Week 2 IDP Fantasy Football Rankings

Chris Gregory gives his IDP rankings and the top streamers to start along with defensive players to sit for Week 2 of the 2021 fantasy football season.

Everything went according to plan in Week 1, right?

No injuries to key pass rushers, no mysterious benching of a young WR without warning, and no goose eggs laid by defending MVPs? No late-night trips to a certain fast-food chain that tied you to your toilet and rendered you physically unable to claim Elijah Mitchell before your opponent did, either?

If you got out of Week 1 free and clear of all concerns or worries, congratulations. You are one of the only ones in the entire world. Most of us have at least one team with one player who came up limping, saw his role decimated by an upset coach, or was mysteriously left off the game-day roster entirely. Those moves may have helped you win or handed you your first loss. NFL teams feel your pain and your triumph, either way.

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Last Week's Injuries

Injuries of particular note to IDP managers were those suffered by Dre Greenlaw, Demarcus Lawrence, Jason Verrett, Jeff Okudah, Bradley Chubb, and Marshon Lattimore. While some of these names don’t seem particularly fantasy-relevant, each loss has a real IDP impact. For example, the loss of shutdown corners like Lattimore and Verrett can impact the ability of pass rushers like Cameron Jordan or Nick Bosa to get after a passer. Conversely, the loss of Chubb could impact the ability of a Broncos defensive back to collect an interception. On each level, injuries impact other players and your team.

We mention these losses because IDP managers should be aware of everything going on around their defenders. Just like you might have discounted Ezekiel Elliott last week after Zack Martin went down, you must consider how your defenders may be impacted by injuries falling around them.

With the impact of injuries in mind, we have factored in these new injuries and come up with a new sleight of rankings for Week 2. Enjoy!

Top-30 Fantasy Defensive Linemen for Week 2

DL Matchup of the Week: Chandler Jones v. Minnesota Vikings

As we stated in our IDP Waiver column earlier this week, we love the matchup for Jones and the Cardinals defense in Week 2. The veteran silenced his doubters with an elite Week 1 performance against the Titans, somehow looking better now (at age 31) than he did at any point last year. A poor Vikings offensive line should help extend Jones’ soak in the Fountain of Youth for at least one more week.

Last week the Vikings gave up 11 pressures to a Bengals defensive line without a blue-chip player on its front. However, that stat does not adequately convey just how bad the Vikings’ line was in Week 1. The unit suffered countless holding and false start penalties and created running lanes so small even the elusive Dalvin Cook couldn’t break through them. Kirk Cousins was visibly uncomfortable all game long. That problem should only get worse with a rejuvenated Jones and a thriving Cardinals front next on deck.

DL Streamer(s) of the Week: Matt Judon, New England Patriots & Rasheem Green, Seattle Seahawks

The Patriots’ expensive new pass rusher saw 15 pass rush opportunities and a healthy 89% of the snaps against a low-volume Dolphins offense last week. Expect those pass-rush opportunities to go up against a Jets offensive line with an Adjusted Sack Rate of 14% (third-worst in the NFL) and no Mekhi Becton. Judon has a good shot at a sack and a couple of TFLs this week.

Meanwhile, Rasheem Green is finally starting to come into the raw upside he displayed back at USC.  He was arguably the best pass rusher on Seattle’s front-seven last year, and his run support against the Colts was impressive. The Titans sported the second-worst pass blocking metrics of any line in Week 1, and Green has the talent to return great value in that matchup.

DL Fade of the Week: Panthers Pass Rushers

It will be tough benching Haason Reddick and Brian Burns in any IDP format after they swarmed the Jets offense with regularity last week. If you're counting on them as DL1 options this week, you may want to consider making that tough choice, though.

Against a solid Packers defense in Week 1, this Saints’ offensive line allowed only two quarterback hits the entire game. That rate was on point with their performance in 2020, when they allowed just 2.35 QB hits per game. Expect that to continue, as New Orleans’ blockers have tons of talent and well-earned chemistry. That strong unit and a reliable run game could neutralize both Reddick and Burns this week, which is why they are mid-tier DL2 options despite their talent and quick start to the season.

Top-30 Fantasy Linebackers for Week 2

LB Streamer of the Week: Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys

Fantasy analysts and managers continue to worry about Parsons’ IDP potential due to the crowded linebacker room in Dallas and the rookie’s lack of real football reps (one game played over the past two years). After a healthy 78% of the snaps in Week 1 and an increasing stranglehold on snaps that matter, those concerns should start to fade soon.

This week could be a particularly Parsons positive matchup, as the Chargers look to involve Austin Ekeler more in the passing game after he drew zero targets in Week 1. Ekeler, Keenan Allen, and Jared Cook all regularly run through Parson’s backyard, which should lead to significant fantasy opportunities. Consider him an LB2, rather than the LB3 many are ranking him as.

LB Fade of the Week: Joe Schobert, Pittsburgh Steelers

Schobert is an asset who traditionally relies on volume for fantasy value. The former Jaguar has regularly graded poorly as a tackler, finishing amongst the NFL’s leaders in Missed Tackles in each of the past three seasons, while his coverage and pass rush skills have been inconsistent over six seasons. In short, he doesn’t profile as the best at anything on this deep Steelers defense.

With his inconsistent skillset and snap share, fans should worry about Schobert going against a Raiders offense that threw the ball 56 times in a competitive matchup last week. The superior coverage skills of Devin Bush Jr. and Minkah Fitzpatrick should lead to them drawing most of the Darren Waller assignments. At the same time, pass rush responsibilities should go to the usual suspects in Pittsburgh. That division of duties could leave Schobert low on big-play opportunities and his tackle ceiling capped.

Top-30 Fantasy Defensive Backs for Week 2

Prime DB Matchup of the Week: Justin Simmons v. Jacksonville Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence will be a star, and his performance in Week 1 was honestly more promising than some headlines will lead you to believe. Lawrence actually played well for a rookie quarterback who was asked to throw 51 times in his first real NFL start.  That said, Lawrence's team is so bad that he had to throw 51 times against one of the least talented teams in the NFL, and Lawrence tossed three interceptions as a result.

The Denver Broncos' secondary and pass rush is far superior to what the Houston Texans were threatening Lawrence with last week. Simmons, in particular, profiles as someone who can take advantage of this young Jaguars offense with his range, ball skills, blitzing ability, and solid tackling. Expect Simmons to help contain Laviska Shenault Jr. on short passes while also drawing some deep looks against DJ Chark. Simmons has a relatively safe floor and an attractive ceiling this week. I

DB Fade of the Week: Everyone in Carolina Secondary

Most of you weren’t starting Jaycee Horn, Donte Jackson, or Juston Burris in your standard leagues. With that said, all IDP managers are starting Jeremy Chinn, and a minority of you roster Horn and Jackson. Each of these assets should be downgraded against a low-volume Saints attack, with Chinn ending up the only IDP asset worth starting in Week 2.

New Orleans ran the ball a lopsided 65% of their plays against Green Bay, and it’s a game script we can expect to continue as long as their strong defense and Alvin Kamara allow it. When the Saints did throw the ball last week, only 26% went to true WRs on the team. That low target rate for receivers spells low fantasy opportunity rates for corners. While the Saints’ WR group will surely be more involved as the season goes on, this was a troubling start for that unit, and it spells low volume for Jackson and Horn in particular.

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