Defensive Players with Great Matchups in the Fantasy Playoffs
With half of the fantasy season over, it’s time to start preparing your team for the fantasy football playoffs. If you are serious about winning that IDP trophy, you will want to consider acquiring these players via trade or waivers (in shallower leagues). I have crosschecked schedules with several stats like fantasy points allowed to each position and sacks allowed to identify players that are due to be productive in the crucial final weeks.
Defensive Tackle
Aaron Donald – Los Angeles Rams
(week 15: WAS; week 16: NO; week 17: NYG)
The three time Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) is the leader of the Rams defense and still is very disruptive. He is a top 10 player in the entire league with the second most quarterback pressures among defensive tackles while recording 5.5 sacks so far. The Rams will face Washington and the Giants in the fantasy playoffs weeks, the top 2 teams in sacks allowed. They will also play against the Saints, the team that allowed the second most fantasy points to defensive tackles.
Great Options too: Justin Jones, Kenny Clark, Vita Vea, Quinnen Williams and David Onyemata.
Defensive End
Myles Garrett – Cleveland Browns
(week 15: CHI; week 16: HST; week 17: NYJ)
One of the candidates for the DPOY award, Garrett has favorable matchups in the fantasy playoffs to solidify his chances at the award. He is an edge rusher that has an incredible win rate against double teams. In week 15, he will face a Chicago team that is top 5 in sacks allowed this season to edge rushers. In week 16, he will play against the Texans in a conference duel with both teams potentially fighting for one playoff spot and this defender will need try to slow down C.J. Stroud. In week 17, he will again face a top 5 team in allowing sacks and a potential Jets return of Aaron Rodgers.
Jonathan Greenard – Houston Texans
(week 15: TEN; week 16: CLV; week 17: TEN)
Greenard might seem like a surprise on this list, but he isn’t if you check the context. Coach DeMeco Ryans is doing a fantastic job on both sides of the ball and his Texans are very competitive. In the draft they got a blue-chip talent in Will Anderson, who is receiving a lot of attention from the opponent’s offensive line. A lot of double teams on Anderson free Greenard up to shine. He has an impressive 29 pressures and 7 sacks in 9 games. In the fantasy playoffs, he will be facing the divisional rival twice in the Titans, the #1 team in allowing sacks to edge rushers. Against the Browns, as I said in Garrett part, is a potential playoffs fight and the scenario for Jonathan is better. Cleveland is missing Joel Bitonio so much and they are a top 10 allowing sacks. Another interesting point about this game is that Browns are a team that uses a lot of outside zone runs, which help for opponent edge tackles. With this stat, Cleveland is first in the league, and Greenard is one of the best in the league in run stop win rate.
Additional options: Byron Young, Boye Mafe, Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat.
Linebacker
Ernest Jones – Los Angeles Rams
(week 15: WAS; week 16: NO; week 17: NYG)
Jones has been an every-down player and wearing the green dot since Bobby Wagner departed. Although, he has had few weeks recently where he hasn’t been completely healthy, which caused his snaps and fantasy points to decrease. The bye week will help to get him back to full health again. Jones will have the Commanders first, a team that has been allowing 17 tackles per game to the opponent’s linebackers. Then, he will face New Orleans, the 2nd best team in allowing tackles to linebackers at a 20 tackle average, a number that increases to 22 since Kamara has returned. In the final week, Jones will face a Giants team that is using and abusing the running game, especially since Daniel Jones went out for the season and Tommy DeVito now under center.
T.J. Edwards – Chicago Bears
(week 15: CLV; week 16: ARZ; week 17: ATL)
Edwards is a tackle machine and is competing for most tackles this season. Cleveland is one of the best rushing teams in the entire league and top 5 in allowing tackles to linebackers. The Cardinals wouldn’t be a great matchup with Clayton Tune and Emari Demercado running the show, but with Kyler Murray and James Conner back, their tackles allowed should increase. To finish, Edwards will face Atlanta, which have a strong running game and a top 5 team in fantasy points allowed to linebackers.
Additional options: Alex Anzalone, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Azeez Al-Shaair and Bobby Okereke.
Cornerback
Nate Hobbs – Las Vegas Raiders
(week 15: LAC; week 16: KC; week 17: IND)
When Hobbs is healthy, everybody knows that he is one of the best cornerbacks for fantasy proposes. This season, when he has played, he has recorded no less than five tackles in a game. The Raiders may not have too much to play for this season, but the interim head coach, Antonio Pierce, is making the team play for him. They will face two divisional rivals, Chargers and Chiefs, that are the second and fifth in tackles allowed to cornerbacks. Hobbs will also face the Colts, a team that improved their passing game with Gardner Minshew under center.
Additional options: Alontae Taylor, Taron Johnson and DaRon Bland.
Safety
Budda Baker – Arizona Cardinals
(week 15: SF; week 16: CHI; week 17: PHI)
Baker missed a lot of games this season, but since his return he has been the strong safety, playing almost all of the snaps and recording no less than 7 tackles. First, he will be playing against the 49ers, a top 2 team in allowing tackles to the safety position this season. In the first matchup with the 49ers, K’Von Wallace, who replaced Baker, recorded 8 tackles. Chicago isn’t a great matchup, but with Justin Fields back, the rushing attempts should increase and for a box safety that’s good news. Baker finishes with the Eagles, a team that has allowed the most tackles per game to safeties, with 17 on average.
Tony Adams – New York Jets
(week 15: MIA; week 16: WAS; week 17: CLV)
Tony Adams has been a name that I defend before the beginning of the season. Playing primarily as box safety, Adams is a top safety name against the run in the entire league, he has recorded 43 tackles in total with 2/3 being on run plays. The Jets will first face Miami in a divisional game, where I see a scenario that the defensive linemen will pressure Tua Tagovailoa and the cornerbacks, especially Sauce Gardner will blanket the wide receivers, causing the Dolphins to resort to the run game. Next, Adams will face the Commanders, a team that has been a little more productive for safeties the past 4 weeks, 8th in points allowed. Adams and the Jets finish against Cleveland, one of the strongest running games in the league, again a great matchup for Adams.
Additional options: Camryn Bynum, Jaquan Brisker and Jevon Holland.
Thank you for reading. Follow me on X at @PBDecker.
Check out my Week 11 IDP Waiver Wire article.