IDP Start-Sit, Studs and Duds: Week 14

It has all come down to this.

In most IDP leagues, Week 14 signifies the end of the regular season. There are some fantasy managers who are locked into playoff spots who can breathe easy this week and others for whom this week simply marks the end of a disappointing season.

But for a lot of IDP managers, this week carries big stakes, whether it's earning a Round 1 bye or making the postseason at all. For them, everything that has happened to this point all comes down to one final showdown. To one game for their playoff lives. It's going to be a hard-fought battle—and there's no easy way out.

(I will literally jam any pop culture reference I want into any column I want any time I want. Square pegs and round holes are why hammers were invented.)

There's no margin for error for those managers. Every single fantasy point matters. Every lineup decision could be the difference between winning and the playoffs or losing and the curtain falling on the 2024 campaign.

There's no room to be wrong this week. Fortunately, here at IDP Studs and Duds at Footballguys, we never are.

(We totally are. But we'll try really hard not to be this time.)

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).

In what can best be called a steaming load of poop, Week 14 is the second Byepocalypse of the season. Six teams are off this week—the Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, and Washington Commanders.

That's a lot of IDP-relevant talent on the shelf. Yay.

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 Kaden Elliss, Atlanta (at MIN) (1)

Elliss is quietly having a solid season for the Falcons—he has piled up 103 total tackles for the season and ranks 16th for the season in fantasy points at the position. Some might be surprised by that success, but Falcons coach Raheem Morris isn't among them—he told reporters that Elliss is among the best off-ball linebackers in the NFL.

I think he's a superstar. He has a unique skill set," Morris said, "where he can rush the passer, he can cover, he can run, use his hand usage, get on and off blocks, play on the line of scrimmage, play off the line of scrimmage. He has a lot of really good tools that are a lot of fun for coaches."

Elliss has been fairly consistent. But he hasn't been all that prone to the kind of "smash" week that put a team over the top and into the playoffs. If ever there was a week for the 29-year-old to have one, this is it—no team in the NFL has surrendered more fantasy points per game to linebackers than the Minnesota Vikings.

IDP Dud of the Week: LB Kyzir White, Arizona (vs. SEA) (32)

White might not be a great NFL linebacker, but he's a very good one—so good that Cardinals linebackers coach Nick Rallis recently named his new son Dominick Kyzir Rallis. As the coach told reporters, Little Dom doesn't just have that middle name because his father thought it sounded cool.

"Kyzir specifically, I can tell my son ultimately what stands out about him and why he's a captain is he's the ultimate teammate, ultimate team-first guy," Rallis said. "The model for accountability. There's so many stories I could probably list to you, but the guy shows up every day with a smile on his face ready to go to work."

With 86 total tackles and 1.5 sacks for the season, White's numbers haven't been great—he's been a middling IDP LB3 this season. That trend isn't especially likely to reverse in Week 14—two weeks ago against a Seattle team dead last in fantasy points per game given up to linebackers, White didn't exactly light up the stat sheet.

Week 14 IDP Studs

EDGE Leonard Floyd, San Francisco (vs. CHI) (5): Floyd has had his moments this season, including 3.5 sacks over the past three weeks. Now Floyd and the 49ers face the NFL's most-sacked quarterback in Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears.

EDGE Carl Granderson, New Orleans (at NYG) (2): In a world filled with so much uncertainty, it's comforting to know that the New York Giants and their paper mâché offensive line will always be there to allow fantasy points in buckets to opposing edge rushers.

EDGE Travon Walker, Jacksonville (at TEN) (3): There has been precious little to cheer about in Jacksonville this year, But Walker is on pace to back up last year's breakout season—and then some. He'll have success in an excellent IDP matchup Sunday in Nashville.

LB Josey Jewell, Carolina (at PHI) (7): Jewell was limited in practice Friday, but he's expected to be available this week against Philadelphia's high-flying offense—one that has been kind to opposing linebackers in IDP leagues this year.

LB Micah McFadden, NY Giants (vs. NO) (5): This could be setting up as a "perfect storm" week for McFadden—in addition to a top-five fantasy matchup with the Saints there's a real possibility that Bobby Okereke (back) could sit out.

LB Patrick Queen, Pittsburgh (vs. CLE) (2): Queen hasn't met statistical expectations in his first season in the Steel City. But his production has picked up of late ahead of this week's rematch with a Browns team allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to linebackers this season.

S Kevin Byard III, Chicago (at SF) (1): Byard is dealing with a shoulder issue, but he's also been on a rip—he leads all NFC safeties in fantasy points since Week 9. Look for the veteran to keep rolling Sunday in the best IDP matchup for his position this season with the 49ers.

S Camryn Bynum, Minnesota (vs. ATL) (6): Bynum, in true defensive back fashion, hasn't come especially close to matching last year's gonzo numbers. But while the Falcons have been struggling, they have also been allowing lots of fantasy points to safeties.

S Tre'von Moehrig, Las Vegas (at TB) (2): Moehrig appeared on the cusp of a breakout 2024 season, but his numbers of tailed off of late. Sunday's trip to Tampa offers the 25-year-old an opportunity to start the last month of the fantasy season on a high note.

Week 14 IDP Duds

EDGE Brian Burns, NY Giants (vs. NO) (30): Burns hasn't been bad in 2024, but he hasn't exactly lived up to his contract, either. A somewhat surprisingly bad fantasy matchup with the Saints in Week 14 isn't going to help matters.

EDGE Harold Landry III, Tennessee (vs. JAX) (3): Barring a big finish, Landry isn't going to post 10 sacks for a second straight season. This week doesn't set up well—the Jaguars are surprisingly giving up the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to defensive ends this season.

EDGE Byron Young, LA Rams (vs. BUF) (32): After eight sacks as a rookie, Young has six through 12 games this season. Getting No. 7 won't be easy Sunday—no quarterback in the NFL has been sacked less than Buffalo's Josh Allen.

LB Terrel Bernard, Buffalo (at LAR) (28): Bernard hasn't been as productive as many expected this season, in part because of injuries. Now it's a matter of a bottom-five fantasy matchup with a Rams offense that has been inconsistent at times in 2024.

LB Jordyn Brooks, Miami (vs. NYJ) (29): Brooks has been good in his first season in Miami—his 104 total tackles lead the Dolphins by a wide margin. Unfortunately, this week, he draws the rival Jets and an offense that is just—bad.

LB Nakobe Dean, Philadelphia (vs. CAR) (30): Both Dean and Zack Baun rank inside the top 12 in fantasy points among linebackers. But the Panthers rank at the bottom in tackle opportunities allowed and in fantasy points per game surrendered to linebackers.

S Quentin Lake, LA Rams (vs. BUF) (30): Lake has been quite the find for fantasy managers this season—he's 11th at the position in fantasy points for the year. But Josh Allen and the Bills have been the third-worst fantasy matchup for defensive backs this year.

S Tyler Nubin, NY Giants (vs. NO) (24): Nubin has had a quality rookie season—he's tied for the team lead in tackles in New York at 93 after 13 weeks. Those stops could be hard to come by this week against a less-than-impressive Saints offense.

S Xavier Woods, Carolina (at PHI) (29): Woods has quietly been a solid fantasy option—12th in fantasy points among safeties this year. But for as great as the Eagles offense has been this year, opposing safeties haven't benefitted in IDP leagues.

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.