Years ago, when Deone Bucannon introduced himself as a “money linebacker” on Sunday Night Football, the audience had a good laugh. The term was a reference to his defensive responsibilities but conjured images in the minds of viewers of the huge game checks that Bucannon was earning at that time. Memes popped up in the following days of Bucannon on top of piles of money and gold coins. Hopefully, following the guidance given in this column will have your rosters overflowing with a wealth of IDP riches. We will primarily focus on edge rushers but will also hit on some of the other players and situations that are likely to impact teams in big play leagues. We will cover risers and fallers in the format, injury situations about which fantasy general managers need to know, and upcoming matchups to target.
Note: The defensive player injuries covered in this column are not an exhaustive list, but an attempt to cover the situations most likely to impact big play IDP squads. For more extensive coverage of injury situations, see Jene Bramel’s latest Injury Rounds column.
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If you are looking for help at defensive end, think about adding Ezekiel Ansah. With Nick Bosa sidelined, the 49ers inked Ansah to a deal on Monday. Though Ansah himself has not been able to stay healthy, it is a good fit and one that may be productive for those desperate to fill out their injury-tattered squads.
Browns linebacker Mack Wilson returned to practice on Monday and may be ready to start week three. That would be a welcome relief to the Browns, who have watched Sione Takitaki miss tackle after tackle.
Isaiah Simmons continues to struggle to get playing time at linebacker on the Cardinals team. His 11% snap share is still far from that of De’Vondre Campbell at 98% and Jordan Hicks at 92%. Simmons will not stay in fantasy purgatory forever, but for now, his general managers need to put him on the bench.
The Chargers’ linebacker situation continues to be a headache for general managers, as it has been for years. Nick Vigil went from 85% of the snaps in week one to 0 snaps in week two. Kyzir White played 100% of the time, but it is anyone’s guess as to how the coaching staff will deploy the players in week three. Kenneth Murray has been the only player to exceed 75% of the snaps for two weeks running.
Colts linebacker Bobby Okereke may be on the verge of replacing Anthony Walker in the lineup. He out-snapped Walker 85% to 56%. Every general manager with Darius Leonard on their squad needs to have Okereke on the bench in case of injury. Those that do not have Leonard should think about rostering Okereke or at least having him on speed dial. He is a good player in his own right and one that could pay off big for those who put their faith in him.
Lions safety Tracy Walker got only 53% of the snaps in his contest against Green Bay. If this sort of variable usage continues, it will be hard to trust him in lineups going forward.
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- San Francisco lost interior lineman Solomon Thomas for the year with a torn ACL.
- 49ers interior lineman Dee Ford missed Sunday’s action with a neck injury and it is not certain when he will be able to play again.
- San Francisco defensive end Nick Bosa also tore his ACL and will miss the remainder of the year.
- Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence is dealing with a knee issue and his status for week three is up in the air.
- Falcons linebacker Foye Oluokun was forced to leave his contest against the Cowboys with a hamstring injury. It is unclear how long this may hold the young linebacker out of action.
- The Seahawks’ pass rusher Bruce Irvin tore his ACL and makes an already thin pass rush even more depleted.
- Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr has a torn pectoral muscle and will miss the remainder of the season.
- Unfortunately, Colts safety Malik Hooker suffered yet another season-ending injury when he tore his Achilles tendon.
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Note: This section will become more extensive as the season progresses and offensive and defensive trends are established. For the first few weeks, it will be limited to pass rush projections.
Pittsburgh Steelers Pass Rushers vs. Houston Texans Offensive Line
This one is setting up to be an absolute bloodbath. The Texans have allowed a league-worst four sacks per game and face one of the most aggressive pass rushes in the NFL. Oprah may point at T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, Cameron Heyward, and Stephon Tuitt and scream, “You get a sack, you get a sack, everyone gets a sack!”
Washington Football Team Pass Rushers vs. Cleveland Browns Offensive Line
Washington currently leads the league with 5.5 sacks per game and their newly revamped pass rush seems to be paying off. Montez Sweat, Chase Young, Ryan Kerrigan, and Matt Ioannidis will be facing a line that is much better at run blocking than pass blocking. Baker Mayfield may struggle to stay upright in this contest.
Philadelphia Eagles Pass Rushers vs. Cincinnati Bengals Offensive Line
Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and Derek Barnett are back in the lineup after injury. In their contest with the Rams, Graham, Barnett, and Josh Sweat split playing time pretty evenly. They should collectively have more big-play success against Cincinnati, who have surrendered three sacks each game. Cox and Graham are the safest plays at their respective positions, but Sweat and Barnett are also fine if you need to take a chance.
Indianapolis Colts Pass Rushers vs. New York Jets Offensive Line
Surprisingly, the Jets have given up only three sacks in two games, which is surprising given the state of their offensive line. There is a good chance the Colts find a way to get two or three in this contest. DeForest Buckner, Justin Houston, and Darius Leonard are the players that have the best shot at being the benefactor of one of those sacks or other big plays.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pass Rushers vs. Denver Broncos Offensive Line
This could go very poorly for the Broncos, who will be starting either Jeff Driskel or Blake Bortles in the next contest in addition to having a shoddy offensive line. Jason Pierre-Paul and Ndamukong Suh are excellent plays at their respective positions this week.
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Dallas Cowboys Pass Rushers vs. Seattle Seahawks Offensive Line
Seattle Seahawks Pass Rushers vs. Dallas Cowboys Offensive Line
Both Dallas’ and Seattle’s struggles rushing the passer are understandable. The lack of pass rush personnel for the Seahawks is troubling. One could make the argument that safety Jamal Adams is the best rusher on the team currently. For Dallas, it has been injuries to their interior defensive linemen and DeMarcus Lawrence that have hampered their ability to hit home. Expect more of the same for both sides in this contest.
Carolina Panthers Pass Rushers vs. Los Angeles Chargers Offensive Line
Carolina is the only team without a sack this season and it is unlikely they will get one here, even with the Chargers’ offensive line woes. Brian Burns and Stephen Weatherly are simply not playable right now.
San Francisco 49ers Pass Rushers vs. New York Giants Offensive Line
The matchup is good, but this pass rush has been suddenly depleted by a rash of injuries. Solomon Thomas and Nick Bosa are done for the year and Dee Ford is questionable with a neck injury. That leaves Arik Armstead and Kerry Hyder as the primary rushers until newly-signed Ezekiel Ansah can get acclimated. Don’t expect any of those three to record a sack in this one.
