RADIO
The NFL's trade deadline is fast approaching, and that is finally starting to mean something. After a near century of stagnant deadline behavior from NFL teams, we are starting to see contenders make a mid-season push with trades. It's a refreshing change of pace, even if it often results in a waste of money and assets.
The big mover so far this deadline was Kevin Byard, who leaves Tennessee for arguably the best defense in the NFL. This could be a positive move for Byard's fantasy value, or a negative one. On the season, Byard is just the 33rd highest-scoring fantasy DB in my standard scoring system. After regularly notching four or five picks each year, he has zero forced turnovers in 2023. So far Byard has been a good tackle provider but little else.
We hope Byard's tackle production will continue in Philly, but the big plays will increase with an elite defense around him. I am holding off on making Byard a DB1 for one reason, though. That is the presence of Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown. Both Blankenship and Brown have looked good this year, and Blankenship plays Byard's position. It's tough to put Byard or Blankenship in our top ten without knowing how the snaps will be divvied up.
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Stream: Carl Granderson, DL, New Orleans Saints
Granderson has sat comfortably in our DL3 tier this season, somewhere toward the back of that class. His production over the past three weeks, 30 standard fantasy points, has raised his profile, though. While the Colts' blocking is strong enough to negate Granderson to some degree, they are the seventh-most pass-heavy offense in the league and average the fifth-most offensive plays.
Granderson has the potential for a sack in this one. However, even if Indy’s solid blocking keeps him from the quarterback, expect the Saints’ new leading pass rusher to be startable thanks to his tackle volume.
Stream: Jack Gibbens, LB, Tennessee Titans
We bumped Azeez Al-Shaair into the top tier of our LB rankings this week because of his matchup with Atlanta. The Falcons and Titans are historically run-heavy teams, with Atlanta again in the top ten in rush attempts per game. The only reason both teams aren't in the top five in rush attempts per game is that they've regularly played from behind against tough run defenses. We expect this to be a close and low-scoring game, though.
For all those reasons, we bumped Al-Shaair way up our rankings. For those same reasons, we are telling you to consider streaming Gibbens as an LB2 again.
Fade: Devon Witherspoon, CB, Seattle Seahawks
Witherspoon is currently the 11th most rostered DB in fantasy, which is understandable when you consider he averaged the most fantasy points per game of any fantasy DB through Week 6. That said, 56.1% of Witherspoon’s production comes from big plays in the passing game. While he padded the box score with 11 tackles against a pass-heavy Carolina offense, the Illinois product is as volume-dependent as any other fantasy CB.
The data suggests Witherspoon won’t get elite volume this week. The rookie lines up exclusively over the wide right receiver this season. Cleveland has targeted the right area of the field just 29% of the time. Worse, Amari Cooper has lined up wide left just 38% of the time. Add in that P.J. Walker tosses a below-league average of 33 attempts per game this year, and Witherspoon's volume could be low.
DEVON WITHERSPOON WITH NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) October 22, 2023
Fade: Buffalo Bills Edge Rushers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' blockers are surrendering the fewest quarterback pressures in the league this year. Their starting tackles are surrendering fewer than two pressures per game combined. Baker Mayfield is tied for the fewest sacks per game in the NFL, too. That data is seriously concerning for all Buffalo edge rushers.
Premium/Deep League Streamers and Fades
Stream: Blake Cashman, LB, Houston Texans
Cashman has taken advantage of injuries to Denzel Perryman and Christian Harris, earning a starter designation in Houston's past four games. He's earned 60% or more of the snaps in three of those contests. When he has played 60% or more of the Texans' snaps, he's been a high-end LB2 for fantasy purposes.
Keep a close eye on whether Perryman and Harris will play this week. It could be hard to trust Cashman's snap share if they do. Henry To'oTo'o has earned a starter role, while Harris and Perryman were starting before their injuries. Cashman may or may not eat into their time now that he's performed so well, but the risk he won't makes him tough to trust in Week 8 if all of Houston's LBs are healthy.
Cashman is a must-start LB2 in most leagues if Harris and Perryman are both out. Cashman remains viable in deeper leagues if one of Harris or Perryman is out. If both are back, closely monitor beat reporters on this matter before wadding up your Cash… see what I did there? Very clever.
Stream: Jermaine Johnson, DL, New York Jets
Johnson doesn't have the kind of volume that makes you feel safe. His advanced metrics are also decent but not great. That’s why he’s rostered in just 0.9% of IDP leagues. However, his pass rush win rate is higher than many fantasy stalwarts, like Danielle Hunter and Denico Autry, and his matchup against the Giants is very positive.
The Giants remain the lowest-rated pass-blocking team in the NFL. They are surrendering a staggering 19 quarterback pressures per game, and their blockers alone are responsible for nearly 3.3 sacks per game. It's a very beatable line and Johnson should avoid Andrew Thomas on half of his snaps, if the left tackle does play this week.
Fade: Trent McDuffie, CB, Kansas City Chiefs
McDuffie bailed you out last time he played against the Broncos, notching a forced fumble that compensated for just two tackles all game. Denver isn’t a plus matchup for fantasy cornerbacks, though, and McDuffie’s low tackle total from their past contest isn’t an outlier.
The Washington alum plays all over the field, but he spends 52% of his time in the slot. The Broncos have the sixth-lowest volume passing offense in the league this year, and they target the slot just 20% of the time. While McDuffie does play in the box enough to collect tackles in run support, the Broncos’ offense shouldn’t offer him a lot of volume. That makes McDuffie’s position as fantasy’s 31st-most-started DB seem a bit rich.
Fade: Alex Anzalone, LB, Detroit Lions
I told you to stream Anzalone recently, but I was clear about how underwhelming of a player he is. Now Anzalone has a solid matchup with the Raiders, but… he's starting over many fantasy LBs who are significantly better than he is.
As of this writing, Anzalone is the 23rd most started LB in fantasy. He is starting in more leagues than Logan Wilson, Eric Kendricks, Kaden Elliss, Kenneth Murray Jr., Germaine Pratt, and Nate Landman, just to name a few. Each of those players is well ahead of Anzalone in our rankings, with more talent and equally good matchups.
Defenders Worth Adding
Drue Tranquill, LB, Kansas City Chiefs
As long as Nick Bolton is out, Tranquill is worth rostering and deploying. At worst, he profiles as an LB3 in most formats. In the three games Bolton previously missed this season, Tranquill averaged 8.3 tackles per game while collecting an FF and two quarterback hits. That production is consistent with what he did as a starter with the Chargers in 2022.
Tranquill is available in 96.8% of IDP leagues.
How sweet was it to have Drue Tranquill get a sack against his old QB? 🔥pic.twitter.com/HWs6TcoHmp
— Brad Henson Productions (@BradHensonPro) October 23, 2023
Kwity Paye, DL, Indianapolis Colts
Paye is available in 96.1% of IDP leagues, despite regularly ranking as a high-end DL3 for us when healthy. While the Michigan alum's advanced pass rush metrics are below average, he has three games on the season with four or more tackles and he's notched a sack in half of his contests.
The Saints offer Paye a fine streaming profile this week, as well. They allow 14 pressures per game and have only one starter who scores positively in pass protection this year.
Zyon McCollum, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
McCollum is strictly a deep league and deep dynasty stash at this point in his career. That said, I loved his combination of size and speed coming into last year's NFL Draft. His playing time isn't consistent with Tampa, but he's their highest-graded corner in coverage, and he's nabbed three PDs while allowing a 50% completion rate in four games.
The Bucs are a team that should transition toward younger players soon, and McCollum could end up replacing the more expensive Carlton Davis or Jamel Dean as soon as next year. Opponents won't know to avoid him yet, so he could be a productive fantasy CB for some time.
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