IDP Defensive Playbook - Week 15

Dec 16, 2015

Welcome to your Week 15 IDP Defensive Playbook. Each week, I'll highlight some of the top defensive waiver wire targets, as well as matchups to exploit and avoid in each game. Week 14 is in the books, and there were both some fine performances and some stinkers thrown about. Week 15 is the semi-finals for a lot of you, while for others, it marks the beginning of the fantasy playoffs. Either way, let’s go get that title.

Before we start, here’s a look at how last week’s waiver picks fared:

Devin Taylor, DE, DET: One tackle
Robert Ayers, DE, NYG: One tackle/one sack
Malcolm Brown, DT, NEP: Two tackles
Denzel Perryman, ILB, SDC: Four tackles
Bruce Carter, ILB, TBB: Eight tackles/one sack
Jordan Tripp, ILB, JAC: Four tackles
Isa Abdul-Quddus, FS, DET: One tackle
Baccari Rambo, FS, BUF: Seven tackles/one defended pass
Kendrick Lewis, FS, BAL: Three tackles

Defensive Line

Quinton Dial, DE, SFO: Dial has been in for over 60 percent of the defensive snaps this season and has three games of eight or more fantasy points in his last four. He’s getting pressure on the QB and will face AJ McCarron this week, so we’ll see if he gets rattled.

Andre Branch, DE, JAC: Since the bye, Branch has three sacks in six games so he makes for a free agent target in big play scoring formats. He is getting the snaps, as he’s appeared in 65 percent or more of the defensive snaps in five straight games.

Demarcus Lawrence, DE, DAL: Lawrence has consecutive games of 13 or more fantasy points and has sacks in four of his last five games. He’s getting to the QB more consistently thanks to the attention that Greg Hardy is commanding.

Linebacker

Dee Ford, OLB, KCC: Ford has helped the KC defense stay on track during Justin Houston’s absence. If Houston continues to miss, Ford remains a viable pickup in big play scoring formats coming off a three sack game in Week 14.

Jerod Mayo, ILB, NEP: If you’re in a deeper league where you’re starting three or more LBs, Mayo has been productive over the last few weeks. He has 10 or more fantasy points in three of his last four games and has a schedule favorable to opposing LBs.

Bernardrick McKinney, ILB, HOU: McKinney has received 68 percent of the snaps or more in consecutive games and is coming off a 10 tackle game in Week 14.

Defensive Back

Eric Reid, FS, SFO: Reid has been on 97-percent of the defensive snaps this season, so the playing time has been there all year. Since the bye, he has two games of 16 or more fantasy points and has produced a 5:1 solo-to-assist tackle ratio on the year.

Jason Verrett, CB, SDC: Verrett is worth the pickup in leagues requiring a CB as the Chargers defense is getting picked on. He’s been thrown at seven or more times in four straight games, which has resulted in double-digit points in all four games.

Jahleel Addae, FS, SDC: Staying in San Diego, Addae now has three straight games of 12 or more fantasy points. Weddle is the playmaker, but Addae has stepped up his game since the bye week and is making the most of his snaps.

IDP Match-ups to Exploit