IDP Upgrades: Week 5

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 Jonathan Allen, WAS (5 solos, 3 asst, 1 sack, 4 TFL, 1 QH, 1 PD on 80% of snaps)
Allen was simply dominant against Dallas this week as he led the team in tackles with 8 while also adding a sack and 4 tackles for loss and a pass deflection. The team hopes to get a boost from Chase Young at some point but his return date is still unclear.

DL Zach Allen, ARI (3 solos, 3 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 3 PD on 94% of snaps)
Allen did not make much of an impact in the first few weeks but stood out this week against the Panthers. He played 49 snaps and was credited with 6 tackles plus a sack and 3 pass deflections as the Cardinals limited Carolina to just 11 first downs and 40 yards rushing.

DL Denico Autry, TEN (2 solos, 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 3 QH, 1 FF on 71% of snaps)
Autry has proven to be one of the best interior pass rushers in the league with a pair of 9-sack seasons since 2018. The Titans lost a huge piece of their defense when Harold Landry tore his ACL days before the season began, but Autry is doing his best to pick up the slack with 3 sacks through 4 games. Rashad Weaver also warrants a mention as he picked up his 3^rd sack in 4 games this week.

DL Jarran Reed, GB (4 solos, 4 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH on 71% of snaps)
Reed was often a productive pass rusher during his time in Seattle but took a step back last year in Kansas City. He’s found a new home in Green Bay this year, however, and should benefit from playing in front of an excellent secondary. He led the Packers in tackles this week with 8 stops while also adding his first sack of the year.

EDGE Rashan Gary, GB (4 solos, 3 asst, 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF, 1 FR on 74% of snaps)
The Packers decided to cut ties with ZDarius Smith in part because of what they believed they had in Gary. The former first-round pick collected 9.5 sacks last season and already has five sacks this season, including at least one in all four games.

EDGE Haason Reddick, PHI (4 solos, 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 1 QH, 2 FF, 2 FR on 83% of snaps)
While Reddick loses value in leagues that classify him as a linebacker with a move to the 3-4 Eagles defense, he can still produce huge games. He now has 3.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles in the past two games and played an impressive 83 % of the snaps this week.

EDGE Jayson Oweh, BAL (6 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF on 95% of snaps)
The Ravens were without Justin Houston this week but added Jason Pierre-Paul to their lineup. The standout was Oweh, however, as he saw a season-high workload of 95% and led all Ravens defenders with 7 tackles, forced a fumble, and added a 4^th quarter sack.

LINEBACKERS

LB Frankie Luvu, CAR (6 solos, 5 asst, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 TD on 92% of snaps)
Luvu continues to be one of the biggest breakout IDPs this year and added 11 tackles this week with a defensive touchdown on a 33-yard interception return. Damien Wilson and Cory Littleton are part-time players, and Luvu has been far more productive than Shaq Thompson.

LB Tae Crowder, NYG (7 solos, 4 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF on 100% of snaps)
Opportunity is one of the most important factors for IDP success, and Crowder is in a great situation. The Giants have little competition at inside linebacker so he’s playing just about every snap, and therefore able to take advantage of games like this when the Giants faced 32 rush attempts. His numbers prior to this week have been underwhelming, but he has a favorable schedule coming up and should be able to build on this.

LB Zaire Franklin, IND (8 solos, 7 asst on 100% of snaps)
Franklin got the start next to Shaquille Leonard this week, so it looks like he’s ahead of Bobby Okereke on the depth chart. Leonard only played 30% of the snaps before leaving with a concussion, but Franklin is proving to be one of the best waiver wire pickups this year as he now has 30 solos and 15 assists through just four games.

LB Malcolm Rodriguez, DET (8 solos, 3 asst, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF on 79% of snaps)
The rookie standout from Hard Knocks may not stand out in terms of splash plays, but he is a reliable and steady contributor who makes the plays that are there to be made. This game was unusual since there were over 1000 combined yards of offense and nearly 100 points scored, but Rogriguez tied for the lead in tackles with 11 stops and also forced a fumble on special teams. He has 21 solos and 6 assists over his last three games.

LB Kwon Alexander, NYJ (2 solos, 5 asst on 92% of snaps)
While his numbers this week won’t stand out, Alexander should have some short-term value as Quincy Williams is listed as “week-to-week” with an ankle injury. With Williams out of the lineup, Alexander saw his playing time spike from 37% to 92%, and he tied for second on the team with seven combined tackles, even though five were assists.

LB Foye Oluokun, JAX (12 solos, 4 asst, 3 TFL on 100% of snaps)
While regression was inevitable for Oluokun after his ridiculous 2021 season, he’s still capable of posting LB1-type numbers even with the emergence of rookie Devin Lloyd. It’s also worth noting that his numbers this week were boosted by the fact the Eagles offense generated 50 rush attempts and 68 tackle opportunities, which is far from the norm.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

S Jordan Poyer, BUF (4 solos, 2 asst, 2 INT, 3 PD on 100% of snaps)
Poyer sat out Week 3 but returned to make a huge impact in a comeback victory for the Bills. He picked off two passes in the fourth quarter and now has four on the season in just three games played. The All-Pro safety is headed for free agency after this season and will be relied upon even more heavily without Micah Hyde protecting the deep secondary.

S DeShon Elliott, DET (9 solos, 2 asst on 100% of snaps)
There wasn’t much tackling in this game as both teams combined for more than 1000 yards of offense, but Elliott led the way with nine solo stops. The injury to Tracy Walker figured to create an opening for JuJu Hughes, but it was rookie Kerby Joseph who wound up starting and playing the entire game. However, he finished with just four tackles in the game, so it looks like Elliott may be the player to benefit the most.

S Vonn Bell, CIN (4 solos, 2 INT, 2 PD on 100% of snaps)
Bell has been a very good fantasy safety for most of his career, but his upside has often been limited by a lack of big plays. In particular, his interception numbers have held him back, considering he came into this season with seven seasons as a full-time starter and only two career interceptions. However, he doubled his career total this week and appears to have some favorable matchups in the weeks ahead.

S Lamarcus Joyner, NYJ (1 solo, 5 asst, 2 INT, 4 PD on 100% of snaps)
While Joyner has struggled at times this year, he came up big this week. He was responsible for two of the four interceptions thrown by Steelers quarterbacks and also added six tackles.

CB LJarius Sneed, KC (8 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 QH, 1 FF on 100% of snaps)
Sneed is making an early claim to be the #1 cornerback in the league and one of the top IDPs overall. He’s being given lots of opportunities to blitz and has 3 sacks through 4 games while also ranking among the best tacklers at his position with 28 solo stops.

CB Jack Jones, NE (3 solos, 4 asst, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 TD on 99% of snaps)
Jalen Mills was a surprise inactive this week due to a hamstring injury, which created an opening for the rookie Jones to get his first career start. Although he was facing Aaron Rodgers, he proved up to the task as he forced and recovered a fumble while also adding a 40-yard pick-six.

CB Tariq Woolen, SEA (4 solos, 1 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 TD on 95% of snaps)
Woolen may not be a household name, but the rookie starter has some intriguing potential considering his size (6-foot-4) and speed (4.26-second 40 time). He’s a converted receiver who is still developing as a cornerback but he’s off to a good start. His coverage stats have been strong, he’s a sound tackler, and he already has two interceptions and a defensive touchdown.

CB Patrick Surtain, DEN (6 solos, 2 asst, 2 PD on 100% of snaps)
Surtain missed some time in week 2 with an injury but has otherwise played every snap for one of the league’s best defenses. He was a top-10 draft pick last year and has the potential to become one of the best cover corners in the league. While that may not always translate to fantasy production, he showed what he’s capable of this week with eight tackles and two passes defensed.

DOWNGRADES

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/EDGE RUSHERS

DT DeForest Buckner, IND (0 tackles on 35% of snaps)
Buckner came into this week’s game with a questionable tag due to an elbow injury and was not in the starting lineup. He did manage to play 19 snaps but was held without any tackles or stats, so he may need some time to rest and recover. As one of the league’s elite defensive tackles, he’s off to a slow start with just six solos and six assists through four games.

DT David Onyemata, NO (0 tackles on 68% of snaps)
Onyemata has flashed some potential in the past and can be a short-term fill-in for fantasy managers at times. So far this year, however, he’s been very quiet despite a consistent workload and has just seven tackles with a half sack through 4 games.

DE Marcus Davenport, NO (1 asst, .5 sack on 78% of snaps)
Davenport played a season-high 78% of the snaps this week as the Saints but was once again relatively ineffective. He did get credit for a partial sack but otherwise has been a large disappointment with six tackles and a partial sack through the first four games. Reports indicate he has been playing through a shoulder injury, so that is likely contributing to his slow start.

DE Myles Garrett, CLE (DNP)
Garrett was involved in a single-car accident last week that and suffered injuries that kept him out of the lineup this week. While he may be able to play in Week 5 against the Chargers, there is also a good chance that he will be playing at less than 100% and hindered by his shoulder injury.

EDGE Randy Gregory, DEN (1 solo, 1 asst, 2 QH)
Gregory came into this week with a 2-game sack streak but he left the game early with a knee injury. Reports on Monday indicate that he escaped a serious injury but will still require surgery and is expected to miss several weeks.

EDGE Emmanuel Ogbah, MIA (0 tackles on 64% of snaps)
The Dolphins have a capable group of pass rushers in Ogbah, Jaelan Phillips, and Melvin Ingram III, but they have not been very effective at converting pressures into sacks. Ogbah has posted nine sacks in each of the past two seasons but has mostly been a non-factor with just three tackles and no sacks in his past three games.

EDGE Robert Quinn, CHI (1 asst, 1 QH on 66% of snaps)
Quinn seemed to come out of nowhere last year to finish with 18.5 sacks, but that success appears to be short-lived. The Bears remain a work in progress on offense, and Quinn is off to a slow start with just 6 tackles and one sack through the first four games. The best hope for him may be a change of scenery at this point, as he’s long been rumored as a trade candidate.

EDGE Chandler Jones, LV (2 asst on 89% of snaps)
Jones has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the league and has over 100 sacks in his 10-year career. The Raiders signed him to a big contract this offseason and thought he would complement Maxx Crosby well, but Jones has yet to record a sack and also has just eight tackles through the first month of the season.

LINEBACKERS

LB Shaquille Leonard, IND (1 solo and 1 asst on 30% of snaps)
Leonard finally made his season debut this week after sitting out the prior three games with a back injury. Unfortunately, he only lasted 16 snaps before leaving with a concussion, and he has already been ruled out for Week 5.

LB Jayon Brown, LV (0 tackles on 57% of snaps)
Denzel Perryman returned to the Raiders lineup this week but only lasted 11 snaps before leaving early with a concussion. Brown saw his playing time drop from 90% of the snaps a week ago to just 57% this week, but more concerning was the fact he finished with 0 tackles on 30 snaps. The Raiders played primarily out of a big nickel formation with their top three safeties all playing at least 83% of the snaps, but the Broncos offense also generated just 40 tackle opportunities overall.

LB Josh Bynes, BAL (2 solos, 1 PD on 61% of snaps)
Last week's explosion of 10 tackles with an interception on 47 snaps looks like a clear outlier for Bynes. His playing time dropped to 39 snaps (61%) this week, and his production returned back to normal levels. He could see some value against run-heavy matchups, but that's about it.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

S Jeremy Chinn, CAR (0 tackles on 8% of snaps)
Chinn has established himself as one of the very best fantasy safeties in the league, but he was knocked out of the game early this week with a hamstring injury. Given that these are the types of injuries that can linger or be re-aggravated easily, it may be best to look elsewhere in Week 5, even if he’s active. Sean Chandler saw an uptick in playing time but still only played 43% of the snaps.

S Terrell Edmunds, PIT (1 asst on 39% of snaps)
Edmunds had a productive season last year but has gotten off to a slow start with Minkah Fitzpatrick becoming more involved. Things got even worse this week as he left the game early with a concussion and will need to clear the protocol to be available for next week’s matchup in Buffalo.

S Julian Love, NYG (1 solo, 1 asst on 31% of snaps)
With 22 tackles over the past two games, Love was one of the hottest IDPs in the league entering this week. Unfortunately, he left the game after just 19 snaps with a concussion, so it may be difficult to clear the protocol in time to travel to London to face the Packers next week.

S Adrian Amos, GB (2 solos, 1 TFL on 24% of snaps)
Amos has not gotten off to a great start this year, with just 13 tackles through the first four games. More concerning, however, is that he left the game early this week with a concussion and may not be cleared in time to play next week’s game in London. Rudy Ford replaced him and added seven tackles on 44 snaps.

S Minkah Fitzpatrick, PIT (5 solos, 3 asst, 1 INT, 2 PD on 99% of snaps)
Fitzpatrick has been the highest-scoring safety through the first four games of the season. He had another strong showing on Sunday in a tough loss to the Jets, but there were reports afterward that he was being evaluated for a knee injury, which could limit his chances of playing next week against the Bills.

S Logan Ryan, TB (1 solo on 11% of snaps)
Ryan has seen his playing time drop over time since playing 83% of snaps in the season opener, but he left the game with a foot injury early this week. Keanu Neal replaced him and added six solo stops on 46 snaps (57%).

S Lewis Cine, MIN (0 tackles on 2% of snaps)
The Vikings' first-round pick has not shown much to this point and has only played two snaps on defense. Unfortunately, he appears to have suffered a broken leg on special teams in London this week and will need to undergo surgery that could keep him out for some time.

CB Darius Slay, PHI (0 tackles on 6% of snaps)
Slay is a better NFL cornerback than a fantasy cornerback, but he was knocked out of the game very early this week with a forearm injury. His status for next week is yet to be determined but could create an opportunity for Zech McPherson, who wasn’t credited with any stats in the game despite playing 44 snaps.

CB Michael Jackson, SEA (0 tackles on 65% of snaps)
With the return of Sidney Jones, Jackson saw a drop in playing time from 100% last week to 65% this week. He has not played particularly well this year and may be at risk of ceding more playing time in the weeks ahead.

CB Byron Murphy, ARI (1 solo on 100% of snaps)
Murphy isn’t a shutdown corner by any means, but he appears to be set up as the Cardinals' top cornerback this year. Unfortunately, that hasn’t translated into production as he’s been credited with just 10 combined tackles and no passes defensed through the first four games.

CB Carlton Davis, TB (2 solos, 1 asst, 1 QH on 75% of snaps)
Davis is one of the best fantasy corners in the league, so it was concerning to see him leave the game in the second half. The injury doesn’t appear serious and was classified as a stinger, so it seems like he should be able to play next week against Atlanta.