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Welcome back, IDP Nerds! We finally have a week of NFL football to react to, and while it’s way too early to make any major conclusions, we did get our first look at how these defenses plan to use their players. We have actual game data to work with now, giving us a better idea of which players are being put in positions to produce. That gives us a little more to work with as we break down the Week 2 IDP Start/Sit and try to make those tough lineup decisions a bit easier.
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Before we get into this week’s starts, sits, and streamers, it’s time to check the receipts from Week 1. Accountability has always been important to me with this series. If I’m going to recommend who you should put in your lineup every week, I should be willing to own those calls when they don’t work out. The Accuracy Report will track every call throughout the season, celebrating the hits while being just as honest about the misses. Week 1 was a mixed bag, so let’s see where we got it right and where we came up short.
IDP Start/Sit Accuracy Report
We finished Week 1 with a 41.7% overall hit rate, with our streamers leading the way at 66.7%. The sit recommendations were a rough start at 0-for-3, while Dillon Thieneman led all of our calls with 23.5 fantasy points.
| Category | Week 1 | Season |
| Starts | 3/6 (50.0%) | 3/6 (50.0%) |
| Sits | 0/3 (0.0%) | 0/3 (0.0%) |
| Streamers | 2/3 (66.7%) | 2/3 (66.7%) |
| Overall | 5/12 (41.7%) | 5/12 (41.7%) |
Top Performer: Dillon Thieneman — 23.5 fantasy points
Injury Exclusions: 1 — Jacob Parrish
How is the IDP Start/Sit Accuracy Report scored?
Accountability is important with this series, so every Start, Sit, and Streamer call is tracked throughout the season using the Dynasty Nerds preferred IDP scoring settings.
- Start: 10.0 or more fantasy points is a hit. Anything below 10.0 is a miss.
- Sit: Fewer than 10.0 fantasy points is a hit. Anything 10.0 or higher is a miss.
- Streamer: 10.0 or more fantasy points is a hit. Anything below 10.0 is a miss.
- Injury Exception: A player who leaves a game early because of injury and does not return can be excluded from the weekly and season-long results. Players who have already played the majority of their expected workload will still be graded normally.
These standards will remain the same throughout the 2026 season.
Players to Start | Week 2 IDP Fantasy Football
Defensive Line | Week 2 IDP Start/Sit
Jalyx Hunt | DL | Philadelphia Eagles
IDP managers were left disappointed with Jalyx Hunt after he managed just 7 fantasy points in Week 1. The production wasn’t there, but there were still some positives to take away. Hunt played 76% of the defensive snaps while posting a 22.2% pressure rate. We aren’t going to get sacks every week, but seeing Hunt consistently create pressure is encouraging. If that continues, the impact plays should come.
I’m buying a bounceback from Hunt in Week 2 against the Tennessee Titans. Tennessee allowed the sixth-most sacks in the NFL last season and gave up three more in Week 1. We don’t typically want to rely on impact plays over a safer tackle floor, but this matchup might be too good to pass up for the Eagles pass rushers. Hunt has also been effective against AFC opponents lately, averaging 28.7 fantasy points per game over his last 3 games against the conference. Let’s hope that trend continues this week.
Khalil Mack | DL | Los Angeles Chargers
Khalil Mack is another defensive lineman I’m buying the bounceback on in Week 2. The veteran EDGE rusher is late in his career, but he’s still productive. Mack finished as the DL67 while averaging over 13 fantasy points per game last season. You’re not keeping a 35-year-old pass rusher on your dynasty roster if you’re not willing to start him, and Week 2 gives you a great opportunity to do just that.
Mack gets the revenge game against his former team, the Las Vegas Raiders, a matchup he’s had success with before. He recorded 1.5 sacks and forced a fumble against them last season. Despite their Week 1 success, I’m not buying the Raiders’ offensive line just yet. This is still a unit that allowed the most sacks in the NFL last season. Mack’s 68% snap share was also the second-highest among Chargers EDGE rushers in Week 1. I like the veteran to continue giving his former team problems and get back on track for IDP managers this week.
Linebacker | Week 2 IDP Start/Sit
Drake Thomas | LB | Seattle Seahawks
Drake Thomas started the season strong, finishing LB19 in Week 1. He played 100% of the defensive snaps alongside Ernest Jones, who finished as the LB9. Thomas recorded 96 tackles last season despite playing just 68% of the snaps. I still have my reservations that he can be an every-down linebacker as long as Jones remains healthy, but his consistency as a tackler has been impressive. Dating back to Seattle’s Super Bowl run last season, Thomas has recorded at least 5 tackles in 11 straight games.
IDP managers should feel confident starting Thomas in Week 2 against an exciting Arizona Cardinals offense coming off an upset win. Arizona allowed 3 linebackers to score at least 10 fantasy points in Week 1. Thomas also played well against the Cardinals last season, collecting 12 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and a sack over 2 games. I’m willing to ride the hot hand here and trust Thomas to keep producing in Week 2.
Jaishawn Barham | LB | Dallas Cowboys
All aboard the Jaishawn Barham train! It’s an extremely small sample size, but we’ve already been blessed with outstanding rookie linebacker production. The former Michigan Wolverine played just 49% of the defensive snaps in Week 1 but still finished as the LB42. I had high hopes that Barham would carve out a role this season, but I didn’t expect it to happen this quickly. With DeMarvion Overshown set to miss a couple of weeks with an injury, Barham should see an increased role. Dee Winters looks likely to take over the green dot duties, but I expect a nice snap boost for Barham, who has already shown he can produce with limited playing time.
The Washington Commanders also give us a favorable matchup based on our very limited one-week sample. Washington allowed 21 tackles to the linebacker position in Week 1, while both Zack Baun (LB4) and Jihaad Campbell (LB15) finished as top-15 options. There’s obviously some risk here with Barham’s role still developing, but I’m willing to get ahead of it. If the snaps increase as I expect, Barham has a chance to make some noise for IDP managers in Week 2.
| Player | Pos | Team | Opp | Call |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalyx Hunt | DL | PHI | TEN | ✅ START |
| Khalil Mack | DL | LAC | LV | ✅ START |
| Drake Thomas | LB | SEA | ARI | ✅ START |
| Jaishawn Barham | LB | DAL | WAS | ✅ START |
| Jaquan Brisker | DB | PIT | NE | ✅ START |
| A.J. Haulcy | DB | IND | KC | ✅ START |
| Arden Key | DL | IND | KC | ❌ SIT |
| Cody Barton | LB | TEN | PHI | ❌ SIT |
| Andrew Mukuba | DB | PHI | TEN | ❌ SIT |
Defensive Backs | Week 2 IDP Start/Sit
Jaquan Brisker | DB | Pittsburgh Steelers
One of Pittsburgh’s newest additions wasted no time making an impact, as Jaquan Brisker was one of 20 defensive backs to score at least 19 fantasy points in Week 1. Brisker collected 6 tackles and an interception while playing 100% of the defensive snaps. If he can stay healthy, he should be a reliable option for IDP managers all season. Brisker has played at least 15 games three times over his four-year career, averaging 100 tackles in those seasons.
On paper, Brisker gets another favorable matchup against the New England Patriots. New England allowed three defensive backs to score at least 20 fantasy points last week, with all three finishing as top-13 options at the position. Brisker has always been a reliable tackler when healthy, and his role in Pittsburgh should keep that floor intact. I’m comfortable going right back to him as a starter in Week 2.
A.J. Haulcy | DB | Indianapolis Colts
As expected, A.J. Haulcy made an immediate impact in Week 1. Those IDP managers who grabbed him in the later rounds of rookie drafts are already seeing the benefits. The former LSU Tiger stepped right into a 99% snap share, collecting 7 tackles on his way to a DB59 finish. Haulcy also played 40.3% of his snaps in the box, putting him in a great position to be a high-volume tackler. IDP managers don’t need to be reminded how effective Nick Cross was in a similar role over his last few seasons with the Colts.
The Kansas City Chiefs project as another strong matchup for defensive backs after allowing 26 tackles to the position in Week 1. At this point, Haulcy’s fantasy value will be tied heavily to his effectiveness as a tackler, and his usage gives him plenty of chances to deliver. I’m comfortable riding with the rookie safety until his play or the data gives us a reason not to.
Players to Sit | Week 2 IDP Start/Sit
| Player | Pos | Team | Opponent | Why We’re Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arden Key | DL | IND | KC | Tough matchup after a big Week 1 |
| Cody Barton | LB | TEN | PHI | Inconsistent tackle production |
| Andrew Mukuba | DB | PHI | TEN | Deep alignment limits tackle opportunities |
- Arden Key | DL | Indianapolis Colts: The veteran pass rusher put together a big performance in his Colts debut, but I’m not chasing the Week 1 production. Kansas City allowed just 11 tackles to defensive linemen last week, tied for the second-fewest in the NFL.
- Cody Barton | LB | Tennessee Titans: Barton played an excellent 97% of the defensive snaps in Week 1, but his inconsistent tackle production makes him difficult to trust in your lineup. The playing time is encouraging, but I need to see more before feeling comfortable starting him.
- Andrew Mukuba | DB | Philadelphia Eagles: Mukuba played 100% of the defensive snaps in Week 1 but managed just 1 tackle while spending nearly 70% of his snaps at free safety. We need to see better production from that role before trusting him, especially with how many streaming options are available at defensive back.
DT-Premium & CB-Premium Streamers
| Player | Pos | Team | Opp | Why We’re Streaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Osa Odighizuwa | DT | SF | MIA | Strong pressure metrics and sack matchup |
| Lee Hunter | DT | CAR | ATL | DT7 debut and favorable sack matchup |
| Nate Wiggins | CB | BAL | NO | High-volume passing matchup |
| Jarvis Brownlee Jr. | CB | NYJ | GB | Heavy slot usage and strong CB matchup |
The Miami Dolphins allowed 5 sacks in Week 1, making Osa Odighizuwa one of my favorite DT streamers this week. The veteran posted an 11% pressure rate and 19% pass-rush win rate in his 49ers debut and remains available in over 90% of leagues. Lee Hunter also had a strong start to his career, finishing as the DT7 overall in Week 1. His 45% snap share is a bit concerning, but the production is hard to ignore. He gets an Atlanta Falcons offense that allowed 4 sacks last week, making the rookie worth another look in DT-premium formats.
Nate Wiggins is still readily available, even in CB-required formats, and gets an excellent Week 2 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. New Orleans allowed 23 tackles to cornerbacks in Week 1 while throwing the ball 56 times. Kellen Moore’s offenses have never been shy about putting the ball in the air, and that type of volume is exactly what we’re looking for when streaming cornerbacks. Jarvis Brownlee Jr. is another player I’m targeting this week. Despite playing just 76% of the defensive snaps, Brownlee spent 92% of those snaps in the slot. He should see plenty of action against a Packers offense that allowed two top-15 CB performances in Week 1.
IDP Hidden Gems | Week 2 IDP Fantasy Football
Before we wrap up, here are a few Week 1 numbers and performances that caught my attention.
- Greg Rousseau keeps delivering ceiling games. The Bills pass rusher has now scored 22 or more fantasy points 5 times since Week 5 of last season. When Rousseau gets home, he’s capable of putting together some monster fantasy performances.
- Hello, Josiah Trotter! The rookie stuffed the stat sheet in his NFL debut, finishing as the LB1 while adding a sack and a pick-six. It’s only one game, but you couldn’t ask for a much better start to his career.
- The first-round rookie DBs made their presence felt. Caleb Downs scored 24 fantasy points, while Dillon Thieneman added 23.5, and both finished as top-7 defensive backs in their NFL debuts.
- Rookie linebackers came ready to play. Anthony Hill (LB16), Jacob Rodriguez (LB18), and Sonny Styles (LB24) all delivered LB2 finishes in their first career games. That’s an encouraging start for a rookie linebacker class we’ve spent plenty of time talking about this offseason.
- Week 1 wasn’t quite as explosive for IDP scoring. We had 52 IDPs score at least 20 fantasy points, down from 59 players in Week 1 last season. That’s still a whole lot of defensive production to go around.
Week 2 IDP Start/Sit Final Thoughts
Week 1 finally gave us something real to work with, but we’re still dealing with a very small sample size. There are going to be players who burned us last week and come right back with a big game, while some of the Week 1 surprises might disappear just as quickly. That’s just part of setting IDP lineups this early in the season. Each week gives us a little more information to work with, and we’ll start to figure out which performances are worth buying into and which ones were just a one-week thing.
As always, I hope this week’s IDP Start/Sit helps make a few of those tough lineup decisions easier. If you’re stuck between two players or have an IDP question heading into the weekend, you can always reach out to me on X @Glosser13. Good luck in Week 2, IDP Nerds. Let’s get another win.
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Don’t miss the Week 2 IDP Waiver Wire Sleepers and Deep Adds!
