IDP Recap: Week 12
With Week 12 complete, let's get you up to speed with a recap of the biggest IDP headlines from each game.
This week, let’s be thankful for the offensive linemen who played against Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter, and Micah Parsons this past weekend, for making the bold choice not to block our favorite edge rushers. What a treat that was! What else did Week 12 have in store for us, both good and bad? Let’s dive into it.
Steelers 19, Browns 24
Remember when folks told you to sell Myles Garrett based on name value? Well, since then Garrett has put up 6 sacks, two 40+ point games, and one ballsy post-game interview. Garrett was very quick to inform everyone that the DPOY runs through him. However, the bookmakers still don’t agree, with Watt the frontrunner at +100, and Garrett tied for 3rd at +1400. Either way, he’s also a bonafide stud and the type of asset that single-handedly wins you weeks.
It was a quiet one from T.J. Watt as he could not get to Jameis Winston on Thursday night. As with all edge rushers, there’s built-in volatility at the position, and there will be down games like this one. And though he’s behind his 19-sack pace from last year, he’s still one of the most consistent players you can get in IDP, (just 4 of 11 games below 19 points) and you’re starting him every week no matter the matchup.
No Alex Highsmith meant meaningful snaps for Nick Herbig, and as we’re used to seeing when Herbig gets meaningful snaps, he stamped his mark on the game with a strip-sack. Herbig has now passed his 2023 sack total, through just 7 games in this injury-affected campaign. Both Highsmith and Watt are under contract through 2025 at the very minimum, so Herbig will, unfortunately, remain nothing more than a high-upside injury coverage spot-start for whenever one of them misses time.
Jordan Hicks returned from injury last week but was mostly a non-factor in the Browns game against New Orleans. This week, Hicks flashed some of that playmaking potential we saw in Arizona and Minnesota as he collected 6 tackles and a sack while playing all but 7 of Cleveland’s defensive snaps. With Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah done for 2024, and the Browns lacking another other true talent at linebacker, it could be a big finish to the season for Hicks as their green-dot wearer.
Lions 24, Colts 6
That’s now back-to-back games with a sack for Colts rookie edge rusher Laiatu Latu, for the first time in his young career. Latu started slow, collecting 2 sacks through his first 10 games. However, he’s doubled that total in the past 2 weeks. Week 12 also marked his best game of the season in terms of PFF grading, with an 86.7 overall grade and a 90.8 pass rush grade.
The Alex Anzalone injury has opened the door for quality Jack Campbell — finally! In the past two weeks, Campbell has totaled 17 tackles, 0.5 sack, 2 passes defended, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 QB hit. While averaging 16.73 PPG (Big 3 Scoring) on 97% of snaps. With Anzalone out for the rest of the fantasy season, you can now fire Campbell up each week with confidence.
Nick Cross’ consistency is through the roof. With Sunday’s 14-tackle performance, that’s now 50% of his games this season with 10 or more tackles, with just 2 games under 9 points all season long.
Za'Darius Smith was acquired at the trade deadline in Week 10 by Detroit and he missed their Week 10 game as he familiarized himself with the defense. However, through the last two games, he has 8 pressures, 1 sack, and 1 QB hit. The Lions are using him wisely not overloading his workload in terms of snaps, but they are giving him plenty of opportunities to rush the passer. Next up in Week 13? Chicago.
Chiefs 30, Panthers 27
Jadeveon Clowney has had a solid career as a pro, even if he never lived up to the heights that that one hit in the Outback Bowl against Michigan propelled him to. He has been known for the odd boom game though, and had his best game of 2024 notching 1.5 sacks, 3 QB hits, and 2 TFLs on Sunday versus Kansas City. It’s untrustable, though: over 25% of Clowney’s season total of pressures, came in this game alone.
Speaking of untrustworthy scores from edge rushers, Mike Danna paced the Chiefs for IDP scoring in Week 12 thanks to his first sack since Week 2. It’s been a dry season for the Chiefs’ D-line starters. Danna, George Karlaftis, and Chris Jones have a total of 8.5 sacks between them through Week 12 of 2024, after combining for 27.5 just a season ago.
Josey Jewell picked up where he left off before the Week 11 bye, with another 20-point game thanks to 9 tackles and 1 sack. Since returning from injury in Week 8, Jewell has totaled 31 tackles, 3 TFLs, 2 PDs, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 INT in 4 games to give him an average of 16.09 PPG on 100% of snaps in that span.
If you’re playing in CB-required leagues, especially ones that require you to start more than one of them, you could do a lot worse than Jaycee Horn. He’s currently CB13 on the year and is averaging 11.68 PPG since Week 4 thanks largely in part to his 8 pass breakups in that time.
D.J. Wonnum was reinstated from the PUP list in Week 10. When factoring in the Panthers bye week in Week 11, Wonnum is averaging just under 21 PPG thanks to 8 pressures and 2 sacks in those 2 games. While Wonnum won’t keep up this sack-a-game pace, his underlying metrics are strong, and he had a career-high 8 sacks last season with the Vikings before tearing his quadriceps in Week 16.
Vikings 30, Bears 27
The last I wrote about Jonathan Greenard was after Week 9 when he had a 2-sack, 28-point game. Well, this week, he thoroughly beat that, with his season-best performance of 38.9 points. Greenard is the epitome of that boom-bust stereotype we talk about when discussing edge rushers. But his booms are so great (3 games over 28 points, 2 games over 37 points), you’ll accept the busts (6 games in single-digit points, 3 games under 8 points).
So if Greenard is a good boom-bust type, Montez Sweat has definitely been the bad type. Sweat has 4 usable games all season, one of them this past week. After finally getting over the 10-sack hump last year, Sweat has been ultra disappointing with only 4.5 sacks through 12 weeks, and 2.5 of those coming before Chicago’s Week 7 bye. His next 4 matchups are the Lions, 49ers, Vikings, and Lions again. I know you paid up for him so you feel like you can’t bench him, but it’s pretty much a sunk cost at this point.
Keeping with our theme this week of shining the light on the sometimes undervalued position of cornerback this week. Byron Murphy is the CB5 on the season averaging 12.4 PPG. Murphy was impactful in the run game with 2 tackles for a loss to supplement the 8 total tackles that led to him putting up his 4th game of 11 points or higher in the past 5 weeks.
Jaquan Brisker is most probably done for the season after the Bears put him on IR in Week 11. Third-year man Elijah Hicks was also out with an ankle injury meaning “Mr. Simone Biles” himself, Jonathan Owens got the start beside Kevin Byard at safety. They both put up 15+ points thanks to 13 tackles for Byard, and 8 tackles to go with a huge strip and recovery of Aaron Jones for Owens.
Ivan Pace Jr. suffered a hamstring injury after just 5 snaps of play. Pace had seen his snap share reduced significantly with the return of Blake Cashman, so I couldn’t recommend starting him except in the deepest of leagues anyway. This just takes the decision out of your hands entirely for a couple of weeks.
Buccaneers 30, Giants 7
I know I wrote about Calijah Kancey back in Week 10 as they were going into their bye week. But, it’s time to write about him again as we’re witnessing the emergence of one of the premier young talents on the inside. Kancey has 4 sacks through his past 3 games, and next up are the Panthers, Raiders, Chargers, and Cowboys.
I spent the early part of the season raving about how the breakout was coming for Yaya Diaby. Since Week 8, he’s only had 1 usable game of 8 PPG or more, and he’s only got 2 sacks on the season. So, I’m going to push this more into a dynasty take: go see if you can buy low. On the season, amongst all edge rushers who’ve played at least 450 snaps so far, Diaby is 12th in overall PFF grade (77.8), 9th in pass rush grade (81.1), and total pressures with 43, while only having 2 sacks.
Kayvon Thibodeaux had an uneventful return to action for the first time since Week 5, but before we got to see what the split between him and Azeez Ojulari would be like, Ojulari left with a toe injury and did not return. The Giants are set to play this Thursday on Thanksgiving against the Cowboys; however, Ojulari might miss it, as he was listed as a non-participant at Monday’s practice.
I don’t think you could have found a player who was more on fire through the first 7 games than Dexter Lawrence was with his 9 sacks (maybe Trey Hendrickson). Unfortunately for us “Sexy Dexy” enthusiasts, the big fella hasn’t had a sack since that Week 7 game, and as such hasn’t posted a game over 10 PPG either. After accumulating 29 pressures in the first 7 weeks, Lawrence has just 7 in the last 5 weeks and didn’t record any this past weekend.
Patriots 15, Dolphins 34
I guess it’s an unofficial cornerback spotlight this week. Next up on the list is the CB3 on the year so far, Marcus Jones. Jones had a season-high 25.8 points on Sunday thanks predominantly to 3 passes defended and 38 punt return yards. That’s Jones’ 4th game in the past 5 weeks where he’s had at least 35 return yards, and he’s picked up 8 total passes defended on the season.
In my last article, I was quick to crown Jared Verse the DROY elect. Some people were quick to let me know that I was dismissing Quinyon Mitchell and what he’s been doing in Philadelphia that goes beyond counting stats. I’ll tell you what though, if Chop Robinson keeps up his current pace from his past 4 games, he’ll be in the mix to take that crown. Chop had another 1.5 sacks on Sunday afternoon taking both his season and last 4 game tally to 3.5 total. He has the Jets twice and the Texans on his remaining schedule. I would be expecting him to at least double that 3.5 sack total before the end of the season.
Welcome back, Christian Barmore. After returning last week, we welcomed him back into the sack column in Week 12. Barmore had a career year in 2023 with 8.5 sacks, so anything he can do to build from that will be welcomed with open arms after it was thought he wouldn’t play all year at one point.
Jahlani Tavai has assuredly put to bed my one-week hype of Christian Elliss being LB1 in New England. Even though he’s only playing 80% or so of snaps, he’s still averaging 17.55 PPG in his past 4 games and has a PFF tackle grade of 80 or over in his past 3 games with 22 total tackles and no misses in that timespan.
Do you know who’s the LB12 on the season with 13.6 PPG? I’ll give you a hint, he’s had 35 total tackles in the past 3 games combined and averaged 17.48 PPG in that 3 game span. Yep, Jordyn Brooks is having a bounce-back season, and it doesn’t matter if he’s got Jerome Baker, Tyrel Dodson, or whoever else beside him. Dodson did play for the first time in a Dolphins uniform this season and played 70% of snaps, and also called plays after Anthony Walker left early with a hamstring injury.
Titans 32, Texans 27
Mike Woellert had Danielle Hunter as his #1 ranked DL this week, and #1 he was. Hunter finished with a 3-sack day on the way to a 46-point performance, giving him 10.5 sacks on the year, and back-to-back weeks of 33 points or more.
Kenneth Murray picked up 14 of his 30 points by being an absolute menace in the passing lanes on Sunday with 2 passes defended and an INT. This earned him his second-ever PFF coverage grade of over 90, and his first-ever game with an overall grade of over 90. Fitting with it being his first-ever game with 30 or more IDP fantasy points, too.
Jalen Pitre left the game after just 21 snaps with a partial pectoral tear. It still hasn't been decided whether Pitre will need surgery to repair the muscle and there’s still optimism he can return later in the season, but it’s a huge loss for IDP players as Pitre was the S10 at this point of the season.
Jeffery Simmons is starting to get hot, that’s now 3 sacks in the past 5 games, and 5 straight weeks of double-digit points, after he only did that once in the first 7 weeks. DT is even more volatile than EDGE, so it’s comforting to see one of the best at the position hitting some consistency.
Cowboys 34, Commanders 26
For the majority of the season, Fred Warner and Zack Baun have been LB1 and LB2 in points scored. That’s flipped immensely in the past two weeks with a new king of the castle in Frankie Luvu, who put up 23.5 this past game without a sack, thanks to 3 passes defended and a TFL to go with his 8 total tackles.
Micah Parsons had 2 sacks in his return from injury game, he then did nothing against Houston except provide one tackle assist. Then, this past week he came back out and collected 2 more sacks against the Commanders. He now gets to play either Drew Lock or Tommy DeVito on Thanksgiving. I’ll tempt fate and preemptively say I’m thankful for Micah Parsons’s return to dominance.
Eric Kendricks opened the season with an absolute monster performance of 38+ points. Since then he’s failed to live up to the expectations he set and has had just 1 performance of even 14 PPG. In fact, Sunday’s 12.5-point outing marked just the second time since Week 5 that he’s posted double-digit points. He’s also no longer seeing 100% of snaps, with that honor falling to DeMarvion Overshown.
Another linebacker who managed to break a long drought was Bobby Wagner. Wagner was a top 8 linebacker through the first 6 weeks, with just one game under 14 points. Since then, Sunday’s performance of 14.5 points was the first time since Week 6 that he put up double digits as he had 5 straight outings of 9.75 points or less.
Broncos 29, Raiders 19
For the first time in his career, Tyree Wilson has sacks in back-to-back games. Now, he’s still playing less than 50% of the snaps. But this turn of production is starting to look appealing.
Maxx Crosby hasn’t had a sack since Week 7. He’s played 4 games and has scored over 15 PPG in 2 of them while having duds in the other 2. He’s also collected 19 pressures, 4 TFLs, and 4 QB hits in that time. Crosby is also really freaking good at football and the sacks will come — have faith.
Someone who has no problem getting sacks is Nik Bonitto. He has 10 so far on the season and they’ve all come since Week 3. Week 9 in Baltimore was the only time since Week 3 he hasn’t collected a sack.
Halloween has passed, and I’m praying Tre’von Moehrig hasn’t turned back into a pumpkin. From Week 4 to the Raiders Week 10 bye, Moehrig was arguably the most consistent DB in fantasy football. In 6 games he averaged 17.2 PPG, with his weekly low over that period being a 12-point game. However, coming out of the bye, Moehrig is averaging just 8 PPG in his two showings and has failed to reach double-digit points in either performance.
Cardinals 6, Seahawks 16
Leonard Williams does this from time to time. Mind you, he hasn't put up a game like this since he was on the Giants back in 2020, against his now team Seattle. So no, you don’t need to be chasing this 40-point performance.
While I love the name, Coby Bryant is another guy I’m not chasing the points on. Kyler had a brain explosion and threw the pass directly to him. Bryant proved he’s an elite athlete and he housed it, giving him a 30-point game that you can’t find underlying metrics to build off of. If you started him, congrats, you were rewarded for desperation.
Tyrice Knight has played 2 games since taking over for the released Tyrel Dodson. He’s collected 19 tackles and 30+ fantasy points in those two starts while playing 81% of snaps in both games. Ernest Jones is still far and away the LB you want in Seattle if you have to choose between them. But the impact and usage of Knight are encouraging in a vacuum.
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson played over 95% of snaps again as a replacement for the injured Jalen Thompson. Thompson didn’t practice at all in the lead-up to the match, coming out of the bye. I would say that Taylor-Demerson is a decent spot start should Thompson miss again, as he’s collected 15 tackles, and 3 passes defended in his 2 starts so far.
49ers 10, Packers 38
The 49ers were without Nick Bosa on Sunday afternoon, much to IDP managers’ detriment. It did, however, allow for his usual running mate to step to the forefront, Leonard Floyd. Floyd had a great night with 5 pressures and 2 sacks in a showing where fantasy points for 49ers players were few and far between.
Fred Warner started the season on a scorching pace and was the clear LB1 through the first 6 weeks, though the pack had started to catch up by his Week 9 bye week. The numbers have dropped significantly since that bye week though with him averaging 19 PPG before the bye, and just 6.17 PPG after the bye. It sucks as you need him down the playoff stretch, but you’re not moving him in any world, he’s one of the top 3 LB assets in IDP and I expect him to bounce back.
Lukas Van Ness collected his second sack of the season on a superb bull rush on Sunday afternoon. Van Ness was highly touted coming out of Iowa last year, yet has only played sparingly in his first two years. Green Bay did move Preston Smith to Pittsburgh at the deadline, and while originally he was firmly behind Kingsley Enagbare in Week 11, Enagbare did see those snaps cut in half in Week 12, so more Van Ness could be on the menu after he posted a 93.8 PFF pass-rush grade in Week 12.
Xavier McKinney was back in our good graces in IDP land this past week, and it’s because he grabbed another interception. I’m almost grateful for it to be so black and white. If he gets an interception he’s great. If he doesn’t, he’s not. It’s that simple. McKinney has Miami, Detroit, Seattle, New Orleans, and Minnesota on his upcoming schedule. If you think he’s getting an interception in that game, start him. If you don’t think he will, then put him on the bench.
Eagles 37, Rams 20
It was an unusually quiet game for Zack Baun on Sunday Night Football as he managed to only pick up 2 solos and 1 assisted tackle on the night. Baun is still the LB2 on the season and is averaging 15.9 PPG, with his running mate Nakobe Dean right there beside him at LB3 after a massive 25-point game boosting his average up to 15.8 PPG. Both still sit 20 points behind Frankie Luvu and his 16.1 PPG.
Milton Williams had a monster 2-sack night. Williams has been in the league for 4 seasons, and his season high in sacks before this year was 4. His 2 sacks on Sunday has now taken his total to 5 in 2024. You weren’t starting Williams before this blow-up game, and you’re not starting him after it.
While most of the hype is on his Rams and FSU teammate Jared Verse this season, Braden Fiske has been putting together an excellent rookie campaign rushing the passer from the interior. Fiske has been on a tear recently, after collecting just 1 sack in his first 7 games, he’s picked up 5 sacks in his last 4 games with another coming against the Eagles taking his PPG average in that time to 18.31 PPG.
Christian Rozeboom is the new Mr. Necessary in LA. Someone had to get the snaps, and you assumed someone would have to get the tackles. That someone is Rozeboom, as he’s beaten his career high of 77 tackles set in 17 games last year, with 89 so far in 2024 in just 11 games. Rozeboom has at least 11 tackles in 3 of his last 4 games and in that other game, he picked off Tua Tagavailoa to ensure he still gave you that IDP goodness. That’s 16.53 PPG in the past 4 weeks from someone you grabbed off waivers and stuck in your LB3/4 slot is what we love at this point of the year.
Brandon Graham tore his triceps muscle on Sunday night and revealed in an emotional locker room speech after the game that his season is over. Graham never reached the heights we might have thought from a #13 overall pick with just one double-digit sack season in his 15-year career but it’s always sad to see a veteran of the game go out like this, though he’s still debating whether he retires or not after this year.
Graham’s injury should open the door for rookie Jalyx Hunt and second-year EDGE, Nolan Smith, to see increased playing time with big-name 2024 free agent acquisition Bryce Huff on injured reserve with a wrist injury.
Ravens 30, Chargers 23
Roquan Smith missed Monday’s game with a hamstring injury and Malik Harrison was the guy to step into the role in the middle. Harrison appeared to be everywhere especially in the run game against former teammates J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, as he finished with 12 total tackles and 1 TFL.
It was a quiet game on both sides IDP-wise, with Kyle Van Noy leading the pack with just 16.8 points after picking up a strip sack of Justin Herbert in the second half to bolster his scoring. It might have been empty points of sorts though, as Van Noy has been almost impossible to start recently, scoring 8 points or over just once since Week 4 before last night.
Tuli Tuipulotu finally came back down to earth, though it wasn’t through lack of effort. Tuipulotu had been on a tear these past 4 weeks, scoring at least 26 PPG in 3/4 games, and at least 16 PPG in all 4. Tuli did narrowly miss a sack of Lamar on a couple of occasions, so I’m firing him up next week against the much less mobile Kirk Cousins without a second thought.
Daiyan Henley increased his streak of double-digit tackle games to 5 straight, picking up 10 tackles last night. Henley has been great the past 5 weeks. After averaging just 10 PPG and 7.5 tackles a game in his first 6 games, he’s juiced those numbers up to 18.67 PPG and 11.6 tackles per game since Week 8.
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