So here we are. In most fantasy formats we have reached championship weekend. If your Individual Defensive Player (IDP) team is still alive, go ahead and give yourself a hearty pat on the back but be careful to not injure yourself (there's been enough of that this season).
Navigating through the 2013 IDP landscape has been as difficult as any season I can remember. To still be battling for a title is no small feat and there is still work to be done.
Whether this is your championship game or Week 1 of a two-week championship, there are still plenty of nice sleeper candidates to bolster IDP lineups. The crack staff of the '53 Deep' article has done the heavy lifting for owners once again and come up with some very solid options.
Oh yeah. Fret not my fellow IDP lovers. There will be a Week 17 edition coming as well because we take it to limit here at '53 Deep.'
Let's get to it!
LINEBACKERS
DeVonte Holloman, ILB, Dallas at Washington: With the rash of injuries that the Cowboys have suffered at linebacker, Holloman found himself manning the middle in Week 15. It's possible that Bruce Carter (hamstring) returns for Week 16 but Sean Lee , Ernie Sims and Justin Durant (placed on Injured Reserve) are not locks to play. Holloman racked up only four total stops while playing 66 snaps last week but will have a much better Week 16 against a Washington offense that will feed the ball to running back Alfred Morris plenty.
Dont'a Hightower, SLB, New England at Baltimore: Hightower has put up 27 total tackles over the last three weeks and has played 74 percent of the defensive snaps in those games. The Ravens are a top matchup for allowing fantasy points to linebackers so expect Hightower to keep his hot streak going and post double-digit tackles this week.
Demario Davis, ILB, New York Jets vs. Cleveland: For the season, the Browns are a top-10 team in allowing fantasy points to linebackers. Over his past five games Davis has totaled 40 tackles, with 22 of those being solo stops. The Jets defense is averaging 71 defensive snaps played per game so Davis will have plenty of opportunity to produce nice fantasy totals.
Brian Orakpo, OLB, Washington vs. Dallas: Orakpo has 10 sacks this season, which is one behind the career-high 11 that he posted back in 2009. Since Week 10, he has amassed seven sacks as well as 23 solo tackles. The Cowboys have allowed 10 sacks to linebackers this season, including 3½ in their last three games. Orakpo is playing for a new contract...