Well, it didn’t take long in 2017 for things to get weird for IDP owners. We had no sooner finished our fantasy drafts and settled in to set our starting lineups when a curveball came sliding across the plate.
That was a baseball metaphor. I apologize. It won’t happen again. It’s been a long summer.
The curveball was delivered by none other than Mother Nature herself. With Hurricane Irma barreling toward the state of Florida the NFL acted quickly to postpone Sunday’s game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Miami Dolphins – largely because both teams just so happen to share a Week 11 bye.
Or at least they did. Now they share a Week 1 bye.
I don’t mean to come off as insensitive. There are any number of considerations where Irma is concerned that are infinitely more important than fantasy football lineups. But this is a fantasy football article, and the reality in that regard is that IDP owners were just dealt a tough break before the season even starts.
That’s especially true at the linebacker position, where the No. 1 option on more than a few rankings lists (Tampa’s Kwon Alexander) will now be on the shelf in the season’s opening week.
So, as owners of Alexander and the likes of teammate Lavonte David and Miami’s Kiko Alonso scramble to find a fill-in for Week 1, the first order of business for the first edition of my second season of the IDP Nation is some spot-start recommendations at IDP’s most critical position,
WEEK 1 LINEBACKER FILL-INS
Karlos Dansby, ILB, Arizona Cardinals (at DET)
Dansby’s living proof that you can go home again – 2017 marks the veteran’s third stint with the Redbirds. The Cardinals probably didn’t intend for this one to be in an every-down role, as at this point in his career the 35-year-old is a liability in coverage. However, with Deone Bucannon already ruled out for Sunday’s tilt in Detroit, at this point the Cardinals don’t have much choice.
Todd Davis, ILB, Denver Broncos (vs. LAC)
The somewhat surprising release of veteran safety T.J. Ward by the Broncos at final cuts should thrust Davis back into a three-down role opposite Brandon Marshall in the Mile High City. That’s good news for hard-up IDP owners in Week 1 – the Chargers were fifth in the NFL last year in fantasy points allowed to the linebacker position.
Korey Toomer, ILB, Los Angeles Chargers (at DEN)
With Denzel Perryman out for at least half the season after being placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury, it will fall to Toomer to man the middle of the Bolts defense for the foreseeable future. Over a six-week span in a similar role last year, the 28-year-old posted top-10 fantasy numbers. There’s no reason to think he can’t approach that production again.
WEEK 1 IDP INJURY REPORT
Ezekiel Ansah, DE, Detroit Lions (Questionable – Knee): After spending all of training camp and the preseason on the PUP list, Ansah was activated at final cuts. He was limited in practice Wednesday, but he’s expected to play against the Arizona Cardinals.
Deone Bucannon, ILB, Arizona Cardinals (OUT – Ankle): There was some hope that Bucannon might be able to play against the Lions after surgery over the summer, but head coach Bruce Arians has already ruled him out.
Su’a Cravens, S, Washington Redskins (OUT – Knee): Cravens, who has battled several injuries over his short career, left the Redskins while he considers retirement. He’s been placed on the Non-Football Injury/Left Team list by Washington. He’s droppable in most formats.
Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns (Questionable – Ankle): Garrett was forced from the practice field Wednesday by an ankle injury that the team reportedly fears is serious. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft will undergo an MRI Thursday.
Khalil Mack, OLB, Oakland Raiders (Questionable – Knee): In this week’s edition of “injury news that will make IDP owners wet themselves,” Mack sat out practice Wednesday with a knee injury. Monitor his participation the rest of the week.
Ron Parker, S, Kansas City Chiefs (Questionable – Ankle): Parker is tentatively expected to play in Thursday night’s opener after being limited in practice. But even if he does the New England Patriots are a rotten matchup for defensive backs.
Shawn Williams, S, Cincinnati Bengals (OUT – Elbow): The good news is that Williams’ dislocated elbow won’t require surgery. The bad news is that it will still all but surely cost the Bengals strong safety all of the month of September.
Look at that brief list. Revel in it. Enjoy it while it lasts. Because that isn’t going to be for long.
THE WHAT THE HECK DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE WAIVER WIRE PLAY OF THE WEEK
Tavon Wilson, S, Detroit Lions (vs. AZ)
Head coach Jim Caldwell told Tim Twentyman of the team’s website he’s happy to have his secondary at full strength entering the season. “I think you can see for the most part is the communication aspect of it,” Caldwell said. “They have a good sense of one another, they know the strengths and weaknesses of one another as well, but also I think they communicate within the system a lot better.”
There’s reason for IDP owners to be glad about that as well. Not only do Wilson and the Lions face a Cardinals team this week that ranked second in fantasy points allowed to linebackers in 2016, but Wilson be lining up behind a banged-up and untested linebacker corps. That could mean a few extra tackle opportunities on the back end.
WEEK 1 GUYS I LIKE
Ezekiel Ansah, DE, Detroit Lions (at AZ): So long as he continues to practice (even in a limited capacity) he needs to be in starting lineups on Sunday against the Cardinals. No team allowed more fantasy points up front last year.
Cameron Heyward, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers (at CLE): One of several defensive linemen trying to wash off the stink of an injury-marred 2016, Heyward draws a Browns team in Week 1 that surrendered the most fantasy points in the AFC to defensive linemen a year ago.
J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans (vs. JAX): Frankly, I’m just looking for an excuse to mention that King J.J. the First is back after a lost 2016 season. It’s good to have you back Justin (yes, his name is Justin). The IDP community has missed you.
Mark Barron, ILB, Los Angeles Rams (vs. IND): The Scott-Tolzien-led Colts offense isn’t going to scare anyone, but Indy led the league in FPPG allowed to linebackers in 2016. They’ll likely be forced into a run-heavy Week 1 gameplan.
Antonio Morrison, ILB, Indianapolis Colts (at LAR): The Colts aren’t the only team in that game who will probably be running the ball a lot to mask the deficiencies of their starting quarterback. The Rams gave up more fantasy points to linebackers last year than any team in the NFC.
Vincent Rey, OLB, Cincinnati Bengals (vs. BAL): With Vontaze Burfict suspended the first three games of the 2017 season, Rey will once again fill in at Burfict’s WILL spot – starting with a highly favorable fantasy matchup with the division rival Ravens.
Eric Reid, S, San Francisco 49ers (vs. CAR): I spent most of the summer beating the drum for Reid now that he’s been moved to strong safety in San Francisco’s new defense. Time for him to start making me look good in a top-five IDP matchup.
Andrew Sendejo, S, Minnesota Vikings (vs. NO): In news that should surprise absolutely no one, the Saints tend to give up a lot to fantasy points to defensive backs. That makes Sendejo a solid spot-start if you stream at the back end.
Darian Stewart, S, Denver Broncos (vs. LAC): Frankly, I’m not entirely sure how the Broncos are going to use Stewart and Justin Simmons at safety with T.J. Ward gone. But I’m betting that it’s the veteran who is the better IDP option in a nice matchup Monday night.
WEEK 1 GUYS I DON’T LIKE
Jurrell Casey, DE, Tennessee Titans (vs. OAK): Casey is what he is – a low-ceiling, matchup-dependent IDP reserve who has no business being anywhere near starting lineups this Sunday against an Oakland team that was all kinds of stingy to D-linemen in 2016.
Cameron Jordan, DE, New Orleans Saints (at MIN): If you saw the Vikings offensive line last year you might think they were a solid fantasy play for defensive linemen. But Sam “Dink and Dunk” Bradford is hard to seal the deal against – Minny was 29th in fantasy points per game allowed up front.
Olivier Vernon, DE, New York Giants (at DAL): Don’t get me wrong – both Vernon and Jason Pierre-Paul are in my Top 10 in Week 1. But in two games against Dallas last year neither defensive end could successfully bring down Dak Prescott.
Nigel Bradham, OLB, Philadelphia Eagles (at WAS): Bradham quietly had a very nice season for the Eagles last year, leading the team with 102 tackles. But this game has the feel of an aerial slugfest, and the Redskins were 28th in fantasy points given up to LB a year ago.
Jarrad Davis, ILB, Detroit Lions (vs. AZ): Davis is a talented young linebacker with a bright future in both the NFL and IDP. But his first matchup as the starter at middle linebacker is against an Arizona team that was dead last in fantasy points allowed to the position in 2016.
Bobby Wagner, ILB, Seattle Seahawks (at GB): This isn’t to say you shouldn’t start Wagner, who led the NFL in 2016 with approximately all the tackles ever. He even had 11 total stops against the Packers last year. But Green Bay is a rotten matchup for linebackers, so temper your expectations. Don’t be stunned by a dud.
Jahleel Addae, S, Los Angeles Chargers (at DEN): Addae is going to make many IDP owners happy this season if he can stay healthy – and if they can forget a clunker against a Broncos team that was 26th in fantasy points allowed to defensive backs last season.
Sean Davis, S, Pittsburgh Steelers (at CLE): I like Davis quite a bit now that the Steelers have stopped moving the youngster around and let him settle in at strong safety. I just don’t like him Sunday against a rookie quarterback leading a bad offense.
Eric Weddle, S, Baltimore Ravens (at CIN): It’s not bad enough that Weddle now has to compete with newcomer Tony Jefferson for tackles in the Ravens secondary. This week he travels to battle a Bengals team that allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points in the secondary in 2016.
THE SCRAP-HEAP STREAMING CORNERBACK PLAY OF THE WEEK
In recent years the number of dependable weekly fantasy starters at the cornerback position has dwindled to just about zero. So as a service to those hearty souls who play in IDP leagues that require them, each week I’ll point out a player at that position available in many leagues who should serve as a fine streaming option.
Jamar Taylor, Cleveland Browns (vs. PIT): There are certain rules of thumb that CB-streamers can depend on in IDP leagues. One of those is that any cornerback who is about to spend 60 minutes shadowing Antonio Brown is probably going to be a good option. That’s exactly what Taylor’s going to do in Week 1 after the Browns let Joe Haden walk a few weeks ago. His rough day can be your great one.
