“Are there too many IDP starting lineup decisions for you this week? Can’t decide which linebacker or edge rusher to start? Which safety gets the nod this week?”
This will not be the typical ‘obvious starters’ type of article. Always start your studs like Maxx Crosby, Blake Cashman, and Budda Baker. What needs to be shared is who we start and who we sit out of the not-so-obvious players. You will not see many of the top-10 players listed in these articles because we are all already familiar with starting these players.
The Byes are upon us. The Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers are off this week.
***Please note that all rankings are pulled from FantasyPros.com’s current weekly rankings for DL, LB, and DB.
Week 5 – DL/Edge Starters
Edge – Cameron Thomas – Atlanta Falcons
Thomas is on his fifth team in five years after the Cardinals drafted him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He has never really found his place on a team until this year with the Falcons. His previous highs were 3 starts, 3 sacks, 28 tackles, 4 tackles for a loss, and 7 QB hits. This year, with the Falcons, Thomas has 4 starts, 12 tackles (6 solo), 1 tackle for a loss, 8 QB hits, 1 pass defended, and 1 forced fumble (the first of his career). He has scored double-digit points in each of the last three games. His opponents were ranked 9th, 12th, and 31st in points allowed to Edge players.
The Falcons welcome the Ravens to town on Sunday. They will most likely be without Lamar Jackson. Thomas himself is listed as questionable with a limited practice on Wednesday. Watch his status as the week goes on. The Ravens are 18th in points allowed to opposing Edge players. They allowed Latu Laiatu 6 tackles and a half sack, and Arden Key had his best game of the year with 5 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1.5 QB hits, and a half sack. Chase Young posted 2 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss, 2 QB hits, and 1.5 sacks against the Ravens. Jermaine Johnson produced 4 tackles, 2 tackles for a loss, 1 QB hit, and 1 sack. The Ravens look to be a prime matchup for Thomas this week.
Somehow, Thomas is the #73-ranked DL for Week 5. He can be started with zero hesitation, as he will be a top-24 defensive lineman in Week 5.
Edge – Zaven Collins – Arizona Cardinals
Collins has had three straight weeks of double-digit scoring for IDP. This was done with four rotating defensive edge players at about a 50% defensive snap share between them all. Accordingly, Collins would be third in defensive snap count at just under 50%. Even with the lower snap share compared to other edge players with the same scoring, he has posted 11 tackles (6 solo), 2 tackles for a loss, 1 QB hit, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, and 2 passes defensed combined over these past three games. These stats are good enough to place him #20 overall in IDP DL scoring during this time period. The three-week span did include the #1 team in points allowed to opposing edge players.
The Lions visit the desert this Sunday with their #21 ranking against opposing edge players. The stage is set for Collins to continue his double-digit scoring. Especially considering the performances of previous games’ edge players. Five different edge players have posted either five tackles or a sack in these first four games against the Lions. Accordingly, Collins will shine against the Lions.
Collins is ranked the #104 DL for Week 5, but he will once again be a top 24 scorer this week.
Week 5 – DL/Edge Sits
Edge – Byron Young – Los Angeles Rams
Young has had one of the most unpredictable seasons so far in just four games. He has scored 40+ points with a 6-tackle, 1 forced fumble, and 2.5-sack game last week against the Eagles. He has also given us 8 points in 2 games combined where he produced just 5 assisted tackles. Evidently, if he plays the #15 or worse offense in scoring allowed to opposing edge players, he will have a great game. Accordingly, if he plays a top-10 offense, he will score the fewest points of the year.
The Bills visit the Rams on Monday Night Football. Hence, the recommended sit is due to the Bills being ranked #8 in points allowed to opposing edge players. Based on his performances in the first four games, Young should be on your bench this week if you have solid options to play.
Young is the #11-ranked DL for Week 5, and don’t expect that kind of production against the Bills.
Week 5 – LB Starts
LB – Arvell Reese – New York Giants
Reese is blossoming into a real stud that could be at the top of your linebacker rankings for years to come. After starting off with 12 tackles combined in his first two games, he has posted 22 tackles in his last two games. Particularly relevant is the fact that of these 22 tackles, 19 have been solo. Then we add in 2 tackles for a loss, 4 passes defensed, and 1 interception. All of this combined makes Reese a must-start linebacker each week. He produced 13 tackles when playing the #11-ranked team in points allowed to opposing LBs.
Week 5 brings the #27-ranked Commanders as the Giants’ opponent. The Commanders have allowed three different linebackers to score 20+ IDP points in their game. Reese should continue his incredible scoring streak of the last two weeks.
He should be ranked well above the #14-ranked LB for Week 5. The rookie in his title is holding him down right now. Do not let the rookie word have any effect on your decision. A top-5 finish this week in LB scoring is very attainable against the Commanders.
LB – Demario Davis – New York Jets
The 37-year-old linebacker is like the Energizer Bunny. Davis just keeps going and playing 100% of the defensive snaps in each of the first four games of the season. His last two games have seen him post 10 tackles and a sack in each of those games. That was against the Lions and the Bears, who are ranked #25 and #26 in points allowed to opposing linebackers. Additionally, Davis had 2 tackles for a loss and 2 QB hits in these last two games.
The Jets welcome the surprising Browns to town this week. They bring the #20-ranked team in points allowed to opposing linebackers. Another bottom-12 team is good news for another Davis top-scoring performance. The Browns have given up eight tackles or more to 4 different linebackers already this season. Davis looks to be #5 for Week 5.
Davis is the #20-ranked linebacker for Week 5, which is a good ranking, but not high enough based on his last two weeks against similar-type opponents. Start him with a great deal of confidence.
Week 5 – LB Sits
LB – Carson Schwesinger – Cleveland Browns
Schwesinger has been a disappointment this year in his four games played. Thus far this season, he has produced 35 tackles with just 12 of those tackles being solo. That is not going to cut it for the linebacker that was most likely your first linebacker selected. His last two games have him producing just 15 tackles (4 solo) and nothing else. No tackles for a loss, sacks, passes defensed, or forced fumbles. Schwesinger had his best game against the worst team in points given up to opposing linebackers. His worst game was against the #2-ranked team in which he posted one solo tackle.
The Browns visit the New York Jets on Sunday. The Jets have the #14-ranked team in points allowed to opposing linebackers. Another tougher matchup does not bode well for Schwesinger this week. It will be tough to bench him, but if you are lucky enough to have someone on your bench who should be starting, you should make that switch.
Schwesinger is ranked as the #9-ranked LB for Week 5. This is because of preseason rankings, because it for sure is not based on his performance thus far in 2026.
Week 5 – DB Starts
S – Xavier Watts – Atlanta Falcons
The second-year safety has increased his scoring output in every game thus far in 2026. He has had three straight games of near 20 points scored in each. Thus far through four games, Watts has posted 24 tackles (15 solo), 1 QB hit, .5 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass defended, and 1 interception. He has faced opposing teams that are ranked anywhere from #9 to #31 in points allowed to opposing safeties. One of his 20-point games was against the #9-ranked Packers, where he produced five tackles and an interception. Watts is the #9 scoring safety over the past two weeks combined.
The Ravens bring their #11-ranked team in points allowed to opposing safeties to town on Sunday. They have given up six or more tackles to five different safeties over these first four games of the season. Watts plays nearly every defensive snap and will produce at least six tackles in this game too.
Just not sure how he is the #19-ranked DB for Week 5. He will most definitely surpass that ranking with a top-12. Start him with ease.
S – Reed Blankenship – Houston Texans
Blankenship is in a new home after four years in Philadelphia. His first year with the Texans started a little slow, but has really started to show signs of life over the past couple of weeks. In fact, his most recent game had him post 11 tackles, and in his Week 3 game, he posted 9 tackles. Year to date has him with 32 tackles (17 solo), 2 passes defensed, and 1 interception. That is good enough to have him as the #6-scoring safety in IDP. He has played the #10-ranked team in points allowed to opposing safeties, along with the #28-ranked team. His best score came against the #19-ranked Colts.
This week will bring his biggest challenge as he faces the #4-ranked Titans on Sunday. However, the Titans have allowed six or more tackles to four different safeties. This does give a good deal of hope for a solid game for Blankenship. Last week, Kyle Hamilton produced 7 tackles (6 solo), 1 tackle for a loss, 1 forced fumble, and a pass defended. Blankenship is set up for a nice game.
Do not let his #37 ranking for defensive backs in Week 5 discourage you from starting him.
Week 5 DB Sits
DB – Jeremy Chinn – Las Vegas Raiders
Chinn has had a rough year other than Week 3 against the Saints, who are the second-worst team in points allowed to opposing Safeties. In this game, he posted 8 tackles (7 solo), 1 tackle for a loss, 1 QB hit, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble. On the other hand, against the #7-ranked Chiefs, he produced just 5 tackles, with 3 of them being solo.
This week, the Raiders travel to New England to face the #6-ranked Patriots. Only one player has scored more than 12 points in the last three games against the Patriots. Chinn is in for a tough day this Sunday.
Somehow he is still ranked #6 for defensive backs this week. He will be nowhere near that ranking for Week 5.
Thank you for checking out my Weekly IDP Start/Sit Advice article! You can read all of my articles on my IDP+ author page. Be sure to follow me on X at @OldMan_FF and @IDP_Plus (we have offense, too), and please consider becoming a subscriber. Week 4 IDP Start Sit
