The IDP Tipster is back with The IDP Guys for 2022! Welcome to Tipster’s Takes Week 9!
This is Tipster’s Takes Week 9, the @IDPTipster‘s weekly update, and IDP hot takes. These are the latest NFL defensive scenarios and how I see them playing out, laid out, and heading into the next matchups with a general take on the situation. Without further ado and in no particular order, here are the Tipster’s Takes Week 9.
The Good
Week 8, heading into Week 9, has brought up some interesting IDP tidbits. Let’s start with the good — Shaquille Leonard. He returned after missing three games with a broken nose that required surgery.
After the start Leonard has had to the first part of the season, I think his IDP managers can relax because he made it through the entire contest. This is something IDP fans had to start wondering about.
But at last, Leonard did make it and did very well with just about 40% of the snaps. This was predicted by our very own Johny The Greek and at Bobby Okereke‘s expense (60%). Leonard recorded four combined, a pass defended, and a fourth-quarter interception. Our take after watching Leonard in this contest is that he’s back. The odds of another injury this season are slim.
This future Hall of Famer will be good to go in Week 9, and it looks like any patience his IDP managers had will be paid off. As a bonus, right before the fantasy football playoffs. Helping make a push, or who knows, becoming a trade target if possible, if he’s sitting on a losing roster somewhere.
The Bad
The questions that came in after the Texans released inside linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill set this up. With a lot of expectations and hope about this year’s third-round rookie Christain Harris getting his shot. We can’t say it wasn’t good from an IDP redraft perspective when Harris went on to total five solo tackles, two assists, and 100% of the snaps.
So what is ugly about the situation? Well, to clarify correctly, all one has to do is watch Harris’ game film. He was the leading linebacker over Christain Kirksey. That’s a check. But Harris isn’t good, and it helps explain PFF’s very poor grade before he got the start.
He was credited with several missed tackles at crucial times, being out of place, and basically one step behind the play in almost all cases. Granted, we should cut the rookie some form of slack. Mainly because he’s likely a risky productive-by-default candidate for the rest of the season. At least as long as the Texans keep inserting Harris in as a full-time starter.
Be careful. The bad take here is that it’s a dynasty trap. Sure, we’ve seen bad players be productive by default year after year. Harris was so poor in his draft profile before the Titans ditched on the season. After what he put out in Week 8 was so bad, the odds he turns a corner are very highly unlikely.
Enjoy it while you can because the bad in this IDP Tipsters Takes Week 9. Harris will be a bad future dynasty option and likely is nothing more than a 2022 distraction.
The Ugly — Question
Here’s an ugly question for Bill’s fans and IDP managers alike. In 2023, will Buffalo have to make some big decisions on defense? And we’re talking contracts at this point. So, who would you let walk if it was up to you? Safety Jordan Poyer or middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds?
Both are due to be free agents, and they aren’t the only key parts of this Bill’s team that will be. After singing Von Miller this season and making him the second highest-paid Bill. Where’s all this going?
There are other ugly options, of course. For one, they could release top-five corner Tre’Davious White. And take a very large cap hit by using an “out” in his contract that’ll be up. Or perhaps, exercise another “out” for cheaper by letting currently injured safety Micah Hyde explore the market.
I will own one thing right now — I doubt it’s linebacker Matt Milano and the “out” they have in his contract. Yes, it’s that ugly when, according to Spotrac.com, the Bills look cap space poor. Well, basically, the bottom four with $1,665,545 showing on the books in positive.
The Ugly — Answer
So, of course, I’ve got an ugly take, at least in some sense. It’ll be Tremaine Edmunds, who won’t be wearing Bill’s colors next season. One, the rest of the contracts with these other players don’t include a huge raise. That, of course, Edmunds has earned and will have many other teams bidding for his services.
Two, they could have signed Edmunds long-term and before Von Miller. Instead, they exercised his rookie fifth-year option. Three, as we said, Edmunds is solid and under 25 years old. The way teams grab up those types of linebackers, I can’t see them matching anything around the $12 million or more a year. Which, long-term, Edmunds will certainly want.
Either way, mentioning all I have, the Buffalo contract situation looks ugly on paper right now. At least if the Bills are trying to remain a contender. Replacing Edmunds with Milano in 2023 as a play caller should be pretty easy. He can teach the next new middle linebacker the ends and outs, and do it while saving money without losing a player at a position that needs to be as high-end as possible.
Technically, all Buffalo will only need to replace Edmunds with an average Joe two-down run-stopper. This is something Edmunds basically has been since his rookie season. That’s if we track his career production from year to year and this defense came together.
Thank you for reading my Tipster’s Takes Week 9 article! If you are interested, catch more of my fantasy football and NFL content on Twitter at @TheIDPTipster, or find all my future IDP Guys content at IDPGuys.org. Let’s chat! I’ll always find time to talk defensive player football.
