RADIO
If you’ll indulge me, I’d like to begin this week by returning to a favorite topic of mine: Arthur Smith. The former Titans’ coordinator has been a whipping post of mine for some time, but he’s earned praise from some analysts as a “gamer” who wins despite his offense (his specialty) struggling to score touchdowns. He is widely considered to have job security because his team wins low-scoring close games against bad teams, despite a waste of top-end offensive talent.
I’ll remind you that Smith is an offensive coach whose offense ranks 20th in yards and 27th in points per game. His Atlanta offenses have never ranked higher than 24th in yards per game nor higher than 15th in points. He has three top-ten draft picks at skill positions and three first-round picks on the offensive line, and he chose to go into this season with Desmond Ridder at quarterback. With that talent, his team struggles for points against Houston and Carolina.
I mention these things because Smith continues underutilizing Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and even Bijan Robinson. He gets away with it because his defense holds opponents to 19.2 points per game. So, IDP factors like Jessie Bates III and A.J. Terrell are saving Smith’s job, while his struggling offense gets headlines for incremental improvements. It’s another example of the media and fans undervaluing defense. A trend IDP managers are all too familiar with.
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IDP Scoring System for Rankings:
6-points per Defensive Touchdown
4-points per Forced Turnover (FF/INT)
3-points per Sack
2- points per PD, FR, Safety
1-point Solo Tackle
0.5-points Assisted Tackle
Note: These rankings are also based on leagues that start one player at each defensive position (DL, LB, DB) and two DFLEX.
Top Fantasy Defensive Linemen of the Week
| Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | Micah Parsons | Cowboys | Chargers |
| 2 | Myles Garrett (Q) | Browns | 49ers |
| 3 | Maxx Crosby | Raiders | Patriots |
| 4 | Nick Bosa | 49ers | Browns |
| 5 | Danielle Hunter | Vikings | Bears |
| 6 | Brian Burns | Panthers | Dolphins |
| 7 | Josh Allen | Jaguars | Colts |
| 8 | Josh Sweat | Eagles | Jets |
| 9 | Jaelan Phillips (Q) | Dolphins | Panthers |
| 10 | Aidan Hutchinson | Lions | Buccaneers |
| 11 | Aaron Donald | Rams | Cardinals |
| 12 | Chris Jones | Chiefs | Broncos |
| 13 | Haason Reddick | Eagles | Jets |
| 14 | Joey Bosa (Q) | Chargers | Cowboys |
| 15 | Christian Wilkins | Dolphins | Panthers |
| 16 | Javon Hargrave | 49ers | Browns |
| 17 | Chase Young | Commanders | Falcons |
| 18 | Montez Sweat | Commanders | Falcons |
| 19 | Trey Hendrickson | Bengals | Seahawks |
| 20 | Kayvon Thibodeaux | Giants | Bills |
| 21 | Jalen Carter | Eagles | Jets |
| 22 | Jonathan Allen | Commanders | Falcons |
| 23 | Kwity Paye (Q) | Colts | Jaguars |
| 24 | Khalil Mack | Chargers | Cowboys |
| 25 | Will Anderson Jr. | Texans | Saints |
| 26 | Nik Bonitto | Broncos | Chiefs |
| 27 | Uchenna Nwosu | Seahawks | Bengals |
| 28 | Daron Payne | Commanders | Falcons |
| 29 | Jeffery Simmons | Titans | Ravens |
| 30 | Shaquil Barrett | Buccaneers | Lions |
| 31 | Vita Vea | Buccaneers | Lions |
| 32 | Josh Uche | Patriots | Raiders |
| 33 | Demarcus Lawrence | Cowboys | Chargers |
| 34 | Deforest Buckner | Colts | Jaguars |
| 35 | Dexter Lawrence | Giants | Bills |
| 36 | Zaven Collins | Cardinals | Rams |
| 37 | Jonathan Cooper | Broncos | Chiefs |
| 38 | Leonard Williams | Giants | Bills |
| 39 | Denico Autry | Titans | Ravens |
| 40 | Byron Young | Rams | Cardinals |
| 41 | Za’Darius Smith | Browns | 49ers |
| 42 | Quinnen Williams | Jets | Eagles |
| 43 | Carl Granderson | Saints | Texans |
| 44 | Cameron Jordan | Saints | Texans |
| 45 | Arik Armstead | 49ers | Browns |
| 46 | Ogbo Okoronkwo | Browns | 49ers |
| 47 | David Onyemata | Falcons | Commanders |
| 48 | Calais Campbell (Q) | Falcons | Commanders |
| 49 | Duane Brown | Panthers | Dolphins |
| 50 | Yannick Ngakoue | Bears | Vikings |
DL Riser of the Week:
Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles
Carter has slowly risen in our ranks, previously appearing in our streamers article as a DL3 option. Despite limited snaps and playing from the interior, he rises into the mid-tier DL2 ranks this week.
Carter’s efficiency is tremendous, ranking eighth in the NFL in quarterback pressures and seventh in hurries. He now goes against a Jets team that allows 14 quarterback pressures per game and just lost Alijah Vera-Tucker. With Carter often shading the inside tackle and occasionally lining up at end, he should be able to abuse a banged-up Jets offensive line.
DL Disappointment of the Week:
Kayvon Thibodeaux, New York Giants
As with any of our defensive disappointment calls, Thibodeaux is a talented player who has earned some semblance of fantasy trust. He wouldn't be worth mentioning in this space if he hadn't. So, he could very well produce fantasy points in a bad fantasy matchup. There are reasons to doubt Thibs in this one though.
One reason to be low on the Oregon product is that his advanced metrics could be better. PFF grades him as a below-average pass rusher, and his pass-rush win rate of 4.9% is the fifth lowest amongst all defenders with at least 100 pass-rush snaps. Aggravating matters is the fact Josh Allen is averaging just 1.8 sacks per game, and his blockers have allowed just seven total quarterback hits.
The matchup in this one is bad for Thibodeaux. His advanced metrics have been disappointing, too. While he deserves to be in the DL2 mix based on talent and sack production alone, we are fading expectations this week.
Top Fantasy Linebackers of the Week
| Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | Zaire Franklin | Colts | Jaguars |
| 2 | Foyesade Oluokun | Jaguars | Colts |
| 3 | Roquan Smith | Ravens | Titans |
| 4 | T.J. Edwards | Bears | Vikings |
| 5 | Jordyn Brooks | Seahawks | Bengals |
| 6 | Ernest Jones | Rams | Cardinals |
| 7 | Logan Wilson | Bengals | Cardinals |
| 8 | Bobby Wagner | Seahawks | Bengals |
| 9 | Cody Barton | Commanders | Falcons |
| 10 | Nick Bolton (Q) | Chiefs | Broncos |
| 11 | C.J. Mosley | Jets | Eagles |
| 12 | Alex Singleton | Broncos | Chiefs |
| 13 | Fred Warner | 49ers | Browns |
| 14 | Terrel Bernard | Bills | Giants |
| 15 | Patrick Queen | Ravens | Titans |
| 16 | Bobby Okereke | Giants | Bills |
| 17 | Azeez Al-Shaair | Titans | Ravens |
| 18 | Kyzir White | Cardinals | Rams |
| 19 | Dre Greenlaw | 49ers | Browns |
| 20 | Jack Gibbens | Titans | Ravens |
| 21 | Devin White | Buccaneers | Lions |
| 22 | Henry To’oTo’o | Texans | Saints |
| 23 | David Long Jr. | Dolphins | Panthers |
| 24 | Lavonte David | Buccaneers | Lions |
| 25 | Tremaine Edmunds | Bears | Vikings |
| 26 | Germaine Pratt | Bengals | Seahawks |
| 27 | Divine Deablo | Raiders | Patriots |
| 28 | Quincy Williams | Jets | Eagles |
| 29 | Josey Jewell (Q) | Broncos | Chiefs |
| 30 | Pete Werner | Saints | Texans |
| 31 | Frankie Luvu | Panthers | Dolphins |
| 32 | Nicholas Morrow | Eagles | Jets |
| 33 | Jordan Hicks | Vikings | Bears |
| 34 | Denzel Perryman (Q) | Texans | Saints |
| 35 | Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah | Browns | 49ers |
| 36 | Kenneth Murray Jr. | Chargers | Cowboys |
| 37 | Micah Parsons | Cowboys | Chargers |
| 38 | Kaden Elliss | Falcons | Commanders |
| 39 | Ja’Whaun Bentley | Patriots | Raiders |
| 40 | Demario Davis | Saints | Texans |
| 41 | Shaquille Leonard (Q) | Colts | Jaguars |
| 42 | Nate Landman | Falcons | Commanders |
| 43 | Ivan Pace Jr. | Vikings | Bears |
| 44 | Zach Cunningham | Eagles | Jets |
| 45 | Alex Anzalone | Lions | Buccaneers |
| 46 | Robert Spillane | Raiders | Patriots |
| 47 | Christian Harris (Q) | Texans | Saints |
| 48 | Jamin Davis | Commanders | Falcons |
| 49 | Jerome Baker | Dolphins | Panthers |
| 50 | Jahlani Tavai | Patriots | Raiders |
LB Riser of the Week:
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Cleveland Browns
Owusu-Koramoah saw a season-high 79% of Cleveland's snaps before the bye. Now, his team faces a 49er team that uses plenty of motions, screens, and zone runs. San Francisco’s scheme fits Owusu-Koramoah’s skillset well.
The Browns would be wise to use their most athletic linebacker more than usual against the 49ers. He collected eight tackles against the Ravens in Week 4, and similar production is a strong possibility this week if Cleveland properly uses the Notre Dame product. He’s an LB3 option against Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel.
LB Disappointment of the Week:
Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints
Davis has historically been a jack-of-all-trades sort of fantasy linebacker. Some weeks, he could carry you with a turnover or a sack. Others, Davis could sustain your team with tackle production alone. Lately, he hasn't done either. Across his past three games, Davis has collected zero turnovers, zero sacks, and just 14 combined tackles. While he's due for a rebound soon, he must have tackle volume if he’s going to do it against Houston.
C.J. Stroud is averaging a healthy 11 targets per game to tight ends and running backs, which is good for Davis’ volume. However, Stroud has yet to throw an interception this year. Houston’s offense is also middle of the pack in run rate, has turned the ball over just twice, and they haven’t surrendered a sack in three straight games. All of those factors are bad for Davis’ upside. He will likely be a volume-dependent play this week.
Top Fantasy Defensive Backs of the Week
| Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
| 1 | Derwin James (Q) | Chargers | Cowboys |
| 2 | Jalen Pitre | Texans | Saints |
| 3 | Antoine Winfield Jr. | Buccaneers | Lions |
| 4 | Jevon Holland | Dolphins | Panthers |
| 5 | Kyle Hamilton | Ravens | Titans |
| 6 | Talanoa Hufanga | 49ers | Browns |
| 7 | Reed Blankenship | Eagles | Jets |
| 8 | Jaquan Brisker | Bears | Vikings |
| 9 | L’Jarius Sneed | Chiefs | Broncos |
| 10 | Camryn Bynum | Vikings | Bears |
| 11 | Kamren Curl | Commanders | Falcons |
| 12 | Kyle Dugger | Patriots | Raiders |
| 13 | Julian Love | Seahawks | Bengals |
| 14 | Julian Blackmon | Colts | Jaguars |
| 15 | Grant Delpit | Browns | 49ers |
| 16 | Jordan Poyer | Bills | Giants |
| 17 | Rayshawn Jenkins | Jaguars | Colts |
| 18 | Jeremy Chinn (Q) | Panthers | Dolphins |
| 19 | Kevin Byard | Titans | Ravens |
| 20 | Harrison Smith | Vikings | Bears |
| 21 | Dax Hill | Bengals | Seahawks |
| 22 | DeShon Elliott (Q) | Dolphins | Panthers |
| 23 | Nick Scott | Bengals | Seahawks |
| 24 | Jessie Bates III | Falcons | Commanders |
| 25 | Richie Grant | Falcons | Commanders |
| 26 | Jayron Kearse | Cowboys | Chargers |
| 27 | K’Von Wallace | Cardinals | Rams |
| 28 | Andre Cisco | Jaguars | Colts |
| 29 | Alohi Gilman (Q) | Chargers | Cowboys |
| 30 | Ryan Neal (Q) | Buccaneers | Lions |
| 31 | Jason Pinnock | Giants | Bills |
| 32 | Jalen Thompson (Q) | Cardinals | Rams |
| 33 | Brian Branch (Q) | Lions | Buccaneers |
| 34 | Marco Wilson | Cardinals | Rams |
| 35 | Marcus Williams | Ravens | Titans |
| 36 | Xavier McKinney | Giants | Bills |
| 37 | Justin Simmons (Q) | Broncos | Chiefs |
| 38 | Nate Hobbs (Q) | Raiders | Patriots |
| 39 | Roger McCreary | Titans | Ravens |
| 40 | Kerby Joseph (Q) | Lions | Buccaneers |
| 41 | Devon Witherspoon | Seahawks | Bengals |
| 42 | Tyson Campbell | Jaguars | Colts |
| 43 | Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner | Jets | Eagles |
| 44 | Darius Slay | Eagles | Jets |
| 45 | Isaiah Simmons | Giants | Bills |
| 46 | Adoree Jackson | Giants | Bills |
| 47 | Kyler Gordon (Q) | Bears | Vikings |
| 48 | Daron Bland | Cowboys | Chargers |
| 49 | D.J. Reed | Jets | Eagles |
| 50 | Asante Samuel Jr. | Chargers | Cowboys |
DB Riser of the Week:
Marco Wilson, Arizona Cardinals
Wilson is the fourth most targeted cornerback in the NFL this season. He allows an abysmal 79.5% completion rate but turns many of those into tackles. While a lot of Wilson's production came against Ja'Marr Chase in his transcendent showing last weekend, there's reason to believe he will see significant volume against the Rams, too.
Last weekend, Cooper Kupp lined up wide more often than in the slot. Meanwhile, Puka Nakua has lined up wide nearly twice as often as he has inside. Wilson exclusively plays outside, so he should see plenty of the Rams' two star receivers. Given that Los Angeles is tied for most pass attempts per game this season, the volume should be strong for Wilson and Arizona's secondary this week.
DB Disappointment of the Week:
Nate Hobbs, Las Vegas Raiders
It is unclear whether Hobbs will be healthy enough to play this week, so you should have alternatives in mind already. If he does play, the Patriots are not an ideal matchup.
While New England is one of the more pass-oriented offenses this season, that is largely due to the 96 pass attempts Mac Jones attempted in their first two games. Since then, New England has attempted the eighth fewest pass attempts in the NFL. That is particularly concerning, considering they've lost by a combined score of 72-3 the past two weeks. Translation: the Pats can't sustain drives even when they must throw.
If the Patriots cannot sustain drives, they won’t offer the volume that opposing defenders need for fantasy production. Their inability to sustain drives will likely continue this week, as the confidence of their quarterback is in question after he was benched in two straight games. Given questions about volume, injury concerns, and a lack of a WR1 for Hobbs to shadow, consider him a turnover-dependent risk this week.
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