2025 IDP Plays & Fades for Week 15

Welcome to our 2025 IDP Plays & Fades for Week 15!

And now we are off, running down to the Ript-IDP! Let’s uncap our pens and discuss the fades and plays for THE PLAYOFFS! All the hard work has been done, and now we make the final push to crown ourselves in glory and avoid the depths of Tartarus.

In this series, I will highlight players who could surpass expectations or fall short. We will hit three plays and three fades at each position (DL, LB, DB) from varying positions in weekly rankings. We have a slight change to the format, where DTs and CBs have been dropped. For plays, we will also be tackling one from each of the following categories: 

• Play: a non-top 12 player at their position that expects to produce at a similar level this week, even if they do not have a great matchup.
• Floor: a player that may not have a great matchup, but still has a great chance at producing at a top-30 level in their position, based on consistency and skill.
• Ceiling: This player is boom-or-bust, but has a combination of role increase, talent, and a great matchup that could see them vault from middling production into the top-12.

Now it is time to saddle your mount (horse, pegasus, dragon, etc) and ride into the fires (seas?) of IDP week 15!

Rankings and Fantasy point scoring will be based on FantasyPros IDP scoring, which can be found here.

FantasyData provides base metrics, and advanced metrics such as Pass Rush Productivity (PRP), Pass Rush Win Rate (PRWR), and Average Depth of Tackle (AVDT) will be referenced via Pro Football Focus.

Defensive Linemen

Play: Joshua Hines-Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars vs New York Jets

• Hines-Allen had an incredibly slow start with 16 tackles and 0.5 sacks in his first seven games. In the last six games, however, he has added 22 tackles and 6.5 sacks. That is enough for top-8 numbers in that stretch, though still keeping him just outside of EDGE2 range for the season.
• The hot stretch should continue in a strong matchup with the Jets. The Jets’ offensive line is incredibly strong, but their QB play and poor overall skill-position talent negate their talent. They have not allowed massive points to EDGE rushers, but still allowed a borderline EDGE1 nearly every week. Hines-Allen has broken through in tackles and sacks, where he can still be a solid-to-good play. 
• Last Week: Mason Graham had a decent game, as a borderline DT2, but an injury hampered his outlook.

Ceiling Play: Jaelan Phillips, EDGE, Philadelphia Eagles vs Las Vegas Raiders

• THIRD TIME IS THE CHARM??? Phillips has not tallied a sack in the last 3 games, but has shown a strong tackle floor, with roughly 5/game. His overall rush metrics are still strong enough to believe he can record a sack in good matchups, which this is!
• Las Vegas is a great matchup, giving up more points to EDGEs this season than all but one team. They have allowed some fantasy-winning performances and a handful of other top-18 performances on the back of 50 sacks allowed (28 in the last 5 games). The Eagles applied unbelievable pressure to Justin Herbert last week, and the Raiders’ OL is no improvement, though Kenny Pickett is a significant downgrade. Phillips has a good floor and great upside this week!
• Last Week: Phillips is great… but was unable to tally any of the 7 total sacks. However, he finished with 6 tackles, making him an EDGE2 on the week.

Floor Play: George Karlaftis, Kansas City Chiefs vs Los Angeles Chargers

• Here was the analysis from Jaelan Phillips’ billing as a play last week: “a great matchup with the Chargers could spark a return to EDGE1 status. In the last month (3 games), the Chargers have allowed 8.5 sacks to EDGE players – nearly 3 per game! Aside from the sacks, they are allowing solid totals to EDGE players, with a poor run game.” … and then the Eagles sacked Justin Herbert 7 times while pressuring him on almost 70% of dropbacks. 
• Karlaftis has had a strong year, though it has been very matchup-dependent. His pass rush metrics are top-20 in the league and show better than his 6 sacks. In a great matchup, he is just the ceiling play that could get you to the next round!
• Last week: Chop *just* snuck into EDGE1 range with a sack & strip against the Jets. 

Fade: Rashaan Gary, Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos

• Denver has continued to be a terrible matchup for EDGE rushers, with only Maxx Crosby really having a strong outing over the past month. They have allowed only 2 sacks in total to the position in their last 6 games.
• Gary has been struggling massively over the same span, with only 10 tackles in the last 4 games. Micah Parsons has helped boost Gary overall, but he is still the secondary rusher on the team. 7.5 sacks in the first 7 games has been followed by none in the last 6 games. Gary still could produce well for IDP leagues, but this matchup does not give hope that it will happen immediately. 
• Last Week: Travis Jones was nearly shut out of the box score, with only 1 solo tackle. 

Fade: Al-Quadin Muhammad, Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams

• Muhammad has had a shockingly strong season, totalling 9 sacks, including 3 sacks last week. Overall, his metrics are quite strong, though the lack of tackles does not bode well for consistent production in a bad matchup. A floor of less than 2 tackles/game would require a sack, which is far from guaranteed in this matchup.
• The Rams are an awful matchup for Muhammad, which makes the concern higher. Yaya Diaby is the only EDGE in the past month (4 games) to record a sack against Matthew Stafford and co. As a whole, the Rams have only allowed EDGE players to finish in the top-15 this season: DPOY candidate Will Anderson in week 1 and Laiatu Latu in week 4. Muhammad should be faded, with others ahead of him.
• Last Week: Tuipulotu struggled against the Eagles, finishing with only 3 tackles.

Fade: Josh Sweat, EDGE, Arizona Cardinals @ Houston Texans

• I swear I am not trying to pick on the Cardinals’ star rusher. A second-straight poor matchup is not Sweat’s fault, but a truth nonetheless. The Texans had been an amazing matchup for the first three-quarters of the season, but they have tightened up as of late. Over the last month, Houston has been a bottom-5 matchup for edge rushers, allowing only a couple of sacks and a handful of tackles. 
• Sweat struck out last week in a bad matchup and may just again this week. His floor is low, with only 2 tackles/game. A great matchup can negate the floor, but that is not present here, making Sweat a frightening play as the playoffs begin.
• Last Week: Sweat was shut out of the box score against the Rams.

Linebackers

Floor Play: Germaine Pratt, Indianapolis Colts @ Seattle Seahawks

• Since coming over to Indy in week 6, Pratt has taken over the LB1 role and produced as an IDP LB1. He has averaged just over 9 tackles/game while adding a PBU in 5 straight games. He has graded as a top-12 LB against the run since week 7, while having a top-5 Stop%. 
• Seattle is not a great matchup on paper, but the expected game script and previous production make Pratt a great floor play. Seattle has allowed a few blow-up performances, but mainly solid days to LB1s. With the Colts starting Riley Leonard (who looked decent last week!) or the timeless Phillip Rivers this week, they will most likely get bludgeoned, leading to a run-heavy script for the Seahawks. Pratt should maintain a steady LB2 play in your lineups this week!
• Last Week: Nate Landman did not have another high-tackle game, but saved his day with an INT.

Play: Blake Cashman, Minnesota Vikings @ Dallas Cowboys (SNF)

• Since week 8, Cashman has been a top-10 LB. He has tallied 86 tackles over that stretch, though big plays have not followed. Since his return from injury in week 7 he has played nearly every snap, while grading as a top-15 LB against the run. 
• Dallas has been a great matchup for LBs lately, allowing more points to the position than any team outside New York. They have allowed an LB1 finish in 3 consecutive weeks, each going to their opponent’s top LB. Zack Baun, Nick Bolton, and Jack Campbell averaged over 10 tackles/game against them, while secondary LBs have also put up solid IDP days. Cashman has been a sneaky LB2 play since his return from injury and is absolutely that again, with LB1 potential if he is able to unlock a sack or turnover.
• Last Week: Drake Thomas had his worst game since taking over as a starter, with only 5 tackles in what became a blowout against the Falcons.

Play: Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos

• Cooper has had substantial tackle numbers this season, but the big-play prowess he showed as a prospect & rookie has not matched. He has had only 0.5 sacks, forced 2 fumbles, and had merely 2 TFLS. In the right matchup, he can combine tackle floor with the potential for big plays.
• Over the past month, only two teams have allowed more points to LBs than the Broncos. Devin White had 19 tackles last week, while Bobby Wagner & Frankie Luvu combined for 19 and 2.0 sacks in the prior week. Cooper is by far the best player of that group, which, combined with the Packers’ overall competence compared to Vegas & Washington, gives him a great tackle baseline with some big play upside.
• Last Week: Barrett Carter had a solid day, but did not live up to the potential that the matchup brought. 

Fade: Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions @ Los Angeles Rams

• FADE BUT DO NOT BENCH CAMPBELL! Campbell has been an elite IDP piece this year, with nearly 130 tackles and 5.0 sacks. He has been a game-winning piece for your rosters, with 7 of 13 games over 15 fantasy points. You cannot bench him, though the wrong matchup does give concern that he will be merely good and not transcendent.
• The Rams are an awful LB matchup, which has stymied opposing LBs all season. They have not allowed any performance that would qualify as a game-winning one, despite playing many great ones. Campbell is still a top-18 play (at worst), but the “fade” billing is more for the rest of your lineups. With Campbell’s production not locked in at the top-3 level, you may need to take more swings elsewhere!
• Last Week: Quay Walker was fine in his return to action, but was worth a fade as he failed to finish within the top-30 LBs

Fade: Tyrel Dodson, Miami Dolphins @ Pittsburgh Steelers (MNF)

• Dodson has been a great IDP piece this season, with nearly 100 tackles and 4 sacks. Overall, he has been a top-8 LB, though that production has been shakier as of late. In the last two games, he has totalled only 11 tackles and relied on big plays for IDP relevance. As the team’s LB2, this can be expected and cause concern in a poor matchup.
• Pittsburgh is not the matchup to expect big plays. Aaron Rodgers gets the ball out incredibly quickly and does not throw over the middle of the field. These two facts take the potential for sacks and/or INTs close to zero. They have been a bottom-10 matchup for LBs so far, including only 1 LB1 performance in the last 7 games. Dodson will be hard to bench, but this matchup gives some concern if Jordyn Brooks continues to hog a majority of tackles. 
• Last Week: Simon did struggle as expected, tallying only 3 total tackles against the Rams.

Fade: Christian Rozeboom, Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints

• Rozeboom returns this week after missing the last 3 games due to injury. Multiple players – including a favorite prospect of mine in Trevin Wallace – had an opportunity to take over the LB1 role, but could not as they missed games too. Rozeboom should step into the top spot again, but he may have some rust to knock off, making him a scarier IDP play already.
• Now add in a surprisingly poor matchup, and Rozeboom becomes an LB3/bench type-play. The Saints have been a bottom-8 LB matchup since Tyler Shough took over, allowing only a handful of solid days to LBs. Rozeboom tallied tackles at a high level pre-injury (8.5/game) but has only 1 big play on the year. Most LB production allowed by Shough’s Saints has been on tackles, so the ceiling for Rozeboom remains quite uninspiring as we head to the playoffs. He is a safe floor play, but should be faded in the hope that he returns to an LB1-type role.
• Last Week: Davis was exactly what was predicted, as a borderline LB2/3 behind 9 total tackles. 

Defensive Backs

Play: Tyler Nubin, New York Giants vs Washington Commanders

• Nubin’s second year has been solid, though a bit up-and-down. He has averaged 5 tackles/game, though big plays have not occurred yet. Now back from injury, he takes the box role back over in what looks like a great matchup. 
• Nubin only had 6 total tackles in week 1 against the Commanders, but their offense is completely different with Jayden Daniels injured. The Marcus Mariota-led Commanders have been a top-5 matchup, giving up many S1 performances, including in each of his last 3 weeks starting. Brian Branch, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Talanoa Hufanga are better players than Nubin at this point, but they play similar roles, and each had massive games against Mariota. Nubin is yet to have a blow-up game this year, but this matchup could be the one to set him right. If you need a prayer, send up this blue-clad fella as an offering to the fantasy gods!
• Last Week: Taron Johnson had a decent day with 5 total tackles, but did not quite have the day we hoped.

Floor Play: Jaquan Brisker, Chicago Bears vs Cleveland Browns

• Brisker has had a somewhat disappointing season thus far, but lately has become far more consistent. Since week 6, he has averaged 5 tackles/game. The addition of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson has kept Brisker in the box moreso, which gives him a great baseline.
• The Browns have been an excellent matchup for safeties because of their incredibly run-heavy scheme. In the 3 games started by Shedeur Sanders, the Browns have allowed 4 safeties to have an S2 performance. The box safeties in those matchups have averaged six tackles/game, which puts Brisker firmly in S2 range. 
• Last Week: Daniel Jones’ early injury changed the course of this game, limiting Cross’ upside. He still finished as an S2, not breaking your week.

Play: Evan Williams, Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos

• Apparently, this is a Packer-heavy week! Williams has broken out this season, being an absolute maniac in the running game. He has averaged 6.67 tackles/game while his box snaps have slowly increased throughout the year. The tackle number has increased as the snaps have, with 7.5/game over the past month. 
• The Broncos are a good matchup for safeties, with a run-and-short-pass-heavy attack. Recent box safeties (like Jeremy Chinn, Will Harris, and Chamarri Conner) have had strong games against the Broncos, who are a top-12 matchup on the year. Williams may not quite be an S1 this week, but he is a great play to continue near S1 numbers. 
• Last Week: Smith left the game early with an injury, though reserve Christian Izien did have the game we hoped Smith could have!

Fade: Geno Stone, Cincinnati Bengals vs Baltimore Ravens

• Stone has been on an absolute heater. He has two top-2 performances in the last three weeks and is a top-5 safety for the year. While he has had great production, his role is not a strong indicator of consistent success. He has played roughly 50% of snaps in the slot/box recently, but only ~40% for the season. 
• The Ravens are the matchup between the two elite ones, where he finished with only 4 tackles. Baltimore as a whole is a bad matchup for Safeties, allowing the second-fewest total points. They have allowed a few S2 performances as of late, but only 1 S1 performance (which was on the back of a forced fumble). Stone still could be played with the production he has had this year, but he should not be expected to have another top-5 week.
• Last Week: Kyler Gordon was shut out from the box score.

Fade: Malik Mustapha, San Francisco 49ers vs Tennessee Titans

• Mustapha has had a strong year since his return from injury. After a slow first game back, he has averaged 7 tackles/game and been a borderline S1. He has a solid role for IDP production, but not an elite one, with only ~40% of snaps in the slot/box. Despite the tackle prowess he has shown through a year-and-a-half, big plays have never been a big part of his game. In a tough matchup, Mustapha goes from the borderline S1 range down to an S2/3.
• The Titans are a tough matchup for Safeties, actually allowing the 2nd fewest points to the position this season. They have not allowed a top-18 performance since week 5, giving Mustapha an even tougher outlook. With a poor run game, the Titans lean heavily on rookie gunslinger Cam Ward, which also lowers Mustapha’s tackle floor. He is a borderline S2/3 play this week.
• Last Week: Delpit struggled against the Titans, totalling only 5 tackles and finishing outside of S3 range.

Fade: Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs

• James has had a solid IDP year, landing as a top-18S with 5 tackles/game and a handful of big plays. He has struggled more lately, though, with only 13 tackles in the last 4 games. He has fully transitioned to the slot, which keeps him relevant for IDP but can keep him out of the run-game and big play position a bit. James is still a star, but if he has a bad matchup, IDP numbers may drop. 
• The Chiefs have been a bottom-5 matchup for safeties over the past month. They have allowed a few decent performances in that stretch, but nothing that gives hope that James can break through his recent funk. 
• Last Week: Bullock just snuck into the top-50 safeties, having a poor game as he was unable to haul in another interception.

Thanks for checking out my recommendations for your league’s 2025 IDP Plays & Fades for Week 15. You can find all of our IDP Plays & Fades articles for 2025 by clicking here!

I hope you enjoyed it and took some information away, helping you win your IDP matchups. You can find my past & future work here, and can catch me on the Ride or Dynasty Podcast (@RideorDynasty) every week, live at 7 pm EST with JJ Wenner (@JJWenner) and Jameson Hutchison (@Jamesonrulez). Feel free to reach out to me directly@JoeLow63on Bluesky, X, or in Discord, where you can also find and follow@FantasyInFrames!