When all else seems lost Justin Simmons always delivers
Welcome to "The Monster" Week 15, now in audio format!
The Full Monster (ish)
It's been a weird week of football, so this is the Thursday and Sunday games. The audio for the Monday games is below, and the audio for the Tuesday (like I said, weird week) games will be updated after the Tuesday games.
New for Week 15, scroll down the article and get every matchup as an audio clip. Each clip is between 10-15 minutes long. Get just the matchup you want in smaller bites pulled from the podcast.
In The Monster, we look at playing time, production, injuries and waivers because of them, changes in role or demotion (Daniel Sorensen, Jaylon Smith, etc) and we'll follow the ebbs and flows of the season in an effort to make sure you have the best IDP producers starting for your defense every week and don't miss any crucial information.
If things didn’t go how we thought they would we’ll try and figure out why that was. If someone we’ve never heard of went off for a massive week, we’ll find out if they’re worth picking up on waivers or if they’re just barely playing and just lucked into a sack or splash play. We’ll follow up on weird or iffy situations. I'll get that information from beat writers and whatever else I can find to connect the dots.
We'll also use sources such as PFF, NFLGSIS, Pro Football Reference, and smart people in the IDP community as well. This is the one place you can come every week to learn everything you need to know in regards to all things FFIDP. By the end of the audio, you'll know what you need to make the best decisions for upcoming matchups.
IDP Analyst Super Squad
Between The Monster, @Mike_Woellert and his three-down linebacker article, listening to The IDP Show podcast, the various information published weekly from our site (idpguys.org), and other excellent FFIDP sources out there (Gary Davenport, Gary Van Dyke, Justin Varnes, Jon Macri, The IDP Show, 4 for 4 IDP, etc), you should be completely locked in for your individual defensive players across the board.
If you're short on time, though, my mission with this content is to get "all of it in one place" so this is a good start. Remember the "why" is just as important as "what," so with all that in mind, let's get into it.
The Monster Week 15, Questions and Answers
(The complete audio is above, and is also available on the IDP Guys podcast feed.)
Thursday Night Football
Chiefs at Chargers
The Questions
Heading into this one both of these defenses were pretty stable beyond the shenanigans resulting from the Omicron variant of Covid running rampant through the league. For the Chiefs, we'll check in on the inside linebackers and see if it's still a mess as usual or if there's been any kind of stability in week 15 and beyond that see if we can find out when Chris Jones (DT) is eligible to return from Covid IR.
For the Chargers, we'll do the same for their inside linebackers and also check on the health of one Derwin James (S) who has picked a less than ideal time to start having hamstring issues. Beyond those couple notes, we'll see what there is to see.
The Answers
Saturday Night Game
Patriots at Colts
The Questions
The Patriots' defense is never stable beyond a very select few but we'll have a look anyway. For the Colts this is a model of stability but we'll check on the health of everyone and make sure the snaps look correct across the board. There shouldn't be a ton to see in this one but if there's anything to find we shall find it.
The Answers
Sunday Afternoon Games
Panthers at Bills
The Questions
For the Panthers we'll check on Jeremy Chinn (S) who has been on an epic hot streak along with Shaq Thompson, beyond that the biggest story here for the Panthers is the cornerback corps. It's been a mess since we lost Donte Jackson (CB) so we'll see what that looks like this week and if there's a move to be made from this information.
As for the Bills, this may be the most stable defense in the league, the same guys play the same snaps every week but we'll check and see if the injury grim reaper took a toll here and diagnose anything out of the ordinary as we always do.
The Answers
Cardinals at Lions
The Questions
For the Cardinals, we've figured most things out during the course of this season but we'll check in on the usual subjects and see if guys like Markus Golden (EDGE) and Chandler Jones (EDGE) showed up this week or are saving that production for another day.
As for the Lions, we have many things in flux, who will be the inside linebackers between Josh Woods (LB), Alex Anzalone (LB), and Jalen Reeves Maybin (LB) and with Tracy Walker (S) out on Covid IR and Jerry Jacobs (CB) officially done for the season did that mean we got Dean Marlowe (S) again this week?
For the Lions cornerbacks, I saw that Nikell Robey Coleman (CB) was an inactive, coach's decision, so who played corner beyond Amani Oruwariye (CB) this week? Many important questions to answer for the Lions IDP options this week, tune in to find out everything you need to know.
The Answers
Jets at Dolphins
The Questions
For the Jets, we'll check on the injury to Quinnen Williams (DT) and see how Brandin Echols (CB) is doing his second game back from his IR return and also make sure Quincy Williams (LB) is still cooking. We also got an injury to our waiver wire darling Elijah Riley (S) so we'll see who stepped in for him and if they're an option going forward.
For the Dolphins, we'll see how Jalen Phillips (DE) did after his recent hot streak and give the usual suspects a once over, with Jevon Holland (S) on Covid IR and some injuries to their safety corps there could be a move to be made there as well. We'll break this one down and surely find some nice waiver options for semifinals week in fantasy playoffs.
The Answers
Cowboys at Giants
The Questions
How about them Cowboys?!?! We'll check in on this excellent, young, talented defense and see what there is to see, everything appears to be more than fine though, terrific even. But we'll give it a once over. As for the Giants, their secondary was shredded with Covid so we got a patchwork of players this week for the cornerback corps and secondary in general.
Hell, even Jaylon Smith (LB) was signed and got playing time because they were down so many players this week. We'll have a look at all of that and see if there are any actual moves to be made here or if this was just a week of smoke and mirrors to cover up the damage from the virus.
The Answers
Titans at Steelers
The Questions
With the recent acquisition of Zach Cunningham (LB) and his prior relationship with coach Vrabel, many of us in IDP land have had a sinking feeling that he may return to spoil either our Rashaan Evans (LB) or Jayon Brown (LB) shares as we enter playoffs, that did indeed happen this week so we'll figure out the pecking order going forward and do some damage control.
Beyond that, we really only need to look at the corners for the Titans, everything else is set in stone. For the Steelers there was some early apprehension at Robert Spillane (LB) was wearing the green dot and leading the defense but apparently, it was short-lived.
Regardless, we saw some shenanigans from both defenses so we'll check in with the beat writers and "wires" and see what we can find out about the inside linebacker situations on both of these teams.
The Answers
Texans at Jaguars
The Questions
For the Texans, we lost Christian Kirksey (LB) and Kamu Grugier Hill (LB) to injury and Covid so we'll see who the replacements were and also look at the always fluctuating cornerback corps. Beyond that most things are set in stone here when Covid isn't involved.
As for the Jaguars, this defense has been the same pretty much every week this season but we'll see if anything changed in week 15. Not the most exciting one to break down but if anything is out of the ordinary and that allows us to make a solid waiver wire move we'll find it and do so because that's what we do here.
The Answers
Sunday Afternoon Lineup
Bengals at Broncos
The Questions
For the Bengals it was another week without Logan Wilson (LB) who is still dealing with injury but should return soon, so did that mean we got Germaine Pratt (LB) again as is tradition? Also with no Chidobe Awuzie (CB) this week how did the cornerback corps shake out? Beyond that not a ton to see but we'll have a look.
For the Broncos was Bradley Chubb (EDGE) able to get his season started and did the return of Bryce Callahan (CB) impact any of our usual suspects at the corner? How did Baron Browning (LB) do and was there anything else to see here? We shall find out.
The Answers
Falcons at 49ers
The Questions
The Falcons defense has certainly been boring beyond our favorites, Deion Jones (LB) and Foye Oluokun (LB) but with the recent season-ending injury to Eric Harris (S) was there any value to be found in Jaylin Hawkins (S) newfound role and playing time as the other starting safety? That's the big question in Atlanta this week.
As for the Niners, they were without both Azeez Al Shaair (LB) and Dre Greenlaw (LB) so was it all up to Fred Warner (LB), or did he get some help? Beyond that, we'll see what else happened in this one but those are the big questions for these two teams in week 15.
The Answers
Packers at Ravens
The Questions
For the Packers there isn't a ton happening these days, they're just taking care of business and hoping to get Za'Darius Smith (EDGE) and Jaire Alexander (CB) back in time for actual playoffs. However, if there's anything new here we'll find it.
For the Ravens, this team was absolutely destroyed with both Covid IR designations and has been shredded with injury all season long. So, we'll see what their defense actually looked like this week and if there are any moves to be made from that information and find what news there is for our favorite options going forward.
The Answers
Sunday Night Game
Saints at Buccaneers
The Questions
Sunday night we got the rematch of the instant classic from earlier this season. The Saints are pretty stable these days but we'll see if Malcolm Jenkins (S) or DeMario Davis (LB) were able to have a nice night against their division rivals and give everything a good inspection.
For the Bucs, they were down Antoine Winfield (S) due to injury and already had issues with Jordan Whitehead (S) prior to that health-wise. We'll see how these facts impacted who played safety for the Bucs this week and establish a pecking order going forward in case either of those two normal options isn't available at another point during this playoff push.
The Answers
Monday Evening Football
Raiders at Browns
The Questions
For the Raiders we'll see if we got Maxx or Minn Crosby (DE) this week and how much Devine Deablo (LB/S) we got with Denzel Perryman (LB) injured and out for week 15. Beyond that, the corners are in flux with the return of Trayvon Mullen (CB) so we'll see if we can figure that out as well.
For the Browns, we may have both Anthony Walker (LB) and Jeremiah Owusu Koramoah (LB) healthy and on the field for the same time in some time this week so we'll see how that shakes out and if they can both play enough and be productive.
Beyond that, we've had injury issues with Ronnie Harrison (S) so we'll see if he was able to go or if it was Grant Delpit (S) as his replacement as is a tradition in that scenario. Some good information to be had from this one.
The Answers
Monday Night Football
Vikings at Bears
The Questions
Both of these defenses are pretty stable but for the Vikings, we'll check on the post-Bashaud Breeland (CB) cornerback corps since the news of his release for idiocy earlier this week. Beyond that, we'll check on the pass rush and defensive tackles and see if there's been any movement there as well.
For the Bears, the biggest question is clearly was Roquan Smith (LB) able to play in this juicy matchup? And if not how did the Bears try and cover up his absence? Beyond that, we'll check in on the usual suspects and give this one a good cavity search and then keep it moving.
The Answers
Tuesday Night Football
Seahawks at Rams
The Questions
For the Seahawks, our only issues are Covid related, with DJ Reed (CB) and several others listed as out how did their defense look in this one? Was Ryan Neal (S) able to continue producing as the Jamal Adams (S) replacement? Over on the Rams, we'll once again check if it's Ernest Jones (LB) or Troy Reeder (LB).
With an early week Covid diagnosis for Reeder, that decision may be made for us already but the Rams have shown us weekly shenanigans with their inside linebackers for almost three months straight now, why would this week be any different? Other than that most things are stable here but we'll find the waiver moves if they exist from this matchup.
The Answers
Washington at Eagles
The Questions
The Washington Football Team finally has something resembling a pass rush again with the likely return of Montez Sweat (DE) this week, we'll see how that went and what his playing time and production looked like for sure. Beyond that it's the same circus, different week, how much did Landon Collins (S) play? Is Jamin Davis (LB) a thing yet? Always the same questions.
Over on the Eagles, we'll see how close Davion Taylor (LB) is to returning and sending a torpedo into the side of all the Alex Singleton (LB) shareholders and check in on TJ Edwards (LB) as well. Not a ton to see beyond that but much like my visits to my proctologist we'll open wide and welcome a thorough inspection with this matchup.
The Answers
Closing thoughts
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