Coming off a week with six teams on a bye, and another four teams on bye this current scoring period, the rising IDP are scarce. If you can pick up a player to plug in and get you through this week and next, you are doing well to prepare for the stretch run. Unfortunately, some of the players listed below are questionable with injury concerns, so keep an eye on their practice status going into the Week 10 contests.
Bye Weeks coming up: Current week: Baltimore, Denver, Houston, Minnesota; Week 11: Buffalo, Cleveland, Miami, New England, New York Jets, San Francisco; Week 12: Kansas City, Los Angeles Rams
Elevator Going Up
Linebackers
Jordan Evans CIN
With both Vontaze Burfict and Nick Vigil listed as questionable for Week 10, Evans is a speculative add. He played as a three-down LB in Week 8, collecting 11 total tackles (TT), seven of those solos. He is coming off the Bengal bye week and would be worth relying on, depending on the status of those other LBs noted in the opening sentence.
Tanner Vallejo CLE
Vallejo came in when Christian Kirk sey left with his hamstring injury and put up a seven TT effort (six solo) over just 39 defensive snaps. With Kirksey heading to the IR, he should see more action, especially if Joe Schobert is out of action in Week 10 with his own hamstring issues.
Matt Judon BAL
Judon has picked up his production over the past few contests, and collected five solo tackles against the visiting Steelers last week, including one for a loss of yards (TFL). He also contributed a pass deflection (PD) and three QB hits (QH) to go with a sack. Quite a fantasy-beneficial effort, although he is on a bye this week. If you have room to stash him, this may be your opportunity to get one over on your league mates.
Defensive Linemen
Cassius Marsh DE SF
Marsh has a tasty matchup in Week 10, looking to build on the 2.5 sack effort he supplied in Week 9 against the Raiders. He also put up four TT (three solo tackles, two TFL) and three QH at home against Oakland, and gets to play in front of the favorable home stat crew again in Week 10.
Mario Addison DE CAR
Keep an eye on his status this week, as he is sitting on the injury report with a shoulder issue at present. He did contribute three sacks and five TT (three solo, two TFL) together with a trio of QH and a forced fumble (FF) in Week 9 against the Buccaneers, although this week is not as favorable a matchup in Pittsburgh assuming he takes the field.
Ezekiel Ansah DE DET
Ansah finally returned to action, albeit with limited snaps, and picked up a sack and one solo tackle for a loss of yards. If he is now healthy, look for his playing time to increase and the stats to follow along.
Markus Golden DE ARI
Golden returned to the field in Week 8, collecting seven solo tackles and a sack against the 49ers prior to the Week 9 bye for Arizona. This week’s matchup is not extremely favorable, but with the Raiders, Packers and Lions on the schedule in three of the following four weeks, he should prove valuable if his knee holds up.
Matt Ioannidis DE/DT WAS
Ioannidis qualifies as a DT only in ESPN leagues, while he is a DE for Yahoo leagues. He has a couple of excellent matchups in store against the Buccaneers and Texans, and looks poised to build on his seven TT (six solo, one TFL) Week 9 effort, where he also added a QH and a sack to his stat line.
Defensive Backs
Tramon Williams S GB
When Ha HaClinton-Dix was sent to Washington, the Packers turned to Williams to fill in at safety, moving from his prior position at cornerback. He had six TT (five solo) in his new role, and should provide tackle numbers going forward.
T.J. McDonald S MIA
McDonald put up a fine fantasy effort in Week 9 against the Jets, collecting a pair of PD and an INT to go along with nine TT (eight solo) but some of that was due to the inexplicable and still unexplained departure of Reshad Jones from the contest after playing just 10 snaps on defense. Jones is expected back on the field this week, however, so lower your expectations for McDonald, although he has still been a useful safety for fantast production even with Jones playing.
Michael Davis CB LAC
Davis is being targeted often by opposing offenses, which is leading to valuable tackle opportunities for his fantasy owners. He had eight TT in Week 9 against the host Seahawks (seven solo). While the Raiders are not a great matchup in Week 10, the next two weeks feature a pair of teams that provide plenty of fantasy production to opposing corners in the form of the Broncos and then the Cardinals.
P.J. Williams CB NO
Williams is currently listed as questionable with a hamstring issue for Week 10’s contest in Cincy, but if he plays, it is a decent matchup for the Saint CB being targeted by opposing offensive coordinators. He had six TT in Week 9 (five solo, one TFL) with a trio of PD. His Week 11 opponent, Philly, is a promising matchup, too.
Escalator Going Down
Linebackers
None to speak of, except for those listed below in the injury report.
Defensive Linemen
Cameron Heyward DE PIT
Heyward has been a horrible disappointment this season, especially of late, providing just two assisted tackles over the past two games. His sack numbers are down as well, with just 2.5 through eight games in 2018.
Defensive Backs
Reshad Jones S MIA
It is unclear exactly what led to Jones departure from the Week 9 contest against the visiting Jets in the first quarter, but he is expected to be back in the saddle for the Week 10 matchup against the Packers. Still, without knowing what transpired, trusting him fully seems unwise.
D.J. Swearinger , Sr. WAS
If you added him based on the Week 9 recommendation in this article, apologies are due. He put up a goose egg in tackles against the Falcons, despite playing all 68 snaps on defense. It was not as if Atlanta did not provide opportunities for tackle production, either, rushing 24 times and offering the Washington defense 52 total tackle chances.
Matchups to Exploit
Remember, the first team listed is the one to use your IDPs against. Do not go crazy, and play a LB5 against the Bills, but certainly you will do well if you own a top LB or safety on the Giants that you can plug in this week, for the most part.
Linebackers
New York Jets v Buffalo
Atlanta Falcons @ Cleveland
New York Giants @ San Francisco
Defensive Ends
Washington @ Tampa Bay
Los Angeles Chargers @ Oakland
Defensive Tackles
San Francisco 49ers v New York Giants
Buffalo @ New York Jets
New England Patriots @ Tennessee
Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia
Safeties
New York Jets v Buffalo
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Indianapolis
New York Giants @ San Francisco
Cornerbacks
Cleveland Browns v Atlanta
Atlanta Falcons @ Cleveland
Washington @ Tampa Bay
Waiver Wire Targets
This section is intended to serve as a shortened cheat sheet listing those waiver wire targets you should be considering if you need to plug a hole in your starting lineup. All these players are spotlighted above, and you can read my comments about them in the "Elevator Going Up" section of this article. Not all the players commented on are here, however, as there is no need to waste your time searching for players that are heavily owned. This group consists of those that you may have a chance of locating on your league's waiver wire in that they are owned in significantly less than 50% of leagues. Happy claiming for your weekly matchups.
Linebackers
Jordan Evans CIN
Tanner Vallejo CLE
Matt Judon BAL
Defensive Linemen
Cassius Marsh DE SF
Mario Addison DE CAR
Ezekiel Ansah DE DET
Markus Golden DE ARI
Matt Ioannidis DE/DT WAS
Defensive Backs
Tramon Williams S GB
T.J. McDonald S MIA
Michael Davis CB LAC
P.J. Williams CB NO
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
Deion Jones ATL foot (IR)
Tim Williams BAL ankle
Tremaine Edmunds BUF concussion
David Mayo CAR groin
Christian Kirk sey CLE hamstring (IR)
Jamie Collins CLE ankle
Joe Schobert CLE hamstring
Sean Lee DAL hamstring
Brandon Marshall DEN knee
Jalen Reeves-Maybin DET neck
Blake Martinez GB ankle
Zach Cunningham HOU knee
Duke Ejiofor HOU shoulder
Anthony Hitchens KC ribs
Frank Zombo KC hamstring
Justin Houston KC hamstring
Kyzir White LAC knee (IR)
Obo Okoronkwo LAR foot
Anthony Barr MIN hamstring
Don’t’a Hightower NE knee
John Simon NE shoulder
Kevin Pierre-Louis NYJ foot
Frankie Luvu NYJ neck
Reuben Foster SF hamstring
Daren Bates TEN illness
Derrick Morgan TEN shoulder
Defensive Linemen
DE
Trent Murphy BUF knee
Marquis Haynes CAR illness
Mario Addison CAR shoulder
Carl Lawson CIN knee-ACL (IR)
Randy Gregory DAL knee
Taco Charlton DAL shoulder
KemokoTuray IND neck
Joey Bosa LAC foot
Chris Landrum LAC hip
Charles Harris MIA calf
Marcus Davenport NO toe
Vinny Curry TB ankle
DT
Robert Nkemdiche ARI calf
DeadrinSenat ATL shoulder
David Irving DAL ankle
Hassan Ridgeway IND illness
Eli Ankou JAX calf
Darius Philon LAC ankle
Dan McCullers -Sanders PIT ankle
Defensive Backs
S
DamontaeKazee ATL ankle
Eric Reid CAR shoulder
Damarious Randall CLE groin
Darian Stewart DEN neck
Kentrell Brice GB knee
Andre Hal HOU shoulder
Clayton Geathers IND knee
Daniel Sorensen KC knee
Eric Berry KC heel
Andrew Sendejo MIN groin
Terrence Brooks NYJ illness
JaquiskiTartt SF shoulder
Antone Exum SF concussion
Emmanuel Moseley SF shoulder (IR)
Neiko Thorpe SEA groin
Bradley McDougald SEA knee
Dane Cruikshank TEN knee
CB
Robert Alford ATL ankle
Jimmy Smith BAL concussion
Tavon Young BAL ankle
E.J. Gaines CLE concussion (IR)
Tavierre Thomas CLE abdomen
Denzel Ward CLE hip
Bradley Roby DEN ankle
Kevin King GB hamstring
Johnathan Joseph HOU knee-MCL
Aaron Colvin HOU ankle
Nate Hairston IND ankle
Cordrea Tankersley MIA knee-ACL (IR)
P,J. Williams NO hamstring
Trumaine Johnson NYJ quadriceps
M.J. Stewart TB foot
Quinton Dunbar WAS leg
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.FANation Chat is now live on the site, to help you work through your fantasy football dilemmas. Or if you have any fantasy football questions, especially about IDP leagues, you can also send a message toia@fantasyalarm.com for a personal response from the writer of this article. Naturally, the more detail you can send about your league, such as number of teams, platform you play in (Yahoo, ESPN, etc.), scoring and roster system, the better the ability to provide accurate advice.
Player News
CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala says free agent QB Aaron Rodgers “is not going to play just for the sake of playing.”
Kinkhabwala has had conversations with Rodgers and executives around the league trying to sign him. Based on those conversations, she says, “it’s extremely clear Rodgers is not going to play just for the sake of playing.” He remains unsigned with the 2025 NFL Draft on the horizon and multiple teams needing quarterback help. The Steelers are the most likely fit, but it seems Rodgers won’t force it if he does not find a good fit. This explains why Rodgers has been interested in the Vikings and has not yet signed. The 41-year-old may be headed for retirement if a situation he prefers, like the Vikings, does not want him back. His options remain limited and Rodgers may call it a career if he still does not like his options later in the offseason.
Bears signed LB T.J. Edwards to a two-year, $20 million extension.
Edwards’ extension includes $16.6 million guaranteed. The Bears originally signed him to a three-year, $19.5 million contract two seasons ago and he has outplayed that salary. Edwards has four interceptions, 6.5 sacks, and 20 tackles for loss in two seasons starting for Chicago in the middle of the field. He gets a raise as the Bears lock up another important part of their defense after extending CB Kyler Gordon earlier in the week.
Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams visited the Falcons on Wednesday.
Williams posted on his Instagram that he visited the Falcons facility on what was the last day of pre-draft visits. The 20-year-old is a Georgia native, played at the University of Georgia, and is expected to be selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Falcons have a need for an edge rusher and hold the No. 15 pick. They may look to keep Williams in-state and add his skillset to their pass-rushing group. Williams tallied five sacks last season and has explosive production for any team looking to add an edge rusher in the first round.
Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart “won’t fall out of the first round.”
Schultz reports his sources are indicating that Dart will not fall out of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He continues that the Giants are a candidate to trade up from pick No. 34 into the first round to take Dart if they do not take a quarterback at pick No. 3. The Saints are also an option with pick No. 9 or a trade up from pick No. 40. Dart is generally considered the third quarterback to come off the board after Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, so a team in need of a franchise quarterback may take a chance on him after Ward and Sanders are selected. Teams could look to gain a fifth-year option on Dart and trade into the first round if he is not taken earlier.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Raiders LT Kolton Miller is not participating in the voluntary offseason program and seeks an extension.
Miller was the Raiders’ first-round pick in 2018 and has started 107 games over seven seasons for the team. He is set to enter the final year of his current contract in 2025, making $12.25 million. Though he is not technically holding out yet since the offseason program is voluntary, Fowler notes Miller is seeking an extension. He finished last season with an 80.6 PFF grade, No. 14 among offensive tackles. Miller has been the Raiders’ franchise left tackle for seven years now and both sides will certainly discuss an extension as training camp nears.
Virginia Tech RB Bhayshul Tuten said he had a private workout with the Commanders’ running backs coach.
Tuten didn’t name him directly, but Anthony Lynn is currently the Commanders’ running backs coach and run game coordinator. The Commanders were hampered by injuries to both Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler last year. Robinson Jr. missed three games and played through some of his injuries while Ekeler missed five contests and was limited to just 112 touches. Tuten crushed the combine with a 4.32 Forty at 5'9/206. He handled 200 touches in back-to-back seasons at Virginia Tech while topping 1,100 yards from scrimmage in both campaigns. He would offer the Washington backfield a good mix of durability and home run potential.