Eyes of the Guru IDP Info, Week 1

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The studying, speculating, and roster building are over, and there is not much more we can do to prepare for week one. All that's left is to sit back and enjoy some football while we get answers to many/most of our open questions. Week one always gives us a few new questions as well, so make no mistake: The first two weeks and how we adapt to the surprises they bring will be instrumental to winning our leagues.

Guru's Notes on Arizona

As we head into week one, the Cardinals' defense has two questions with possible IDP implications. The first is, where will the pass rush come from? Zaven Collins and Dennis Gardeck are set to start on the edge. Neither of those players will strike fear into opponents because neither has ever recorded more than seven sacks in a season.

It is painfully unlikely that we will get any useful help from Arizona's edge positions but there is at least some potential that we could find a little value at their second inside linebacker spot. We can comfortably expect good numbers from Kyzir White but his partner on the inside remains sketchy. Mack Wilson has worked with the starters all summer and is set to open the season with the job, but will he be on the field enough to make an impact in the box scores or will the Cardinals use a big nickel to get rookie safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson on the field?  

Guru's Notes on Atlanta

The Falcons made a ton of changes over the offseason so there is much to watch for at all three levels of the defense. Will we see the same Matthew Judon who combined for 27 sacks in 2021 and 2022, or will the curse of the Falcons make him a marginal starter going forward? Will Justin Simmon's production in the box scores finally match his impact on the field?

The most impactful answer will likely come at the linebacker position, where we will finally see if Troy Andersen gets the start as anticipated. Can he live up to the lofty expectations many of us had before last year's injury. 

Guru's Notes on Baltimore

We are looking for the Ravens to show us three things. Was last year's breakout by Justin Madibuike a coming-out party or simply one standout season? Can Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo be the next generation of excellent edge defenders? And can Trenton Simpson be as productive as Patrick Queen was last year, in the shadow of Roquan Smith? We should be able to get a good feel for the Simpson question from this week's game. It will take a little longer for a full review of the other two.   

Guru's Notes on Buffalo

The Bills lost some starters to free agency but it is their injury situations that we need to pay the most attention to early in the season. Matt Milano was placed on injured reserve with a designation to return. With a torn biceps, this will not be a short stay for Milano. If he is able to return at all, it is unlikely to be before December.

Dorian Williams will get the first shot at replacing Milano. He got the first shot when Milano was lost last October as well, but Williams was not able to keep the job. He was on the bench at the end of the season while the starter was a guy the team signed off his couch late in the year. Chances are, Williams has already been snapped up. What we need to see is how well he plays. If last year's experience was not enough to make him a better player, Williams may be looking over his shoulder at Nick Morrow.

The other watch list situation is at safety. Longtime starters Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer are gone while rookie Cole Bishop and free agent addition Mike Edwards missed a lot of time over the summer with injuries. Buffalo's current unofficial depth chart, has Taylor Rapp at strong safety and Demar Hamlin at free.    

Guru's Notes on Carolina

The Panthers' defense is hardly swelling with talent or depth. That makes the loss of D.J. Wonnum a big one. Wonnum will open the season on the PUP, so he'll miss at least four games with a sore knee. While he is out, DJ Johnson will have an opportunity to impress.

Carolina will also be without corner Dane Jackson for a while. Veteran Mike Jackson is expected to get the call until Jackson is ready.  

Guru's Notes on Chicago

There are two players to watch in Chicago, both in the secondary. Kevin Byard has been highly productive over his eight years in the league. We will now find out if he can continue to produce with a different team. It has been a minute since a Chicago free safety was an IDP factor, but the Bears have not had a player of Byard's potential for a long time.

While I feel pretty good about Byard's chances, the Bear I'm most interested in seeing is Kyler Gordon. Gordon could be an excellent addition for us if he continues to show up like he did in limited preseason action. He impressed all summer and is working in an aggressive nickel role, similar to the ones that have given us outstanding value in recent years.

Guru's Notes on Cincinnati

Myles Murphy will miss the start of the season with a sprained knee that landed him on the PUP list. That leaves the Bengals a little thin on the edge but they are expected to have both starters. Sam Hubbard remains questionable on the injury report with his sore knee but he has been practicing.

There is some debate about what the Bengals starting secondary will look like. Many experts and depth charts have Vonn Bell starting at strong safety over Jordan Battle while others still have Battle as the starter. The team's unofficial depth chart, which I believe to be correct, has Bell at the position. On the other hand, their depth chart still shows DJ Turner ahead of Dax Hill for the outside corner role, even though the team has announced that Hill won that job. The bottom line here is to stay away from these guys until there is clarity.  

Guru's Notes on Cleveland

The only question we need to be answered by the Browns, is if they will deploy a three-down linebacker this year, and if they do will it be Jordan Hicks or Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah? Hicks has been questionable with an undisclosed injury over the last few weeks but he practiced on Monday which is a good sign.

Guru's Notes on Dallas

Eric Kendricks is the clear No. 1 linebacker for the Cowboys. DeMarvion Overshown is expected to hold the other starting spot, having moved ahead of Damone Clark early in the offseason. Last year's Cowboys used safety Markquese Bell as a linebacker but he has been moved back to safety. So will there be a second linebacker in nickel situations this year, and if so, will it make Overshown an IDP factor? We should know by Monday.

Guru's Notes on Denver

The theme of watching for linebacker roles continues with the Broncos. Cody Barton is set to start next to Alex Singleton with Justin Strnad as the only healthy backup on the roster. Denver pulled Josey Jewell in sub-package situations last year. I expect they will take Barton off of the field in those situations as well. We should be able to confirm one way or another after the week one game.  

Guru's Notes on Detroit

Ifeatu Melifonwu has been the subject of much conversation over the offseason. It started with his unclear role but has now shifted to the mysterious injury he suffered in the second preseason game. There has still been no official word on the nature of the injury, but it is believed to be an ankle or heel issue. What we do know is that Melifonwu's availability for week one and his role when healthy remain in question.

The Lions have not yet confirmed that second-year linebacker Jack Campbell will be on the field full time but there is reason to be optimistic. The Melifonwu situation is one good sign for Campbell. Another is the shift of Derrick Barnes to Strongside linebacker. Last year, Barnes and Campbell shared time as the second linebacker in two backer packages with Malcolm Rodriguez getting on the field in some three LB groupings.

Guru's Notes on Green Bay

There are a lot of IDP managers out there hoping for big things from rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper. Those in dynasty formats will need to exercise patience. Those in redraft leagues may not have that luxury. A nagging injury kept Cooper from earning a starting job in the offseason, leaving him behind Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson on the eve of week one. With the Packers shifting to a 4-3 scheme, we will have to see how the playing time breaks down, but it is anticipated that McDuffie and Quay Walker could be on the field virtually full-time.

There is some unknown at the safety position as well. Xavier McKinney is locked in as one starter with rookie Javon Bullard expected to hold the other spot. Green Bay has given us nothing definitive here. What we do know is that Bullard has been seeing most of the first-team work recently, after being banged up earlier in training camp. Both players have the versatility to play either safety spot so this one will be high on the watch list.