IDP Start-Sit, Studs and Duds: Week 17

It's Christmas. And while any number of gifts have been exchanged from jewelry to cologne to Chia Pets and (ugh) fruitcakes, there's only one gift that IDP managers really want—a fantasy championship. And along with Santa Claus, Christmas week brings with it Week 17—Championship Week in most IDP leagues.

Months of draft prep and selecting teams and setting lineups and making trades and grabbing guys off the waiver wire have come down to this. Thunderdome. Two teams enter. One team leaves. And that team will be crowned champion.

Now, bringing home the title won't be easy. The last two teams alive in IDP leagues aren't still kicking by accident. Getting a win in this hard-fought affair means making the right lineup calls. Getting Studs into the lineup. Leaving Duds on the bench.

If only there was an article that detailed those. That would be super-helpful.

Each week during the 2025 season, I'll point out some Individual Defensive Players who could be set to exceed expectations this week (Studs), as well as some that, for whatever reason, are riskier plays than normal (Duds).

This isn't necessarily to say that every "Stud" is a must-start (it depends on your other options) or that every "Dud" should be glued to your bench (just that the odds of a letdown week are greater than usual).

You'll notice that this week's edition of IDP Studs and Duds is abbreviated. For reasons that escape me, my family actually wants to spend time with me at the holidays. I hope those holidays treat you and yours well.

Numbers in parentheses denote ranking in fantasy points allowed to that position in 2025 in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring. 

IDP STUD OF THE WEEK

EDGE Abdul Carter, NY Giants (at Las Vegas) (1)

After being drafted third overall this past April, Carter's NFL career didn't start as planned. But as it turns out, Carter may just have been a late bloomer. Carter's sack against the Minnesota Vikings last week was the third straight game in which the former Penn State standout got home, and in Week 17, he faces a Raiders team that has allowed 57 sacks for the season, second-most in the league.

IDP DUD OF THE WEEK

EDGE James Pearce Jr., Atlanta (vs. LA Rams) (32)

Might as well stick with the rookie edge rusher theme. Pearce has been one of the hottest players in the league at his position—the former Tennessee star has 8.5 sacks for the season and at least half a sack in seven straight games. Keeping that streak going against the Rams will be awfully difficult—Matthew Stafford has been dropped just 18 times in 15 games, and no team allows fewer fantasy points to edge rushers.

WEEK 17 IDP STUDS

EDGE Alex Highsmith, Pittsburgh (at Cleveland) (6): Highsmith's 2025 numbers look a lot like last year's—good but not great. He'll finish the season strong against a Browns team giving up the sixth-most PPR points to edge rushers in 2025.

EDGE Myles Murphy, Cincinnati (vs. Arizona) (2): The Bengals have been inconsistent rushing the passer this year, but the Cardinals have allowed 51 sacks in 2025—tied for the most in the NFC.

EDGE Chase Young, New Orleans (at Tennessee) (4): Young's tackle numbers have been nothing to write home about. But he has seven sacks for the season and draws a top-five fantasy matchup for edge rushers with the Titans.

LB Barrett Carter, Cincinnati (vs. Arizona) (2): Carter came roaring out of the gate after entering the starting lineup, but his numbers have been way down of late. This week's gravy matchup with the Redbirds offers a chance for Scrooge to redeem himself.

LB Quay Walker, Green Bay (vs. Baltimore) (1): Both Green Bay linebackers have been hit-or-miss at times this season. This is going to be a hit week—especially if Lamar Jackson's back injury sidelines him in Week 17.

LB Quincy Williams, NY Jets (vs. New England) (5): Williams has been a bit disappointing, ranking just inside the top 30 linebackers in fantasy points per game. He'll do better than that Sunday against the Patriots.

S Cam Bynum, Indianapolis (vs. Jacksonville) (1): Nick Cross is a no-brainer start in Week 17, but Bynum could also be a solid play against a Jaguars team leading the league in fantasy points surrendered to safeties.

S Nick Emmanwori, Seattle (at Carolina) (4): The versatile rookie is playing all over Seattle's formation, including snaps as a nickel linebacker. He could be fantasy football's No. 1 safety overall in Week 17.

S Amani Hooker, Tennessee (vs. New Orleans) (7): Everyone's favorite matchup-dependent fringe IDP safety draws a good one in Week 17—the Saints have given up the seventh-most fantasy points to safeties in 2025.

WEEK 17 IDP DUDS

EDGE George Karlaftis, Kansas City (vs. Denver) (31): Just about everything that could go wrong has for the Chiefs this year, and Broncos quarterback Bo Nix has been dropped fewer times than any signal-caller in the league.

EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu, LA Chargers (vs. Houston) (29): Tuipulotu has broken out in 2025—his 13 sacks this season tie his first two years put together. But this week's matchup with the Texans presents an uphill climb.

EDGE Byron Young, LA Rams (at Atlanta) (28): Young has likely made himself a lot of money with an outstanding third season. But the Falcons have given up the fifth-fewest fantasy points to edge rushers this year.

LB Terrel Bernard, Buffalo (vs. Philadelphia) (30): After missing time with a dislocated elbow, Bernard is back in the middle of the Buffalo defense. But his production has underwhelmed more often than not, even when the matchup wasn't garbage.

LB Kaden Elliss, Atlanta (vs. LA Rams) (32): Elliss hasn't been able to duplicate last year's gonzo production, and the worst fantasy matchup for linebackers this year won't help matters any.

LB Bobby Okereke, NY Giants (at Las Vegas) (31): Okereke sits in low-end LB2 territory for the season. That's closer to his IDP ceiling than his floor against a Raiders offense that has struggled to move the ball consistently.

S Dane Belton, NY Giants (at Las Vegas) (29): Belton has been a solid fantasy starter of late—he's a top-20 fantasy safety since Week 10. But the Raiders' inconsistent offense is a problem for defensive backs, just as it is for linebackers.

S Xavier McKinney, Green Bay (vs. Baltimore) (30): With Lamar Jackson iffy to play this week, the Ravens will probably implement a run-heavy game plan that isn't conducive to fantasy points for deep safeties.

S Tre'von Moehrig, Carolina (vs. Seattle) (28): Moehrig hasn't lived up to expectations this year, but he hasn't been a bust by any stretch. This week against the Seahawks, though, that whole bust thing could happen at the worst possible time.

Gary Davenport ("The Godfather of IDP") is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on Twitter (Can't make him call it X) at @IDPGodfather. 

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