Welcome back, IDP Nerds. It’s time for your weekly edition of ‘Man Coverage.’ This is where you get the advice you need to help you make those tough lineup decisions regarding IDP fantasy football. It was a very rough week, with just a 28% hit rate in Week 5, which brings the season total down to 65.58%. It’s the nature of the game; you’re going to run into tough matchups from time to time. Like anything in life, it’s not about the losses but how you bounce back and learn from them. So let’s not waste any more time and take a look at the slate for Week 6 in the NFL.
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.
San Francisco 49ers @ Atlanta Falcons
Start
Talanoa Hufanga DB, San Francisco 49ers
The former USC Trojans defensive back has made such a significant impact in his second year with the 49ers. It’s difficult to watch San Francisco play and not notice the long hair flowing as Hufanga flies all over the field, making plays. Pro Football Focus has the 49ers’ defensive back playing nearly 200 coverage snaps this season while also playing 113 run defense snaps. He’s graded very well in both areas through five weeks, with a 78.1 coverage grade and a 67.6 run defense grade.
Hufanga is coming off a 19-point fantasy performance against the Carolina Panthers in week five. He’s averaging 4.4 tackles per game but is making a splash with his impact plays this season. He’s already recorded two interceptions, a sack, five passes defended, and a defensive touchdown this season. The heart of the 49ers’ secondary will be heavily involved in trying to slow down the Atlanta Falcons running game this week and should post another solid effort.
New England Patriots @ Cleveland Browns
Sit
Matt Judon DL/LB, New England Patriots
This one is tough because Matt Judon is one of the only New England Patriots defensive players I trust weekly. Judon has averaged 17.8 fantasy points per game, scoring in double-digits in four of five games. This is strictly a matchup-based call. The Cleveland Browns have allowed a league-best five sacks in 2022. Matt Judon has familiarity playing the Cleveland Browns twice a year while he was with the Baltimore Ravens. He hasn’t had much success against them, unfortunately, with just two double-digit fantasy performances in his last seven matchups. If you have a better matchup at the defensive line position, I’d recommend going with the safer play.
New York Jets @ Green Bay Packers
Sit
Kwon Alexander LB, New York Jets
The former LSU linebacker and NFL veteran has put himself back on the IDP manager’s radar. He has played over 50 snaps in his last two games but only managed one game over ten fantasy points. His usage in the Jets’ defense has increased since Quincy Williams missed time due to injury. As all reports indicate, Williams will return this week against Green Bay. It’s almost guaranteed that Kwon will see a dip in snaps and limit his opportunities to be a high performer this week.
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis Colts
Start
Zaire Franklin LB, Indianapolis Colts
I’ll speak for all IDP managers when I say we hate to see Shaq Leonard not suiting up every week to make the plays we’ve grown accustomed to seeing. However, Zaire Franklin has been a waiver-wire star in IDP leagues through the first five games of the season. The Colts linebacker has averaged 66.2 snaps per game while scoring 20 fantasy points per game.
The absence of Shaquille Leonard surely hurts, but if you’re the manager who was able to acquire Zaire Franklin this season, you are thrilled to ride this hot streak. Historically the linebacker position in the Colts’ defensive system has been great to dynasty managers, and that’s unlikely to change. Zaire Franklin collected 20 fantasy points in week two against the Jacksonville Jaguars and should have no issues putting up another big performance in Week 6.
Minnesota Vikings @ Miami Dolphins
Start
Jerome Baker LB, Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins linebacker Jerome Baker has started to find his way again after some inconsistency over the first two games of the season. He’s averaging 21.3 fantasy points per game over his past three games. During that stretch, the Dolphins’ linebacker has collected 25 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
I love this matchup for Jerome Baker. He draws a matchup with a Minnesota Vikings team that gave up 18 tackles to starting linebackers in Week 5. I would not be at all surprised to see Baker continue his elite play and find himself as a top-12 performer at the linebacker position this week.
Cincinnati Bengals @ New Orleans Saints
Start
Trey Hendrickson DL, Cincinnati Bengals
I know you guys wouldn’t be satisfied without a ‘Revenge Game’ narrative for your weekly viewing pleasure. The Bengals’ best pass rusher Trey Hendrickson will play his first game against his former team since leaving for free agency a year ago. Hendrickson has had a very down season with just one double-digit performance on the season. He will play his former team at a perfect time when they have major issues along their offensive line; the Saints have allowed the ninth most sacks (14) of any NFL team this season. I’ll be firing up Hendrickson in every league I have him this week.
Baltimore Ravens @ New York Giants
Start
Jaylon Smith LB, New York Giants
In an early season twist, Jaylon Smith has shown proof of life since being inserted back into the Giants’ linebacker rotation. The former IDP stud linebacker has six tackles in each of his last two games giving IDP managers a safe tackle floor. There’s cause for concern with an average of just 36 snaps per game over this small sample size, but you can’t argue with the production. The former Cowboys linebacker was mentioned in a waiver wire article two weeks back and is showing he can provide insurance for those managers who are being hit by injuries at the linebacker position. In Week 5, the Baltimore Ravens allowed an average of 7.5 tackles to both starting linebackers. While he’s not the same player he was in 2019, Smith did record 12 tackles in his last game against the Ravens.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Sit
Alex Highsmith DL/LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
I know IDP managers were very excited for Alex Highsmith to be unleashed with the injury to reigning NFL DPOY T.J. Watt. The reality of the situation has always been that you just don’t replace players like Watt with one guy, and his impact on the game cannot be understated. Alex Highsmith is still a major boom-or-bust player in IDP leagues and should be treated as such. In Week 6, he plays the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have allowed the third-fewest sacks in the NFL over the first five games. I would expect the Pittsburgh defense to be overmatched as they were last week against the high-powered Buffalo Bills offense. This week, I would be looking for another comparable option in my defensive line or linebacker spot.
Carolina Panthers @ Los Angeles Rams
Sit
Damien Wilson LB, Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are an absolute mess heading into week six. The injuries and firing of their head coach and defensive coordinator leave so much uncertainty. One of the bright stars this season has been Frankie Luvu, who is reported to miss his second straight game. The combination of Damien Wilson and Cory Littleton played a bulk of the snaps last week without Luvu. As a dynasty manager, you can’t trust either player to be in your lineup if you’re looking for a solid floor at the linebacker position. Damien Wilson was the much better scorer last week but played 22 fewer snaps than Littleton. I would fade both and look elsewhere in this matchup.
Arizona Cardinals @ Seattle Seahawks
Start
Ryan Neal DB, Seattle Seahawks
I’m hopeful the Josh Jones experiment is over, and the Seahawks defense will lean heavily on Ryan Neal as they did last season. Ryan Neal filled in admirably over the past two seasons, while star defensive back Jamal Adams has dealt with injuries. Ryan Neal posted 12 fantasy points in his first start of the season last week. He’s a reliable contributor when he plays most of the snaps, and he played every defensive snap in week five. The Seahawks safety had a nine-tackle performance in the only start of his career against the Arizona Cardinals.
Buffalo Bills @ Kansas City Chiefs
Start
Damar Hamlin DB, Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills’ secondary has dealt with more injuries through five games this season than they have over the past three seasons combined. One of the biggest losses is defensive back Micah Hyde who has been a leader in the secondary during the Bills’ run as one of the best defenses in the NFL. In his absence, Jaquan Johnson has been named the starter at free safety, but he hasn’t been much of a contributor as an IDP.
Damar Hamlin has been the much stronger player and gives the Buffalo defense another playmaker. Hamlin is still rostered in just 5% of leagues on Sleeper, and I’ve seen him available in many leagues across other platforms as well. In the three games since Micah Hyde’s injury, Hamlin has averaged 14.3 fantasy points per game and should continue to be a reliable fantasy scorer alongside Jordan Poyer.
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles
Sit
Fletcher Cox DL, Philadelphia Eagles
I wanted to show some of my DT-premium IDP managers some love here. Fletcher Cox has been a reliable scorer, especially at an extremely thin position. The Philadelphia Eagles have one of the strongest rotations along their front four. With three solid performers at the defensive tackle position, it’s becoming very difficult to project weekly performances. The emergence of Jordan Davis has made it an option for the Eagles to rest the veteran Fletcher Cox in hopes he can be healthy for a playoff run.
Fletcher Cox has just one tackle over his last two games and won’t be a player you can trust in your lineup. Even if you’re streaming the position weekly, it’s unlikely you have faith in a player who has only scored six fantasy points over his last two games.
Denver Broncos @ Los Angeles Chargers
Start
Alex Singleton LB, Denver Broncos
Alex Singleton’s fantasy value has been strictly dependent on the fact that Josey Jewell has been unable to stay healthy. The linebacker position for the Broncos has been very productive this season, and whether it’s Jewell or Singleton, you can rely on either player to be a strong performer for your team. Singleton recorded six tackles in his last start against the Los Angeles Chargers. The former Montana State defender has averaged 12.3 fantasy points per game in his three starts this season.
The Wrap-up
That’s how we will end it this week, my fellow IDP Nerds. I hope this season has treated you well so far and you’ve been able to use some of the weekly content to make the moves you need to not feel the severe impact of injuries on your stud performers. I wish you all the best this week as you take the next steps into working towards that elusive dynasty fantasy football championship. As always, keep building those championship-contending rosters and enjoy Week 6.