With Week 7 behind us, it’s time to look ahead for our fantasy football leagues.
The IDP report will provide an early look at several waiver wire priorities of varying league sizes, along with preliminary Week 8 IDP rankings. Since all leagues are different sizes and have differing IDP requirements, the weekly rankings might be more beneficial than the waiver list.
As usual, the rankings are a reflection of IDP Flex rankings for tackle-heavy formats.
A.J. Epenesa, DE, Buffalo Bills
The defensive line pickings this week are pretty limited, as not many players took significant leaps in value. One player who does seem to be ascending, though, and is seeing the snaps to make it sustainable, is Buffalo Bills DE A.J. Epenesa, who exceeded 75% of snaps in Week 7 for the first time in 2024.
Over the last two weeks, Epenesa has totaled seven tackles, three sacks, and two forced fumbles. The fumbles can be fluky, but the sacks and tackles can definitely be more sustainable.
Epenesa can be a decent depth option and possibly fill in for bye weeks or a few weeks while waiting out injuries.
Divine Deablo, LB, Las Vegas Raiders
One linebacker likely going under-rostered in IDP leagues is Las Vegas Raiders LB2 Divine Deablo. He’d been hurt for a few weeks, but Deablo has played over 90% of snaps in each of the last two weeks. It might be a lack of tackles that is causing him to fly under the radar, but the opportunity is fantastic.
Deablo has played in four games and has yet to exceed six total tackles, so it’s a risky addition. Don’t expect him to all of a sudden take over the role from teammate Robert Spillane as the top LB and tackle machine. Deablo should be getting more tackles than he is, though, and has shown adept as an IDP option in the past.
Eric Wilson, LB, Green Bay Packers
Eric Wilson is a strong add for any managers dealing with injuries to their linebackers or just streaming IDPs. Quay Walker left the Green Bay Packers’ Week 7 contest against the Houston Texans with a concussion, which makes him very iffy for Week 8.
This move is not without risk. It’s possible rookie Edgerrin Cooper can become the starter and full-time guy off a full week of prep. During the game, Green Bay turned to the veteran Wilson, and he posted a solid six combined tackles, including four for a loss, and two QB hits. Fire him up as a solid LB option.
Evan Williams, S, Green Bay Packers
I loved Javon Bullard as an IDP asset and repeatedly recommended him because I thought he would stay the starting safety for the Packers. He lost that role, but not because of poor play.
Rather, Bullard’s teammates struggled at cornerback, so Green Bay moved him to Nickel CB. While he’s still playing, Bullard is now a hit-or-miss weekly play, and that role moved to another.
Evan Williams has been the primary second safety for the last three weeks. In the two games he played a 100% snap share, he’s hit 9+ tackles in each.
Williams is still a rookie who’s barely played in the NFL; this is likely just scratching the surface. He’s probably a top-20 type safety over the rest of the year and an ascending dynasty IDP asset as well.
Week 8 Fantasy Football IDP Rankings
1) Roquan Smith, LB | BAL (at CLE)
2) Fred Warner, LB | SF (vs. DAL)
3) Ernest Jones IV, LB | SEA (vs. BUF)
4) Lavonte David, LB | TB (vs. ATL)
5) Ivan Pace Jr., LB | MIN (at LAR)
6) Azeez Al-Shaair, LB | HOU (vs. IND)
7) Bobby Wagner, LB | WAS (vs. CHI)
8) Logan Wilson, LB | CIN (vs. PHI)
9) T.J. Edwards, LB | CHI (at WAS)
10) Robert Spillane, LB | LV (vs. KC)
11) Nick Bolton, LB | KC (at LV)
12) Terrel Bernard, LB | BUF (at SEA)
13) Brian Branch, S | DET (vs. TEN)
14) Kyzir White, LB | ARI (at MIA)
15) Zack Baun, LB | PHI (at CIN)
16) Foyesade Oluokun, LB | JAX (vs. GB)
17) Derwin James Jr., S | LAC (vs. NO)
18) Jaquan Brisker, S | CHI (at WAS)
19) Nick Cross, S | IND (at HOU)
20) Grant Delpit, S | CLE (vs. BAL)
21) Germaine Pratt, LB | CIN (vs. PHI)
22) Joshua Metellus, S | MIN (at LAR)
23) Frankie Luvu, LB | WAS (vs. CHI)
24) Nick Bosa, DE | SF (vs. DAL)
25) Kyle Dugger, S | NE (vs. NYJ)
26) Eric Kendricks, LB | DAL (at SF)
27) Tyrel Dodson, LB | SEA (vs. BUF)
28) Jamien Sherwood, LB | NYJ (at NE)
29) Tremaine Edmunds, LB | CHI (at WAS)
30) Kyle Hamilton, S | BAL (at CLE)
31) E.J. Speed, LB | IND (at HOU)
32) Zaire Franklin, LB | IND (at HOU)
33) Devin Lloyd, LB | JAX (vs. GB)
34) Dorian Williams, LB | BUF (at SEA)
35) Quincy Williams, LB | NYJ (at NE)
36) Maxx Crosby, DE | LV (vs. KC)
37) Trevin Wallace, LB | CAR (at DEN)
38) Jalen Thompson, S | ARI (at MIA)
39) Tyler Nubin, S | NYG (at PIT)
40) Budda Baker, S | ARI (at MIA)
41) Jordyn Brooks, LB | MIA (vs. ARI)
42) Antoine Winfield Jr., S | TB (vs. ATL)
43) Kaden Elliss, LB | ATL (at TB)
44) Julian Love, S | SEA (vs. BUF)
45) Quentin Lake, S | LAR (vs. MIN)
46) T.J. Watt, LB | PIT (vs. NYG)
47) Alex Anzalone, LB | DET (vs. TEN)
48) Daiyan Henley, LB | LAC (vs. NO)
49) Divine Deablo, LB | LV (vs. KC)
50) Drue Tranquill, LB | KC (at LV)
51) Tre’von Moehrig, S | LV (vs. KC)
52) Jalen Pitre, S | HOU (vs. IND)
53) C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S | PHI (at CIN)
54) Myles Garrett, DE | CLE (vs. BAL)
55) Justin Reid, S | KC (at LV)
56) Josey Jewell, LB | CAR (at DEN)
57) Jordan Whitehead, S | TB (vs. ATL)
58) Brandon Jones, S | DEN (vs. CAR)
59) Nate Landman, LB | ATL (at TB)
60) Nakobe Dean, LB | PHI (at CIN)
Top IDP Players To Start in Week 8
Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Minnesota Vikings
Another week with Blake Cashman missing the game (Minnesota Vikings play on Thursday Night Football) means another Ivan Pace Jr. chalk week. Pace is a top-five overall linebacker and an absolute must-start for any manager rostering the young LB.
Last week, Pace saw his first start of 2024 and rewarded any manager who started him. His line was a solid 10 combined tackles, as well as a sack and a fumble return touchdown. The TD might be fluky, but the sack wasn’t.
Pace is often used as a blitzer and showed well in his opportunities in 2023 as well. Fire him up as a smash start.
Jamien Sherwood, LB, New York Jets
This one is a bit riskier, but don’t hesitate to put New York Jets LB Jamien Sherwood right into your lineup again if need be. C.J. Mosley continues to be eased into more playing time, but as an older player, it may be that he’s never taking back the full-time role.
Sherwood, meanwhile, continues to ace every test as a starting LB. He’s now racked up 34 total tackles over his last three games — all while playing near a full snap share for the fifth consecutive game.
Fire up Sherwood again this week and continue to do so until the time that Mosley is announced back as the Jets’ defensive play-caller.