When evaluating a market of any kind, the consumer must understand what they are looking to accomplish. Are you someone who wants to have a long-term hold? Are you looking for that penny stock to turn into the next Google or Apple? Maybe you are more of an investor in a known commodity looking for updates relevant to its future. No matter the reason, these principles and philosophies can be applied to Fantasy Football. Everyone talks about the offensive players making splashes after Week 1, and rightfully so, but we are going to show some defensive players the love they deserve this week. These will be divided into three tiers. The Fortune 5 represents our top five players of the week, The Falling 4 represents the four biggest disappointments of the week, and the Premiere Pennies features three sleepers to take note of before they pop! A market is only as good as its products and friends, we have a lot of great defensive players to choose from. So, sit back and watch as your IDP portfolio grows. Ring the bell!
The Fortune 5
T.J. Watt: It should come as a surprise to no one that Watt started the season off as explosive as we are used to seeing a player of his caliber be. Watt currently sits as the IDP1 after the first week of the NFL season with five tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles to boot. For those who were worried that he wouldn’t be as fit this season coming off his first injury-riddled year, he showed out in a big way, even in a game where the Steelers had virtually nothing go their way. Watt comes in as the number one player this week, but that’s par for the course for a player of his caliber.
Josh Allen: What if I told you the defensive end was the best Josh Allen of the week? He had an absolute monster of a game, tallying 10 total tackles and three sacks. Since being coded as a Defensive End, Allen has now been factored into the “must start” territory of IDP lineups. It’s important to note that he did face a rookie quarterback on a team loaded with ugly narratives and instability, but the results speak for themselves. His job is to see the ball hit the ball, and he was wildly effective in doing so. He has now matched half of his season sack total from last year and is just seven away from his career high. We are amid his greatest season yet. Hop on the bandwagon, folks!
Jessie Bates: Bengals fans, cover your eyes. The best performance arguably from a safety this week came in the Atlanta debut of Jessie Bates. Fans of IDP know that Bates has this in him. In his first three seasons in the league, he tallied 100 or more tackles. The last two seasons were less than ideal, and after a long and drawn-out contract dispute, he finally parted ways with the Bengals in hopes of greener pastures. It seems the decision has paid off, and we may be seeing the Bates we all have missed. With a 10-tackle and two-interception debut, beware of the Atlanta safety NFL teams. Bates is back, and in a big way.
Zaire Franklin: The Colts have always had great linebacker play despite the struggles and instability that seem to follow them around. This season, it was a question of who the man would be to step up. With the loss of Bobby Okereke to the New York Giants and questions surrounding the health and viability of Shaquille Leonard, someone had to step up and fill the void, and boy, did Franklin do just that. He was a monster on Sunday, compiling 18 total tackles and forcing a fumble. He is proving to us that last season was no fluke and achieved a career-high in tackles in Week 1. It is unrealistic to believe this will be a weekly occurrence, but he absolutely is a player that has league-winning ability, and if you were bold enough to draft or acquire him, the dividends are paying off immediately.
Roquan Smith: New year, same Roquan Smith. The Ravens' foundation on defense has picked up right where he left off as the focal point of the defense, and the stats show us that he is worth every penny of his large contract. As if the 16 tackles he had weren’t enough, he also added a sack as the cherry on top of his great Week 1. There really isn’t much else to say about Smith. He was likely one of the top 2-3 linebackers off the board, and he is just continuing to prove that he should be the dynasty LB1, seeing as how he is just 26 years old! He’s a player to build your IDP roster around.
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