We have arrived at the final game of the regular season. Presumably, most of your leagues have wrapped up the playoffs, but for those of you still challenging for the league title, below are a handful of IDP to pick up for a potential boost to your lineup, or to cover for a late season injury absence. No players falling off the radar this week, but a lengthy Injury Report to peruse, and suggestions about which teams to target with your defensive player options.

Elevator Going Up

Linebackers

Leonard Floyd LAR (DE only in ESPN)

Floyd returned to action after an ankle injury, and picked up a half a sack with his seven total tackles (TT), four of those of the solo variety against the host Raven offense. He has been a significant cog to the Ram defense, with 9.5 sacks on the season, and while not an every-down LB, he does take the field for the majority of defensive snaps weekly.

Krys Barnes GB

Barnes is slotted in as the starting inside linebacker on the right for the Packers, and has a good matchup against the host Lion offense, and it is not as though the Detroit squad has been strong against their division rivals from Wisconsin over recent seasons. Plus, it is uncertain if Jeff Goff will be under center, which should help the Packer defense rack up fantasy points.

Jonas Griffith DEN

Griffith has been seeing a substantial uptick in playing time (PT) over the past three weeks, where he has collected 34 TT (19 solo). No big plays, though, which limits his value to tackle-oriented leagues. If KC takes an early lead and can run the ball to run the clock, look for his skill set to be utilized heavily this coming contest.

Defensive Linemen

Jonathan Greenard DE HOU

Should the Texan defensive end start against the Titans, he has a great matchup in store. An injured shoulder suffered in Week 17 limited his snap count to 36, however, so there is the possibility he will be held out of action, or see most of his PT be diverted to Jordan Jenkins. Keep an eye on the injury report heading into the Week 18 home contest against visiting Tennessee.

Trey Hendrickson DE CIN

Hendrickson was placed on the COVID list after testing positive for the virus Tuesday but that early result means he could be cleared for the early Sunday in-state contest against the host Browns. Facing Cleveland could be a positive aspect for his chances at collecting some additional sacks to add to his 14 on the season to date.

Josh Allen DE JAX 

With the Colts coming to visit, the Jacksonville DE/LB should see plenty of rush attempts that will permit him to flex his tackle skills in Week 18. Allen returned from the COVID list to collect seven TT (four solo) on the road in Foxboro, and now has a home game to add to his tackle totals on the season. 

Josh Sweat DE PHI

The Cowboys are allowing more sacks of late, and Sweat has been racking up sacks himself over the past few weeks, with four sacks to his credit since Week 13 (Week 14 was the Philly bye week). The tackle numbers are not massive, but steady if he can put up the big plays to make him a hybrid DE option.

Kwity Paye DE IND

To be clear, on the season the Jags have been a poor option for sack production by opponents, but that has been changing recently. The rookie DL for the Colts depends on getting to the QB to provide fantasy value, so with Indy needing a win to help cement their playoff options, and the Jaguar offense being more pass happy than run-oriented, look for Paye to seek out a sack or more this final week of the regular season.

Defensive Backs

Jaquiski Tartt S SF

As the 49er starting strong safety, Tartt is a good source of tackles on a game-by-game basis, with 22 TT over his last four contests. He is strictly a tackle producing option at DB, however, so keep that in mind. The Week 18 opponent does rank second in fantasy points allowed to opposing safeties, so the matchup is superb.

Grant Delpit S CLE

Another safety that racks up the tackles when on the field, Delpit has accumulated 27 TT over his last three games played. Not so much for big play production is the 23-year-old second year draft pick of the Browns, so use him in tackle-favoring scoring systems and enjoy the solo tackle point manufacture for your fantasy squad.

Jalen Ramsey CB LAR

Both Ramsey and his teammate Williams profiled below are here due to their excellent production over the past three weeks. Ramsey has amassed 15 TT (13 solo) over those games, while also contributing four pass deflections (PD). The matchup against the 49ers is not optimal, but he is playing every snap on defense.

Darious Williams CB 

Williams is also benefitting from playing every defensive down for the Rams, lining up on the left side of the defensive backfield opposite Ramsey. Since the Week 11 bye, he has collected 31 TT (27 solo) with seven PD to round out the big play end of fantasy production for his owners. 

Escalator Going Down

Linebackers/Defensive Linemen/Defensive Backs

None to speak of, being that we are in the final week of the season, except for those listed in the Injury Report below.

Matchups to Exploit

Remember, the first team listed is the one to use your IDPs against. Do not go crazy, and play a LB5 against the Colts, but certainly you will do well if you own a top LB on the Raiders, Giants or Green Bay that you can plug in this week, for the most part.

Inside Linebackers

Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland

San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Chargers @ Las Vegas

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore

Outside Linebackers

Detroit Lions vs Green Bay

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay

Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Chargers

Defensive Ends

Washington Football Team @ New York Giants

New York Giants vs Washington

Tennessee Titans @ Houston

Arizona Cardinals vs Seattle

Defensive Tackles

Tenness Titans @ Houston

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay

Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia

Miami Dolphins vs New England

New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta

Safeties

Baltimore Ravens vs Pittsburgh

Los Angeles Rams vs San Francisco

Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia

San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams

Denver Broncos vs Kansas City

Cornerbacks

Los Angeles Chargers @ Las Vegas

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Indianapolis

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills vs New York Jets

Waiver Wire Targets

This section is intended to serve as a shortened cheat sheet listing those waiver wire targets you should be considering if you need to plug a hole in your starting lineup. All these players are spotlighted above, and you can read my comments about them in the "Elevator Going Up" section of this article. Not all the players commented on are here, however, as there is no need to waste your time searching for players that are heavily owned. This group consists of those that you may have a chance of locating on your league's waiver wire in that they are owned in significantly less than 50% of leagues. Happy claiming for your weekly matchups.

Linebackers

Leonard Floyd LAR

Krys Barnes GB

Jonas Griffith DEN

Defensive Linemen

Jonathan Greenard DE HOU

Trey Hendrickson DE CIN

Josh Allen DE JAX

Josh Sweat DE PHI

Kwity Paye DE IND

Defensive Backs

Jaquiski Tartt S SF

Grant Delpit S CLE

Jalen Ramsey CB LAR

Darious Williams CB LAR

 

Ouch (My Aching Roster)

All the injury reports below need evaluation prior to kickoff.  Teams are notoriously sketchy about injury reports, and we often do not know a player's status until just before game time. Consider the list below as a "heads up" as to what is going on early in the week, and should not be considered definitive.

Linebackers

Tanner Vallejo ARI illness IR-COVID

Zeke Turner ARI shoulder IR

Odafe Oweh BAL foot

Daelin Hayes BAL knee IR

Cassius Marsh CHI knee IR

Akeem Davis-Gaither CIN foot IR-COVID

Jordan Evans CIN undisclosed IR-COVID

Sione Takitaki CLE shoulder 

Mack Wilson CLE personal

Tony Field II CLE illness IR-COVID

Micah Parsons DAL undisclosed IR-COVID

Francis Bernard DAL groin IR-COVID

Keanu Neal DAL illness IR-COVID

Jonathon Cooper DEN illness IR-COVID

Bradley Chubb DEN illness IR-COVID

Baron Browning DEN illness IR-COVID

Stephen Weatherly DEN illness IR-COVID

Austin Bryant DET illness IR-COVID

Rashod Berry DET illness

Trey Flowers DET knee IR

Josh Woods DET neck IR

Za’Darius Smith GB back IR

Chauncey Rivers GB knee-ACL IR

Ty Summers GB hamstring IR

Randy Ramsay GB undisclosed IR-COVID

Hardy Nickerson HOU concussion IR

Kevin Pierre-Louis HOU illness IR-COVID

Tae Davis HOU undisclosed IR

Dakota Allen JAX shoulder

K’Lavon Chaisson JAX illness IR-COVID

Dylan Moses JAX undisclosed IR-COVID

Anthony Hitchens KC knee

Nicholas Morrow LV ankle IR

Nick Kwiatkoski LV ankle IR

Darron Lee LV undisclosed

Drue Tranquill LAC ankle

Kyler Fackrell LAC knee IR

Ernest Jones LAR ankle IR

Eric Kendricks MIN illness IR-COVID

Terez Hall NE undisclosed PUP

Anfernee Jennings NE undisclosed IR

Harvey Langi NE knee IR

Cameron McGrone NE knee-ACL

Ronnie Perkins NE ankle IR

Quentin Poling NO undisclosed

Justin Hilliard NYG ankle IR

Omari Cobb NYG illness

Carter Coughlin NYG ankle IR

Trent Harris NYG ankle

Blake Cashman NYJ illness IR-COVID

Jarrad Davis NYJ illness IR-COVID

Shaun Bradley PHI shoulder

Alex Singleton PHI illness IR-COVID

Genard Avery PHI illness IR-COVID

Davion Taylor PHI knee IR

Buddy Johnson PIT foot

Dre Greenlaw SF groin

Azeez Al-Shaair SF knee

Alton Robinson SEA illness IR-COVID

Bobby Wagner SEA knee-MCL

Jon Rhattigan SEA knee-ACL IR

Shaquil Barrett TB knee-ACL/MCL

Jason Pierre-Paul TB shoulder

Monty Rice TEN ankle IR-COVID

Derick Roberson TEN illness

Jamal Carter TEN undisclosed

Khaleke Hudson WAS ankle IR

Jared Norris WAS shoulder IR

Defensive Linemen

DE

Zach Kerr ARI illness IR-COVID

Jonathan Bullard ATL illness IR-COVID

Trey Hendrickson CIN illness IR-COVID

Cameron Sample CIN hamstring

Shelby Harris DEN ankle

DeShawn Williams DEN elbow IR

Joel Heath DET knee-ACL IR-COVID

Ron’Dell Carter HOU illness IR-COVID

Jonathan Greenard HOU shoulder

Lerentee McCray JAX illness IR-COVID

Dawuane Smoot JAX undisclosed IR-COVID

Malik Herring KC knee-ACL

Joshua Kaindoh KC ankle IR

Carl Nasib LV undisclosed IR-COVID

Kendal Vickers LV undisclosed IR-COVID

Everson Griffen MIN personal

Payton Turner NO shoulder IR

Tanoh Kpassagnon NO ankle IR

Bryce Huff NYJ ankle IR

Kyle Phillips NYJ illness IR-COVID

Stephon Tuitt PIT undisclosed IR

Calvin Taylor PIT undisclosed

Carlos Dunlap SEA ankle

Larrell Murchison TEN knee

James Smith-Williams WAS illness

Montez Sweat WAS personal

DT

Jordan Phillips ARI knee

Daviyon Nixon CAR illness IR-COVID

Phil Hoskins CAR illness IR-COVID

Malik Jackson CLE knee

Shamar Stephen DEN quadriceps

McTelvin Agim DEN illness IR-COVID

Mike Purcell DEN illness IR-COVID

Vincent Taylor HOU ankle IR

Khalen Saunders KC undisclosed IR

Johnathan Hankins LV back

Sebastian Joseph-Day LAR pectoral IR

Michael Pierce MIN illness

Albert Huggins NO illness IR-COVID

Jalen Dalton NO illness IR-COVID

Danny Shelton NYG undisclosed IR-COVID

Dexter Lawrence NYG illness IR-COVID

Fletcher Cox PHI illness IR-COVID

Maurice Hurst SF calf

Sam Renner TB undisclosed

Defensive Backs

S

James Wiggins ARI knee IR

Ar’Darius Washington BAL illness IR-COVID

Sean Chandler CAR groin

Xavier Crawford CHI concussion IR

Vonn Bell CIN illness IR-COVID

John Johnson CLE hamstring 

Ronnie Harrison CLE ankle

Jayron Kearse DAL hamstring

Kareem Jackson DEN back

Caden Sterns DEN illness IR-COVID

Mike Ford DEN illness IR-COVID

Justin Reid HOU illness IR-COVID

Jonathan Owens HOU wrist IR

Grayland Arnold HOU ankle IR

Lonnie Johnson HOU illness IR-COVID

Andrew Sendejo IND concussion

Rudy Ford JAX undisclosed IR-COVID

Andrew Wingard JAX undisclosed IR-COVID

Chris Lammons KC ankle IR

Johnathan Abram LV shoulder IR

Mark Webb LAC knee IR

Nick Scott LAR thumb

Dayan Ghanwoloku LAR undisclosed

Elijah Cambell MIA toe IR

Sheldrick Redwine NIA undisclosed IR-COVID

Camryn Bynum MIN illness IR-COVID

Jonathan Jones NE shoulder IR

Adrian Phillips NE wrist

Joshuah Bledsoe NE calf IR

Marcus Williams NO illness

Nate Ebner NYG ankle IR

Sharrod Neasman NYJ illness IR-COVID

Avonte Maddox PHI illness IR-COVID

Marcus Epps PHI illness IR-COVID

Rodney McLeod PHI illness IR-COVID

Terrell Edmunds PIT groin

Jimmie Ward SF illness IR-COVID

K’Waun Williams SF illness IR-COVID

Talanoa Hufanga SF knee

Dontae Johnson SF illness IR-COVID

Tavon Wilson SF foot IR

Gavin Heslop SEA lower leg IR-COVID

Maurice Smith TEN undisclosed 

Deshazor Everett WAS personal IR-COVID 

CB

Marco Wilson ARI shoulder

Fabian Moreau ATL ribs

Anthony Averett BAL ribs

Mazzi Wilkins BAL undisclosed

Tre’Davious White BUF knee-ACL IR

Stephon Gilmore CAR groin

Jaycee Horn CAR foot IR-COVID

Duke Shelley CHI heel

Teez Tabor CHI ankle IR

Darius Phillips CIN shoulder IR

Jalen Davis CIN ankle 

Trae Waynes CIN illness IR-COVID

Troy Hill CLE knee

Denzel Ward CLE groin

Greedy Williams CLE shoulder

Patrick Surtain II DEN calf

Bryce Callahan DEN illness IR-COVID

Ronald Darby DEN shoulder

Amani Oruwariye DET thumb IR

Jaire Alexander GB undisclosed IR-COVID

Jimmy Moreland JOU illness

Xavier Rhodes IND hamstring

Shaquill Griffin JAX illness IR-COVID

L’Jarius Sneed KC knee

Robert Rochell LAR chest IR

Noah Igbinoghene NIA undisclosed IR-COVID

Cameron Dantzler MIN calf

Bradley Roby NO shoulder

Keith Washington NO wrist

P.J. Williams NO ankle

Darnay Holmes NYG ribs IR

Zane Lewis NYJ undisclosed IR-COVID

Sidney Jones SEA illness IR-COVID

John Reid SEA head

Richard Sherman TB Achilles

Rashard Robinson TB groin

Caleb Farley TEN knee IR

William Jackson WAS undisclosed IR-COVID

Benjamin St-Juste WAS concussion IR

As ever, good luck and Godspeed in your fantasy efforts. Make sure to read all of our great articles to help you win your fantasy match ups every week and ultimately bask in championship glory. If you have any fantasy football questions, especially about IDP leagues, you can also send a message to ia@fantasyalarm.com for a personal response from the writer of this article. Naturally, the more detail you can send about your league, such as number of teams, platform you play in (Yahoo, ESPN, etc.), scoring and roster system, the better the ability to provide accurate advice.