IDL and Edge Streaming Matchups, Week 5

Photo: Imagn Images

Week 4 made one thing very apparent...stop picking on the Bengals offensive line. After allowing a horrific 13 sacks over the first two weeks, the Bengals line has shown much better cohesiveness, allowing just three sacks over the last two weeks, killing my Week 4 streamer of Melvin Ingram, who had just a single tackle. J.J. Watt was the other streaming edge call, and he was productive, though mostly in leagues that score passes defended well. He finished the game with three tackles, two passes defended, and one pressure. Dawuane Smoot was the deep edge sleeper of the week, and he almost came through. He was a half of a second late and was credited with a single assisted tackle and a half of a sack, adding one pressure.

On the interior, we had some great hits for Week 4. Dalvin Tomlinson was huge in the Vikings' victory, finishing with four tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and three pressures while touting an elite 91.7 pass-rush grade for the week. Larry Ogunjobi was the other IDL streaming candidate from Week 4, and he was almost a smash himself. He only finished with three tackles but tallied three pressures from the interior, coming incredibly close to hitting home with a few sacks. The IDL sleeper from Week 4 blew up. Dexter Lawrence had himself a career game. I talked him up on The IDP Show preview podcast and dropped his name in my Week 4 article. He racked up five tackles, one for a loss, two sacks, and an unbelievable eight total pressures. Lawrence definitely won some people their Week 4 matchups. Here are my favorite streaming matchups for Week 5.

Week 5 IDL and Edge Streaming Options

Edge D.J. Wonnum, Minnesota Vikings

Matchup: Chicago Bears - Ranked 23rd In Matt Bitonti's Rankings

When ZaDarius Smith signed with the Vikings, many thought that Wonnum would be relegated back to a small role. He has still averaged a 48% snap-share, even with Smith on the roster. That total spiked when he saw 70% of the team's snaps during their Week 4 victory. He responded in that increased role, tallying up five tackles with one going for a loss. Watch here where he beats the double team to set the edge and make the tackle for a loss.

DJ Wonnum beats the double team vs 19 Zorro and gets a TFL. His run defense this year has been much improved: pic.twitter.com/eIzwC0cgSO

— Nick Olson (@NickOlsonNFL) October 4, 2022

Wonnum has seen his snap-share increase weekly and takes on the pitiful Bears offensive line during Week 5. The Bears have given up the second-most sacks in 2022 so far (16), and Wonnum will be looking to add to his sack total come Sunday.

Edge Denico Autry, Tennessee Titans

Matchup: Washington Commanders - rAnked 18th In Matt Bitonti's Rankings

Denico Autry gets little if any respect from IDP managers. All he does, though, is steadily produce solid Edge2 numbers. Through the past four seasons since leaving the Raiders, Autry has averaged 33.25 tackles, 7.25 sacks, and 43 pressures per season. He is on a hot start so far in 2022, posting eight tackles, three sacks, and 16 pressures over the first four games. Autry made the Colts look pedestrian, constantly winning his offensive line matchups as you can see in this clip.

Denico Autry a Beast , it’s crazy how many monsters the titans got on The D-Line. Not to mention Harold Landry out for the year and Bud Depree Not 100%, BigJeff getting Doubled or Hold EVERY PLAY. You love to see it . https://t.co/2VxKSjxOT0

— FoCuS ®î¨€ (@DollarSignTionn) October 4, 2022

Autry seems to be an ageless wonder. At 32 years old, he currently has the best pass rush grade of any of his seasons so far at 82.8. He has made the loss of Harold Landry much easier to burden with how well he is playing. Autry will be able to wreak havoc again in Week 5, challenging the feeble Commanders offensive line who has given up a league-most 17 sacks in the first four games. Fire Autry up with confidence.

IDL JArran Reed, Green Bay Packers

Matchup: New York Giants - Ranked 28th In Matt Bitonti's Rankings

Jarran Reed is easily coming off of his best game of the 2022 season. He tallied eight tackles, a sack, and a pressure during a Week 4 victory over the Patriots. Reed has seen the second most snaps (152 or 68%) of any interior defensive lineman on the Packers. The 68% snap-share has quantified into an average of four tackles per game, providing a solid floor for an interior streamer. Reed's fiery motor was red hot on this sack where he did not let multiple double teams stop him. He kept applying pressure and eventually came up with the sack.

Jarran Reed’s relentlessness has been an awesome addition to the #Packers front.

PS this is what happens when a tight end tries to block Rashan Gary. pic.twitter.com/54DhdKqL7T

— Brandon Carwile (@PackerScribe) October 4, 2022

Reed and the Packers are taking on the Giants for their Week 5 matchup. The Giants have given up the league's 6th most sacks (14) on the season. Daniel Jones temporarily left the Giants' Week 4 matchup with an injury, only to be thrust back into the game noticeably less than 100% when Tyrod Taylor left the game. Jones is now questionable, with Davis Webb as the only other healthy quarterback on the roster. I expect a heavy dose of Saquon Barkley for Week 5, which increases Reed's floor, while the poor pass blocking of the Giants elevates Reed's weekly ceiling.

IDL Roy Robertson-Harris, Jacksonville Jaguars

Matchup: Houston Texans - Ranked 15th In Matt Bitonti's Rankings

Roy Robertson-Harris has been the interior presence that the Jaguars have been lacking since Calais Campbell moved on. He has seen the field on 58% of the team's defensive snaps with a Week 4 spike of 80%. During his additional playing time, Robertson-Harris came up huge in almost another Jaguars upset. He was able to chalk up nine total tackles in Week 4. Watch this clip from earlier in the season against the Chargers where he knifes through the offensive line with a swim move to make a tackle for a loss.

One of the unsung heroes of the #Jaguars run defense: Roy Robertson-Harris pic.twitter.com/YWdXRVoZD5

— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) September 28, 2022

Robertson-Harris's run defense on the interior has been a large part of the success of the Jaguars defense. They have had solid pass-rushers on the edge since they drafted Josh Allen but have lacked that interior presence. Dameon Pierce showed some real signs of life in the running game for the Texans, who have been one of the worst rushing teams in the NFL so far this season. This could bring more balance to their offense and, in turn, call more rushing plays. That would feed right into the belly of Robertson-Harris who has 16 tackles on the season already.

Week 5 IDL and Edge Sleeper Options

Edge Baron Browning, Denver Broncos

Matchup: Indianapolis Colts - Ranked 6th In Matt Bitonti's Rankings

Baron Browning has made a full conversion to outside linebacker for the Broncos after being drafted as more of an interior linebacker. His pass-rushing ability, though, always was his best asset. Unfortunately for Browning, he has been stuck behind this year's prize free-agent signing Randy Gregory and former 1st round pick Bradley Chubb. Fortunately for Browning, not the Broncos, Gregory went down with a knee injury and is out indefinitely. It is because of this that my good friend and esteemed colleague at Footballguys, Kyle Bellefeuil, has Browning as one of this week's waiver wire targets, which you can read here. Browning showed tremendous explosion and really nice bend off the edge in the team's Week 2 game against the Texans as you can see here.

Baron Browning clips vs. Houston pic.twitter.com/6nKY3WTeGw

— Frankie Abbott (@FrankiesFilm) September 22, 2022

Browning has already been named the started in the wake of Gregory's injury and should see a healthy snap-share. His first start is a Thursday night matchup against the Colts. The Colts have given up the 5th most sacks in the NFL with 15, though over the past two weeks, they have been exceptionally terrible. The Colts have given up 13 sacks over the past two weeks making this a juicy matchup for Browning and the rest of the Broncos defensive line.

IDL D.J. Jones, Denver Broncos

Matchup: Indianapolis Colts - Ranked 6th In Matt Bitonti's Rankings

Why don't we keep picking on the Colts? Everyone else is. Like Browning mentioned above, D.J. Jones is more of an afterthought for IDP managers on the Broncos defensive line. Most think of Randy Gregory and Bradley Chubb on the edge and Dre'Mont Jones on the interior. D.J. Jones is by no means a slouch. In 2021 with the 49ers, he set career highs in tackles (48), sacks (3), and pressures (24). He has also made a shift on the defensive line this season. During the first two weeks of the season, Jones primarily played nose tackle. This was great for a tackle floor, but he had little upside. In Week 4, Jones predominantly played either right or left defensive tackle. What did this do? He responded with three tackles, two for a loss, a sack, and four pressures.

Jones gets a tasty matchup against the immobile Matt Ryan and the ghost that once was the Colts offensive line. If Jones continues to play left or right defensive tackle, not only does he retain his solid tackle floor, but his ceiling remains elevated. He could provide IDL2 production with the potential upside of an IDL1.

Final Thoughts

It has been close to 50-50 when trying to stream edge defenders and interior defensive linemen so far this season. What has been noticeable by exploiting offensive line matchups though, is where and when you can find these blow-up games that are true week winners. Being able to examine struggling offensive lines and hot defensive linemen have left some fantasy managers choosing to stream on a weekly basis. Following pressure rates, players with strong tackle floors with potential big play upside, and time on the field are all valuable assets in finding matchup winners. Hopefully, this article has helped you with some roster decisions. Good luck on all of your Week 5 matchups.