AFC IDP Snap Counts: Week 13

Tom Kislingbury

Congratulations! Your team probably made it into the playoffs. Probably.

There’s no time to rest on your laurels though. Getting into the playoffs in a fantasy league is like those players who make the final 53-man roster – only to be cut a few days later for a slightly better special teamer. The season isn’t over until you pop the cork.

READ: NFC IDP Snap Counts: Week 13

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens play on Tuesday night – and miss the deadline for this article.

Buffalo Bills – 61 snaps

The big change this week was at LB. Matt Milano (19) returned after missing three games straight and five of the last seven. He shared snaps with AJ Klein (42) while Tremaine Edmunds (61) remains an every-down player. Klein and Milano are both extremely risky starts next week.

Cincinnati Bengals – 70 snaps

LB remains frustrating. No player played more than Josh Bynes (48) with Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson both on 40.

DE was a similar rotation. Sam Hubbard (55), Carl Lawson (47) and Margus Hunt (43) played the bulk of snaps with Khalid Kareem (17) bringing up the rear.

Cleveland Browns – 72 snaps

Star DE Myles Garrett made his much-awaited return. He managed 52 snaps. Olivier Vernon played a Herculean 72 on the other side.

BJ Goodson (54) played a relatively low amount with various other options all seeing limited time. Avoid this situation.

Ronnie Harrison is out for another four weeks at least. Karl Joseph (42) and Sheldrick Redwine (29) played opposite Andrew Sendejo (72).

Denver Broncos – 64 snaps

Corner Bryce Callahan missed this game. Michael Ojemudia (64) played a full-time role in his place.

Interior lineman Shelby Harris (32) returned after a four-week absence. It is great to have him back. He’s the best lineman on this team.

AJ Johnson (61) had a poor game at LB. It happens. Start him next week as normal.

Conversely, the two safeties Kareem Jackson and Justin Simmons (both 64) had great IDP days. Don’t expect it every week.

Houston Texans – 69 snaps

Corner Bradley Roby is out for the rest of the season with his suspension for PEDs. Phillip Gaines (62), Vernon Hargreaves (69) and Lonnie Johnson (47) are the corner group in his absence. Good luck with that, Texans.

Indianapolis Colts – 64 snaps

Strong safety Khari Willis missed this game so veteran Tavon Wilson (61) played in front of Julian Blackmon (64). Although given how much cover-2 the Colts play, “alongside” might be more accurate.

Bobby Okereke continues to miss time so Anthony Walker and Darius Leonard (both 64) played every snap.

Star lineman DeForest Buckner (53) returned and showed everyone what they’d been missing. He was immense.

Denico Autry (43) also returned on the edge – although he does play inside some too. It hurt Tyquan Lewis (28) who played about 30 snaps fewer than a week ago.

Jacksonville Jaguars – 91 snaps

Extra time does inflate defensive stats. If only we could predict it happening.

DT Doug Costin (51) played the most he ever has. Taven Bryan (16) is a bit-part player at this stage. He’ll likely leave the team in the off-season. Take whatever you can get for him.

DE Dawuane Smoot (59) had a big IDP day. It was volume-based. He’s still a JAG. Arguably even K’Lavon Chaisson (48) had a better day than him in pressure terms. Adam Gotsis (60) was just bad.

Safety Josh Jones (91) returned after three games out. Jarrod Wilson (91) was the second safety with Andrew Wingard seeing just three snaps.

Kansas City Chiefs – 66 snaps

We saw the same we’ve become accustomed to this season.

No LB plays every snap. Willie Gay (17) plays limited snaps in particular. He’s worth making offers on ahead of a year two breakout.

At safety, Daniel Sorensen (66) is firmly an every-down player with Juan Thornhill (20) playing a limited role.

Las Vegas Raiders – 62 snaps

A week ago, this column recommended trying to buy DE Clelin Ferrell (52). This week, he had his first two sacks of the season. He came right back to play high volume because Carl Nassib was out for the game. The Raiders were so desperate they signed Vic Beasley (8).

LB Cory Littleton (34) continues to be outplayed and outsnapped by Nicholas Morrow (62). Morrow has led the team in LB snaps for four straight games now.

Safety Johnathan Abrams missed the game, yet again. Erik Harris (62) started in his place alongside Jeff Heath (50).

Los Angeles Chargers – 67 snaps

The Chargers were abject against the Patriots. It’s so weird how they have this enduring reputation for being great when they are continually not.

Corner Casey Hayward (39) returned after a week out. Tevaughn Campbell did not play.

DE Melvin Ingram continues to miss games. Uchenna Nwosu came back to play 33 snaps in his stead.

LB Kenneth Murray (67) had an extremely productive day. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that means he’s a good NFL player now. Nick Vigil (61) remains the second LB with Kyzir White, Denzel Perryman and Drue Tranquill all out.

Miami Dolphins – 52 snaps

Corner Xavien Howard (30) played limited snaps after being ejected in the mass brawl. The Dolphins had to play Noah Igbinoghene for 22 snaps. He wasn’t a disaster. So that’s progress.

LB Jerome Baker (43) remains an ineffective IDP, in large part because he rarely plays full games. He hasn’t hit 45 snaps in the past four.

Edge Kyle Van Noy (47) had a huge game. In these flexible, multiple front defenses, edges like him are going to have big games but they’re super hard to predict because we have to predict the gameplan that week as well as player performance.

New England Patriots – 72 snaps

This wasn’t a vintage performance from the Patriots – even as they shut the Chargers out.

LB Ja’Whaun Bentley was limited to just 25 snaps with Anfernee Jennings (44) leading all LBs. Josh Uche (36) and Terez Hall (28) both saw action too.

New York Jets – 78 snaps

The Jets fired coordinator Gregg Williams after this game. Obviously, all the Jets coaches need to go. There did not seem to be much gained by letting him go now instead of in a few weeks’ time.

Safety Ashtyn Davis (44) appeared to pick up a knock. Matthias Farley (34) stepped in for him.

The edge situation remains a mess. Jordan Jenkins (67), Tarell Basham (49), Bryce Huff (17), Frankie Luvu (15) and others all saw action. Williams’ replacement needs to produce way more from the position.

Pittsburgh Steelers – 72 snaps

Corner Steven Nelson missed the game. Cameron Sutton (72) and Justin Layne (28) saw inflated snaps as a result.

Lineman Stephon Tuitt (54) was back after missing last week injured.

Edge Bud Dupree was out which meant Alex Highsmith (60) played more than he had in his previous four games combined.

LB remains a problem for us IDP types. Vince Williams (53) led the way with Avery Williamson (38) playing more after Robert Spillane (21) got hurt. Even without the injury, Spillane and Williamson have both been seeing the field. Yet another example of every-down linebackers becoming rarer all the time.

Tennessee Titans – 72 snaps

The Titans are the latest team to be experimenting with a lopsided defensive front using only one true edge. There are obviously similarities here with 4-3 under/over fronts, but this is different.

In real terms, it means that Harold Landry (70) is the only true edge with interior players lining up as the other DE. Jeffrey Simmons (54) is profiting from this in the same way Aaron Donald has for the Rams, and Leonard Williams has for the Giants.

LB Jayon Brown missed his second game. David Long (53) played most of his snaps with Will Compton (21) and Tuzar Skipper (23) also seeing time. Rashaan Evans is of course a full-time player. And third safety Amani Hooker (30) sees plenty of time in the box as part of the Titans’ Big Dime package (which they love to use).

Thanks for reading and good luck in the playoffs.

tom kislingbury