• Rashan Gary gets a dream matchup in Week 14: One of the league’s best pass-rushers faces off against the New York Giants’ 32nd-ranked pass-blocking unit and a quarterback with the highest pressure-to-sack conversion rate in the NFL.
• The Jacksonville Jaguars‘ linebackers have an opportunity to stay hot: Foyesade Oluokun and Devin Lloyd have been among the most efficient tacklers in the league and get a great matchup to keep that up in Week 14.
• Dominate your fantasy league in 2023: For up-to-date fantasy draft rankings and projections, check out PFF’s fantasy rankings tool!
Estimated Reading Time: 14 minutes
With bye weeks and injuries testing the depth of fantasy football rosters, checking in on weekly rankings to find all the players to target and avoid each week becomes all the more crucial.
Check the PFF.com rankings page for any updates closer to game time.
Jump to a Position:
LINEBACKER
Devin Lloyd (LB9) draws a great matchup this week against the Cleveland Browns, who have yielded 18.9 tackles per game to opposing linebackers — the second most in the NFL. Lloyd has been an above-average tackler this season, along with his partner Foyesade Oluokun (LB1). Both Jaguars linebackers deliver above-average tackle efficiency, with Oluokun leading the position (16.6%) and Lloyd ranking tied for 19th (14.1%). The Jaguars have also run zone coverage at the fifth-highest rate in the NFL this season, which has provided a significant boost for IDP linebacker production and is what makes Lloyd a top-10 option this week.
The Philadelphia Eagles added Shaquille Leonard earlier this week due to multiple injuries at the position. However, he won’t make the rankings until there is confirmation that he will play this week. For now, Nicholas Morrow (LB33) remains the top option, while Zach Cunningham (LB54), who has yet to be ruled out, is the second-best option. Leonard’s chances of playing this week become more likely if Cunningham is ruled out, in which case Leonard would be ranked similarly to Cunningham. The newly signed linebacker wouldn’t be expected to play a full-time role in his first week with the team.
Jack Gibbens (LB37) has earned a strong 77.7 defensive grade this season, which ranks 17th among linebackers. He had been previously splitting snaps with Monty Rice, which kept him near the bottom of the rankings. Rice was released this week, which should open up more playing opportunities for Gibbens — though still not to the point of it being an every-down role. He should get closer to that 75%-80% of snaps range that he was playing earlier in the year. Gibbens has also been one of the most efficient tacklers at his position. His 15.4% tackle rate ranks sixth among linebackers (minimum of 50% of snaps).
EDGE DEFENDER
This is Rashan Gary‘s (ED5) highest ranking of the year. He enters this week with an 81.5 pass-rush grade (13th), a 16.3% pressure rate (18th) and a 19.5% pass-rush win rate (seventh), as well as 4.5 sacks in his past three games. Gary draws one of the best matchups for pass-rushers this week against the Giants. Their pass-blocking unit ranks last in the NFL, and quarterback Tommy DeVito owns the league’s highest pressure-to-sack conversion rate (47.5%). Gary becomes a must-start option this week in a dream matchup.
Aidan Hutchinson (ED11) has earned top-10 marks for his position across the board as a pass-rusher this season, including a 90.4 pass-rush grade (fourth), a 17.5% pressure rate (ninth) and a 21.0% pass-rush win rate (fourth). However, he has been incredibly unlucky in the sack department, notching just 5.5 (tied for 35th) on the year. Hutchinson is due for positive regression, and this could be the week for him to deliver, going up against the Chicago Bears and right tackle Darnell Wright, who has allowed six sacks on the year (tied for seventh-most among offensive tackles) and owns a 62.3 pass-blocking grade (50th). Justin Fields has also taken 28 sacks on the year, which is tied for the ninth most in the league despite his missing several games. Hutchinson should be able to come through for fantasy managers frustrated by the lack of sacks this year.
INTERIOR DEFENDER
Javon Hargrave (DT6) has continued to be an excellent pass-rushing interior defensive lineman, even on a new team. He has delivered six sacks on the year and earned the third-best pass-rush grade at his position (89.8). Hargrave draws a matchup against the Seahawks, who he just delivered 1.5 sacks against on Thanksgiving. He dominated interior offensive linemen Damien Lewis (62.1 pass-blocking grade) and Anthony Bradford (47.9). Hargrave should continue to excel as a pass-rusher this week with an opportunity to deliver at least one sack against Geno Smith and the Seahawks.
SAFETY
Jaquan Brisker (S3) has earned a spot near the top of the safety rankings this week as one of the most efficient tacklers (11.7%) at the position. Brisker has spent 42% of his snaps lined up in the box this season, which has certainly helped him maintain such a high tackle efficiency. Brisker this week faces off against the Lions, who have yielded 14.9 tackles per game to the safety position, the fifth-highest average in the NFL.
Donovan Wilson (S23) and the Dallas Cowboys draw one of the best matchups for opposing safeties to rack up tackles in the Eagles, who give up the third-most tackles per game to the position (15.6). However, Wilson and Jayron Kearse (S48) tend to rotate on and off the field, keeping them from being every-down players. The Cowboys also deploy three-safety looks at a very high rate, which just widens the funnel for these players to take advantage of the matchup. As such, Wilson comes in on the lower range of S2 options this week.
CORNERBACK
Marshon Lattimore‘s injured reserve stint has allowed Alontae Taylor (CB5) to return to an every-down role for the Saints while still manning the slot on a primary basis. Taylor has been the Saints’ most efficient tackler at the defensive back position (minimum of 50% of snaps), which includes their safeties. Taylor has a great matchup this week against the Carolina Panthers, who have yielded the second-most tackles per game to the cornerback position this season. This is a great spot for Taylor to deliver more reliable fantasy production like he was earlier this season.
One of the top IDP cornerbacks this season, Cam Taylor-Britt of the Cincinnati Bengals was recently placed on injured reserve — which will keep him from being an IDP option for the rest of the year. The Bengals’ Mike Hilton (CB18) has also been among the better fantasy options this year, despite not playing an every-down role. Hilton is more widely rostered across IDP leagues, so for those looking at potential replacements for Taylor-Britt, rookie DJ Turner (CB35) and Chidobe Awuzie (CB31) will be playing full-time roles on the outside. Both are fine streaming options in the right matchups. The Bengals this week face the Indianapolis Colts, who have yielded 13.3 tackles per game to the cornerback position this season. However, that number has jumped to 16.0 over the past three games, which would be one of the highest marks in the league.
KEY
DNP: Did not participate in team’s most recent practice due to injury
LP: Limited participation in team’s most recent practice due to injury
D: Player is doubtful to play due to injury
Q: Player is questionable to play due to injury
TNF: Player is playing on Thursday Night Football. Set lineups accordingly.
SNF: Player is playing on Sunday Night Football. Set lineups accordingly.
MNF: Player is playing on Monday Night Football. Set lineups accordingly.
UK: Player is playing on Sunday morning’s London game. Set lineups accordingly.
WW: Potential waiver-wire target (see Weekly IDP Fantasy Report).
2023-12-08 22:02:45
#Fantasy #Football #Week #IDP #Rankings #Tiers #Fantasy #Football #News #Rankings #Projections
