"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will." – Vince Lombardi

It's the IDP playoffs in most leagues, so a motivational quote seemed a good way to start this week's column. From here on, there is no room for failure. Lose another game in 2024, and that's that. No championship. The pressure is at its zenith. Fantasy managers have to put their noses to the grindstone. Out work their opponent. Out-hustle them. Fight for every inch. Tear themselves to pieces for every inch.

OK, might be laying it on a bit thick.

The truth is though, there really is no margin for error now. Every opponent is a quality one. Every fantasy point matters. Start the right guys, and it's on to Week 16. Sit the wrong ones, and you're fresh out of reasons not to go ahead and hit the store to buy a gift for that cousin you don't even really like.

No one wants to shop for Carl. He's insufferable.

It's absolutely vital this week to hit on as many lineup calls as possible. To squeeze the maximum amount of juice out of that lineup. Luckily, as it happens you have a fantasy football Nutribullet right here—in the form of this week's edition of IDP Studs and Duds at Footballguys.

Each week during the 2024 season, I'll point out some Individual Defensive Players who could be set to exceed expectations this week (Studs), as well as some that, for whatever reason, are riskier plays than normal (Duds).

This isn't necessarily to say that every "Stud" is a must-start (it depends on your other options) or that every "Dud" should be glued to your bench (just that the odds of a letdown week are greater than usual).

Now let's get after it.

Numbers in parentheses denote ranking in fantasy points allowed to that position in 2024 in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring. 

IDP Stud of the Week: LB Nick Bolton, Kansas City (at CLE) (2)

Many IDP managers probably consider Bolton something of a disappointment for the season—the fourth-year pro started the season slow and remains outside the top-20 for the season at his position. While speaking to reporters, Bolton himself admitted that he hasn't played to his standards for much of this season.

"We've just got to find ways to get guys on the ground," Bolton said. "I think we're getting [population] at the ball, which is great. We missed a couple of tackles, but they're not leading to all those explosive plays because of the rallying to the ball. I believe if we can get the first guy [and] get him on the ground, it will help us get in some more manageable downs for us."

Bolton has picked things up of late—16 total tackles and a sack over the last two weeks. He should carry that momentum over into the IDP playoffs—the Browns lead the league in fantasy points allowed to IDPs overall and are second in points surrendered to linebackers. This week at least, fantasy managers get the top-10 IDP option they expected on draft day.

IDP Dud of the Week: LB Fred Warner, San Francisco (vs. LAR) (31)

Like Nick Bolton. Warner is widely regarded as one of the best young off-ball linebackers in the NFL. But while Bolton started slow and has come on of late, Warner came blazing out of the gate but has cooled way off of late. That's partly because Warner is playing with a broken bone in his ankle, although he told reporters that he's not looking for sympathy.

"It's something I deal with every game," Warner said. "I get on that table before every game and get it shot up every single game just to be able to roll. But it's not an excuse. It's just what it is. That's the NFL. You're not going to be healthy. You've got to go out there, you've got to find ways to execute, to play at a high level and to win every single week."

Warner's numbers are way down—he hasn't had more than six tackles in a game in over a month. Even a slumping Warner is hard for fantasy managers to sit in a must-win week, but in addition to being nowhere close to 100 percent, Warner draws a Los Angeles Rams team that has cratered as a matchup for his position over the season's second half.

Week 15 IDP Studs

EDGE Jonathan Greenard, Minnesota (vs. CHI) (4): This is a "perfect storm" game—Minnesota is among the league leaders in sacks, and no quarterback has been dropped more times than Caleb Williams of the Bears. A few weeks ago, Greenard had six tackles and a pair of sacks against Chicago.

EDGE George Karlaftis, Kansas City (at CLE) (1): After piling up 10.5 sacks last season, Karlaftis' numbers for the 2024 season have been a downer. But an "up" week is coming—the Browns have surrendered an AFC-high 53 sacks for the season.

EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu, Los Angeles Chargers (vs. TB) (10) On a team with Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, Tuipulotu has emerged in 2024 as the most reliable pass-rusher the Chargers have. His unlikely success story will continue in a plus matchup Sunday with the Buccaneers.

LB Akeem Davis-Gaither, Cincinnati (at TEN) (4): Since Logan Wilson went down, Davis-Gaither has been a full-time linebacker and productive fantasy option—he's been a top-20 fantasy linebacker the past two weeks and gets a top-five matchup for his position this week with the Titans.

LB Tremaine Edmunds, Chicago (at MIN) (1): Edmunds is who he is—a very good but not great linebacker who has been overvalued in both the NFL and IDP for some time. But you can't argue with this week's matchup—no team allows more fantasy points to linebackers than the Vikings.

LB Kyzir White, Arizona (vs. NE) (3): White was last week's "Dud of the Week," but just as the fantasy gods taketh away, they can also giveth. As bad as last week's matchup was, this one is good—the Cardinals will see a lot of New England running back Rhamondre Stevenson on Sunday.

S Amani Hooker, Tennessee (vs. CIN) (6): IDP managers looking for streaming options in Week 15 should give Hooker real consideration. He's something of a known commodity playing an offense that is firing on all cylinders and allowing a lot of fantasy points to defensive backs of late.

S Quentin Lake, LA Rams (at SF) (1): Lake has been both a value at his position and maddeningly inconsistent at times, because defensive backs. But the top IDP matchup for safeties should help Lake get the fantasy postseason started off on the right foot.

S Tre'von Moehrig, Las Vegas Raiders (vs. ATL) (3): Moehrig broke out of a post-bye slump with a solid stat line a week ago against Tampa. Hits (and Misses) at DB are what will make or break playoff teams—this week's top-three matchup points Moehrig squarely at "hit."

Week 15 IDP Duds

EDGE Leonard Floyd, San Francisco (vs. LAR) (26): Floyd is the kind of IDP option who can flip from the penthouse to the outhouse quickly, depending on the matchup. Last week's two-sack performance was fun while it lasted, but this week likely features a vanishing act.

EDGE Will McDonald IV, NY Jets (at JAX) (25): McDonald is exactly the sort of feast vs. famine IDP option who can make (or break) a playoff matchup. This week he's more likely to break it—as bad as the Jaguars are, they haven't been kind to opposing defensive ends in 2024.

EDGE Micah Parsons, Dallas (at CAR) (24): It has been a miserable, injury-marred season for IDP managers who invested in Parsons this season. But the Panthers are a surprisingly poor pass-rush matchup, so things aren't especially likely to change in Week 15.

LB Cody Barton, Denver (vs. IND) (30): When the matchup is right and he's playing a three-down role, Barton can absolutely be one of the Anzalone Association's best stat-stuffers. The role has been there for several weeks now. The matchup this week? Yeah, not so much.

LB Foyesade Oluokun, Jacksonville (vs. NYJ) (29): The last name fantasy managers want to see here, Oluokun was the first IDP off the board in a lot of drafts over the summer. We won't get into what has happened since—some of us are still working the stages.

LB Robert Spillane, Las Vegas (vs. ATL) (28): Spillane has been as advertised this season, quietly posting top-10 numbers among linebackers. That won't be easy in Week 15—the Falcons have been mired at the bottom of the league in fantasy points allowed to linebackers all season long.

S Brian Branch, DET (vs. BUF) (30): Branch has rapidly developed into one of the NFL's best safeties and a top-10 fantasy option. But the Bills juggernaut of an offense doesn't allow many fantasy points to safeties—largely because they don't make many mistakes.

S DeShon Elliott, Pittsburgh (at PHI) (31): Elliott's the personification of why you should wait to draft defensive backs—he's third in fantasy points among safeties and was available for free. But Elliott isn't immune to a bad matchup—and this week's Battle of Pennsylvania is just that.

S Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore (at NYG) (23): Might as well go with the full trifecta of big-name letdowns at defensive back. For the season, Hamilton is seventh in fantasy points among safeties. Since Week 9 though, he ranks outside the top 30.

Gary Davenport ("The Godfather of IDP") is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on Twitter (Can't make him call it X) at @IDPSharks.