IDP Recap: Week 5
With Week 5 complete, let's get you up to speed with a recap of the biggest IDP headlines from each game.
Well, the preseason is finally completed. Or at least that’s what I choose to believe has happened, as teams finally started to get going on offense. But, they didn’t have it all their way, Travon Walker was everywhere for the Jags, “Sexy Dexy” was arguably the deciding factor against the Giants, and AVG might be closer to EDGE1 with another baller performance. Week 5 was so much more than just that, so let’s take a peek.
Buccaneers 30, Falcons 36
Yep, I did it. I kickstarted Lavonte David back into action, it was all me and my doubts. After averaging a meager 8.58 PPG (Big 3 Scoring) in Weeks 1-3, David has been on a tear these past 2 weeks, with 16 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 interception, giving him an average of 29.75 PPG across Weeks 4 and 5.
Buccaneers Rookie slot corner, Tykee Smith had the first 20-point game of his young career on the back of a strong 11-tackle (12.8% rate) performance. Context is massively important here, as Tampa Bay played 86 defensive snaps in the overtime loss, and starting box safety Jordan Whitehead left the game with a groin injury.
Thursday night was the Logan Hall game, Hall had 7 pressures and 2 sacks to add to his sack last week versus the Eagles to give him a new single-season career high of 3 sacks. His 3 sacks in 2024 equal the total from his previous 2 seasons combined. This is also your weekly reminder to go try buy-low on Yaya Diaby in dynasty, he’s only got 1 sack through 5 games, maybe his manager is frustrated.
Unfortunately, the knee injury did keep Troy Andersen from playing in Week 5. Thus, we were subjected to 38 snaps of Rookie JD Bertrand and it was nothing spectacular. Bertrand finished with 5 tackles (13.2% rate) on his 38 snaps and 0 impact plays to speak of. Atlanta plays Carolina this coming week, here’s hoping we get Mr Andersen back by then.
Jessie Bates put his stamp on the Thursday night game, tying the team lead for tackles (8) and forcing two fumbles on just 53 snaps. Bates has been slightly inconsistent with 2 games over 15 points, and 3 under 11 points so far this season. I would put that mostly down to the volatility of defensive back as a whole though, keep rolling Bates out, I know I will be.
Jets 17, Vikings 23
Football made its way to “Old Blighty” (it’s what the British refer to it as) for the first time in 2024 and the product on the field wasn’t the best. That didn’t stop Andrew Van Ginkel or as I might rename him “EDG” as it just seems like it’s “Every Damn Game” that he produces a highlight, this time, a pick 6.
Ivan Pace returned to the lineup after missing the last 2 weeks with an ankle injury and balled out. Pace had 4 tackles, 2 for a loss, and 1 sack on his way to over 21 points on Sunday morning. He did worryingly only play 36% of the Vikings’ snaps on defense. I’m hoping that was rehab-related and that snap-share boosts closer to 70%ish out of their Week 6 bye or he’ll be untrustworthy in your lineup.
C.J. Mosley was sidelined again with his toe injury, and Jamien Sherwood built on his solid outing last week. Sherwood finished with 12 tackles (16.9% rate) on 71 snaps and had the second-best PFF-graded game of his career (90.3 overall, 90.6 run defense, 84.3 tackle, 75.4 coverage).
That’s now 4/5 games that Jonathan Greenard has scored less than double-digit points (per Big 3 Scoring). Aside from his 3 sack, 37.5-point explosion Greenard is averaging just 7.25 PPG in the other 4 weeks. The underlying metrics indicate another boom game is coming, so if you can afford to keep the faith, I probably would. I hope you sold Pat Jones, it’s October and he’s turned back into a pumpkin.
Miami 15, Patriots 10
Jevon Holland is week-to-week with a fractured hand following Miami’s Week 5 win over New England. Holland had been mostly disappointing this season, hitting double-digit points in Week 1 alone and never posting more than 5 tackles in any given week. If anything, he’s done fantasy managers a favor and allowed them to bench him with the worry of missing a bounce-back game.
Jabrill Peppers was arrested Saturday on charges of assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, strangulation, and drug possession, he missed Saturday’s game due to an unrelated injury, however with how serious the released court documents look. I don’t know if Peppers sees the field anytime soon.
Both Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers were out on Sunday, but Marte Mapu was activated off IR before the game and thrust straight into a 100% snap share and the green dot. He did miss 2 of his 9 tackle opportunities (9% tackle rate, 22% miss rate), but was still able to post a strong scoreline of 17.5 points thanks to 1 forced fumble, and 1 pass defended. While Kyle Dugger is out with his ankle injury I’m firing Mapu up every time.
The Josh Uche 11.5 sack explosion in 2022 and subsequent drop-off will need to be studied after his career ends. Uche did manage 1 sack this week but he was only on the field for 30% of snaps, let someone else fall on that landmine if he’s on waivers.
Bills 20, Texans 23
Cole Bishop got his first career start in the game versus Houston, and it was fairly uneventful. Bishop finished with 4 tackles (5.9% rate) and no splash plays on 100% of snaps as Taylor Rapp missed the game due to concussion protocol. As of Monday evening, Rapp was still in the protocol so we could see a second start from the rookie out of Utah.
Azeez Al-Shaair was back to his dominant ways after a down Week 4. Al-Shaair posted his 3rd 20-point game of the season on just 8 tackles (13.1% rate) thanks to 1 tackle for loss, 2 QB hits, and 2 passes defended. Al-Shaair was one of Adam’s top 12 linebackers in the preseason and is balling like it through 5 weeks.
Speaking of balling linebackers, even though Terrel Bernard returned to the Buffalo lineup from his pectoral strain, Dorian Williams was a tackle monster on his way to Buffalo’s top IDP scorer at 17.5 points. He led the team in tackles with 11 (20.1% rate) but saw his snap share fall to just 78% with Bernard returning to the 100% role. Bernard was quiet in the tackle numbers with just 5, but he picked up 10 of his 14.85 points in coverage with 1 interception, 1 pass defended, and a 73.7 PFF coverage grade.
He may be playing 100% of snaps at the moment, but Henry To'oTo'o is hurting your lineup much more than he’s helping it. To’oTo’o is averaging just 6 PPG in his last 3 games since his 13 tackle explosion of 24.25 points in Week 2. It’s hard to bench a linebacker playing 100% of snaps, especially with injuries and bye weeks so I’ll give him 1 more week against New England, but it’s getting close.
Thankfully it is New England next week, though which QB I don’t know, as rumours surround a possible Drake Maye start. Either way, the banged up, and talent-deficient O-line of New England is just what Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter need as they both went sackless again this week. Hunter hasn’t recorded 1 since he got 1.5 in Week 2, and Anderson hasn’t racked 1 up in back-to-back weeks either.
Speaking of sackless streaks, I was too quick to crown the Greg Rousseau breakout after Week 1. (I’m a hype man at heart, sue me.) He hasn’t recorded a single sack since that week and is struggling to make his presence felt in the run game with only 1 tackle for a loss in the past 2 weeks. The pressures are there, we need him to convert a few more. Buffalo gets the Jets and the Titans in their next 2 matchups so brighter moments could be ahead.
Browns 13, Commanders 34
Gods this Cleveland team is painful to watch. It’s like being back watching the 1-31, Hue Jackson-led Browns, if they paid DeShone Kizer $230 million so they couldn’t bench him. Rodney McLeod, Grant Delpit, and Denzel Ward all left the game with injuries and didn’t return, add that to Jordan Hicks missing the game and Myles Garrett having no working feet, this defense is in shambles.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is the only good thing about this team, and we all took a collective intake when he left the game injured. Reportedly it was only cramps, so it shouldn’t have a detrimental effect moving forward. “JOK” was on an absolute tear with 33.45 points from 5 tackles (9.1% rate), 2 for a loss, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception, and 1 pass defended.
Due to Hicks missing the game and “JOK” leaving early, we got 96% snap share Devin Bush, and 41% Winston Reid. If you’d been in dire enough straits to start either of them, you were rewarded. Bush had 10 total tackles, (16.1% rate) and 1 pass defended for 15.5 points. While Reid had 6 tackles (22.2% rate), 0.5 sacks, and 2 passes defended for 19.30 points.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, Cleveland’s O-line was absolutely embarrassed and Deshaun Watson was sacked 7 times. Frankie Luvu was in on 2.5 of those as he had his 4th straight double-digit point game and the best fantasy scoring game of his career at 36.80 on 96% of snaps. Bobby Wagner had 2 sacks and continued to be ageless on his 4th game above 16 PPG of the season. He’s currently LB4 on the season.
Ravens 41, Bengals 38
Sam Hubbard probably wasn’t started on Sunday afternoon unless you were desperate. So his 30-point blowup happened either on the waiver wire or someone’s bench. Hubbard hadn’t scored over 6 PPG before Week 5 and hadn’t had a game over 14 PPG since Week 8 of last year.
Germaine Pratt has outscored Logan Wilson every week except for Week 1 this season. Wilson has one more total tackle, however, Pratt has 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 QB hits, and 1 tackle for a loss. Compared to Wilson’s 1 tackles for a loss, 1 forced fumble, and 4 QB hits.
Just as I’d quit on Trenton Simpson, he returns with a season-best 16.5-point performance. It was still only 67% of snaps, so I could see this becoming a headache not knowing which game to play him in and which game he’ll put up 3.75 points. If you can parlay this performance into something more permanent, it’s probably a route I’d take.
Don’t look now, but Kyle Hamilton is starting to put together a string of strong performances. Hamilton has scored over 12 points each of the last 3 games and has done it in a multitude of ways. He’s had 23 tackles (11.6% rate,) 1 sack, and 1 fumble recovered while playing 84% of his 100% snap share at either defensive line, in the box, or the slot.
Dax Hill hasn’t been massively IDP relevant this season outside of a bomb 23+ point outing in Week 1. However, he’ll miss the rest of the season with a confirmed torn ACL after exiting early in the loss.
Colts 34, Jaguars 37
I’ve besmirched a certain former #1 overall pick a few times since he was taken in 2022. But I will for sure give Travon Walker his flowers this week. Walker was a monster the Colts had no answer for, and if you use Big 3 Scoring (which you should) he finished as THE #1 player in all of fantasy this weekend. Not Joe Burrow, “Kirko Chainz,” Ja’Marr, or Lamar. Travon and his 46.85 points reigned supreme.
Devin Lloyd returned from Injury this week and played 97% of snaps, and while it didn’t show up in the scoresheet, it was encouraging to see one of those Jaguars linebackers play over 95%. Chad Muma and Ventrell Miller were in a full timeshare snap-wise with Muma at 48% and Miller at 59%. Miller led all 3 in scoring with 11.25 points on 7 tackles (17.1% rate).
Laiatu Latu had his second straight game with a significant % of snaps, and though he didn’t come up with a sack if you played him for the matchup he didn’t kill you as he put up the second-best outing of his short career at 10.5 points thanks to a forced fumble.
Jaylon Jones has been a surprisingly strong play at defensive back this season for an outside corner. Averaging 16.4 PPG, he’s had 4 weeks over 10 points, 3 weeks over 17 points, and 2 weeks of 19 points or over. His 8.7% tackle rate isn’t overwhelming, but it’s a good floor he’s been able to supplement with 6 passes defended and 2 interceptions so far this season.
I’m starting to waiver on the “either/or” take regarding Nick Cross and Julian Blackmon as the season continues. Not Cross, he’s been great and is currently DB6 on the season. But Blackmon, who’s now had as many good games as bust games through 5 weeks (he did miss week 2 with an injury) and is averaging less than 10 PPG.
Panthers 10, Bears 36
Jaquan Brisker is not traveling to London with the team and if you saw this game against the Panthers you know exactly why. On a Tommy Tremble catch-and-run he came downhill so hard that he turned Tremble into a crash test dummy, his body literally looked like it went through a hard reset as everything no longer moved as it should. Brisker understandably displayed concussion-like symptoms on Monday so he did not travel. He could clear protocol before the game, but I wouldn’t count on it.
Trevin Wallace started with Josey Jewell nursing a hamstring injury and Shaq Thompson on injured reserve. He led the Panthers in tackles with 15 total (20% rate) and just 1 missed, though was unable to make an impact play. Still, it’s a great start for the young rookie, and plenty to build from.
It was a quiet game for both Bears linebackers as Edwards could only muster 6.5 points, with Edmunds barely better at 10.5. Tackling has historically been Edwards’ calling card but he’s only managed 1 double-digit tackle game so far this season, after back-to-back 150+ tackle seasons in 2022 and 2023.
The Bears have found something in their 2nd-year defensive tackle out of Florida, Gervon Dexter Sr. Through 5 games he’s got a sack in all but one of them while playing around 50% of snaps, the fumble he recovered this past week put the cherry on the top of a career-high in fantasy points.
Raiders 18, Broncos 34
Pat Surtain is an elite player in terms of real football, not so much usually in fantasy terms. Unless he does something like pick off a pass in the endzone and take it the distance for a 100-yard touchdown. Unfortunately, I don’t know how many fantasy teams that 39.25-point showing helped.
Christian Wilkins was on his way to a monster evening, picking up 1 sack and 19.45 points on his first 22 snaps. Regrettably, that was cut short with a foot injury that forced him from the game early. However, if you listened to me last week, you would have missed out on this blowup this week as I’ve been out on Wilkins. “Mad” Maxx Crosby returned to the gridiron, our lineups, and IDP glory too this week with a multi-sack performance.
We thought they were gone. Extinct. In fact, it was celebrated that we were getting one this season in Cooper DeJean. That’s right, I’m talking about the caucasian cornerback. Riley Moss is what the narrative wanted DeJean to be and he did something we haven’t seen since the turn of the century. He intercepted a pass. Memes and jokes aside, Moss has been solid this season, great, if you play in CB-required leagues, and this week was no different as he put up his season-best 18.5 points.
Another rookie linebacker who got a start this week was Tommy Eichenberg, it was a start to forget. Eichenberg only managed to get in on 1 single assisted tackle and missed 2 other opportunities. PFF was not friendly in their grading of him marking him with 27.5 overall, 65.9 run defense, 49.3 tackle, and 26.1 coverage grades.
Zach Allen has been hugely consistent so far this season, and it hasn’t mattered if he’s collected a sack in the game or not. Through 5 games, Allen is averaging 16.43 points on 21 tackles and 3 sacks.
Cardinals 24, 49ers 23
Could it be so easy for us to predict when Mack Wilson is going to have a good game by playing him on odd weeks and sitting him on evens? Wilson is averaging 18.62 PPG in odd-numbered weeks, and 5 PPG in even-numbered weeks. Realistically it’s not how you’re playing it, but with Wilson up to 84% of snaps this past week, you might be ok breaking ranks next game.
San Franciso might be slim at safety in their upcoming matchup with Seattle. Both Talanoa Hufanga (wrist) and Ja’Ayir Brown (ankle) left Sunday’s game and neither returned.
Kyzir White hadn’t posted a 10+ point game since Week 1, and it took until the final drive of the game versus the 49ers to achieve it again. White’s interception of Brock Purdy sealed the game and boosted his otherwise average showing.
Deommodore Lenoir might pop up in your weekly waiver browsing due to his 17.50-point performance. If you see him, keep scrolling. The majority of Lenoir’s points came from a blocked field goal that he returned for a touchdown. An epic play to celebrate, not something you can predict or would chase in fantasy.
Giants 29, Seahawks 20
Uchenna Nwosu made his 2024 debut only to depart the game halfway through with a new thigh injury that Seattle Head Coach Mike Macdonald has already confirmed will cause Nwosu to return to Injured Reserve, what a horrid situation. Derick Hall (foot) and Riq Woolen (ankle) also left the game early with injuries and will be in question for their upcoming game versus San Francisco.
The Giants mauled the Seahawks in the trenches getting Geno Smith for 7 sacks, and big Dexter Lawrence led the way. “Sexy Dexy” had his second multi-sack game of the season and was the catalyst for the win with a crucial unseen hold on the long snapper during Seattle’s attempted game-tying field goal. This allowed Isaiah Simmons to leap over the line and block the kick, which was returned for the game-clinching touchdown.
Jerome Baker returned from his Hamstring issue in an impactful way, overtaking his existing season total in just one game thanks to a 25.5-point outburst. Baker had 14 tackles (19.4% rate) 1 sack and, 1 forced fumble. Tyrel Dodson wasn’t going to be left behind with his 5th straight game of 12+ points on the back of 9 tackles (12.5% rate) and 1 sack.
Tyler Nubin had another impressive outing, giving him back-to-back games of 13+ fantasy points. Nubin had 9 tackles (16.1% rate) and a fumble recovery on 96% of snaps. The rookie out of Minnesota is starting to string together some good performances so it will be exciting to watch the season unfold for him.
Yes Rashawn Jenkins had a 102-yard fumble return for a touchdown. No this shouldn’t change the way you look at him. If you weren’t starting him before the fumble return, you’re not starting him after it.
Packers 24, Rams 19
I should have written about him last week when he went 4-4 and I didn’t, so this week I absolutely have to mention arguably the best free agent signing of 2024. Xavier McKinney has 5 interceptions through 5 weeks so far. That equals a career best set in 2021 of 5. I will caveat though, be careful once the interceptions dry up, and they will dry up. Currently, McKinney hasn’t picked up more than 4 tackles in any game and his 5.7% tackle rate is much lower than you’d like.
Edgerrin Cooper was a standout against the Rams in limited action thanks to a great blitz and sack of Stafford midway through the contest. Cooper played just 38% of snaps, though both Quay Walker and Isaiah McDuffie have been underwhelming so far this season meaning we could hopefully see more of Cooper moving forward
Kam Curl was banged up in Sunday’s effort as he suffered a back injury, the Rams have the bye in Week 6 so hopefully will give him enough time to heal up and get back. If you’re unlucky enough to have to start Curl every week that is.
Kobie Turner was the epitome of efficiency on Sunday. Per PFF, Turner only had 2 pressures attributed to him, and he converted both into sacks that formed the backbone of his monster outing. Fellow second-year defensive lineman Byron Young was unlucky not to have a bigger night, as Jordan Love barely avoided a sack and safety from him… by throwing a pick-six while falling over in the back of the endzone to rookie cornerback Jaylen McCollough.
Cowboys 20, Steelers 17
Nick Herbig had another game with a sizeable snap share with Alex Highsmith still injured and this time he managed to get onto the sack sheet and recover a fumble. Unfortunately, he suffered a hamstring injury in the 3rd quarter and didn’t return to action. Highsmith is still predicted to miss the Week 6 clash with Indianapolis so it’ll pay to monitor practice reports on Herbig. Oh yeah, T.J. Watt is amazing at football, notching career sack number 100 as he’s put up 4.5 for through 5 games so far.
Cowboys Rookie Marshawn Kneeland is set to miss four to six weeks at least as he undergoes knee surgery today to repair a partially torn lateral meniscus. Kneeland was yet to record a sack so far in 2024 but had stepped into a bigger role with injuries to Micah Parsons and Demarcus Lawrence.
DeMarvion Overshown played all 58 possible snaps for Dallas alongside Eric Kendricks. Kendricks has been the linebacker to own in Dallas no doubt, averaging 18.52 PPG. But, Overshown is giving you bye-week replacement numbers as the #2 linebacker, while getting 100% of snaps, and averaging over 13 PPG his past 2 weeks.
Minkah Fitzpatrick followed up his 9-tackle game in Indy in Week 4, with a 10-tackle outing here in Week 5. The 13.5% tackle rate is good, but Pittsburgh played 74 defensive snaps in the close loss. Last week I said to use the name, this week use the name and this 10-tackle game to try to get anything for Minkah.
Saints 13, Chiefs 26
The Nick Bolton return to form could be happening in front of our eyes. Firstly, he played 92% of snaps. Secondly, he put up his best fantasy performance since Week 12 of 2022, with 21.25 points on 11 tackles (20.7% rate), 2 of them for a loss and 2 QB hits. Thirdly, according to PFF, this was the highest-graded game of his career coming in at a 90.8 overall, 91.6 run defense, 83.2 tackle 71.7 pass rush, and 71.4 coverage grade.
IT HAPPENED! We got the 1st full sack from Chase Young for 2024. It should mean absolutely nothing to anyone in terms of IDP as young shouldn’t be rostered except in best ball or the deepest of managed leagues. But as a guy who’s always believed, right from College ‘til now, I hope this is the start of something.
So I don’t know about you guys, but I chose to play Drue Tranquill after his strong performance last week. I will not be making that mistake again, and not just because Kansas City has the bye this week. Playing just 71% of snaps, with a sub-10% tackle rate in games not counting last weekend, and no big plays at all. He’s just not worth the hassle.
“Furious” George Karlaftis has been more like “Docile” George so far this season. Outside of a lone sack in Week 2, Karlaftis hasn’t been able to build on his strong second-year performance of 10.5 sacks in 2023. I even saw him hit one of my dynasty waiver wires today, and I don’t think I’ll bid more than $1 to get him.
Khalen Saunders got maximum airtime on the broadcast last night, partly because his brother is a backup dancer to old T-Swift. But also because “Momma that big boy can motor!!” Saunders was the lucky recipient of a tipped Patrick Mahomes pass in the endzone and rather than kneel it down for a free 20-yard gain, the former high school running back put the pedal to the metal for a 37-yard return before being tripped up from behind. Realistically it meant nothing for 99% of IDP players, but it was damn good to see the big boy rumble.
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