Dynasty Nerds 
Draft Nerds 
NerdHerd 
Welcome back, IDP Nerds! The 2026 NFL season is finally here, which means it’s time to make those first tough lineup decisions of the year. Our Week 1 IDP Start/Sit calls come more from gut feeling than proven data. We don’t have snap counts or tackle opportunities to guide us yet, so Week 1 is about using what we know from last season and trusting what we expect from these players in their current roles.
The goal of this series is to help you with the players who aren’t locked into your lineup every week. You don’t need me to tell you to start your elite IDPs. Instead, we’ll focus on players who can outperform expectations, trusted options who could disappoint, and, as always, those deep-league DT and CB streamers for position-required formats. Let’s get into the Week 1 calls.
🔗 In Case you Missed our Offseason IDP Content
- 🚀 7 Steps for IDP Dynasty Startup Success
- ⚔️ 10 IDP Training Camp Battles to Watch
- 📈 15 IDP Dynasty Breakout Candidates
- 🔄 IDP Keep Trade Cut
- 🎯 Best Defenses for DL, LB & DB Production
Players to Start | Week 1 IDP Fantasy Football
Defensive Line | Week 1 IDP Start/Sit
Rashan Gary | DL | Dallas Cowboys
Rashan Gary might have been one of the more underrated moves of the offseason for IDP managers. After spending last season playing alongside Micah Parsons in Green Bay, Gary was traded to Dallas for a 2027 fourth-round pick. The Cowboys are still looking to replace the pass-rush production they lost when they traded Parsons, and Gary should get every opportunity to help fill that void. The veteran pass rusher has collected at least 5 sacks in 5 straight seasons.
Gary gets a favorable matchup in his Cowboys debut against the New York Giants, a team that struggled to protect Jaxson Dart last season. This is the type of matchup where I’m comfortable trusting Gary immediately with his new team. The Cowboys need him to create pressure, and I expect a player who finished as DL36 last season to make his presence felt right away in Week 1.
Travon Walker | DL | Jacksonville Jaguars
There’s no way around it, Travon Walker was a major disappointment for IDP managers last season. The former No. 1 overall pick finished as DL100 while recording just 3.5 sacks in 14 games. I’m willing to give Walker a pass and see if he can start the 2026 season with some confidence. We’ve already seen what he can do when healthy, collecting 20.5 sacks between 2023 and 2024, the only 2 seasons of his career in which he played all 17 games.
Walker draws a Cleveland Browns offensive line in Week 1 that allowed roughly 3 sacks per game last season. This is a perfect opportunity for the Jacksonville pass rusher to put a forgettable 2025 season behind him. Walker is still just 25 years old and has already proven he can produce double-digit sacks. I’m willing to bet on the talent and matchup here and trust him in my lineups to open the season.
Linebackers | Week 1 IDP Start/Sit
T.J. Edwards | LB | Chicago Bears
T.J. Edwards is coming off an injury-plagued 2025 season that fantasy managers would like to forget. Injuries limited the veteran linebacker throughout the year. Edwards is back healthy and returns to the LB1 role for the Bears, where he should once again be one of the more reliable tackle producers in Chicago’s defense. The veteran had recorded 100+ tackles in 4 straight seasons before the injuries that limited him to just 10 games last season.
I’m willing to trust the proven production right away in Week 1. The Carolina Panthers allowed around 15 tackles per game to the linebacker position last season, giving Edwards a favorable matchup to get back on track. There’s always some risk of trusting a player approaching the age of 30 and coming off an injury-plagued season, but the production speaks for itself. IDP managers should start T.J. Edwards with confidence in Week 1.
Jihaad Campbell | LB | Philadelphia Eagles
Jihaad Campbell is one of my favorite second-year breakout candidates at linebacker. The former first-round pick showed plenty of upside even as a rookie, finishing as LB59 in Dynasty Nerds IDP scoring despite playing just 63% of the defensive snaps. Campbell saw his role decrease once Nakobe Dean returned to the lineup last season, but that won’t be the case after Dean left in free agency.
Campbell now steps into a true every-down role next to Zack Baun in the middle of the Eagles defense. As mentioned in the Best IDP Performances article, Vic Fangio has proven he can produce fantasy LBs, as Zack Baun has been a top-12 LB in back-to-back seasons. Campbell has already shown us he can produce without playing a full-time role, and the added snaps should give him a much higher weekly ceiling in 2026. This is exactly the type of young linebacker I want to get into my lineup. I’m starting Campbell with confidence in Week 1.
| Player | Pos | Team | Opp | Call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rashan Gary | DL | DAL | NYG | ✅ START |
| Travon Walker | DL | JAX | CLE | ✅ START |
| T.J. Edwards | LB | CHI | CAR | ✅ START |
| Jihaad Campbell | LB | PHI | WAS | ✅ START |
| Dillon Thieneman | DB | CHI | CAR | ✅ START |
| Tyler Nubin | DB | NYG | DAL | ✅ START |
| George Karlaftis | DL | KC | DEN | ❌ SIT |
| Pete Werner | LB | NO | DET | ❌ SIT |
| Jalen Pitre | DB | HOU | BUF | ❌ SIT |
Defensive Backs | Week 1 IDP Start/Sit
Dillon Thieneman | DB | Chicago Bears
Dillon Thieneman finds himself in one of my favorite situations for a rookie defensive back. The Bears lost 3 different DBs from last year’s roster who averaged over 11.5 fantasy points per game. That’s a ton of production up for grabs in this secondary, and Chicago spent the 25th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Thieneman for a reason. Thieneman was extremely productive in college, totaling over 300 tackles in 39 games.
We still don’t know exactly how the Bears will deploy Thieneman at the NFL level, but the opportunity is hard to ignore. He’s a Week 1 starter and should have plenty of chances to make plays around the football. I expect Thieneman to pick up some of the production left behind in the Bears secondary, start his NFL career strong, and put IDP managers on notice right away.
Tyler Nubin | DB | New York Giants
Tyler Nubin is a player I’m excited to get back into IDP lineups for the 2026 season. The Giants safety has played just 13 games in each of his first 2 NFL seasons, which has made his overall finishes look worse than his production when healthy. Nubin finished as DB57 overall last season, but jumped all the way to DB31 in fantasy points per game while averaging 14 FPPG. He has already shown he can produce against Dallas, including a 12-tackle performance against the Cowboys during his rookie season.
The biggest question with Nubin has never been his ability to produce tackles. It’s whether he can stay on the field and consistently produce for IDP managers. If you stretch his 14 FPPG average over 17 games, that would have been enough to finish as the DB10 overall last season in Dynasty Nerds IDP scoring. Nubin gets a prime opportunity against Dallas in Week 1 to start changing the narrative. If he can stay healthy, I have little doubt he can finish as a weekly DB2 at worst.
Players to Sit | Week 1 IDP Fantasy Football
| Player | Pos | Team | Opponent | Why We’re Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Karlaftis | DL | KC | DEN | Tough matchup against a strong pass-protection unit |
| Pete Werner | LB | NO | DET | Declining snap share limits his weekly ceiling |
| Jalen Pitre | DB | HOU | BUF | Tough tackle matchup with added competition in the secondary |
- George Karlaftis is a tough player to trust in Week 1. His fantasy production relies heavily on sacks, and Denver has not been a friendly matchup for pass rushers. We saw that firsthand last season when Karlaftis managed just 15 fantasy points combined in 2 games against the Broncos. I’m willing to look elsewhere at DL this week.
- Pete Werner begins the 2026 season as a starting linebacker for the Saints, but IDP managers shouldn’t automatically trust him. His defensive snap share took a hit last season, and until we see him return to a consistent every-down role, he’s a risky start.
- Jalen Pitre is another player I’m fading this week. He was consistent last season, but Houston added more competition in the secondary and now faces a Buffalo offense that limited DB production in 2025. Pitre will have better weeks ahead, but Week 1 isn’t one I’m willing to bet on.
DT-Premium & CB-Premium Streamers
| Player | Pos | Team | Opp | Why We’re Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Sieler | DT | MIA | LV | Elite sack matchup |
| John Franklin-Myers | DT | TEN | NYJ | Consistent sack production |
| Jacob Parrish | CB | TB | ATL | Strong tackle production |
| Kool-Aid McKinstry | CB | NO | DET | Breakout year in 2025. Consistent tackle and PD production |
For my DT-premium managers, Zach Sieler is my favorite play of Week 1. The veteran defensive tackle gets a favorable matchup against the Raiders, who allowed the most sacks in 2025. John Franklin-Myers is another player I’m willing to trust this week. He has collected 14.5 sacks over the past 2 seasons and benefits from playing alongside Jeffery Simmons. Sieler and Franklin-Myers might not be players you think about when setting lineups, but both have been productive enough to earn a start in DT-required leagues.
At cornerback, Jacob Parrish is a player I’m willing to trust in Week 1. The Buccaneers nickel corner is coming off a strong rookie season where he recorded 76 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 interceptions. I’m always looking for tackle production when streaming cornerbacks, and Parrish showed he can give us exactly that. Kool-Aid McKinstry is another CB I like this week after finishing last season with 75 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 17 passes defended. Neither player needs an interception or another big play to save their fantasy week, and that’s what I like about both of them in CB-required formats.
Final Thoughts
Week 1 is always one of the more difficult weeks for making IDP lineup decisions. We don’t have snap counts, tackle opportunities, or any 2026 production to lean on yet. That changes quickly once the games start. Starting in Week 2, we’ll have our weekly accuracy report tracking how these Start/Sit calls performed, along with the return of our Hidden IDP Gems section highlighting deeper players who stand out in the data.
For now, trust the roles and matchups we know heading into Week 1 and don’t be afraid to take some chances with your lineup. Good luck this week, IDP Nerds! The long wait is finally over, and the 2026 NFL season is here. As always, reach out to me on X @Glosser13 for any IDP questions.
Take Control of Your Dynasty Today
Want to see where your lineup stacks up? Start building like the pros with our most powerful tools and resources:
- 📱 Dynasty Nerds App → Analyze trades, compare rosters—see where you rank.
- 🏈 Dynasty Rankings → Updated player values for every position.
- 🎓 Rookie Mock Draft Hub → Find the next wave of talent for your drafts.
- 🚀 Join the NerdHerd → Unlock premium tools and exclusive extra podcast.
- 🤓 The Glossery → 725 IDP, SuperFlex, TE Premium Rankings
