Going into the 2022 season, the push for using true position for IDP is stronger than ever. At Footballguys, we want to make sure that we have you covered in all facets of the game. Weekly, I will provide our readers with a list of some deep sleepers/streamers that will provide startable intrigue. All of the players in these weekly articles are low in rankings and likely on waivers, though provide appeal based on potential usage and offensive line matchup.
I will be using our own Matt Bitonti's offensive line rankings on the footballguys website. His rankings are some of the best around and will aid with useful information to help find those deep weekly streamers. We have not seen any regular season action yet, so we haven't seen any pressures given up or statistical information based on repetitions. For Week 1, the streamer recommendations will be based on Matt's rankings, players' roles, previous production, and preseason showing. Without further ado, here are some excellent streaming options at the IDP and edge positions from a true-position perspective.
Week 1 Edge and IDL Streaming Options
Edge Samson Ebukam, San Francisco 49ers
Matchup: Chicago Bears - 29th Overall in Matt Bitonti's Rankings
Samson Ebukam joined the 49ers in 2021 after four successful seasons as a role player with the Rams. He played 51% of the 49ers' defensive snaps in his first season with the 49ers. Ebukam set a career-high in pressures in 2021 with 34, tacking on 4.5 sacks. He is a terrific tackler, posting an elite 82.3 tackle grade per Pro Football Focus in 2021, easily the best of his career. The 49ers have one of the strongest defensive lines in all of football. Ebukam is joined by Arik Armstead and Nick Bosa, each has at one point led the team in sacks. Bosa in 2021 with 16.5 sacks and Armstead in 2019 with 10. Armstead is sliding back to the interior, joining Javon Kinlaw, who showed real explosiveness during preseason action. Ebukam showed some explosion of his own in the preseason, coming up with a sack on the first play of preseason, which you can see here as he drives back the tackle.
#49ers DE Samson Ebukam with the sack on the very first defensive play of the game 😤🔥 pic.twitter.com/mjPfZDQniT
— ninerspride (@ninerspride_) August 26, 2022
Ebukam and the 49ers are matched up with the Chicago Bears for Week 1. Matt Bitonti has the Bears ranked 29th overall. The Bears are obviously in dire need of offensive line help as they claimed failed first-round pick Alex Leatherwood off of waivers. They are also starting a fifth-round rookie left tackle, Braxton Jones, which rarely is a recipe for success. The 49ers should feast on this lackluster offensive line in Week 1.
Edge Jadeveon Clowney, Cleveland Browns
Matchup: Carolina Panthers - 26th Overall in Matt Bitonti's Rankings
Clowney may be rostered and possibly a starter, but more likely than not, he is on your bench. Week 1 is the perfect time to start him, though. Earlier in the off-season, I had Clowney as one of the best potential value picks to draft at the DL position, which you can read here. In 2021, Clowney posted the third-most pressures of his career with 53 total pressures, posting a 69.1 pass rushing grade per PFF. Clowney and the Browns get to attack their former signal caller in Week 1, Baker Mayfield.
Mayfield has a lackluster offensive line in front of him. Matt Bitonti has them ranked 26th overall in his expert rankings. Clowney and elite edge rusher Myles Garrett will make Baker Mayfield run for his life. Garrett will probably see plenty of double teams to protect Mayfield from his relentless onslaught. Clowney is one of the league's best No. 2 defensive ends. Clowney holds Week 1 Edge1 potential.
IDL Arik Armstead, San Francisco 49ers
Matchup: Chicago Bears - 29th Overall in Matt Bitonti's Rankings
Amstead lined up on the inside, his original defensive line position, after being miscast on the edge for a few seasons. He responded with a career-high in tackles (63). Armstead also posted an excellent 77.9 overall defensive grade and a 78.0 pass-rush grade per PFF. His six sacks from 2021 were the second best of his career, and he was missing his interior running mate, Javon Kinlaw. As mentioned earlier, the defensive line is healthy, and there will be pressure from all directions. Armstead is a relentless interior rusher with great hand usage, as you can see here.
Just make Arik Armstead a 49er for life. He doesn't need to play for anyone else. #49wz pic.twitter.com/DThz4oVfA1
— WayneBreezie (@WayneBreezie) March 16, 2022
Bosa, Ebukam, and Drake Jackson will all be pressing the edge and collapsing the pocket. Armstead is facing off against a lackluster Bear offensive line. Not only is Armstead a terrific streaming option, but a borderline IDL must-start.
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IDL Jerry Tillery, Los Angeles Chargers
Matchup: Las Vegas Raiders - 30th Overall in Matt Bitonti's Rankings
Jerry Tillery had some pretty serious hype as an interior pass rusher coming out of Notre Dame. He is an incredibly explosive athlete, though he has yet to put together a complete season so far in his career. Here is some of the explosion Charger fans hope to see more of.
Jerry Tillery doing Jerry Tillery things.
— Austin Gayle (@austingayle_) August 18, 2019
jfc pic.twitter.com/671MTztyex
What he has been able to do is constantly improve. His sack conversion rate spiked from 8% in 2020 to 16% in 2021. He created 31 total pressures from the interior and will be the main interior pass rusher on a now-stacked defensive line. The Chargers traded for Khalil Mack to pair with Joey Bosa, making one of the top edge defender duos in the NFL. They also added run stuffers Austin Johnson and Sebastian Joseph-Day, which will allow Tillery to pour all of his focus on getting to the quarterback. Matt Bitonti has the Raiders offensive line ranked 30th overall, and Tillery gets them in Week 1. He holds some great appeal to put up some strong numbers.
Week 1 Edge and IDL Sleepers
Edge James Smith-Williams, Washington Commanders
Matchup: Jacksonville Jaguars - 28th Overall in Matt Bitonti's Rankings
Who? James Smith-Williams is not on anybody's radar. There is a reason for that, but it does not mean he does not provide some intrigue for Week 1. Smith-Williams will fill in on the edge for the Commanders while Chase Young returns from his injury. He will miss the first four games of the season on the PUP list. However, this would not be the first time Smith-Williams was tasked with this. In 2021 he made six starts with Young out. He accumulated a modest 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 7 pressures during those starts, playing an average of 68% of the team's snaps. Smith-Williams has overwhelming power off the edge, which he displayed here last season, picking up his first career sack.
James Smith-Williams goes with the WWE take-down for his first career sack!#WashingtonFootball pic.twitter.com/mxzxxARLOH
— Chad Ryan (@ChadwikoTWW) October 31, 2021
Overall, in 2021, Smith-Williams played just 388 total snaps. He accumulated 30 tackles, 11 pressures, and 2.5 sacks. Smith-Williams is familiar with the system and will be the least focal point of the stout defensive line the Commanders boast, offering plenty of one-on-one matchups. In Week 1, they play the Jacksonville Jaguars, ranked 26th overall This call may be deep, but it could provide ample return.
IDL Dean Lowry, Green Bay Packers
Matchup: Minnesota Vikings - 18th Overall in Matt Bitonti's Rankings
Dean Lowry is easily the most over-looked and underrated player on the Packers' defensive line. All he does is produce. He boasted a 73.8 pass-rush grade in 2021 per PFF, racking up 45 total pressures and 5 sacks over a 63% snap-share. Lowry plays with powerful leg drive and a maddening bull rush which you can see here.
Dean Lowry doesn't get enough love from Packers fans for the career year he's having. He's been bull rushing offensive linemen all season. pic.twitter.com/2T58lBR8dd
— Salvatore (@Fear_Jaire) January 11, 2022
The Packers have one of the most complete defensive lines in the NFL. Coming off the edge, they have stud Rashan Gary, amongst the leaders in pressures in 2021 (81), and veteran Preston Smith. On the interior, they have one of the best nose tackles in the game, Kenny Clark. They also just recently added former 2016 2nd round pick, Jarran Reed. Reed will join Lowry as the starting defensive ends. The Packers also drafted Devonte Wyatt in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. All the hype is now on Wyatt, leaving Lowry as the forgotten man. The Packers tango with the Vikings, who are ranked 18th by Matt Bitonti. Though they are terrible as a group, more middle of the pack, they are starting a rookie right guard in Ed Ingram. Ingram is going to have his hands full.
Final thoughts
Maybe you either punted drafting the front seven or have already been hit by the injury bug - Harold Landry managers, I feel your pain. Either way, all of these players can be impactful for your fantasy rosters. The streamers hold IDL/Edge2 potential while the sleepers are more boom or bust. They can make an impact if you desperately need them to. We will bring you more streamers every week, helping attack the injury bug or the shallow spots of your roster. Thanks again for reading. Hopefully, this helps you win Week 1.