IDP Upgrades: Week 6

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. 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/X: @a_rudnicki

Upgrades

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/EDGE RUSHERS

DE A.J. Epenesa, BUF (2 solos, 2 asst, 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF, 1 FR, 3 PD on 67% of snaps)
With Greg Rousseau and Shaq Lawson sitting out this week, A.J. Epenesa received just the 4th start of his career and made the most of it. With injured players going down around him, Epenesa came through with a handful of huge plays, including 2 sacks and 3 pass deflections. None were bigger than a strip-sack and fumble recovery late in the first half that prevented the Jaguars from getting any points. Von Miller’s return and Epenesa’s emergence make this one of the deepest groups of edge rushers in the league.

DE Trey Hendrickson, CIN (2 solos, 2 asst, 2.5 sacks, 1 TFL, 3 QH, 1 FF, 1 PD on 70% of snaps)
Despite coming into the game with a questionable tag after missing practice on Friday with a back injury, he brought plenty of pressure against the Cardinals. With 2.5 sacks this week, he is now up to 6 on the season, and 5 of those have come in just the last 3 games.

DE Haason Reddick, PHI (2 solos, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 QH on 68% of snaps)
After going sackless for the first 3 games of the year, Reddick has started to turn things around with 3 sacks in his past two games. He is not making much of an impact outside of rushing the passer, but at least he’s starting to make some contributions in the big play columns.

DE Nik Bonitto, DEN (2 solos, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH on 74% of snaps)
The Broncos traded away Randy Gregory as they decided to stick with their younger edge rushers like Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper, who continue to make plays. While the defense has not played well at all, the pass rushers are still finding a way to make plays. Bonitto is now up to 5.5 sacks on the season and has shown remarkable consistency with solid output for the past 4 weeks in a row.

DE Jermaine Johnson, NYJ (2 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH, 1 FF on 62% of snaps)
The Jets offense is not helping to create many favorable game scripts for their pass rush, but Johnson picked up his second sack of the year, with both coming in games the team won. He’s seeing the most defensive snaps among their edge rushers each week and should probably be considered lower-end DE2 in most weeks.

DE Marcus Davenport, MIN (2 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 3 QH on 79% of snaps)
Davenport is looking to turn his career around in Minnesota after struggling with the Saints last year. He only played a handful of snaps through the first 3 games of the year, but he has played 60+% of the snaps in each of the past two games and has 8 tackles with 2 sacks to show for it.

DT Ed Oliver, BUF (5 solos, 4 asst, 1 sack, 3 TFL, 2 QH on 81% of snaps)
Some questioned the contract extension that Oliver received in the offseason, but it may look like a bargain at the end of this year. He’s playing at an elite level every week and is headed for a breakout season with 24 tackles and 4 sacks through the first 5 games.

DT Jalen Carter, PHI (3 solos, 1 asst, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH on 70% of snaps)
Carter has been playing well and is a strong candidate for Defensive rookie-of-the-year thanks to the pressure he’s been able to put on opposing quarterbacks. Fletcher Cox missing the game this week helped create an opportunity for Carter to play a heavier workload, and he broke out 4 tackles and a pair of sacks against the Rams. Next week’s matchup against the Jets also looks quite promising.

DT Zach Sieler, MIA (6 solos, 1 asst, 2 sacks, 3 TFL, 3 QH on 64% of snaps)
Sieler is known much more as a run defender, and his career high for sacks in a season is just 3.5. With 2 sacks this week, however, he’s already up to 3 for this season and is rewarding the Dolphins for giving him a 3-year contract extension during the preseason.

DT Zach Allen, DEN (4 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF on 86% of snaps)
Allen has posted solid numbers so far this year, but he was missing the big plays that defensive linemen often need to stand out. He’s handling a heavy workload with 80+% of the snaps in 4 of the 5 games this year and also has 16 tackles and 1.5 sacks over the past 3 games.

LINEBACKERS

LB Fred Warner, SF (5 solos, 3 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH, 1 FF, 1 INT, 1 PD on 73% of snaps)
Warner probably doesn’t need an upgrade, as he’s already considered one of the elite linebackers in the game, but the strong 49ers defense sometimes limits his opportunities. He was everywhere against the Cowboys on Sunday night, though, and generated several big plays with a sack, interception, and forced fumble.

LB Quincy Williams, NYJ (5 solos, 4 asst, 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 3 QH, 1 FF on 100% of snaps)
Williams has often worked in the shadows behind his brother DT Quinnen Williams, as well as fellow linebacker C.J. Mosley. Through 5 games this year, however, Quincy Williams is looking like the star of the Jets defense and ranks as a top-5 linebacker in most scoring systems.

LB Ernest Jones, LAR (10 solos, 5 asst, 3 TFL on 100% of snaps)
The Rams defense had trouble getting off the field against a potent Eagles offense this week, and that meant plenty of tackle opportunities for Jones and company. While facing 39 rush attempts and 65 tackle opportunities, Jones was able to pile up 15 tackles, including 3 behind the line of scrimmage.

LB Bobby Okereke, NYG (4 solos, 6 asst, 1 INT, 2 PD on 100% of snaps)
Okereke was signed to bring some stability to the middle of the Giants defense this year. He has played every snap and has shown steady improvement, with 37 combined tackles over the past 4 games. While he wasn’t much of a big play threat in Indianapolis, he’s already come up with an interception and forced fumble this year as well.

LB Azeez Al-Shaair, TEN (7 solos, 8 asst on 100% of snaps)
Al-Shaair had some productive moments with the 49ers early in his career but was often blocked by better players. He signed a 1-year deal with the Titans this offseason and seems likely to become a centerpiece of their defense. He’s already been credited with 22 solos and 25 assists for an average of 9.4 tackles per game.

LB Alex Singleton, DEN (5 solos, 5 asst on 100% of snaps)
Josey Jewell returned to the starting lineup this week and played close to a full game, but it was actually Singleton who wore the green dot and never left the field. Not sure if that will continue, but it led to 9 extra snaps for Singleton this week and a productive day with 10 combined tackles, while Jewell collected just 1 solo and 4 assists.

LB Kwon Alexander, PIT (6 solos, 1 sack, 3 TFL, 1 QH on 44% of snaps)
Alexander only played 44% of the snaps this week, but he clearly made them count. 3 of his 6 solo tackles were behind the line of scrimmage, including a sack in a big win over their divisional rivals. Elandon Roberts also added 8 tackles on a similar workload, which points to the upside here if either player was able to take over a full-time role alongside Cole Holcomb.

LB Blake Cashman, HOU (5 solos, 4 asst, 2 TFL, 1 QH on 96% of snaps)
Christian Harris sat out with a concussion this week, and Denzel Perryman returned, but it was Cashman who wound up playing a full-time role alongside Henry Tootoo. With 9 tackles in the game, this marked his second big game of the year, but it’s likely he’ll see his role reduced when Harris comes back.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

S Jalen Pitre, HOU (7 solos, 4 asst, 1 FR, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
Pitre had a quiet start to the season after leaving week 1 with an injury, but he bounced back on Sunday with a productive game that included 11 tackles and a fumble recovery. The Texans defense looks much improved from a year ago, but he should remain a high-end fantasy option.

S Julian Blackmon, IND (4 solos, 1 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
Blackmon has played every snap for the Colts and has been a key contributor in almost every game thus far. He is averaging more than 5 solos and 2 assists per game and also came through with a game-clinching interception late in the fourth quarter this week.

S K'Von Wallace, ARI (7 solos, 3 asst, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PD 100% of snaps)
Wallace has been quite productive while filling in for Budda Baker the past four games and already has 40 combined tackles on the season. The 4-week window for Baker to come off IR with a hamstring injury is coming to an end soon, but Wallace still played 70% of the snaps in week 1 when Baker was played the full game and may still remain fantasy-relevant.

S Jordan Fuller, LAR (7 solos, 5 asst, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
Fuller was helped by the Eagles offense generating so many tackle opportunities in this game, but this is also the type of game we expected the Rams to be in more often this year. They gutted most of their defense in the off-season, and Fuller was one of the few returning players with experience.

S Isaiah Simmons, NYG (7 solos, 2 asst on 100% of snaps)
Simmons was dumped by the Cardinals and is trying to find a role with the Giants. He may be listed as a safety or a linebacker, depending on your league host, but he got a start at linebacker this week in place of the injured Micah McFadden and collected 9 tackles. The former top-10 overall pick is still just 25 years old and could be productive again if he’s able to carve out a consistent role.

S Sam Franklin Jr., CAR (7 solos, 1 asst on 97% of snaps)
Franklin had another productive game while filling in for the injured Xavier Woods. His 7 solo tackles were more than any other Panthers player, while Jeremy Chinn was reduced to a part-time role and saw just 18 snaps.

S Will Harris, DET (7 solos, 2 asst, 1 QH, 1 FR, 1 PD on 96% of snaps)
Harris filled in for the injured Brian Branch as the team’s slot corner this week and came through with a strong game. He finished second on the team in tackles with 9 stops while also adding a quarterback hit, a fumble recovery, and a pass breakup in the end zone.

CB Roger McCreary, TEN (7 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 QH, 1 FF on 94% of snaps)
Since being shut out in week 1, McCreary has looked like a clear top-10 fantasy cornerback. Over the past 4 games combined, he has 20 solo tackles, 10 assists, and a pair of sacks. With Sean Murphy-Bunting and Kristian Fulton lined up outside, he can clean up a lot of tackles in the middle of the field while working out of the slot.

CB Darious Williams, JAX (7 solos, 1 FF, 1 INT, 1 PD on 97% of snaps)
Williams put together another big game in London this week, as he was often matched up against Stefon Diggs. He came down with an interception on a contested catch and was credited with a forced fumble late to go along with a team-high 7 solo tackles. Teams aren’t shying away from him, and he already has 2 forced fumbles, 2 interceptions, and 7 passes defensed on the year.

CB Greg Stroman Jr., CHI (4 solos, 3 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH, 1 INT, 1 PD on 69% of snaps)
Stroman filled in for Kyler Gordon as the team’s nickel cornerback and made a number of key plays in the Bears win on Thursday night. He was credited with 7 tackles plus a sack and an interception and likely earned a permanent promotion from the practice squad.

CB Eli Apple, MIA (8 solos, 1 asst, .5 sack, 1 QH, 1 PD on 90% of snaps)
Apple returned from injury and saw a heavy workload against the Giants this week. He was the third cornerback in the game but played outside, which allowed Kader Kohou to play in the slot, where he’s more comfortable.

Downgrades

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/EDGE RUSHERS

DE George Karlaftis, KC (1 solo on 79% of snaps)
The second-year pro has played a heavy workload in every game this year, but he’s been relatively quiet after a strong start. In the past 3 games combined, he has just 3 solos, 1 assist, and a half-sack. He showed up on an injury report the team shared on Monday with a hamstring injury, and the team has a short week with a Thursday night game against Denver, so he may be limited if he’s able to play.

Rookie pass rushers
First-round picks like Tyree Wilson, Lukas Van Ness, Will McDonald IV, Myles Murphy, Nolan Smith, and Felix Anudike-Uzomah all had very quiet showings this week. Apart from Will Anderson Jr. in Houston and some, there hasn’t been a lot of production from this group so far. Tuli Tuipulotu (2nd round) and Byron Young (3rd round) have been among the few rookie standouts so far.

DT DaQuan Jones, BUF (0 tackles on 5% of snaps)
Jones was having a strong season and picked up 2.5 sacks over the past two games, but he left the game early this week after suffering a pectoral injury. He is going to need surgery but it wasn’t immediately clear if the injury was season-ending or not. The Bills will likely replace him with a combination of Jordan Phillips, Poona Ford, and Tim Settle.

LINEBACKERS

LB Matt Milano, BUF (3 solos on 13% of snaps)
The Bills lost Milano to a broken leg early in the game, and it figures to be a huge loss to their team defense, given all he does for them. Rookie Dorian Williams replaced him initially but later gave way to the more experienced Tyrel Dodson, so we may need to wait for more guidance on how the Bills will try to replace him. Reports on Monday indicated that Milano would need surgery for a knee injury, but the severity and timeline for return was not known yet.

LB Leighton Vander Esch, DAL (4 solos, 6 asst, 1 TFL on 82% of snaps)
Vander Esch had a busy game in a tough loss to the 49ers but also left the game with a neck injury. He’s had a history of neck injuries in the past, and initial reports suggested he would likely go on IR and miss the next 4-6 weeks. Damone Clark figures to move into a full-time role, and they could bring up Malik Jefferson from the practice squad. Possible that Micah Parsons could also see some time at linebacker.

LB Jack Campbell, DET (2 solos on 45% of snaps)
Many assumed when the Lions drafted Campbell in the first round that he would be a 3-down player from week 1. The Lions, however, are bringing him along slowly and giving him a chance to develop. That has meant a bigger role for Derrick Barnes. Things are going well, so we may not see a change in the near future.

LB Ja'Whaun Bentley, NE (5 solos, 6 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH on 78% of snaps)
Bentley was on his way to a huge game before leaving the game early with a shoulder injury. He was credited with 11 tackles and a sack on 56 snaps. The Patriots appear headed for a difficult season, which should mean plenty of opportunities for a linebacker like Bentley, so hopefully, he doesn’t have to miss much time, if any.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

S Darrick Forrest, WAS (6 solos, 1 asst on 95% of snaps)
Forrest had played every snap until this week when he suffered a shoulder injury that landed him on IR. That will keep him out for at least the next 4 weeks and likely push Percy Butler into a full-time role for a defense that hasn’t been able to slow down many teams this year.

S Jeremy Chinn, CAR (1 solo, 1 asst on 30% of snaps)
Chinn was in the starting lineup, but his 18 defensive snaps in the game ranked 15th among Panthers defenders in the game. The Lions played most of the game in 2-TE sets, and the Panthers tried to respond by giving linebacker Chandler Wooten more playing time. The Panthers are struggling on both sides of the ball and can’t seem to find a clear role for Chinn.