IDP Matchup Plays: Living the Stream: Week 13

Pass the gravy, y’all. It’s Thanksgiving Week.

Of course, not every IDP manager has something to be thankful for in 2024. Some of us (er, them.) have been relegated to spoiler status. But with just a couple of weeks to go in the regular season, quite a few are either fighting for their postseason lives or angling to earn a first-round bye in the playoffs.

That second group? All jerks. The lot of them. Just saying.

In any event, even in a pressure-packed week like this, folks in all those groups find themselves needing to Live the Stream this week. For some, it’s a short-term issue born of injuries to players like San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa. Others have been paddling the boat for a while—replacing a guy out for the year or a draft whiff with matchup plays.

Why they are in the water really isn’t important. All that matters is keeping the boat above water.

Otherwise, the stuffing will get wet. And no one wants soggy stuffing.

That was too far with the Thanksgiving schtick, huh? It felt too far.

IDP Matchup Play: EDGE Dante Fowler Jr., Washington (vs. Tennessee)

The Commanders are struggling of late, but Fowler hasn’t been—his 8.5 sacks for the season are the most since his heyday with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Washington defensive coordinator Joe Whitt has coached Fowler in multiple spots over the pair’s professional journey, and he told reporters that he knew all he had to do to unlock the 30-year-old was put him in a position to do what he does best.

"He's a guy that I just knew if you gave him the right opportunities, put him in the right spots, he can produce at a high level," Fowler said. "He’s a guy that has tremendous bend and balance around the corner. The thing that we've talked about going into this year is finishing on the quarterback.”

That Fowler is a top-12 defensive lineman for the season, but sitting on the waiver wire in more than a few leagues speaks to his nature in IDP league—he’s a feast/famine guy. You will either dine on a seven-course meal or have to order Papa John’s to eat—which no sane person wants to do. Against a Titans team leading the league in fantasy points per game given up to defensive ends this year, it’s a juicy Butterball and all the trimmings.

IDP Matchup Play: EDGE Za'Darius Smith, Detroit (vs. Chicago)

When the Lions lost edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson earlier this season, Detroit made a deadline deal to bring in Smith, who spent a chunk of his career in the NFC North with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. When Smith arrived in Detroit, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters he expected the 32-year-old to rapidly become an important piece on Detroit’s defensive front.

"We've played against him, Minnesota, Green Bay. So, we know what that is but he's tough, he's violent and he's got a motor and then we're not even talking about potentially outside or inside, getting in the edge and pass rush, and just helping whether that's straight rush or running the games," Campbell said of Smith. "I just think he's going to be a perfect fit for us."

Smith’s numbers have been limited since he got to Motown—two tackles and half a sack in two games. But his snap share has been north of 70 percent, and on Thanksgiving, he and the Lions will play host to a Chicago Bears team that has surrendered an NFC-high 44 sacks for the season. Gotta have a guy to root for as you break bread, or it ain’t Turkey Day.