Here is your NFL Week 10 Start/Sit Guide covering every noteworthy IDP on every NFL team
Here’s the IDP Guys NFL Week 10 Start/Sit article. Every noteworthy defensive player on every NFL team, delivered to you each week by @FFIDP_Jase and @IDPGuys.
Week 9 is in the books and with that, we’re already beyond the midway point in the 2021 season. Hopefully, your IDP team is doing well. Let me know how you’re getting on – I’m keen to hear from more IDP obsessives.
Table of Contents
Thursday Night Football
Baltimore Ravens (6-2) at Miami Dolphins (2-7)
Sunday Early Afternoon Games
Buffalo Bills (5-3) at New York Jets (2-6)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) at Washington Football Team (2-6)
Atlanta Falcons (4-4) at Dallas Cowboys (6-2)
New Orleans Saints (5-3) at Tennessee Titans (7-2)
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) at Indianapolis Colts (4-5)
Detroit Lions (0-8) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)
Cleveland Browns (5-4) at New England Patriots (5-4)
Sunday Mid-Afternoon Games
Minnesota Vikings (3-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)
Carolina Panthers (4-5) at Arizona Cardinals (8-1)
Philadelphia Eagles (3-6) at Denver Broncos (5-4)
Seattle Seahawks (3-5) at Green Bay Packers (7-2)
Sunday Night Football
Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) at Los Vegas Raiders (5-3)
Monday Night Football
Los Angeles Rams (7-2) at San Francisco 49ers (3-5)
Disclaimers
In the first few weeks of the season, I had a list of disclaimers here that explained how my advice is only a suggestion, how your team is your responsibility, and that I will get things wrong. It got too wordy, and I think most reasonable people understand all of this by now. I’m not going to include all that in my NFL Week 10 Start/Sit IDP article.
I’ll just say this. If you’re the sort of person who feels the need to complain when (not if) I get something wrong, and it costs you points, please read the disclaimers from those early weeks first. I encourage all feedback — even criticism when it’s constructive — but not mindless rants. I do this for fun. It’s a game. Let’s keep it light.
Article Key
Tier One Starts
Based on their opportunity, past production, talent level, and matchup, these players have the best outlook. They usually have a solid floor and an excellent ceiling. These guys should be the nearest to guaranteed production you can find.
Tier Two Starts
These players should earn a reasonable amount of points. Their opportunity, talent, or matchup is typically not on a par with a tier-one player. Tier two players are usually a good option in deep leagues that start multiple players at each position.
Tier Three Starts
These players are a bit of a gamble. You should probably only start them in larger leagues and those which start many players at each position. Tier three players can be serviceable as either bye week or injury replacements, but the chances of scoring well are slim. This tier is as close to “sit” as you can get while still retaining some value as a starter.
Sits
As the name implies, sit these players. You should not start these players for any number of reasons. They aren’t necessarily bad players. I just don’t predict them to be scoring well this game week. In the case of rookies, for example, they may simply need time to earn more playing time and, therefore, our trust as fantasy starters.
Any player not listed in any of these four categories should probably be considered a “sit.” If they become IDP relevant on a week-to-week basis, they will likely end up in one of the categories above.
No Cornerbacks?
Johnny writes a separate article for CBs that drops on Fridays, so keep an eye out for that tomorrow!
True Position Designations
In some IDP leagues, certain positions are grouped in a suboptimal way, primarily because of outdated interpretations of what players at each position do. Many IDP leagues are turning towards True Position in an effort to address that problem.
In true position scoring, outside linebackers and defensive ends (ends who predominantly line up outside of the tackle) are grouped together as ‘Edge’ (rushers). Defensive tackles and defensive ends who play on the interior are grouped together as IDL (interior defensive linemen). This leaves all remaining linebackers as off-ball linebackers (I’ve called them ILBs in this NFL Week 6 Start/Sit IDP article to help with clarification).
The result of these changes is that scoring is able to be more fairly distributed between groups of players who, in modern defenses, essentially perform near-identical roles.
Players with EDGE designations in such leagues, and in this article, can vary in value from leagues that still use traditional DE and OLB positions. The same is true of IDL vs. DT designations and is complicated further by platforms that simply use DL positions to lump all defensive linemen together (the worst!). There is no easy way I can cater to all of these leagues here. Whatever I choose to do, someone would be missing out.
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to value translation between these different designations, I can at least offer to help adjust the IDP start/sit advice mentioned here for your league’s scoring system. If you find yourself in need of help in that sense, or if you find all of this just too complicated, please send me a Twitter DM. I answer every message I receive.
Without further ado, let’s get into the NFL Week 10 Start/Sit IDP article.
Thursday Night Football
Baltimore Ravens (6-2) at Miami Dolphins (2-7)
Ravens
Starts
Tier One
None.
Tier Two
Josh Bynes, ILB.
As mentioned in last week’s article, Bynes replaced Patrick Queen as the only Ravens off-ball linebacker worth starting in fantasy as far back as Week 6. However, Bynes isn’t an every-down linebacker. Because of that, he has played 77%, 73%, and 82% of the available defensive snaps in his last three games.
The journeyman linebacker has increased his tackle volume in each of those three games, recording 22 total tackles, a QB hurry, and a pass breakup over that span.
Bynes may not be a sexy option, and at 32 years old he’s certainly not a dynasty asset, but he is a serviceable low-end ILB2 in IDP leagues.
Tier Three
Chuck Clark, S; Odafe Oweh, EDGE.
Clark is projected to fall quite short of his 2020 tackle volume. One factor may be how he is being utilized. In 2020, he spent over 47% of his snaps in the box or on the defensive line. In 2021, that has decreased to just 37%.
He has also missed five tackles this season which is the same number he missed in all of 2020.
Oweh hasn’t had a sack since Week 5 and had zero pressures against the Vikings last week, but he did have a season-low 17 pass-rush snaps.
The 2021 first-round pick had fewer snaps than Tyus Bowser and Justin Houston last weekend, the first time this has happened since Week 1.
However, Oweh has what might be his easiest matchup all season in Week 9. The Dolphins Jesse Davis and Liam Eichenberg are arguably the worst pair of offensive tackles in the NFL right now, having allowed 74 total pressures and 12 sacks between them this season.
Sits
DeShon Elliott, S (injury – IR); Patrick Queen, ILB; Tyus Bowser, EDGE; Calais Campbell, IDL.
Unfortunately, Elliott suffered a torn bicep/pectoral in the Vikings game and will miss the rest of the season. Head coach John Harbaugh described the loss of Elliott as a “major blow”.
Queen has demonstrated some improvement while playing in a reduced role. And while his snap count has increased steadily in each of the last three weeks, he isn’t worth starting in fantasy unless you’re desperate. He only had four total tackles in Week 9.
Bowser did Bowser-like things last weekend – he had a game that, in a fantasy sense at least, wasn’t impactful enough to make you want to start him.
Campbell is, like Bowser, falling short of what you need in fantasy. He ranks 16th at the IDL position in total pressures but hasn’t had a sack.
35 IDL players have at least 14 pressures, every single one of them has at least a sack with the exception of Campbell. The former Jaguars lineman has the potential to return to IDL3 status with a big game or two. This is a shallow position group, after all.
Dolphins
Starts
Tier One
None.
Tier Two
Jerome Baker, ILB; Emmanuel Ogbah, EDGE; Christian Wilkins, IDL.
Baker returned from a knee injury to help the Dolphins to a 17-9 victory over the Texans last weekend. The young linebacker had seven total tackles, an interception, and five QB hurries.
He has played in eight games but exited one of those early. Despite playing fewer than 20 of his off-ball linebacker contemporaries, Baker has earned 48 total tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, an interception, and two pass breakups this season.
Ogbah had his most productive game of the season against the Texans. He had two tackles, seven pressures, including three sacks, and he also batted a pass.
The Ravens have struggled with injuries at offensive tackle. They lost Ronnie Stanley to IR, and after moving Alejandro Villanueva to left tackle, they have also been without replacement right tackle Patrick Mekari since Week 7. Tyre Phillips replaced Mekari in Week 8. It’s a favorable matchup for Ogbah.
The former Browns’ player is having one of his best seasons as a pass rusher since entering the league. He has 35 total pressures and six sacks, ranking 10th and 13th among all edge rushers respectively.
Wilkins entered Week 9 leading the IDL position in solo tackles but had a quiet game on that front, recording just one tackle, and missing another – his ninth missed tackle of the season.
The 2019 first-round pick did have four pressures, matching his best performance of the season in that category.
Tier Three
None.
Sits
Jevon Holland, S.
The 36th overall selection in the 2021 draft has looked impressive for a rookie. He wasn’t a full-time player initially but quickly earned the Dolphins’ trust and has been a full-time player since Week 5.
In fantasy terms, his tackle volume holds him back, but there was evidence this was improving until last weekend’s two tackle effort. It will be interesting to see whether this was the exception or the norm.
Sunday Early Afternoon Slate
Buffalo Bills (5-3) at New York Jets (2-6)
Bills
Starts
Tier One
Jordan Poyer, S.
Poyer played every down again against the Jaguars in Week 9 and he had five total tackles and a QB hurry.
The veteran safety is on pace to record 90 tackles in the new 17-game season. This falls far short of the 136 tackles Poyer earned last season in just 16 games.
Poyer has spent 26% of the time in the box or on the defensive line in 2021, compared with 39% in 2020. This may be contributing to the lower tackle numbers this year.
Tier Two
None.
Tier Three
Matt Milano, ILB; Jerry Hughes, EDGE.
Milano is not as productive as I thought he would be this season. He played every down in Week 9 and had four tackles. So far he has just 28 tackles, a sack, and two pass breakups in the seven games he has played.
Milano is a high-end LB3 with Edmunds out this week. It could be the opportunity Milano needs to return to fantasy relevance.
Hughes has been slightly more productive than the rest of the Bills’ edge rushers this season. That said, he had just one tackle and one hurry against the Jaguars. Although he did force a fumble to save himself from what would otherwise have been a terrible fantasy day.
The veteran edge rusher faces George Fant and Morgan Moses this weekend. Fant has played pretty well in replacing Mekhi Becton this season, allowing just 11 pressures and zero sacks in eight games. Moses hasn’t been as good, allowing 27 pressures and two sacks.
Regular readers of this article will have heard me talk about the heavy rotation that the Bills employ at edge rusher. Only 10 snaps separated Hughes, Gregory Rousseau, A.J. Epenesa, and Mario Addison in Week 9.
This is nothing new for the Bills and it makes for a very risky situation in fantasy IDP if you’re considering starting these guys. So if you have to start one of them, start Hughes.
Sits
Gregory Rousseau, EDGE; Micah Hyde, S; Tremaine Edmunds, ILB (injury); A.J. Klein, ILB.
You probably don’t need me to point out that in dynasty, Rousseau is the Bills’ edge rusher to own. However, due to the reasons mentioned above, you probably shouldn’t start him. He played the second-most snaps of the four edge rushers mentioned but spent the least amount of time rushing the passer.
Hyde has had a handful of big plays which boosted his value here and there but lacks the tackle volume to make him a consistent starter. The former Packer is averaging less than four tackles per game. Pass.
Edmunds has been the Bills most productive linebacker and will be missed against the Jets.
Veteran linebacker Klein is the man most likely to help replace Edmunds. I don’t expect big things from Klein, but he did have a big game in Week 5 in the absence of Milano.
Jets
Starts
Tier One
Quinnen Williams, IDL.
Williams had a season-high seven tackles, but a season-low zero pressures against the Colts. I did point out that he had a tough matchup against Quenton Nelson and Ryan Kelly.
The former third overall pick has a good chance to make amends against this Bills offensive line. Mitch Morse has been the only steady presence on the interior.
The Bills lost Jon Feliciano to IR with a calf injury, and Cody Ford and Ike Boettger are not getting the job done. Each player allowed five pressures and a sack last weekend.
Tier Two
John Franklin-Myers, EDGE; C.J. Mosley, ILB.
I pointed out last week that Franklin-Myers had gone three games without a sack. Then he made amends in Week 9, leading the Jets with five total pressures, a sack, and three total tackles.
The former Rams player now ranks 24th among edge rushers with 28 total pressures. His four sacks rank 30th.
Franklin-Myers will face Daryl Williams this weekend. Williams had recovered well after a poor start to the season but surrendered five pressures and a sack against the Jags.
Mosley played every down against the Colts and had nine total tackles. He could have led the team in that category but he missed three tackle attempts. The missed tackles are indicative of what has been a productive but poor season for Mosley as he struggles in both run defense and in coverage.
While he remains a full-time linebacker this doesn’t matter too much in a fantasy sense. The veteran linebacker has 66 tackles, a sack, a fumble, and a pass breakup this season.
Tier Three
Ashtyn Davis, S.
Marcus Maye suffered a cruel and unfortunate injury against the Colts and will miss the rest of the season.
Davis had already worked his way into a prominent role prior to the injury to Maye. I noted last week that his production had been uneven, but he had a great game in Week 9. He led the team with 11 total tackles and forced two fumbles.
Sits
Jarrad Davis, ILB.
Davis played 45 of a possible 62 snaps, second to Mosley’s 62 but far ahead of Quincy Williams who managed just 15. However, Davis did next to nothing with the opportunity. He recorded an assisted tackle and missed two more tackle attempts.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) at Washington Football Team (2-6)
Bucs
Starts
Tier One
Devin White, ILB; Shaq Barrett, EDGE; Lavonte David, ILB.
The Bucs had a bye in Week 9, but White had a productive game the last time he took the field. The former LSU man had nine total tackles and a QB hit against the Saints.
He has 62 tackles and two pass breakups in eight games. However, it is notable that White earned nine sacks last season but has none so far in 2021.
Barrett didn’t record a sack against the Saints, his first game without a sack since Week 3. However, he did earn five total pressures, and his 40 total pressures rank eight among edge rushers, so there is no cause for concern.
The former Bronco will go up against Charles Leno Jr. this weekend. Leno Jr. has had two poor games and allowed 13 pressures and three sacks in those two games. He has been excellent in the other six games, earning the seventh-best pass-blocking grade of any offensive tackle.
David returned from injury to play every down in Week 7 and recorded eight total tackles. The perenially underrated linebacker now has 42 tackles and a pass breakup in the six games he has started.
Tier Two
None.
Tier Three
Antoine Winfield, S; Jason Pierre-Paul, EDGE.
Winfield had the best overall PFF grade of his young career against the Saints. This may come as a surprise to some of his fantasy managers as the performance didn’t really translate in fantasy terms.
The talismanic safety only has 32 tackles this season but has played in just six games, and has only 400 snaps under his belt, less than a third of his total snaps in 2020.
Fantasy managers who have remained loyal to Winfield have benefitted from some big plays. He has a sack, two forced fumbles, an interception, and a pass breakup this season.
JPP had a great game against the Bears in Week 7 but has otherwise looked quite pedestrian. I’m mindful he has only played in six games and has been battling injuries at times, but he’s projected to have his least productive season in some time.
What helps JPP is the sheer volume of snaps that he plays. He rushed the passer 39 times in Week 8. To put that into context, that’s only six fewer pass rush opportunities than Mario Addison, Jerry Hughes, and Gregory Rousseau combined for in Week 9 (I have picked on the Bills edge rushers because I covered them earlier in this article).
Washington’s right tackle Cornelius Lucas was not listed on the injury report this week. Samuel Cosmi is still questionable. Either player would be a solid matchup for JPP.
Sits
Vita Vea, IDL; Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, EDGE.
Vea played a season-high 61 snaps against the Saints. He had four tackles and two QB hits. He’s a borderline IDL3 but remains a recommended sit as other IDLs with similarly limited pass-rush productivity record more tackles.
Tryon-Shoyinka played 37 snaps in Week 7, but only eight in Week 8. Stash him in dynasty, but forget about starting him unless something happens to Barrett or JPP.
Washington
Starts
Tier One
Jonathan Allen, IDL; Daron Payne, IDL; Cole Holcomb, ILB.
Washington had a bye in Week 9; they last took the field in Week 8 against Denver. Allen led Washington with four total pressures in that game, registering four total pressures, including a sack. He also added two tackles.
The Alabama product is having his best season as a pass rusher and is easily one of the best options at a position devoid of elite talent.
Payne hasn’t been on the same level as Allen this season, but few have. Still, Payne’s 25 total pressures rank ninth at the IDL position.
The interior of the Bucs offensive line has been among the healthiest in the NFL this season. Ryan Jensen, Alex Cappa, and Ali Marpet have played every game this season and have allowed just four sacks between them in eight games.
Marpet is the pick of the bunch, and it is he who will face Allen more often than not. But this isn’t an easy matchup for either Allen or Payne. The Bucs lead PFF’s ‘OL Pass Blocking Efficiency’ rating, a measure of pressure allowed on a per-snap basis with weighting toward sacks allowed.
Holcomb played every down in Week 8 against the Broncos and led the team with nine total tackles. He has 72 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles, an interception, and a pass breakup. He’s on pace to have easily the most productive season of his career.
Tier Two
Chase Young, EDGE; Kamren Curl, S; Landon Collins, S.
Young’s 23 total pressures rank 35th at the edge position. His two sacks rank 57th. He’s been one of the biggest disappointments in IDP this season, especially when you consider he has been healthy and has had ample opportunity (he ranks fifth in pass rush snaps).
He showed a glimpse of some improvement in Week 5, earning the second-highest pass-rush grade of his career against the Saints, but has since put together three dire games.
The former Ohio State Buckeye belongs at the lower end of this tier until he proves otherwise. I’d love to see him go on a tear purely to help those managers who invested so much in him. He owes you that much.
Curl played 50 of a possible 53 snaps. He spent 22 of those snaps in the box or on the defensive line. the 2020 seventh-round pick was second on the team with seven total tackles.
Curl has 45 tackles in eight games. He has been a solid contributor for Washington and has deservedly earned a prominent role.
Collins played a reduced role against the Packers in Week 7 but had 47 snaps against Denver in Week 8. He spent 29 of those snaps in the box or on the defensive line.
The former Giants safety has 51 tackles and a sack in eight games. Solid numbers.
Tier Three
Jamin Davis, ILB.
Davis had 42 snaps against the Broncos. He is playing behind Holcomb in that sense but it’s still quite a prominent role. However, he had only two tackles, a QB hit, and a QB hurry, after earning 15 tackles in the two weeks prior.
Sits
Bobby McCain, S.
McCain played every down, but as normal, the vast majority of those were spent in a free safety alignment. He earned three tackles and now has 31 tackles in eight games, averaging less than four per game.
Atlanta Falcons (4-4) at Dallas Cowboys (6-2)
Falcons
Starts
Tier One
Deion Jones, ILB; Foyesade Oluokun, ILB.
Jones had his third consecutive game with double-digit tackles, notching up 11 solos. He also added a pass breakup, a QB hit, and a QB hurry.
Jones now has 75 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup this season. He has come out of the gate fast.
Oluokun had seven total tackles against the Saints and is stride-for-stride with Jones this season. The 2018 sixth-round pick has 76 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, an interception, and a pass breakup.
Tier Two
Grady Jarrett, IDL.
Jarrett had a season-high in tackles with five in total, and he added a batted pass and a QB hit. Unfortunately, the QB hit was his only pressure of the day despite rushing the passer 38 times.
The former Clemson Tiger has 21 total pressures this season which ranks joint-16th, but he has only managed a single sack in nine games and hasn’t recorded enough tackles to justify maintaining IDL1 status. He has the talent to become an IDL1 again, but he isn’t quite there at the moment.
Jarrett faces the interior of the Cowboys’ offensive line at what appears to be a bad time. Zack Martin, Connor Williams, and Tyler Biadasz had collectively their best game of the season against the Broncos last weekend, allowing only three pressures in total. The same three players have given up only one sack between them all season.
Tier Three
Erik Harris, S.
The former Raiders safety played every down against the Saints and was second on the team with eight total tackles. Harris has 39 tackles in seven games and is a low-end S3.
Sits
Adetokunbo Ogundeji, EDGE; Steven Means, EDGE; Dante Fowler, EDGE (injury).
Ogundeji and Means have been ineffective. They have, collectively, rushed the passer a total of 333 times and have only 17 pressures and a single sack between them. Means left the Saints game early with a knee injury and is doubtful this weekend.
The Falcons lost Fowler back in Week 5. The Falcons have only had two sacks in their last three games since. Fowler has been designated to return from injury so monitor his status closely. When he returns, he’s a high-end EDGE3.
Cowboys
Starts
Tier One
Micah Parsons, ILB/EDGE.
Parsons had three sacks against the Broncos. What’s surprising is that he achieved this despite rushing the passer on only nine occasions, the fewest times he has done so all season.
I said last week “Parsons lacks the pressure and sack numbers of the premier edge rushers, and he lacks the tackle numbers of elite ILBs.”
After his three-sack, seven-tackle performance last weekend, Parsons improved in both categories, but it’s still somewhat true. The Penn State product has 45 tackles and six sacks this season.
The loss of Randy Gregory could mean changes for Parsons. There is talk that Dorance Armstrong, Tarell Basham or even Bradlee Anae may be asked to fill Gregory’s shoes, but the best, healthy pass rusher on this roster is Parsons.
Jake Matthews won’t be an easy challenge for Parsons. Matthews has allowed five pressures and two sacks in the last two games but has allowed only 11 pressures all season.his pass-rush grade ranks ninth in the league. Kaleb McGary is not in the same league.
The last time Parsons played on the edge without either Lawrence or Gregory, he earned eight pressures and a sack. Granted, it was against Storm Norton, one of the worst pass protectors in the league, but let’s not forget that was only Parsons’s third game in the NFL.
Tier Two
Osa Odighizuwa, IDL; Jayron Kearse, S.
Odighizuwa had four tackles and a QB hurry in Week 9. He has 16 total tackles and 23 total pressures, including three sacks, but he has gone four games without a sack.
The Falcons offensive line has been poor in pass protection, and a large part of that is due to guard Jalen Mayfield, and center Matt Hennessy. It’s a good matchup for Odighizuwa.
Kearse played every down against the Broncos and was second on the team with eight total tackles. He also added a pass breakup. The 2016 seventh-round pick has proved to be quite productive, especially in tackle-heavy leagues.
Tier Three
Leighton Vander Esch, ILB.
LVE played exactly half of the available snaps in Week 8 but was on the field for 51 of a possible 78 against the Broncos last weekend. He responded by leading the Cowboys with 11 total tackles and having his best game since his rookie year.
I’m tentatively placing him in this tier. One bad game doesn’t make a player but one good game doesn’t make them, either. Tread carefully. The injury to Gregory helps LVE’s fantasy stock given the likelihood that Parsons plays more snaps as an edge rusher.
Sits
Randy Gregory, EDGE (injury – IR); Dorance Armstrong; EDGE; Tarell Basham, EDGE.
Gregory was put on IR this week with a calf injury. It’s a huge loss for the Cowboys. He played at an elite level in three of the last four games, his performances almost made the absence of DeMarcus Lawrence bearable.
The injury to Gregory raises questions about whether Armstrong or Basham can replace him. I don’t like either player as a fantasy starter. If you’re in a super deep league, I can understand picking them up, but don’t start them unless you’re desperate.
New Orleans Saints (5-3) at Tennessee Titans (7-2)
Saints
Starts
Tier One
Demario Davis, ILB.
Davis played every down and was second on the team with seven total tackles. He now has 59 tackles, three sacks, and four pass breakups in eight games this season.
The veteran linebacker hasn’t played as well in the last few games as he did earlier in the season, but I’m not concerned. He’s an ILB1.
Tier Two
Cameron Jordan, EDGE.
Jordan frustrated the hell out of fantasy managers earlier in the season, accruing over 20 pressures in his first five games without registering a sack. He has since made amends, earning a sack in three consecutive games.
He will face David Quessenberry and, unless he suffers any setbacks in his recovery from a knee injury, presumably Taylor Lewan. Head coach Mike Vrabel said Lewan was available last weekend but only in an “emergency role”. The hope is that the extra week of recovery allows him to suit up this weekend.
Quessenberry has had spells of good play, but had a bad game in Week 9, surrendering four pressures, including two sacks. Lewan improved in his last three games before the injury, allowing only three pressures and zero sacks. If Lewan isn’t fully healthy, Jordan could have his way.
Tier Three
Malcolm Jenkins, S; Marcus Davenport, EDGE; Kwon Alexander, ILB.
Jenkins played every down and had six total tackles. 17 of his snaps were spent in a box role or on the defensive line. Now in his 13th year, Jenkins is still serviceable in fantasy, earning 49 tackles, a sack, an interception, and three pass breakups in eight games.
I said this of Davenport last week “Edge rusher is a deep position; Davenport’s inclusion here is due more to his potential talent than fantasy production”.
Davenport came good in Week 9, though it was more for his run defense than his pass-rushing prowess. the 2018 first-round pick had five total tackles, five stops, and a forced fumble. He did add a sack, but it was one of only two pressures on 27 pass-rush attempts.
Davenport, like Jordan, switches sides regularly. So for information on Davenport’s matchup, see Jordan’s notes above.
Alexander was eased back into the lineup after recovering from injury but has since wrested the second linebacker job from Pete Werner. Alexander played 46 of a possible 59 snaps in Week 9 whereas Werner saw only 12.
He didn’t do much with the opportunity. He had one solo tackle, two QB hits, and a QB hurry. His assignment in coverage was targetted five times and he allowed all five to be completed for 74 yards.
Sits
Pete Werner, ILB; Marcus Williams, S.
Werner had a nice run in the team with Kwon’s injury. He didn’t look out of his depth. In fact, he had some very solid games. The youngster has managed 36 tackles in limited opportunity. I think he’s a nice dynasty stash.
Due to a healthy Kwon back in the lineup, Werner is barely playing now. He only played 12 defensive snaps.
Williams has at least seven tackles in three games this season, including two on the bounce in Weeks 8 and 9. So why am I suggesting you sit him? He’s had three or fewer tackles in four other games.
I’m afraid he lines up too deep to make a real fantasy contribution. This is an example of a really good NFL player who just doesn’t produce much in IDP leagues.
Titans
Starts
Tier One
Harold Landry, EDGE; Jeffery Simmons, IDL.
The last game Landry failed to record a sack was in Week 2. He’s joint second in the league with 48 total pressures and is tied for third with 10 sacks.
It’s impressive how productive he has been and it’s also impressive that he does so despite playing so much. No other edge rusher has rushed the passer as many times as Landry has, 320 times to be exact.
It’s fair to point to how his success is somewhat volume-based, but as long as that volume continues, do his fantasy managers care? I doubt it. Plug him in as an excellent EDGE1 and leave him there.
Ryan Ramczyk has got it together after a shaky start to the season, and he should provide Landry with a difficult matchup.
Terron Armstead will miss the game due to knee and shoulder injuries, but Landry won’t find the left-hand side of the Saints offensive line much easier in Armstead’s absence. James Hurst is likely to replace him. Hurst has the best pass blocking grade of any offensive lineman this season (min. 100 snaps.)
Simmons had a hell of a game against the Rams last weekend. Check out the play below, one of my favorites of the weekend. It was one of nine total pressures he had in the game, three of which were sacks:
This was the most disrespectful play of the entire NFL Sunday. Jeffrey Simmons decided it was a waste of time to try to go around his guy, so he just went RIGHT THROUGH HIM pic.twitter.com/7GDR4xJvBy
— Easton Freeze (@eastonfreeze) November 8, 2021
Poor David Edwards got bulldozed!
Simmons’ 42 total pressures have surpassed Aaron Donald with 41. I don’t recall the last time Donald didn’t lead that category at the IDL position.
The former Mississippi State Bulldog faces a tough assignment against the Saints. Erik McCoy hasn’t allowed a single pressure in the four games he has played, guard James Hurst has the highest grade of any offensive lineman in the NFL (although some of those were at tackle).
Tier Two
Denico Autry, EDGE; Kevin Byard, S.
At 31 years old, Autry is having the most productive season of his career as a pass rusher. I love it when things like this happen.
It wasn’t totally unexpected, he has double-digit sacks in two of the last three seasons, but anyone who says they predicted Autry would be fifth in pressures at the edge position is probably lying.
The former Colts player plays predominantly at the LE and LEO spots, so will face more of Ramczyk than anyone else. It’s a tough assignment for Autry, for reasons mentioned above, in Landry’s notes.
Byard is having an incredible season in coverage. He has been targetted 25 times, allowed only 12 passes for 129 yards. He’s broken up five passes, and, crucially, intercepted five more. This is reminiscent of his 2017 season when he tied Darius Slay to lead the league with eight interceptions.
You might have predicted there was a ‘but’ coming. 38 safeties have more tackles than Byard. Tackle leader Logan Ryan has 29 more. That’s significant.
It’s not impossible that Byard can keep making up for the deficit in fantasy points by recording double-digit interceptions this season, but it’s unlikely. Interceptions are less consistent and less predictable than tackles. For that reason, he’s a low-end S2.
Tier Three
Amani Hooker, S; Jayon Brown, ILB; Rashaan Evans, ILB.
Hooker has missed time with injuries this season, but it hasn’t slowed him when he has played. The young safety has 28 tackles, a forced fumble, and a pass breakup in just four games. And consider that he wasn’t even a full-time player in Week 1.
Brown’s role had diminished prior to his injury and he may not have played as much as he did in Week 9 if Rashaan Evans was healthy. Nevertheless, the young linebacker did manage seven solo tackles.
He may get additional snaps this week due to Long’s injury. Evans is still questionable with an ankle injury after missing last week.
I value Brown as an ILB3 this weekend if Evans plays, and an ILB2 if Evans doesn’t. I value Evans as an ILB3 if he can suit up.
Sits
David Long, ILB (injury).
Long will miss this game with a hamstring injury.
Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) at Indianapolis Colts (4-5)
Jaguars
Starts
Tier One
Josh Allen, EDGE.
I’m sure you’ve already heard about Allen’s exploits last weekend. Multiple outlets shared the story of Allen spoiling the day of his namesake.
Josh Allen (the defender) had his most productive game of the season. Six solo tackles, four stops, five total pressures, including a sack. An interception and a fumble recovery.
The seventh overall pick in 2019 completely ruined what would have been a lucrative accumulator for me, but watching defense beat offense was at least some consolation!
Allen will face Eric Fisher in Week 10. Fisher looked poor to start the season but he is on an excellent three-game stretch, during which he has allowed just four pressures and zero sacks. If Fisher carries that form over into the Jaguars game, Allen could find things difficult.
Tier Two
Rayshawn Jenkins, S; Dawuane Smoot, EDGE; Myles Jack, ILB.
Jenkins played all 67 snaps but played much deeper than usual. He spent only 14 snaps in a box role or on the defensive line and spent 44 times lined up as a free safety, almost quadrupling the number of times he did so in Week 8.
Consequently, Jenkins recorded just three total tackles, his second-fewest of the season. It’s a concern and is a situation I’ll monitor carefully in future weeks.
Smoot is a boom-or-bust player. His tackle volume is consistently poor – he has just 11 total tackles in eight games this season, but his 32 total pressures rank 14th among all edge rushers.
The 2017 third-round selection added seven total pressures, including a sack, and a forced fumble against the Bills. He is projected to have by far his most productive season in the league.
Jack led the Jaguars with nine total tackles and a QB hit last weekend. He has 55 tackles despite missing games with an injury. His lack of big plays means he’s a low-end LB2.
Tier Three
Damien Wilson, ILB.
Wilson’s last two games have been his best of the season. The former Chiefs and Cowboys linebacker followed up a 10 tackle effort in Week 8 with seven tackles, a QB hit, and a pass breakup in Week 9.
The only slight concern is that he was on the field for 48 of a possible 67 snaps while Jack played every down. Nevertheless, Wilson is a solid, if not high-end LB3.
Sits
Andrew Wingard, S.
Wingard was the model of consistency through the first six games of the season, recording at least five tackles in each game. He has recorded two or less in each game since. You could do worse if you’re struggling to field enough safeties due to bye weeks or injuries.
Colts
Starts
Tier One
DeForest Buckner, IDL; Darius Leonard, ILB; Bobby Okereke, ILB.
Buckner had his first game without a sack since Week 5. He did manage six total tackles and four total pressures. Even elite IDL players will have games like these from time to time.
The interior of the Jaguars offensive line is a mixed bag. Andrew Norwell is among the league’s best guards. Ben Bartch has taken steps forward in his progression this season. Unfortunately for Barth and center Tyler Shatley, neither is a match for Buckner.
Leonard has seven total tackles and a forced fumble against the Jets. He has 67 tackles, four forced fumbles, two interceptions, and two pass breakups. As usual, he’s an elite ILB1. The fact he is playing so many snaps also helps.
Okereke isn’t nearly as good as Leonard is, but few are. Nevertheless, Okereke is delivering comparably in fantasy due in part to the fact he is third in total snaps at the ILB position.
The third-year linebacker is fourth in total tackles among all players with 78. He has added a sack, an interception, and two pass breakups.
Tier Two
None.
Tier Three
Kwity Paye, EDGE.
I said last week that Paye has the potential to be here (tier three) and he proved that point against the Jets. The first sack of his career still eludes him but he had nine total pressures, more than any other edge player in the NFL last weekend.
Paye’s now has 17 total pressures this season. There are more reliable options at the position, obviously, but his time is coming. He’s recommended as an EDGE3 based largely on his potential.
Paye will face more of Cam Robinson than anyone else. Robinson missed Week 9 with a back injury but it sounds like he will suit up in Week 10. He has played reasonably well recently and will test Paye in Week 10.
Sits
Al-Quadin Muhammad, EDGE.
Muhammad is one of the most productive edge players that I have in this tier. He’s in EDGE4 territory. If you are desperate for a starter due to byes or injuries, the former Saints player is not a terrible replacement, providing it’s a temporary arrangement.
Detroit Lions (0-8) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)
Lions
Starts
Tier One
None.
Tier Two
None.
Tier Three
Charles Harris, EDGE; Alex Anzalone, ILB; Tracy Walker, S.
Harris is a high-end EDGE3. He played well as a pass rusher to start the season, earning four sacks in his first five games, but has since gone three games without a sack and has graded poorly as a pass rusher in his last two.
The former Dolphins player has 21 total pressures, including four sacks this season. He’s also added 24 total tackles and a fumble.
Harris has a nice matchup against Dan Moore Jr. The rookie offensive tackle has surrendered 24 pressures and four sacks this season, including allowing seven pressures and two sacks in his last two games.
Anzalone has played poorly this season and has been plagued by missed tackles, but he rarely comes off the field. The Florida Gators product has 48 tackles, a sack, and an interception this season.
It would seem to make more sense for the Lions to see what they have in Derrick Barnes, but what do I know? Maybe that is the plan in the second half of the season.
Walker played 57 of a possible 65 snaps against the Eagles and recorded seven total tackles. 16 of his 57 snaps were spent in the box or on the defensive line.
He has a semi-respectable 43 tackles, a sack, and four pass breakups in eight games.
Sits
Trey Flowers, EDGE; Julian Okwara, EDGE. Derrick Barnes, ILB; Jalen Reeves-Maybin, ILB.
Flowers was apparently on the trade block before the deadline. This might explain why he played just 19 snaps in Week 8. The former Patriots’ edge rusher wasn’t traded, so it remains to be seen whether the Lions intend to play him more going forward.
Okwara’s snaps have increased in every game this season, but he’s still only playing just over half the available defensive snaps. He’s flashed some potential in multiple phases of the game and it makes sense that the 0-8 Lions want to see what he’s capable of down the stretch.
Barnes led the Lions in total tackles against the Eagles. It’s quite the feat considering he only played 24 of a possible 65 snaps. I suspect the Lions will increase his involvement in the second half of the season, but you can’t start a player who is playing so little.
Reeves-Maybin played 26 snaps last weekend, the fewest amount of snaps he has played since Week 2. Whether this is indicative of the Lions losing confidence in him remains to be seen, but it looks quite likely.
Steelers
Starts
Tier One
T.J. Watt, EDGE; Cam Heyward, IDL.
Watt made a nuisance of himself in the Bears game. He sacked Justin Fields three times, batted down a pass, recorded five total tackles, and made five stops. It isn’t always easy to quantify the value of a defensive player, but it doesn’t take a genius to understand that the Bears would have won that game if it wasn’t for Watt’s contributions.
The 2020 defensive MVP candidate has 11 sacks in seven games. Incredible enough before you even consider he played just 16 snaps in Week 2.
Watt will face Matt Nelson this weekend. Nelson has allowed 34 pressures this season, the third-most of any offensive tackle. You can see how this one is likely to play out.
Heyward somehow recorded eight total pressures without earning a sack. But he did add two tackles and recorded the second interception of his career. He’s an elite option at his position.
Jonah Jackson and Penei Sewell will be tasked with slowing down Heyward this weekend. Jackson simply isn’t good enough to do so at this point. But at least Sewell has recovered well from a run of poor games to allow just five pressures and zero sacks in his last three.
Tier Two
Minkah had the Steelers with seven solo tackles and now has 57 tackles and a forced fumble this season. He’s projected to shatter his tackle volume from previous seasons.
The former 11th overall pick in 2018 has not looked great in coverage this season, he was picked on in the Bills and Broncos games in particular. However, he has only allowed one completion on five targets in the last three weeks, so there is some reason for optimism.
Tier Three
Terrell Edmunds, S.
Edmunds played every down and had five total tackles against the Bears in Week 9. He has 43 tackles and an interception this season. Considering he has spent 45% of his time in the box or on the defensive line, he lacks both tackle volume and big plays. This is fairly typical of Edmunds’ career.
Sits
Alex Highsmith, EDGE; Joe Schobert, ILB; Devin Bush, ILB.
Highsmith was second on the Steelers with four total pressures but didn’t manage a sack. He has 14 total pressures and two sacks this season and has generally underperformed compared to expectations. He has both the talent and the opportunity to turn things around.
Bush appeared to have lost ground to Schobert in recent weeks, but they both played 52 of a possible 62 snaps in Week 9. Bush had a pass breakup and they both earned four total tackles.
I’d love to know what the Steelers plan is at ILB. Schobert has played better but is 30, and they want to develop Bush who has continually underperformed. It’s a messy situation that I want little part of in fantasy.
Cleveland Browns (5-4) at New England Patriots (5-4)
Browns
Starts
Tier One
Myles Garrett, EDGE; Jadeveon Clowney, EDGE.
Garrett had a two-sack effort against the Bengals last weekend. He is tied for second in the NFL with 48 total pressures and he leads all players with 14 sacks. His record for a season is 15, but that’s not the record he has in mind. Michael Strahan’s record for most sacks in a season stands at 22.5 and looks under threat, health permitting.
Garrett missed practice on Wednesday with a foot injury. Keep an eye on updates to his status.
Trent Brown returned to practice for the Patriots on Wednesday. Whether he can suit up on Sunday remains to be seen (I’ll update this article with injuries). If he can play, Garrett awaits him. If Brown cannot play, Isaiah Wynn will likely continue to play in his place.
A fully healthy Brown would pose one of the more challenging matchups Garrett will face. If not, Garrett should not have too much trouble with Wynn. That’s more a reflection of Garrett’s dominance than Wynn’s lack of ability. The third-year offensive tackle has been erratic but there are far worse tackles out there.
Tier Two
Anthony Walker, ILB.
Walker played 62 of a possible 75 snaps and led the Browns with 12 total tackles, more than double that of the player in second. He also added a sack and a QB hurry.
The former Colts linebacker now has 54 tackles, a sack, and two pass breakups in only six games.
Tier Three
Malik McDowell, IDL.
McDowell’s play has been erratic at times, and he has given away costly penalties on occasion, but it’s almost forgivable considering this is essentially his rookie season. He only has four tackles, five total pressures including a sack, but he passes the eye test as a pass rusher and I think bigger games are on the horizon.
Ideally, he isn’t your starting fantasy IDL, he’s better suited to being a bye week or injury replacement. But I think he has a future. I’m just not sure whether it’s this season or next. He’s a low-end IDL3 until further notice.
This might be the wrong week for me to elevate him into tier three. The interior of the Patriots’ offensive line has been stingy. It’s a tough matchup for McDowell. I probably won’t judge him too harshly if he fails to deliver this week.
Sits
Malik Jackson, IDL; John Johnson, S; Grant Delpit, S; Ronnie Harrison, S; Malcolm Smith, ILB; Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (ILB).
Jackson is one of the biggest fallers in this article. He has looked really poor in his last five games and the Browns seem to be taking notice, as he has fallen behind other Browns IDL players in the snap rotation.
The veteran defensive tackle has only three tackles, and three pressures in his last three games. He hasn’t had a sack in six consecutive games.
Johnson will be a popular waiver pickup this week. He has the name recognition, and he had a fumble and an interception last weekend. I’m passing. He has failed to surpass four tackles in a game since Week 1.
The only positive takeaway is that Johnson played 22 snaps in the box last weekend. This is more than double his previous best this season.
The Delpit snap count yo-yo continues. The 44th overall pick in the 2020 draft had just 18 snaps after registering 51 in Week 8.
Harrison played 63 snaps and he spent 20 of those in a box role or on the defensive line. However, he managed just two total tackles.
Smith played 41 snaps, and three other Browns linebackers had between 13 and 29 snaps. The only time I was interested in more than one Browns linebacker was when Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah was playing. The good news is JOK has been activated from IR this week.
I’ll be watching JOK’s status like a hawk. I’ll tweet/retweet updates as I see them and will update this article with verified news regarding his status.
Patriots
Starts
Tier One
Matt Judon, EDGE; Kyle Dugger, S.
Judon is among the most consistent edge rushers this season. He had five pressures, including a sack against the Panthers. He also added three tackles.
The former Ravens star has 44 pressures this season, ranking fourth. He has tied for third with 10 sacks. Those 10 sacks match his season-best back in 2019 despite the fact he’s rushed the passer only 248 compared with the 450 attempts he had in 2019.
Jack Conklin is on IR with a dislocated elbow, so Judon will see plenty of Blake Hance. Hance has played very poorly at right tackle, Judon can and probably will take advantage of this.
Dugger was given the fewest snaps he has had all season, but the Patriots had fewer defensive snaps in this game than most of their other games. He had his least productive game so far, managing only two solo tackles.
The 37th overall pick in the 2020 draft spent 25 of his 42 snaps in the box or on the defensive line, so the opportunity is still there. He will look to bounce back against the Browns this weekend.
Dugger has 57 total tackles and two interceptions this season.
Tier Two
None.
Tier Three
Christian Barmore, IDL; Adrian Phillips, S.
Barmore didn’t record a sack against the Panthers in Week 9, but he was second on the team in total pressures with 3, and he did add four tackles and two batted passes.
The interior of the Browns offensive line is sturdy in pass protection. Barmore will have his hands full.
Phillips managed six total tackles, a forced fumble, and a QB hurry last weekend. He spent 31 of his 47 snaps in the box or on the defensive line.
The former Chargers player has 44 tackles, a forced fumble, three interceptions, and a pass breakup this season. He’s a high-end S2.
Sits
Ja’Whaun Bentley, ILB.
Bentley has an impressive 49 tackles this season, despite playing only 324 snaps. To maintain that tackle output he will probably need to play a little more. He is on the field for barely half the available defensive snaps lately.
Sunday Mid Afternoon Slate
Minnesota Vikings (3-5) at Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)
Vikings
Starts
Tier One
Eric Kendricks, ILB.
The Vikings played an incredible 98 defensive snaps against the Ravens. Take that into account when looking at last week’s statistical output.
Kendricks made full use of the additional opportunity. He played all 98 snaps and recorded an amazing 19 total tackles. That performance increases his total for the season to 82. He’s also added three sacks, an interception, and two pass breakups. He’s easily an ILB1 but then he has been for years.
Tier Two
Everson Griffen, EDGE; Xavier Woods, S.
I spoke last week about how Griffen will be relied upon more heavily after the season-ending injury to Danielle Hunter. The 33-year-old responded by playing a whopping 87 snaps last weekend and he rushed the passer 48 times.
Griffen didn’t earn a sack in the game, but he did lead the Vikings with five total pressures. He also added three total tackles. The veteran edge rusher now has 30 total pressures, five sacks, and a forced fumble this season.
Rashawn Slater will be the man tasked with slowing down Griffen in Week 10. With the exception of the Browns game in Week 5, Slater has been excellent this season. The rookie ranks 16th in pass protection among all offensive tackles with at least 100 pass-block snaps.
Woods was one of four Vikings players who played every down. He spent 23 of his 98 snaps in the box or on the defensive line.
The former Cowboys’ safety had nine tackles. He now has 49 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and two pass breakups this season. He’s a high-end S2.
Tier Three
Camryn Bynum, S; Nick Vigil, ILB.
The 2021 fourth-round pick had one of the best performances of a rookie defender last weekend. Granted, he had 98 snaps, but he graded exceptionally well, registering 11 solo tackles and snagging an interception.
Harrison Smith is out this weekend and Bynum will be given the starting spot in Smith’s absence. He could be a solid play for one more week.
Bynum has additional value in leagues where he has CB designation.
Vigil could be busier with Barr missing time. The veteran linebacker had 30 tackles, a sack, and an interception in the four games he played before Barr returned in Week 5. It’s also a revenge game for Vigil too.
Sits
Harrison Smith, S (reserve/COVID-19); Anthony Barr, ILB (injury); Armon Watts, IDL; Kenny Willekes, EDGE (injury).
Head coach Mike Zimmer has confirmed Smith will miss the Chargers game.
Barr has done little since returning from injury. He played all 98 defensive snaps, missed two tackles, had two QB hurries, batted a pass, and recorded an interception. He’s a rare full-time linebacker who just doesn’t deliver the goods.
The former first-round pick will miss this game with a knee injury.
Watts is slightly interesting. The youngster led the Vikings IDL players with 69 snaps. He has modest production this season but he barely played in the first three games and played barely half the snaps available in Weeks 5 and 6.
Please don’t expect three sacks in three games to be a rate he can maintain.
Willekes will pique the interest of some IDP managers. He earned four pressures, including a sack last weekend. He also added six total tackles. He’ll miss this game as he has been added to the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Once the Vikings realize D.J. Wonnum is completely ineffective, I suspect it will be a committee of players asked to replace Danielle Hunter. Once Willekes recovers, he may be part of that committee on the basis of his snap share last weekend.
Chargers
Starts
Tier One
Joey Bosa, EDGE; Derwin James, S.
Bosa led the Chargers with four total pressures and was the only Bolts player to record a sack. He has 31 total pressures and five sacks this season.
The former Buckeyes star has a tough matchup with Brian O’Neill this weekend. O’Neill has allowed only eight pressures and zero sacks in eight games.
James had an unusually poor game last weekend. He had six tackles but missed two more tackle attempts. The dynamic playmaker has 65 tackles, two sacks, three forced fumbles, an interception, and a pass breakup this season.
Tier Two
Kyzir White, ILB.
White had one of his best games of the season against the Eagles. He recorded eight total tackles, a QB hurry, and four stops.
The Chargers designated Kenneth Murray to return from IR. It will be very interesting to see how things shake out if he returns to the lineup, as White began to steal snaps from Murray when both were healthy earlier in the season.
I had White as a high-end LB3 this week until news broke of Tranquill’s situation.
Tier Three
Jerry Tillery, IDL; Linval Joseph, IDL; Nasir Adderley, S.
Tillery had six total tackles and a QB hurry last weekend. The 28th overall pick in the 2019 draft now has 28 total tackles, 16 total pressures, including three sacks. He’s a low-end IDL3.
Linval Joseph is really racking up the tackles lately. The 33-year-old tackle has 17 tackles in his last two games and 42 tackles so far this season.
The interior of the Vikings offensive line is very poor in pass protection. Tillery and Joseph have a nice matchup.
Adderley played 52 of a possible 57 snaps and recorded six total tackles. Unfortunately, he missed three more tackle attempts.
The third-year safety has 51 tackles in the seven games he has played. He has also added three pass breakups.
Sits
Kenneth Murray, ILB (injury); Drue Tranquill, ILB (reserve/COVID-19 list)
Monitor Murray’s status closely this week. Play it safe and start him as an ILB3 if he returns. Head coach Brandon Staley has designs on how he wants to use Murray when he comes back, but whether that comes to fruition remains to be seen.
Tranquill was added to the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday after testing positive.
Carolina Panthers (4-5) at Arizona Cardinals (8-1)
Panthers
Starts
Tier One
Brian Burns, EDGE.
Burns recorded his sixth sack of the season last weekend. He has a sack in three consecutive games.
The former Seminole has 29 pressures this season which rank 23rd at the position. Not bad, but I didn’t expect Burns to rely on his tackle volume to help maintain EDGE1 status. That’s the reality of things as he ranks eighth in total tackles.
He’ll face both Kelvin Beachum and D.J. Humphries this weekend. Beachum’s play has been steady in the last three games, whereas Humphries’ performances have dropped off after a strong start. It’s an average matchup for Burns.
Burns is questionable for the contest with the ankle injury suffered in the Pats game last weekend.
Tier Two
Haason Reddick, EDGE; Shaq Thompson, ILB; Jeremy Chinn, S.
Reddick is a low-end EDGE1 or high-end EDGE2 predominantly because I question whether he can continue producing so many sacks on so few pressures. He has 24 total pressures and 10 sacks. If he can, I’ll be the first to admit I was wrong.
See Burns’ notes for information on Reddick’s matchup.
Thompson had 10 total tackles, six stops, and a QB hurry last weekend. His fantasy managers were probably happy with that. However, he could have had more as he missed four tackle attempts.
The linebacker has 19 tackles in two games since returning from injury. He has 42 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, and a pass breakup in just six games this season.
Chinn had double-digital tackles for the first time this season with 10, and he added a forced fumble. It was the game fantasy managers had been patiently waiting for. He now has 51 tackles, a forced fumble, and two pass breakups.
The second-round pick from the 2020 draft played 31 of his 56 snaps in the box or on the defensive line.
Tier Three
Jermaine Carter, ILB.
Carter was on the field for 48 of a possible 62 snaps. He had six total tackles to increase his total for the season to 46. He has managed to maintain some fantasy value despite Thompson’s return to the lineup.
Sits
Derrick Brown, IDL.
The seventh overall pick in the 2020 draft has been a bit disappointing this season. It’s a shame as he was a player who had played better than I realized when I looked back retrospectively on the 2020 season.
His career is very young, he could still turn the season around with a strong second half.
Cardinals
Starts
Tier One
Budda Baker, S.
Baker was one snap short of playing every down against the 49ers. Unusually, he played the vast majority in a free safety alignment and spent only six snaps in a box role. To put that into context, that’s the fewest box snaps he’s had since Week 1 of the 2019 season. I’ll monitor this closely, it was probably just an anomaly.
He still managed six tackles and he also recorded his second interception of the season. The former Washington Husky now has 56 tackles, two interceptions, and a pass breakup.
Baker is questionable with a concussion so monitor his status.
Tier Two
Chandler Jones, EDGE; Markus Golden, EDGE; Jordan Hicks, ILB; Isaiah Simmons, ILB;
Jones must be breathing a sigh of relief after registering his first sack since that five-sack performance in Week 1. I would have struggled to justify including him in this tier much longer. I will do, still, if he doesn’t continue to play well, as his tackle volume is abysmal. He has only seven tackles in seven games.
Golden outplayed Jones against the 49ers as he has done most of the season. The veteran edge rusher has taken his game to another level this year. He has 31 total pressures and nine sacks. Golden has also added four forced fumbles and a batted pass.
Jones and Golden switch which side they are rushing from quite regularly, so they will each face both Taylor Moton and, probably, Dennis Daley, who replaced the injured Cameron Erving.
Moton has been consistently good and hasn’t allowed a sack all season. Daley would represent a favorable matchup for Jones and Golden.
Hicks played 53 of a possible 59 snaps and led the Cardinals with eight tackles. However, he was picked on in coverage, allowing nine completions on nine targets for 92 yards and a touchdown.
The former Eagles linebacker was written off by almost everyone after the selection of Zaven Collins in the draft. However, he’s defied the odds, reclaimed his spot, and recorded 62 total tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble. Good for him!
Simmons played every down and had six solo tackles and a forced fumble. The eighth overall pick in 2020 has registered 60 total tackles, three forced fumbles, an interception, and two pass breakups.
Tier Three
Jalen Thompson, S.
Thompson was on the field for 45 of a possible 59 snaps against the 49ers. He spent 19 of those snaps in a box role. The young safety had six total tackles, increasing his total to 59 for the season. He’s a high-end S3 in tackle-heavy leagues.
Sits
Zaven Collins, ILB; Jordan Phillips, IDL.
Collins had just three snaps last weekend. He was dealing with a shoulder injury coming into the game which may have been a contributing factor.
Phillips played only 20 snaps but had four pressures and a sack. He has the potential to earn a bigger role – the role that was envisaged for him when the Cardinals signed him in 2020.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see his snap share increase in future weeks.
Philadelphia Eagles (3-6) at Denver Broncos (5-4)
Eagles
Starts
Tier One
Javon Hargrave, IDL.
Hargrave had 18 pressures and five sacks in his first five games. He has seven pressures and zero sacks in his last four. Was it a bit of a fluke? Possibly, but given he has always graded well as a pass rusher, I’m more inclined to think this is also just a run of bad form.
I’m encouraged by Hargrave’s tackle volume. He has 40 tackles in nine games, helping him to maintain some value during the lean weeks as a pass rusher.
Hargrave has a decent matchup this weekend. The interior of the Broncos offensive line has allowed 10 sacks so far this season. Hargrave is likely to see plenty of left guard Dalton Risner. Risner’s worst two games have been his two most recent.
Tier Two
None.
Tier Three
Josh Sweat, EDGE; Davion Taylor, ILB; T.J. Edwards, ILB.
The Eagles as a whole generated very little pass rush against the Chargers last weekend. They had six pressures in total and zero sacks. Sweat had two of those pressures, both hurries, but these were the only two statistics he recorded in the game.
Broncos’ right tackle Bobby Massie will miss a game or two, according to head coach Vic Fangio. Cameron Fleming replaced Massie in Week 9 and is likely to remain in that spot after playing well in limited action. Sweat has a decent matchup against Fleming.
Sweat missed practice on Wednesday due to a concussion so monitor his status.
Taylor continued to earn a solid snap share, managing a season-high 49. He had a season-high eight total tackles but did miss two more tackle attempts. Taylor has looked uneven since earning a prominent role, time will tell if he can settle into the role with more experience.
Edwards played almost every down and led the Eagles with 12 total tackles. It’s the second consecutive week he has earned double-digit tackles, and he’s looked like a good player in both games.
Sits
Alex Singleton, ILB; Fletcher Cox, IDL.
Edwards looks much better than Singleton did. Singleton played only 10 snaps in Week 9.
Cox was rumored to be on the trade block a few weeks ago, but nothing transpired and he led the Eagles’ IDL players in snaps last weekend. I must admit I expected Milton Williams to eat into Cox’s snap share. Cox was still ineffective in fantasy terms, recording three tackles and zero pressures.
Broncos
Starts
Tier One
None.
Tier Two
Kareem Jackson, S.
Jackson played almost every down. He spent 15 of his 61 snaps in a box role. The converted safety led the Broncos with nine solo tackles.
The veteran has 60 tackles this season. He’s also added a sack and an interception.
Tier Three
Justin Simmons, S; Dre’Mont Jones, IDL; Shelby Harris, IDL; Baron Browning, ILB; Jonathon Cooper, EDGE; Malik Reed, EDGE.
Simmons played well in coverage for his second consecutive game, he broke up two of the three passes thrown in his direction. Unfortunately for his fantasy managers, he failed to get among the tackles, managing only two on the day.
Simmons now has 40 total tackles, three interceptions, and five pass breakups this season.
Jones and Harris tend to play a similar amount of snaps each week. Broadly speaking, as far as this season is concerned, Harris has been the better run defender, and Jones is the better pass rusher – but only just. With that said, Harris has three sacks to Jones’ two. Harris also has 26 total tackles to Jones’ 11.
Center Jason Kelce has picked up his game in recent weeks. Right guard Jack Driscoll started well but has gone downhill in his last two. Landon Dickerson has also looked poor. It’s a decent matchup for Jones and Harris.
It was encouraging to note that Browning continued to play every down despite Young’s introduction to the lineup. Browning had five total tackles and a QB hit and has 12 tackles in two games.
Cooper has impressed in two of his three most recent games. He led the team with seven total pressures and two sacks against the Cowboys and had five pressures against the Browns in Week 7. The 2021 seventh-round pick has put IDP managers on notice in deeper leagues.
Jordan Mailata will be a tough test for the rookie in Week 10.
Reed moved to Miller’s spot in Week 8 and should remain there if he returns from injury in Week 10. He has 19 total pressures, including four sacks this season. He will find it hard going against Lane Johnson this weekend.
Monitor Reed’s status this week.
Sits
Stephen Weatherly, EDGE; Justin Strnad, ILB (injury); Kenny Young, ILB.
Weatherly had 8 sacks on nearly 900 pass-rush snaps for the Vikings over a three-year period. He has two sacks in two games for the Broncos since they signed him. I really don’t think much will come of this, but as always, I’ll hold my hands up if I’m proven to be wrong.
Strnad was placed on IR this week.
Young played 39 snaps in Week 8 and 41 snaps in Week 9 and has a total of six tackles in those two games.
Seattle Seahawks (3-5) at Green Bay Packers (7-2)
Seahawks
Starts
Tier One
Bobby Wagner, ILB.
Wagner and the Seahawks were on a bye in Week 9. Their last game was in Week 8 against the Jags. Unsurprisingly, Wagner led the Seahawks in tackles in that game, racking up 12 and adding two QB hurries.
The veteran linebacker is tied with Roquan Smith for second in the league with 90 tackles. The Seahawks have played only eight games, whereas the Bears have played nine. However, Wanger has played more snaps than Smith simply because the defense has been on the field a hell of a lot.
Tier Two
Jamal Adams, S; Jordyn Brooks, ILB.
Adams had ten tackles in the Jags game. It was only his second game of the season with double-digit tackles. He has 59 tackles in eight games.
Considering Adams had nine sacks last year, it’s somewhat surprising – not to mention disappointing for fantasy managers – that he hasn’t recorded any big plays this season.
Brooks had eight total tackles and a hurry in Week 8. This increased his total for the season to 77 tackles. He’s also added a sack and a pass breakup.
Brooks’ production is largely volume-based. He’s struggled in coverage at times.
Tier Three
Quandre Diggs, S.
Diggs has just 10 total tackles in his last three games. He spent every single snap in a free safety alignment against the Jags. He did record an interception and a pass breakup and it is these big plays that help separate him from other sit candidates at the safety position.
Sits
Darrell Taylor, EDGE; Carlos Dunlap; EDGE.
Both of these players have enough talent to be EDGE3 players, but they’re on the wrong NFL team to maximize their fantasy value.
Packers
Starts
Tier One
Kenny Clark, IDL; Rashan Gary, EDGE; De’Vondre Campbell, ILB.
Clark had only one tackle against the Chiefs in one of his poorest performances of the season. He has the tackles and the total pressures to be an IDL1 but has just two sacks. This is reminiscent of his 2020 season when it took him until Week 11 to record his first sack of the season.
Consider him a low-end IDL1 for this matchup. The only interior Seahawks lineman who has played well with any sort of consistency is Gabe Jackson. Clark has a decent matchup.
Gary continued his impressive season with five total pressures, including a sack in Week 9. His 42 pressures rank fifth at the edge spot. He’s coming along nicely with five sacks too.
The young edge rushers will go up against Brandon Shell this weekend. Shell has played poorly in his last three games and Gary could feast.
Campbell has been one of the best ILBs in football this season, but his last two games haven’t been quite on a par with his first seven.
The former Falcons player has 75 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, and a pass breakup this season.
Tier Two
Adrian Amos, S.
Amos played every down in the Chiefs game and 21 of his 65 snaps were spent in a box role. Unfortunately, he only managed four tackles, but he still has a solid 56 tackles in nine games this season. He’s also added an interception and two pass breakups.
Tier Three
Dean Lowry, IDL.
Lowry managed only 20 snaps last weekend, but he was nursing a hamstring injury going into the game.
He has 24 tackles, 20 total pressures, and four sacks at a shallow position. He also has a favorable matchup as mentioned in Clark’s notes above.
Sits
Darnell Savage, S; Preston Smith, EDGE.
Savage had a good game in Week 9. He only allowed one reception and broke up another two. Unfortunately, he recorded only three tackles and has just 28 tackles in nine games.
Smith played well in run defense earlier in the season, but even that has deteriorated since. He’s just not productive enough.
Sunday Night Football
Kansas City Chiefs (5-4) at Los Vegas Raiders (5-3)
Chiefs
Starts
Tier One
None.
Tier Two
Chris Jones, DI/EDGE; Tyrann Mathieu, S.
Jones played the majority of his snaps at defensive tackle for the first time this season. He responded by leading the Chiefs with seven total pressures and two tackles. He didn’t earn a sack but was by far the best Chiefs pass rusher on the field. It felt like old times.
He will face the weaker, right-hand side of the Raiders offensive line. Guard Alex Leatherwood and right tackle Brandon Parker have combined to allow 50 total pressures and five sacks in just 13 combined games. It’s a relatively easy matchup for Jones.
Mathieu played every down and had five total tackles and a sack. He’s failed to post impressive tackle volume this season but has made up for it with some big plays, including a sack, a batted pass, two interceptions, and a pass breakup. He’s a low-end S2.
Tier Three
Frank Clark, EDGE; Juan Thornhill, S.
Clark played 55 snaps, easily leading all Chiefs’ edge rushers in that category. He managed four total pressures and three tackles, but he failed to record a sack.
If Clark continues to play the lion’s share of snaps at the edge spot for the Chiefs, I think more sacks will come. He has recorded four or more pressures in four of his last five games.
Kolton Miller will prove a difficult challenge at left tackle. Brandon Parker will be easier on the other side of the offensive line. Clark should face both players given where, and how he lines up.
Thornhill played every down, but just 14 of his 63 snaps were spent in the box or on the defensive line. He managed only four solo tackles.
That Week 7 game in which Thornhill played 32 snaps closer to the line of scrimmage looks like it was the exception to the rule, rather than a positive sign of things to come. Thornhill is a low-end S3.
Sits
Nick Bolton, ILB; Willie Gay Jr., ILB. Anthony Hitchens, ILB; Ben Niemann, ILB; Melvin Ingram, EDGE.
I tried to be bold with Bolton last week and it didn’t pay off. The Chiefs gave between 25 and 41 snaps to four different off-ball linebackers, including Bolton, Gay Jr., Hitchens, and Niemann. Gross!
Hitchens looked the best of the bunch but it wasn’t conclusive. If you have the options to do so, consider sitting any Chiefs linebackers this week until this situation is made clearer. I am fairly confident Niemann will be one of those who loses this battle, but the other three are close.
Ingram played only 29 snaps, less than half of the 63 available. Unless that increases you shouldn’t be starting him, even when he flashes in the odd game here or there.
Raiders
Starts
Tier One
Maxx Crosby, EDGE. Denzel Perryman, ILB.
Crosby is frustrating. He leads all edge players in total pressures, but exactly half of those pressures and all of his sacks so far this season came in just two games.
Lucas Niang hurt his ribs in the Packers game and had to be replaced by Andrew Wylie. Niang will miss this game too, so Crosby will have a good matchup.
Perryman had eight solo tackles and a pass breakup in Week 9. He also missed two tackle attempts.
The former Chargers linebacker now leads the NFL with 92 tackles in only eight games. I didn’t see this coming!
Tier Two
Yannick Ngakoue, EDGE; Cory Littleton, ILB; Jonathan Abram, S.
Ngakoue had five total pressures against the Giants, including two sacks. He also forced a fumble. The pass rush specialist has 37 total pressures and six sacks in eight games this season. All six of those sacks have come in the last four games.
The one drawback is the same thing we always say about Ngakoue. He won’t earn many tackles. It makes him a boom-or-bust edge rusher in fantasy.
Ngakoue will face Orlando Brown in Week 10. Brown looked out of sorts in the first four games of the season but has looked more like his usual self in the last five. He’ll provide a tough matchup.
Littleton’s tackle volumes have dropped off a little recently, he’s had just five tackles in each of the last two games. But the former Rams linebacker did add a pass breakup in Week 9, and he has 62 total tackles this season which is more than respectable.
Abram matched Perryman with eight solo tackles against the Giants. He also added a QB hurry.
Tier Three
None.
Sits
None.
Monday Night Football
Los Angeles Rams (7-2) at San Francisco 49ers (3-5)
Rams
Starts
Tier One
Aaron Donald, IDL; Leonard Floyd, EDGE; Von Miller, EDGE.
Donald had four total tackles, three total pressures, including a sack against the Titans in Week 9. The 2020 defensive MVP now has 31 total tackles, 41 total pressures, including seven sacks. He’s also added three batted passes and a forced fumble.
49ers center Alex Mack and left guard Laken Tomlinson have performed fairly well this season. Right guard Daniel Brunskill has played quite poorly. It’s an average matchup for Donald.
All of the talk last week surrounded the acquisition of the new Rams edge rusher, but it was Floyd who – in Miller’s absence – led the Rams in sacks. The former Bears player is in scintillating form, with seven sacks in his last four games.
Unfortunately, the 49ers Mike McGlinchey suffered a torn quad in the Washington game and is out for the season. Tom Compton replaced him and it is Compton will be tasked with slowing down Floyd this weekend. It won’t be an easy task at all.
That is, of course, assuming Miller doesn’t force Floyd to switch to the opposite side of the defensive line. Whichever of the two lines up on that side will face Trent Williams who is still a very good left tackle.
I think Miller has plenty left in the tank to help this Rams defense become even better. He’s still listed as questionable so I’ll monitor his status carefully over the next few days.
Tier Two
Jordan Fuller, S.
Fuller played almost every down against the Titans. 24 of his 56 snaps were spent in the box or on the defensive line.
The second-year Safety had five tackles and a pass breakup and now has 62 tackles this season. The tackle volume is a nice baseline but some big plays would be nice.
Tier Three
Ernest Jones, ILB; Taylor Rapp, S.
The Jones hype was nice while it lasted, then Reeder came along and flipped the snap shares, recording 48 snaps to Jones’ 36.
I think some of this may be due to the “stomach bug” Jones experienced ahead of the game, but it’s just a hunch. Week 10 will be telling.
Rapp played 56 of a possible 58 defensive snaps. He spent 23 of those snaps in the box or on the defensive line. He managed four solo tackles.
The former second-round pick has 49 tackles, a sack, and an interception this season.
Sits
Troy Reeder, ILB.
As mentioned above, Reeder played more snaps than Jones last week. It will be interesting to see who plays more when both are fully fit. My money is on Jones but I don’t feel super confident about that.
49ers
Starts
Tier One
Nick Bosa, EDGE; Fred Warner, ILB.
Bosa didn’t record a sack in Week 9, but he still led the 49ers with four pressures. The former Buckeye has 33 total pressures and seven sacks this season. He’s also added 22 tackles, two forced fumbles, and a batted pass.
If Bosa continues to play in the LEO role, as he has done in his last two games, he’ll face Rob Havenstein in Week 10. Havenstein has been solid and consistent most of the season, allowing just 13 pressures and three sacks, but he did allow two of those sacks and four of the pressures in his last game.
Warner had 12 total tackles, although eight of those were assists. This increased his total to 72 total tackles this season. He has added a sack and two pass breakups. He’s an easy ILB1 each week.
Tier Two
Arik Armstead, DI/EDGE;
Armstead played 43 snaps at defensive tackle in Week 9, more than double the next nearest number of snaps he has played at the position this season.
The defensive giant had one of his best games of the season and earned his best PFF pass-rush grade of the season. He managed eight total tackles, three total pressures, and a sack.
The Rams’ offensive line is weakest on the interior. If Armstead remains at the same position in Week 10 he could stand to benefit.
Tier Three
Dre Greenlaw, ILB; Talanoa Hufanga, S.
Fred Warner said positive things about Greenlaw’s progress, but we have nothing even close to concrete on his status for Monday’s game. We’ll know soon enough.
If Greenlaw plays, I’ll play it safe and start him as an ILB3 this week. If he doesn’t play, Al-Shaair will become an ILB3 in his place.
Hufanga played every down in place of the injured Jaquiski Tartt but had just four total tackles. He’s a low-end S3 for now.
Sits
Azeez Al-Shaair, ILB.
Al-Shaair’s value rests squarely on the availability of Greenlaw. If Greenlaw plays, Al-Shaair shouldn’t be started. If Greenlaw needs another week to recover, start Al-Shaair as an ILB3.
Al-Shaair has 50 tackles and three pass breakups in the seven games he has started.
Final Reminder
Please remember to check inactive players before submitting your final lineups on Thursdays, Sundays, and Mondays. Players can and will suddenly become inactive at the last moment.
This NFL Week 10 Start/Sit IDP article was published days before kick-off. I will try to keep it updated with injury news if it affects start/sit recommendations. I will update it at least three times, once before the Thursday night game, once before the early games on Sunday, and again before the mid-afternoon games.
Please check the IDPGuys IDP Injury Report article from @FF_Skinnychef for the latest injury news.
Thanks for taking the time to read my NFL Week 10 Start/Sit article for IDP leagues! I hope you find it useful. You can find more of my work here at IDPguys.org, and you can follow me on Twitter @FFIDP_Jase. I will do my best to be available for questions or feedback. My DMs are always open.
For start/sit advice for players on offense, please check out the article here from the IDPGuys @FantasyLadder.
