IDP Start-Sit, Studs and Duds: Week 4

The calendar hasn't even hit October yet, and already the IDP landscape has turned into Downtown Crazyburg.

Just as there is every year, there have been injuries—San Francisco 49ers edge rusher tore his ACL last week against the Arizona Cardinals and is done for the season. Do you crave disappointment? Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin will hook you up good—the first player drafted at his position in many IDP leagues ranks outside the top-50 linebackers in fantasy points.

It's enough to drive fantasy managers right up the wall—especially if their teams are sitting at 1-2 or (shudder) 0-3.

Yep. Something to that effect.

Still, it's early in the season. Too early to be completely freaking out or throwing in any towels. Yes, being winless three weeks into the season isn't ideal. Yes, it's awfully difficult for fantasy managers to make the fantasy playoffs if they start the season 0-4. But the next fantasy campaign that is helped by a panic attack will be the first one. Throw up your hands and just start bleating obscenities, and that nearly-sunk season will be at the bottom of the drink.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going (or some other motivational claptrap). You just have to buckle down and make sure to set the best lineup possible in Week 4.

That's where IDP Studs and Duds here at Footballguys comes in. Because I am never wrong. Except when I am. Which is often.

Each week during the 2025 season, I'll point out some Individual Defensive Players who could be set to exceed expectations this week (Studs), as well as some that, for whatever reason, are riskier plays than normal (Duds).

This isn't necessarily to say that every "Stud" is a must-start (it depends on your other options) or that every "Dud" should be glued to your bench (just that the odds of a letdown week are greater than usual).

Numbers in parentheses denote ranking in fantasy points allowed to that position in 2024 in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring. 

IDP STUD OF THE WEEK

LB Jack Campbell, Detroit (vs. Cleveland) (1)

Campbell was a force last week against the Baltimore Ravens, logging eight total tackles and a strip-sack despite sustaining a mouth injury that left the third-year pro spitting blood all over the place. In news that should surprise exactly zero people, Lions head coach Dan Campbell was impressed by the hard-nosed, old-school effort.

"He's a stud, man," Campbell told reporters. "He's a workaholic. The knowledge for the game, the way he studies for the game, he prepares for it. He's playing at a really high level right now, and we feel like the guy can do it all. That's why he didn't even come off the field. He can do everything for us. He's all ball, man. He's all ball. Whatever you need is what he's going to do."

Campbell has assumed "green dot" duties for the Lions this year and is leading the Lions by a sizable margin in tackles on the way to LB9 fantasy numbers three weeks into the season. Campbell may well climb even higher up the rankings this week after a gravy IDP matchup for linebackers with the Browns.

IDP DUD OF THE WEEK

EDGE Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati (at Denver) (32)

It was a bumpy offseason for Hendrickson, who held out most of the offseason in the hopes of getting a new contract. The 30-year-old settled for a nice raise and reported just before the season began, and Hendrickson told reporters he intends to show he's worth that extra scratch by not only wreaking havoc but also leading the Bengals defense.

"I think the difference between me and the next guy last year was something I didn't do a good enough job of bringing the rest of the defense with me," Hendrickson said. "I'm looking forward to getting more guys around me with better production and helping those guys achieve their goals for their families that I've been able to achieve for mine. That's what I'm most excited about. Bringing knowledge, being a better teammate and enjoying the process of the 2025 season."

Hendrickson started the season off well, logging a sack in each of the season's first two games before a down Week 3 in Cincy's blowout loss to the Minnesota Vikings. There won't be a rebound in Week 4—Bo Nix has been sacked just three times in as many weeks, and the Broncos are dead last in fantasy points allowed to edge rushers this season.

WEEK 4 IDP STUDS