Welcome to our ninth IDP Start & Sit article at Fantasy In Frames for the 2023 fantasy football season!
Hey everyone, it’s Nate Marcum!. Whether you’re newer to IDP or have been playing for years, my goal of these starts and sits is to provide you with stud picks I’m a huge fan of each week, from your top-tier players to play in your shallow leagues down to deeper league options. However, with the good picks come the ones I am less high on that you should consider alternatives for each week. You can check out my back-to-back Top 10 Fantasy Pros ECR Competition rankings here at Fantasy In Frames weekly to help give you the winning edge to your weekly matchups! Here are my IDPFantasy Football Starts & Sits for Week 9 (2023).
Defensive Linemen
Starts
Khalil Mack (LAC) v NYJ
What was once considered a strength of the Jets, the Offensive Line is now an achilles heel.
Upside is apparent after Week 4’s six-sack game.
Jets’ LT, Mekhi Becton, has allowed a sack in five consecutive games.
Christian Barmore (NE) v WSH
DT specific leagues should look in Barmore’s direction
Barmore now has a sack in back-to-back games
Washington has allowed the most sacks in the NFL
Barmore has not only demonstrated above average pass-rush, but run-stopping is a strength.
Over the past three games, Barmore leads all interior defensive lineman in solo run tackles and run “stops”, to go along with the two sacks and six QB pressures
Rashan Gary (GB) v LAR
Rebound from last weeks’ difficult assignment is on the horizon.
Rams rank 28th in pass-blocking efficiency per PFF over the past month.
Rashan Gary has a 21.4% pressure-rate, yet only 4.5 sacks. That changes this week against the Rams
Rams’ QB, Matthew Stafford, is on the wrong side of playing in Week 9, leaving Brett Rypien to fend off the ferocious pass-rush.
Sit
Montez Sweat (CHI) v N.O.
Recently traded to the Bears in exchange for draft picks.
Pressure rate and win-rate are both concerning when leaving the Commanders and their superior DL.
Saints kept the Colts to only five pressures in Week 8
Saints’ O-Line much improved with the return of Andrus Peat and Ryan Ramczyk.
George Karlaftis (KC) v MIA
MIA has been phenomenal in protecting Tua.
Karlaftis relies on his incredible motor to make plays after the initial block. Unfortunately, Tua is one of the quickest QBs with reading and reacting to defenses.
Jonathan Greenard (HOU) v TB
LT, Tristan Wirfs has been upgraded to a full participant in practice and is ready to go for Week 9.
Next to Penei Sewell, Wirfs has allowed the fewest pressures among Offensive Tackles.
Linebackers
Start
Jordan Hicks (MIN) v ATL
Falcons allowing 18.8 tackles to opposing LBs
Atlanta will be without Drake London, thus potentially leaning even heavier on the running game.
Minnesota has been deploying a three-safety look, thus virtually eliminating any other LB from cannibalizing tackle opportunities
Amari Burney (LV) v NYG
Deeper league suggestion for sure
Both Divine Deablo and Luke Masterson have not practiced this week, while Spillane has been limited.
Burney entered Week 8 in relief and played 38 snaps, resulting in five tackles (13% tackle rate)
The New York Giants are one of the more generous teams to opposing LBs, allowing an average of 19 tackles per game. With little to no opposition, he could have a very solid tackle-floor game.
Jahlani Tavai (NE) v WSH
Ja’Whaun Bentley suffered a hamstring injury in Week 8 and has been limited in practices.
When given ample snaps, Tavai has been a more than productive LB.
Tavai recorded 14 blitzes vs MIA, which was tops among LBs in Week 8. Washington’s porous offensive line could lend itself to a few splash plays to go along with a stable tackle floor.
Washington has been a middle of the road team in points allowed to the LB position, but Tavai has made plays happen when on the field.
Sit
Micah McFadden (NYG) v LV
While it’s difficult to project the play calling for the Raiders under the new regime, it isn’t hard to see that McFadden isn’t being used enough for fantasy consistency.
McFadden hasn’t seen a 75% snap share over the past few games, and doesn’t project to this week.
There is always the chance that a splash play happens as a result of his pass-rush, but that is just too risky to predict with a reduced workload.
Leo Chenal (KC) v MIA
While true that Chenal will most likely fill the Willie Gay role while both Gay and Bolton are sidelined, the snap share just won’t be enough for a recommended play.
Chenal does possess excellent blitzing prowess, but as noted with Karlaftis above, the Dolphins are the leagues’ best when it comes to pass-blocking efficiency (per PFF).
Add in the fact that the Dolphins only have allowed a miniscule 14 tackles/game to the LB position. The Chiefs’ fan in me hopes this is wrong.
Denzel Perryman (HOU) v TB
Perryman returned to the lineup in Week 8 after missing two games.
While many, myself included, assumed he would regain a 3-down role, he was simply splitting duties with Henry To’oTo’o.
Will Perryman regain his previous role and log 90% of the snaps? This is the question that I don’t feel comfortable answering, which makes me lean on sitting him another week to see what happens.
Defensive Backs
Start
Geno Stone (BAL) v SEA
Geno Stone vs Geno Smith
Stone has an interception in three straights games
Smith has thrown an interception in three straight games (5 in total)
Marcus Williams will be a GTD as a result of the hamstring. Coach Harbaugh didn’t really sound optimistic about his return, but it’s worth monitoring.
Xavier Woods (CAR) v IND
Woods returned from injury in Week 8 and immediately regained his full-time role.
Without Vonn Bell, Woods saw an increase in box snaps, leading to eight tackles in Week 8.
The Colts have allowed the 6th most tackles to the Safety position.
Jordan Fuller (LAR) v GB
The Rams will be without Ernest Jones, and will need Fuller’s help in keeping the Packers in check.
Fuller has seen an uptick in slot snaps, which has been a focal point for the Packers’ offense.
Sit
Marcus Williams (BAL) v SEA
Questionable with a hamstring injury.
If he plays, I worry about reaggravation.
Seattle only has allowed 13 tackles/game to opposing safeties, and with Hamilton and Stone still seeing a role, I wouldn’t bet on a high ceiling.
Tre’von Moehrig (LV) v NYG
Despite the heavy box snaps, Moehrig doesn’t have nearly as many run-play tackles as other box safeties. (7% run tackle efficiency)
The Giants have allowed only 1 safety to score double-digit fantasy points in the past month.
Nick Scott (CIN) v BUF
Nick Scott has recorded three or less tackles in four of the past five games.
Bengals fans are clamoring for a change at safety, with Jordan Battle receiving more work.
Buffalo is averaging 13 tackles per game to the safety position, and I would venture to say that Dax Hill will eat up the majority of those.
