IDP Upgrades: Week 9

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. Still, 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 Kayvon Thibodeaux, NYG (6 solos, 3 asst, 3 sacks, 3 TFL, 3 QH, 1 FF on 97% of snaps)
Thibodeaux was taken 5th overall last year but went behind Travon Walker and Aidan Hutchinson in a strong class for pass rushers. Despite playing on one of the league’s worst teams, he’s been able to generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. He has 8.5 sacks on the year - all of which have come in his last six games - and should be climbing on dynasty rankings. The one knock against him is that he doesn’t offer much production against the run yet, but that is pretty typical for young players at the position.

DE George Karlaftis, KC (4 solos, 3 asst, 2.5 sacks, 1 TFL, 3 QH, 1 FF on 73% of snaps)
Here is another 1st-round pick from a year ago who is starting to play up to his potential. Karlaftis has been a key part of a resurgent Chiefs defense and now has four sacks over his last three games.

DE Jaelan Phillips, MIA (7 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH on 85% of snaps)
Phillips has been sidelined frequently this year due to injuries, but he has been highly productive when healthy enough to play a full workload. In the three games he has played more than two-thirds of the defensive snaps, he has 18 solo tackles, 8 assists, and 2.5 sacks.

DE Jonathan Greenard, HOU (3 solos, 3 asst, 2.5 sacks, 2 TFL, 4 QH on 66% of snaps)
The addition of Will Anderson Jr. drew a lot of attention in Houston and should pay off eventually, but Greenard is stealing some of his thunder. With a huge 2.5 sack game this week, he now has six through seven games, and five of them have come in his last four starts.

DE Harold Landry III, TEN (5 solos, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH on 69% of snaps)
Things haven’t quite gone according to plan for Landry this year, but he remains the best pass rusher on the Titans roster. Perhaps it took him some time to put last year’s ACL injury behind him, but he’s collected 10 solo tackles and 3 sacks over his last two games combined.

DE Boye Mafe, SEA (3 solos, 5 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 4 QH, 1 FR on 74% of snaps)
Seattle made some aggressive moves to upgrade their pass rush with the additions of Frank Clark and Leonard Williams. Mafe has an active five-game sack streak right now, however, and seems likely to remain a core piece of their rotation up front.

DE Preston Smith, GB (2 solos, 3 asst, 2 sacks, 1 TFL, 4 QH, 1 FF, 1 PD on 65% of snaps)
After going sackless for his first four games of the year, Smith has turned things around. He now has a three-game sack streak, and his favorable matchups over the next two weeks should keep it going.

DE Jermaine Johnson, NYJ (3 solos, 3 asst, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 4 QH on 73% of snaps)
Although it came against one of the weakest lines in the league, it was encouraging to see Johnson take advantage with a pair of sacks. He’s yet another of last year’s 1st-round picks starting to emerge as the best pass rusher on his team.

DE Baron Browning, DEN (4 solos, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 3 QH, 1 FF on 59% of snaps)
Browning started the year on the PUP list after undergoing surgery on his knee in June. He had a quiet debut last week against the Packers but ramped up to a heavier workload this week and helped make things very difficult for the Chiefs in a surprisingly easy win. Adding him to the rotation with Jonathan Cooper and Nik Bonitto should make this group even better.

DE Keion White, NE (2 solos, 1 asst, 1 TFL on 81% of snaps)
Only four Patriots defenders played more snaps than the rookie this week. While this didn’t show up in the box score, it’s worth noting since he almost doubled Deatrich Wise Jr's snap count.

DE Clelin Ferrell, SF (5 asst, .5 sack, 2 QH, 1 FF on 59% of snaps)
There may not be much here to get excited about, but the former 4th overall pick is playing almost 40 snaps/game for the 49ers. Although he was clearly a bust for the Raiders, he’s found a home on one of the league’s best defenses and playing much more than Drake Jackson and Randy Gregory.

DT Jeffery Simmons, TEN (6 solos, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FF on 79% of snaps)
The production for Simmons has been somewhat underwhelming for much of this year since he’s one of the most dominant interior defenders in the league. With a huge game against the Falcons this weekend, along with signs of life from the offense, he could be right back on track. With five sacks through seven games played, he’s on pace to shatter his career-high of 8.5 sacks from 2021.

DT Dante Stills, ARI (3 solos, 2 asst, 1.5 sacks, 1 TFL, 2 QH on 49% of snaps)
Stills is a rookie sixth-round pick who has been making some plays for the Cardinals defense. He’s averaging a little over 30 snaps/game and has 16 combined tackles and 2.5 sacks over his last four games.

LINEBACKERS

LB Logan Wilson, CIN (9 solos, 2 asst, 1 INT, 2 PD on 100% of snaps)
Wilson doesn’t always seem to get the credit he deserves, but he’s been a strong 2-way force in the middle of the Bengals defense. As their offense has started to play better of late, he’s also seen an uptick in production with 17 solos, 5 assists, plus an interception and partial sack over the last two games.

LB Jordyn Brooks, SEA (4 solos, 6 asst, 1 sack, 2 QH, 1 FF on 95% of snaps)
Brooks was not expected to contribute much - if at all - this season after suffering a torn ACL in week 18 a year ago. In addition to his remarkable recovery to make it back in time for week 1, he’s been incredibly productive and seems headed for another LB1 finish. Through seven games, he has averaged just under 10 combined tackles and a half-sack per game.

LB T.J. Edwards, CHI (9 solos, 4 asst, 2 TFL, 2 QH, 1 FR on 93% of snaps)
One week after a very quiet showing against the Raiders, Edwards was everywhere on Sunday and was credited with 13 tackles in a blowout loss to the Chargers. Tremaine Edmunds left the game early with a knee injury, which could mean a slight uptick in playing time for Edwards, who is already putting up top-10/LB1 numbers this year.

LB De'Vondre Campbell, GB (10 solos, 4 asst, 1 QH on 93% of snaps)
Campbell had not played any snaps since suffering an ankle injury early in week 3. He was back in the starting lineup this week, though, and looked like his old self with a game-high 10 solos and 14 tackles. The Vikings offense did generate 60 tackle opportunities in the game, so numbers were high across the board. But Campbell showed he can still be relied on when healthy.

LB Frankie Luvu, CAR (7 solos, 5 asst, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 1 QH, 2 PD on 100% of snaps)
Luvu came into the game this week with a questionable tag but managed to play all 58 snaps. He’s yet to miss a game but has seen a drop in his production while dealing with a hip injury over the past month. The bye week likely helped him recover last week as he came through with perhaps his best game of the season as the Panthers got their first win.

LB Nakobe Dean, PHI (11 solos, 1 asst, 2 TFL on 69% of snaps)
The Eagles didn’t play any of their linebackers more than 71% of the snaps this week, so they spread things around. It was Dean who stood out, however, with 11 solos and 12 tackles combined on just 50 defensive snaps. Zach Cunningham only added five tackles with a pair of pass deflections on his 51 snaps, while Nicholas Morrow was once again left with a sub-40% workload.

LB Shaquille Leonard, IND (6 solos, 5 asst on 83% of snaps)
Leonard’s days as an elite fantasy option may be over, but he is starting to look more like his old self of late. He has been credited with 14 solos and 11 assists over the last three games combined and looks comfortable playing 70-80% of the snaps.

LB Leo Chenal, KC (6 solos, 4 asst, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 1 QH on 69% of snaps)
The Chiefs were already down one starting linebacker this week before Willie Gay Jr Jr. exited with a tailbone injury. That created an opening for Chenal to play a season-high 49 snaps, and he responded with 10 tackles plus a sack. There is some impressive depth in this group, and Chenal is a former third-round pick who should play well if given an opportunity.

LB Denzel Perryman, HOU (6 solos, 3 asst, .5 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH on 48% of snaps)
The Texans used their bye week to change things up on defense as they shifted Perryman back to his natural middle linebacker spot this week. Although Christian Harris got the start this week, Perryman wound up playing 20 more snaps than him. While his workload of 48% was still quite low, he showed what he’s capable of with nine tackles on just 32 snaps. The only true 3-down linebacker this week for Houston was Blake Cashman, who played 91% of the snaps.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

S Kyle Dugger, NE (7 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH, 1 INT, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
Dugger came into this season with high expectations and top-10 potential for the safety position. While there have been some flashes, such as his 12-solo game in week 4, he has struggled to produce big plays. That changed for him this week, however, as he picked up his first sack and interception of the season while also leading his team in tackles.

S Reed Blankenship, PHI (7 solos, 1 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
The addition of Kevin Byard at free safety should free up Blankenship to play more aggressively. He sat out last week’s game with a rib injury but got back on track this week with another strong game that included nine tackles plus his second interception in just six games played.

S Ryan Neal, TB (10 solos, 3 asst on 100% of snaps)
Tampa struggled to slow down the Bills offense at times, which created plenty of opportunities for Neal in the secondary. He’s yet to register any kind of big play this year but has been a steady source of tackles while averaging five solos and three assists per game.

S Jordan Poyer, BUF (3 solos, 5 asst, 2 PD on 100% of snaps)
Poyer looks like he’s lost a step this year for the Bills, but he’s seeing an uptick in his numbers of late due to a change in his role. Tyrel Dodson is playing linebacker on early downs, but in passing situations, the Bills are moving Poyer up to linebacker and replacing him at safety with Taylor Rapp. That gives him more opportunities to make plays and should keep him as a viable fantasy option in most weeks.

S Richie Grant, ATL (6 solos, 3 asst, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
The linebacker position is a weak spot in Atlanta due to injuries, and that is likely creating some additional opportunities for a player like Grant at strong safety. Over his last two games combined, he has been credited with 11 solos and 6 assists while adding an interception.

S Tony Adams, NYJ (7 solos, 3 asst, 1 TFL on 100% of snaps)
This was an unusual game since the Giants were down to their third-string quarterback early on and only completed 6 of 14 passes. They still generated 52 rushing attempts in the game, however, and that provided a boost to most Jets IDPs. Adams was one of three Jets defenders to finish with at least 10 tackles and now has 17 tackles plus an interception in his last two games.

S Geno Stone, BAL (3 solos, 1 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
The Ravens have been forced to play without one of their best playmakers in safety Marcus Williams for much of the season, but Stone has more than made up for it with a league-high five interceptions.

S Keanu Neal, PIT (7 solos, 1 FR on 97% of snaps)
Minkah Fitzpatrick left the game early with a hamstring injury, which shifted Neal into a full-time role. He played a season-high 69 snaps this week. Early in his career, he had some highly productive years with the Falcons, and at just 28 years old, he could offer some short-term production if Fitzpatrick is forced to miss some time.

CB Jalen Ramsey, MIA (1 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD on 92% of snaps)
Ramsey was expected to be out until mid-November or so but made an early return to the Dolphins lineup this week. While he had a quiet game overall, he made a great play to bring in an interception and also forced a fumble that was wiped out due to an offensive penalty.

CB DaRon Bland, DAL (6 solos, 1 asst, 1 INT, 2 PD, 1 TD on 94% of snaps)
Trevon Diggs had a magical season with 11 interceptions in 2021, and Bland is on his way to something similar this year. Through just seven games played this year, he already has four interceptions, returning three for touchdowns.

CB Tyrique Stevenson, CHI (10 solos, 2 asst on 99% of snaps)
The Bears rookie had a very productive game on Sunday night in a disappointing loss to the Chargers. He has been a bright spot for them this year and has been one of the more productive tackling cornerbacks in the league while averaging nearly 5 solo tackles per game.

Downgrades

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/EDGE RUSHERS

DE Deatrich Wise Jr, NE (1 asst on 42% of snaps)
The Patriots may always change things around next week, but it looked like Wise lost his starting job to the rookie Keion White this week. One week after playing 96% of the snaps against the Bills, Wise was out of the starting lineup this week and saw a season-low workload of just 42%.

DE Andrew Van Ginkel, MIA (1 asst, 1 QH on 26% of snaps)
While it was likely matchup-related, Van Ginkel played a season-low 26% of the snaps this week with just 14. The Dolphins relied heavily on their bookends in Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb for most of the game, which left fewer opportunities for Van Ginkel, who has been playing very well.

DT Grady Jarrett, ATL (0 tackles on 6% of snaps)
Jarrett left the game very early this week with a knee injury that was later confirmed to be a torn ACL. The team moved on Monday to trade for Kentavius Street, who figures to play inside and allow the team to keep Calais Campbell at defensive end. This is a huge blow for the Falcons defense, though.

DT Jalen Carter, PHI (1 asst, 1 QH on 24% of snaps)
The Eagles appeared to lose Carter to a back injury this week, but reports on Monday indicated he felt better and could be able to play in week 9 against the Cowboys.

LINEBACKERS

LB Tremaine Edmunds, CHI (1 solo on 64% of snaps)
Edmunds left the game with what initially looked like a serious knee injury but somehow returned. We’ll have to wait for additional reports this week to see if any damage was done and if he’ll miss any time. If so, that could create another opening for Jack Sanborn, who added eight tackles on 32 snaps this week.

LB Ja'Whaun Bentley, NE (4 solos, 2 asst on 26% of snaps)
Bentley looked like he was headed for a big game, with six tackles on 20 snaps before leaving with a hamstring injury. Jahlani Tavai filled in for him in passing situations while Mack Wilson Sr. took over on early downs.

LB Henry To'oto'o, HOU (1 solo, 2 asst on 49% of snaps)
The rookie moved from middle linebacker to strongside linebacker this week and appears to have lost his role in the team’s nickel package as well. He has been productive with 35 combined tackles over his previous four games, but this move figures to end that run for now.

LB Willie Gay Jr Jr., KC (2 solos, 1 asst, 1 FR on 41% of snaps)
The Chiefs linebacker depth was further depleted on Sunday as they lost Gay to a hamstring injury after losing Nick Bolton a week ago. Gay was replaced by Leo Chenal, but it wasn’t immediately clear if he would miss any more time.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

S Minkah Fitzpatrick PIT (2 solos on 11% of snaps)
The Steelers star safety left the game early this week with a hamstring injury. He only lasted eight snaps but did collect two solo stops on those plays. He was replaced by Keanu Neal in the game and has already been ruled out for week 9.

S Isaiah Simmons, NYG (1 PD on 38% of snaps)
Simmons has been relegated to a part-time player in New York and can’t make much of an impact even when he’s on the field. He’s played 61 snaps over the past three games combined and has just three assists with a pass defensed to show for it.