Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Myles Garrett is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. Last year in Cleveland, he set a new single-season sack record with 23.
Garrett was the highest-scoring edge rusher in IDP last year. In many leagues, he was the highest-scoring defensive player overall. In the King's Classic Dick Butkus Division, he was the highest-scoring player, period. Earlier this summer, I questioned whether Garrett should be the first defensive player drafted. In Butkus, I did exactly that.
So of course, Garrett was a complete non-factor in Australia in Week 1 before landing on injured reserve with a knee injury—because we can't have nice things.
The boat barely left the harbor before it hit an iceberg.
Not cool.
Garrett is far from the only player who got hurt in the opening weekend—defenders at all three levels went down, including Dallas Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown and Rams safety Kam Curl. Never mind disappointments like highly-touted rookie linebacker CJ Allen of the Indianapolis Colts playing all of zero defensive snaps in his professional debut.
Um, not ideal.
No one wants to be Living the Stream in Week 2—we'd all love to just sail along all season long without any issues.
But like it or not, sometimes a pleasure cruise ends with a trip to the lifeboats.
At least there's more room this early in the season.
Week 2 IDP Matchup Plays
EDGE Yaya Diaby, Tampa Bay (vs. Cleveland)
2026 is a make-or-break year for Diaby. In the final season of his rookie deal and coming off a so-so 2025 season, Diaby is playing for a second contract. With that said, while speaking to reporters, Tampa head coach Todd Bowles said that he believes the best football of Diaby's career is coming in 2026.
"I think he's really grown in getting the scheme down and understanding what he has to do and how he has to play," Bowles said. "But in doing so, understanding the defense and then taking the other guys, knowing that the pass rush has to work together. That part of (Diaby's) game has grown."
Diaby was quiet against the Bengals in Week 1, although his lone tackle was for a loss. But the 27-year-old did tally 50 total tackles and seven sacks a season ago, and this week the Bucs host a Browns team that allowed five sacks in the season opener and the seventh-most fantasy points to edge rushers last year in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring.
EDGE Boye Mafe, Cincinnati (at Houston)
In what may be a sign of the Apocalypse, the Bengals have a defense, it appears—last week against Tampa, the Bengals allowed less than 300 yards of offense, forced four turnovers and dropped Baker Mayfield four times. The game marked Mafe's first in the Queen City after signing with the Bengals in free agency, and as John Sheeran wrote for A To Z Sports, Mafe had the play of the game on defense.
"The play of the day was arguably Mafe's strip sack on Baker Mayfield in the middle of the fourth quarter," he said. "Tampa Bay had definite momentum on its side after scoring 10 unanswered points in the third quarter and was only down 10 with the ball at midfield. Mafe rushed around the edge against All-Pro left tackle Tristan Wirfs and capitalized on a coverage sack. The fumble was Mayfield's third of the day, and the fourth of the afternoon for the Buccaneers."
In Week 2, the Bengals head to Houston to take on C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. The Texans weren't a great matchup for edge rushers a year ago, but C.J. Stroud was dropped twice by Buffalo's Greg Rousseau in the opener, and Mafe will be coming at him from the same side.
The new guy will get home for the second week in a row.
LB Jaishawn Barham, Dallas (vs. Washington)
Continue reading this content with a ELITE subscription.
An ELITE subscription is required to access content for IDP (individual defensive players) leagues. If this league is not a IDP (individual defensive players) league, you can edit your leagues here.