Welcome to the IDP Guys’ weekly IDP game reviews and IDP waiver wire! Our team has broken down each game and the IDP takeaways for the most relevant IDP players and gives you IDP waiver wire pickup suggestions. May the fantasy gods be forever in your favor!
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Jacksonville Jaguars at New Orleans Saints
By Steve Hungarter (@IDPHunter)
The storyline in this one was that the Saints lost this one in the most crushing way possible with an inability to throw the ball when they had to, losing to the final score of 31-24 at home to the Jaguars.
IDP Takeaways Jacksonville Jaguars
Despite their 31st ranking in passing defense heading into this matchup, the Jaguars performed admirably in containing Derek Carr, particularly in the red zone, where the Saints were forced to opt for a field goal. At halftime, Carr's third-down conversion rate stood at just 1 out of 8 attempts, and by the end of the game, it had plummeted to a dismal 3 out of 18. The Saints' strong defense was instrumental in keeping them competitive in the game, although they eventually ran out of steam. A few Jaguars standouts in this game.
Foyesade Oluokun showcased his exceptional pass coverage abilities right from the start, producing multiple pass breakups and a game-changing interception that resulted in a touchdown. The highlight of the evening undoubtedly was Oluokun's pick-six, a pivotal play in a closely contested game. He concluded the night as the team leader with nine solo tackles, five assists, and two additional pass breakups.
Devin Lloyd, demonstrating his capabilities as the team's LB2, made Chad Muma owners less than satisfied, as he delivered an impressive performance with 11 tackles (comprising five solo tackles and six assists).
Rayshawn Jenkins also played a significant role, making crucial stops during his 9 tackle performance (including three solo tackles and six assists).
At first glance, it looks like defensive end Josh Allen had a quiet night. Not so. The Saint's offensive line ended up moving Trevor Penning inside. Andrus Peat to play left tackle. While Josh Allen was relevant, with 11 pressures on 25 rushes (Next-gen stats grade him at 36%, the second highest of his career) he did not get a sack (close though) Allen was active most of the night, including putting a quarterback hit on Carr on a 2nd and goal to tie the game. He just couldn't capitalize and add on his seven-sack campaign in 2023.
Dawuane Smoot was responsible for the team's sole sack.
Conversely, Travon Walker had a disappointing performance, winning only 5.6% of his snaps against the Saints' backup linemen.
IDP Waiver Wire Jacksonville Jaguars
Tre Herndon notched himself a few tackles and had a good night. He could be in consideration for waivers in deep formats that require flex positions.
Angelo Blackson, who is quietly having a career year, had the team’s only two tackles for loss. He also committed a penalty when he body-slammed Kamara. Pick him up if your league has WWF scoring and gives bonus points for wrestling takedowns. I'm kidding (not really how cool would that be) Side note: If a league like that were ever to exist, be sure to message me on Twitter @IDP Hunters.
Dawuane Smoot is ramping up his snaps and already has 1 sack in just two games back from injury. He will be a steal of a waiver wire pickup in deeper DT-required leagues.
IDP Takeaways New Orleans Saints
The Saints early on weren't really creating any pressure either. Credit is due to Jaguars tackles Cam Robinson and Anton Harrison as they gave up no QB hits in the first half allowing Trevor Lawrence to throw. There was one moment where Bryan Bresee (who has 13 pressures on the season) showed his athletic skills, chased down a throwing Lawrence, and achieved a pass deflection. That got a smile and a reaction from both the former teammates from college but otherwise quiet from here.
Marshon Lattimore reaffirmed his status as an impact player, showcasing his skills with a near-impossible, Pro-Bowl-worthy interception. Though the play was ultimately called back due to the ball touching the ground, the point remains that it significantly shifted the momentum. This particular play occurred when the Jaguars attempted a trick play, executing a fake punt just before halftime as they were driving down the field. Lattimore's effort on this dive forced Jacksonville into a 4th down situation, compelling them to settle for a field goal.
Regarding the entire Saints' secondary, they performed admirably and we got a few waiver wire-worthy names from this game. The secondary did their job by limiting Calvin Ridley to just one reception, even though he was on the field for the entire game. In fairness, the Jaguars held the lead, and the Saints controlled the time of possession, resulting in limited passing opportunities for Jacksonville. Nevertheless, it's essential to acknowledge that a win is a win in this context.
In contrast, the lackluster contributions from both Pete Werner and Demario Davis, who managed just four tackles between them, coupled with the defensive line's struggles in generating sacks, created opportunities for other Saints defenders to step up, primarily in the secondary. Cameron Jordan's performance was also below par, but at least Granderson delivered with a solid showing of five solo tackles and one assist.
IDP Waiver Wire New Orleans Saints
Another deep waiver pickup for deep leagues could be Montaric “Buster” Brown filling in on a short week for Tyson Campbell with a solid 96% snap share and four tackles.
Both Paulson Adebo, who lead the team in tackles, and Alontae Taylor are easy fill-in during bye weeks, despite only being rostered in less than 2% of leagues.
Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots
By Matt Record (@MRecord21)
IDP Takeaways Buffalo Bills (heading)
Jordan Poyer played like the player you drafted highly in this one, adding a sack to 10 combined tackles. Playing 100% of defensive snaps, Poyer is a plug-and-play DB3 with DB2 upside every week.
Terrel Bernard has been a revelation this year, and he was superb again in this game. Not missing a defensive snap, Bernard led the team with 11 combined tackles. While you would love to see a splash play or two, you can’t argue with the tackle floor. He’s a must-start in all formats.
Micah Hyde had a disappointing day in the office, but he did have his normal 100% of defensive snaps. He should bounce back to his DB4 status in the coming weeks.
IDP Waiver Wire Buffalo Bills
Dane Jackson has put together a few nice games in a row, racking up seven solo tackles while not missing a snap on Sunday. While cornerbacks are hard to predict week to week, you love this production and playtime. He’s worth streaming in CB-required formats.
Don’t be fooled by Tyrel Dodson’s nice stat line. While the seven combined tackles were nice, he only played a little over 50% of defensive snaps. Let someone else overreact to this game, as that sort of production isn’t sustainable on such limited snaps.
Rinse and repeat that same sentiment for Dorian Williams, who played even less than Jackson.
Gregory Rousseau played a disappointing 50% of defensive snaps. We would be able to look past this if he were producing, but he just isn’t consistent enough to truly trust in any format. Especially in redraft, it’s time to move on.
IDP Takeaways New England Patriots
Is anyone still surprised about Ja'Whaun Bentley’s play? No? Good! As solid an LB3 as they come, he should be played everywhere accordingly.
Kyle Dugger finally put together a nice game, racking up seven solo tackles while not missing a snap. It’s been a disappointing year on the whole for Dugger, but he still offers a nice value as a DB3 with an upside every week. If you have him, you are going to be starting him.
Christian Barmore had a nice day, adding a sack to three combined tackles. Playing 63% of defensive snaps, he’s playing his way back into DT3 status for those in deeper leagues. If he keeps this up, he’ll be an every-week starter. He’s not there yet, but the arrow is pointing up!
IDP Waiver Wire New England Patriots
Jabrill Peppers had a wonderful day, nabbing eight combined tackles and an interception on 99% of defensive snaps played. If he’s still available on waivers, he should be added immediately. He’s a great DB3 option moving forward.
Anfernee Jennings played a really nice 97% of defensive snaps, racking up six combined tackles in the process. This is very nice usage for the linebacker, and if he can keep this up he’s a sneaky nice IDP flex play in deeper leagues. Pick him up accordingly!
J.C. Jackson made the most of his 90% of defensive snaps by racking up five solo tackles. He’s been a great fantasy asset since he rejoined the Patriots, so for those looking for a streaming option at cornerback, you should look Jackson’s way!
Deatrich Wise had a disappointing day on the stat sheet, but let’s not overlook his 96% of defensive snaps played. You probably aren’t starting him as anything more than an IDP flex, but he’s an excellent bye-week fill-in option with this amount of playtime.
Washington Commanders at New York Giants
By Shawn Teague (@shawn8386)
IDP Takeaways Washington Commanders
Cody Barton injured his ankle after playing only eight snaps. His early exit led to Jamin Davis getting nearly 100% of the defensive snaps. David Mayo would also get 60% of the defensive snaps filling in for Barton. Mayo piled on 11 total tackles which included nine solo tackles. Khaleke Hudson also saw his playing time increase to 38% of the defensive snaps while he totaled three tackles and a sack. Cody Barton was seen leaving the game in a walking boot, which could indicate him missing some time going forward.
Chase Young and Montez Sweat both made their way back to the quarterback this week. Sweat collected seven tackles, two tackles for a loss, one QB hit, and one sack. Chase recorded three solo tackles for a loss, had two QB hits, and brought down two sacks. These two performed the way we expected with a very favorable matchup against a slightly improved Giants offensive line.
Kamren Curl only managed three tackles in what looked like a good matchup on paper. Perhaps it was being banged up during practice with an ankle injury, or the losses of Darrick Forrest and Cody Barton altering his assignments for the poor performance. He did play the entire game and should get a good bounce-back opportunity against the Eagles next week.
IDP Waiver Wire Washington Commanders
If Barton misses time with his ankle injury, David Mayo would be the add for deeper leagues. Mayo only playing 60% of the snaps this past weekend caps his value in shallow and medium leagues.
Benjamin St-Juste is one of the more consistent streaming options at cornerback. He has a very solid matchup against Philly coming up next and is worthy of a waiver add in most leagues.
Jamin Davis could benefit from Barton’s injury and is worth consideration in leagues that he is available in.
IDP Takeaways New York Giants
It took a matchup against the worst offensive line in the league for Dexter Lawrence to finally get to the quarterback. He was able to register two sacks and four QB hits against Washington while adding six total tackles. He gets another favorable next week against the Jets, so keep him fired up in those DT-required leagues.
Kayvon Thibodeaux doesn’t get the credit he deserves for his playing time. He played all but one snap this week and has four games where he played over 90% of the defensive snaps. He was able to collect 1.5 sacks and four total tackles against Washington’s abysmal offensive line. Looking ahead to next week, the Jets provide another favorable matchup for Thibodeaux to improve on his team-leading 5.5 sacks.
Deonte Banks put together his best fantasy week of the season with seven total tackles and his first career interception. Banks has been such a good football player that he hasn’t received as many targets as some of the other rookies this year, leaving him fewer opportunities to make plays. He is hard to trust as a rookie streaming option with the low tackle floor, but he does have a decent matchup against the Jets.
Xavier McKinney tied a season-low with only three tackles against the Commanders. He did add two pass deflections, but it was mostly a lackluster performance. McKinney has been a bit disappointing this season with his rollercoaster weeks leaving more to be desired. Next week’s matchup against the Jets doesn’t look favorably on paper, so there is much hope that he erupts for a big fantasy next week either.
IDP Waiver Wire New York Giants
Isaiah Simmons continues to be irrelevant while Bobby Okereke and Micah McFadden are healthy and shouldn’t be rostered in redraft unless you have a deep bench.
If Leonard Williams is available in DT-required leagues, he has a “revenge” game coming up against the other New York team and could be worth a stream.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Los Angeles Rams
By Brittney Foxworth (@bfoxworth07)
IDP Takeaways Pittsburgh Steelers
Although Puka Nacua made some big plays, the Steelers held Cooper Kupp to two catches on seven targets for 29 yards. That's a good day for the Steeler's defense, which Minkah Fitzpatrick led. Minkah recorded eleven tackles on the evening, the third time this season with double-digit tackles.
T.J. Watt continues to be the game-changer for the Steelers. He had an interception to start the 3rd quarter and ran it back for 24 yards, putting the Steelers on the goalline for a scoring opportunity. He only had the interception and a tackle, but Watt is always an elite must-start and will always find a way to produce.
Cole Holcomb continues to string together solid performances. He has yet to have a game with less than five tackles, and this week was no different with a solid eight. He did have a foot injury but was able to return to the game. Still, monitor his practice reports throughout the week.
Alex Highsmith continues his streak of mediocre performances. Although an asset on the field for the team, for fantasy, he hasn't been producing like he did the first two weeks of the season after coming back from injury Week 4 with a groin injury. He finishes with a mere two tackles.
Patrick Peterson is another better for the team, not performing that well for a fantasy candidate. Although the Steelers moved him around more this week, he only had three tackles.
IDP Waiver Wire Pittsburgh Steelers
OK, the time has come. The Steelers have decided to unleash Joey Porter Jr. after their Week 6 bye, as he saw a considerable uptick in snap percentage. Before the bye, Porter was hovering between 14 and 40%, but in Week 7, he was on the field for a high of 78%! He was effective in his usage, with very good coverage. He only recorded three tackles on the night, but I think he will be able to disrupt offenses and create turnovers. Porter could be worth an add, especially since he's past his bye and can fill in for players with upcoming bye weeks.
Nick Herbig recorded his first career sack and two tackles. He still needs to see more playing time to warrant an add, even though he's super talented.
Montavius Adams looked the best he's looked all season and had four tackles. But, like Herbig, he doesn't have the opportunity.
Larry Ogunjobi had a sack and four tackles to round out the last guy on my list. Like the previous two, Ogunjobi, although great for the Steelers, isn't going to be fantasy-relevant for your fantasy team. Six-time Pro Bowler Cameron Heyward is on IR dealing with a groin injury he sustained during Week 1. He is predicted to return in Week 9, so if he was dropped to waivers and has yet to be readded, snag him now!
IDP Takeaways Los Angeles Rams
On the other side of the field, the Rams had a wash of fantasy producers and no real standouts this week, other than Michael Hoecht. I'll cover how he contributed in the Rams waiver wire section, so continue to read for his analysis.
After coming off last week with his first career interception, Christian Rozeboom was busy recording five tackles, beating Ernest Jone's performance of four assists and one solo. Jones could still be dealing with his injury, so that is something to monitor moving forward, as he just hasn't been able to bounce back to the level we'd expect from him.
Aaron Donald only had four pressures and no sacks or turnovers this game. He's still a stud, he just put up a dud week.
Safety Russ Yeast was fired up after taking a big hit to the ribs in the first quarter. After strapping on a hip apparatus, he came back in and blitzed Pickett, forcing him to ground it intentionally. He ended the day with six tackles.
Decobie Durant and Jordan Fuller both had five tackles each and Byron Young had three tackles and two hits on the QB.
IDP Waiver Wire Los Angeles Rams
Michael Hoecht had a huge game and saw his snap count bounce back. He put Steelers QB Kenny Pickett on his back twice, had seven tackles, and a forced fumble. He's been producing all year and is the best add, especially if you need a streamer. Rozeboom, as I mentioned before, could be a solid streamer, especially if Jones has any setbacks with his injury.
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