Welcome to Week 7 of DL Streaming 101!
Let’s start by taking a look back at the Ups and Downs of Week 6 of DL Streaming with a friendly reminder that fantasy football is the most important of the least important things in our lives (credit pro wrestler and pro wrestling content creator Simon Miller for theme inspiration this week):
UP:
The overall season-long streaming average after streamers averaged a respectable 7.77 Big 3 fantasy points in Week 6.
The season-long average now stands at 7.4.
For a frame of reference, if you had a crystal ball and were able to only ensure that you started players from the overall top 64 DE and top 64 DT this season, you would only be slightly ahead at 9.3 points per game (and would have had to invest high-end draft capital to get much into the top of this market).
DOWN:
Calijah Kancey. If you’ve heard me talk DTs on podcasts over the years, you’ll know I’ve never been a Kancey guy.
Still, the data suggested he would be a back-end Solid Tier play last week, so that is where I put him.
The result…77% of snaps (55 in total) and zero fantasy points.
Kancey was not alone in the streaming zero club this week (looking at you Grady Jarrett in your revenge game against the Bears), but he was the first player in this streaming tier to record a zero since Week 3.
UP:
Let’s end on a positive note, acknowledging that sometimes it may be better to be lucky than good, but if you started Kancey’s teammate, David Walker (my 27th-best streaming option last week), you likely had a very good Sunday.
Walker scored 31.25 fantasy points in Week 6, which ranked 4th overall among defensive linemen.
The luck part is due to the fact that he was ridiculously efficient, scoring those points on only 28 total snaps.
According to DL Streaming 101’s Stats and Info Department, that average is over 1 fantasy point per snap!
Here are the season-long streaming metrics after six weeks:
With another four teams on bye and a little more volatility in the market than last year, we are once again locked out of Tier 1 (Ideal) this week. Still, there are some great options in Tier 2 (Solid), Tier 3 (Solid-Deeper), and we only have to dip a little into Tier 4 (Educated Dart Throw). Per MFL data, all players are available in over 77% of IDP leagues. Here is a closer look at three players who are available in over 94% of leagues.
Featured DL Streamers
DE JT Tuimoloau, IND (🎓🎓🎓)
Hopefully you don’t have to hit the waiver wire to pick up Tuimoloau after you picked him up and played him last week, when he scored a respectable 14.5 fantasy points on the strength of three passes defended. This wasn’t how I expected him to score, but points are points, and a deeper dive into his performance suggests good things may still be to come in Week 7.
First, Tuimoloau recorded no pressures despite 23 pass rush snaps and a season-high pass-rush grade of 69.3. Combine these data points with the fact that he has seven pressures on the season with zero sacks, and positive sack regression is likely if his solid play continues. Second, the Colts play the Vikings this week, who are allowing 41.1 points to opposing edge defenders over the past three weeks. Those same edge groups (Buccaneers, Dolphins, and Saints) only averaged 28.6 points per game for the rest of the season. Tuimoloau is well positioned to score double-digit fantasy points again this week and could easily crack 20 if he registers his first sack of the season.
DT DJ Reader, NYG (🎓🎓)
DJ Reader has always been one of those players who are better in reality than they are in fantasy. This season is no exception. Reader currently stands as the highest-graded interior defender according to PFF, with an overall grade of 89.8. This score also places him fifth among all defenders with significant snaps. While I do not model overall grade, I do closely examine run defense and pass rush scores, and he is excellent in the former (85.3) and solid in the latter (77.3). This ability to defend has translated into the box score with 16 solo tackles on the season.
While this paints a rosy picture, fantasy managers should proceed with some caution in using Reader. As I mentioned above, his stellar play does not always translate into fantasy points. Reader currently ranks 5th in tackles among DT, but only 61st in fantasy scoring at the position. This is partially attributed to a lack of sacks, as a single solo sack would jump him to 27th in scoring. What is more concerning is that his playing time has been limited to 47-64% of snaps this season. Overall, he ranks 47th among interior defenders in snaps, with seven players outsnapping him despite playing one less game due to byes. He certainly has the talent to be more fantasy efficient, but unless his usage increases, he will likely remain a solid play only in deeper, DT-required leagues.
DE Arnold Ebiketie, PHI (🎓)
To be clear, this is a very risky play in Week 7. The Eagles are absolutely decimated at edge rusher. As a result, Ebiketie played 91% of snaps in Week 6. If Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and AJ Epenesa all miss this week, fire up Ebiketie with confidence. If one is active, he is still a good dart throw. If two are active, look elsewhere. If you are curious about how he is trending, be sure to check out the newest tool from Jake Kohlhagen at The IDP Show, which provides practice report information all in one place!
The primary reason I like Ebiketie as an injury fill-in is the aforementioned ideal usage. He turned that opportunity into a phenomenal 10 combined tackles in Week 6. He has multiple season-long pass-rush grades over 70, so he is absolutely capable of getting a sack. The secondary reason I like him this week is the individual matchup against Cowboys offensive tackle Terence Steele, who has the 64th-worst pass-block grade and 67th-worst run-block grade among offensive tackles this season. The rivalry matchup is Monday night, so if you hope to stream Ebiketie, be sure to have a backup plan such as Kenny Clark (in DL leagues) or Malachi Lawrence (in DE leagues).
Full Week 7 DL Streamer List
Good luck, and if you have any questions about deep DL plays, my office is always open by replying to this article or reaching out on Twitter (@ProfessorIDP).
Be sure to subscribe to The IDP Show on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.
That Milton Williams stream last week saved my bacon in a couple of places!