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With a week under our belts, injuries are already taking hold of fantasy and NFL teams. Aaron Rodgers is the most obvious name on that list, but several IDP-relevant players also came up limping in Week 1.
The most concerning defender on the injury list is Jalen Pitre, our second-ranked DB entering the season. Pitre was hospitalized with a chest injury, and there's a chance he could miss this week. Meanwhile, Nakobe Dean was a preseason breakout who is already on IR. You will need to replace Dean immediately and be ready to do the same with Pitre.
Below, you will see our typical setup for this exercise, largely unchanged from last year. You'll have a section for streamers in shallow IDP formats, one for deeper leagues, and the last category will be defenders worth stashing. Use my shallow recommendations if your league utilizes Standard IDP Scoring or plays fewer than six defenders. Use my deeper league recs in leagues that utilize Big Play Scoring or start six-plus defenders.
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Casual IDP Streamers and Fades
Stream: Will Anderson Jr., DL, Houston Texans
In Week 1, Anthony Richardson was sacked four times for a 9.8% sack rate. PFF credits his blockers with none of those sacks and only two quarterback hits. Those stats are backed up by the film, where Richardson's inexperience and refusal to throw the ball away put him in danger routinely. The rookie creates his own sacks at this stage of his career.
Will Anderson Jr. was the second-best pass-rushing prospect to come out of the past three drafts, at least according to my board. He earned a respectable five pressures, three QB hits, and a sack in his NFL debut. Anderson plays in a scheme that is friendly to pass rushers and should put him in a position to take Richardson down at least once.
Stream: Nate Hobbs, DB, Las Vegas Raiders
Thanks to his penchant for earning targets and tackles, Hobbs is a known asset in most IDP circles. However, the Raiders defender isn’t regularly started in shallow leagues.
Hobbs finished fourth in tackles amongst DBs this weekend, which is on par with his production from last year. In 2022, the Vegas corner averaged a healthy 6.5 tackles per game. With the pass-oriented Bills on tap this week, Hobbs should see solid volume. He should also have a chance at a turnover if Josh Allen is as sporadic as he was against the Jets.
Fade: Danielle Hunter, DL, Minnesota Vikings
The Eagles looked off in Week 1 in a variety of ways. One way was pass protection, where three of their starting offensive linemen graded negatively as pass blockers with PFF.
That said, Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata are historically strong in the passing game, and this unit was the best pass-blocking line in 2022. With Mailata and Johnson looking to rebound from a poor showing against the Patriots, expect them to give Vikings pass rushers issues. As a result, Danielle Hunter’s floor is lower than usual.
Fade: Jack Campbell, LB, Detroit Lions
I told people to fade Campbell in my Week 1 rankings column. I noted that I love the player and his long-term upside, but all reports indicated his playing time would be limited early in the season.
Campbell ended up being the 14th-most-started linebacker in fantasy last week, including casual and deeper leagues. While the rookie played well against the Chiefs, he saw just 38% of Detroit's defensive snaps and he played on special teams. Those facts should scare everyone away from playing Campbell this week, especially in shallow IDP leagues where LB depth is rich.
Premium/Deep League Streamers and Fades
Stream: Deommodore Lenoir, DB, San Francisco 49ers
Lenoir has historically been a target magnet, with teams often looking to avoid Charvarius Ward when possible. Last week, Lenoir was targeted nine times, which was on par with his production last year. In 2022, he “earned” 101 targets despite not being made a full-time starter until Emmanuel Moseley hurt his knee in Week 5.
The Rams tied for the most offensive plays in the NFL in Week 1 and threw the ball 38 times. Expect more pass attempts from them against the 49ers, who should shut down LA's run game. With the Rams possibly throwing 40+ passes, Lenoir is a fine streaming option.
Stream: Odafe Oweh, DL/LB, Baltimore Ravens
Oweh is a perpetual flash-in-the-pan player, showing tantalizing skills for brief periods before disappearing for long stretches. He's also a talented player we can't help but gamble on in Week 2 with a prime matchup against the Bengals on tap.
In Week 1, the Penn State product tied for fourth in the NFL in pressures. He also played a strong 64% of the Ravens’ defensive snaps and registered three quarterback hits. Now, he goes against a Bengals offense that surrendered 13 quarterback pressures and two sacks on Joe Burrow last week. With Burrow gimpy and Cincinnati averaging 38 passes per game since 2022, Oweh has a high ceiling this week.
Fade: Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, DB/CB, New York Jets
Sauce has quickly earned the respect of opposing quarterbacks, meaning they avoid him when they can. Gardner hasn’t historically shadowed, either. That could prove a problem against the Cowboys.
Everyone saw how dominant the Cowboys' defense was against the Giants. Something similar could happen against Zach Wilson, who was pressured 15 times against the Bills and has looked flustered for the entirety of his NFL career. If the Cowboys can take control early, it's bad news for Sauce's fantasy potential. If Dak throws a lot but avoids Sauce, it's bad news for Sauce’s fantasy potential.
Fade: Zach Seiler, DL, Miami Dolphins
I’m not saying Seiler isn't worth rostering or even starting in leagues where a DT is mandated. In fact, he has solid value in leagues that require you to start a defensive tackle. That said, his roster rate is far too high.
Seiler is both rostered and starting in more IDP leagues than Jaelan Phillips, Jeffery Simmons, Will Anderson Jr., and Javon Hargrave. That shouldn’t be the case.
Defenders Worth Stashing
Alohi Gilman, DB, Los Angeles Chargers
Gilman led the Chargers in tackles this week and is earning rave reviews from teammates. While the pass-heavy contest with Miami inflated his tackle totals, he is worth stashing in many IDP leagues. His matchup with the Titans this week is a good reason not to start him in shallow leagues yet, but he's a name to know.
Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Minnesota Vikings
Another name on our preseason sleeper list, Pace Jr. earned a 68% snap share in Week 1 and turned that into eight tackles. The Cincinnati product has pass-rush skills and the ability to be a force in tackle-premium scoring. He is worth adding in deeper leagues and watching on waivers in casual IDP formats.
Carl Granderson, DL, New Orleans Saints
Granderson totaled five pressures, 1.5 sacks, and a pass rush win rate of 21% in Week 1. His competition wasn’t stiff, but he had a solid 75% snap share on a Saints defense with a history of producing unheralded but productive pass rushers. If Marshon Lattimore continues to look like his old self, the Saints’ defensive front could have a good year.
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