Welcome to our IDP Fantasy Football Starts for Week 17 article of the 2022 fantasy football season!
Unlike our Fantasy Football Starts & Sits on offense article, given the broad range of IDP scoring settings available to people that can alter a player’s value, for our IDP Starts article, I’ll be recommending MUST START players at DL, LB, and DB roster positions using Fantasy Pros IDP scoring as means to help assign perceived value to a player. These players should finish each week, at minimum, with at least 10 points scored.
Here are my IDP Fantasy Football Starts for Week 17 that should help you win a IDP Fantasy Football championship this weekend!
Defensive Backs
START: Kyle Dugger versus The Miami Dolphins
Over the past three weeks, Dugger has averaged 12.3 PPG and is in the Top 20 among safeties in the NFL in run-stopping percentage, per PFF. With the Dolphins needing this win against the Patriots this week, look for them to emphasize the running game to control the time of possession and for Dugger to be one of the primary beneficiaries on defense.
START: Rodney McCleod Jr. versus The New York Giants
McCleod Jr. has predominantly played close to the line of scrimmage all season and has even recently made some splash plays in coverage. The Giants allow the 12th most fantasy points to the safety position, and given how long the Colts’ defense has been playing due to the inability of their offense to stay on the field, McCleod Jr. should see plenty of volume this week!
Defensive Linemen/EDGE Rushers
START: Gregory Rousseau versus The Cincinnati Bengals
Rousseau, since Week 14, has tallied ten pressures and two sacks with a 14.8% win rate. This Monday night, he will face career backup Hakeem Adeniji whose coaches have admitted this week as being the only real option left to address the injury of La’el Collins, which was not meant to be a compliment. This is an automatic smash play for Rousseau this week.
START: Kwity Paye versus The New York Giants
Anyone who lines up against Giants’ tackle Evan Neal has been an automatic play this season. Over the past three weeks, Neal has allowed 20 pressures, six QB hits, and two sacks to opposing EDGE Rushers. Despite Colts’ EDGE Rusher Kwity Paye playing reduced snaps and only accumulating 18 total tackles, one sack, and one fumble recovery over the past three weeks, he still has a tremendous matchup and should reward fantasy managers this week.
Linebackers
START: Jamin Davis versus The Cleveland Browns
I’ve recommended Jamin Davis MULTIPLE TIMES THIS SEASON, and not doing so when it matters most just feels wrong. Davis has averaged 9.3 tackles per game over the past month, and this week, Davis should have a field day trying to stop the Browns’ running game, especially if safety Kam Curl is out or limited this week where he’s helped in stopping opposing team’s rushing attacks.
START: Drue Tranquill versus The Los Angeles Rams
Twenty-one total tackles and two sacks over the past two weeks is as elite as it comes to real football as well as IDP production. Against Cam Akers and the Rams’ commitment to the running game in recent weeks, Tranquil’s tackle floor should remain consistent this week in L.A. Fire him up on your rosters and win that ‘ship!