Adding to the normal struggles with injuries and attrition, bye-magedon is upon us! For many managers, fielding a full and competitive lineup this week will be a challenge, especially for those of us who need to win games to keep post-season hopes alive. Buckle up; this could be a rough ride.

Guru's IDP Notes: Arizona Cardinals

When we last saw the Cardinals in action, Jalen Thompson was sidelined by an ankle injury, and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson recorded over eleven points (5-1 2PD). With Arizona on bye last week, there has been no update on Thompson's status. That will come later this week when we start seeing practice reports. Whoever gets the start at safety for Arizona should be in line for a productive week. The Seahawks are giving up the third most points to the position.

Guru's IDP Notes: Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons uncharacteristically had three safeties show up with at least four tackles in week eleven. Atlanta was in a nickel or dime on over 80% of the snaps. They played three safeties on 44% and three corners on roughly 47%. Richie Grant produced four solo stops, but there is nothing to see here as he played 27 snaps.

Last week, I mentioned that Dee Alford had been passed over in favor of Clark Phillips III when Mike Hughes was down. Later in the week, it came to light that Alford was also injured, leaving the game with a hamstring issue. Hughes (neck) and Alford are uncertain for week 13, so Phillips could get the start against the Chargers. Los Angeles is not a particularly strong matchup, though they have been better in recent weeks.

Guru's IDP Notes: Baltimore Ravens

Roquan Smith had a strong outing against Pittsburgh. He was 8-5 despite having his day cut short with a hamstring injury. Smith walked off the field gingerly but under his own power. We may not get an update on the severity of this injury before mid-week, but if he's your guy, have a backup plan.

Assuming that Smith will miss some time, the backup plan might be Malik Harrison. He finished the game in Smith's place and is a good veteran backup. Harrison managed six tackles, including four solo, on 47% of the snaps. It is unclear if he would handle the lead role or if that would fall to Trenton Simpson. What we do know is that the Ravens have been fielding two off-ball linebackers over 85% of the time over the last month.  

Baltimore remains unsettled at the safety spot next to Kyle Hamilton. Over the last four weeks, we've seen them flip-flop between Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson and then turn to Ar'Darius Washington in week eleven. Washington was 6-5 on 100% participation versus the Steelers. Considering it was the best Baltimore has looked defensively in a while, it could be his job going forward. That said, the Chargers are a horrible matchup for safeties most weeks, so look elsewhere first.

Either Tre'Davious White is being eased in as he learns the defense, or the Ravens are not planning to use him as a starter. He was on the field for 31% of the time last week.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Buffalo Bills

After looking good early in the season, Dorian Williams is fading both on the field and in the box scores. He totaled less than four points in two of the last four games. With Matt Milano closing in on a return, Williams could be back on the bench when the team returns from this week's bye.

Damar Hamlin is still looking good on the field, but his production is spiraling downward. After hitting double-digit points in six of the first nine games, he has been in single-digits in three of the last four, with three or fewer solo tackles in four of the last five. If you need to make room for a bye-week fill-in, Hamlin's roster spot is a consideration.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Chicago Bears

Since week four, Tremaine Edmunds is averaging just over seven points per game, reaching double-digits twice, with one solo stop in each of the last two games. However, there is hope if you have to start him this week. The Vikings give up the most points per game to the linebacker position.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals' defense can't stop anyone, and it might be even worse when they return from the bye. D.J. Turner suffered a broken collar bone and will likely join Dax Hill on IR soon. Cam Taylor-Britt had another in a long line of tough outings, so don't be surprised if Josh Newton and DJ Ivey are the starters when the team returns to action in week thirteen.

Guru's IDP Notes: Cleveland Browns

This week's early matchup provides an opportunity to play Devin Bush against a Steelers team that drafted him early but discarded him at the end of his rookie contract. Coaches sometimes play on that motivation, giving players a bigger role in these games. Even if that is not the case in this situation, Bush was 6-2 on 72% of the snaps against the Saints after going 6-2-1 in the previous game on 81%.

The Steelers are a good matchup for linebackers, so if Bush is not an option, Mohamoud Diabate and Jordan Hicks might be. Diabate was 3-4 on 80% last week, while Hicks was a disappointing 2-4 despite never leaving the field defensively.

As anticipated, the trade of Za'Darius Smith opened the door for Ogbo Okoronkwo to step into the starting lineup. He took advantage of the opportunity, going 2-2-1 with a forced fumble on a 63% play share. He should be a good play this week versus a Pittsburgh offense allowing the fourth most points per game to edge defenders.

Myles Garrett was blanked by the Saints despite playing 77% of the snaps. He is sitting out practice early this week as he continues to battle a hip injury. This guy is an iron man when it comes to suiting up, so chances are he will play. The matchup is good, so his production could come down to how much he is limited by the injury.

Guru's IDP Notes: Dallas Cowboys

Some of this week's decisions will be easy. Play whoever is not on bye. If you have options at linebacker and either Eric Kendricks or DeMarvion Overshown are among them, consider that the Commanders are a plus matchup for the position. Nakobe Dean and Zack Baun combine to go 16-8 with 2 pass breakups against Washington last week. In the Commanders' previous four games, seven opposing linebackers have reached double-digit points.

Guru's IDP Notes: Denver Broncos

Nik Bonitto keeps getting better. The 4-3-2 he dropped on the Falcons is his best production of the season and he has a sack in eight of the last nine games. He has a bye in week fourteen but before the week off, Bonitto and bookend Jonathan Cooper get the Raiders and Browns. Las Vegas has allowed the sixth most points to edge defenders while Cleveland has given up the second most.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Detroit Lions

The matchup is ugly but Malcolm Rodriguez could be the answer to your problem this week. It's been a while since he had a significant role. The last time it happened was his rookie season in 2022. What we learned then is that when he plays enough, Rodriguez puts up strong numbers. Alex Anzalone landed on IR with his broken forearm so Rodriguez will be joining Jack Campbell in the starting lineup, likely for the remainder of the fantasy season.

We will not be seeing Ifeatu Melifonwu after all. He suffered a setback after returning to practice last week and is back on the shelf, likely for the rest of the year.

Guru's IDP Notes: Green Bay Packers

With both rookie safeties healthy, the Packers turned to a big nickel base defense in week eleven. Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams were free and strong, respectively, with Javon Bullard serving in the box safety/nickel linebacker role. Much like what we saw with the Vikings last year, all three safeties put up good numbers. McKinney and Williams played virtually every snap, going 6-3 and 5-1, respectively, while Bullard totaled 6-2 on 72% of the snaps. If any of these guys are available, get them and play them. No one has provided more points to the safety position than the 49ers.

Three-safety base personnel put an end to any value Eric Wilson had. Quay Walker was full-time, with Edgerrin Cooper going 5-3 on 71% of the action. Isaiah McDuffie was relegated to a 29% share, while Eric Wilson played 13 snaps.

Jaire Alexander left the game with a knee injury. The team has not yet updated his status. Carrington Valentine took over and would likely get the start if Alexander is not available.

Guru's IDP Notes: Houston Texans

Uh-oh, there could be a changing of the guard at linebacker in Houston. The Texans started Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To'oTo'o. Looking at the stat sheet, most managers will assume it was business as usual. Al-Shaair went 4-3 and To'oto'o a solid 6-1. However, digging into the snap counts shows that Al-Shaair was in his normal role, playing every snap until the starters were pulled. To'oTo'o started but was on the field for 26 of a possible 83 plays, while Devin White went 3-1 on 50.

As of Wednesday afternoon, there has been no mention of an injury here. Unless we hear something from the team to suggest otherwise, it seems that White is on the verge of claiming a starting spot. It would be a gamble to play White this week, but if you are in a bind, consider that Tennessee has provided the third most fantasy points to linebackers.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Jacksonville Jaguars

As we wonder if there will be a coaching change before the Jaguars return from the bye, the team may also use the bye week to figure out who will start at corner when they return. Both Tyson Campbell and Montaric Brown were knocked out of Sunday's massacre with shoulder injuries. The time off could be enough for them to heal up. If they are unavailable come week 13, it would likely be Ronald Darby, Jarrian Jones, and ??? Jacksonville could roll out a big nickel base with Antonio Johnson returning to a full-time safety role and Darnell Savage working the slot.

Guru's IDP Notes: Kansas City Chiefs

When the Chiefs lost Jalen Watson in week seven, they initially turned to Josh Williams. When he struggled, they decided to take a look at Nazeeh Johnson. The search may be over. Johnson has been a plus on the field. In the box scores, he has eleven tackles, seven assists, and a sack in his two starts. Next on the schedule are the Panthers, who have allowed the second most points to the corner position, followed by the Raiders, who rank sixth.   

Guru's IDP Notes: Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders could be without their top three corners in week twelve. Nate Hobbs missed last week as he nurses an ankle, Jakorian Bennett left after two snaps with a shoulder injury, and Jack Jones left in the fourth quarter with a back issue. Unless they get one of these guys back, Darnay Holmes and Decamerion Richardson would be the starters, with safety Thomas Harper potentially playing in the nickel.

This situation tells us to start our Denver pass catchers for sure. If you need a corner, take a good look at either of these guys. Holmes was a solid 4-3 on 57% of the snaps last week, and Richardson went 2-3 on 28 plays.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Los Angeles Chargers

Cam Hart was well on his way to a big game versus Cincinnati. He was 4-1 with a pair of pass breakups on 51% of the snaps before leaving the game in the third quarter with a concussion. We don't want to start him this week against the Ravens even if he is cleared, but if Hart remains in the starting role, then beyond that, he will have a string of great matchups. Starting in week 13, Los Angeles plays the Falcons, Chiefs, and Buccaneers.   

Denzel Perryman left Sunday's game with a Groin injury. With Junior Colson on IR, Troy Dye was the next man up. His production was minimal at 1-2 on 27 plays. The Chargers generally field a second linebacker about 60% of the time. I have no grand expectations for Dye, but if you're desperate enough for a warm body that will at least get on the field…

Despite a poor matchup, Tuli Tuipulotu kept it rolling with a mark of 2-3-1.5 against Cincinnati. That makes him 12-6-7 over the last four games. Baltimore doesn't give up many sacks, but the edge position tends to make a lot of tackles against them. Tuipulotu stays on the field in all situations, so, at worst, he should give us a decent tackle contribution.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Los Angeles Rams

The Rams are getting by with Christian Rozeboom and Omar Speights at linebacker. They were both solid producers last week, going 4-7 and 5-1 against the Patriots, respectively. Those are not bad numbers, considering that Rozeboom played 64% of the snaps and Speights 55%.

Like several other teams, Los Angeles has begun subsidizing the linebacker position with safeties. Quentin Lake has been everywhere from the very beginning. Kamren Curl is working as the catch-all deep safety so his numbers have not been impressive. The new kid on the block is rookie Kamren Kinchen. He was not on the field much until the last three weeks. After Troy Reeder was lost, Kinchen got his chance. In his first start (week nine), he produced almost 38 fantasy points, including an interception return for a score. Last week he nearly reached 22 points, going 6-2 with two more turnovers. It's a short but impressive resume. Could it be a mirage? Sure, but if you are filling a one-week need, why not gamble on a guy who could end up starting for us down the stretch?  

Guru's IDP Notes: Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings stymied Tennessee's offense and took them out of their game. With 12 running plays for a total of 15 yards, there was not much opportunity for linebackers. Thus the marginal numbers by Blake Cashman (2-2-1) and Ivan Pace Jr. (0-4), despite what was a great matchup on paper.

Guru's IDP Notes: New England Patriots

Christian Barmore was on the field for the first time this season. His role was limited to 21 snaps, but that was enough for him to lead the team's defensive linemen in solo stops with three. He has fresh legs and a juicy matchup this week with a Miami team that has allowed the fifth most points to interior linemen. Expect a bigger role and likely more production.

With Kyle Dugger back, Marte Mapu was on the inactive list. Even from the sideline, Mapu was almost as productive as Dugger, who did next to nothing despite playing every snap. That's a big disappointment, considering he was 9-2 against Jacksonville the last time he played. This was a fluke, and we can expect much better from him going forward. Just don't plan to start him during the fantasy playoffs. In weeks 16 and 17, New England plays the Bills and Chargers. Those are two of the three worst matchups for safeties.

Christian Elliss (3-2) was back in action last week, but his 69% play share was second fiddle to Jahlani Tavai (4-3), who logged 81%. Look for more from both players this week against a Miami offense that's been a top-ten matchup for linebackers on most weeks.  

Guru's IDP Notes: New Orleans Saints

Kool-Aid McKinstry was back in action. When last we saw him in week eight, the question was, will he pick up where Paulson Adebo left off in terms of production, or at least be a decent starter for us? He played all but one defensive snap against the Browns. If that game is our answer, it's a big NO. McKinstry mustered two tackles and an assist while Alonte Taylor went 5-3 with a pair of pass breakups, and Ugo Amadi, who slid to the third corner role, went 4-5 with a pass breakup.

Is the Carl Granderson slump finally over? He turned a great matchup with Cleveland into a 3-1-1. After going 3-1-.5 against Carolina in week nine, I'm cautiously optimistic, especially considering he gets the Rams and Giants after this week's bye and the Raiders in week 17. Los Angeles doesn't allow many sacks, but edge players tend to make a lot of tackles against them.

Guru's IDP Notes: New York Jets

Chuck Clark returned from his IR stint and went right back into his starting strong safety role. His numbers were unimpressive at 3-3, but the role was there as he played virtually every snap. The most interesting note with the Jets safeties is that Tony Adams was also healthy and available but did not see the field on defense. Instead, Jalen Mills continued to work at that spot. The Jets have a bye this week. When they return, their first game is against the Seahawks who have allowed the third most points to safeties.

Between week two and week seven, Will McDonald IV recorded eight sacks and had at least nine fantasy points in five of six games. Over the last month, he is 2-2 with a fumble recovery and 10 total points in four games. The time has come to make better use of the roster spot.

Guru's IDP Notes: Philadelphia Eagles

It was a great week to start our Eagles defenders. Zack Baun led the way with 15 combined stops and a pass breakup, Nakobe Dean went 8-2, Reed Blankenship was 4-6 with a pick. Even the linemen got into the act with Jalen Carter a solid 4-3 while Josh Sweat kept the role going at 3-0-1, giving him 6 sacks over the last seven games. Don't count on this group to repeat that kind of production against the Rams.

Los Angeles is a hit-or-miss matchup for pretty much all positions when it comes to tackle production, so it depends on which offense shows up. They are giving up about a sack and a half per game, allowing more than one just once in the last four weeks. In the last two weeks, the four starting safeties they faced were a combined 5-9-1. It will be tough to sit Baun or Dean with so many teams on bye, but if you have other good options, consider them. I would find a way to keep from starting anyone else on this defense.   

Guru's IDP Notes: Pittsburgh Steelers

In the days leading up to last week's game between the Steelers and Ravens, Patrick Queen didn't even try to hide the fact that it was a big game for him. He even pointed out that Baltimore did not want him back and made no offer at all when he was a free agent. Queen has the last laugh so far, going 3-7 with a forced fumble and a recovery and leading all Steelers defenders in fantasy points in the win over his former team.

With Alex Highsmith nursing a bad ankle, Nick Herbig got the start ahead of Preston Smith, and Herbig logged 82% of the snaps. Highsmith has already been ruled out for Thursday's game against Cleveland, making Herbig a strong sleeper start. The Browns have surrendered the second most points to edge defenders on the season.

Guru's IDP Notes: Seattle Seahawks

Derick Hall got on a roll early in the season before going on a four-game hiatus leading up to week eleven. He is back on the sack path with a 2-1-1  against the 49ers, but think twice about playing him this week if you have other options. The Cardinals are a tough matchup for edge defenders in general. The position has generated mediocre tackle numbers, and Arizona has given up less than a sack and a half per game since week four.

In last week's column, I called out Tyrice Knight as a priority waiver target. Those who managed to land him were rewarded with a solid 4-6 on an 81% play share. If you landed him last week but were reluctant to play him, those numbers and a strong matchup with Arizona should be pretty convincing. The linebacker position averages 12 tackles, 9 assists, and 0.7 splash plays versus the Cardinals.  

Guru's IDP Notes: San Francisco 49ers

At 2-2-1.5, Nick Bosa had a good game against the Seahawks. At least until he limped off midway through the third quarter with what is being called a hip injury. He is very sore and is not practicing as of Wednesday. There is a feeling of pessimism about his chances of playing at Green Bay. If Bosa sits, Yetur Gross-Matos would be in line for the start.  

Fred Warner had a horrible day statistically against Seattle, going 1-2. Even with the Seahawks taking over the title of worst matchup for linebackers, Warner should have been better than that. It's water under the bridge, and we're on to the Packers, who are an above-average matchup. The moral of this story is, don't let last week's flop keep Warner out of your lineup this week.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Giants will have a new starting quarterback for their game with Tampa Bay, but they will have the same offensive line. That means Yaya Diaby could have a good day. New York allows more than three sacks per game overall, with an average of 2.1 per game to the edge positions. With averages of 10.5 combined tackles and .8 turnovers, even if Diaby fails to land a sack, he should be fairly productive.

The matchup that may be affected most by the QB swap, is corner. With Daniel Jones under center, corners were making a lot of tackles against the Giants. I would expect a different offensive approach with more emphasis on the running game and a lot of throws to tight ends with Tommy DeVito in the lineup.   

Guru's IDP Notes: Tennessee Titans

The Titans can't catch a break. Jack Gibbens was playing lights out after being promoted to the every-down role. It was a short stint, though, as he suffered a broken ankle twelve plays into Sunday's game. After seeing no defensive snaps in his first two games with the team, Jerome Baker took over for Gibbens and played every snap the rest of the way. There is a string of below-average matchups on the schedule starting in fourteen. Tennesse plays the Texans this week and the Commanders in week thirteen. Both opponents are plus matchups for the position.    

Guru's IDP Notes: Washington Commanders

It's hard to tell if Father Time is finally catching up to the 34-year-old Bobby Wagner or if his modest production over the last five weeks is a result of the team playing so well across the board. Whatever the reason, Wagner has double-digit points in one of the last five games. The good news for those of us riding out the season with him, the Cowboys were able to move the ball with Cooper Rush at quarterback. As it stands now, Dallas is sixth in points allowed to linebackers. The Commanders' next three games after that are against the Titans, Saints, and Eagles. Those teams rank third, fifth, and fourth respectively.

After piling up big numbers, including eight sacks in five games leading up to week eleven, Dante Fowler Jr took a nose dive against the Eagles when he was shut out. The Commanders have said nothing about it as of Wednesday afternoon, but I have to believe there is an underlying issue here. Fowler showed up on last week's practice reports with a groin issue. He practiced in full and was removed from the final injury report but played 37% of the snaps. That was his lowest percentage since week one. On the other hand, Fowler did not show up on the Wednesday practice report this week. Between his recent production and last week's matchup, there were a lot of us burned by his goose egg. He has another strong matchup this week with the Cowboys ranked seventh in points allowed to edge defenders. That said, he won't be in any of my lineups, mostly because I have other good options. Since I'm sitting him, you all should put him in the lineup. That's how things usually work anyway.

That's all I have for this week. Best of luck to everyone, especially those who are in must-win situations as we approach the finish line of our regular season.  

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