Taking a look at the NFL Week 7 from a IDP perspective; notes on what our writer @Orangeman3142 saw this weekend.

This is a continuation of our weekly article series that breaks down what we saw this week in IDP fantasy football. What happened and why, what we got right and what we got wrong and more importantly how to move forward and get better next week. We look at possible waivers and trends, snap counts and issues that affect production for your IDP team. Part two will cover the next three games of week seven. Keep an eye out for part three dropping today and don’t forget to read part one. Let’s get into it.

Detroit Lions @ Miami Dolphins

Lions: The Lions are similar to the Patriots in the way that their defense seems to morph depending on who they’re playing each week and only a few guys seem like “locks” to produce every week, and even those few don’t exactly fill me with confidence.

Jarrad Davis (LB) is at the top of my “If I have to play a Lions IDP it would be this guy” list. He had 7 combined tackles, 1 sack and 1 TFL on 91% of snaps this week. He’s been a pretty reliable tier two linebacker so far this year. Corner Teez Tabor (CB) was next on the box score with 7 combined tackles on 96% of snaps played. He’s super inconsistent so I’m not buying.

Romeo Okwara (DE) had the next best day with 6 combined tackles, 1 sack and 2 TFL on 75% of snaps played. I’ve never even heard of this guy until today so I’m all set here as well, odds are this will be a career best for him and we’ll never hear from him again.

Quandre Diggs (S) had a serviceable game with 4 solo tackles and 1 TFL on 100% of snaps and has been a decent safety tier two this season. The other IDP relevant safety, Glover Quinn (S) had 4 combined tackles on 98% of snaps this week, both are bottom of tier two guys for me and not super flashy.

Darius Slay (CB) and Devon Kennard (LB) are the other two IDP relevant guys here and both had pretty bad games. Slay will be fine I don’t really think Miami when considering the most effective passing offenses in the league. Against any team that can actually throw he usually puts up decent numbers. Kennard is entirely sack dependent for his points so you really shouldn’t be playing him anyways.

Dolphins: I was totally shocked to see Raekwon McMillan (LB) at the top of the box score this week with 8 combined tackles playing 84% of snaps this week. This is the first big game for him this year so consistency and production overall are still a problem, I’m not adding him personally.

TJ McDonald (S) was next with 8 combined tackles on 100% of snaps and has been quietly pretty decent this season.

Reshad Jones (S) and Kiko Alonso (LB) both had down days for them but still serviceable overall. Jones recorded 5 solo tackles on 100% of snaps while Alonso put up 5 combined tackles and 1 PD on 100% of snaps played. Both will be fine, they’ve both had a few monster games this year and you can’t expect that every week.

Jerome Baker (LB) seems to be slowing down as well with 5 combined tackles and 1 PD this week on 48% of snaps. He could still end up being that second IDP relevant linebacker I’m just not sold yet and this is the second week in a row his snap count has gone down.

Minkah Fitzpatrick (S, CB) had a clunker with 3 solo tackles on 58% of snaps this week, he’ll be fine I would keep playing him if you can get him as a corner, don’t play him at safety unless Jones or McDonald is hurt and he fills in for them.

Davon Godchaux (DT) had zero stats of any kind this week on 73% of snaps played. He’s still getting the playing time though so the opportunity will be there.

Minnesota Vikings @ New York Jets

Vikings: The Jets offense wasn’t all that great in this game and lost the time of possession battle as well as the game, they didn’t run a ton of plays so the Vikings IDP production wasn’t as stellar as we all wanted. Eric Kendricks (LB) led the way with 5 solo tackles and 2 PD on 93% of snaps played. He’s been a nice bottom of tier two linebacker most of this year.

Jayron Kearse (S) helped plug the hole from Andrew Sendejos (S) injury and absence with a nice day, he had 5 combined tackles, 1 sack and 2 PD on 41% of snaps this week, he may be worth an add if Sendejos injury keeps him out for awhile and if George Iloka (S) doesn’t take those snaps instead. I would need to see more playing time than this next week though before adding him.

Harrison Smith (S) had a nice game with 4 combined tackles, 2 PD and 1 INT on 93% of snaps. He’s capable of that kind of production as a floor so it would be nice to see this more often, he’s had a few duds this season.

Danielle Hunter (DE) had a down game for essentially the first time this season with 3 combined tackles and 0.5 sacks on 80% of snaps played. He’s been the best IDP defensive end in the league this year so no ones benching him any time soon.

Linval Joseph (DT) and Everson Griffen (DE) were out so we look to Sheldon Richardson (DT) and Stephen Weatherly (DE) to soak up their production, unfortunately they didn’t do such a hot job of it this week. Richardson had only 2 combined tackles on 69% of snaps but has been a decent spot play or short term guy at defensive tackle this season overall.

Weatherly had 2 solo tackles, 1 TFL and 1 PD on 87% of snaps which actually is pretty serviceable if you put him in expected nothing but hoping for the best like I did this week.

Jets: It was weird to see Daryl Roberts (CB) at the top of the box score for the Jets this week, but there he was with 11 combined tackles, 2 TFL and 2 PD on 100% of snaps this week. It’s been a different Jets corner every week having a big game with no pattern in sight so I would not recommend chasing the points here.

Jamal Adams (S) was next with 9 combined tackles and 3 TFL on 100% of snaps, he remains a weekly auto start tier one safety and a bad bad man.

Avery Williamson (LB) and Darron Lee (LB) both came back down to earth this week. Williamson had 4 combined tackles and 1 TFL on 100% of snaps while Lee recorded 2 solo tackles and 1 PD on 100% of snaps. Williamson has been a borderline tier one performer while Lee has been up and down all year, clearly this week it was down.

I thought Doug Middleton (S) would fill in for the injured Marcus Maye (S) and have a monster game like he did earlier in the year when he filled in for Maye, but he only recorded 2 solo tackles and 1 PD on 42% of snaps and tore his pectoral and will be out for some time.

Leonard Williams (DE) had 1 tackle assist and 2 PD on 84% of snaps and was not a great help for anyone playing him in a spot start for bye week help, which is about all he’s good for. Maybe next week.

Carolina Panthers @ Philedelphia Eagles 

Panthers: Always nice to see Luke Kuechly (LB) at the top of the box score where he belongs. He had 14 combined tackles, 1 sack and 4 TFL on 100% of snaps this week and is a weekly start, obviously.

The surprise was newly acquired safety Eric Reid (S) who came in second on the box score with 8 combined tackles on 82% of snaps played. He’s been playing more and producing more incrementally each week since he got to the Panthers and might be worth a serious look now if you need safety help.

Shaq Thompson (LB) and Thomas Davis (LB) are the other two IDP relevant linebackers and Thompson had a nice game with 8 combined tackles on 63% of snaps played. Davis was a guy I picked up in a few places and his production style has always been very boom or bust, this week was more on the bust side with 5 combined tackles and 1 TFL on 87% of snaps played.

I like him as a spot start for bye weeks in smaller leagues and a weekly start guy you got for free off the waiver wire a third of the way into the season in deeper leagues, he will have some big games this year I’m positive of that. Thompson hasn’t been playing enough and has been spotty I’d steer clear of him and add Thomas if needed.

Mike Adams (S) and Kawan Short (DT) are a couple of other known IDP quantities on the Panthers and both had nice days this week. Adams had 6 combined tackles and 2 PD on 99% of snaps and has been a decent tier two safety all year while Short has been in a slump but had 4 solo tackles and 2 TFL on 73% of snaps this week, which are solid numbers for IDP defensive tackle.

Keep playing him if he gets close to his average for stats this year it means there are a bunch more solid games coming from him in the weeks to follow.

James Bradberry (CB) had 4 solo tackles and 1 PD on 99% of snaps which is pretty solid for IDP corner, he’s been great the majority of the year and is a good play against teams with efficient passing offense.

Mario Addison (DE) had a nice week as well with 2 solo tackles, 1 sack and 2 TFL on 27% of snaps this week and is a great bye week guy and is owned in most deeper leagues. That production was awesome but the playing time concerns me here, he’s currently questionable so I think he may have caught an injury during the game.

Eagles: The Philly secondary led the way in IDP production this week. Jalen Mills (CB) and Malcolm Jenkins (S) were at the top of the box score with Mills recording 7 combined tackles on 98% of snaps while Jenkins had 7 combined tackles and 2 PD on 100% of snaps this week. Mills (and Darby) is great against teams the pass effectively and Jenkins is a top of tier two safety who is extremely reliable with a great floor.

The two IDP relevant linebackers, Jordan Hicks (LB) and Nigel Bradham (LB) both had nice games this week also. Hicks recorded 7 combined tackles and 1 TFL on 100% of snaps while Bradham put up 6 combined tackles on 100% of snaps. Hicks has been a bottom of tier one guy all year and Bradham has been a hit or miss bottom of tier two guy this year.

Ronald Darby (CB) had a decent game with 4 solo tackles and 3 PD on 98% of snaps and is a solid IDP corner against teams that throw effectively. Bradham’s snaps have been going up every week and are at 100% for the first time this year so that’s great news for his owners.

Fletcher Cox (DT) had a down game with only 1 solo tackle on 76% of snaps this week, he’ll be fine it happens. Michael Bennet (DE) had his second solid game in a row this week with 2 combined tackles, 1 sack and 1 TFL on 54% of snaps and it turning into a decent option if you need a spot start or short term injury replacement guy at defensive end.

Make sure you catch part three dropping tomorrow and make sure you caught part one. Keep an eye out for my start or sit article dropping Saturday. My bad habit of going too far into detail means this article is in multiple parts instead of one novel. If you have any questions or need some advice feel free to hit me up on Twitter (@OrangeMan3142) or use the “Contact Us” box on our website (idpguys.org) to reach us.

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