Six teams are on a bye in Week 14, which is officially the last week to navigate them, so while it’ll be a hectic week to fill lineup spots, it will also provide a final chance at nabbing IDPs that should remain rostered.
Each week, we’ll highlight diamonds in the rough or some players that just need to be rostered in more leagues on the defensive side of the ball. Keep in mind your scoring system and roster restraints when heading to the waiver wire to grab these IDPs.
Defensive Linemen
DE Chandler Jones, Las Vegas Raiders
Jones has a flair for the dramatic when it comes to fantasy. He had been mostly silent throughout the season, and the 32-year-old turned back the clock with a six tackle, three-sack performance last week. Jones has a history of monstrous performances. He had a six-tackle, five-sack Week 1 last year. Was this one last hurrah or the beginning of a late-season renaissance?
DT Michael Hoecht, Los Angeles Rams
No one is replacing Aaron Donald, but Hoecht ran with the opportunity the last two weeks. He had six tackles two weeks ago and his first two sacks of the season last week. The former Ivy Leaguer will get an extended look, and he’s worthy of being plucked from waivers in deeper formats.
Linebackers
LB Chad Muma, Jacksonville Jaguars
An ankle injury was the only thing that could slow Muma down last week. Keep an eye on his availability this week due to that. Muma had 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks last week before the injury. He had six and nine tackles in the two previous games, and he’s a priority pickup if he’s good to go.
LB Josh Uche, New England Patriots
Uche is the epitome of a hot-and-cold player. He has sacks in four-straight games, and in two of those he had a total of three tackles. He had 13 tackles combined in the other two. So temper your expectations a bit, but he seems like the kind of player Bill Belichick depends on down the stretch.
Defensive Backs
S Jordan Whitehead, New York Jets
Whitehead has been an unspectacular player in fantasy this season, but he broke out with 11 tackles last week. Whitehead has at least four tackles in 11 of 12 games this year, which is a solid floor to take a chance on even if the 10-tackle games aren’t a mainstay.
CB Damarri Mathis, Denver Broncos
The fourth-round rookie has been tested often of late, and he has piled up the tackles. He has 20 tackles over the last three games, and he figures to have the chance at a lot more against the Kansas City Chiefs this week. Consider him as a one-week play with the potential for more.
