This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
Congratulations to those who won fantasy championships in Week 17, and good luck to those who are playing fantasy championships in Week 18! For players in dynasty formats, I'll highlight a few players to keep an eye on going into the 2022 season, and I'll also offer some suggestions for fantasy players who will be setting lineups in the regular-season finale.
RISING
Marcell Harris, LB 
Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) sat out this week and Harris started in his place, finishing second on the team with 10 tackles (six solo). Al-Shaair is expected to sit out the season finale against the Rams, and it's unlikely that Dre Greenlaw (groin) will be back, either. Harris should be an excellent start against the Rams in the regular-season finale based on his usage alone.
Jaylon Smith, LB 
Smith recorded a 73 percent snap share last week and finally produced for fantasy purposes in Week 17, recording seven tackles (five solo) and a sack. His long-term outlook in the league is ambiguous after getting cut by the Cowboys and the Packers this season, but Smith should be a solid IDP option in Week 18 fantasy championships.
Jordyn Brooks, LB 
Brooks started slow as a rookie but is proving to have been an excellent pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The 24-year-old has racked up 165 tackles (97 solo), five pass breakups and a sack through 16 games this season, and he has hit double-digit stops on 10 occasions this
Congratulations to those who won fantasy championships in Week 17, and good luck to those who are playing fantasy championships in Week 18! For players in dynasty formats, I'll highlight a few players to keep an eye on going into the 2022 season, and I'll also offer some suggestions for fantasy players who will be setting lineups in the regular-season finale.
RISING
Marcell Harris, LB
Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) sat out this week and Harris started in his place, finishing second on the team with 10 tackles (six solo). Al-Shaair is expected to sit out the season finale against the Rams, and it's unlikely that Dre Greenlaw (groin) will be back, either. Harris should be an excellent start against the Rams in the regular-season finale based on his usage alone.
Jaylon Smith, LB
Smith recorded a 73 percent snap share last week and finally produced for fantasy purposes in Week 17, recording seven tackles (five solo) and a sack. His long-term outlook in the league is ambiguous after getting cut by the Cowboys and the Packers this season, but Smith should be a solid IDP option in Week 18 fantasy championships.
Jordyn Brooks, LB
Brooks started slow as a rookie but is proving to have been an excellent pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. The 24-year-old has racked up 165 tackles (97 solo), five pass breakups and a sack through 16 games this season, and he has hit double-digit stops on 10 occasions this season. Fellow LB Bobby Wagner may not be in Seattle next season, so Brooks has a chance to be the team's signal-caller on defense in 2022. Brooks should be considered a top-10 dynasty IDP option.
A 2019 first-round pick, Wilkins has accrued 83 tackles (43 solo), including eight for a loss, through 16 games. The 26-year-old will likely get his fifth-year option picked up this offseason. While Wilkins doesn't get to the QB much, as he has recorded just seven sacks through three seasons, his tackling numbers are outstanding for a player who puts his hand in the dirt. He should be a top option heading into the 2022 season for leagues that utilize a DL spot.
Rashan Gary, LB 
Gary was selected one spot before Wilkins in the 2019 NFL Draft, but the former started his career slower, barely getting on the field as a rookie and recording just two sacks. However, the 24-year-old has broken out this season with 9.5 sacks through 15 games. His role should be locked in for next season assuming Za'Darius Smith (back) is ultimately cut. It'll probably help if Preston Smith sticks around, though, as Smith has put up nine sacks so far and draws attention on the other side of the line.
Zaven Collins, LB 
Collins got the start at outside linebacker in Sunday's win over the Cowboys. While he posted just two tackles (one solo), it's good news that the rookie first-round pick (16th overall) is finally getting involved after logging zero defensive snaps over the last three weeks. The Cardinals may actually trade Jordan Hicks this offseason now that the salary-cap implications work in their favor, meaning Collins would be the front-runner for a starting job. At 6-foot-5, 259 pounds and running a 4.66 40, Collins has the athleticism to be a force in the league. He's worth holding onto in dynasty.
FALLING
Brian Burns, DE 
I've focused a lot on dynasty in this article, and this recommendation is purely for redraft championships. Burns is an outstanding player who is typically a weekly starter, but fantasy managers should recognize that he'll have a lowered ceiling this week against the Buccaneers. QB Tom Brady has recorded a league-low 3.07 sack percentage this season, and Burns posted just three assisted tackles in his Week 16 matchup against the Bucs.
Kevin Minter, LB 
Minter hasn't been a one-for-one replacement of Lavonte David (foot). In fact, he has played around 75 percent of the defensive snaps over the last two weeks and combined for 10 tackles (seven solo) and a sack. It's possible that he'll have a busy day stopping RB Jonathan Taylor in Week 18, but Minter should be considered a mediocre fantasy option in the season finale – nowhere near the level we'd expect from David.
Taylor Rapp, S 
Back to dynasty formats, Rapp will likely have to battle for his starting job this offseason. Rapp has been solid against the run but has struggled in coverage this season, and he continues to be a glaring weakness in the Rams' secondary. It's worth noting that Rapp lost his job at the start of the 2020 season, and fantasy managers should brace for a free-agent arrival or a rookie to contend for Rapp's job in 2022.
