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IDP fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks for Week 9 of 2025. Chris looks at IDP streamers, fades, matchups, and starts/sits for NFL defensive players.
Sometimes IDP managers must read between the lines more than the average fantasy fan. When an NFL team acquires a new quarterback in trade, it is typically clear whether that is a depth move or if the starter is in trouble. Likewise, when a team adds a running back, the picture is often clear. Only one RB can tote the rock at once, and film tells you if the new face is in trouble.
Unfortunately, things are not always so clear on defense. Defensive coordinators rotate their defensive linemen far more than offenses rotate their star receivers or starting offensive line. Knowing how many snaps a new defensive end may steal from others on that line is unclear, and a new defensive back could force someone to the bench… or to the outside.
A fine example of this dilemma is Cooper DeJean. A firm DB2 all season, DeJean is now at risk of seeing his fantasy stock plummet with Philadelphia’s addition of Michael Carter II. Much of DeJean’s fantasy value comes from his ability to man the slot and safety, where he gets plenty of tackles. Now, Carter is set to fill that spot while DeJean moves to the unfriendly island outside.
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Patience Preach of the Week
Jamien Sherwood, LB, New York Jets
Sherwood was benched to start the Jets' game against the Bengals, and, as of this writing, there has been no public explanation for the move. This factor, combined with New York’s bye this week, has led IDP managers to drop Sherwood in 10% of leagues (more than Lavonte David, Zack Baun, and Carson Schwesinger combined).
The drop rate for Sherwood is an overreaction. He is the ninth-highest graded run defender amongst all NFL linebackers this year, and the Jets' defense faces the third most rush attempts in the NFL. When Gang Green routinely falls behind, opponents will run the clock out, and the Jets will need their leading tackler on the field.
While the Jets' leadership may frequently ignore logic, it is worth remembering that they did get Sherwood back on the field early against Cincinnati, and he remains their top run defender. All indications are that this benching was temporary, likely disciplinary in nature, and the highly paid team captain will stay a fantasy fixture.
Casual IDP Streamers and Fades
Stream: Nick Bolton, LB, Kansas City Chiefs
Bolton is currently LB37 overall in fantasy points per game, and he was LB29 overall last year. Despite those facts, he was the 15th most drafted linebacker in redraft leagues coming into the season, and he is currently the 20th most rostered in fantasy. With that in mind, we usually consider the Missouri product overrated in fantasy.
However, the Chiefs have a strong matchup that vaults Bolton into LB1 consideration this week. The Bills are the most run-heavy offense in the NFL this season, averaging nearly two rush attempts more than the second-heaviest run offense. While that script may not hold against KC, you can bet Buffalo will try to make it stick early.
Stream: Tyrique Stevenson, DB, Chicago Bears
Stevenson was reportedly a full participant in practice on Thursday, indicating he should start against a Bengals offense averaging the most pass attempts in the NFL. This is a particularly good matchup if Jake Browning is the starter, as Browning averages the highest turnover-worthy play rate of any QB with at least three starts.
What a grab by @dreamchaserTy10 😱
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/5UAEHvDqWB
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) September 28, 2025
Even if Joe Flacco does end up going, the matchup is golden for everyone in the Bears’ secondary. Stevenson is particularly attractive for fantasy because he plays the side of the field that Ja'Marr Chase slightly favors. That matchup is enough to elevate the DB26 in fantasy ppg into our top 20 this week.
Fade: Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Chicago Bears
Naming Edmunds a fade feels counterintuitive, considering he is higher in our rankings this week than he has been all season. However, his rise in our rankings is more indicative of the linebackers on bye and the bad matchups for others than it is an indication that we fully trust this Bear as a top option this week.
The Bengals have the lowest volume run offense in the NFL, resulting in poor volume for all opposing linebackers they face. The saving grace for Edmunds could be the fact that Flacco loves targeting the middle of the field, but the game script and opposing offense mean Edmunds is a boom-or-bust prospect whose floor may be too low for some.
Fade: DeForest Buckner, DL, Indianapolis Colts
Buckner is currently the sixth-most-started and ninth-most-rostered DL in fantasy, but he is just DL26 in fantasy ppg. While leagues that require you to start a DT are partially responsible for inflating Buckner's numbers, that is a niche setting that does not entirely explain his overusage this week.
The Steelers have surrendered just two sacks and are allowing only 3.8 quarterback pressures per game from the interior, where Buckner lines up 66% of the time. Worse, Pittsburgh is surrendering the eighth-fewest sacks, the 10th-fewest fumbles, and is averaging the fewest offensive plays in the NFL.
Premium/Deep League Streamers and Fades
Stream: Khalil Mack, DL/LB, Los Angeles Chargers
While Mack may feel like too big a name to be a "deep league streamer," he is just the 58th most started DL as of Thursday afternoon. He is also just the 60th most rostered DL, suggesting he is readily available in plenty of deep leagues.
Khalil Mack fights through a chip and a double team for his 2nd sack in two weeks. #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/rFy0p9JGDB
— Steven Haglund (@StevenIHaglund) October 25, 2025
The Chargers have a solid matchup on tap this week, with the Titans surrendering the most sacks per game in the NFL. Better yet, Cam Ward is tied for the third most fumbles in the league. That is good news for Mack, who was dominant against the Vikings last week and has graded positively as a pass rusher in three of four games so far.
Stream: Malik Mustapha, DB, San Francisco 49ers
Mustapha was a preseason sleeper for us last year and a deep league stash for us this preseason. We warned you that he was a potential fantasy force whenever he became fully healthy, and that prediction is finally coming true for fantasy’s 75th most rostered DB.
The 49ers finally gave Mustapha 100% of the defensive snaps in Week 8. That high usage translated into 11 total tackles, which is something the Wake Forest product has proven he can do with some consistency in the right situation. Expect the Giants to give Mustapha plenty of opportunities in what profiles to be a close matchup.
Fade: Nick Herbig, DL, Pittsburgh Steelers
Herbig is currently the 40th most started and 38th most rostered DL in fantasy. This is despite the fact that he has held little to no fantasy value since Alex Highsmith's return from injury.
Since Highsmith came back, Herbig is averaging just 37% of the team’s defensive snaps and 1.75 fantasy points per game. This was despite the Steelers playing in two competitive contests that they trailed and lost. If there was a time for Herbig to rotate in more and get a sack, it was against the pass-happy Bengals.
Fade: Pete Werner, LB, New Orleans Saints
Werner is another player who finds our fades list because fantasy managers are not recognizing his diminishing role. Instead, they see a hot start that still bolsters his fantasy points per game into a reasonable range.
Unfortunately, Werner has seemingly lost his starting role over the past few weeks. Since Week 6, the Ohio State alum has failed to crack the pivotal 60% snap rate, and he was officially removed as a starter last week. In that span, he's totaled just 11 tackles and 14.5 total fantasy points despite collecting a valuable sack and pass deflection.
Defenders Worth Stashing
Nick Emmanwori, DB, Seattle Seahawks
We told you that Emmanwori would loiter on this list until his roster rate rose significantly. With a bye last week, his rate has actually gone down instead of up. So, the ultra-talented tackling safety remains in this spot as one of the best values in IDP, especially in dynasty formats.
Josh Sweat, DL, Arizona Cardinals
The perception of Sweat appears to be that he cannot succeed outside of the deep and well-schemed Philadelphia front. The reality is, the former Seminole is doing just fine in a much worse situation. Sweat is currently the 29th highest scoring DL but the 68th most rostered.
Loved this play by Josh Sweat on the back side. Great footwork and hand usage to blow by the RT and then great motor and pursuit to get the rb down pic.twitter.com/tZKR0YDRs5
— K1SinceDay1 (@KSzn2021) October 10, 2025
Uchenna Nwosu, DL, Seattle Seahawks
Nwosu is the 51st most rostered DL in fantasy, which makes sense when you consider he is DL49 in fantasy points per game. However, that fantasy average is deceivingly low.
The USC alum saw just 26% of the defensive snaps in Seattle's first two games, tanking his fantasy ppg. However, his usage has spiked since then, and he has started the Seahawks' past three games. In that span, he is averaging 7.1 fantasy points per game, which makes him DL11 overall in games where he has seen over 50% of the snaps.
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