Week 1 of the NFL regular season is finally here and all the work you put into drafting your roster will now begin to bear fruit. To assist those of you who play in IDP leagues, the 2016 version of the IDP Report kicks off (pun intended) to assist you in making savvy roster decisions. This year we will also be featuring a waiver wire section as well as weekly IDP matchup advice. In the past, the waiver wire suggestions were contained in the rising player analysis and, for the most part, it will stay there, but just to make your lives a bit easier, these articles will also break down those IDP who are suggested as adds to your roster for the upcoming week in a pared down format.

For the Week 1 Report, I have added my current rankings for the top 25 linebackers, defensive linesmen and defensive backs. Not much happened in the last preseason games to give a good idea of which IDP are rising or falling, so that is being left out of this week's article, but have no fear, that information will be back beginning with Week 2 of the IDP Report.

Top 25 Linebackers

RankNamePOSTm
1Luke Kuechly ILBCAR/7
2Lavonte David OLBTB/6
3Jamie Collins OLBNE/9
4NaVorro Bowman ILBSF/8
5Malcolm Smith ILBOAK/10
6D'Qwell Jackson ILBIND/10
7Alec Ogletree ILBLA/8
8Brandon Marshall ILBDEN/11
9Derrick Johnson ILBKC/5
10Jordan Hicks ILBPHI/4
11Deone Bucannon ILBARI/9
12Lawrence Timmons ILBPIT/8
13Kwon Alexander ILBTB/6
14Kiko Alonso ILBMIA/8
15Sean Lee OLBDAL/7
16C.J. Mosley ILBBAL/8
17Bobby Wagner ILBSEA/5
18Anthony Hitchens OLBDAL/7
19Telvin Smith OLBJAX/5
20Ryan Shazier ILBPIT/8
21Danny Trevathan ILBCHI/9
22Denzel Perryman ILBSD/11
23Paul Posluszny ILBJAX/5
24DeAndre Levy OLBDET/10
25Thomas Davis OLBCAR/7
26Demario Davis ILBCLE/13
27Blake Martinez ILBGB/4
28Jerrell Freeman ILBCHI/9
29Ben Heeney ILBOAK/10
30Mark Barron OLBLA/8
31Mychal Kendricks OLBPHI/4
32Eric Kendricks ILBMIN/6
33Will Compton ILBWAS/9
34K.J. Wright OLBSEA/5
35Von Miller OLBDEN/11
36James Laurinaitis ILBNO/5
37Dont'a Hightower OLBNE/9
38Anthony Barr OLBMIN/6
39Vontaze Burfict OLBCIN/9
40Sean Weatherspoon OLBATL/11
41Melvin Ingram OLBSD/11
42Jelani Jenkins OLBMIA/8
43DeMarcus Ware OLBDEN/11
44Jonathan Casillas OLBNYG/8
45Devon Kennard OLBNYG/8
46Chandler Jones OLBARI/9
47Terrell Suggs OLBBAL/8
48Clay Matthews OLBGB/4
49Daryl Smith OLBTB/6
50Dannell Ellerbe OLBNO/5

The rankings for the top 25 linebackers have not seen much of a shake-up from what was contained in the Fantasy Alarm Football Draft Guide, although there is enough movement to make things interesting once we get past the first seven players or so. Derrick Johnson jumped from 22nd to 9th, and Alex Ogletree moved up four spots to 7th on the list. Sean Lee has dropped from 5th to 15th, and if you drafted him, be prepared to work the wire, as he is a good bet to miss time again this season. Brandon Marshall has jumped eight slots, to 8th on the list, while Von Miller, Mark Barron and Keenan Robinson fell out of the top 25 altogether. I still would own Miller and Barron, but might want to drop Robinson due to his hamstring injury.

 

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Top 25 Defensive Linesmen

RankNamePOSTm
1J.J. Watt DEHOU/9
2Khalil Mack DEOAK/10
3Robert Quinn DELA/8
4Ezekiel Ansah DEDET/10
5Carlos Dunlap DECIN/9
6Jabaal Sheard DENE/9
7Cameron Jordan DENO/5
8Muhammad Wilkerson DENYJ/11
9Jason Pierre-Paul DENYG/8
10Aaron Donald DTLA/8
11Everson Griffen DEMIN/6
12Mario Williams DEMIA/8
13Michael Bennett DESEA/5
14Fletcher Cox DTPHI/4
15Calais Campbell DEARI/9
16Robert Ayers DETB/6
17Kony Ealy DECAR/7
18Olivier Vernon DENYG/8
19Geno Atkins DTCIN/9
20Cliff Avril DESEA/5
21Dante Fowler Jr DEJAX/5
22Ndamukong Suh DTMIA/8
23Gerald McCoy DTTB/6
24Michael Johnson DECIN/9
25Charles Johnson DECAR/7
26Kawann Short DTCAR/7
27Sheldon Richardson DENYJ/11
28Jurrell Casey DETEN/13
29William Hayes DELA/8
30Derek Wolfe DEDEN/11
31Leonard Williams DENYJ/11
32Clinton McDonald DTTB/6
33Johnathan Hankins DTNYG/8
34Michael Brockers DTLA/8
35Malik Jackson DTJAX/5
36Linval Joseph DTMIN/6
37Marcell Dareus DTBUF/10
38Tyrone Crawford DTDAL/7
39Malcom Brown DTNE/9
40Tom Johnson DTMIN/6
41Brandon Williams DTBAL/8
42Tyeler Davison DTNO/5
43Jordan Hill DTFA/
44Nick Fairley DTNO/5
45Kyle Williams DTBUF/10
46Alan Branch DTNE/9
47Randy Starks DTCLE/13
48Bennie Logan DTPHI/4
49Dontari Poe DTKC/5
50Damon Harrison DTNYG/8

Over at the DL front, one big notable change is that Khalil Mack is now a top-ranked DL, as opposed to being a LB. Michael Johnson, Dante Fowler, Jr., Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy have all achieved top-25 status with the new projections, while Rob Ninkovich, Leonard Williams and Sheldon Richardson are all below the cut-off mark. Of those final three, I would still bank on Williams and Richardson returning value at this point, but if you drafted Ninkovich, it is time to look for a better option, what with his suspension and all (see the injury report on page 4).

 

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Top 25 Defensive Backs

RankNamePOSTm
1Reshad Jones SMIA/8
2Kurt Coleman SCAR/7
3Corey Graham SBUF/10
4Karl Joseph SOAK/10
5Eric Berry SKC/5
6Landon Collins SNYG/8
7Rashad Johnson STEN/13
8Malcolm Jenkins SPHI/4
9Harrison Smith SMIN/6
10Earl Thomas SSEA/5
11T.J. Ward SDEN/11
12Trumaine Johnson CBLA/8
13Jason McCourty CBTEN/13
14Marcus Peters CBKC/5
15DeAngelo Hall SWAS/9
16Eric Weddle SBAL/8
17Ron Parker SKC/5
18Kenny Vaccaro SNO/5
19Morgan Burnett SGB/4
20Antoine Bethea SSF/8
21Adam Jones CBCIN/9
22Barry Church SDAL/7
23Tony Jefferson SARI/9
24Ha Ha Clinton-Dix SGB/4
25Dre Kirkpatrick CBCIN/9
26DeShawn Shead CBSEA/5
27Ibraheim Campbell SCLE/13
28Kam Chancellor SSEA/5
29Logan Ryan CBNE/9
30Tramon Williams CBCLE/13
31Damarious Randall CBGB/4
32Tavon Wilson SDET/10
33Johnathan Cyprien SJAX/5
34Bashaud Breeland CBWAS/9
35T.J. McDonald SLA/8
36Joe Haden CBCLE/13
37Ronald Darby CBBUF/10
38Janoris Jenkins CBNYG/8
39Josh Norman CBWAS/9
40Byron Jones CBDAL/7
41David Amerson CBOAK/10
42Aqib Talib CBDEN/11
43Chris Harris CBDEN/11
44Richard Sherman CBSEA/5
45Malcolm Butler CBNE/9
46Sam Shields CBGB/4
47Byron Maxwell CBMIA/8
48Buster Skrine CBNYJ/11
49Kareem Jackson CBHOU/9
50Lamarcus Joyner CBLA/8

Eric Berry has leapt up the rankings, moving from 10th to 5th, and Malcolm Jenkins moved from 17th to 8th in the current rankings. Meanwhile, Karl Joseph has fallen not only out of the top 25, but is not in my top 50 DBs heading into Week 1. I would suggest keeping him on your radar, as he projects to be a starter at some point in 2016. Jason McCourty has jumped from a pre-season ranking of 33rd best DB to No. 13 in the current rankings, and would be a fine pickup going into the opening games. Antoine Bethea was not among my prior top 50 DBs, but has gained significant traction, as has Adam Jones, Dre Kirkpatrick and Tony Jefferson, while Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has fallen 15 spots to 24th on the list. I still like Clinton-Dix, though, so do not go dropping him just yet.

 

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Matchups to Exploit

Houston vs Chicago (we know Houston puts a strong defense on the field, and I do not trust the Chicago offense to be efficient early on this season, plus J.J. Watt is back in action)

Kansas City vs San Diego (San Diego is a passing team, and KC should be able to get to Rivers all day long, so look for some big plays here as the Chiefs pressure the opposing QB)

Indianapolis vs Detroit (based on the favorable tackle numbers provided by the home scoring crew in Indy)

Pittsburgh vs Washington (both sides of this contest look to provide good tackle and assist numbers)

Ouch (My Aching Roster)

All the injury reports below need evaluation prior to kickoff.  Teams are notoriously sketchy about injury reports, and we often do not know a player's status until just before game time. Consider the list below as a "heads up" as to what is going on early in the week, and should not be considered definitive.

Linebackers

David Harris NYG (shoulder)

Elvis Dumervil BAL (foot)

Vontaze Burfict CIN (suspension)

Rolando McClain DAL (suspension)

Sio Moore IND (hamstring)

Tamba Hali KC (knee)

Justin Houston KC (knee)

Mark Barron LA (undisclosed)

Jelani Jenkins MIA (knee)

Aldon Smith OAK (suspension)

Junior Galette WAS (Achilles)

Defensive Linemen

Randy Gregory DE DAL (suspension)

Demarcus Lawrence DE DAL (suspension)

Rob Ninkovich DE NE (suspension)

Sheldon Richardson DE NYJ (suspension)

Cameron Heyward DE PIT (ankle)

Quinton Dial DT SF (knee)

Defensive Backs

Keanu Neal S ATL (knee)

Clayton Geathers S IND (foot)

Shamarko Thomas S PIT (groin)

Darius Butler CB IND (knee)

Jerraud Powers CB BAL (ankle)

Xavier Rhodes CB MIN (hamstring)

As ever, good luck and Godspeed in your fantasy efforts. Make sure to read all of our great articles to help you win your fantasy match ups every week and ultimately bask in championship glory. If you have any fantasy football questions, especially about IDP leagues, I can be reached at ia@fantasyalarm.com.