Written By: Johnny Davis
Hello and welcome everyone to the 5th weekly installment of “IDP Game Notes” brought to you by IDP Guru staff writer, Johnny Davis. This column is quickly turning into one of the most comprehensive, all-encompassing IDP articles anywhere. And it’s free!
Eagles @ Bills
– Buffalo’s safeties continue to produce outstanding fantasy numbers: SS George Wilson (11 solo tackles-0 assists, interception, pass defensed) and FS Jairus Byrd (8-0, fumble recovery, forced fumble, PD). Jack-of-all-trades safety Bryan Scott (4-1) didn’t do quite as well. ILB Nick Barnett (2-1, 2 PD, 2 int, 1 31-yd int-return TD) didn’t do much tackling, but he had a huge day nonetheless.
– Nate Allen (10-3) has been given the Philly FS job, and he showed why. Jarrad Page (7-4) did pretty well at the SS spot. MLB Jamar Chaney (4-4, int, 2 PD) and WLB Brian Rolle (5-4) were in on a lot of plays. DT Cullen Jenkins (3-3, 1 sack) and DE Jason Babin (3-2) will see plenty of opportunities while stud DE Trent Cole is sidelined with a calf injury.
Chiefs @ Colts
– It looks like the official scorer was stingy with the solo tackles in this game because no one on Kansas City’s defense had more than 3 solos. ILB Derrick Johnson (3-5) got the most love. Other noteables: SS Jon McGraw (0-3, PD), FS Kendrick Lewis (2-2), and OLB Tamba Hali (1-3).
– With a more generous official scorer, Indy MLB Pat Angerer (4-11) could have had a much better fantasy day. FS Antoine Bethea (6-6) is having a good season no matter who the official scorer is. The DEs got to the QB: Dwight Freeney (2-2, 1.5 sacks) and Robert Mathis (1-3, .5 sack). CB Jerraud Powers (2-1) left with a hamstring injury.
Bengals @ Jaguars
– There wasn’t much to get excited about from a Cincy IDP perspective. FS Reggie Nelson (3-0) had a down game after a hot start to the season. MLB Rey Maualuga (3-3, PD) still hasn’t had the breakout game we’ve been waiting for.
– Jacksonville MLB Paul Posluszny (6-3, 2 PD) had another good game. Maybe he’s going to be OK after all. SLB Daryl Smith (7-2, PD) has been on fire the last few games. SS Dawan Landry (6-0) had another good tackling day.
Titans @ Steelers
– Pittsburgh’s Lawrence Timmons (3-2, PD) has been moved to OLB with James Harrison injured, and it didn’t help his fantasy numbers. Instead, ILB James Farrior (9-4, PD) was the beneficiary of Harrison’s absence and Timmons’ position change. SS Troy Polamalu (5-4, 3 PD) had his usual good game. OLB LaMarr Woodley (1-2, int, PD, 1.5 sacks) was all over the stat sheet. Rookie DE Cameron Heyward (2-0, FF, 1 sack) made his first impact.
– Tennessee CB Jason McCourty (8-6, PD) is on a tear. He’s as hot as they get in the IDP world. MLB Barrett Ruud (7-3) had his second-straight good game. WLB Will Witherspoon (5-1) is putting up decent numbers. SS Jordan Babineaux (5-5) continues to rack up tackles in Chris Hope’s absence.
Seahawks @ Giants
– Seattle SS Kam Chancellor (5-1, fumble recovery, int, 2 PD) had a strong return from injury. DE Chris Clemons (3-0, FF, 2 sacks) was a force to be reckoned with. CB Brandon Browner (6-0, 3 PD, 94-yd int return TD) had a huge play to win the game. Several other Seahawks had good numbers: WLB Leroy Hill (5-3), MLB David Hawthorne (5-2), and FS Earl Thomas (4-1, fumble recovery, int, PD).
– The Giants may not have won this game, but I bet their IDPs won some fantasy games: DE Jason Pierre-Paul (5-1, 2.5 sacks, PD), still-listed-as-a-back-up LB Jacquian Williams (7-1, PD), DE Osi Umenyiora (3-1, FF, 1.5 sacks), FS Antrel Rolle (6-2), back-up FS Deon Grant (4-2, 1 sack, PD), WLB Michael Boley (5-2, fumble recovery), and SS Kenny Phillips (5-0). DE Justin Tuck was again inactive.
Cardinals @ Vikings
– Minnesota SLB Chad Greenway (9-0, PD) got plenty of tackles. DE Jared Allen (3-1, fumble recovery, 2 sacks, PD) can’t be stopped. DE Brian Robison (4-0, FF, 2 sacks) got his second two-sack game of the season. SS Jamarca Sanford (1-1, 2 int, 2 PD) picked off two passes. MLB E.J. Henderson (3-1) had a down game.
– Arizona DE Calais Campbell (4-1, PD) cooled off a bit but still had good numbers. ILB Daryl Washington (4-1, 1 sacks) is not getting his tackle numbers where his owners would like them. CB A.J. Jefferson (7-1, PD) is having a good season. Rookie CB Patrick Peterson (3-1) was pretty quiet. FS Kerry Rhodes (2-0) went down with a broken foot.
Saints @ Panthers
– New Orleans SS Roman Harper (0-2, PD) had a very uncharacteristic quiet game. DT Aubrayo Franklin (4-1, FF, 1 sack) came out of nowhere to have a huge game. DE Will Smith (2-0) disappeared, as he tends to do from time to time. MLB Jonathan Vilma (5-0, PD) did OK.
– Carolina SS Charles Godfrey (9-0, 2 PD) had a huge game. DE Greg Hardy (4-1, 1 sack, PD) had another big game. SLB James Anderson (5-5) was in on a lot of plays. DE Charles Johnson (1-2) has been disappointing lately.
Raiders @ Texans
– You can set your clock by Oakland SS Tyvon Branch (6-1) having a good game. MLB Rolando McClain (4-0, PD) didn’t blow anyone away. A few DLs had good numbers: DT Richard Seymour (4-1, 2 sacks, 2 PD), DT Tommy Kelly (3-1, 1 sack), and DE Lamarr Houston (2-1, int, 2 PD). DE Matt Shaughnessy missed the game with a shoulder injury.
– Houston ILB Brian Cushing (7-1, 1 sack, PD) had a great game and looked awesome playing with a bloodied face. CB Jason Allen (9-1, int, 2 PD) had his second-straight huge game while CB Kareem Jackson nurses a knee injury. ILB DeMeco Ryans (2-2) and rookie DE J.J. Watt (1-0) were quiet. OLB Mario Williams (1-0, 1 sack) suffered a season-ending chest injury.
Bucs @ 49ers
– San Fran ILB Patrick Willis (10-2, fumble recovery, PD) did his best to re-establish the pecking order with ILB Navorro Bowman (5-1). DE Justin Smith (4-0, 1 sack) looks to be building some momentum. Rookie OLB Aldon Smith (2-0, 2 sacks) has had two straight impactful performances. FS Dashon Goldson (4-0, FF) cooled off a bit. SS Donte Whitner (4-0) looks like an IDP bust.
– After disappearing last week, Tampa Bay SS Sean Jones (9-0, PD) came back strong. DE Michael Bennett (4-0) had a decent tackle number. Rookie MLB Mason Foster (2-1, fumble recovery) had a down game.
Jets @ Patriots
– With New England WLB Jerod Mayo sidelined with a knee injury, MLB Brandon Spikes (5-1) and WLB Gary Guyton (4-5) could be putting up better numbers. SS Pat Chung (4-5) was in on a lot of plays. DE Andre Carter (4-3) had an active game. CB Devin McCourty (2-0) had a down game.
– New York ILB David Harris (7-2, 1 sack) had his second-straight big game. FS Eric Smith (5-4) is having a good IDP season. OLB Jamaal Westerman (3-2, 2 sacks) filled Bryan Thomas’ spot nicely. ILB Bart Scott (1-1) soiled himself.
Chargers @ Broncos
– I’m pretty sure San Diego is the least exciting team when it comes to IDP fantasy football. FS Eric Weddle (2-0, PD) can usually be counted on, but he bombed out on this day. No one else even comes close to blowing my skirt up: ILB Donald Butler (4-0, int, PD), ILB Takeo Spikes (4-1), yawn, yawn, and yawn.
– Denver’s LBs, on the other hand, know how to get it done, IDP style: WLB D.J. Williams (7-2, 1 sack), MLB Joe Mays (8-1), and “back-up” WLB Wesley Woodyard (6-1). DE Robert Ayers (3-2, FF, 1 sack) had a good day.
Packers @ Falcons
– Green Bay ILB Desmond Bishop (7-0, 1 sack) just keeps on producing. This is the kind of game I was afraid we’d see out of Morgan Burnett (2-2) at FS. Meanwhile, SS Charlie Peprah (5-3, int, PD) was over there lighting up the stat sheet. Let’s hope it’s only one game.
– In case you haven’t realized by now, Atlanta WLB Sean Weatherspoon (6-5, 1 sack) is the real deal. You already know that about MLB Curtis Lofton (4-6). DE Ray Edwards (2-1, 1 sack) got to the QB. CB Brent Grimes (6-1, FF, 2 PD) had an outstanding game.
Bears @ Lions
– Detroit WLB Deandre Levy (9-4) has had two straight good games, while MLB Stephen Tulloch (4-2, PD) is holding his own. If QB hurries got you fantasy points, then DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (0-2) would have had a heck of a game, but instead he let his D-line counterparts put up the numbers: DE Cliff Avril (2-2, 1 sack, PD), DE Lawrence Jackson (2-2, 1 sack), DE Willie Young (2-1, 1 sack), and DT Ndamukong Suh (4-0).
– It’s feast or famine this season for Chicago MLB Brian Urlacher (2-1). Unfortunately for his fantasy owners, it was famine this week. WLB Lance Briggs (5-4) had a good game. CB Charles Tillman (8-0) continues to put up good tackle numbers. DE Julius Peppers (3-0) went to the locker room with a knee injury but returned later in the game.
If you have any questions for Johnny, feel free to email him at johnnydavis@idpguru.com or follow him on Twitter. Also, feel free to post any questions or comments for David in the comments section of this post.
Last Updated: October 10, 2011