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Week 7 brings a virtual cornucopia of IDP options to choose from, a welcome change from what we had been seeing. You have your pick of linebackers to shore up your squad(s), as well as a boat load of DBs and plenty of defensive linesmen. Let us move on to see what is available this coming week, and going forward.
Bye Weeks coming up: Detroit, Houston
Elevator Going Up
Linebackers
Mychal Kendricks PHI
Nigel Bradham PHI
Deion Jones ATL
Matthew Judon BAL
Thomas Davis CAR
John Simon IND
Hayes Pullard III LAC
Kendricks stepped up his game in Week 6 when Jordan Hicks left with an injury, posting 17 total tackles (12 solo) with a tackle for a loss of yards (TFL) thrown in for good measure. If Hicks is out for any significant time, Kendricks will be a three-down LB and could resume a primary role in the Philly defense.
Bradham, Hendrick’s fellow LB, also benefitted from the Hicks injury, logging 78 snaps in Week 6 against the Panthers, the most time he has seen on defense all season. He collected 10 total tackles (seven solo) with two passes defended (PD). Week 7 he faces Washington, which is a decent if not great matchup.
Second year player Jones had a nice week against the Dolphins, racking up 11 tackles (six solo) with and interception (INT) and a pair of quarterback hurries/hits (QH). Atlanta faces New England on the road for a good matchup, as the Pats are ranked ninth with regard to points allowed to opposing LBs..jpg)
Judon had a defensive explosion in Week 6, collecting two sacks, and two QH, to go with his 14 total tackles (12 solo, four TFL). He is now a starter for the Ravens and gets to face the Patriots in Week 7, ranked 10th with regard to points allowed to opposing LBs.
David finally returned to the field after a quick recovery from his ankle sprain, and spread his fantasy production across the board: three solo tackles, one TFL, two forced fumbles (FF), one fumble recovery (FR) and scored on that recovered fumble. He has been dropped in a ton of leagues with his injury, and you should rush to the free agent/waiver wire list to grab him now.
Davis has a chance to be an every down LB with Luke Kuechly’s status being uncertain for Week 7. Matching u against a Bears team that likes to run the ball, that should result in exceptional opportunity for tackle production in Week 7. He is coming off a six total tackle (four solo) and one sack night against the Eagles in Week 6 after playing 55 snaps.
Simon racked up 11 total tackles against the Titans in Week 6 (six solo) and now gets to face the Jags, who are ranked 6th through Week 6 against opposing LBs. He also had a sack, PD and INT as well as scoring a TD against Tennessee. He is available in most leagues and with the tasty matchup, should become a priority pickup across fantasy leagues.
Pullard may be listed as a depth LB on the Charger depth chart, but he is playing the bulk of the snap at the inside position (93%). He snagged an important INT in Week 6, leading off a San Diego rally against the host Raiders. He also collected 10 total tackles (only two solo, however) with a PD. He is heading to a good matchup against the Broncos in Week 7 at home, too.
Robertson winds up the linebackers to consider in Week 7, and is someone to consider in tackle-heavy leagues. He is going to see an uptick in defensive snaps with the injury to Alex Anzalone, and thus is worth snapping up off the wire. He posted 11 total tackles in Week 6 (four solo) with a sack and PD, to boot. He has a so-so matchup against Green Bay on the road, but the Packers will be a different team without Aaron Rodgers under center.
Defensive Linemen
Myles Garrett DE CLE
Akiem Hicks DE CHI
Brooks Reed DE ATL
Cameron Wake DE MIA
Alex Okafor DE NO
Michael Brockers DT LAR
Solomon Thomas DT SF
Garrett was in the game for about half the snaps on defense during Week 6’s matchup against the Texans, but still managed to amass five total tackles (two solo, two TFL) with a sack and four QH. He is still recovering from an ankle injury, so that is the reason the team is being cautious with his playing time, but look for that to resolve itself in the near future, with his snap count hopefully going up.
Hicks has a great matchup against the Panthers in Week 7, who as a team allow the fifth most fantasy points to opposing DEs. He also collected a sack in Week 6 against the Colts, his third in the last two weeks. He is not much for tackles with just 9 on the season, but the big play potential makes him a good addition to your fantasy IDP squad.
Reed plays well against his Week 7 opponent, the Patriots, and while his tackle numbers are inconsistent from week to week, he does have three sacks on the season. This is a good week to start him, considering how well he has played against New England in the past.
Wake has had at least a partial sack in each of the past four weeks, and collected another in Week six against the Falcons. He also had two solo tackles, one TFL and two QH in Week 6. He may be 35 years old, but he still has gas in the tank.
Okafor has had two sacks in the past three games, and gets to face the Packers in Week 7 without Aaron Rodgers. He is not a tackle monster with just 19 total tackles this season (but 16 solo), but in big play leagues, he is at least an LB3 this coming week.
Brockers has quietly accumulated 25 total tackles over the course of the first six weeks of the season, as well as two sacks and two PD. He now gets to take on the Cardinals and their very sackable QB Carson Palmer in Week 7. Unfortunately, he is on bye in Week 8, so this is a short-term pickup.
Thomas is coming off a superb performance against a tough opponent in Washington, where he gathered in nine total tackles (seven solo, two TFL) and a sack, as well as one QH. The Cowboys, who he faces in Week 7, are not a great matchup, but his next three opponents (Eagles, Cardinals and Giants) are all good sources for DT fantasy points, so even if you do not grab him now, keep him in mind going forward.
Defensive Backs
Harrison Smith S MIN
Justin Simmons S DEN
Morgan Burnett S GB
Sean Davis S PIT
Justin Evans S TB
Adrian Amos S CHI
Eli Apple CB NYG
TJ Carrie CB OAK
Morris Claiborne CB NYJ
Malcolm Butler CB NE
Trae Waynes CB MIN
Smith may not be posting the tackle numbers you want from your safety with just 32 total on the season (23 solo), but he is certainly a DB you want to consider in big play leagues. He is coming off a week where he had 1.5 sacks, five total tackles (three solo, one TFL), two QH, an INT and two PD against division rival Green Bay. The Ravens are not a great matchup this week, but Cleveland in Week 8 looks more promising.
Simmons is coming off a highly productive week, collecting 11 total tackles (all solo, two TFL) with a pair of PD tossed in to sweeten the pot. He played all 54 defensive snaps, and looks to be a full time player going forward.
Burnett is a steady tackle producer, but not much for big plays. He faces New Orleans at home this week, and while that is not exactly a great matchup, his stead production makes him worth consideration if you are dealing with injury or bye week issues. He does have 29 total tackles in 2017 (19 solo) with two PD.
Davis, as with Burnett above, has little to no value in big play leagues. He does have 30 total tackles this year (24 solo) with two PD, and has a great matchup in Week 17 against the Bengals, ranked second in terms of fantasy points allowed to opposing safeties. He is fresh off an eight total tackle effort against the Chiefs, with six of those tackles being of the solo variety. He also collected a PD in that contest.
Evans has stepped in as the starter in place of injured Keith Tandy, and looks to keep that role until Tandy is ready to resume him role as starting free safety. As a short-term DB answer for your team, he is a viable answer, and recently put up a seven total tackle effort (six solo, one TFL) with a PD, albeit against the Cardinals.
Amos has been a producer for the Bears on defense, adding solid tackle numbers due to the depletion of their linebackers. He has eight total tackles in Week 6 against the Ravens (six solo, one TFL), and two PD. He also had an INT that he took to the end zone, the first of his brief career in the NFL.
Apple leads off the list of cornerbacks to consider adding to your roster in Week 7. He had been having a mediocre season, and was in jeopardy of being benched, but a five solo tackle, three PD and one FR night in Denver seems to have saved his spot in the starting defensive backfield for the nonce. If you own him, keep an eye on his status.
Carrie put up eight total tackles in Week 6 against the visiting Chargers, with a QH and two PD. He plays the slot corner position, and with the other outside corners struggling, has been the most consistent CB for Oakland. He also should see tackle opportunities, as the Oakland linebacking crew is not extremely strong. Be aware that his next two opponents, the Chiefs and then the Bills (on the road) are not great matchups for corners.
Claiborne has the duty to cover the opposing team’s No. 1 WR, and has been rewarded with ample opportunity to not only provide tackle numbers but big plays as well. He had seven solo tackles in Week 6 against New England (27 total tackles in 2017, 20 solo) and also has accumulated five PD and one INT over six games. His next two opponents, the Dolphins on the road and the Falcons at home are mid-tier teams when it comes to allowing points to opposing CBs.
Butler has been producing extremely well as a starting corner for the Patriots, and snagged his second INT of the season against the Jets in Week 6, together with a trio of PD and four solo tackles. He has a tasty matchup in Week 7 against the Packers in Green Bay.
Waynes has a nice couple of games coming up, facing the Ravens at home and then heading to Cleveland. He has been gathering in great tackle numbers with 38 total over his first six games of the season, and also adding big play potential, with four PD and two INT in 2017, one INT coming against the Packers in Week 6, admittedly against new starting Green Bay signal caller Brett Hundley.
Escalator Going Down
Linebackers
Mason Foster WAS
Foster’s tackle numbers are way down this season, likely due to the addition of Zack Brown to the linebacking crew. He had just three tackles in Week 6, a drastic decline from his early season production.
Defensive Linemen
Muhammad Wilkerson DE NYJ
Yannick Ngakoue DE JAX
Wilkerson has been dealing with shoulder and toe injuries, leading to the drop off in his production this season. He has just 17 total tackles in 2017 (nine solo) and no sacks through the first six games of the season. Until he is healthy, he belongs on the bench or the wire.
Ngakoue has been playing a ton of snaps (309 on defense, 32 on special teams) but the tackle production has not been there, with just 11 total tackles so far through six games (eight solo). He does have four sacks, but those have come in pairs in two games and he is three games removed from recording a sack.
Defensive Backs
Josh Jones S GB
Chris Conte S TB
Jones is hard to trust right now with him being listed as the backup to Morgan Burnett at strong safety on the depth chart. He is not providing consistent tackle production, with most of his tackle numbers coming from a Week 3 game against the Bengals where he had an amazing 12 total tackles (11 solo). It has been less beneficial in terms of IDP stats since that contest, however, although the rookie is worth holding onto in keeper or dynasty leagues.
Conte saw his snap count cut basically in half in Week 6, giving way to T.J. Ward and rookie Justin Evans (see his profile above). If he does not regain a full-time starter’s role, he is not worth rolling out week to week.
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 Titans, Panthers or Vikings that you can plug in this week, for the most part.
Linebackers
Tennessee @ Cleveland
Carolina @ Chicago
Tampa Bay @ Buffalo
Minnesota v Baltimore
Indianapolis v Jacksonville
Defensive Ends
Los Angeles Chargers v Denver
Tampa Bay @ Buffalo
Chicago v Carolina
Seattle @ New York Giants
Oakland v Kansas City
Los Angeles Rams v Arizona
Defensive Tackles
Los Angeles Rams v Arizona
Philadelphia v Washington
Pittsburgh v Cincinnati
Safeties
Carolina @ Chicago
Pittsburgh v Cincinnati
Buffalo v Tampa Bay
New York Jets @ Miami
New England v Atlanta
Cornerbacks
Tennessee @ Cleveland
Los Angeles Chargers v Denver
New Orleans @ Green Bay
Los Angeles Rams v Arizona
Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh
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
Mychal Kendricks PHI
Nigel Bradham PHI
Deion Jones ATL
Matthew Judon BAL
Thomas Davis CAR
John Simon IND
Hayes Pullard III LAC
Defensive Linesmen
Myles Garrett DE CLE
Akiem Hicks DE CHI
Brooks Reed DE ATL
Cameron Wake DE MIA
Alex Okafor DE NO
Michael Brockers DT LAR
Solomon Thomas DT SF
Defensive Backs
Justin Simmons S DEN
Morgan Burnett S GB
Sean Davis S PIT
Justin Evans S TB
Adrian Amos S CHI
Eli Apple CB NYG
TJ Carrie CB OAK
Morris Claiborne CB NYJ
Malcolm Butler CB NE
Trae Waynes CB MIN
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
Jermaine Grace ATL hamstring
Tim Williams BAL thigh
Ramon Humber BUF thumb
Luke Kuechly CAR concussion
John Timu CHI knee
Nick Kwiatkoski CHI pectoral
James Burgess CLE knee
Sean Lee DAL hamstring
Paul Worrilow DET knee (MCL)
Ahmad Brooks GB back
Joe Thomas GB ankle
Ben Heeney HOU knee
Dylan Cole HOU hamstring
Anthony Walker IND hamstring
Brandon Watts MIA back
Anthony Barr MIN concussion
Harvey Langi NE back
Bryan Braman NO undisclosed
Jonathan Casillas NYG neck
Corey Lemonier NYJ foot
Cory James OAK knee
Marquel Lee OAK ankle
Nicholas Morrow OAK ankle
Jordan Hicks PHI ankle
Vince Williams PIT hip
Dekoda Watson SF groin
Reuben Foster SF ankle
Kwon Alexander TB hamstring
Derrick Morgan TEN abdomen
Kevin Dodd TEN undisclosed
Defensive Linemen
DE
Xavier Williams ARI knee
Robert Nkemdiche ARI calf
Courtney Upshaw ATL ankle
Brandon Williams BAL foot
Carl Davis ATL hamstring
Olivier Vernon NYG ankle
Anthony Johnson NYJ undisclosed
Cliff Avril SEA neck
Michael Bennett SEA foot
Aaron Lynch SF calf
Ryan Russell TB shoulder
Jonathan Allen WAS foot
DT
Olsen Pierre ARI ankle
Marcell Dareus BUF personal
Corey Liuget LAC back
Destiny Vaeao PHI wrist
Defensive Backs
S
Kurt Coleman CAR knee (MCL)
Demetrious Cox CAR ankle
Chris Prosinski CHI hamstring
Shawn Williams CIN elbow
Derron Smith CIN ankle
Ed Reynolds CLE knee
Glover Quin DET concussion
Morgan Burnett GB hamstring
Corey Moore HOU concussion
Adrian Phillips LAC neck
Lamarcus Joyner LAR hamstring
Andrew Sendejo MIN groin
Chris Maragos PHI knee
Jaylen Watkins PHI hamstring
Josh Robinson TB concussion
Keith Tandy TB hip
Johnathan Cyprien TEN hamstring
Su'a Cravens WAS personal
Deshazor Everett WAS hamstring
Stefan McClure WAS knee
CB
Patrick Peterson ARI quadriceps
Jaylen Hill BAL thigh
E.J. Gaines BUF groin
Leonard Johnson BUF hamstring
Sherrick McManis CHI leg
Adam Jones CIN back
Dre Kirkpatrick CIN shoulder
Chidobe Awuzie DAL hamstring
Davon House GB quadriceps
Kevin King GB concussion
Kevin Johnson HOU knee
Chris Culliver IND undisclosed
Rashaan Melvin IND calf
Darryl Morris IND undisclosed
Tevin Mitchel IND abdomen
Troy Hill LAR shoulder
Byron Maxwell MIA foot
Stephon Gilmore NE concussion
Eric Rowe NE groin
Michael Hunter NYG hamstring
Gareon Conley OAK shin
Ronald Darby PHI ankle
Jeremy Lane SEA groin
Josh Norman WAS ribs
Bashaud Breeland WAS knee (MCL)
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.