John Norton ("The Guru") and Gary Davenport ("The Godfather of IDP") are two of the most experienced and knowledgeable IDP analysts in the fantasy football industry. Each week during the regular season, they gather to answer the most looming questions facing IDP managers that week.
We're at the midpoint of the fantasy football season—and as it happens in 2026 the second half kicks off on Halloween weekend. For every IDP manager sifting through a pillowcase full of a Trick-or-Treat haul, there's another trying to figure out how they wound up with travel tubes of toothpaste, some pennies and a rock.
Poor Charlie Brown.
Fortunately for the latter camp, The Guru and the Godfather are here to help them turn things around with a Samhain Smackdown in Week 8.
If the former camp wants to win again, it'll cost three Fun-Size candy bars and some Nerds Gummy Clusters.
Halfway Home
With seven weeks of the 2026 fantasy campaign in the books, the regular season is halfway over. At the halfway mark, who is your pick as IDP's Most Valuable Player? Which IDP owns the ignominious "honor" of being the season's biggest bust at this point?
MVP: When considering MVP, I look for the player who is on his own tier at his position. There are plenty of strong linebackers, but no one really stands out from the pack. I quickly narrowed my consideration to safety Evan Williams and tackle Jeffery Simmons. It took a little thought to crown Simmons. There are no holes in his game. The tackle totals are there. His 20 solos are tops among interior linemen, as is his combined total of 38, while Zach Allen leads in the sack column by a half. What impresses me most about Simmons is the 21-point fantasy lead he holds over number two, DeForest Buckner, in the Footballguys default IDP scoring.
There are plenty of guys to consider on the downer side. Many of them are based on injury issues that can't be held against them. So far as we know, Robert Spillane is healthy; he just stinks so far this year. Once known as a tackling machine who makes a solid contribution in the big play columns, Spillane is neither so far in 2026. Heck, he's being schooled on the stat sheet by Christian Elliss, who was a two-down guy over his first three seasons. When Spillane turned in one tackle and four assists for the third consecutive time last week, it was all I could stomach. He's now on the waiver wire in several of my dynasty leagues.
Guru: Shoutout to my guy Evan Williams. Exhibit No. 865 why fading defensive backs and then throwing late darts at upside plays is the only way to fly. But you read this column, so you know this—man.
It's true that no linebacker has truly separated itself from the pack this season. But the top-five players at the position at the halfway point carried different price tags over the summer—and the cheapest of the lot in most drafts was Nakobe Dean of the Las Vegas Raiders. Dean has shined in his first season in Sin City—the fifth-year veteran is tied for third in the league with 68 total tackles and has been equal parts productive and consistent.
Since my cardiologist said I'm not allowed to think about Myles Garrett (tightness…in…chest), I'll go with a linebacker who has somehow managed to be even less productive than Spillane this year in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring in Zaire Franklin of the Green Bay Packers. Franklin was (sigh) a favorite of this idiot over the summer, but suffering a hairline fracture after getting kicked in the shin sums up his tenure in Titletown to date pretty well.
Trick or Treat
Let's get down to the business of winning Week 8 matchups.
Which defensive lineman is going to sail past weekly expectations and be a full-sized candy bar in the bag that is fantasy managers' Beggar's Night haul this week? Which defensive lineman is going to be the apple that no kid ever wanted to get?
Guru: The Browns have allowed the second most fantasy points on average to the edge position, including two sacks a game to the edge position alone. I'd love to call out Alex Highsmith here, but we recently learned that he's been hampered by a sore groin for the last few weeks, which explains his slump. T.J. Watt always comes with big expectations, so give me Nick Herbig as my full-sized 3 Musketeers (my favorite).
Ironically, I am starting Herbig and my rotten apple candidate, Dallas Turner, in the same league this week. So, I sincerely hope to be wrong on this one. Between bye and injuries, I have no other good options. Turner draws the short straw this week, a matchup with the Lions. Detroit gives up a few tackles to the edge position, so they are not the worst possible matchup, but they are allowing half a sack per game to the position. Turner will be going against the same offensive tackle who completely shut out Lukas Van Ness last week. If you have to start Turner, take solace in the fact that he's a better player than Van Ness, but keep your expectations in check.
Godfather: Why you gotta bring up Highsmith? Dude is murdering my joy like Jason Voorhees after two teenagers fornicating (sex kills in slasher flicks, kids).
Deshaun Watson is the most-sacked quarterback in the NFL, but somewhat surprisingly Aaron Rodgers is second in that regard—the Methuselah of signal-callers has been dropped 22 times this season. Jared Verse has been invisible in the box scores over the first seven games of his time in Cleveland, but in honor of Halloween I'm calling my shot for the pumpkin helmets. Verse logs his first sack as a Brown in Week 8. Book it.
Nik Bonitto of the Denver Broncos has heated up of late after something of a sluggish start—over his last three games, the 27-year-old has nine total tackles and 2.5 sacks. But this week's home date with the Denver Broncos has all the makings of a horror show—the Chiefs have allowed both the fewest sacks in the AFC (seven) and the fewest fantasy points per game in the conference to edge rushers.
Bump in the Night
Victory in IDP leagues usually requires solid production from the linebacker position. Which everyman linebacker is going to rise up and save the day like Ash Williams in Army of Darkness? Which big name will be the kind of disappointment like Micah from Paranormal Activity that winds up murdering the hopes and dreams of IDP managers?
Guru: DeMarvion Overshown played in his first game since week one on Monday night and put up good numbers in a part-time role. This week I think he rises like a Dream Warrior, putting Freddy in his place, at least for a minute. The Cardinals are giving up a league-high 22 combined tackles per week to linebackers, along with three-quarters of a sack and half a turnover on average. No one is allowing more points to the position, and Overshown is ready to rock. He should not be on a pitch count in this one.
The Miami stat crew are like the counselors at Camp Crystal Lake when it comes to the fantasy game. Technically, they are not directly involved, but they are the problem that leads to disaster. Someone needs to explain to them how to score solo tackles. Right now, this stat crew acts like awarding full tackles will dock their pay. Sometimes the numbers don't tell the full story; this time they do. In games at the Raiders, Vikings, and Jets, Jordyn Brooks averaged 5.3 tackles and 4 assists. In the team's two home games versus the Chiefs and Bengals, he's averaged 2 tackles and 7 assists. We might call this a fluke, if not for the same pattern showing up in Jacob Rodriguez's production. Neither Miami linebacker is likely to be a total bust, but expect their tackle numbers to be backward and fantasy points to be down.
Godfather: I'm not saying that Overshown is my IDP Stud of the Week in Week 8. But I'm also not not saying it. You dig?
If Divine Deablo (forearm) plays Sunday in Tampa, it could muddy the waters where the snap share for Kendal Daniels of the Atlanta Falcons is concerned. But the Falcons took down the previously undefeated 49ers last week, and Daniels was all over the place—the rookie led the team with 11 tackles, wore the green dot helmet communicator, intercepted a pass, and recovered a fumble. That guy needs to be on the field against a Buccaneers team allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to linebackers this season.
Brooks is another guy I didn't need to be reminded about. But it's not just Miami—the Death of the Solo I wrote about over the summer looks more and more like the new reality in IDP.
The two worst fantasy matchups for linebackers this week are already off the table—Carolina and Green Bay faced one another on Thursday night (Ty'Ron Hopper, have a day!). Next up on the parade of poo is the Denver Broncos, who are averaging less than 95 rushing yards per contest. Plenty of fantasy managers in weirdo offense-only leagues are hopeful rookie Jonah Coleman can reverse that trend, but it won't be in time to salvage Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton's Week 8 stat line.
Secondary Spirits
Consistent production from defensive backs in IDP can be like a ghost—one minute they are terrifying opponents, the next they vanish altogether. Which defensive back will rise from the grave this week to be as helpful to IDP managers as Casper? Which high-end apparition at defensive back will terrorize those same managers like Bathsheba in The Conjuring?
Guru: In this week's Eyes of the Guru, I talked about Julian Love's slumping numbers and how the demons of a great front seven are likely to keep him in the dark most weeks. If there's ever an opportunity for him to run to the light, it will be this weekend against a Bears offense that's been like a blood bank to vampires when it comes to safety production. Chicago is currently the top matchup for safeties, allowing a league-high 19.8 combined stops, a turnover, and a bit over one pass breakup per game to the position. If Love has a strong outing here, trade him quickly.
Many of us are counting on Chamarri Conner for quality production. An injury has short-circuited those plans so far. We got him back last week, and I expect good production from him down the stretch. However, the Broncos are like the flying sphere in Phantasm, chasing opponents' safeties down and killing their production. Averaging a sliver over 11 combined stops per game with zero splash-play production, Denver is the bottom-of-the-barrel matchup. We saw signs of life from them last week, but not enough to counter their ranking of 32nd in fantasy points allowed to safeties.
Godfather: Check out The Guru running with the theme. Well played. And give me Batspookba or whatever her name is any day—just keep that damn doll away from me.
In "reality?" Annabelle is a freaking Raggedy Ann doll. For "real."
Since The Guru stole the Julian Love call I was saving for this column like the last 3 Musketeers in my candy stash (could have just asked—don't like 'em), I'll shout out a young safety I've been talking up all week. The Buffalo Bills come out of the bye week a top-five fantasy matchup for safeties and playing as well offensively as any team in the league. Kyle Hamilton is an easy "Yes" on any day that ends in "Y," but batterymate Malaki Starks is set to throw up some crooked numbers as well.
In part due to Talanoa Hufanga being banged up, Denver Broncos safety Brandon Jones has been a top-five IDP option at his position through seven weeks. But Patrick Mahomes II and the Chiefs have been the Michael Myers of fantasy matchups for years. Death is inevitable. This year is no different—Kansas City has surrendered the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to safeties.
Playing Tag
This is simple. Just like the kids' game. And Davenport.
"Tag" one IDP (Any position—dealer's choice) ranked outside the top 40 in Footballguys Week 7 IDP rankings at their position who will wind up a viable (top 24) fantasy starter.
While you're at it, tag one inside the top 15 who will finish outside the top 30. A little boom/bust action. Who is "it"—for better or worse.
Guru: Now and then I have a gut feeling about a player. This week, it feels like Eric Wilson of the Vikings is a guy who could emerge from The Fog. He is highly inconsistent, but when he has a game, it's usually a big one. Statistically, the Lions are a good matchup for linebackers in the tackle department, but not so much when it comes to the big play. That said, the Vikings will be looking for a way to pressure Jared Goff, and Wilson is their X-factor as a blitzer. I see decent tackle production in this one and like his chances of getting home for a sack.
David Bailey of the Jets is one of this season's excellent success stories, but the cards are stacked against him this week. Eight games into his rookie season, he has probably played more football this year than in any other from high school through college. We can't see it, but the rookie wall is a thing, and this is about the time of year that we start seeing players hit it. Then there is the tough matchup with a Raiders offensive line that is like The Blob, creating a block between rushers and their quarterback. Las Vegas is allowing less than 1.5 sacks per game, and barely over half a sack per game to the edge position. If those two issues aren't enough, Bailey is nursing a sore groin. If you want to see how that can potentially affect a pass rusher, take a look at Alex Highsmith, who has done nothing since tweaking his a few weeks back.
Godfather: Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher Alex Highsmith (DL49) has been in the funkiest of funks—after sacks in the first two games of the season, Highsmith died. Dead. Stone dead. There were services (not really). Tears were shed. But just like in Night of the Living Dead, Highsmith is about to rise from the grave to wreak havoc upon the living.
What? Like we're not beating this schtick to death. Happy Halloween.
Should have saved Bolton for this, but I lack impulse control, so I'll go with Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (LB10) instead. We went into this season sure that Campbell would be our best buddy. He was the shiny new toy we all had to have. Seven weeks in, he's outside the top-30 in fantasy points, and this week he faces a Minnesota Vikings team allowing the sixth-fewest fantasy points per game to safeties. As it turns out, our new best buddy might be trying to kill our season.
Can't rattle off horror references without Child's Play.
Just wouldn't be right.
John Norton (The Guru) and Gary Davenport (The Godfather of IDP) have over 45 combined years of IDP experience. Follow John on Twitter (still not calling it X, so there) at @JohnPNorton and Gary at @IDPGodfather.
