Welcome to our team’s weekly article on IDP Fantasy Football Upside in player performance for the upcoming week!
We have reached our first hurdle in the fantasy season, BYE weeks! Yes, it may feel like this season has been a non-stop series of hurdles to overcome, but at least this one was expected.
The list of players that will be unavailable is a deep one. At DL, we have the likes of Aidan Hutchinson, Jerry Hughes, Maxx Crosby, Chandler Jones, Denico Autry, and Jeffrey Simmons. The LB position is always the one that seems to be the most painful. This week, the list includes Alex Anzalone, Malcolm Rodriguez, Christian Kirksey, KGH, Divine Deablo, and David Long. Yes, I know it is another week that we don’t get to see how Blake Martinez will fit into the defense in Las Vegas. Finally, the DB position will leave us without DeShon Elliott, Jalen Pitre, Jonathan Abram, and Kevin Byard.
Each week we’re going to list players that we believe will outperform their Fantasy Pros IDP Expert Consensus Rankings, thereby giving you the advantage in setting your lineups for each week’s slate of games. So sit back, relax, and enjoy reading our article on IDP Fantasy Football Upside in Week 6!
Defensive Line
Travon Walker (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Travon Walker, the NFL’s 1st overall pick, is looking to get back into the sack column! After his amazing Week 1, where he was the DL5, it has been a month since finishing inside the DL40. I expect that to change this week vs Indianapolis! The Colts have been an enigmatic team in 2022, and the O-Line has sometimes been a big cause. Over the past two weeks, the Colts have allowed the 3rd most pressures and the most sacks in the NFL.
Travon Walker says there’s extra motivation going after “sitting duck” Matt Ryan. https://t.co/6QxbJurRta
— The Jaguars Wire (@TheJaguarsWire) October 15, 2022
Derrick Brown (Carolina Panthers)
This is definitely a play for those of you in DT leagues but can have some benefit in all leagues. So why do I think Derrick Brown has an upside in Week 6? For starters, over the past two weeks, the Rams have allowed the most pressures in the NFL (51), with the next closest a long way away! How much separation do you ask? The 15 pressures separating the Rams at #1 (51) and the Dolphins at #2 (36) is as much or more than 14 teams’ last two weeks combined!
The upside isn’t always about isolating just one metric to exploit, but I believe there are a few reasons why Brown can eclipse his FantasyPros ECR of DL67! Brown has been exceptional at knocking down passes, leading all DL with 6. While Stafford has been good at avoiding batted-down passes, Brown seems like a safe bet for at least one. The final piece of upside is Derrick Brown’s run-play tackling upside. If the Rams elect to run the ball once they have established the lead, they prefer running it to the right side of the line, where Brown will be lined up!
Top-graded Panthers through the 2022 season:
— PFF CAR Panthers (@PFF_Panthers) October 12, 2022
1. Derrick Brown – 84.2
2. Christian McCaffrey – 80.8
3. Austin Corbett – 80.4 pic.twitter.com/nFzNxCGNXv
Linebacker
Troy Anderson (Atlanta Falcons)
With the news that Mykal Walker will not be playing in Week 6 due to a groin injury, it is all systems GO for Troy Anderson. The rookie is stepping right into a role that just screams IDP UPSIDE! Anderson has the blend of size, speed, and awareness that could translate into immediate success in Week 6. In limited play, Anderson has produced ten tackles (15% tackle rate), 1 TFL, and a QB hit. It comes down to the amount of time that the Falcons expect to be on the field that I see the most upside. The Falcons’ defense has allowed the most plays per drive, but a good percentage of the drives lead to turnovers (14%).
With a run-heavy team like the 49ers lacking some pieces across the O-line, I see a lot of opportunity for Anderson to have a good line of sight on the RB. It also plays well into his hands that he could be targeted on a heavy amount of pass attempts, which could always lead to an increase in tackles.
Currently, as the LB68, it is almost as sure of a bet that I can make that he will exceed that ranking. I believe that he has an LB2/3 upside in Week 6!
Alex Singleton (Denver Broncos)
He just won’t go away! As our friend Mike Woellert said on our podcast, “Shoot the Gap”, he reminds him of the Undertaker GIF where he just pops up out of the coffin. Down goes Josey Jewell, and up pops Alex Singleton. While many, including myself, don’t think Singleton is actually a “good” NFL linebacker, he has consistently been a “really good” IDP linebacker. Last I checked, most IDP leagues don’t penalize you for being a bad player.
Singleton will get the Chargers in Week 6, who have been more than generous to opposing linebackers. This week should be no different! Currently, the LB39 is a safe bet that he returns LB2 production with LB1 upside. Looking back at the past two seasons, when Singleton has played at least 40 snaps, he has only had under eight tackles twice! With Jewell most likely to miss Week 6, expect 40+ snaps from Singleton!
Alex Singleton clips vs. Indianapolis Colts pic.twitter.com/wMahmJG2ud
— Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) October 14, 2022
Defensive Back
Alohi Gilman (Las Angeles Chargers)
Gilman has taken the free safety role from Nasir Adderley and is in a great spot to outperform his ranking. When deciding on a DB, snaps, and positioning are the two most important areas to focus on. Gilman has established the snap share that we all covet, as well as a good blend of free safety and line-of-scrimmage snaps.
Gilman had shown his value with the late-game interception in Week 5. Look for Gilman to see a full workload in Week 6 and contribute IDP value. Currently, the DB124 is almost a guarantee that he delivers significant value on the week. The Broncos may not be the most generous to opposing DB, but he has excellent opportunities for IDP managers.
