IDP Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Week 8 - Streamers, Fades, Matchups for Defensive Players

Week 8 marks an odd time in the NFL schedule. It is a period after several teams have had their bye weeks, yet it’s a time before many others do. Despite that, Week 8 is the eye of the storm. It’s a rare moment where no NFL team is on bye … for some reason. The planning of this is odd and should frustrate NFL teams and fantasy managers alike, be it for different reasons.

In real football, teams like the Eagles have to hate getting their bye Week 5, before fatigue and injuries hit. Resting midseason, in Week 8 or later, has to be preferred. As for fantasy managers, the 2024 NFL schedule creates a seven-team bye headache in Week 14, when leagues like Scott Fish Bowl are in the playoffs. That hurt could’ve easily been spread out into Week 8.

For IDP managers, Week 8 is a mirage that offers little true relief. In theory, this bye-free week should mean a wealth of options that keep us from having to scour the waiver wire for streamers. Instead, a rash of injuries to stars like Aidan Hutchinson and a lack of superstars atop the LB position has created IDP depth problems that leave many teams streaming even without byes.

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Casual IDP Streamers and Fades

Stream: Trey Hendrickson, DL, Cincinnati Bengals

Hendrickson’s advanced metrics this season have outpaced his fantasy performance, as he ranks as DL16 overall in fantasy points per game. He is also facing an Eagles offense this week that has historically stifled opposing pass-rushers. So it’s understandable why he’s just the 17th-most-rostered and 18th-most-started DL in fantasy.

Unfortunately for Philly, its left tackle is on IR. In his place is Fred Johnson. Johnson has graded well below average as a pass-blocker in every game he's played this season. In just 99 pass-blocking snaps, Johnson has allowed 22 pressures and three sacks. For context, that's a pressure allowed every 4.5 pass sets.

Hendrickson should see plenty of Johnson this week if the Eagles continue to trot Johnson out there. The Bengals star pass-rusher has lined up over the left tackle on 97% of his snaps this season. That spells a good matchup for a defensive end who is fifth in pass-rush win rate amongst all defensive linemen with more than 135 pass-rush snaps.

Stream: Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Minnesota Vikings

Stop us if you've heard this one before, but Ivan Pace Jr. is a very good football player. He is fast, instinctive, and fills gaps earlier than almost any linebacker in the NFL. His playing time is only limited by the depth in Minnesota’s linebacker room and by his lack of elite size.

Might wanna block Ivan Pace Jr. pic.twitter.com/wBFe8VPESc

— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) October 6, 2024

The depth issue with the Vikings linebacker corps should not pose a problem for Pace this week, as Blake Cashman has been ruled out for Week 8. When Cashman missed Week 7, it meant a 100% snap share for Pace and his best statistical output of the season.

Pace is currently LB8 on the season in fantasy PPG. While that stat is inflated by a fumble recovery for a touchdown last week, big plays are always a factor with the former undrafted free agent. At Cincinnati, he was a sack threat, as well as a run stuffer. That is what makes him such a high-upside play.

The Rams continue to sport one of the most porous offensive lines in the NFL. That's a plus for Pace, who can take advantage as a pass-rusher and a run-stopper. Los Angeles also averaged 5.6 targets per game to its tight end and gets Cooper Kupp back in the slot this week. Pace will cover tight ends and sometimes the slot, which ups his value further.

Fade: Zack Baun, LB, Philadelphia Eagles

Baun was one of my favorite prospects coming out of Wisconsin, so it's painful to fade him. That said, the former Badger is struggling with a shoulder injury that is limiting his production and could keep limiting his playing time this week. The injury adds to concerns some already have about his decline in production over the past few weeks.

While Baun remains a solid LB2 option if he plays, his fantasy production has dipped whenever he plays against pass-heavy offenses that send lots of targets outside the hash marks. That describes the Bengals, who are yet another poor matchup for an ailing Baun.

Fade: Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, DE, Houston Texans

As talented as the Texans' pass-rushing duo is, the Colts remain an incredibly stingy offense regarding sacks. In the four games Anthony Richardson has started and finished this year, he's taken an average of just one sack per game.

As a team, the Colts are surrendering the fourth-fewest sacks per game in the NFL, and that's including time with statue Joe Flacco under center. Worse, Indianapolis' blockers are surrendering a league-low 6.7 pressures per game. The offense also averages the fewest pass attempts in the NFL when Richardson plays a full game this year.

Premium/Deep League Streamers and Fades

Stream: Joey Porter Jr., DB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Porter is the 110th-most-rostered DB in fantasy, which is understandable considering he’s an outside corner who averages just 4.5 fantasy PPG. The Penn State alum does shadow when opponents have a receiver worth following, though. The Giants have such a receiver.

Really like this play from #Steelers CB Joey Porter Jr. in the red zone on a go ball.

Does a great job of squeezing Mike Williams to boundary, making for impossible throw. Porter has gotten so good at body positioning and squeezing receivers to boundary. pic.twitter.com/yMdrOomQBv

— Josh Carney (@ByJoshCarney) October 22, 2024

Malik Nabers averaged a whopping 15 targets per game. Upon return last week, Nabers saw eight targets despite Daniel Jones being under constant duress and Nabers reacclimating after injury. The rookie will likely see double-digit throws again this week if he is healthy.

Nabers plays 75.2% of his snaps on the outside, where Porter will likely follow him to either side. While Porter rarely shadows inside, that still gives him plenty of opportunities to get deflections, tackles, and interceptions against one of the NFL’s most targeted receivers.

Stream: Leonard Floyd, DL, San Francisco 49ers

It's all about the matchup with Floyd. This week, he faces a Dallas Cowboys offense that averages the second-most pass attempts per game. Dallas’ offense also has the fifth-lowest pass-blocking grade this season.

The Cowboys are allowing 11.6 pressures per game, with 36 pressures and nine sacks attributed to their edge-blockers. While Dallas is not near the bottom of the league in sacks allowed, it is in the bottom half of that category.

Combine the Cowboys' high pass volume, low pass-blocking metrics, and the 49ers' desperate need for a win, and you have a recipe for sacks. Floyd is the 89th-most-rostered DL in IDP leagues, meaning he is readily available and has a solid matchup.

Fade: Nnamdi Madubuike, DL, Baltimore Ravens

Madubuike was a pleasant surprise last season, coming out of nowhere to collect 13 sacks and 56 tackles as an interior defensive lineman. Unfortunately, we warned IDP managers that his production was likely a fluke.

While his 2023 season was magical, Madubuike has never replicated those pass-rush numbers in any of his four other NFL seasons. Last year, he collected 13 sacks in 17 games. In the 49 other games he has played in his career, he has totaled just 10.5 sacks. In other words, his sack rate in 2023 nearly quadrupled in 2023 over his career average.

On the season, Madubuike ranks as DL156 in fantasy PPG, with a mere 2.6 points per contest. Despite that fact, he is currently the 40th-most-rostered DL in fantasy. That means there are 116 DLs who are rostered in fewer leagues than Madubuike but are scoring more points.

If you need to stream Madubuike in a deeper league, go ahead. He has a great matchup against a Browns offense that surrenders the most sacks in the league. However, there is not much data supporting his current roster and start rates. He's a one-week streamer if anything, not a long-term hold.

Fade: Trent McDuffie, DB, Kansas City Chiefs

McDuffie is the 26th-most-rostered and the 37th-most-started DB in fantasy. This is despite the fact he’s tied for 140^th amongst all DBs in fantasy PPG.

This week, the Chiefs will face either a struggling Gardner Minshew II or a quarterback the Raiders just signed off another team's practice squad (Desmond Ridder). Either quarterback is a fine source of turnovers, and the Raiders are one of the higher-volume passing offenses in the league. So maybe McDuffie gets you an interception in this one.

Unfortunately, the Raiders do not have any wide receiver worth McDuffie’s shadow. Worse, McDuffie is playing predominantly outside. That could mean he doesn’t see much of Brock Bowers, who is Vegas’ top weapon and plays almost exclusively inside. McDuffie may move back inside on occasion, but it’s unlikely he shadows there.

Worse, those hoping McDuffie will get a pick are hoping for history to be made. The Washington alum has zero regular-season interceptions in 33 career starts. That isn't particularly encouraging for those in big-play premium scoring who are starting him hoping that he grabs a turnover.

Defenders Worth Stashing

Grant Stuard, LB, Indianapolis Colts

Stuard led the NFL with 19 tackles in Week 7. This spurt could earn him more playing time going forward. However, there is a reason Stuard didn't make the "LB Riser" portion of our IDP Rankings and didn't qualify as a streamer.

While Stuard dominated the tackle contest in Week 7, his previous career-high was two. Indy only started him because E.J. Speed and Jaylon Carlies were injured. Thus, there is a real risk Stuard won’t even see the field this week if everyone returns healthy.

Stuard is a fine stream again this week if both Speed and Carlies are out. If both play, Stuard is just a stash in deeper leagues who you hope will see an increased role after his big Week 7.

Azeez Ojulari, DL/LB, New York Giants

A once tantalizingly raw pass-rush prospect, Ojulari has stepped in for the injured Kayvon Thibodeaux and registered three sacks in two starts this year. While his advanced metrics are average, he remains a fascinating prospect who is now drawing trade interest.

If rumors are true and the Georgia alum is traded to a team that could better utilize him, do not be surprised if he becomes a viable fantasy asset in deeper IDP leagues.

Make that 3 sacks in the last 5 quarters for Azeez Ojulari🔥 pic.twitter.com/cBdcrVwvvp

— Anthony Rivardo (@Anthony_Rivardo) October 20, 2024

Malik Mustapha, DB, San Francisco 49ers

Mustapha was our DB Riser in this week’s IDP rankings, but his roster rate is still incredibly low. Despite making memes against the Chiefs, in both good and bad ways, he is the 127th-most-rostered DB in fantasy. That's low, considering the rookie collected 12 tackles last week and is playing 100% of the snaps on a still-strong defense.

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