IDP Sleepers: Week 4 Edition

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There are some very nice IDP matchups for week 4. Here are some of the top streamers for your lineup.


IDP Sleepers for week 4 have some beautiful matchups for streaming and has plenty of potential players available on waivers that could make a huge impact. I had Morgan Fox, Malik Reed, Justin Strnad, Alec Ogletree, and Darious Williams as my week 3 sleepers. Fox finished with two tackles a 0.5 of a sack. I would consider that a solid sleeper call.

Malik Reed was a fire call for week 3. He finished with four tackles, one for a loss, one sack, and two QB hits. Strnad was a dud, producing only four tackles with two solos. Ogletree finished with four solo tackles, so take it or leave it. Darious Williams had a cake matchup and finished with six tackles. All-in-all it was another solid week for sleeper calls. Let's take a peek at my favorite IDP sleepers for week 4.

Defensive Line Sleepers

Charles Harris - Detroit Lions - Defensive End

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Week 3 Stats: 2 tackles (1 solo), 1 tackle for a loss, one sack, and one QB hit.

Charles Harris was a former first-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in the 2017 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, Harris never lived up to the hype he received, never eclipsing more than two total sacks in a season for the Dolphins. In 2020, he signed a one-year deal and set a career-high in sacks, though only at three. The Lions signed Harris to another one-year deal and it looks to be paying off.

Harris only played 27% of the team's snaps in week 1, though weeks 2 and 3 have provided Harris more playing time due to injuries to Trey Flowers. He has taken advantage of the opportunity and has produced five tackles, two for a loss, two sacks, and three QB hits over the past two games.

The Lions face the Bears in week 4 who just gave up nine sacks to the Browns. Though the Lions do not have the same level of talent across the defensive line that the Browns do, the Bears' offensive line is obviously poor. Harris has an opportunity to make it three straight weeks with a sack, especially if Flowers sits again.

Rashan Gary - Green Bay Packers - Edge

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Week 3 Stats: 1 assisted tackle, 0.5 sack, 2 QB hits.

Rashan Gary is another former first-round pick who has not quite lived up to his potential, at least in IDP standards. Gary is a very disruptive player and has the ability to play both 3-4 defensive end and outside linebacker. In his first two seasons, he predominantly played defensive end with both Preston Smith and Za'Darius Smith on the team as edge rushers.

Even still, Gary produced 35 tackles, five for a loss, five sacks, and 11 QB hits during his second season. Gary has seen much more time at outside linebacker in 2021 due to Za'Darius Smith being on IR. He has played on 70% of the Packers' defensive snaps, and though he has not shown up often in the box score, the opportunity is there.

Gary squares off against the Steelers in week 4. During a week 3 loss to the Bengals, Ben Roethlisberger was running for his life and was brought down for four sacks, and nearly a few more. Big Ben does not look like his old self and I would not be surprised if Gary was a frequent flyer in the Steelers backfield.

 Linebacker Sleepers

Derrick Barnes - Detroit Lions - Linebacker

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Week 3 Stats: 4 tackles (3 solos)

Derrick Barnes was drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he was an absolute standout during the preseason. This boded well for playing time for Barnes and the Lions have one of the absolute worst linebacker units in all of football. To start the season, Barnes was stuck behind Jamie Collins Sr. and Alex Anzalone.

The Lions recently tried trading Collins, though ended up releasing him after no team would bite. This instantly opens up time for Barnes to see the field, and see the field a lot he will. The Lions are one of the worst teams in the NFL and the defense should see the field plenty. The Lions, as mentioned above, play the Bears in week 4.

The significance of how terrible the Bears' offensive line has played is a big key in the success for Barnes this week. Barnes is a converted outside linebacker, and one with great success in college. He could be used blitzing some this weekend as the Lions try to continue to attack the Bears' leaky offensive line.

Defensive Back Sleepers

J.C. Jackson - New England Patriots - Cornerback

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Week 3 Stats: 5 tackles (4 solos)

J.C. Jackson, and the entire Patriots secondary for that matter, is in line this week for a great opportunity for production. Jackson himself has quietly been one of the most disruptive cornerbacks in the NFL since he entered in 2018. Over his first 48 games, Jackson has 111 tackles, 33 passes defended, and 19 interceptions.

Over his last 19 games, he has made 11 of those interceptions with 9 in 2020, one off of the league lead. Jackson has been on the field for 88% of the Patriots' defensive snaps. He gets the Buccaneers in week 4 which is a dream cornerback matchup. Number one, it is Tom Brady coming to face Bill Belichick, and he will likely come out on fire trying to prove a point to his former coach.

Moreso, Brady and the Buccaneers have thrown the ball 141 times over the first three games of the season, with 74 of those targets going to wide receivers. Jackson has the opportunity for some real volume in week 4 and provides a safe tackle floor with playmaking upside. He tops my IDP sleepers for week 4.

Paulson Adebo - New Orleans Saints - Cornerback

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Week 3 Stats: 5 solo tackles

Paulson Adebo has quietly been on my cornerback pickup radar for two weeks now. He has played on 99.67% of the Saints' defensive snaps over the first three games and has produced 16 tackles, one pass defended, and an interception. 12 of those tackles have come in the past two games. Adebo has the outside corner job across from star cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

This, plus the fact that he is a rookie, opens up the opportunity for a decent volume of targets. In week 4, the Saints playing the Giants who have not looked great this season and just lost last week the Falcons who look lost in their own right. The Saints will likely be playing from ahead, forcing Daniel Jones to throw the ball. He has been known to get errant when forcing the ball and Adebo could see plenty of targets.

IDP Sleepers For Week 4 Summary

After another successful week of sleepers, I have a strong feeling that these IDP sleepers for week 4 will hit. I am very interested to see that Patriots secondary and how it will fare against Tom Brady. There are a couple of former first-round pick edge rushers with an amazing opportunity this week for success.

Plus we have a Lions linebacker who should easily outshine his teammates and show that he can make plays. Good luck to everyone in week 4, and hopefully this will provide some help.


Thank you for reading! Follow me on Twitter at @JoeyTheToothIDP, and check out all of my IDP, Devy, and Offensive work on my IDP Guys author page. Stay up to date with the latest breaking news in fantasy football with The IDPGuys!

Joseph Haggan

I am the proud father to an amazing young girl and husband to an unbelievable wife. Senior writer for IDPGuys, as well as projections creator and co-founder of our elite IDP Scoring Tool.
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