“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 Minnesota Vikings, Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, and Cincinnati Bengals are off this week.
***Please note that all rankings are pulled from FantasyPros.com’s current weekly rankings for DL, LB, and DB.
Week 6 – DL/Edge Starters
Edge – Tavius Robinson – Baltimore Ravens
Robinson just played the second-worst team in points allowed to opposing edge players. Accordingly, he produced 6 tackles (3 solo), 1 tackle for a loss, 1 QB hit, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass defended. His combined five-game total includes 15 tackles (8 solo), 3 tackles for a loss, 7 QB hits, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 2 passes defensed. Accordingly, Robinson achieves these stats by playing nearly 77% of the defensive snaps.
How does he get rewarded after playing the Falcons? He gets an even juicier matchup against the Browns, who allow the most points to opposing edge players. The Browns have given up 20+ points to six different edge players, including David Bailey, Josh Hines-Allen, and T.J. Watt, who scored 30+ points. In fact, Bailey scored 50 points.
Robinson is the #30-ranked DL for Week 6. He can be started with zero hesitation and great confidence.
Edge – George Karlaftis – Kansas City Chiefs
After their Week 5 bye, Karlaftis and the Chiefs are ready to get back at it. He has scored double-digit points in each of his first four games, with his season high in Week 4 against the #10-ranked Raiders. Thus far in his four games combined, Karlaftis has posted 15 tackles (6 solo), 2 tackles for a loss, 10 QB hits, zero sacks, 2 passes defensed, and 1 interception.
His zero-sack stat should be erased with his first sack of the season against the Chargers. The Chargers have given up 7.5 sacks just to the edge position alone this season so far. They have given up a 20+ scoring week to an edge player in each of their first five games. There are four rookies playing on the Charger offensive line. Take advantage of that.
Karlaftis is ranked the #23 DL for Week 6, but he will be a top-12 scorer this week.
Week 6 – DL/Edge Sits
Edge – Tuli Tuipulotu – Los Angeles Chargers
Tuipulotu had his second-worst game of the season against the #4-ranked Broncos. He produced just 1 solo tackle and zero sacks. The other stats he was credited for were 3 assisted tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 pass defended. His other two games against top-10 opponents were not outstanding performances either. He posted a combined 6 tackles (3 solo), 4 QB hits, zero sacks, and 1 pass defended.
Week 6 has the Chargers visiting the Chiefs. The Chiefs are ranked #2 against edge players, which would seem to have Tuipulotu set up for another poor game. Patrick Mahomes has only been sacked one time by opposing edge players. Only two edge players have scored double-digit points against the Chiefs all season. One of those players was Maxx Crosby.
Tuipulotu is the #12-ranked DL for Week 6, but don’t expect that kind of production against the Chiefs.
Week 6 – LB Starts
LB – Nathan Landman – Los Angeles Rams
Landman was the deliverer of the punch on Monday night, and James Cook was the receiver both times. That game against the Bills was the first game he didn’t have to face a Top-8 offense in points allowed to opposing linebackers. It also was his season’s highest-scoring game by a bit. Buffalo owns the fifth-worst-ranked team thus far in 2026. Landman produced 13 tackles (8 solo), 1 tackle for a loss, and those 2 forced fumbles by way of punch-out. This was his second straight double-digit tackle game in a row.
Next up for Landman and the Rams is the worst-ranked Cardinals. They have given up double-digit IDP points to seven different linebackers in five games. Seven different times, linebackers have produced eight or more tackles. Landman plays 90% of the defensive snaps and looks like he will be handed a very nice script for double-digit tackles again.
He should be ranked above the #10-ranked LB for Week 6. The table is set for a Top-3 performance.
LB – Payton Wilson – Pittsburgh Steelers
Wilson just played the most defensive snaps in a game over this past weekend against the #15-ranked Colts. He delivered double-digit tackles. In fact, Wilson has played against three of the Top-15 offenses and posted a combined 25 tackles (19 solo), 4 tackles for a loss, 2 QB hits, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, and 2 passes defensed. This was done on 80-90% of the defensive snaps.
Wilson gets a break this week with the second-worst-ranked team on deck. The Buccaneers have given up double-digit points to two linebackers in each game this season.
Wilson is the #17-ranked linebacker for Week 6, which is a good ranking, but not high enough based on his weeks against much tougher opponents. Start him with a great deal of confidence.
Week 6 – LB Sits
LB – Jihaad Campbell – Philadelphia Eagles
Campbell just played his first Top-10 offense this season in Week 5 against the Jaguars. He produced 3 solo tackles and 2 assisted tackles. That was it, no more, no less. He was producing decent numbers when the competition was in a lower tier of teams. His defensive snap count is not a problem, as he is playing nearly 93% of the snaps.
This week, he gets the #1-ranked team in the Panthers to play against. They have only allowed three linebackers to score double digits this year. Only two players have scored more than 18 points, and only one linebacker has broken the 20-point threshold.
Campbell is ranked as the #32-ranked LB for Week 6. This ranking is much too high, as Campbell will have a hard time just reaching the double-digit points he will need to get into the Top-50.
Week 6 – DB Starts
S – Jaquan Brisker – Pittsburgh Steelers
Brisker has scored double-digit points in every game this year. He has missed just one defensive snap for the season. Brisker has been very consistent in scoring even though he has faced four of the Top-13 offenses in points allowed to opposing safeties. He has produced at least six tackles in every game. Those 34 tackles in his first five games put him on pace for a career high in tackles. Brisker also has three passes defensed and an interception.
This week will be his second easiest matchup of the season. He will travel to Tampa Bay to face the #20-ranked Buccaneers. The Buccaneers have given up double-digit points to 10 different safeties this year. Three of the safeties scored 21+ points. Multiple safeties had seven or more tackles.
Just not sure how he is the #24-ranked DB for Week 6. The stars are aligned for him to have a huge game.
CB – Keisean Nixon – Green Bay Packers
Nixon is a high-scoring cornerback that you will start, even if you are not in a cornerback-required league. He has scored 20+ points in four of their five games played to date. He has played against the #1, #8, and #11 offenses in points allowed to opposing cornerbacks. Nixon has already posted 31 tackles (20 solo), 3 tackles for a loss, 2 QB hits, .5 sack, 4 passes defensed, and 1 interception. He has not had a game with fewer than five tackles.
The Cowboys bring their #21 ranking to Green Bay this weekend. They have given up three 30+ point games in the past two games for three different cornerbacks. Combined, those three cornerbacks produced 24 tackles and 7 passes defended.
Do not let his #30 ranking for defensive backs in Week 6 discourage you from starting him. He is the #5-ranked cornerback.
Week 6 DB Sits
S – Quentin Lake – Los Angeles Rams
Lake has not been very special in the last two games against the #23-ranked Eagles and #29-ranked Bills. After all, against these two weaker teams, he has posted 6 tackles in each, 12 total tackles (6 solo). Nothing else shows up on the stat sheet. Lake is on the field for every defensive snap. His scoring point average over the last three games is just 14 points.
Up next for Lake and the Rams are the #8-ranked Cardinals. The Cardinals are tough on opposing safeties and letting them accumulate points. Only two safeties have reached 20+ points against them.
Lake is ranked #4 for defensive backs this week. He will not be that high against the Cardinals, and a top-12 ranking is too high.
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
