IDP Upgrades: Week 8

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 moving up or down in value among IDP circles. It isn't easy to give waiver advice for IDPs since there is 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 with the understanding that classification as a defensive end or linebacker will often 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 Myles Garrett, CLE (7 solos, 2 asst, 2 sacks, 1 TFL,2 QH, 2 FF, 1 PD, 1 BL on 77% of snaps)
Already an elite fantasy option at defensive end, Garrett is proving to be one of the most valuable overall IDPs in the league and a Defensive Player of the Year candidate. The Browns defense gave up a surprising amount of points this week, but Garrett saved the day with an incredible performance that included 9 tackles, a pair of strip-sacks, including one that was recovered for a touchdown, and a blocked field goal where he leaped over the offensive line.

DE Bradley Chubb, MIA (5 solos, 2 asst, 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 1 QH, 1 FF on 90% of snaps)
After making a limited impact over the first four games, Chubb has turned it around and looked like an impact player ever since. In his last three games combined, he’s collected 14 solo tackles, 6 assists, 3 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles.

DE Michael Hoecht, LAR (4 solos, 3 asst, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF on 93% of snaps)
The Rams have relied very heavily on their starters this year due to a lack of quality depth behind them. Hoecht and Byron Young have already played over 400 snaps for an average of nearly 60 per game, and this was the fifth game out of seven where Hoecht played at least 90% of the snaps. Although he had solid tackle numbers previously, he had yet to record a sack before collecting two this week against the Steelers.

DE Shaquil Barrett, TB (4 solos, 3 asst, 1 sack, 1 FF, 1 PD on 66% of snaps)
Barrett is still working his way back from a torn Achilles injury he suffered a year ago, so he likely doesn’t have the same explosiveness he’s used to. This game was a positive sign, however, as he was credited with 7 tackles while also picking up his second sack of the year.

DE Jaelan Phillips, MIA (5 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH on 69% of snaps)
Phillips did not make much of an impact last week after he returned from an oblique injury that kept him out most of the first month. He looked much more effective on Sunday night against the Eagles and tied for second on the team in tackles with 7 while also picking up a sack.

DE Chase Young, WAS (3 solos, 2 sacks, 3 TFL, 2 QH on 90% of snaps)
Young may not be the game-changer he was expected to become when he was drafted #2 overall, but he’s putting together a strong season. With 2 sacks this week, he’s now up to 5 sacks in five games played and might make the team regret declining his 5th-year option. With him and Montez Sweat both headed for free agency after this season, there is also a chance one or both could be traded before the deadline next week.

DE Za'Darius Smith, CLE (4 solos, 1 sack, 2 QH, 1 FF on 73% of snaps)
We’ll have to see if this is a breakthrough for him, but Smith had gone without a sack for his first five games of the year. He has reached double-digit sacks in his last three full seasons played, so there’s a chance he will heat up eventually.

DE Mike Danna, KC (4 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH on 73% of snaps)
The Chiefs defense is playing great this year, and there is no shortage of quality IDP options throughout their lineup. On the defensive line, Danna continues towards a breakout season with consistent play each week. With 6 tackles and another sack this week, he’s now up to 25 combined tackles and 4.5 sacks in seven games played while averaging nearly 50 snaps per game.

DE Josh Sweat, PHI (2 solos, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH on 78% of snaps)
While Haason Reddick gets most of the attention, Sweat is proving to be just as important of a player on the Eagles defense. Both play a similar workload, but Sweat is still just 26 years old and a better run defender. With 2 sacks against a very tough matchup in Miami this week, he now has 5.5 in seven games and has a very favorable matchup coming up against Washington.

DE Odafe Oweh, BAL (2 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 QH, 1 FF on 53% of snaps)
Oweh suffered an ankle injury in Week 2 that kept him out of the lineup for the past four games. He returned to action this week and looked good in a surprisingly easy win over the Lions.

DE Boye Mafe, SEA (2 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH, 1 PD on 79% of snaps)
Seattle has a deep group of pass rushers this year, but Mafe has started to emerge as a reliable option. His sack this week extended his streak to four games, and he also saw a season-high workload of 79% of snaps. However, the one knock against him has been limited production against the run and overall low tackle output with just 13 combined tackles in five games played.

DE Charles Omenihu, KC (2 solos, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 PD on 51% of snaps)
Omenihu sat out the first six games of the season while serving a suspension due to a domestic violence incident. He has been a productive part-time player in the past and managed to make an impact right away while handling 51% of the snaps, providing the Chiefs with another edge rusher to use up front.

DT Dexter Lawrence II, NYG (2 solos, 4 asst, 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 4 QH on 75% of snaps)
Lawrence has not been much of a factor this year, but he was likely the best player on the field this week. He finished the game with 6 tackles, a pair of sacks, and 4 quarterback hits as the Giants are now showing signs of life.

DT Justin Jones, CHI (2 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH, 1 PD on 66% of snaps)
The Bears defense kept the Raiders offense in check this week, and Jones now has 10 tackles with a sack over his last two games.

LINEBACKERS

LB Foyesade Oluokun, JAX (9 solos, 5 asst, 1 INT, 2 PD, 1 TD on 100% of snaps)
Oluokun and the Jaguars defense wound up playing 90 snaps in this game, so high numbers were expected across the board. He has been an elite IDP for the past several years and is on track for another career year as he posted his first career touchdown this week and already has 53 solo tackles and 28 assists with 10 more games to play.

LB Jerome Baker, MIA (6 solos, 5 asst, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 TD on 100% of snaps)
Baker hasn’t always played up to his talent or situation in Miami, but he’s come up with some big plays over the past few games. He had 1.5 sacks in a win over the Giants in Week 5 and then added a pick-6 against the Eagles on Sunday night to go along with a team-high 11 tackles.

LB Terrel Bernard, BUF (9 solos, 2 asst, 1 TFL, 1 FR on 100% of snaps)
The Bills defense has been decimated by injuries and the offense has had some trouble sustaining drives, which means more opportunities for a player like Bernard. Dating back to the Jaguars game in London, he has 26 solo tackles and 13 assists over his last three starts.

LB Lavonte David, TB (8 solos, 5 asst, 1 TFL, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
David will turn 34 in January but has shown no signs of slowing down this year. He is averaging 5.5 solo tackles and 4.0 assists per game and also has a pair of sacks on the year. He’s outplaying his much younger teammate Devin White and looks like a low-end LB1.

LB Drue Tranquill, KC (2 solos, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH, 1 PD on 46% of snaps)
The Tranquill signing looked like a luxury for the Chiefs during the offseason, but it looks like they are going to rely on him heavily. He’s been productive as both a full-time player and part-time player but will move back into a full-time role following the injury to Nick Bolton this week.

LB Nate Landman, ATL (5 solos, 7 asst, 1 FF on 77% of snaps)
Since filling in for the injured Troy Andersen over the past four games, Landman has averaged 5 solos and 4 assists per game. That makes him a very reliable LB3 with a high floor each week.

LB Eric Kendricks, LAC (7 solos, 2 asst, 1 TFL, 1 FF on 87% of snaps)
Kendricks hasn’t made the big impact for the Chargers he was expected to as he was sidelined early on with a hamstring injury. He’s starting to look more comfortable, though, and now has 17 tackles over his last two games.

LB Kenneth Murray Jr., LAC (7 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 1 QH on 100% of snaps)
Murray was trending toward becoming a first-round bust after the Chargers declined his 5th-year option, so he’ll be a free agent after this season. He seems to have figured things out, however, and has played nearly every snap for the Chargers. They have to decide whether he’ll be part of their future, as they also have a highly regarded rookie like Daiyan Henley waiting in the wings.

LB David Mayo, WAS (9 solos, 2 asst on 60% of snaps)
With Cody Barton suffering an ankle injury early this week that could keep him out for some time, Mayo was given an opportunity to play in the middle of the defense and made the most of it. He collected 9 tackles on 41 defensive snaps and picked up two more on special teams. Jamin Davis also saw a season-high workload of 99% and warrants an upgrade, although he wasn’t as productive this week.

LB Tony Fields II, CLE (2 solos, 4 asst, 1 FR, 1 TD on 46% of snaps)
Fields saw a season-high snap workload this week with 46% of the snaps, which seemed to come as a replacement for Sione Takitaki. He collected 6 tackles and recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown on his 32 snaps. It is worth mentioning that Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah played just 49% of the snaps this week, which was a season-low for him, while Anthony Walker played every snap.

LB Isaiah McDuffie, GB (7 solos, 3 asst on 66% of snaps)
McDuffie continues to fill in for the injured DeVondre Campbell and wound up leading the team in tackles with 10 stops despite playing 20 fewer snaps than Quay Walker.

LB Kyle Van Noy, BAL (2 solos, 3 asst, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH on 44% of snaps)
His playing time took a hit this week with the return of Odafe Oweh, but Van Noy still picked up a pair of sacks on just 33 snaps. With 3 sacks over his past two games, he’s a solid depth addition to the Ravens' rotation of edge rushers.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

S Jordan Poyer, BUF (5 solos, 5 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF on 100% of snaps)
Poyer hasn’t looked like himself this year and may be slowing down at 32 years of age, but he turned back the clock a bit this week with several big plays to give his team a chance. He had his first sack of the year and also added a forced fumble late in the game that nearly prevented the upset.

S Jaquan Brisker, CHI (9 solos, 1 asst, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
The young Bears safety came into the game this week with a questionable tag due to a groin injury but managed to play through it. He also left the game briefly to be checked for a concussion after a 2-point conversion attempt but was cleared and allowed to return to the game without missing a snap. He’s put together two strong games in a row and should be more productive in the second half of the season.

S Budda Baker, ARI (6 solos, 1 TFL on 100% of snaps)
Baker missed the last five games with a hamstring injury but was activated from IR and played a full game. The Cardinals were missing Jalen Thompson and Kvon Wallace this week so they were pretty desperate to get him back.

S Jabrill Peppers, NE (4 solos, 4 asst, 1 QH, 1 INT, 1 PD on 99% of snaps)
Peppers continues to be a standout player for the Patriots of late. He finished second on the team in tackles this week and also brought in his first interception of the season. With 16 tackles and 3 passes defensed over the past two games, he’s been around the ball a lot and figures to see more work next week against Miami.

S Jamal Adams, SEA (5 solos, 1 asst, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
Adams played every defensive snap for the first time this season. His numbers may not have stood out much, but it was an encouraging sign for the former fantasy star who suffered a devastating injury last year that forced him to consider retirement. Julian Love also saw 91% of the snaps this week as Seattle used a 3-safety package for nearly the entire game.

S Terrell Edmunds, PHI (8 solos, 1 asst on 100% of snaps)
The Eagles defense was only on the field for 49 snaps, and Miami’s offense generated just 39 tackle opportunities. So, it was impressive to see Edmunds wind up with 9 tackles or just about 1 out of every 4 opportunities. The Eagles strengthened their defense on Monday with a trade for Kevin Byard, so there’s a chance he could lose out on playing time at some point in the future.

CB Kenny Moore II IND (7 solos, 3 asst, 1.5 sacks, 3 TFL, 2 QH on 100% of snaps)
Moore came into the season as a top-5 option at cornerback and was likely dropped in some leagues after a slow start. Over his last four games, however, he’s been great with 24 solo tackles, 9 assists, 1.5 sacks, and an interception.

CB Jaylon Johnson, CHI (2 solos, 1 asst, 2 INT, 2 PD on 100% of snaps)
Johnson has missed some time with injuries and his tackle numbers are underwhelming but he warrants an upgrade after a huge two-interception performance this week. He should remain active with games coming up against the Chargers and Saints, too.

CB Jamel Dean, TB (9 solos, 1 asst, 1 FR on 98% of snaps)
Dean has played four full games this season; in those games, he has been credited with 22 solo tackles and 7 assists. He’ll likely be very active again this week as the Bucs travel to face the Bills on Thursday night.

CB Paulson Adebo, NO (5 solos, 2 asst, 1 FF, 2 PD on 100% of snaps)
The Saints corner tends to see plenty of targets working opposite Marshon Lattimore, and that was the case on Thursday night as he put up a strong game against the Jaguars. He’s missed some time due to injuries this year but has 4 passes defensed in his last three games and could be a solid streaming choice against the Colts next week.

CB Deonte Banks, NYG (5 solos, 2 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD on 91% of snaps)
The rookie 1st-round pick hadn’t shown much to this point while playing on a bad Giants team, but he came through with the first interception of his career this week.

CB Joey Porter Jr Jr. PIT (2 solos, 1 asst, 1 PD on 78% of snaps)
It took them a while, but the Steelers might be ready to move their rookie corner into the starting lineup as early as next week. He played 40% of the snaps in week 5 before the bye and then was up to 78% this week, while Levi Wallace played a season-low 49 snaps (72%). Porter has been a shutdown corner in coverage but still has a lot of room to improve as a tackler, which might limit some of his fantasy potential.

Downgrades

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/EDGE RUSHERS

DE Uchenna Nwosu, SEA (1 solo, 1 asst, 1 QH on 35% of snaps)
Despite a huge game against the Giants earlier this year, Nwosu hasn’t made much of an impact up front for the Seahawks. He left the game early this week with a pec injury that didn’t appear serious at first, but it looks like it will require surgery and bring an end to his season. He had played more snaps than any other edge rusher on the team, so this will create more opportunities for players like Darrell Taylor, Mario Edwards Jr, and Derick Hall.

DE Joey Bosa, LAC (1 solo, 1 QH on 59% of snaps)
The Chiefs are a tough matchup for any pass rusher, but Bosa has been very quiet since returning from injury last week. He’ll get a chance to turn things around next week against Chicago.

DE Von Miller, BUF (0 tackles on 10% of snaps)
Miller was expected to continue ramping up his playing time, but he only played six snaps against the Patriots this week. He hasn’t looked that effective during his limited playing time so far, and the Bills seemed to focus more on their run defense this week, so Shaq Lawson saw a spike in playing time. There wasn’t much opportunity for any of the Bills pass rushers this week as Leonard Floyd, Gregory Rousseau, and A.J. Epenesa also had limited production.

LINEBACKERS

LB Nick Bolton, KC (3 solos, 6 asst on 75% of snaps)
Bolton established himself as an elite fantasy linebacker last year, but he’s having a very rough season. He already missed three games earlier this year and suffered a dislocated wrist late in the game this week that will require surgery. He’s expected to miss the next two months, which creates another opening for Drue Tranquill.

LB Cody Barton, WAS (1 solo on 12% of snaps)
Barton left the game early with what’s believed to be a high-ankle sprain, which created an opening for David Mayo. Watch for more details here, but it seems likely that Barton will miss at least next week’s game against the Eagles.

LB Divine Deablo, LV (4 solos on 25% of snaps)
Deablo was on his way to a productive day with 4 solo stops on just 18 snaps before leaving the game with an ankle injury. The severity of the injury wasn’t known, but it could potentially keep him out for next week’s game against the Lions. Luke Masterson filled in and added 4 tackles on 44 snaps.

LB David Long Jr, MIA (3 solos, 1 asst, 1 PD on 51% of snaps)
Long had been playing well for Miami and came into this week with 30 combined tackles over his last three games. He left the game early with a head injury, however, and seems like he might need to sit out a week or more to recover.

LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, CLE (3 solos, 1 asst on 49% of snaps)
Although he had been trending up of late, Owusu-Koramoah saw a surprising drop in his workload this week. He only played 34 of 70 defensive snaps and the 49% workload was his lowest total of the year, even though the Browns were without a regular contributor in Sione Takitaki.

LB Derrick Barnes, DET (1 solo, 1 asst on 68% of snaps)
Barnes had played more snaps than rookie Jack Campbell in every game until this week when the numbers were flipped. Campbell was on the field for 90% of the snaps compared to just 68% for Barnes. Campbell didn’t do much with the opportunity, but the Lions have a first-round pick invested in him and may be ready to give him a bigger role.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

S Darnell Savage, GB (1 solo on 51% of snaps)
After a strong start to the season, Savage has struggled to make much of an impact of late. To make matters worse, he suffered a calf injury that knocked him out of the game this week, and it sounds like he’s expected to miss another game or two while recovering. This should create an opening for Jonathan Owens, who only added 1 tackle on 32 snaps.

S Kareem Jackson, DEN (4 solos, 1 asst, 1 PD on 77% of snaps)
Jackson was ejected in the fourth quarter for unnecessary roughness, marking his second ejection of the season already.

S Marcus Maye, NO (3 asst 100% of snaps)
Maye hasn’t been very productive since returning from a three-game suspension. Over the past two starts, he has just 2 solos and 5 assists.

S Andre Cisco, JAX (1 solo, 1 asst on 68% of snaps)
Cisco has been having a great year for the Jaguars, but he left the game early this week with what was described as lower body cramps.

CB JuJu Brents, IND (0 tackles on 28% of snaps)
One week after recording his first interception, the rookie Brents was shut out after leaving the game early with a leg injury. Darrell Baker Jr replaced him and added 3 solo tackles plus a pass defensed on 45 snaps.