Welcome back, IDP Nerds! This week’s guide will give you all the info you need to close out the first month of the fantasy football season. We will cover the best options at the key IDP fantasy positions and the premium scoring leagues. It’s time to get defensive and lock in on Week 4.
Our writers answer all start/sit questions on Discord before the games exclusively for the #Nerdherd. The advanced metrics used in this article are courtesy of Fantasy Points Data Suite, so use code NERDS for 25% off your data suite subscription or all-in bundle.
IDP Fantasy Start Candidates
Defensive Line (DL)
Pat Jones II | Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are one of the NFL’s most surprising teams, heading into Week 4 with an undefeated record. A big reason is their defense play under Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores. The Minnesota Vikings are the only team in the NFL with two defensive linemen in the top 12 through 3 games. Andrew Van Ginkel (DL3) and Pat Jones II (DL7) both average 20+ fantasy points per game (FPPG).
Pat Jones II is having a great season, and better, he was free for IDP managers after Week 1 this season. He was included in the season’s first waiver wire article; you can check that out HERE. Jones and the Vikings’ defensive front have a great matchup against the Green Bay Packers, who allow the fifth most tackles per game to the position. Jones has turned 7 pressures into 4 sacks this season (PFF). He should have a big week in this divisional matchup in the NFC North.
Linebacker (LB)
Raekwon McMillan | New England Patriots
If nothing else, the IDP fantasy team at Dynasty Nerds stays on brand! Raekwon McMillan was in this week’s waiver wire article. The veteran linebacker steps in for injured teammate Ja’Whaun Bentley, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season. McMillan has played at least 40 snaps in his past two games while collecting 16 tackles.
The Patriots linebackers have a positive 6% Positional Advantage, as referenced by Brad Custer in his Positional Matchups to Exploit. McMillan should be in for a big week for LB-needy teams. The San Francisco 49ers allow the fourth most tackles (58) to the position this season. Let’s take advantage of being aggressive on the waiver wire and see instant production for our fantasy teams.
Defensive Back (DB)
Cam Lewis | Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills have been one of the hottest teams in the NFL; they head to Baltimore to play the Ravens in what should be the game of the week. Cam Lewis has been outstanding this season after the injury to Taron Johnson. The Buffalo DB has averaged 7 tackles per game this season and is DB35 through 3 games.
The Baltimore Ravens have been favorable to opposing defensive backs this season. The Ravens have allowed 15 tackles per game to the position, including four different DBs to have at least 5 tackles in Week 3. Lewis is in a great position to turn in his second double-digit performance in three weeks for fantasy managers.
Defensive Tackle (DT)
Roy Lopez | Arizona Cardinals
Roy Lopez is a solid option for IDP fantasy managers in DT-premium leagues. Lopez is DT47 in FPPG and has seen his defensive snap share increase in the past 3 games. He has collected 5 tackles in his last 2 games and is available in over 98% of IDP leagues (Sleeper). The Washington Commanders have allowed the 7th most sacks per game (3.0) this season. They surrendered a half-sack each to both starting defensive tackles in Week 3. There is a significant upside here for IDP managers at the cost of free, especially in those formats that require 2 DTs to be started.
Cornerback (CB)
Christian Izien | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Christian Izien is a cheat code for CB-required fantasy football formats this season. The former Rutgers defensive back is listed as a CB and has started at free safety for the injured Antoine Winfield in the past two games. Izien has been fantasy gold with 18 tackles and a 96.5% defensive snap share.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defensive backs have a positive 14% positional matchup advantage in Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Izien was one-of-four defensive backs with at least 6 tackles in last week’s loss against the Denver Broncos. The Tampa Bay DB is a must-start this week, with star DB Antoine Winfield out for a third straight game.
IDP Sit Candidates
Defensive Line (DL)
Von Miller | Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills veteran EDGE rusher has been great to start this season with three consecutive games with double-digit fantasy points and a sack. The future Hall of Famer has his first three-game sack streak since the 2022 season. Miller has failed to play 13 games in the past 2 seasons and is being used as a situational pass rusher for the undefeated Bills. This week, he draws a tough matchup against the Baltimore Ravens offense, who have allowed the second-fewest sacks per game (1). Miller is a sack-dependent DL, and his 41% defensive snap share is not encouraging for IDP managers. There should be better options out there in Week 4.
Linebacker (LB)
Pete Werner | New Orleans Saints
Pete Werner will likely see more snaps than usual, with linebacker Demario Davis nursing a groin injury, which will likely be a game-time decision. Werner is coming off his best season with 93 tackles in 2023 but is off to a rough start with just one game over 10 fantasy points in 2024. The Saints LB has an 81% defensive snap share this season, with the New Orleans defense playing seven defensive backs and at least 40% of snaps.
The Saints’ linebackers face a tough matchup on paper with the Atlanta Falcons offense, which allows the third-fewest tackles (34) to the position. Pete Werner has surpassed 10 fantasy points or more in just one of his last three matchups with Atlanta. If they have better options, IDP managers should be fading Pete Werner this week.
Defensive Back (DB)
Justin Reid | Kansas City Chiefs
Justin Reid is averaging 7 tackles per game this season. The Chiefs DB is coming off his first 200+ fantasy point season since 2018. He will lead the Kansas City defense into Los Angeles to play the new-look Chargers offense. Reid has struggled against the Chargers with just one game over 10 fantasy points since 2022. The Los Angeles offense ranks 10th in the NFL in rushing attempts and will likely lean on that more to protect injured QB Justin Herbert.
The Chargers have allowed the fourth-fewest tackles per game (9) to the safety position. All signs point to looking for a better option at DB this week. IDP fantasy managers know DB production is one of the easiest-to-find streaming options. I suggest using our Positional Advantage chart to find a suitable replacement this week.
IDP Fantasy Injury Updates
Foyesade Oluokun | Jacksonville Jaguars
The start of the season has been a nightmare for IDP managers who had the 2023 LB1 on their rosters. Foyesade Oluokun is LB24 in FPPG through three weeks and, to make matters worse, is now doubtful with a foot injury. The Jacksonville LB has been one of the best with three consecutive top-12 LB seasons; he’s challenging to replace.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have Chad Muma (LB92) and Ventrell Miller (LB87) as potential replacements. This situation is difficult, as both players have played around 25% of the defensive snaps this season. The Jaguars also face an opposing 23% positional advantage this week against the Houston Texans offense, which allows the ninth fewest tackles to the LB position. IDP fantasy managers who are desperate have options here, but there is a potential to see a split in playing time.
IDP Fantasy Six Pack of Facts
- 14 players (13 DL, 1 LB) with 2 sacks or more in Week 3
- Key Players ruled out (Oluokun, Singleton, Demario Davis, and Derwin James)
- Colts IDPs tackle per-game monsters (Cross 13, Speed 11.3, Franklin 10.6)
- Xavier McKinney and Jaire Alexander responsible for 5 interceptions and 1 TD
- Vikings (DL), Bengals (LB), and Saints (DB) are the only teams with multiple top-12 IDPs
- Will McDonald with off-the-charts efficiency (5 of his 8 total tackles are sacks)
Weekly IDP Fantasy Roster Management
IDP Fantasy Tip of the Week
As we approach the end of the fantasy season’s first month, the data becomes more evident. A four-game sample size is enough to base lineup decisions on fantasy points per game. IDP managers need to realize the unpredictability on the defensive side of fantasy football. The player pool is much larger, and in your standard position leagues (DL, LB, DB), the options seem plentiful. There’s a disconnect that hanging onto rookies is as vital for IDP as it is in offense-only leagues. That’s only half true as a competitive team; managers can’t afford to wait for a player to earn playing time when multiple options are out-scoring those players weekly.
This is where fantasy points per game become crucial for IDP managers. The weekly data allows fantasy managers to easily make the best decisions to keep them ahead of their league mates. Don’t take for granted those in the fantasy community doing the work for you to make lineup decisions easier. It’s rare to have consistent IDP production over three to five years, as we see from the offensive side of dynasty fantasy football.
Make sure you base your decisions on draft capital and depth chart competition, just as we do on offense. In closing, don’t feel as locked into waiting on a defensive player to develop. That can easily cost you a few wins throughout a season, which could be the difference between a first-round bye in the playoffs or playing an additional game.
IDP Fantasy Final Thoughts
I hope you guys enjoy another week of impactful IDP data. As promised we have used your feedback and will look to provide a list of streaming options in the coming weeks in this article. This will likely vary between positions, but defensive tackle and cornerback are the most requested positions now. As always, please contact me on Twitter (X) @Glosser13.
If you enjoyed our start and sit series for each position, you’ll definitely enjoy our Positional Matchups to Exploit (IDP included) from staff writer Brad Custer (@MonCalFF):
