IDP Matchup Plays: Living the Stream: Week 9

After a couple of weeks in dry-dock, Living the Stream is back—and just in the nick of time.

Because with each and every week, the IDP waters become that much more treacherous.

As we move deeper into the heart of the fantasy regular season, injuries continue taking their toll on IDP rosters. It has become painfully evident that for some players, there will be no turnaround—the first linebacker drafted in many leagues (Zaire Franklin of the Indianapolis Colts) is coming off a two-tackle outing against the Tennessee Titans and currently ranks 45th in fantasy points among linebackers in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring.

That hurts more than stepping on a George Foreman grill.

And I feel your pain.

With many fantasy managers clinging to postseason hopes by the thinnest of threads, they can't afford to have holes in the lineup. Or to have players laying more eggs than the folks at Eggland's Best. They need points. Matchup plays capable of rising from anonymity to have a day in Week 9.

Good thing Living the Stream is back in the water.

Week 9 Matchup Plays

EDGE Jacob Martin, Washington (vs. Seattle)

The Commanders have been hit hard by injuries this year, including the loss of No. 1 edge-rusher Dorance Armstrong. Armstrong's absence has meant more time on the field for journeyman veteran Jacob Martin, and as Ryan McCafferty wrote for Riggo's Rag, the 29-year-old has made the most of the opportunity.

"Martin's emergence has been quite a surprise," he said. "He's now third on the team in sacks at 3.5, trailing only Armstrong (5.5) and Von Miller (4.0). He's well on pace to achieve career highs in sacks, tackles, and quarterback hits, and likely to earn himself a raise next spring from the $3 million he's making in 2025."

Martin didn't get a full sack until notching two in last week's loss to Kansas City, but he has at least half a sack in three of the past four games. For all the things that Seattle has done well in 2025, the offensive line remains a soft spot—the Seahawks have given up the 10th-most fantasy points per game to edge-rushers this year.

EDGE Uchenna Nwosu, Seattle (at Washington)

Nwosu has spent most of the past two seasons sidelined by injuries, but he's healthy again and has been a key contributor defensively for the 5-2 Seahawks. While addressing the media, Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden "Not the Character from Fight Club"  Durde had plenty of good things to say about the eighth-year veteran.

"Patience, instinct, understanding of where the quarterback is in the pocket and how he relates to him is kind of Chenna's superpower," he said. "Plus, his ability to play the game. He's a very, I know this is an overarching word, but Chenna's like a really good football player. He understands space, time, you can put yourself into bodies to make tackles in open space, and I think that helps him when he's playing off other guys on the front."

With five sacks through the first seven games, Nwosu is on pace for a career year, and he quietly ranks among the top-25 defensive linemen in fantasy points per game. With a plus matchup looming with a Commanders team that has given up the sixth-most fantasy points per game to edge-rushers, No. 6 could be coming in Week 9.

LB Derrick Barnes, Detroit (vs. Minnesota)