Eyes of the Guru IDP Info: Preseason Update 1

With the introduction of the three-game format, teams are all over the place with their approach to the preseason. A few teams played their starters for a series or two in the first game, while several teams held them out. There were a fair number of teams that played some starters but not the full unit. This makes it difficult to get a read on their plans, especially when there are situations the teams themselves have not made decisions on. These are my notes from the first round of warmup games and other news since my initial team reports.

Note: Not all teams are mentioned, only teams needing an update since our team-by-team breakdown.

IDP Update: Arizona

Mack Wilson is ahead of Owen Pappoe and Krys Barnes at inside linebacker. The only question is whether he will stay on the field in nickel situations. The Cardinals sat all their starters against New Orleans, so we will have to wait at least one more week for that answer.

BJ Ojulari suffered an ACL injury and is out for the year. That puts Dennis Gardeck in the starting lineup and likely means more snaps for Victor Dimukeje and rookie Xavier Thomas. Arizona signed Marquis Hayes but let him go a few days later. Chances are they will add more depth at some point. They had Carl Lawson in for a visit but have not yet signed him.

Rookie Max Melton has been seeing time with the starters and did not play.    

IDP Update: Atlanta

Troy Andersen and Kaden Elliss are the starting inside linebackers on the team’s initial depth chart. They did not play against Miami but neither did Nate Landman. Andersen has been impressive from the beginning of camp and appears to be in line for a starting job.   

DeMarcco Hellams was carted off with an ankle injury that will cause him to miss extended time. That could open the door for Ritchie Grant to fully claim the strong safety job, but the team had Justin Simmons in for a visit on Monday and Tuesday. We need to see if he leaves without a contract before getting too excited about Grant.  

Hellams was not the only significant injury the Falcons suffered. Rookie edge defender Bralen Trice tore his ACL and is headed for IR. The team was counting on Trice to have a big role at what was already a thin position.  

IDP Update: Baltimore

The only expected starter to get in the game versus Philadelphia was inside linebacker Trenton Simpson. Since he is a second-year player who did not see much action as a rookie, this is likely a case of the coaches wanting to get him some playing time rather than anything that would cause concern for IDP managers.  

IDP Update: Buffalo

The Bills went with most of their starters. Matt Milano was held out as a precaution but has participated fully in training camp. Cole Bishop and Mike Edwards are dealing with a sore shoulder and a hamstring, respectively. Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin got the start against Chicago. Bishop is a projected starter, but he could fall behind Rapp if he is not able to get back on the field soon. The Bills are concerned enough to sign Kareem Jackson and Terrell Burgess, just in case.  

IDP Update: Carolina

All has been quiet on the defensive side in Carolina. They played no starters versus the Patriots, while rookie linebacker Trevin Wallace looked okay but was not a standout.  

IDP Update: Chicago

The Bears rolled out most of their starters. Montez Sweat and Jaquan Brisker were the only healthy scratches on defense, while Kyler Gordon continues to miss time due to what has been described as muscle tightness.

Kevin Byard III made a pair of tackles in his short time on the field. It’s a small sample, but so far, it looks like he will pick up right where he left off in Philadelphia last year.

IDP Update: Cincinnati

The Bengals answered some questions by rolling out the starting defense without all four first-team linemen. Vonn Bell and Geno Stone were the safeties, Cam Taylor-Britt and D.J. Turner were the outside corners, and Mike Hilton was in the slot.

Cincinnati already has injury issues on the defensive line. Sam Hubbard has been nursing a sore knee throughout camp, and Cameron Sample has been lost for the year due to an Achilles injury. There was some good news when Trey Hendrickson returned to practice. Hubbard remains week-to-week.

Against Tampa Bay, Joseph Ossai and Myles Murphy were on the edge, along with Zach Carter and rookie Kris Jenkins at tackle. All four of these guys are in line for at least rotational duty, and Jenkins has a shot at a starting job before the season ends.  

IDP Update: Cleveland

The Browns had a sprinkling of starters on the field against Green Bay, but the big news for IDP managers hit on Monday when it was announced that Jordan Hicks is week-to-week with what, so far, is an undisclosed injury. A day-to-day status with three weeks before the opener would not be a big deal. Week-to-week, however, is not a good sign for his week-one availability. Cleveland started Devin Bush and Mohamoud Diabate against the Packers. Their depth chart has Bush as the starting strong side backer, but he would likely slide to the middle if Hicks misses time.

IDP Update: Dallas

Sam Williams was supposed to have a substantially bigger role this year before an ACL injury ended his season before it started. That means a bigger role for rookie Marshawn Kneeland, who has impressed. It could also mean more passing down action for DeMarcus Lawrence, who could become a fantasy factor again. The team added Al-Quadin Muhammad to restock the depth chart.

DeMarvion Overshown has been seeing time with the first team, but the Cowboys depth chart shows him behind rookie Marist Liufau on the weak side, while Damone Clark is listed as the strong side starter. There are two important things to keep in mind here. The depth charts put out by teams are unofficial and usually put together by some front office intern who may or may not have input from the coaching staff. The second thing is that the Cowboys may not yet have decided who will start next to Kendricks in their two LB scheme. Dallas played no veteran starters against the Rams with Clark and Overshown getting the call at linebacker. This one remains unsettled for now.

Eric Kendricks is nursing a sore back but should be fine for week one.

IDP Update: Denver

Denver played most of their starters, and there were no surprises. The team’s depth chart has Cody Barton and Jonas Griffith as co-starters next to Alex Singletary at inside linebacker. It was Barton running with the starters against Indianapolis. The starters were not on the field long enough to confirm if Barton would be involved in sub-packages.

Brandon Jones can be a highly productive safety if he can stay on the field. His career has been marred by nagging injuries and he is already missing time with a sore hamstring. Devon Key made the start against the Colts and should be on your speed dial if you have Jones on your roster.

IDP Update: Detroit

The Lions did not play their defensive starters against the Giants, but their depth chart makes for some interesting conversation. We have heard that Branch is spending more time at safety, so it was not unexpected to see him listed as one of the starters there. What was surprising, after his explosive play last year, was Ifeatu Melifonwu showing up behind Branch, with Amik Robertson penciled in as the nickel corner.

If you are among the many who have already drafted Melifonwu, don’t panic over this news. Detroit sat all of their starters, including Kerby Joseph, Branch, and Melifonwu. It will be shocking if all three are not on the field for at least 75% of the snaps this year.

The fact that Jack Campbell is a starter on the depth chart is a good sign for those of us who have already drafted him, but it remains to be seen if he will continue to share time with Derrick Barnes.

IDP Update: Green Bay

There was supposedly a three-way battle for the Packers' strong safety job. When they had to pick one to run with the starters versus Cleveland, rookie Javon Bullard got the call. We all expected this to be the case, but Green Bay did throw us a curveball at linebacker, where Isaiah McDuffie made the start next to Quay Walker. Meanwhile, Edgerrin Cooper is currently listed as the backup to Eric Wilson at SLB, while fellow rookie Ty’Ron Hopper is behind McDuffie on the weak side.

Both rookies were sidelined against the Browns. Cooper has been battling a sore groin, but there is no word on why Hopper did not play. If you picked up Cooper in a dynasty league, he will be fine in the long run. If you have him in a redraft, this could be a problem.  

IDP Update: Houston

The Texans played a mix of starters and backups with the first unit against Pittsburgh. The starters who played were either young guys or players new to the team. The game did not tell us much but there are some interesting notes from the initial depth chart.

Christian Harris is listed as the starting middle backer, with Azeez Al-Shaair on the weak side and Henry To’oto’o on the strong side. Denico Autry, suspended for the first six games, is the backup to Danielle Hunter on the edge when many expected him to play the three-technique tackle position. Jimmie Ward has moved to free safety with Jalen Pitre going back to strong. Kamari Lassiter is the starter ahead of Jeff Okudah on the corner.

If all of these are correct and the Texans open the season as the depth chart suggests, Autry’s value takes a huge hit even when he comes back, Al-Shaair should be fine but gets a slight downgrade, Pitre gets a big boost and a return to major IDP relevance, and Lassiter falls under the rookie corner rule.  

IDP Update: Indianapolis

The Colts lost Samson Ebukan to an ACL injury early in training camp. At first glance, that would seem to suggest an upgrade for Dayo Odeyingbo and/or first-round pick Laiatu Latu. While it may benefit those guys in the long run, especially in passing situations, they were leapfrogged on the depth chart by Tyquan Lewis.

The Colts brought back Julian Blackmon who had a productive 2023 for them and for IDP managers. The question now is where will he line up? Blackmon was the team’s strong safety last season but the coaching staff has been moving guys around to find their best combination. Their depth chart, however, says that Nick Cross is at free safety and Blackmon at strong. We want the strong safety in this situation, whoever that ends up being.

IDP Update: Jacksonville

Exception for a couple of players that are knicked up, the Jaguars rolled out their starting unit to face the Chiefs. The only really interesting note from this game was Andre Cisco lining up as a box strong safety while Antonio Johnson filled in for Darnell Savage at free. The team’s depth chart confirms this observation. This could make Cisco a major IDP factor providing he can stay on the field. Injuries have been an issue for him, but Cisco has shown signs of strong IDP potential in the past.

IDP Update: Kansas City

The Chiefs played all of their starters against Jacksonville except Nick Bolton, who has been sidelined with a sore elbow, Chris Jones, who has a bum shoulder, and Justin Reid, who has missed the start of camp with a quad injury. There is nothing important to glean from the game, but it was good to hear that Bolton and Reid were on the practice field on Monday.  

IDP Update: LA Chargers

The Chargers fielded a mix of first and second-team players against Seattle, with the veteran starters getting the night off. Dalyan Henley and Denzel Perryman are listed as the starters on the team’s depth chart. Henley got the call versus Seattle and looked pretty good in his short stint on the field. Backups Troy Dye and Nick Niemann played most of the game and put up big numbers. Perryman is a journeyman and a marginal starter, so it would not be a surprise to see one of the backups push for his starting spot.

IDP Update: LA Rams

Los Angeles played no starters against Dallas, but there are some interesting notes from camp and their depth chart. The Rams' first depth chart has Quintin Lake in the nickel role (the one that made Jalen Ramsey an IDP stud), with John Johnson and Kamren Curl as the safeties. The most interesting note is the report that Johnson was seeing time at strong safety while Curl was lining up deep during some practice sessions. Hopefully, we can get some clarity on this in the second round of warmup games.

The Rams are already behind the eight ball due to injuries at the corner position. Darious Williams is missing time with a sore hamstring, and Derion Kendrick has been lost to an ACL injury. Tre’Davious White is locked in on one side, while Cobie Durant has been working with the starters. The team signed Jerry Jacobs to replace Kendrick.

IDP Update: Miami

Miami played no starters against the Falcons but their initial depth chart gives us an idea where they are with some important situations. The unexpected retirement of Shaquille Barrett left the team thin at an edge position that has both starters on the mend from last year’s injuries. They re-signed Emmanuel Ogbah to help fill the void but surprisingly, have Quinton Bell listed ahead of first-round pick Chop Robinson. Jaelan Phillips (Achilles’) was recently activated from the PUP list and could be ready for week one.

The Depth Dolphins depth chart shows David Long Jr. and Jordyn Brooks as the starting linebackers, with Anthony Walker Jr. and Duke Riley as their backups, respectively.  

IDP Update: Minnesota

The Vikings played enough of their starters to show us at least one important bit of news. There are a ton of managers out there who expect huge things from Ivan Pace and Josh Metellus this year. These expectations are based largely on last year’s production under last year’s defensive coordinator in last year’s scheme. Unfortunately, last year’s points don’t count.

When covering this team in July, I pointed out two important factors. The first is that Blake Cashman is a good NFL starter when healthy. Pace wore the green dot and called plays at the start of camp. It looked like he would live up to those grand expectations. When the Vikings squared off against Las Vegas last weekend, Cashman was in the lead role, wearing the dot and calling plays.

The second factor I mentioned was that Metellus was the third safety in a scheme that fielded three on virtually every snap. The 2023 Vikings played one linebacker much of the time, with Metellus often lining up as the second one. The starters were not on the field for long, but it looked as if this coaching staff will play with two linebackers much more often than last season. That is great news for managers who have Pace. Even if he doesn’t regain the lead role, he could play enough to be a quality contributor for us. It is not good news for those expecting Metellus to pick up where he left off last year, as he could have a seriously reduced role. We have not yet seen enough to know for certain how this will play out, but there is reason for concern if you are involved with these players.

IDP Update: New England

New England sprinkled in a few starters against the Panthers, but there was nothing to come out of the first warmup game that helped us much. Daniel Ekuale got the start for Christian Barmore, who is still missing time with blood clots. Jaylinn Hawkins stood in for Jabril Peppers who is nursing a sore leg. Barmore is in danger of missing regular season time.  

One interesting note comes from their depth chart, which suggests the team will line up in a 4-2-5 featuring Keion White with his hand down on one edge and Matt Judon working from a two-point stance on the other.   

IDP Update: New Orleans

The Saints played most of their starters against Arizona but had 15 players not suit up due to injuries. All four first-team defensive linemen were in the game, including Cameron Jordan. Tyrann Mathieu and Johnathan Abram were the starting safeties, a big red flag for managers expecting to see Jordan Howden at strong safety. New Orleans had Justin Simmons in for a visit, but he left without signing a deal.

Demario Davis (hamstring) and Pete Werner (shoulder) were absent, so D’Marco Jackson and Willie Gay were the linebackers. This does nothing to help us figure out who is winning the competition between Werner and Gay, but there is some pretty convincing evidence that Werner will come away with the job. He recently signed a three-year 25 million-dollar contract extension.

Chase Young returned to practice early in camp and played against the Cardinals, but he was not on the field as a starter. I expect he will work in a rotational role with Jordan, but that is just an educated guess.

IDP Update: NY Giants

Tyler Nubin was drafted to replace Xavier McKinney, but so far, he has been stuck behind Dane Belton both in practice and on the depth chart. While this is disturbing for those who have already drafted Nubin, it is too early to panic. The Giants sat most of their starters against the Lions. Jason Pinnock did not suit up so Belton and Nubin were both in the starting lineup, suggesting the competition is ongoing.  

Micah McFadden is the expected starter opposite Bobby Okereke at inside linebacker, but keep an eye on Dyontae Johnson. He made a lot of plays against Detroit, including 4 tackles (2 for loss) and a sack before giving way to the third team.

IDP Update: NY Jets

New York rested their starters, so the big news for the team is Haason Reddick’s request to be traded. He has not reported to Jets camp and is now facing a standoff with the organization. The Jets put out a public statement saying they have no intention of trading Reddick and even if they did, there is no team out there willing to give him the deal he thinks he is worth. This one could get ugly. Meanwhile, Michael Clemons is working with the starters.

IDP Update: Philadelphia

The Eagles depth chart shows Zach Baun and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. as co-starters at one LB position, with Devin White and Nakobe Dean as co-starters at the other. Philadelphia played most of their starters versus the Ravens, including Baun and White at the ILB  spots to start the game, while Trotter and Dean worked with the second unit.  

Darius Slay and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson did not dress for the game so the team went with Reed Blankenship at strong safety and four corners filling out the secondary. It looked as if Kelee Ringo and Avonte Maddox both saw time at safety opposite Blankenship while Sydney Brown remains on the PUP list.

Bryce Huff has been disappointing, which should not be a surprise to anyone who read my Eagles team coverage earlier.

IDP Update: Pittsburgh

Cole Holcomb is not close to returning from last year’s knee injury and is a candidate for the PUP, if not IR, as we close in on the season. The Steelers sat most of their veteran starters against the Texans but played Elandon Roberts and rookie Payton Wilson. Roberts is listed as the starter opposite Patrick Queen on the depth chart, but history tells us he is no better than a marginal NFL starter. Wilson, however, stood out versus the Texans, leading the team with six tackles, including one for loss. He could be one more strong performance away from passing Roberts on the depth chart.

Alex Highsmith is dealing with a groin injury that will likely keep him out until at least week one. Nick Herbig would get the call if Highsmith misses regular-season time.

IDP Update: San Francisco

It has been quiet on the defensive side in San Francisco. The biggest news to come out recently is the signing of safety Tracy Walker. He is unlikely to be more than depth for the 49ers but can be productive if he gets on the field.

IDP Update: Seattle

Seattle played most of their starters against the Chargers. The most notable exception was Jerome Baker who is dealing with a hamstring issue. The team hopes he will be ready for the start of the season but we are getting to the point that it is a concern. Rookie Tyrice Knight had a decent showing with the starters in relief and could be a viable addition if Baker continues to miss time.

Julian Love signed a contract extension that will keep him with the team through the 2027 season.

IDP Update: Tampa Bay

Red flags are flying around the Buccaneers' linebacker position and not the kind that represent a challenge. All summer long and to this point in the preseason, IDP managers have zeroed in on K.J. Britt as the starter next to Lavonte David. Unless Britt was the only starter to play against the Bengals, that may not be the case. Britt was in the starting lineup, while SirVocea Dennis was a healthy scratch along with the other 21 starters. While this is somewhat of a surprise to nearly everyone, if you read my team report on the Buccaneers, it is not a shock at all. There is a long way to go before week one, but if you have Britt or are looking for a sneaky sleeper, it might be a good idea to slip Dennis onto your roster, just in case.

The team signed Randy Gregory to provide rotational depth but he did not report for training camp and has filed retirement papers. That means more opportunity for Anthony Nelson and rookie Chris Braswell. With YaYa Diaby on the mend from a high ankle sprain, we could see a lot of Nelson and Braswell early in the year.

IDP Update: Washington

It is hard to tell if the Commanders played most of their starters because we are still not sure who some of those players are. Their depth chart tells us that Dante Fowler is ahead of Jamin Davis at strong-side linebacker, Quan Martin is starting over Darrick Forest, and Benjamin St-Juste is ahead of Emmanuel Forbes at corner. Against the Jets, Washington opened in a nickel with Forbes and St-Juste on the corners, while Fowler did not play and Davis had a limited role.

That does it for this edition. I'll be back for one more after the next round of games; then it is time to gear up for week one. Best of luck to everyone drafting this week.

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