It’s that time again, IDP Nerds. Your weekly start and sit calls for IDP fantasy football are here. We are coming off one of our best weeks of the year with a 66.7% hit rate in Week 9. It’s been a struggle as the season gets longer and the injuries pile up. The IDP team at dynasty nerds has great pride in delivering the best content we can week in and week out so you can make those lineup decisions easier on yourself. The season total comes in at 60.8% accuracy.
Check out the teams putting together the start/sit columns this season. Follow us, friend us, and tweet us. We look forward to hearing from you!
- Changing the Call (QB): Jayson Snyder (@Spydes78)
- The Cutback (RB): Jake Oliver (@DarthDbacks)
- Slant Pattern (WR): Tristan Cook (@THEtristancook)
- 12 Formation (TE): Ethan Wyatt (@ethanAwyatt)
- Flex on ‘Em (FLEX): Evan Brown (@FFEvanlution)
- IDP Start/Sit (IDP): Jon Glosser (@Glosser13)
NOTE: Rankings are based on a 12-team PPR league. So, saying WR2 means top 24, or TE1 means top 12, etc., and are pulled from Fantasy Pros consensus expert rankings.
Seattle Seahawks @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Start
Keanu Neal DB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It has taken some time, but former Pro Bowl defensive back Keanu Neal has made an impact with his third NFL team. Keanu Neal has seen his playing time increase steadily for the Buccaneers’ defense with all the injuries to the secondary. He’s averaged 59.5 snaps per game over his past four games and is coming off a season-high ten tackles in Week 9.
The Florida Gators product has averaged 8.7 tackles per game over his last three games against the Seattle Seahawks. The Tampa Bay defense will need to be locked in for a matchup with the Seattle offense, which has been surprisingly good this season. As long as Neal sees snaps, he should be a reliable starter for IDP managers. The return of Antoine Winfield Jr. this week should only help the veteran safety continue to make an impact.
Minnesota Vikings @ Buffalo Bills
Start
Damar Hamlin DB, Buffalo Bills
At this point, I must sound like the president and CEO of the Damar Hamlin fan club. It just blows my mind that I saw him available on the waiver wire as early as last week. Damar Hamlin has averaged 16.6 fantasy points per game since the Micah Hyde injury in week three. The Buffalo defensive back has played over 60 snaps in each of his last five games while recording seven tackles or more in each contest. The injuries to both Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer may have potentially unlocked an IDP superstar in Damar Hamlin.
Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears
Start
Aidan Hutchinson DL, Detroit Lions
The Detroit rookie pass rusher has been wildly inconsistent this season. This is expected from rookies for the most part, but through his first eight NFL games, he has as many one-point performances as he has double-digit performances. Looking at his snaps and playing time, there’s no reason that he should be as ineffective as he’s been at times. His low-volume tackle floor is concerning, as he’s yet to record ten fantasy points or more in a game without at least one impact play.
Luckily for Aidan Hutchinson, he gets one of the NFL’s worst pass-blocking offensive lines this week. Hutchinson will face a Chicago Bears offense who have allowed 33 sacks this season. This is a golden opportunity for the young EDGE defender to post a huge week for IDP managers.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Kansas City Chiefs
Sit
Travon Walker DL, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars EDGE rusher has been very productive this season, registering 2.5 sacks and an interception. He has registered at least four tackles in six of his nine games this season. The sit recommendation this week is strictly matchup based, so if you don’t have better options, I would still default to starting Walker. The Chiefs have allowed the fifth-fewest sacks (16) in the NFL this season. I still think the former Georgia pass rusher can be effective, but I wouldn’t count on him giving you a matchup-changing performance this weekend.
Cleveland Browns @ Miami Dolphins
Start
Deion Jones LB, Cleveland Browns
The IDP community has yet to fully buy back into Deion Jones’ return, but he is officially back. We want to call him ‘washed’ because of his missed time with all the injuries, but we have to remember this is a player who has collected over 100 tackles in every season that he’s played more than six games in.
Deion Jones is a proven stud in all IDP formats when he’s healthy. The Miami Dolphins are a high-powered machine at this point. The Cleveland Browns will likely be challenged all game long, and Jones’s effectiveness will be a huge factor in the Browns’ staying in the game. The former Atlanta Falcons LB has scored 28 fantasy points on just 74 snaps played this season. IDP managers can trust him as an LB2 going forward.
Houston Texans @ New York Giants
Start
Adoree Jackson DB, New York Giants
Adoree Jackson is your spotlight player for this week’s CB-required IDP leagues. Jackson has been excellent this season, averaging over five tackles per game. He’s on pace to set a new career high for tackles in 2022. Jackson scored over ten fantasy points per game in seven of eight games this season. The Giants’ secondary is coming off a bye playing against Davis Mills, who has four interceptions in his last three games. Jackson can add to his hot start this season by potentially adding his first interception of the year in Week 10.
New Orleans Saints @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Start
Demario Davis LB, New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints veteran linebacker has been quietly going about his business this year in search of his sixth straight triple-digit tackle season. The Saints’ young linebacker Pete Werner has been steadily outperforming him this season, while Davis has not been needed as much as a high-volume tackler.
That likely changes this week after Pete Werner was injured during last Monday’s game. Davis will likely be racking up the tackles in Werner’s absence. IDP managers should view Demario Davis as an LB1 in the short term. He should see an increase in production for as long as Werner is not in the lineup.
Denver Broncos @ Tennessee Titans
Sit
Alex Singleton LB, Denver Broncos
The return of Josey Jewell has destroyed the production for linebacker Alex Singleton. The two should play more snaps together, but in games where Jewell is healthy, it forces Singleton to special teams or rotational linebacker role at best. They are both tackle machines, and it pains IDP managers to see one of them on the bench in favor of a player like Jonas Giffith. IDP managers should hope to roster both in the event one gets hurt, but other than that, you are playing with fire by starting Alex Singleton while Josey Jewell is in the lineup.
Indianapolis Colts @ Las Vegas Raiders
Start
Zaire Franklin LB, Indianapolis Colts
IDP managers have been proceeding with caution on Zaire Franklin over the past few weeks as Shaq Leonard was starting to find his way back into the lineup. Unfortunately, one of the game’s best linebackers and an absolute IDP stud had a further setback after appearing in each of the last two games and will now head to injured reserve. It’s unclear if he will play again this season with the Colts struggling and his lingering injuries. The bright side is that Zaire Franklin has a legitimate chance to be a dynasty LB1 by the season’s end. The 26-year-old Syracuse LB is on pace to crack 300 fantasy points this season and be a league-winning IDP asset. He will remain a plug-and-play starter for the remainder of the season.
Dallas Cowboys @ Green Bay Packers
Sit
Darnell Savage DB, Green Bay Packers
If you’ve followed my work for some time now, you are aware of my dislike for Darnell Savage as an IDP asset. The former Maryland safety has not found his way with the Green Bay defense and continues to be a much more attractive name than a fantasy player. The former first-round pick has recorded just one double-digit fantasy performance this season.
Darnell Savage’s ineffectiveness is glaringly obvious as the Packers claimed Johnathan Abram off waivers this week. The rumors are Savage may move to the slot with an injury to Eric Stokes. Still, I think it’s more likely that Abram eventually takes over the starting safety position, making life more difficult for Darnell Savage.
Arizona Cardinals @ Los Angeles Rams
Start
Isaiah Simmons LB, Arizona Cardinals
Isaiah Simmons has seemed to find his role in the Arizona Cardinals defense in 2022. The injury to Nick Vigil has significantly increased his snaps, and he’s delivered. In the past five games, the former Clemson Tigers defender has averaged 21.1 fantasy points per game while posting two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one interception returned for a touchdown.
The Cardinals linebacker had one of his worst games of the season against the Los Angeles Rams, registering just one tackle on 16 snaps. He’s a completely different player now and is playing at a very high level. Simmons has played a career-high 193 slot snaps this season, and it has proven to be effective recently. IDP managers who have played the very long waiting game with Simmons are reaping the rewards right now.
Los Angeles Chargers @ San Francisco 49ers
Sit
Khalil Mack LB/DL, Los Angeles Chargers
This one might seem a bit crazy, at least for those who can play Khalil Mack at defensive line. The former Defensive Player of the Year has been dominant this season and ranks as the DL12 on the sleeper platform. I don’t like the matchup this week despite Mack averaging 3.5 tackles and one sack per game over his career against the 49ers. The sample size is very small, having only played two games against them over his career and none since the 2018 season. I would sit the former University of Buffalo EDGE rusher if you have comparable options.
Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles
Start
Kamren Curl DB, Washington Commanders
Kam Curl has benefited greatly from the loss of Cole Holcomb when it comes to racking up tackles. IDP managers were put on notice when the Commanders defensive back tied a career-high 11 tackles in Week 9. The young Washington defender has averaged six tackles per game over his career against the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles. IDP managers have a nice advantage here, with Curl playing in a primetime matchup to close out the fantasy week.
The Wrap-up
That will do it for this week’s content. As always, I appreciate you taking the time to check in and see what we have to offer here at dynasty nerds. We commit to our readers, providing you with the best information to help you win championships. The home stretch of the season is rapidly approaching, and we will continue to do our best to deliver the goods so you all can take home those bragging rights at the end of the season. Enjoy this weekend’s slate of games, Nerds.
