“No great man ever complains of want of opportunity”
Monday Game
Welcome to “The Monster”, now in audio format! This week we’ll be doing what we do every week, looking at everything that matters with every single IDP relevant player on every single defense, every week all season and never behind a paywall. Now available before waivers run. We’ll look at playing time, production, injuries and waivers because of them, changes in role or demotion (Daniel Sorensen, Jaylon Smith, etc) and we’ll follow the ebbs and flows of the season in an effort to make sure you have the best IDP producers starting for your defense every week and don’t miss any crucial information.
If things didn’t go how we thought they would we’ll try and figure out why that was, if someone we’ve never heard of went off for a massive week we’ll find out if they’re worth picking up on waivers or if they’re just barely playing and just lucked into a sack or splash play and it likely won’t happen again any time soon. We’ll follow up on weird or iffy situations with information from beat writers and whatever else I can find to connect the dots. We’ll also use information from sources such as PFF, NFLGSIS, Pro Football Reference and from other smart people in the IDP community as well. If I can’t get the answer I’ll go find it. This is the one place you can come every single week and learn everything you could possibly need to know in regards to all things FFIDP and by the end of the audio you’ll know what you need to in order to make the best decisions for the upcoming matchups.
Between this article & audio, @Mike_Woellert and his three down linebacker article, listening to The IDP Show podcast and the various information published weekly from our site (idpguys.org) and other excellent FFIDP sources out there (Gary Davenport, Gary Van Dyke, Justin Varnes, Jon Macri, The IDP Show, 4 for 4 IDP, etc) you should be completely locked in for your individual defensive players across the board. If you’re short on time though my mission with this content is to get “all of it in one place” so this is a good start. Remember the “why” is just as important as “what” so with all that in mind let’s get into it.
The Week Eight Questions
We got week eight started Thursday night with an excellent game between the Cardinals and the Packers that came right down to the wire. For the Cardinals we were seeing increased snaps the last couple weeks for Zaven Collins (LB), but was that due to blowouts or the start of something more? An early injury to him in this one may prevent an answer to that question but we’ll find what there is to find in regards to that situation and also see if Budda Baker (S) had a bounce back game for production against the Packers and what post JJ Watt (DE) life looks like for this defensive line. As for the Packers most things are set in stone but we’ll check on the usual suspects, De’Vondre Campbell (LB), Adrian Amos (S) and the like and see if the recent acquisition of Whitney Mercilus (EDGE) provided a spark for the pass rush that’s been sporadic without their star pass rusher Za’Darius Smith (OLB), who remains on IR.
Heading into the Sunday slate we got it started with the Panthers and Falcons, a divisional showdown that was a nail biter. Did we get another stellar week of Foye Oluokun (LB) and Deion Jones (LB)? How did AJ Terrell (CB) look returning from another concussion and did we have a Grady Jarrett (DT) sighting this week? Not a ton to see on this pretty stable defense but we’ll give it a once over as is tradition. For the Panthers we got Shaq Thompson (LB) back this week, how did he look his first week back from the short term IR? And what did his return do to Jermaine Carter (LB)? How did Jeremy Chinn (S) look this week and was Haasan Redick (OLB) able to keep up his blistering start to the season? We also got Stephon Gilmore (CB) for this first time in a Panthers uniform so we’ll see what the cornerback corps looks like now as well, tons to look at for the Panthers IDP options this week.
Next we’ll head to Buffalo for wings and table slams for the Bills and Dolphins part two. For the Bills everything is set in stone but we’ll see if anything changed or there were any injuries this week. As for Miami nothing is ever set in stone any week but we’ll check who the Jerome Baker (LB) replacement was and check in on the two IDP relevant rookies as well, Jaelan Phillips (DE) and Jevon Holland (S). Beyond that we’re probably looking good but we’ll skim everything over because that’s what we do here.
After that it’s over to Chicago to check out the Bears and Niners. For the Bears what did life without Khalil Mack (EDGE) and Eddie Jackson (S), who was injured early in this one, look like? Were there any waivers to be had from those situations and what happened to Roquan Smith (LB) in a perfect matchup against the run happy Niners this week? Just five solo tackles, that’s fine but not what we expected at all. For San Francisco we’ll see who the Azeez Al Shaair (LB) replacement was since he was out this week and Dre Greenlaw (LB) isn’t back from the short term IR as of yet, also how did Talanoa Hufanga (S) do in his first start at safety replacing the always injured Jaquiski Tartt (S)? We were also without Dee Ford (DE) this week so we’ll see if that caused any movement we might be able to take advantage of if this becomes a longer term injury.
From there we head to Cleveland where the Steelers won the game but also made me 200$ in FD Sportsbook because that line was an obvious error, getting points against a banged up Baker Mayfield (QB) with a banged up across the board offense, no Denzel Ward (CB) or JOK on defense and Pittsburgh heating up recently? Easy money. For Pittsburgh we got another inactive week for Melvin Ingram (DE), is he on his way out? The rumors have him being unhappy on that defense so we’ll see what there is to see with that. As for the Browns the injuries are numerous but by now we mostly know who the fill in guys are so we’ll confirm that nothing changed with all that this week and check in on how in the name of God Malcolm Smith (LB) racked up ten combined tackles this week?
After that it’s to Detroit for the Eagles and Lions, for Detroit we’ll investigate Derrick Barnes (LB) being at the top of the defensive box score this week and see if he’s finally startable and playing enough or if it’s just a flash in the pan, plus the usual “did they let Tracy Walker (S) play enough” question we ask every week. For the Eagles they declared Eric Wilson (LB) inactive before kickoff, was it Davion Taylor (LB) season or another week of Alex Singleton (LB) producing efficiently or someone new entirely? How did the safety situation shake out this week and how did Javon Hargrave (DT) do after slowing down noticeably the past couple weeks after his ridiculous start to the season? We shall see in Philly.
Then we look at the Colts and Titans, another great game that came down to the wire and had me screaming “ELIJAH MOLDEN!!!” in my car Sunday afternoon. For the Titans where the hell was Avery Williamson (LB)? With no Rashaan Evans (LB) this week and playing against a run happy Jonathan Taylor (RB) led Colts team this seemed like a slam dunk one week spot start, but with no recorded stats of any kind we have a legit mystery on our hands, and it’s one we shall solve. Beyond that we’ll check in on the usual suspects and confirm, yet again, that DeForest Buckner (DT) was NOT someone you should be shoveling dirt on, ever. For the Colts was it yet another week of Bobby Okereke (LB) outproducing Darius Leonard (LB)? (Yes). Likely will be a rant about waiting on linebacker somewhere in that matchup, you know me. And of course we’ll look at the safety situation and give everything else a once over as well.
From there it’s to the Big Apple for the upset of the day, the matchup that destroyed millions of parlays across the land, the Bengals and Jets. For New York we will absolutely look at both the linebacker situation and safety situation since we got Jarrad Davis (LB) back this week and Quincy Williams (LB) cleared concussion protocol in time for the game so someone had to be the odd man out in terms of playing time, as for the safeties Ashtyn Davis (S) was banged up all week and had a down week for production so we’ll see what happened there. As for the Bengals most things are set in stone but we’ve been tracking who wins between Germaine Pratt (LB) and Akeem Davis Gaither (LB) as the “other” inside linebacker not named Logan Wilson (LB) so we’ll update that and see whatever else there is to see for this one.
After that it’s down to the lone star state for the Texans and Rams, for the Texans we’ll check out the inside linebacker situation with the injury to Christian Kirksey (LB) and confirm once more that Zach Cunningam (LB) is dead and Kamu Grugier Hill (LB) is the other good option here beyond Kirksey. We’ll also try and unscramble the cornerback corps for the eighth week in a row, likely without any success, but we’ll sure as shit give it a try. On the Rams we got a Ernest Jones (LB) sighting, was it due to a blowout or the start of him displacing Troy Reeder (LB) as the preferred inside linebacker option here now that Kenny Young (LB) has left for Denver. Aaron Donald (DT) destroyed everything again this week, that is all.
Then we’ll head to Los Angeles for the Chargers and Patriots where we’ll see if Drue Tranquil (LB) was able to make a go of it this week after being banged up all week and also check if there’s any news about the impending return of Kenneth Murray (LB) as well. For the Patriots we’ll do what we need to but the less time we spend on that defense the better for all parties involved, trust me on that one.
In rainy Seattle the Seahawks got their season back on track after destroying the hapless Jaguars and we got another chance to see if Jamal Adams (S) was able to finally return on investment this season, both in real football and IDP production. Beyond that most things are set in stone for the Hawks but we’ll check it all out. For the Jags we got Myles Jack (LB) this week, how did he look, how much did he play? Where the hell did Andrew Wingard (S) disappear to this week and is Josh Allen (DE) quietly having his best season so far? Much to see in this one for the Jacksonville side of things at least.
A mile high in Denver the Broncos got back to their occasional winning ways and we’ll check how Kenny Young (LB) did his first game there and also is Justin Simmons (S) is back to his productive ways as well. What did that inside linebacker situation look like after the parade of injuries we’ve seen and was it Malik Reed (OLB) replacing the inactive Von Miller (OLB) this week as tradition dictates? For the Football Team we’ll take yet another look at the safety corps that has been fluctuating all season long plus their inside linebacker situation as well, was Jamin Davis (LB) able to see enough snaps for acceptable production this week? How did Chase Young (DE) do this week and was there anything else here of interest?
Down in New Orleans the Saints upset the Bucs in an always hotly contested division matchup, for the Saints most things are set in stone but we got Marcus Davenport (DE) AND David Onyemata (DT) back now, did it help this pass rush? (Yes) How did they do, how much did they play? Plenty to look at for the Saints this week. As for the Bucs what did Lavonte David‘s (LB) first week back from injury look like? What shape did the cornerback corps take this week and when are we seeing some familiar names again like Sean Murphy Bunting (CB) or Carlton Davis (CB)? Or are we? (I don’t even know honestly, they could both be done for the season there’s so much shit on my plate right now in season it’s ridiculous, we’ll check though). Both of these defenses could use a good looking at I reckon.
The Sunday night game was the Cowboys and Vikings, sans Dak Prescott (QB) so what could have been a perfect stream and a great game for fantasy leagues of all kinds was downgraded to “meh”. For the Cowboys we’ll look at the Micah Parsons (LB) usage, the other two IDP relevant inside linebackers, Keanu Neal (LB) and Leighton Vander Esch (LB) plus see what else there is to see. For the Vikings this defense is pretty stable but Anthony Barr (OLB) has been pretty quiet since returning from his most recent injury, was he able to get it going Sunday night in front of the nation and was there anything else here we need to look at? We shall see.
And we’ll round out week eight with the Giants and Chiefs. The Giants have much fluctuation, many fluctuations, much wow. Without Jabrill Peppers (S) how did the secondary change this week, did it effect Xavier McKinney (S) as some in IDP Twitter predicted? Good or bad? And was Tae Crowder (LB) able to give us another 100% of snaps week or did Bernardick McKinney (LB) displace him as has been rumored the last couple weeks? For the Chiefs was it Nick Bolton (LB) leading the way again for their inside linebackers? How did Juan Thornhill (S) look in his second or third, can’t remember, week as the other starting safety besides Tyrann Mathieu (S) after displacing the often ineffective Daniel Sorensen (S)? How did Chris Jones (DT) look his second week back from injury and will Frank Clark (DE) ever produce for us ever again?
There’s a ton to see this week just like every week. So see it we shall. Join me, my friends, for the next two hours plus as we look at everything IDP relevant on every team. All season long. It’s the Monster, this is week eight, let’s get it going.
The Week Eight Answers
(Listen to the audio above, also available on the idpguys podcast feed)
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