We have reached the end of the voyage for many IDP managers Living the Stream this week. And for more than a few folks, how this week plays out will determine which final fork in the river they take.
Yep. Back on aquatic metaphors. Too early for Christmas ones—at least for civilized human beings.
One fork leads to an opportunity for glory—the fantasy playoffs. Some are already headed that way and playing for a first-round bye in the postseason. Others are already in the playoffs after fashion—this week is every bit as single-elimination as postseason contests are. Win and move on. Lose, and that's that—a rapid switch to the river's other fork.
And that one goes right over the falls and into the offseason. Season over. No more fantasy football until 2026. It's the sort of thing that can make folks emotional.
The last thing IDP managers want is to need a matchup play in a must-win game—especially if they are underdogs. But the fantasy gods are fickle and cruel—they lap up your tears like a kitten with a bowl of milk.
Or Eric Cartman.
Injuries keep piling up as we move into December. Four teams are off this week. And some folks have been Living the Stream for weeks after throwing in the towel on a high draft pick who just didn't pan out.
Whatever the reason, there has never been a more important week to be right about these plays.
Too bad I write this.
Week 14 IDP Matchup Plays
EDGE Jacob Martin, Washington (at Minnesota)
Martin has bounced around the NFL over his eight-year career. In fact, since being drafted in the sixth round by the Seattle Seahawks in 2018, Martin has spent time on a quarter of the league's teams. Martin has found not only a home but substantial playing time. All the way back in 2022, Martin told reporters while with the Jets that all he needed was an opportunity to show what he could do.
"I'm a total football player," Martin said. "I can do anything that I'm asked to do. I've played all over the place. I've played stack linebacker, I played at the edge, I played outside linebacker, I've played true defensive end. I've set big edges. I've made big plays in big games. I'm a football player. I'm the total package for sure."
Martin is on track to set a career-high in snaps and has already set a new high-water mark in sacks and quarterback hits. He has seen snap shares north of 70 percent in each of the past two games, and Sunday, he takes on a Minnesota Vikings team that has allowed an NFC-high 43 sacks this year.
EDGE Jaelan Phillips, Philadelphia (at LA Chargers)
The Eagles have struggled to generate a consistent pass rush this season; the team's 24 sacks for the season are the seventh-fewest in the league. Phillips was acquired at the trade deadline for a Day 2 pick in 2026 to help address that issue, and Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni talked up the 26-year-old while speaking to reporters.
"Explosive player, able to get to the quarterback, violent in the run game, can create a lot of disruption," coach Nick Sirianni said. "Just a lot of how we like to play that position. [Defensive coordinator] Vic [Fangio] having familiarity with him is obviously big. It takes away some of that learning curve of getting ready to go."
Phillips hasn't exactly lit it up since joining the Eagles—after 11 stops and a sack over his first two games with the team, he has just four stops over the last two games combined. But this week, the Eagles face a Chargers team down both starting tackles, allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to edge rushers.
LB Cody Barton, Tennessee (at Cleveland)
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