Welcome loyal 5thDownFantasy readers to the inaugural edition of The Trench Report! This is the site’s first and only weekly article devoted to those of us (like myself) that love IDP fantasy football. For those who aren’t aware IDP stands for (Independent Defensive Player), and in these leagues you essentially draft an entire football team. You draft your usual offensive players/backups, and you also draft linebackers/defensive linemen and defensive backs. It sounds daunting, but I promise you, it’s a blast.
In this article I’ll be pointing out who the rising stars and studs are at each of the major position groups for IDP so you can get an edge on your league mates. Without further ado, let’s get this thing started!
Linebackers
T.J. Watt (Pittsburgh Steelers)
There’s something in the Watt gene pool that simply doesn’t exist in most average human households. Between T.J. and older brother J.J., the defensive pedigree of that last name is on par with any famous family in league history. We already know about J.J. Watt’s Hall of Fame level production, but some people may not be aware of just how great his little brother in Pittsburgh is.
The younger Watt has been a lone bright spot on an otherwise porous Pittsburgh defense through the first five weeks of the 2018 season. With 19 solo tackles, 6 sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked kick, T.J. Watt has flashed on screen in a similar way to Ryan Shazier and even Steelers legend Troy Polamalu. He’s all over the place and he’s a threat that every quarterback in the league needs to prepare for when they face the Black and Yellow.
Watt has won the DPOW (Defensive Player of the Week) award in two out of the first five weeks of the 2018 campaign, and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. With 57 overall points, Watt is on pace to obliterate his impressive rookie total of 95 from 2017. If you have him in your LB or D spots you’ve been ecstatic with his production, if you’ve faced him you likely lost your matchup. He’s that good.
Jordan Hicks (Philadelphia Eagles)
With the loss of Mychal Kendricks (for multiple reasons) during this past off-season, the Philadelphia Eagles were in need a of a superstar performance from returning linebacker Jordan Hicks, and that’s just what they’ve gotten through six weeks. Hicks has been the model of consistency at the MLB position, posting fantasy totals of (12/9/9/8/9/9) since Week 1.
Coming off of a lost 2017 season, Hicks already has 37 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a fumble recovery to his credit. Watch tape of any Eagles game and you’ll see No. 58 around the ball at the end of just about every play. He’s a true quarterback of the talented defense in Philly and he’s a consistent stud on a weekly basis for fantasy purposes that shows no signs of regression. I suggest looking to acquire him if you can in your league, because of his lack of major blow up games (so far) the fantasy owner in your league may want to shop him. If so, you’d be getting a steal.
Darron Lee (New York Jets)
The former first round pick from 2016 took a year or two to really get adjusted to the league, but so far in 2018 he’s been an absolute stud in coverage for the Jets. His dominance hasn’t gone without accolades. He was heralded as the NFL’s best coverage LB through the first two weeks of the season by Pro Football Focus.
Lee holds down the middle of the field for Gang Green and has posted impressive stat totals already (19 Tackles/2 INT/TD). He’s a quick study on the cues of the opposing quarterback and has the ability and speed to house a pick-6 on any play (he’s done this once already this season). Lee is still an under the radar name, he doesn’t have household appeal outside of Jets fans, and that means you can find him available in most leagues. Don’t allow this gem to sit out on the wire for too long, he can bolster any IDP lineup instantly as part of the underrated defensive unit in New York.
Joe Schoebert (Cleveland Browns)
I’ve written multiple times in my other pieces about the strength of the Browns defense in 2018, and there are plenty of names that come to mind when you think about them. You think of All-Pro rookie corner Denzel Ward, Edge rusher Myles Garrett and Jabrill Peppers, but there’s another member of that defense that needs to be recognized.
Joe Schoebert is one of the most low-key dominant defenders at any position in the league today, and no one seems to know who he is. In his third year in the league, Schoebert is following up a stellar 141-point 2017 campaign with 48 points already through five weeks. His forte is run stuffing and his stats back that up (21 Tackles/1 Sack/INT/2 Fumble Recoveries). He’s the Swiss army knife of the Browns defense: he can stop the run, he can sack the quarterback and he can intercept the ball in coverage. With an ownership of just 40 percent in Yahoo leagues, he’s also an under-the-radar stud that you can likely find on the wire in your league. Go and seek him out wherever you can, most other members of your league may not even know he’s available.
Defensive Line
Khalil Mack (Chicago Bears)
Forget just calling Khalil Mack a worthy IDP starter, there’s a good amount of people around the NFL calling this man the MVP of the 2018 season so far. Mack’s departure from the Black Hole in Oakland was one of the more surprising moments of the first month of the season, and his ascent to defensive demi-God status in Chicago has the league shaking at the knees.
The man that hobbled Aaron Rodgers has some truly mind-blowing stats to back up those MVP chants. Through five weeks, he’s posted fantasy totals of (19/11/14/10) with 14 tackles/5 Sacks/1 INT/4 forced fumbles and a touchdown. That’s an unbelievable level of production for any player, let alone a defensive lineman that doubles as a linebacker. Mack is a must-start every week that he’s out there. He has the ability to legitimately win you a fantasy match-up out of the LB slot every time he suits up.
J.J. Watt (Houston Texans)
While we’re on the topic of MVP caliber defensive players we need to discuss what J.J. Watt has been doing in Houston so far this season. There were people that (rightfully so) believed that Watt’s career might have been over after two straight injury-shortened seasons. All he’s done is prove those people wrong in a big way so far this year.
The elder Watt is pacing the Texans defense with 16 tackles/6 Sacks and 4 forced fumbles, and he’s dominating on a weekly basis. His 6 sacks are already triple the amount he had in the 2016-2017 seasons combined (he had just 1.5). For the first time since 2015 J.J. looks like an absolute force to be reckoned with (Watt ended up with 17.5 sacks that year). Fire up Watt wherever and whenever you can, No. 99 is back with a vengeance and he’ll happily victimize whoever your unlucky opponent is.
Margus Hunt (Indianapolis Colts)
I know what you’re thinking. Derek, the Colts!? Their defense is terrible, isn’t it? This is the team that routinely has to have Andrew Luck bail them out, how could one of their linemen be an IDP stud?
I hear those opinions, and I invite you to meet Margus Hunt. Hunt isn’t a name value guy (yet), he’s not a superstar (yet), and that’s exactly why you should know about him. Through five weeks, Hunt leads the Colts D-line with 12 tackles/4 sacks and a fumble recovery. He’s consistently the guy you’ll see in the opposing backfield during Colts games, and that’s because he’s damn good. The career journeyman started his NFL career in Cincinnati, had limited success and found his way to Lucas Oil Stadium. Since arriving he’s been both a needed veteran presence and a dominant force at the front. His fantasy totals speak to his consistency (13/6/14/7). It many not be a flashy pickup, but if Hunt is available in your league I recommend giving him a shot.
Danielle Hunter (Minnesota Vikings)
It’s hard to pick out a favorite member of this Vikings defensive line. With names like Linval Joseph and Everson Griffin, it’s easy to get lost in the talent this team sports up front, but the man I point to for IDP greatness is the youngest of the bunch. At just 23 years old and in his third year in the league, Danielle Hunter is an absolute athletic freak that’s jumped out as one of the best linemen in the league early this season.
Hunter’s already amassed a total of 46 fantasy points through the first five weeks, putting him on pace to shatter his total of 79 from the 2017 campaign. His weekly fantasy totals are as consistent as you’ll find in the format (10/10/11/9/6), and he’s doing this on a team brimming with defensive prowess. Hunter pops off the screen each time the quarterback drops back, and at just 23 he’s only going to get better. This guy’s the type of player that makes offensive tackles and coordinators lose sleep at night.
Defensive Backs
A note on DB’s before we begin: In IDP format the stats favor Tackles/INTs/Sacks, for this reason I highly recommend all players focus on safeties over cornerbacks. Top level corners will be taken in these leagues based on name value, but you’ll be better off loading up on mid field tacklers. Take that free advice and thank me later.
Jamal Adams (New York Jets)
Don’t look now, but the Jets may have the best safety of the next half-decade on their roster right now. I’m not usually one for “Hot Takes”, but I challenge anyone out there to look at the game tape of Jamal Adams and tell me he’s not excellent.
In just his second season with the Jets, Adams has already established his leadership role as the QB of a defense that’s taking the league by surprise. His stat line of 27 tackles/1 sack/1 INT/1 forced fumble) through five weeks puts him half way to his tackle total from last year (63), half way to his sack total (2) and above his INT total from his rookie season (0). His fantasy totals match that real world production with a weekly output of (13/10/4/12/7). I’m using the phrase a lot but when it comes to Adams he really just pops off the screen in these Jets games. Opposing quarterbacks have to be aware of him both in coverage and in the backfield as he’s proven he has the ability to blitz and take the ball away through the air. His 47 fantasy points have him on pace to easily pass his impressive rookie total of 99, and he’s doing all of this as the ultimate team player on a squad that needed leaders. Start Adams in any/all matchups and enjoy the fireworks.
Bradley McDougald (Seattle Seahawks)
The Seahawks have lost the “Legion of Boom”: Richard Sherman is on the division rival 49ers, Earl Thomas is injured for the year and Kam Chancellor is retired. For all intents and purposes, the Seattle defense as we knew it for the past half decade is gone, but in it’s place there’s a diamond in the rough that you should know about.
Bradley McDougald, 27, is far from a household name outside of the Pacific Northwest, but he should be recognized by IDP players as one of the best safeties in fantasy football so far this year. The journeyman DB has picked up the mantle after Earl Thomas went down and showed some of that trademark fight that we’re used to seeing from this Seahawks team. His weekly fantasy output is one of the most consistent at the position (12/10/9/6/9) and he lacks any real competition for snaps, meaning this production will likely continue.
McDougald’s stat sheet so far this year looks like this: 29 tackles/2 INT/1 forced fumble. Those are numbers that are likely to continue to climb as the season wears on and at just a 25 percent ownership rate he’s a player that’s available in the majority of IDP leagues. Don’t allow someone else to benefit from his production, grab him and plug him into your lineup while you still can.
Derwin James (Los Angeles Chargers)
Remember what I said about Jamal Adams being one of the best safeties of the next half-decade? Add Derwin James to that elite company. The first-round draft pick this past year has lived up to that value tenfold for a team that was hyped around the league for it’s defensive roster. While the secondary has struggled (particularly the corners), James has been the model of consistency for the Chargers and fantasy owners on both the digital and real life football fields. He’s already piled up 48 fantasy points on the year and his weekly output is enough to make any owner smile (6/13/11/11/6).
James is a legitimate, game-breaking talent on a team that’s still waiting for Joey Bosa to return to their lineup. Once this entire team is assembled I believe they’ll start to resemble the dominant force they were promoted as, and Derwin will be a major driving force behind that. He’s owned in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues so if you didn’t draft him you likely missed the boat, but if he has a down game I recommend trying to trade for him. He’s one of the top DB options in the format without question.
Damontae Kazee (Atlanta Falcons)
If you haven’t picked up on it yet, the defensive back position in IDP is the hardest one to scout. The amount of talent (particularly at safety) that you can grab and use on a weekly basis is very thin, and it’s often the sleeper pickups that end up being some of your league winners. Damontae Kazee fits that sleeper label like a glove.
The Falcons defense is beaten down and defeated for the most part. They’re giving up 30 points per game, but Kazee is a lone bright spot for IDP fantasy purposes. His stat line for the season thus far (26 tackles/2 INTs/1 forced fumble) leads the makeshift secondary in Atlanta. Kazee is in a similar spot to Bradley McDougald in that he’s the one real playmaker in the secondary for his team. With 37 fantasy points he’s already topped his 2017 total of 22 and his weekly fantasy output has grown every week of the season (3/3/9/11/11). With just a 7 percent ownership share, he’s a free agent pickup that can be started immediately on your team. With bye weeks in full effect he’s a valuable pickup that could end up being a consistent option for your squad.
TRENCH WARRIOR TO WATCH:
Darius Leonard (LB, Indianapolis Colts)
With the exception of Denzel Ward, Darius Leonard has been the clear cut Defensive ROTY through the first five weeks of the 2018 season. His production has been off the charts for a team not known for it’s defense (38 tackles/4 sacks/1 forced fumble); in weekly fantasy terms that looks like this (8/24/25/15). Leonard is a game-breaking talent with the ability to cover over the middle and threaten the quarterback on planned blitzes. In just his first year in the league he’s picked things up at an alarming rate and the league’s quarterbacks are taking notice (usually as he’s taking them to the ground).
Leonard’s real world production has naturally translated to the fantasy realm in a big way (72 points), and the rookie has established himself as one of the top late-round draft values in the format this past year. He missed the Colts Week 5 match up against New England with an ankle injury, but he’s currently practicing and slated to get after it again in Week 6 against the Jets. Look for Leonard to pick up right where he left off against fellow rookie Sam Darnold at Metlife on Sunday.
Thanks for checking out the first edition of the Trench Report! For those who play in IDP leagues I’d love to hear your feedback on these highlighted players, and for those that have never played IDP format, I hope this article sparks your interest! Make sure to check back here every Friday/Saturday to start your weekend in the trenches with me, I look forward to it.
Until then, best of luck in Week 6 everyone!
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