We're 10 weeks into the 2024 IDP season. The fringe of the stretch run. This is where it gets real.

Sure, at this point in the season, a few fortunate (or unfortunate) IDP managers are cruising toward the playoffs or just about out of it. It's great to be 7-2. Not so much if you're 2-7.

But for most IDP squads, this is the time of year when it all comes together—or falls apart. If you're 6-3, there's still time for things to go sideways (That's me. The eternal optimist.). If you're 3-6, there's little margin for error.

Stack some wins, and it's on to the fantasy playoffs. Spend too much time on the wrong side of the scoreboard, and when the regular season ends, that's it—no more fantasy football until 2025.

The stakes are getting higher each and every week. For some IDP managers, the playoffs have effectively started. Setting the best possible lineup is paramount. Critical. Important even.

That's where IDP Studs and Duds here at Footballguys comes in.

Each week during the 2024 season, I'll point out some Individual Defensive Players who could be set to exceed expectations this week (Studs), as well as some that, for whatever reason, are riskier plays than normal (Duds).

This isn't necessarily to say that every "Stud" is a must-start (it depends on your other options) or that every "Dud" should be glued to your bench (just that the odds of a letdown week are greater than usual).

Four teams are on a Week 10 bye—the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders and Seattle Seahawks. No Myles Garrett, Quay Walker, Maxx Crosby, or Julian Love this week—which is unfortunate.

Numbers in parentheses denote ranking in fantasy points allowed to that position in 2024 in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring. 

IDP Stud of the Week: LB Daiyan Henley, LA Chargers (vs. TEN) (2)

Entering his second professional season, there was optimism that Henley would take on a larger role in the Los Angeles defense after playing sparingly as a rookie. For his part, the third-round pick out of Washington State told reporters that he wanted to show he could be counted on in a full-time role.

"I put in the extra work to do it, I've spent more time in the building, and I try to make sure I spend more time on my body alone," Henley said. "I want to be the guy they can look at and know he's out there for the right reasons; he's out there cause he wants to be on that field. When I say for the right reasons, I mean for that win, for the team, for that aspect of it. I feel like that's my next step. I have to earn it first. Nothing is done without the work and the effort put into it."

It took a while, but that full-time role finally came for Henley—last week marked the third time this season that he has been an every-down player for the Bolts. In all three of those contests, Henley has eclipsed double-digits in tackles, including a season-high 14 in last week's win over the Cleveland Browns.

IDP Dud of the Week: LB Demario Davis, New Orleans (vs. ATL) (32)

That Davis is still playing at a high level at 35 is fairly remarkable for a linebacker. This marks his 13th season and one of the more frustrating of his long career. But as Davis told reporters, right now his only priority is trying to put an end to the team's longest losing streak of the 21st century.

"The difference in success and failure is the person kept going. That's it," Davis said. "Everybody is going to have highs, everybody is going to have lows; that's part of being a human being. And that's what we've got – right now in this game we're having a low. There has to be urgency to get it fixed, because the football that we're putting out right now doesn't have to be what we put on display. We can change that. It's just going to be about getting in, doing the work, and putting it on display."

The odds of Davis and the Saints ending that streak this week against the NFC South-leading Falcons isn't great. Neither are the odds that Davis has a good game—the Falcons are dead last in fantasy points per game allowed to linebackers this year, regularly holding players well below their season averages.

Week 10 IDP Studs

EDGE Danielle Hunter, Houston (vs. DET) (7): Hunter has spent much of his first season in Houston being outshined by second-year pro Will Anderson Jr. But Anderson could sit this week, and the Lions have been a surprisingly favorable IDP matchup for defensive ends so far this season.

EDGE Khalil Mack, LA Chargers (vs. TEN) (6): Mack makes a second straight appearance in this column, thanks largely to a second straight favorable matchup with a Tennessee team that has struggled this season to protect two bad quarterbacks.

EDGE Josh Sweat, Philadelphia (at DAL) (10): Sweat has been red-hot the past few games—four total sacks over the last three games. Now, he gets a top-10 fantasy matchup for his position, with a team starting its backup quarterback.

LB Alex Anzalone, Detroit (at HOU) (6): As much as it pains me to say nice things about Anzalone, he should post a good stat line against a Texans team that would be wise to lean on running back Joe Mixon and the ground game this week.

LB Kaden Elliss, Atlanta (at NO) (4): Elliss is who he is—a reasonably-priced LB2 who will neither win IDP leagues or lose them. But he could be in for bigger and better things against a Saints team allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to linebackers.

LB Patrick Queen, Pittsburgh (at WAS) (5): Queen hasn't been as productive statistically as we expected in his first season in Pittsburgh. But a top-five fantasy matchup for linebackers this week offers a good chance for a spike week.

S Reed Blankenship, Philadelphia (at DAL) (10): Blankenship has been up and down for fantasy managers this season, but a top-10 IDP matchup with the hated Cowboys sets the young safety up for an "up" week.

S Jordan Poyer, Miami (at LAR) (5): Poyer hasn't been as productive in Miami as he was for much of his career in Buffalo. But he could be a solid IDP option this week against a Rams team giving up the fifth-most fantasy points per game to safeties this year.

S Tykee Smith, Tampa Bay (vs. SF) (1): Smith had a big game in his return from a concussion last week, logging nine tackles, a tackle for loss, and a forced fumble. Now he gets the best IDP matchup for safeties with the 49ers.

Week 10 IDP Duds

DT DeForest Buckner, Indianapolis (vs. BUF) (28): In the games in which Buckner has actually played, he's been as good as any tackle in the league. But the Bills have only allowed 11 sacks in nine games this season.

EDGE Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati (at BAL) (9): The Ravens are simultaneously a good matchup for defensive ends and a team that doesn't allow many sacks. The latter isn't good news for a big play-dependent edge-rusher like Hendrickson.

EDGE George Karlaftis, Kansas City (vs. DEN) (30); Karlaftis has been solid this season—including a big game last week against the Buccaneers. It won't be easy to duplicate that effort in a bad IDP matchup with the rival Broncos.

LB Terrel Bernard, Buffalo (at IND) (30): Bernard is an underrated NFL player and a generally consistent IDP option. But the Colts are a bad fantasy matchup for the position, and last week, the Indy offense looked patently awful.

LB Bobby Okereke, NY Giants (at CAR) (28): Okereke has disappointed more weeks than not this season, and that's not likely to change in Germany against a Panthers team that has been trash most of the 2024 campaign.

LB Kyzir White, Arizona (vs. NY Jets) (29): White is a quality NFL linebacker, but he hasn't been an especially productive fantasy option this year. That won't change in the desert this week against a Jets offense that has been inconsistent this season.

S Julian Blackmon, Indianapolis (vs. BUF) (31): Blackmon is a hard player to sit, but the Bills aren't just a bad matchup for linemen—the Bills have also given up the second-fewest fantasy points per game to safeties this season.

S Jeremy Chinn, Washington (vs. PIT) (30): Chinn is more name than numbers at this point—a borderline DB2 when the matchup is right. It isn't in Week 10—the Steelers rank 30th in fantasy points per game surrendered to safeties in 2024.

S Derwin James Jr., LA Chargers (vs. TEN) (29): James hasn't produced at the elite level IDP managers expected this season. James hasn't been awful—he just hasn't been great, either. He won't be against a bad Titans offense in Week 10, either.

Gary Davenport ("The Godfather of IDP") is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on Twitter (Can't make him call it X) at @IDPSharks.