Eyes of the Guru IDP Info: Week 8

Guru's IDP Notes: Arizona Cardinals

There were concerns about the availability of Kyzir White heading into week seven. He managed to go but again turned in a backward stat line of 3-7. How a starting middle linebacker can have 18 tackles and 37 assists is a real head-scratcher, but that's just who White is. He's reached double-digit points in three of seven games with a season-best of 12 in week one.

The Cardinals got bad news Tuesday on the injury front when Dennis Gardeck was confirmed to have a torn ACL. Gardeck is leading the team in sacks with three, while the rest of the edge defenders have a combined total of one. Third-year pro Jesse Luketa has seen more playing time over the last three weeks. He is leading candidates to assume the starting role.

Guru's IDP Notes: Atlanta Falcons

The game script for Atlanta and Seattle was a strange one. Despite ringing up a 20-point win, the Seahawks were hardly an offensive juggernaut. The result was weak numbers for Jessie Bates III (2-0) and Nate Landman (1-4), with Kaden Ellis (3-6) doing a little better. There is nothing to see here as all three players were 100% participants.

In a piece of good news for the Falcons, Troy Andersen is expected to practice this week and may be available to face Tampa Bay.   

Guru's IDP Notes: Baltimore Ravens

Kyle Hamilton gave us an injury scare in week seven, but he is not expected to miss time. That doesn't mean he should be in our lineups this week, though. The safety position, as a whole, is averaging six tackles and four assists per game against Cleveland. Hamilton is a playmaker, so the upside is there with a backup quarterback under center, but don't count on much in the tackle columns.   

Marlon Humphrey has been on a roll of late but was forced out of the Monday night game with a knee injury. The team has not yet commented on the nature or severity of the injury, so be prepared. Arthur Maulet has been activated from IR and could have a role.

We might want to avoid our Baltimore defensive backs, but don't hesitate to play those Ravens linemen this week. The Browns are giving up an average of five sacks per game with defensive lines averaging better than 18 combined stops. Cleveland is allowing five more points per game to the position than any other team.

Guru's IDP Notes: Buffalo Bills

Terrel Bernard was 6-2 with a fumble recovery before missing the last 20 plays with an ankle injury. As of early Wednesday, there was no update on his status from the team. Baylon Spector was highly productive earlier in the season when Bernard missed time and will be in line for a full-time role if Bernard sits. Spector showed up big with five tackles and two assists on 20 snaps versus Tennessee.  

Damar Hamlin is proving to be more than a placeholder. He has at least eleven fantasy points in five of the last six games with a pair of interceptions and five passes defended since week three.  

Ed Oliver returned to action in week seven. At 59% participation, he was close to a normal workload. This is good news for the Bills and is just in time for a stellar matchup. No one is allowing more points per game to interior linemen than the Seahawks.

Guru's IDP Notes: Carolina Panthers

Trevin Wallace was a bit disappointing last week, going 4-3 despite what should have been a plus matchup in the blowout loss to the Commanders. On the positive side, he was still tied for the second most tackles on the team. Denver is a middle-of-the-pack matchup on paper, but the Broncos are starting to heat up, especially in the run game. I like Wallace's chances of a strong rebound in this one, especially if Josey Jewell is still out.

Jewell missed the last three games with a sore hamstring. He did not practice last week, so a return is not imminent. That said, you can bet he will be doing anything possible to get back on the field in time to face the team that drafted and eventually discarded him. If Jewell is unavailable, look for Chandler Wooten to get the call. He managed 4-2 on 74% of the snaps versus Washington.

Guru's IDP Notes: Chicago Bears

Jaquan Brisker entered concussion protocol the morning after Chicago's week five game. He missed week six and, coming out of the bye, has still not been cleared to resume practice. Coach Eberflus told the Media that Brisker is improving but still has a couple of steps to go before being cleared. Eberfluse said Brisker continues to make progress and it looks good.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Cincinnati Bengals

Geno Stone was carted off in an air cast on Sunday with what appeared to be a significant injury. On Monday, Coach Taylor gave an update, saying it is a shin injury and is not as serious as initially feared. Tayler said that Stone has a good chance to play.

Guru's IDP Notes: Cleveland Browns

Don't look now but the Browns may be returning to last year's approach at linebacker. Jordan Hicks returned after missing a couple of games but did not go back to the 85% plus play share he had through week three. It could be just a case of easing him back into the fold, but Hicks was 3-2 on a 60% share, while Mohamoud Diabate went 2-2 on 40%, and Devin Bush 1-1 on 8 snaps.

Guru's IDP Notes: Dallas Cowboys

The bye could not come soon enough for a Cowboys squad hammered by injuries on both sides of the ball. Corner DaRon Bland returned to practice following a stint on IR. He is close but may not be activated in time for the matchup with San Francisco. Micah Parsons has been out with a high ankle sprain. He is also practicing and has a chance to play.

There is no news, however, about Eric Kendricks who missed week six with a calf strain. Keep an eye on the practice reports later in the week for an update. If Kendricks is available, put him in your lineup versus a San Francisco team that is a top-ten matchup for linebackers. Start DeMarvion Overshown in this one and if Kendricks is out, Damone Clark becomes a stream option.

Guru's IDP Notes: Denver Broncos

Despite the poor offensive performance of the Saints, fantasy managers got strong outings from Broncos linebackers in week seven. Justin Strnad was 6-3-1 but there is some concern as his playing time was reduced to 60%. This was likely a game-flow situation as the Saints fell behind and were forced to throw. Strnad leaves the field in most sub-packages. We could see a similar situation this week. The Panthers are struggling and have fallen behind quickly in recent games. Cody Barton is matchup-proof. He had a huge week seven at 6-2-1 with a forced fumble, fumble recovery, and a score while playing every snap.

The Panthers have been a mediocre matchup at best for linebackers, but they are a great one for defensive backs. They throw a lot, and Andy Dalton tends to be color-blind at times. With five of his six interceptions going to the secondary, only the Seahawks have been a better matchup for corners, and Carolina has allowed the ninth-most points to safeties.

Guru's IDP Notes: Detroit Lions

With the injury to Aidan Hutchinson, the Lions are short-handed at the edge position. They turned to the blitz to get pressure on Sam Darnold, sending extra rushers on 53% of the Vikings' pass attempts. The result was a four-sack day for the defense. Edge Josh Paschal stepped up with his first of the season, with the other three coming from linebackers Malcolm Rodriguez, Jack Campbell, and Trevor Nowaske, who lined up on the edge, going 4-1-1 on just 14 snaps. The Lions would love to see Paschal emerge, but ultimately, we could see a lot more from Rodriguez going forward.

Guru's IDP Notes: Green Bay Packers

The Packers lost Quay Walker to a concussion early in Suinday's game. He is currently in protocol and is not practicing early in the week. The team hopes he will be cleared in time to play.

How the Packers handled the loss was interesting. One might think it would provide an opportunity for rookie Edgerrin Cooper, but that was not the case. Cooper finished with three combined stops on 64% of the plays. Isaiah McDuffie got a little boost in playing time, going 2-2 on 69%, but it was Eric Wilson who came off the bench to assume the full-time role. He managed a strong 6-0-2 with 4  tackles for loss on 89% of the action. The Jaguars are a poor matchup for linebackers in general, but at least Wilson would have the volume if Walker is not cleared.

I would love to explain what the Packers are doing at safety, but I have no idea. Evan Williams and Javon Bullard seem to take turns in the full-time strong safety role. Williams had a limited role over the first four weeks. In week five, he got the start and played every snap while Bullard was the third safety, logging a 73% play share. In week six, their roles reversed, and Bullard outsnapped Williams 93% to 66%. Week seven saw Williams back in the lead, posting a strong 6-3 while working on every play again, while Bullard's 29 snaps (45%) was his lowest participation of the season. It is unclear what the team is doing, but it is very clear that while Bullard has played well, Williams has been impressive. Both players are putting up good numbers when in the lead role. Hopefully, the team will make up their mind soon.

Guru's IDP Notes: Houston Texans

Last week, I called attention to Neville Hewitt as a good streaming option. That worked well when he went 6-3 with a pick against the Packers. This week, we anxiously await an update on Azeez Al-Shaair's sore knee and Henry To'oto'o's recovery from concussion. The Texans have thus far been mum on their recoveries, but we should know something by Wednesday evening or Thursday when we see some practice participation reports. Neither starter is expected to miss an extended time.

Denico Autry has been reinstated after serving his six-game suspension. This player can be highly productive for us. Slip him onto your roster before he has a game that reminds everyone.

D'Angelo Ross came from nowhere to throw up a 7-1 in week seven. He was undrafted out of college six years ago, starting his career on the Patriots practice squad. Ross is set to make his third career start in week seven as he holds down the fort until Kamari Lassiter returns.

Guru's IDP Notes: Indianapolis Colts

E.J. Speed practiced all last week before being downgraded from questionable to doubtful on Saturday and ultimately inactive on Sunday with a sore knee. The organization has given us nothing more about the injury, so we don't know if he had a setback or was simply not ready to go. There should be some clarity later in the week. If Speed misses more time, jump on Grant Stuard, who got the call and racked up 9-8 on 93% participation in week seven.

DeForest Buckner is close to returning. His 21-day window was opened and he is expected to practice this week.

Guru's IDP Notes: Jacksonville Jaguars

Ventrell Miller continues to play well, but his role makes me nervous. He managed a quality 6-4 against New England but played just 58% of the snaps. The Jaguars opened the window for Foye Oluokun's return this week, so this might be Miller's last hurrah anyway.   

Antonio Johnson was demoted in favor of Darnell Savage last week. Johnson put together a few good games while Savage was hurt, but he was relegated to 32% of the action against the Patriots.

The trend of injured players coming back continued with Tyson Campbell getting on the field. Rookie Montaric Brown was a good play for us while it lasted. He saw a 52% play share as the third corner against New England.

Guru's IDP Notes: Las Vegas Raiders

Nate Hobbs was gimpy to open the season, and it showed on the stat sheet. With 16 total stops and a pick in the last two weeks, it looks like he's back. Hobbs is not known for splash plays but has been among the game's leading tacklers at the corner position over the last couple of years.

Robert Spillane had a down week, going 3-2 with a pass breakup. If you read last week's edition of The Guru and The Godfather, which Gary Davenport and I do on Fridays, this was not a shocker. It is, however, an emphasis on just how horrible the Rams are as a matchup for middle linebackers. Put him back in your lineup this week.

Adam Butler is on a bit of a roll. Although he is not much of a pass rusher, Butler has at least five combined stops in three of the last four games.

Guru's IDP Notes: Los Angeles Rams

Troy Reeder is a marginal third starter for us on most weeks. Don't hesitate to plug him in for week eight, though. The Vikings have allowed the most fantasy points in the league to off-ball linebackers.

Minnesota is not such a great matchup for safeties, ranking in the bottom third in points allowed to the position. On the other hand, Quentin Lake seems matchup-proof. He has at least six combined stops in every game, with double-digit points in five of six.    

Guru's IDP Notes: Miami Dolphins

David Long Jr. was on the field for every snap in the first two games. He was hurt late in week three and missed week four. In the last two games, Long has worked in a timeshare with Anthony Walker Jr. It was a 50-50 split in week five, and last week, it was 68% to 32% in favor of Long. It's been three weeks since Long returned from the injury, which suggests that the rotational situation could be here to stay.

Jevon Holland sat out against the Colts with a hand injury. Marcus Maye got the call and played every snap, but Jordan Poyer had the better production. When Poyer opened the season with two straight forgettable performances, it looked like the move to Miami would not rekindle his fantasy value. He had nine combined tackles in week three and was injured early in week four. Poyer went 6-2 in his first game back, giving him double-digit points in his last two outings. There are several good matchups for safeties on the schedule, including a shot at his old team in week nine and the two best matchups in the game for safeties in weeks 15 and 16.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Minnesota Vikings

With Blake Cashman nursing an injury, Ivan Pace Jr. was in the lead role and worked every snap. He turned a great matchup with the Lions into a 25-point day for IDP managers. It's a short week and Cashman is still not practicing, so Pace is likely to get another opportunity. Unfortunately, the matchup goes from feast to famine with the Rams on the schedule for Thursday. Los Angeles is by far the worst matchup for middle linebackers. I could run down the long list of good players who did next to nothing against them, but I'll keep it simple and point out two. Fred Warner was 1-3 earlier, and last week, Robert Spillane finished 3-2. If you have another good option, use it.

Guru's IDP Notes: New England Patriots

Kyle Dugger had a big game against the Jaguars, leading the team in tackles at 9-2. When healthy, Dugger is an every-week start, even against a Jets team that is a below-average matchup.

The interesting note from the Patriots' safety position is that we can now confirm Marte Mapu's promotion to a full-time role. His numbers were not eye-catching versus the Jaguars at 3-2, but he was one snap shy of 100% participation. New England's free safety position is hardly a fantasy goldmine, but it has given us decent numbers in most weeks. With a couple of six-team bye weeks on the horizon, Mapu could be a guy to help us get through.

Anfernee Jennings has half a sack on the season, but he is making a lot of tackles. Jennings totaled 6-1 against Jacksonville and has at least five combined stops in five consecutive games. He's not a player we want to count on every week, but five tackles out of an edge guy would be welcomed if your starters are off.  

Guru's IDP Notes: New Orleans Saints

Broken femurs are rare injuries in football. That is the injury suffered by Paulson Adebo. Hopefully, he will fully recover and return in 2025. Meanwhile, many of us have lost the fantasy games' leading scorer at the corner position. For the Saints, it is “Hey Kool-Aid” time. For fantasy managers, there will be no giant pitchers of points busting through the wall to refresh us (older folks will get the reference).

Rookie Kool-Aid McKinstry stepped in to finish the game and is in line to assume the starting role. He's a fine young player who should perform well for his team, but we will have to see if that translates into points for ours. This is where we learn how much of Adebo's value was scheme-related and how much was on the player. McKinstry played half of the snaps versus Denver, going 2-1 on the day. The only other game he saw significant action was in week two. He was 4-1 with a pass breakup on 87% of the snaps against the Cowboys in that one.    

Guru's IDP Notes: New York Giants

The Giants added five more sacks against the Eagles, holding onto the league lead in that category. Two of them went to Dexter Lawrence II who is absolutely killing it. His nine sacks are already two more than his previous career-best in 2022, and he currently leads the league. Some managers might think about trading him while he's hot. Looking at the Giants' remaining schedule, I suggest locking him up and throwing away the key. This is a guy that can help us win championships.

Azeez Ojulari has no more than two tackles and two assists in any game this year but he does have four sacks. Three of them coming in his two starts since the injury to Kayvon Thibodeaux. He had 49 combined as a rookie in 2021 so I have to believe those numbers will improve. It could start this week versus a Steelers team that is a mediocre matchup in terms of sacks but is giving up an average of 11.5 tackles per game to the edge position.

Cor'Dale Flott left the week seven game with a groin injury. If he is not available, it should mean more playing time for Dru Phillips.  

Jason Pinnock (77%) lost snaps to Dane Belton (33%) in week seven. Keep an eye on this situation going forward.

Guru's IDP Notes: New York Jets

We now know that C.J. Mosley is being eased back in as he returns from the toe injury. He played 9 snaps in Week 6 and 22 in Week 7. The problem is that there is no way to tell if this is the week he gets the full-time job back or just another incremental increase. There is even some speculation that Jamien Sherwood, who has impressed, might hold onto the lead role. Mosley said last week that the toe is not 100% and probably won't be until he stops running on it for a while. The moral of this story is that if you picked up Sherwood, keep him in your lineup until his playing time starts to decline.

The Jets top three safeties are all banged up. Tony Adams is nursing a hamstring, Chuck Clark is on IR with an ankle, and Ashtyn Davis left last week's game with a concussion. Jalen Mills started for Clark against the Steelers and should be in the lineup again this week. Who starts beside him is anyone's guess as of Wednesday.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles blew up for eight sacks in week seven with five defensive linemen posting at least one. The question is, was this a case of the Eagles returning to the form that saw them lead the league a couple of years back, or a case of the Giants returning to their 2023 ways when they gave up way more than anyone else? If you are looking at a glass that's half full, Josh Sweat has gotten to the quarterback in three straight games. That said, the Bengals are not the same team that used to give up sacks by the bushel.   

Nakobe Dean is finally starting to look like the player we thought he would be. He has at least seven combined tackles in every game since week two and is 13-10-2 in the two games since the bye. Cincinnati is a below-average matchup for linebackers, but Dean is closing in on matchup-proof status.

Zack Baun continues to fade. His 4-2 finish versus the Giants was his lowest total of the season. Baun had his shoulder looked at during the game, so that might have been a factor. On the other hand, he has fallen short of double-digit points in three straight games. Baun will be questionable this week. With a sore shoulder and a weak matchup, sitting him might be a good idea.   

Jeremiah Trotter Jr. showed up on the stat sheet for the first time in week seven. His 1-1 came on nine late-game snaps when the Eagles pulled their starters. If Baun misses this week's game, Trotter will get the call. Once this guy gets on the field, it might be hard to get him off of it.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson's 0-1 was purely a result of the horrible offensive performance by the Giants.   

Guru's IDP Notes: Pittsburgh Steelers

Payton Wilson outsnapped Elandon Roberts 31-16 in the Sunday night spotlight. Wilson also led the team with ten combined tackles. Despite the timeshare, he is 14-11 over the last three games, reaching double-digit points twice over that span. The bottom line is that the youngster is looking very good. Now, he needs to earn a full role. Maybe that will happen when the team comes out of their week nine bye.  

Alex Highsmith returned to action against the Jets. His numbers were nothing to speak of at 1-3, but he filled his usual role, seeing 74% of the action. Pittsburgh plays the Giants this week. If you believe that the eight sacks New York gave up last week were more than an outlier, Highsmith should be in your lineup.

Guru's IDP Notes: Seattle Seahawks

Seattle traded Jerome Baker for Ernest Jones IV on Wednesday. This is a huge bump in value for Jones as the Seahawks are historically among the most fantasy-friendly teams for linebackers. Tyrice Knight will likely get the start this week, but Jones could see some playing time while he learns the defense. The Seahawks believe this is an upgrade. I'll agree that Jones may be a better scheme fit.     

Coby Bryant made the move from corner to safety in the offseason. With Rayshawn Jenkins landing on IR last week, Bryant moved from backup to starter. He logged 97% of the playing time, seeing a lot of action near the line of scrimmage. In his first start, Bryant came away as the team's highest-scoring defender on the strength of 7-4 with a pick. The Seahawks have not yet disclosed what is wrong with Jenkins, so we don't know if he will be back in a few weeks. If Bryant continues to play this well, it might not matter. Sneak him onto your waiver list this week, and keep your fingers crossed.

Guru's IDP Notes: San Francisco 49ers

When Malik Mustapha went 6-6 versus the Chiefs, my initial reaction was to go after him on the waiver wire. I'll back off of that a little after looking deeper. Mustapha played every snap against the Patriots in week four and 89% against the Cardinals in week five. Granted, those are a couple of mediocre matchups for safeties. Even so, it would have been nice to see more than two tackles and five assists over those games. With those mega bye weeks coming, Mustapha is still worth picking up. The Cowboys are a much better matchup, so we should have a better idea of what to expect from him after this week.  

De'Vondre Campbell lost a few snaps to Dee Winters in week seven. Campbell has been a disappointment, so maybe the coaching staff is looking at their options. There has been no mention of Dre Greenlaw thus far.  

Guru's IDP Notes: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tykee Smith left Sunday's game after 14 plays due to a concussion. Christian Izien (elbow/groin) was limited to 17 plays after being removed from the injury report on Friday. The Buccaneers started Tyrek Funderburk for the injured Jamel Dean. With all of the shuffling going on, the only Tampa defensive back we can trust right now is Antoine Winfield Jr.

Yaya Diaby is finally looking healthy. The 5-0-1 versus Baltimore is his best of the season, but he's been fairly productive since week four. Diaby is 13-2-2 with a forced fumble in the last four games. Looking ahead (yes, it's time to start doing that), the Buccaneers face the Giants, Panthers twice, Raiders, Cowboys, and Chargers between weeks 12 and 17.

Guru's IDP Notes: Tennessee Titans

With the trade of Ernest Jones IV, Kenneth Murray Jr. becomes the team's lead linebacker. The question is, will Jack Gibbens move back into the lineup, or will Jerome Baker fill that role? The Titans have been fielding two full-time linebackers all season. It will be interesting to see if that continues. It will also be interesting to see what the Titans do with Baker, who has a different skill set. Seattle saw the move as an upgrade; Tennessee might feel the same way. One thing is certain: this is not a positive move for Baker's fantasy stock.

Guru's IDP Notes: Washington Commanders

Jeremy Chinn was a disappointing 2-4 against the Panthers but we can't blame him for this one. It was a 40-7 blowout and the Panthers offense was horrible. The Bears can't be any worse but they have been a below-average matchup for safeties as well.

Rookie Mike Sainristil has been impressive. He settled into the nickel role early on and despite the lack of experience, has earned the confidence of the coaching staff. So much so that they are starting to use him in a rover role, moving him around to create favorable matchups and exploit weaknesses. These roles are usually reserved for physical, athletic veterans. As the old Meatloaf song goes, two out of three ain't bad.  

That's it for this week's offering. Best of luck as we come out of turn two and head down the backstretch.

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