IDP Matchups, Living the Stream: Week 9

There are certain unpleasant realities in IDP leagues, just as there are in the NFL. Sometimes, players get injured. Other times, players just (for whatever reason) fail to produce statistically at the level required to make them fantasy-relevant. Neither is fun. Both can create holes in starting lineups.

That's bad enough. But occasionally, the NFL comes along and blasts a massive hole in lineups, too.

For reasons known only to the brain trust at 345 Park Avenue in New York, Week 9 is one of two instances this season in which half a dozen teams aren't playing (The second is in Week 14—which is a nightmare for another day.). The Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers are all idle this week.

That's rather a problem for IDP managers.

Myles Garrett of the Browns, Nick Bosa of the 49ers, and Demarcus Lawrence of the Cowboys are all top-five defensive ends this season. None are playing in Week 9. Neither are 49ers linebacker Fred Warner, Steelers linebacker Myles Jack, or Micah Parsons of the Cowboys. Neither are San Francisco's Talanoa Hufanga or Pittsburgh's Minkah Fitzpatrick, both of whom are top-10 safeties after eight weeks.

That's quite the list--and it's by no means exhaustive.

All those holes in lineups are far from ideal. But lamenting them doesn't get IDP managers any closer to filling them. To finding matchup plays, injury replacements, or waiver options who can potentially help get teams through the Byepocalypse. To help them grind out a win to get one step closer to a playoff spot.

In that respect, this may well be the most important edition of Living the Stream so far this season.

No pressure. I'm only hyperventilating a little.

DE Yetur Gross-Matos, Carolina (at Cincinnati)

A second-round pick out of Penn State back in 2020, Gross-Matos was a pre-season favorite of Footballguys' own John Norton. And to be fair, the youngster brings a lot to the table—he's a ferocious edge-setter capable of lining up at edge and tackle. And per Augusta Stone of the Panthers' website, Gross-Matos said going into the 2022 season that he's intent on taking the next step this year.

"I feel like I could be one of the better players in this league," Gross-Matos said. "I feel like I'm definitely ready to make the jump going into this season. I just have to focus on keeping myself on the field. I'll be able to produce when I'm out there."

That production hasn't so much been there this season—the half-sack that Gross Matos logged last week against the Falcons was his first of the year. But Gross-Matos also tallied six total tackles in Week 8 and played a whopping 82 percent of Carolina's defensive snaps. This week, the Panthers face a Bengals team that just allowed five sacks while employing the "matador" blocking technique. If Gross Matos is going to have a breakout game in 2022, this is the week.

EDGE Jaelan Phillips, Miami (at Chicago)

A first-round pick of the Dolphins a year ago, Phillips showed flashes as a rookie, tallying 8.5 sacks while playing 54 percent of Miami's defensive snaps. That performance in 2021 led to a sizable boost in snaps in 2022, and as Phillips told Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post, that bump in snaps has left him digging deep at times to avoid getting gassed.

"You have that mental toughness because it's easy to quit," Phillips said. "It's easy when you're tired to tap out, say, 'Coach, replacement' or whatever it is, when the game's on the line. I feel like I need to be out there for my teammates. And so that's when you really just got to go to a dark place and just dig deep. That's where the passion and the love that I have from our teammates comes in moments where you know everything, your whole physiological being, is telling you to quit like your body is telling you to quit, but your mind you got to be stronger than that."

To date this season, the production hasn't exactly met the bump in playing time—Phillips has just 3.5 sacks in eight games. But not only does Phillips have a great pass-rushing matchup this week with a Bears team that has allowed a league-leading 31 sacks, but the arrival of Bradley Chubb should mean many more single-team blocks moving forward. This could be more than just a one-week investment.

EDGE Joe Tryon-Soyinka, Tampa Bay (vs. LA Rams)

When the Buccaneers spent a first-round pick last year on Washington edge-rusher Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, the plan was that the Washington standout would eventually step in as a starter opposite Shaquil Barrett. Back before the season began, veteran linebacker Lavonte David told reporters that he believed the sky was the limit for Tryon-Shoyinka in 2022.

"People may not know, but he had to do a lot of different things (last year) for us just because you had to get him on the field, a guy like that," David said. "He played a lot of different positions for us, even played some stand-up linebacker sometimes. His upside is real good. Now he's got the opportunity to be a full-time starter and show what he can do, and I'm looking forward to that. He showed flashes at times."

Results have been mixed at best this season for Tryon-Shoyinka, although he did register a sack in last week's loss to the Baltimore Ravens. But with Barrett's season now over thanks to a torn Achilles, Tryon-Shoyinka isn't just a pass-rusher for Tampa. He's the pass-rusher for the Buccaneers, and as such, he's not going to be leaving the field much.

LB JaWhaun Bentley, New England (vs. Indianapolis)

The Patriots have had some excellent off-ball linebackers in the Bill Belichick era, whether it was Dont'a Hightower or current Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo. Fifth-year veteran Ja'Whaun Bentley might not be a talent on the level of those players. But as Belichick told reporters, Bentley has emerged as a leader for the Patriots front seven.

“He and Devin do a great job of leading the defense: Bentley in the front seven, McCourty in the back end,” Belichick said. “And they work together well. He has really good leadership. Each year it’s gotten better. He’s a very smart player, he understands situations, calls, adjustments – knows how to apply them and does a great job of communicating.”

There's no such thing as a full-time linebacker in New England—Bentley leads the off-ball linebackers in snaps, but he hasn't hit the 75 percent mark for the season. Still, when the matchup's right, he can be a solid fill-in for IDP managers, and this week the Patriots face a Colts team allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to linebackers in 2022.

LB Willie Gay Jr Jr., Kansas City (vs. Tennessee)

Gay was off to arguably the best start to a season in his career in 2022, but a four-game personal conduct suspension put the brakes on any breakout. The third-year veteran returned to action two weeks ago against the San Francisco 49ers, and he told reporters after that contest that it felt great to be back on the field again.

“Man, I felt like my strength coach did a great job keeping me in shape over the past couple of weeks,” Gay said. “So, when I got out there, I was getting the flow of things again. Four weeks was a long time not being able to play football. I’ll tell you, you can run and lift weights all day, but when you’re really out there and your mind gets to roll you’re like, ‘ah, okay, let’s go.’”

Gay played just 57 percent of the snaps against San Francisco but made the most of his playing time, logging eight total tackles and half a sack. On some level, this week's matchup with Tennessee could be even better—the Chiefs are likely going to want two linebackers on the field to help try to contain Derrick Henry. That sets Gay up well to play 70-plus percent of the snaps—and potentially better his total from Kansas City's last game.

LB Jack Sanborn, Chicago (vs. Miami)

Sanborn was a preseason favorite of Bears fans—a Chicago native and Wisconsin standout who made the 53-man roster as an undrafted free agent. As Derrik Klassen of Bleacher Report wrote in his scouting report for Sanborn before the draft, Sanborn is the prototypical Badgers linebacker—hard-nosed and excellent against the run but potentially a liability in space.

"Overall," he wrote, "Sanborn brings a high floor to the position. He understands his keys well and does a great job remaining one step ahead of the play. His athletic tools may hold him back from being a true impact player, but he can be a competent backup right away while trying to further hone his craft in order to become a legit starter."

There's no guarantee that Sanborn will be able to hold down as a three-down role as the replacement for Roquan Smith—the Bears added a capable veteran linebacker in that same deal in A.J. Klein. But Klein only just got to the Windy City, and it makes sense for the Bears to see what they have (or not) in the rookie. He should play quite a bit against the Dolphins Sunday. Where things go from there will be up to him.

S Adrian Amos, Green Bay (at Detroit)

When the conversation turns to the NFL's best veteran safeties, you aren't going to hear Adrian Amos' name mentioned outside Wisconsin. And in fairness, he's not a great player. But Amos has carved out an eight-year career that includes 113 starts by being a very good safety, and Mike Spofford of Green Bay's website thinks it's time we put some respect on Amos' name.

"He isn't the fastest or more athletically dynamic safety," Spofford wrote. "He's not a league leader in interceptions. He's also not a Pro Bowler, though he's been an alternate once and there's an argument he's deserved the recognition more often. But Amos is one smart safety who brings a heck of a lot to the Packers' defense. He's also sneaky fast, which shows up on the film when he uses his instincts to anticipate plays and get to a spot sooner than it appears he could."

Sadly, Amos has also long been a better NFL player than IDP option. But he's also a guy who, when the matchup is right, can produce—such as his 10-stop effort against the Washington Commanders a couple of weeks ago. There's some potential for that kind of outing in Week 9, when the Packers take on a Lions team allowing the seventh-most fantasy points per game to safeties.

S Kerby Joseph, Detroit (vs. Green Bay)

A third-round rookie out of Illinois, Joseph opened his first professional season as a spectator. But when Tracy Walker was lost to a season-ending injury, Joseph was thrust into the starting lineup. As Nolan Bianchi reported for the Detroit News, Joseph was confident that he could not only fill in for arguably Detroit's best defensive player but make a real impact while doing so.

"I'm a baller, you feel me? I feel like I'm a playmaker, and playmakers make plays," Joseph said. "That's what I'm gonna do. Any way I can get it, any way how it happens, I'm gonna make plays," Joseph said. "You gonna see something you ain't never seen before from me, but I'm not surprised from it, you feel me? Because I know who I am."

Joseph's tackle numbers haven't been especially impressive—his six stops last week were a season-high. But he has now forced a fumble in two straight games, he has played essentially every defensive snap over the past four weeks, and this week, he and the Lions play host to a Packers team allowing the 10th-most fantasy points per game to safeties.

CB Michael Jackson, Seattle (at Arizona)

There has been no shortage said or written about the rookie seasons turned in by Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant in Seattle this year, and rightly so. But fourth-year pro Michael Jackson is quite the success story in how own right—the fourth-year journeyman who turned into a quality full-time starter. Jackson told reporters it wasn't a matter of changing how he did things—he just needed an opportunity to show what he can do.

“It’s a journey,” Jackson said. “It is one of those things where I always believed there was light at the end of the tunnel. It’s just the beginning, I can’t stop now. I was just being me, I didn’t try to be anyone else, I worked hard and prepared my body and mind. All of those mental reps that I got last year for the whole season, all of that went into play.”

Jackson was solid statistically last week against the Giants, amassing seven solos and three passes defensed in a Seahawks win. With DeAndre Hopkins and an Arizona Cardinals team giving up the third-most fantasy points per game to cornerbacks next on the slate, Jackson's a fine matchup play in IDP leagues that require his position.