• Budda BakerThe high-end consistency: Baker has been one of the most consistent IDP safeties in recent years and that has continued this year, leading to a great matchup in Week 15.
• Derrick Brown is a tackling machine: The Carolina Panthers interior defender has recorded more tackles than several full-time linebackers this season and should have no problem doing the same this week.
• Dominate your fantasy league in 2023: Find current fantasy draft rankings and projections in PFF's Fantasy Ranking Tool!
Estimated reading time: 14 minutes
As bye weeks and injuries test the depth of fantasy football rosters, it becomes even more important to review weekly rankings to find all the players to target and avoid each week.
Check PFF.com's rankings page for any updates as we near the game.
Jump to a position:
LB | ED | DI | S | CB
LINE BACKER
Elandon Roberts (LB28) took a short break in Week 14 despite being questionable early in the game. Roberts was the most efficient tackling linebacker this season (at least 25% of snaps), posting a tackle rate of 16.9%. Roberts is faring slightly worse this week, as the Steelers only used him for 81% of defensive snaps in Week 14, which could be due to his injury, but that's not unusual for the team's linebackers. Even with everyone healthy, the Steelers have sometimes not used a full-time linebacker, which is a risk worth considering here in Week 15. Roberts should still lead the team's linebackers in snaps in a favorable matchup against the Colts, who trail the fourth-most tackles per game at the linebacker position (18.0). But Roberts carries the risk of being underutilized, so he's more of a high-potential, high-risk play this week.
Jordyn Brooks (LB33) was a solid IDP all season, posting a respectable 14.2% tackling efficiency (17th) despite not playing a full-time role for most of the season. Last week, Brooks played 85% of the defensive snaps, which is far from ideal but is the norm for him in 2023. Brooks has typically been able to play this slightly lower snap percentage, but it's worth noting that he's been dealing with an injury. This week's matchup against the Eagles is also slightly below average in terms of the linebackers' tackling capabilities. The Eagles rank 24th in giving linebackers tackles per game (15.5), and that number has dropped to 12.7 over the last three games. Brooks should be close to starting in the IDP lineups this week.
Deeper IDP leagues could have a solid non-full-time linebacker option this week in Jack Gibbens (LB45). Gibbens had seen his playing time reduced while splitting reps with Monty Rice in Weeks 9-13, but since Rice was released before Week 14, Gibbens' snap percentage last week was 72%. Gibbens posted the seventh-best tackle efficiency at the position (15.3%) and posted an above-average result against the Texans in Week 15, giving the linebacker position 16.9 tackles per game (tied for 11th).
EDGE DEFENDER
Andrew Van Ginkel (ED14) hasn't recorded a sack since Week 5, but he's playing the best football of his career this season and is drawing a great matchup to potentially break that streak in Week 15. Van Ginkel posted a passing average of 87.9. Rush Grade, who ranks eighth at his position and has averaged 81% of the team's defensive snaps over the past two weeks with Jaelan Phillips serving on injured reserve. Van Ginkel was scheduled to face Jets right tackle Max Mitchell, who owns a pass-blocking grade of 47.5 (74th) for most of this game. Jets quarterback Zach Wilson has the seventh-worst pressure-to-sack conversion rate (23.6%) in the league, making Van Ginkel's matchup all the better.
Jonathan Greenard (ED19) just took advantage of a great matchup in Week 14 against the Jets by posting two sacks and is now pulling off another great matchup against the Titans, who had significant issues at their tackle positions. Greenard should primarily compete against Jaelyn Duncan, who has a pass-blocking grade of 46.8, which ranks 75th among 88 qualified offensive tackles. Greenard has done a very good job of converting pressure into sacks this season, with 10 sacks on the year already, and should have a chance to increase that total in Week 15.
INNER DEFENSE
Derrick Brown (DT6) is racking up incredible tackles for an interior defensive lineman and is currently at 74, his career high this season. He has totaled nearly 100 tackles this year. What helps Brown this week is that he's going up against the Atlanta Falcons, who have posted 21.8 tackles per game at the defensive line position (second-most) this season. Brown's 11.3% tackle rate is by far the best among defensive linemen this season (at least 50% of snaps) and is even better than that of some starting linebackers, including Kaden Elliss (11.0%), Nicholas Morrow ( 10.3%), Pete Werner (10.2%). %), Demario Davis (10.1%) and Devin White (9.1%). Brown also only has one sack this year, but his 33 pressures and 77.1 pass rush rating suggest he's a better pass rusher than his sack total suggests.
SECURITY
Budda Baker (S4) continues to be one of the most consistent tacklers at the safety position. Baker currently ranks ninth among safeties (at least 50% of snaps) in tackle efficiency (11.2%) and has recorded double-digit tackles in two of his eight games this season. Baker missed some time early in the year, but since returning to the lineup in Week 7, he ranks fifth among safeties in total tackles (54). Baker draws the best matchup of the week for his position, taking on the San Francisco 49ers, who have given up 16.6 tackles per game against opposing safeties (first) in 2023.
Brian Branch (S46) falls way down in the rankings this week after playing just 52% of defensive snaps in Week 14. Branch was only used when the Bears' offense featured 11 personnel. This hasn't been a typical game plan for Branch this season and isn't worth betting on in the fantasy playoffs, which is why he falls out of playable range in most leagues this week. The Broncos, Detroit's Week 15 opponent, are also well below average, using 11 personnel (54%). So if this is going to be the norm for Branch, it's not nearly enough Snaps when there are so many everywhere. Shut down the safety devices to connect them to lineups and remove the waiver cable.
CORNERBACK
Rams cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (CB28) had a decent week, posting four solo tackles and an interception against the Ravens. Witherspoon has a strong matchup in Week 15 against the Commanders, who have the sixth-most tackles per game at the cornerback position (14.1). The team is also led by the most pass-heavy quarterback in the league, Sam Howell. Witherspoon has never recorded more than four tackles in a game this season, which is why he lands in the CB3 range in the rankings and is more of a streaming option than a must-play IDP.
Patriots cornerback JC Jackson (CB33) stands out as another deep streaming option against the Kansas City Chiefs, who have posted 14.2 tackles per game at the position, the fifth-highest rate in the league. Jackson is only a streaming option for deeper leagues as his snap percentage fluctuates wildly. That being said, Jackson has averaged 92% of the team's defensive shots over the past three weeks, keeping him in play as an IDP option for those in need.
KEY
- DNP: Did not take part in the team's final training session due to injury
- LP: Limited participation in the team's final training session due to an injury
- D: Due to an injury it is questionable whether the player can play
- Q: Due to injury it is questionable whether the player can play
- TNF: The player plays on Thursday Night Football. Adjust the lineups accordingly.
- SAT: The player plays on Saturday. Adjust the lineups accordingly.
- SNF: The player plays on Sunday Night Football. Adjust the lineups accordingly.
- MNF: The player plays on Monday Night Football. Adjust the lineups accordingly.
- Great Britain: The player takes part in the London game on Sunday morning. Adjust the lineups accordingly.
- WW: Possible waiver wire target (see Weekly IDP Fantasy Report).