We are now into the first of the three 6-team bye weeks for the 2017 season (get ready for Week 9 and 11), so there may be some scrambling for IDP options depending on how you drafted or employed your free agent/waiver wire skills. Plenty of linebacking talent to target as well as defensive linesmen, but unfortunately scarce on the defensive back list this week. If you look at the past couple of IDP Reports, however, you can probably find a useful DB to add to your roster.

Bye Weeks coming up: Arizona, Green Bay, Jacksonville, Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants, Tennessee

Elevator Going Up

Linebackers

NaVorro Bowman OAK

Christian Kirksey CLE

Anthony Barr MIN

DeVondre Campbell ATL

Antonio Morrison IND

Jarrad Davis DET

Bowman has been jettisoned by the 49ers and has ended up in a great spot, as the Oakland linebacking crew is certainly not stellar this season. He started his Raider career with 11 total tackles with one tackle for a loss of yards (TFL) and six solo tackles against the Chiefs. He also had a quarterback hit/hurry (QH) in the Week 7 contest. Look to grab him if at all possible as he projects to be a LB1/2 going forward.

Kirksey is a guy you want to snag if you need tackle numbers in your league, racking up 17 total tackles against the Titans in Week 7 (eight solo, one TFL) with a forced fumble and a pass defensed (PD) just to pad his production. If you miss out on Bowman, grab Kirksey as a good perhaps great upgrade to your LB crew.

Barr came back to action after a concussion shortened his Week 6 action, and he collected 11 total tackles (six solo, two TFL). He also had a sack, which is always appreciated in the IDP world, as well a one QH and a PD. He is a versatile LB to keep on your watch list if you need a LB to fill in on the upcoming bye week extravaganza.

Campbell is playing as the nickel LB for Atlanta, and is seeing significant playing time. He had eight total tackles against the Patriots (seven solo, one TFL) and picked up a sack of Tom Brady as well as collecting a QH and forcing a fumble.

Morrison is a guy you want to target on the wire if you play in a tackle oriented league. He had 13 total tackles in Week 7 against the Jags (eight solos) and is playing significant snaps, although he is not an every down LB so he should be available to snap up off the wire.

Davis is coming off a bye week, and is probably available in your league. If you have bye week issues, a LB that provides eight tackles per week is not a bad fallback option.

Defensive Linemen

Alex Okafor DE NO

Everson Griffen DE MIN

Chris McCain DE LAC

Vic Beasley DE ATL

Eddie Goldman DT CHI

Jarran Reed DT SEA

Okafor is someone to target as your DE going forward. He now has generated three sacks over the past four games he has played, and had a sack, QH  and forced fumble in his last outing against the Packers, with four total tackles (three solo, one TFL).

Griffen is likely owned in your league but if he has slipped through the cracks, grab him now. He had six total tackles in Week 7 against the Ravens (five solo, one TFL) and tossed in a forced fumble, a pair of QH and two sacks. He actually has nine sacks over the first seven games of the season.

McCain picked up a couple of sacks in Week 7, along with two QH and two forced fumbles. The four total tackles (three solo) were just cream for the cup of coffee. If you are looking for an efficient pass rusher, you could not do better as he is available in most leagues.

Beasley has a couple of nice matchups on the horizon, facing off against the Jets and Panthers in Weeks 8 and 9. He accumulated five total tackles and a sack against the Patriots in Week 7, and is widely available.

Goldman is a good option if you play in a league that requires DT players. He had a half a sack and one QH in Week 7, to go with his six total tackles (five solo) and continues to be a steady performer with significant snaps on defense.

Reed has been coming on in his rookie campaign, with seven solo tackles in Week 7 to compliment his sack, two TFL, one QH and a forced fumble. He is widely available in almost every league.

Defensive Backs

Jamal Adams S NYJ

Matthias Farley S IND

Terrance Mitchell CB KC

Adams had seven total tackles in Week 7 against the Dolphins (five solo, two TFL) and also added a PD, a sack and one QH. His Week 8 opponent, the Falcons, are ranked 8th in terms of allowing fantasy points to safeties.

Farley is literally unowned in fantasy leagues, but that needs to change. He has been putting up double digit fantasy points over the past four weeks and has done so since the season began except for an outlier in Week 3. He is coming off a four tackle effort against Jacksonville with a forced fumble and recovery. In this current time of multiple  bye weeks, he is a target before his bye week in Week 11.

Mitchell is not a great corner, but that is good for fantasy point production, as teams continue to test his skills. He collected seven total tackles in Week 7 against the Raiders, and also picked up a PD. He has a good matchup in store for Week 8 against the Broncos, who have allowed the most points to opposing CBs through Week 7.

Escalator Going Down

Linebackers

Aside from those on the Injury Report below, no one player stands out to be downgraded this week.

Defensive Linemen

Same as with the linebackers, look to the injury report for those who are losing valule heading into Week 8.

Defensive Backs

None of note this week except those listed on the Injury Report below.

Matchups to Exploit

Remember, the second team listed is the one to use your IDPs against. Do not go crazy, and play a LB5 against the Browns, but certainly you will do well if you own a top LB on the Vikings, Raiders, Dolphins or 49ers that you can plug in this week, for the most part.

Linebackers

Minnesota @ Cleveland

Oakland @ Buffalo

Miami @ Baltimore

San Francisco @ Philadelphia

Defensive Ends

Seattle vs Houston

Kansas City vs Denver

Pittsburgh @ Detroit

Cincinnati vs Indianapolis

Defensive Tackles

Dallas @ Washington

Seattle vs Houston

Cincinnati v Indianapolis

Safeties

Baltimore vs Miami

Tampa Bay vs Carolina

Indianapolis @ Cincinnati

New Orleans vs Chicago

Cornerbacks

Kansas City vs Denver

Minnesota @ Cleveland

Chicago @ New Orleans

Houston @ Seattle

Waiver Wire Targets

All these players are spotlighted above, and you can read my comments about them in the "Elevator Going Up" section of this article. Not all the players commented on are here, however, as there is no need to waste your time searching for players that are heavily owned. This group consists of those that you may have a chance of locating on your league's waiver wire in that they are owned in significantly less than 50% of leagues. Happy claiming for your weekly matchups.

Linebackers

Anthony Barr MIN

DeVondre Campbell ATL

Antonio Morrison IND

Jarrad Davis DET

Defensive Linesmen

Alex Okafor DE NO

Chris McCain DE LAC

Vic Beasley DE ATL

Eddie Goldman DT CHI

Jarran Reed DT SEA

Defensive Backs

Jamal Adams S NYJ

Matthias Farley S IND

Terrance Mitchell CB KC

Ouch (My Aching Roster)

All the injury reports below need evaluation prior to kickoff.  Teams are notoriously sketchy about injury reports, and we often do not know a player's status until just before game time. Consider the list below as a "heads up" as to what is going on early in the week, and should not be considered definitive.

Linebackers

Karlos Dansby ARI hand

Duke Riley ATL knee (meniscus)

Jordan Tripp ATL concussion

Terrell Suggs BAL knee

Patrick Onwuasor BAL knee

Tim Williams BAL thigh

Ramon Humber BUF thumb

John Timu CHI knee

Kevin Minter CIN elbow

James Burgess CLE knee

Justin Durant DAL groin

Sean Lee DAL quadriceps

Todd Davis DEN ankle

Paul Worrilow DET knee (MCL)

Joe Thomas GB ankle

Ahmad Brooks GB back

Jake Ryan GB migraine

Dylan Cole HOU hamstring

Ben Heeney HOU knee

John Simon IND neck

Anthony Walker IND hamstring

Brandon Watts MIA back

Dont'a Hightower NE shoulder

Harvey Langi NE back

Elandon Roberts NE ankle

Jonathan Casillas NYG

B.J. Goodson NYG ankle

Calvin Munson NYG quadriceps

Corey Lemonier NYJ foot

Cory James OAK knee

Marquel Lee OAK ankle

Jordan Hicks PHI Achilles

Mychal Kendricks PHI hamstring

Reuben Foster SF ribs

Preston Smith WAS groin

Defensive Linemen

DE

Roy Robertson CHI hamstring

Andre Branch MIA groin

Olivier Vernon NYG ankle

Anthony Johnson NYJ undisclosed

Stephon Tuitt PIT back

Aaron Lynch SF calf

Ryan Russell TB shoulder

DT

Olsen Pierre ARI ankle

Corey Liuget LAC back

Jordan Phillips MIA ankle

Malcom Brown NE ankle

Timmy Jernigan PHI ankle

Defensive Backs

S

Eric Weddle BAL ankle

Anthony Levine BAL back

Tony Jefferson BAL ankle

Jordan Poyer BUF knee (MCL)

Kurt Coleman CAR knee (MCL)

Chris Prosinski CHI hamstring

Derron Smith CIN ankle

Ed Reynols CLE knee

Jabrill Peppers CLE toe

Glover Quin DET concussion

Morgan Burnett GB hamstring

Kentrell Brice GB leg

Corey Moore HOU concussion

Cody Davis LAR thigh

Josh Robinson TB concussin

Johnathan Cyprien TEN hamstring

Su'a Cravens WAS personal

Deshazor Everett WAS hamstring

Stefan McClure WAS hamstring

CB

Jimmy Smith BAL Achilles

E.J. Gaines BUF hamstring

Kyle Fuller CHI hamstring

Sherrick McManis CHI hamstring

Adam Jones CIN back

Jason McCourty CLE ankle

Chidobe Awuzie DAL hamstring

Kevin Johnson HOU knee

Chris Culliver IND undisclosed

Rashaan Melvin IND concussion

Darryl Morris IND undisclosed

McKensie Alexander MIN hip

Stephon Gilmore NE concussion

Eric Rowe NE groin

Michael Hunter NYG hamstring

Gareon Cocnley OAK shin

David Amerson OAK foot

Ronald Darby PHI ankle

Jeremy Lane SEA groin

K'Waun Williams SF quadriceps

Robert McClain TB concussion

Josh Norman WAS ribs

Fabian Moreau WAS hamstring

Joshua Holsey WAS chest

As ever, good luck and Godspeed in your fantasy efforts. Make sure to read all of our great articles to help you win your fantasy match ups every week and ultimately bask in championship glory. If you have any fantasy football questions, especially about IDP leagues, I can be reached at ia@fantasyalarm.com.