DL Streaming 101: Week 2
DL Streaming 101: Week 2
Professor IDP looks at the best DE and DT streaming options in your IDP fantasy football leagues for Week 2.
Welcome to the Week 2 edition of DL Streaming 101!
Let’s start with some accountability and transparency, two trademarks of my analyses. This new format will allow me to do more of both for those interested. If you just want that sweet streaming content, though, scroll down past the charts.
The good news is that none of the deep streaming recommendations from Week 1 put up a 0 if they were in your lineup this week (59 DT or DE did put up gooseeggs). Still, Week 1 is traditionally the hardest to project as you are using past data, rumors, and the preseason eye test more than any other week of the year.
There were still a few bright spots with Arik Armstead, Baron Browning, and John Franklin-Myers all exceeding projections. Non-statline bright spots from last week also included Alim McNeil, Arden Key, DeMarcus Walker, and Osa Odighizuwa all playing equal to or greater than 75% of snaps and eight of eleven recommendations (not including the injured Kyle Van Noy) posted pass rush grades of 62.6 or better. Still, I am not here to predict predictors of performance, I’m here to give you solid DL fantasy streaming recommendations and that’s what I’m going to strive to do!
While 2023 data is certainly imperfect, relying on one week’s worth of data is equally (if not more) problematic with one notable exception: snap counts. Game scripts can lead to snap fluctuations — such as the Bengals relying more on stout run defender Jay Tufele over pass rush specialist Sheldon Rankins as the Patriots committed to the run in their upset win — but in-season snap shares historically predict future shares better than previous season stats. For Week 2, I still rely on 2023 performance data for player performance grades and team points allowed to DL (supplemented with 2024 Week 1 data) but will use last week’s snap shares to model likely participation rates in this week’s game.
DL Available in 75% of Leagues
Osa Odighizuwa, DT, DAL (🎓🎓🎓🎓)
Fantasy Week 1 is a known liar, and I am trusting metrics known to influence fantasy performance for my first streaming option. Odighizuwa placed in the top 20 among all DL in snap shares in week 1 at 80%. While it differs from official NFL stats, PFF has Odighizuwa down for 4 pressures and one sack on Sunday against the Browns. The Cowboys face the Saints this week who gave up the 9th most fantasy points to DTs last week and while Cesar Ruiz played well in Week 1, his historical numbers make him seem very beatable for a good game for Odighizuwa who is an ideal play across all DT for me this week.
Baron Browning, DE, DEN (🎓🎓🎓🎓)
Another player who makes the list again this week (and moves up a tier) is Baron Browning of the Broncos. Browning played 69% of the snaps for the Broncos last week with solid PFF grades (particularly against the run). This detail is important this week as the Broncos take on a Steelers team who ran the ball more than any other team in the NFL in week 1 and surrendered the 6th most points to opposing DE. While people are understandably running to the waiver wire to snag teammate Jonathan Cooper after his seven pressure, two sack performance last week, Browning lands in my Ideal tier with a higher tackle floor and solid sack upside.
Za’Darius Smith, DE, CLE (🎓🎓🎓)
Smith’s pass rush grade was down in week 1 but he is a classic case of not overreacting (positively or negatively) to one week. He played 70% of snaps still recorded a sack despite a blowout loss to the Cowboys. In Week 2, Smith will likely draw a matchup against 2nd year player Anton Harrison who ranked 66th among 67 qualifying tackles in week 1 (per PFF). Smith represents a solid play for week 2 and a guy to grab now since another game with a sack and he will likely be ineligible for this article as his rostership would surely increase.
Grady Jarrett, DT, ATL (🎓🎓🎓)
I suspected a Falcons DT would feast in week 1 against the Steelers, I just expected it to be David Onyemata and not teammate and fantasy stalwart Grady Jarrett. While I do not often recommend buying week 1 production, Jarrett put up a respectable 67 grade in pass rush on his way to a two sack performance while playing 68% of snaps. Jarrett has the historical production profile that allows me to trust him more than some other week 1 studs against what appears to be a very middle of the road fantasy matchup against the Eagles.
A'Shawn Robinson, DT, CAR (🎓🎓)
To be completely clear, A’Shawn Robinson is not Derrick Brown and I do not expect Brown-like production out of him in Week 2. While it remains to be seen what happens with Brown’s elite snap level (often in the 90s), Robinson playing 77% of snaps in week 1 was very encouraging. Robinson also boasted the 14th best run defense grade among all DT in week 1 and the best tackle grade per PFF for a Panthers team that looked completely inept. The Panthers play a balanced offense in the Chargers in week 2 but game script and Harbaugh’s love of running the football suggest Robinson might be a nice floor play and solid in deeper leagues.
DL Available in 90% of Leagues
Alim McNeill, DT, DET (🎓🎓🎓🎓)
Recent reports are that we will get to see McNeil alongside DJ Reader in week 2 in what may be the most formidable DT combo in the NFL. With defenses having to ‘pick their poison’ among the potentially stellar front four of the Lions (more on that to come), McNeil should be well positioned to see his elite snap share (10th most among all DL in week 1) translate into production starting in week 2 against the Buccaneers whose weakness is along the interior of their O-Line with no player eclipsing a grade of 53 in week 1.
T’Vondre Sweat, DT, TEN (🎓🎓🎓)
I am breaking one of my rules here so please feel free to fade! I usually wait to include rookies until week 3 when there is more NFL tape on them but given how high I was in Sweat’s underlying talent (he was my #19 rookie overall heading into the season) and his stellar on-field performance in week 1 (PFF’s 3rd highest graded pass rush among DT) I can’t keep him off this list. Similarly, the Titans can’t seem to keep him off the field as he played 68% of snaps, well above the expectation that he would be a rotational player. The Jets did not allow many points to 49ers DT in week 1 but were among the most DT-friendly in 2023 which suggests nice upside this week for the rookie.
DeMarcus Walker, DE, CHI (🎓🎓🎓)
Speaking of upside, Walker may have underwhelmed in the stat sheet last week but he was a force on the field with five QB pressures and was the seventh highest DE pass rusher ahead of many familiar names. This performance was against what was expected to be one of the more improved offensive lines in football in the Titans while this week he draws a Texans line which gave up 4 sacks last week. Walker also had a phenomenal 83% snap share in week 1 and multiple teammates who can create pressure and provide him with prime opportunities to fill up the stat sheet.
Gervon Dexter, DT, CHI (🎓🎓🎓)
Gervon Dexter (not Dexter Gervon) is Walker’s teammate on the interior line and another solid play this week. The Texans provide a good matchup (see above), Dexter played a respectable 66% of snaps last week and posted solid run defense and pass rush grades above 63. His tackling grade was among the worst in the league which is a concern, but if you are playing him (or most DL streamers) it is for sack upside rather than tackle floor.
Marcus Davenport, DE, DET (🎓🎓)
Davenport had a stellar week 1 reminding us why he was a first round draft pick once upon a time. He got home once while generating 6 pressures and looks to build on that showing despite a tough matchup against the stout tackles of the Buccaneers. Someone (or two) will likely shine for the Detroit D-Line and given Hutch is fully rostered and Davenport (and McNeil) is free in 90% of leagues he is a solid stream this week.
David Ojabo, DE, BAL (🎓🎓)
Ojabo has shown flashes when healthy that he has great pass rush talent. If I project him to get half of the snaps vacated last week from the injured Kyle Van Noy, it bumps him from the dart throw category into the solid (deeper) tier for me this week. While it is unclear whether he or Odafe Oweh will draw Thayer Munford Jr. against the Raiders this week, what is clear is that Munford struggled in pass protection last week and is a potentially exploitable matchup.
Emmanuel Ogbah, DT, MIA (🎓🎓)
Again, I do not recommend chasing past week production but I do recommend chasing snaps and Ogbah played 75% for the Dolphins last week. While Josh Allen is a hard player to get down, Ogbah should have ample opportunities to pursue him making him a solid streaming option for deeper leagues. Ogbah’s week 1 grades were underwhelming but not terrible but given the weak correlation between grades and fantasy production and the strong correlation between snaps and fantasy output, he is worth a speculative play if you find yourself DT-needy.
Good luck and if you have any questions about deep DL plays, my office is always open on Twitter (@ProfessorIDP). While this article is a freebie, please consider supporting me, the show, and the broader IDP community by adding your league(s) to the 2024 State of IDP Survey!
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