IDP Stock Market: Week 8

If you're in a traditional league, you've officially crossed the halfway mark of the fantasy season. With playoffs typically kicking off in Week 14 and Week 7 in the books, we've entered the stretch where every roster move counts. So, what do we know? Injuries have decimated the IDP landscape; another star seems to go down every week. It's the ugliest side of the game, but it also creates openings for new names to emerge. That's why you're here. This week, we've got 12 players you need to know, some familiar faces, others flying under the radar. Each one can swing your matchup, for better or worse. Know who to stash, who to start, and who to steer clear of. It's time for the weekly IDP Stock Market, ring that bell!

Fortune 5

DT Derrick Brown, Carolina

This week, we lead off with the player who arguably posted the season's most game-changing IDP performance. Derrick Brown erupted against the Jets, racking up seven tackles, two sacks, and three defended passes, each this season's best. It's a line that screams dominance from the interior defensive line, a spot IDP leagues often overlook. Brown's been a steady force all year, and now he's firmly in the elite tier: one of the tiny handful of every-week starters at DT in any format. His reliable production locks in points, while these blowup outings unlock massive upside. Brown was this week's IDP MVP. Fire him up every Sunday.

Edge Micah Parsons, Green Bay

We finally got the Parsons blow-up game, and it couldn't have come at a better time for IDP managers. If you're a regular reader of this piece, you know my take on players like him: too often, he leaves you holding the grenade, pin pulled. This week, though, his performance was everything we've craved from a perennial headliner. With five total tackles and three sacks, he likely won your matchup outright or crushed your opponent's hopes. It's thrilling to watch, but remember the context: before this explosion, Parsons had just 11 tackles and 2.5 sacks on the season. Still, this was a mega outing that demands full-throated praise.

LB Tremaine Edmunds, Chicago

Tremaine Edmunds is a player I haven't credited enough in my years of IDP play. He's loaded with talent, yet his name recognition has often outpaced his stats. That rookie year with 121 tackles? Still his career peak. But this season, he's already at 61 tackles post-bye, with 11 games left to chase history. If this pace holds, he could crack the top-five LBs in IDP, making him the steal of the year at his 2025 draft price. He backed it up with another monster against the Saints: 9 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 INT. Edmunds is thriving now, stash him, start him, love him.

S Tykee Smith, Tampa Bay

Talk about a player who flew under the radar entering the season: Tykee Smith arrived as a placeholder for the returning Antoine Winfield Jr., but he's emerged as an absolute gem at defensive back. Already boasting 58 tackles and seven defended passes, numbers that tie or surpass his entire rookie year, he's exceeded every expectation. Drafted with third-round capital and thriving alongside elite teammate Winfield, I anticipated solid production and snaps, but nothing like this breakout. He's the S1 overall this season, capping off his best game yet with 13 tackles and a sack. A true stat-stuffer dominating a position demanding elite skill, Smith is here to stay. Make him a cornerstone of your IDP rosters now.

LB Ernest Jones IV, Seattle

Last week, I highlighted Drake Thomas overtaking Tyrice Knight on the depth chart. What I didn't emphasize enough is that, no matter who claims LB2, Ernest Jones IV reigns as the unquestioned LB1 in this Seahawks defense. With 59 tackles, five defended passes, and three interceptions, Jones consistently impacts games in multiple ways. At just 25, he's an ascending dynasty gem who's found stability after a wild 2024 with two trades. Fresh off an 11-tackle, one-INT masterpiece, he's earned his Week 8 bye. Keep him locked in as a must-start stud when he returns. He's the heartbeat of that linebacker room; treat him like it.

Falling 4