John Norton ("The Guru") and Gary Davenport ("The Godfather of IDP") are two of the most experienced and knowledgeable IDP analysts in the fantasy football industry. Every week during the 2024 season here at Footballguys, The Guru and The Godfather will come together to answer five of that week's most pressing questions.

It's Week 9 of the 2024 fantasy football season. The second half is underway. The stretch run to the IDP playoffs will be on us before you know it. Every week's matchups are becoming that much more important.

Win, and it's closer to the playoffs. Lose, and the path there narrows.

Good thing The Guru and The Godfather are all about eating W's.

That never stops being hilariously weird.

Turn it Around or Down for the Count?

Defensive linemen are notoriously streaky, but a handful of players who were ranked as DL1 haven't sniffed that sort of production this year. That's not a streak. That's stink.

Which high-end preseason DL will wash off the funk and rebound over the second half? Is there one you're just flat ready to give up on?

GURU: Plenty of guys are in the "where did they go" category. My bounce-back candidate of the group is Carl Granderson of the New Orleans Saints. If you look at his year-to-date totals, he ranks around DE20, but that's only because he came out of the gate the way we expected, with 12 combined stops, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble over the first three games. Over the last five weeks, however, Granderson ranks 50th at the edge position. I remain optimistic because Granderson's slump started when Derek Carr was injured. The Saints have not been the same team on either side of the ball since that happened. They have been playing from behind most of the time, and it simply looked and felt like the fire had gone out. I'm counting on Carr's return to provide a lift and put the defense in a better place.  

Josh Hines-Allen of the Jacksonville Jaguars came out of the gate… Well, he really hasn't come out of the gate yet. He has two decent games to his credit. Take away weeks two and five, and Hines-Allen averages about four points per game. Jacksonville is struggling in all aspects and is not a good football team at the moment. I think there is a better chance that Doug Pederson will be fired before the end of the season than the Jaguars rebounding and playing well. The talent is there, but something is missing, besides Hines-Allen's production. Maybe he should change his name back.

GODFATHER: I want to know if he changed it because of that "other" Josh Allen. But the Guru is right—he's been a ghost most of the season.

I have been asked more than once about unloading Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett—I'd be much more willing to buy than sell. I am admittedly a fan of both the player and the team, but the fact is that Garrett is just too talented—even if he isn't 100 percent. What The Guru said about Granderson holds true with Garrett as well—Jameis Winston giving Cleveland a real NFL offense could be a spark for the defense. Garrett's going to go on a rip. Soon.

I'm out on Matthew Judon in Atlanta—and have been for a while. The notion that a change of scenery might coax one more big year out of the 32-year-old was nice and all. But Judon clearly isn't the player he was two seasons ago, and apparently, as soon as you arrive in Atlanta, you completely forget how to rush the quarterback. It's bizarre how terrible the team is at it.

Walking the (Defensive) Line

Let's stick with the big men and look ahead to Week 9. You know the drill—one lineman who will blow past expectations this week, and another who will just blow.

Some lines never get old. Don't get good, either. Timeless and tacky. That's the Guru and the Godfather.

GURU: Most IDP managers would be surprised if they realized that Sam Hubbard is currently the ninth ranked edge defender. He has just two sacks on the season but has a pair of turnovers and his 23 solo tackles is third most at the position. Adding to the intrigue, 75% of his production has come in the last four games. This week, Hubbard puts his hot streak up against a Raiders squad that is allowing nine tackles, almost two sacks, just short of one turnover and the fourth most fantasy points per game to the edge position.

The Seahawks are giving up fewer than seven combined tackles to edge defenders on average. They have allowed six sacks to the position overall with two of those coming in week one. Sometimes we can throw stats like this out when it comes to division rivalry games but I'm not feeling it for Byron Young or Jared Verse this week.   

GODFATHER: A good rule of thumb this year is to target any and every edge rusher playing the Cleveland Browns—the Browns have surrendered 10 more sacks than any other team in the league. Khalil Mack of the Los Angeles Chargers hasn't been able to repeat his gonzo 2023 numbers this season. But the future Hall-of-Famer is a good bet to get home against Jameis Winston in Cleveland this week.

Jayden Daniels has done a lot of things well this season—including not getting sacked a lot. In the Godfather's Default IDP Scoring, the Commanders are allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to defensive ends this season. Brian Burns is fifth in fantasy points among defensive linemen after eight weeks, but both he and Azeez Ojulari will have their work cut out for them against a Washington team that has only given up 18 sacks all season long.

Winning (and Losing) LB 

Linebackers are to IDP what Reese's Cups are to digging through your kid's candy haul (We all do it. Let's just be honest. Plus, safety—have to make sure that Snickers isn't an IED). They are what makes a roster tasty. Ambrosia.

Which mid-range linebacker is about to start November off with a bang? Which bigger name is set to fizzle?

GURU: The Browns discovered last week that there was an NFL quarterback hiding on their roster. It changed the offensive dynamic greatly when it comes to their passing game, but this is still a team that will lean heavily on the run. They might even do more of it with a passing game that helps to keep the offense on the field. As we head to week nine, no one has provided more points to linebackers. The position is averaging 19 combined tackles and 2 splash plays per game. Then there is Daiyan Henley of the Chargers, who is coming off his second best production of the season at 6-5 with a batted pass, and moved into an every snap role in Week 8. That sounds like a formula for success to me.

The Dolphins are a fairly strong matchup for linebackers so that is not the issue I have with Dorian Williams this week. The problem is his role in recent games. Buffalo has been playing more defensive backs in their base schemes. They fielded six of them on over 40% of the snaps last week. Thus, Williams' playing time was 73% in week seven and 63% in week eight. With Tua back for the Dolphins, the trend may continue for Buffalo, leaving Williams, who is currently the seventh ranked linebacker, on the sideline way too often. 

GODFATHER: After missing three games, veteran Josey Jewell was back out there last week for the Panthers, logging 10 total tackles while playing all 73 defensive snaps for Carolina. Now Jewell and the Panthers take on a Saints team surrendering the third-most fantasy points per game to linebackers despite their offensive struggles. With Derek Carr potentially returning, the Saints might actually be able to sustain a drive or two this week.

On the other side of that matchup, we have the Panthers offense, which is, um—not good. The Panthers are 29th in both total offense and scoring offense, rank toward the bottom of the NFL in tackle opportunities allowed per game and sit 27th in fantasy points per game given up to linebackers. The numbers get that much worse if Bryce Young makes another start under center. Demario Davis of the Saints is a hard pass in Week 9.

DB Breakdown

Defensive backs are what they are—the top of the leaderboard is once again littered with players who weren't drafted over the summer. Not that that means it's a good idea to wait at the position on draft day or anything.

Which of those early high-flyers will come crashing back to Earth in Week 9? Who will be the week's surprise star?

GURU: I look into my crystal ball and see a big day for Justin Reid of the Chiefs. Baker Mayfield is a gunslinger who takes chances, thus Tampa Bay turns the ball over about twice a game. The safety position averages 1.4 splash plays per game against them. The Buccaneers are a mediocre matchup for Reid in terms of tackle potential, but this game could be an exception to that as well. With their starting receivers on the shelf, Tight end Cade Otton has become the top receiving target. That could mean a busy day for Reid in coverage and an accelerated number of tackle opportunities.

Nick Cross of the Colts opened the season on a blistering pace. It has slowed substantially over the last three games, but he is still a solid contributor who most of us would be starting. If he is going to flop somewhere on the schedule, this would be a prime opportunity for it. The safety position as a whole, averages seven tackles and three assists against the Vikings. Safeties have intercepted Sam Darnold twice on the season, and only three teams have provided fewer points to the position. 

GODFATHER: The biggest game of Week 8 has the nova-hot Detroit Lions traveling to face the Green Bay Packers. Packers safety Xavier McKinney has been an interception machine this year—his half-dozen picks lead the NFL. But whether it's Jordan Love or Malik Willis under center for Green Bay this week, it's Brian Branch's turn in Week 9—the Packers have given up the ninth-most fantasy points per game to safeties, and the Lions are Honolulu Blue fire on both sides of the ball right now.

The Los Angeles Chargers are starting to turn up the passing game a little, but eight weeks into the season no team has given up fewer fantasy points per game to safeties this year. Cleveland's Grant Delpit had a nice nine-tackle outing in last week's upset of the Ravens, but the odds are against a repeat performance in a bad matchup.

Sleeper Time

And finally, as always, this last topic is all about those undervalued sleeper plays who can come from the IDP fringes to win a week.

That can matter rather a lot as we head into November.

A defensive lineman. A linebacker. A defensive back.

Week-winners all.

GURU: Dorance Armstrong of the Commanders started slowly but got to the quarterback in three straight games before being banged up in week six. He didn't do much versus Chicago in his return last week, but the Giants provide a great opportunity for him to get back on track. New York looked much improved early in the season. However, the last couple of games have been a struggle, and they look more like the 2023 squad that gave up 85 sacks. The edge position is currently averaging almost 10 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and half of a turnover against them. T.J. Watt was the edge-1 and Alex Highsmith edge-6 against them in week eight.  

The Bengals are a mediocre matchup for linebackers in general, though they have been better in recent weeks. I see Divine Deablo of the Raiders as a fairly safe floor play in this one. What we need to monitor is Robert Spillane, who has not practiced this week as of Thursday. If Spillane is out, Deablo should shift to the lead role and play every snap.

Coby Bryant of the Seattle Seahawks has two starts this season. With a good matchup in week seven, he totaled 7-4 with a pick. In a horrible matchup last week, he still managed a solid 5-1 with a pass breakup. This week he faces a Rams offense that keeps safeties busy as the fourth best matchup for the position. I have a feeling Bryant will see a lot of Kyren Williams and have some chances to clean up when Puka Nacua gets away from the corners.

GODFATHER: The Guru and I play one another in the King's Classic Butkus Division this week, and two of the players he just mentioned are on my roster. Not sure if that should make me happy or nervous.

The New England Patriots traded edge rusher Joshua Uche to the Kansas City Chiefs, leaving veteran Deatrich Wise Jr as the team's de facto top pass rusher. But while Wise has more sacks than Anfernee Jennings, the latter's tackle numbers have made him a sneaky-good high-floor IDP option. The Titans have surrendered the third-most points to his position this season.

I suppose I should repay the Guru for talking up my guys and not at all trying to reverse-jinx them or mind-trick me with his powers (What? He has ‘em. For reals.). Christian Elliss has become the top linebacker for the Patriots, playing 84 percent of the snaps last week against the Jets. The Titans are also a rock-solid IDP matchup for linebackers—second in points per game allowed.

There hasn't been a lot to be jazzed about regarding the Dallas defense this season—for fans of the Cowboys or IDP managers. But this week's matchup with an Atlanta Falcons offense that has given up the eighth-most fantasy points per game to safeties sets the table for a nice line from Donovan Wilson.

Amazing what happens when you remember that Kyle Pitts is on the team.

John Norton (The Guru) and Gary Davenport (The Godfather of IDP) have over 45 combined years of IDP experience. Follow John on Twitter (still not calling it X, so there) at @JohnPNorton and Gary at @IDPSharks.