Week 2 IDP Rankings for Fantasy Football - Positional Rankings for Linebacker, Defensive Line, Defensive Back

Week 1 of the NFL season is under our belts. The opening weekend had its usual share of surprises, such as Puka Nakua exceeding our wildest expectations. It also had its fair share of unsurprising outcomes, as some players and teams met our expectations to a T. For example, as we expected, Chris Jones missed his team's matchup with Detroit. Also on par, T.J. Watt abused 49ers right tackle Colton McKivitz, and Nick Bosa's production was limited upon a late-week return.

As always, some early-season outcomes mean something while others don’t. A perfect example of something that both does and does not mean something is the Giants’ awful pass-blocking against Dallas. The Giants earned the second-worst pass-blocking grade of the week against the Cowboys, with former first-rounders Evan Neal and John Michael Schmitz surrendering 11 total pressures. What’s worse, Andrew Thomas played hurt and is now questionable to play in Week 2. So, what does/doesn’t this mean?

The positive for New York is it’s almost impossible for their pass-blocking to be this ineffective all year. Big Blue is on pace to more than double the quarterback pressures allowed by any team in 2022. If Thomas can get healthy and Michael Schmitz can grow into his potential, there’s no way that pace continues. However, that does not mean you shouldn’t stream edge rushers against these Giants in the near term, with Thomas gimpy and Neal struggling mightily.

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IDP Scoring System for Rankings

• 6-points per Defensive Touchdown
• 4-points per Forced Turnover (FF/INT)
• 3-points per Sack
• 2- points per PD, FR, Safety
• 1-point Solo Tackle
• 0.5-points Assisted Tackle

Note: These rankings are also based on leagues that start one player at each defensive position (DL, LB, DB) and two DFLEX.

Top Fantasy Defensive Linemen for Week 2

DL Riser(s) of the Week

Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions & Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles

Hutchinson tied for third in quarterback pressures last week, and now he faces the Seahawks. Both of Seattle’s starting offensive tackles exited Week 1 with injuries and look questionable as of this writing. That is a tremendous setup for Hutchinson.

Meanwhile, Jalen Carter led the entire league in quarterback pressures in his first start. The controversial Georgia product played half of the Eagles' snaps last weekend, yet he paced the league in quarterback heat. Now Carter faces a high-volume Vikings pass attack that could be without their starting center. If Garrett Bradbury doesn't play, the interior of Minnesota's line could be a bigger liability than usual.

DL Disappointment of the Week

Uchenna Nwosu, Seattle Seahawks

We expected Nwosu to perform well against the Rams last week, but Los Angeles' line played far better than expected. Now Nwosu faces a Lions unit that was the third-best pass-blocking unit in the NFL in Week 1, per PFF. If Seattle's offense remains limp, the Lions could run their preferred conservative game plan. That would limit Nwosu's upside significantly.

Top Fantasy Linebackers for Week 2

LB Riser of the Week

Troy Andersen, Atlanta Falcons

Andersen was a sleeper for us last season but is finally getting the snaps he deserves, playing every defensive snap for Atlanta in Week 1. A former quarterback, Andersen has the athletic ability to lead his team in tackles, PDs, and sacks in any given week. The Packers were efficient against the Bears last weekend but fed Chicago’s linebackers regularly.

Expect Green Bay to continue peppering the middle of the field, especially if Christian Watson is out again. That’s good news for Andersen.

LB Disappointment of the Week

David Long Jr., Miami Dolphins

A preseason favorite for us, we expected Long Jr. to settle into the LB2 tier this season. The Dolphins had committed decent money to him, and the buzz was strong all offseason. Unfortunately, Long played just 21% of his team’s snaps in Week 1, and he has no injury designation to suggest he should have been limited.

Perhaps Long’s limited playing time was exclusively based on the pass-heavy nature of his contest. If so, he could see significantly more snaps against a Patriots team that has historically been run-oriented. That said, the Pats threw the ball 54 times last weekend, and it’s difficult to trust Long in your lineup after he played so sparingly to start the season.

Top Fantasy Defensive Backs for Week 2

DB Riser of the Week

Christian Gonzalez, New England Patriots

One of my favorite prospects in this year’s NFL Draft, Gonzalez was very productive in his first start. He now goes against a Dolphins pass attack that attempted the third-most pass attempts in Week 1. Better yet, the Patriots' offense attempted the most passes. Despite a long history of Dolphins vs. Patriots being a low-scoring affair, this game could be a surprising shootout. That makes Gonzalez a worthwhile streamer this week.

DB Disappointment of the Week

Green Bay Packers Secondary

The Falcons offense went into Monday night with the fewest pass attempts and plays in Week 1. They also averaged the second-fewest pass attempts and sixth-fewest plays in 2022. Arthur Smith loves winning six or seven sloppy games per year while showing he doesn't need to use his highly drafted receiving weapons. It seems a point of pride that several other offensive head coaches are adopting as of late.

Given Smith’s lack of interest in testing Desmond Ridder or utilizing either Drake London or Kyle Pitts, we expect Atlanta will try to limit their pass attempts every week. If Smith’s defense can keep things close against Green Bay, there’s no reason to think he will try to get London or Pitts more involved than last week. That should limit the Packers’ opportunities for points in the secondary.

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