IDP Upgrades: Week 7

This article immediately highlights defensive players whose production was significantly better or worse than normally expected for the prior week of games. Note there is sometimes limited information available when this article is written, but I will try to give everyone an early look at players who are moving up or down in value among IDP circles. When warranted, I'll also call out some players under No Change to explain why the stat lines may be misleading. It isn’t easy to give waiver advice for IDPs since there is such a wide variety of lineups and scoring systems, but hopefully, the information provided can help inform your waiver, trade, and upcoming lineup decisions. I'm also going to try and group edge rushers together with the understanding that classification as a defensive end or linebacker will depend on your league setup/host. If you have any questions about specific players or situations, please email me or reach out via Twitter.

Email: rudnicki@footballguys.com
Twitter: @a_rudnicki

UPGRADES

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/EDGE RUSHERS

DT Quinnen Williams, NYJ (4 solos, 1 asst, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 QH, 1 FF, 1 BK on 67% of snaps)
Williams has been very good in the past, but he could be on the verge of a huge season for a surprising Jets team. He was dominant against the Packers this week and now has at least a partial sack in 5 straight games.

DT Derrick Brown, CAR (3 solos, 4 asst, .5 sack, 2 QH on 78% of snaps)
Things are not going well for the Panthers this year, but Brown has been one of the few bright spots. He was a top-10 pick in 2020, and he saw a season-high 78% workload this week following the coaching change. He picked up seven tackles with a partial sack this week but also has six passes defensed on the year.

DL Justin Madubuike, BAL (3 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH on 69% of snaps)
After being shut out last week, Madubuike bounced back with a strong effort against the Giants this week. His 45 snaps this week were a season-high, and he is emerging as a core piece of the Ravens defensive line, playing opposite Calais Campbell.

DL Marquise Copeland, LAR (2 solos, 4 asst, 1 sack, 1 QH on 55% of snaps)
It looks like Copeland took over for Greg Gaines this week, and he was productive with six tackles and a sack on 24 snaps. Gaines saw his playing time drop to just 27% of the snaps this week, which is surprising considering he has averaged over 90% of the snaps in prior weeks.

DE Charles Omenihu, SF (2 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH on 71% of snaps)
With Nick Bosa sitting out this week, Omenihu replaced him in the lineup and once again saw a heavy workload. The 49ers defense did not have a good day against Marcus Mariota, but Omenihu recorded a sack for the third game in a row.

DE Efe Obada, WAS (2 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 3 QH, 1 PD on 36% of snaps)
Obada has been a valuable pass-rush specialist the past two years in Carolina, and he’s getting a chance for regular playing time in Washington this year. He’s played at least 30% of the snaps in all six games and has three sacks in his last four games. Chase Young still doesn’t have a clear timeline for returning, but Obada is playing well enough to remain in the rotation.

EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux, NYG (3 solos, 1 sack, 1 FF on 83% of snaps)
The rookie was one of the most impressive pass rushers in the draft this year, but he had a slow start after suffering a sprained MCL in the preseason. After sitting out the first two games of the year, he has seen his playing time ramp up to 80+% the past two games and came up with a huge strip-sack late in the game this week to seal the win.

EDGE Markus Golden, ARI (4 solos, 4 asst, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 1 QH on 81% of snaps)
Golden has not been very effective this year, but perhaps this week will help him get back on track. He played a season-high 55 snaps and finished second on the team in tackles with eight stops while also adding his first sack of the season.

EDGE ZaDarius Smith, MIN (3 solos, 1 asst, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 4 QH on 77% of snaps)
Smith is proving to be a very good signing after he was cut loose by the Packers this offseason. He’s averaging nearly 75% of the snaps and has been remarkably consistent with at least a partial sack in 5 of 6 games played.

EDGE Danielle Hunter, MIN (5 solos, 1 asst, 2 TFL, 3 QH on 82% of snaps)
Hunter may no longer be the same dominant player he was earlier in his career, but he’s starting to make an impact. He now has back-to-back games with six tackles plus a sack and is still in the prime of his career at just 28 years old.

LINEBACKERS

LB Zaven Collins, ARI (5 solos, 4 asst, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
While his production hasn’t been consistent from week to week, his workload has been. Collins has played almost every snap for the Cardinals this year in the middle of their defense, and the former first-round pick showed off his potential with a nine-tackle, two-sack game this week. He’ll try to keep it going on Thursday against the Saints.

LB Demario Davis, NO (7 solos, 2 asst, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH on 100% of snaps)
The emergence of Pete Werner in New Orleans this year took some of the shine off Davis, but he remains a very capable fantasy linebacker who never leaves the field. He gave the Bengals all they could handle this week and finished with 9 tackles plus two sacks in a game where Cincinnati only ran the ball 14 times.

LB Quincy Williams, NYJ (8 solos, 6 asst on 81% of snaps)
Williams returned to the starting lineup this week and reclaimed his role in nickel packages, while Kwon Alexander played just 27% of the snaps. He was all over the field and was credited with 14 tackles in a game where the Packers only ran the ball 20 times.

LB Troy Andersen, ATL (7 solos, 6 asst on 100% of snaps)
The rookie filled in for the injured Mykal Walker and wound up playing all 60 defensive snaps against a favorable matchup this week. He has long-term potential as a three-down player, and the recent trade of Deion Jones removed another potential obstacle.

LB Bobby Okereke, IND (8 solos, 5 asst, 1 TFL on 89% of snaps)
While he left the game briefly with a hand injury, it didn’t appear to slow him down, as Okereke still led the Colts with 13 combined tackles on 56 snaps. He could cede playing time to Shaquille Leonard at some point, but so far, he’s been highly productive with 38 solos and 17 assists for an average of 9+ combined tackles per game.

LB Patrick Queen, BAL (5 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 FF on 85% of snaps)
Queen has not lived up to expectations as a former first-round draft pick, but he’s looked more consistent this year. Through 6 games, he has registered at least four solo tackles in every game, and he remains a big-play threat with 2.5 sacks and an interception.

LB Cory Littleton, CAR (6 solos, 4 asst, .5 sack, 1 QH on 69% of snaps)
Frankie Luvu sat out again this week, and it was Littleton who once again saw the bulk of playing time to replace him. He out-snapped Damien Wilson 45 to 22 and contributed 10 tackles plus a partial sack against the Rams.

LB Elandon Roberts, MIA (3 solos, 4 asst, 1.5 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 QH on 75% of snaps)
Roberts is not a very exciting fantasy option, but he’s been averaging 40 snaps and 6 combined tackles per game for the Dolphins this year. If he continues to get to the quarterback like he did this week, however, his fantasy value will see a boost with some favorable matchups looming.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

CB Tyson Campbell, JAX (7 solos, 1 FF, 3 PD on 100% of snaps)
CB Shaq Griffin, JAX (7 solos, 2 asst, 2 TFL, 2 PD on 99% of snaps)
Both Jaguars cornerbacks saw a boost this week as Matt Ryan completed 42 of 58 pass attempts against the Jaguars defense. Expect some regression next week against the Giants, though.

CB Tariq Woolen, SEA (5 solos, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 FR on 100% of snaps)
CB Coby Bryan, SEA (5 solos, 3 asst, 1 FF, 1 PD on 75% of snaps)
The Seahawks defense is helping to key a turnaround for them, and the play of their cornerbacks has been a huge part. Woolen looks like a potential star and picked off an interception for the 4^th game in a row. Bryan is a big play machine as well, with four forced fumbles and a sack over his past five games.

S Ryan Neal, SEA (6 solos, 1 asst, 1 TFL, 1 QH, 1 FF, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
Neal has taken over for Josh Jones as the replacement for Jamal Adams at strong safety. He posted seven tackles a week ago, but only two of them were solo stops. He played a bigger role this week, however, as he was credited with six solo stops and also added a forced fumble and pass deflection.

S Kyle Dugger, NE (6 solos, 2 asst, 1 INT, 2 PD on 85% of snaps)
Dugger has seen his playing time increase from 58% of the snaps in week 4 to 85% of the snaps this week, and he played a huge role in their win. He picked off a pass early in the game to help the Patriots take control of the game and then saw plenty of time up in the box to help slow down the Browns' rushing game.

S Malik Hooker, DAL (10 solos, 2 asst on 82% of snaps)
Hooker was not even part of the Cowboys' starting lineup this week but still wound up leading the team in tackles while playing 58 snaps, which ranked fourth on his own team. All three Dallas safeties played at least 80% of the snaps, so it looks like there is a role for him as well as Donovan Wilson and Jayron Kearse.

S Damar Hamlin, BUF (7 solos on 100% of snaps)
When Micah Hyde went down, there was an expectation that Jaquan Johnson would take over, but it has been Hamlin instead. He has played nearly every snap in the past four games and now has 20 solo tackles over the past 3 games combined.

S Terrell Edmunds, PIT (6 solos, 4 asst, 1 TFL on 100% of snaps)
With Minkah Fitzpatrick out of the lineup this week, the Steelers relied heavily on Edmunds in an upset win over the Buccaneers. Edmunds sat out last week while recovering from a concussion suffered a week earlier and made plays all over the field as the Steelers played without their top-three corners as well.

DOWNGRADES

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/EDGE RUSHERS

DT Christian Barmore, NE (2 solos on 29% of snaps)
Barmore has been a steady source of tackles and not much else, but he left the game early this week with an injury to his knee. The severity wasn’t immediately known.

DE Marcus Davenport, NO (1 QH on 60% of snaps)
This year just continues to look worse for Davenport, who has just five solos, five assists, and a half-sack through six games on 236 defensive snaps. The Saints, as a group, are generating very little pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

DE George Karlaftis, KC (1 solo, 1 asst on 56% of snaps)
The rookie still has plenty of promise, but he’s yet to produce despite being given plenty of opportunity. He’s been credited with just a partial sack through 6 games and hasn’t made up for it with his play against the run, either.

EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah, MIA (1 solo, 2 asst on 69% of snaps)
This has been a disappointing start for Ogbah as he picked up a sack in Week 1 but had just four solos and three assists with zero sacks in the five games since. He also left the game early this week with a back injury, so his status for next week may be in doubt.

EDGE Jason Pierre-Paul, BAL (0 tackles on 72% of snaps)
Pierre-Paul picked up a sack last week and seemed to provide a boost to his new team, but he was shut out completely this week despite playing 47 snaps, which ranked sixth among all Ravens defenders.

EDGE Trevis Gipson, CHI (0 tackles on 44% of snaps)
Gipson posted two sacks in Week 2 and looked like he could be ready to emerge as a solid pairing with Robert Quinn. He’s been nearly invisible in the four games since then, though, and is clearly behind Al-Quadin Muhammad in the pecking order at outside linebacker.

LINEBACKERS

LB Cody Barton, SEA (1 solo, 1 asst on 39% of snaps)
Barton is coming off a week that saw him collect 12 tackles against the Saints, but he saw limited time against the Cardinals' spread offense this week. He played a season-low 28 snaps and was involved in just two tackles as a result.

LB JaWhaun Bentley, NE (1 asst, 1 QH on 44% of snaps)
A matchup with the Browns should have been ideal for Bentley, but he finished with just one assisted tackle on 31 snaps. Jahlani Tavai has out-snapped him for the last two games but hasn’t done much better, with three solos and five assists in both games combined.

LB Darius Harris, KC (4 solos, 2 asst, 1 TFL, 1 PD, 1 FR on 77% of snaps)
Harris has posted strong numbers while filling in for Willie Gay Jr in three of the past four weeks. Gay had his suspension formally lifted on Monday, however, and is expected to rejoin the starting lineup against the 49ers this week.

LB Kwon Alexander, NYJ (1 asst, 1 PD on 27% of snaps)
Alexander saw a brief boost in his fantasy value and production while replacing Quincy Williams the past couple of weeks. With Williams back in the lineup this week, however, Alexander returned to a part-time role and was a non-factor in the game.

LB Jerome Baker, MIA (1 solo on 100% of snaps)
Baker is one of the most frustrating IDPs in the league, as he should be in an ideal situation, but then he puts up games like this. He was one of three Dolphins defenders to play all 52 snaps but was nearly shut out despite facing 40 tackle opportunities in the game.

LB Damien Wilson, CAR (1 solo, 1 asst on 34% of snaps)
A week after playing 67% and piling up impressive numbers, Wilson returned to a reserve role despite the absence of Frankie Luvu. He split time with Cory Littleton this week, which suggests that last week’s breakout was not sustainable.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

CB A.J. Terrell, ATL (2 solos, 2 asst, 1 PD, 1 FR on 43% of snaps)
Terrell still had a productive game, but his four tackles and fumble recovery masked the fact he played less than half of the snaps before leaving with a thigh injury. Casey Hayward also left the game with a shoulder injury, which led to more work for Darren Hall and Isaiah Oliver.

CB Donte Jackson, CAR (2 solos, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 TD on 46% of snaps)
Jackson staked the Panthers to an early lead with a 30-yard pick-six, but he came into the game with an ankle injury and left early after aggravating it. That left Carolina without both starting cornerbacks, as C.J. Henderson and Keith Taylor played most of the game.

CB Charvarius Ward, SF (2 solos on 38% of snaps)
Ward has been very active this season, with eight passes defensed and an average of nearly five combined tackles per game. He left the game early this week with a groin injury, however, so he could have trouble playing next week against the Chiefs.

CB Marlon Humphrey, BAL (1 asst, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
Humphrey has been an elite fantasy corner in the past, but he’s not nearly as active as he used to be. While he does have a pair of interceptions this year, he’s seen his tackle numbers dwindle to almost nothing of late, with just five total over the last three weeks combined.

CB Nik Needham, MIA (3 solos on 25% of snaps)
While Needham had limited fantasy value, he was a full-time corner for Miami this year. Unfortunately, he suffered a torn Achilles in the game this week and will be lost for the season. This should create more opportunity for former first-round pick Noah Igbinoghene.