Defense

IDP Draft Preview: Gregory Rousseau

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At 6’6” and 265 pounds, the Hurricane defensive lineman has excellent height for a pass rusher. Rousseau has a good base weight but should be able to add even more muscle as he develops in the NFL. His size, explosion, and speed are already above average coming into the NFL, but within a few years, I would expect Rousseau to play at 280 to 290 pounds and become the prototypical size for an NFL defensive end.

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IDP Wrap Up: Week 10

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WHAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK Vegas baby! After relinquishing an average of 32 points per game through their first six games, the Raiders’ defense has tightened up significantly over their last three showings. Since the start of November, Las Vegas has given up less than 15 points per game. On Sunday, the unit intercepted Drew Lock four times, sacked him twice, and recovered a fumble on the way to a rout of the Broncos. IDP studs on the day were Nick Kwiatkoski, Nicholas Morrow, Jeff Heath, and Maxx Crosby. In a surprisingly close early game on Sunday, the Jacksonville defense stymied Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay offense for much of the day. Although they ended up taking a loss, the DST produced an interception, a fumble recovery, a sack, and returned a kick for a touchdown in their efforts at Lambeau Field. IDP-wise, Sidney Jones had a great game and rookie DT DaVon Hamilton flashed some promise. The LA Rams demolished the Seahawks’ high flying offense in a massive divisional tilt last Sunday. In the victory, Los Angeles created six sacks and three turnovers while surrendering a meager 16 points. In a league of star mobile quarterbacks, it looks like the Rams defense may have what it takes to succeed and even thrive. Players able to score major IDP points for LA this week include Leonard Floyd, Micah Kiser, and Darious Williams. TOP PLAYER PERFORMANCES Demario Davis – LB –NEW ORLEANS SAINTS Davis was electric this week against the defending NFC champion 49ers. The nine-year veteran’s line included 12 total tackles, three TFLs, a sack, and a pass defended in the

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Week 5 Streamers

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In this streaming article, I will provide you the best weekly options to stream quarterback, tight end, and D/ST. In each section, I’ll break down two streamers in detail, both of which will be under 50% owned, according to ESPN’s ownership percentage at the time of writing. Playing the matchups is a crucial feature of redraft fantasy football, and especially in a crazy 2020 season, active fantasy owners will have a massive advantage. I also want to provide added value for each type of streamer this season. I’ll highlight any players from 50-60% owned in each section if they’re superior options to both of my streaming candidates at that specific position. Those players are “probably owned,” but they could be out there in 10-team or shallower formats. I won’t offer analysis on these players, just the names and matchups.

If neither of my two suggested streamers is under 25% ownership percentage, I will give a “super-deep” option. That feature should help those owners playing in deeper leagues with few waiver-wire options. Like the “probably owned” players, I’ll list the players without analysis. I realize that all leagues are different, and I want to accommodate all of my readers.

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Week 4 Streamers

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In this streaming article, I will provide you the best weekly options to stream quarterback, tight end, and D/ST. In each section, I’ll break down two streamers in detail, both of which will be under 50% owned, according to ESPN’s ownership percentage at the time of writing. Playing the matchups is a crucial feature of redraft fantasy football, and especially in a crazy 2020 season, active fantasy owners will have a massive advantage. I also want to provide added value for each type of streamer this season. I’ll highlight any players from 50-60% owned in each section if they’re superior options to both of my streaming candidates at that specific position. Those players are “probably owned,” but they could be out there in 10-team or shallower formats. I won’t offer analysis on these players, just the names and matchups.

If neither of my two suggested streamers is under 25% ownership percentage, I will give a “super-deep” option. That feature should help those owners playing in deeper leagues with few waiver-wire options. Like the “probably owned” players, I’ll list the players without analysis. I realize that all leagues are different, and I want to accommodate all of my readers.

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Nick Bosa Injury: Rapid Reaction

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I want to preface this article by saying that I will be using IDP123 scoring for reference in this article and future articles. It was created by Jordan Rains (@50shadesofdrunk on Twitter) to give us a more simplified and balanced system for IDP. We have standards on offense, why shouldn’t we have them on the defensive side as well. The scoring is easy as 123 though. One point for assisted tackles and quarterback hits. Two points for solo tackles and tackles for a loss. Three points for passes defended, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries, safeties, and blocked kicks. See easy as 123… We don’t want to forget the BIG PLAYS though, those are worth six points and include sacks, interceptions, defensive touchdowns. Now, enough of the soapbox, let’s get to the meat…the Nick Bosa injury.

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Joe Burrow. Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Week 3 Streamers

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In this streaming article, I will provide you the best weekly options to stream quarterback, tight end, and D/ST. In each section, I’ll break down two streamers in detail, both of which will be under 50% owned, according to ESPN’s ownership percentage at the time of writing. Playing the matchups is a crucial feature of redraft fantasy football, and especially in a crazy 2020 season, active fantasy owners will have a massive advantage. I also want to provide added value for each type of streamer this season. I’ll highlight any players from 50-60% owned in each section if they’re superior options to both of my streaming candidates at that specific position. Those players are “probably owned,” but they could be out there in 10-team or shallower formats. I won’t offer analysis on these players, just the names and matchups.

If neither of my two suggested streamers is under 25% ownership percentage, I will give a “super-deep” option. That feature should help those owners playing in deeper leagues with few waiver-wire options. Like the “probably owned” players, I’ll list the players without analysis. I realize that all leagues are different, and I want to accommodate all of my readers.

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Week One IDP Wrap Up

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The Vikings defense was… well… terrible on Sunday. Minnesota gave up 43 points and 522 yards at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Vikings defensive backs are young and inexperienced, which puts a lot of pressure on veterans like Eric Kendricks, Harrison Smith, and Anthony Barr. Expect extra IDP opportunities for the Vikings as they struggle with coverage.

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A Look Back: My 2019 Streaming D/STs

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In 2019, I wrote a weekly column for @DFF_Redraft giving QB, TE, and D/ST streamers each week of the fantasy season. To qualify as a potential streamer, a player needed to be 40% owned or less, according to ESPN’s ownership percentage data. In this three-piece series, I’m looking back at how I did with predicting each category of streamer. In this part, it’s time to look at the D/STs.

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Schemes Are Ch-Ch-Changing: Part 2

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Anticipating and acting on scheme change is a risk/reward proposition in fantasy football. Correctly anticipating an edge defender’s new role in a defense can deliver a difference-maker at the most valuable IDP position. There, I said it! The value above replacement for a high-end DE is greater than that for linebackers through much of the spectrum of IDP scoring formats. Meanwhile, an edge defender changed to OLB is all but negated as an IDP asset in most formats. Your writer did not lightly recommend DE Myles Garrett as an IDP buy in Part 1 of this series of articles on defensive scheme change. The Browns’ incoming defensive coordinator Joe Woods led a 3-4 defense in Denver in 2018. Part 1 explains why I would not discount Garrett’s fantasy value based on that risk. The risk that Garrett plays OLB in 2020 is not zero, however. Upon arriving in New York last winter, Gregg Williams told reporters he would not change the Jets’ 3-4 base defense to a 4-3. Then he did. Two teams that did NOT undergo changes in defensive coaches DID change from 4-3 to 3-4: the Panthers and Falcons. Yes, both teams changed back late in the 2019 season, but the initial change highlights the incalculable risk to players as IDP assets in fantasy leagues that don’t use true positions (IDL, EDGE, LB). The hedge against this risk is to anticipate scheme changes before they are implemented, observed, and understood. The best way to do this is to keep apprised of coaching changes and those coaches’ histories and

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