IDP Matchups, Living the Stream: Week 4

Photo: USA Today Sports

Three weeks into the 2023 season, IDP managers are stuck in the in-between.

On one hand, three games offer something of a sample size. For some players, that's a good thing—with six sacks over the first three weeks, Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt appears headed toward another massive season. For some others, not so much—Philadelphia Eagles edge rusher Haason Reddick was drafted as a top-12 fantasy option in many leagues and has all of one assist over that same span.

On the other hand, there's still a lot of season left to go. At this point, one week ago. Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett ranked outside the top 50 at his position in fantasy points. After logging 3.5 sacks against the Tennessee Titans, Garrett is now sixth.

Especially up front, things can change in a hurry. The same can happen at other positions, too—all it takes is a big week or two to get a slumping linebacker or even defensive back on track.

Does this mean that you shouldn't consider benching Reddick for a matchup play until he shows a pulse? Or that you shouldn't cut loose veteran safety Harrison Smith of the Minnesota Vikings, who has done next to nothing over the first three weeks of the 2023 campaign.

However, something of a balancing act needs to be struck. You need to know when to give a player a week or two to get their act together and when it's time just to move on and acquire someone else.

Whichever side of the tightrope you find yourself walking this week, there are some matchup and waiver plays who can come off the bench (or even the waiver wire) to help keep your IDP season on track.

DE Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati (at Tennessee)

In 2020 and 2021, Hendrickson was one of the more prolific pass-rushers in the league—the 28-year-old logged 27.5 sacks in two years split between New Orleans and Cincinnati. Hendrickson's numbers were down a year ago, but he was a force defensively Monday night against the Los Angeles Rams, sacking Matthew Stafford twice in a win over the Los Angeles Rams. Per Richard Skinner of WKRC, Hendrickson said the defensive effort was just what the previously winless Bengals needed.

"It was a good ego check," said Hendrickson. "We needed to clean some things up on film. Credit to (defensive coordinator) Lou (Anarumo). He got us back to our fundamentals of what made us special in the past couple of years and how we can get to that level as this team as we find our defensive identity. I think this is a good building block."

Hendrickson has never been a big tackle producer (his career high is 34), but after logging eight sacks last year, he's already up to three in as many games in 2023. This week, Hendrickson will face the Tennessee Titans and tackle Andre Dillard—the same Andre Dillard that Myles Garrett abused to the tune of 3.5 sacks last week.