Welcome back, and thanks for tapping in for another weekly Tampa Bay Buccaneers fantasy football breakdown. This one shifts the focus to the defensive side of the ball, with a Week 17 IDP and DST fantasy preview centered on the Buccaneers and their matchup with the Miami Dolphins. All rankings referenced are the FantasyPros consensus, and scoring is based on the FantasyPros scoring.

This matchup brings several dependable IDP options into play, especially at linebacker and safety, where both teams feature players who have delivered steady fantasy production throughout the season.

Starting up front on the defensive line, Miami’s Zach Sieler checks in as the top-ranked option in this matchup. His weekly scoring profile reflects consistent involvement and a reliable floor for managers. Tampa Bay’s Yaya Diaby follows behind him and remains the top Buccaneers edge option in the rankings, yet that isnt saying much. Diaby has produced multiple strong weeks and continues to sit comfortably inside the DL3 range. Bradley Chubb and Chop Robinson round out the Miami edge group as deeper-league or matchup-based plays, if your gut is telling you to do so. At the same time, Haason Reddick and Vita Vea remain lower-ranked Tampa Bay options. Vea in particular continues to profile as a true boom-or-bust play in leagues that require a dedicated defensive tackle.

Linebacker is where this slate really shines. Jordyn Brooks sits near the very top of the overall IDP board this week and has been one of the most reliable fantasy football linebackers all season. His consistency score backs that up, and he profiles as an automatic start in every IDP league. Tyrel Dodson also ranks highly, though his questionable status is worth monitoring before locking him in. For Tampa Bay, Lavonte David remains the clear LB1, ranking inside the top-25 and once again showing a strong weekly floor. SirVocea Dennis trails behind as a lower-ranked option, but still carries relevance in deeper IDP formats.

In the secondary, Antoine Winfield Jr. headlines the group as the top-ranked defensive back in this matchup. His weekly production continues to justify his DB1 status, and he remains one of the lowest floors at the position. Tykee Smith is a strong DB2 option and could likely climb the rankings. Miami’s Rasul Douglas, Ifeatu Melifonwu, and Jack Jones fall into deeper DB territory, primarily in larger leagues or formats that require multiple defensive backs. If any of those three, I believe Melifonwu would be the safest bed. Now, with that said, I would steer clear of Miami’s safeties, as their linebackers take up most tackle opportunities aside from defensive backs when targets are on the outside.

This limits their opportunities for fantasy points outside of a big play, such as a forced fumble, interception, or sack.

From a DST standpoint, Tampa Bay profiles as the more stable fantasy option this week, while Miami remains a lower-end DST play based on season-long output. Miami is starting a rookie quarterback and is more focused on the future rather than destroying opponents this season. Tampa Bay is looking to get back on top of the NFC South and will do everything it can to survive and shut down Miami’s offense.

Defensive Line Rankings

21st Zach Sieler (MIA)34th Yaya Diaby (TB)49th Bradley Chubb (MIA)59th Chop Robinson (MIA)63th Haason Reddick (TB)96th Vita Vea (TB)

Linebacker Rankings

2nd Jordyn Brooks (MIA)12th Tyrel Dodson (MIA) Q23rd Lavonte David (TB)52nd SirVocea Dennis (TB)

Defensive Back Rankings

6th Antoine Winfield Jr. (TB)16th Tykee Smith (TB)55th Rasul Douglas (MIA)63th Ifeatu Melifonwu (MIA)66th Jack Jones (MIA)

DST Rankings

8th Tampa Bay Buccaneers (TB)26th Miami Dolphins (MIA)