually end, but I was hopeful that we would at least get serviceable production afterward. Since the sack streak of 2023 that lasted from Week 3 to Week 10, Mafe has had three total tackles. This is obviously less than ideal, but it leaves us with arguably the toughest question of the week. Should we start Mafe in lineups? For me, I would look for more stability, but if you need a "pop" player for a week, he is probably the best gamble you can have.
S Kyle Dugger, Patriots: I am over Kyle Dugger as an IDP manager. He is so boom or bust that he almost always must be started, but often, I am left disappointed more than I am leaving the week feeling good. The problem with Dugger is that he gives me the most serious case of FOMO I have ever had when looking at the elite safeties of the league because when he is on it is just beautiful. His issue is consistency, and right now, when the games matter most, I avoid players like this. Dugger needs to be on benches in your run. He simply can't be trusted as a consistent contributor.
S Harrison Smith, Vikings: We should all take a moment to appreciate what we, as IDP and football fans alike, received from Harrison Smith over the course of his long career. Smith appears to be near the end, and their production is dipping, although the snaps have not. In fact, the Vikings have had three safeties play 100% of the snaps in three straight weeks. The worst part of that stat is it is coming at a detriment to Smith's statistical production. He hasn't had a game with a non-tackle stat since Week 7 and is giving very minimal production for the premium position he plays. The years of starting Smith every week are over.
Premiere Pennies
EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel, Dolphins: Next man up mentality can sometimes be more cliché than reality, but we saw this happen earlier this year with Van Ginkel. Jaelen Phillips, unfortunately, is out for the season, and Van Ginkel performed more than capably to start the season when Phillips was down. Van Ginkel, in Weeks 2-5, was playing more snaps due to a Phillips injury. In these weeks, he had 17 tackles and four sacks. He needs to be rostered and could become a starter very soon for your IDP team, especially if you need depth at the defensive end position.
S Jonathan Owens, Packers: Owens has now put together four consecutive 8+ tackle weeks and had other statistics in all but one, including a touchdown on Turkey Day! He needs to be on a roster even if for whatever reason you don't trust him to score for your team. He has proven that he has starter upside, and while the beginning of the season was less than ideal, it is the here-and-now that fantasy managers need to worry about, regardless of format. In the playoff push, I want guys on my roster who are producing now! Owens is doing more than just producing. He is downright winning weeks!
EDGE Rashan Gary, Packers: I can't quit you, Rashan Gary! Look, I understand I am speaking out of both sides of my mouth here. I preach to managers weekly about looking at consistency when evaluating a player's worth. Gary is the exact opposite of a player I would normally get behind, but there's just something about the young pass-rusher from Green Bay that just makes my brain do things it normally wouldn't! Maybe it's the fact that he has four sacks in two games. Maybe it is because he is 25 and is 0.5 sacks away from his career high with six games to go. I understand he is volatile, but he is a great candidate for a what-the-heck start. Oh, and by the way, His fantasy playoff schedule is tasty. Giants, Buccaneers, Panthers!
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!