Eyes of the Guru IDP Info: Week 2

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The fallout from the opening round of NFL games always creates a whirlwind of both disappointment and opportunity. The decisions we make this week and next will go a long way toward determining the level of success we will have this year or lack thereof.

Those who have read The Eyes of the Guru over the years have heard this before. The advice is always the same: Week 1 is a liar. Make decisions based on situations that can be explained, not just on the raw numbers from one week of games.

Flukes happen every week of the season. They shine brighter in Week 1 because we are hyped up and desperate to add the player that will win the championship for us. He might be out there, just be sure you're not the manager who cuts the guy who would have won the championship for you, to pick up this week's shiny object.

Guru's IDP Notes on Arizona

A handful of teams had no linebacker reach 70% of the snaps in Week 1. That emphasizes the fact that many managers will have no choice but to start someone at the position who is not on the field full-time. Mack Wilson could end up being one of those guys. Kyzir White is the every-down guy. He managed eleven combined stops while playing every defensive snap. Mack was limited to 63% of the playing time but made the most of it, going 8-1 with a pass breakup. Mack never gave us much value while with the Browns or Patriots, so the solid output in Week 1 could be a mirage. It is enough to get his name on the waiver wire list though.

Guru's IDP Notes on Atlanta

There is good news and bad news with Atlanta's linebackers. The good news is they had two backers on the field for every defensive play. The bad news is that Troy Andersen and Nate Landman shared time at one of those spots. Anderson put up a respectable 5-1, which is fairly impressive considering he played 31 snaps. Meanwhile, Landman was 5-2 on 37. The position produced a strong 10-3, but unless one player can claim the majority of the playing time, neither of these guys can be trusted in our lineups.

One game is not confirmation, but so far, so good for Matthew Judon. His totals were not huge but he tied Grady Jarrett for the most playing time among Atlanta's defensive linemen with 68% while recording five total stops and half of a sack.

Jesse Bates picked up where he left off last year, posting six solo tackles. He and recent addition, Justin Simmons, played every snap but Simmons was credited with a disappointing three assists. If you picked him up, give Simmons another week to show us something. The Eagles should be a much stronger matchup.

Guru's IDP Notes on Baltimore

Most of us expected Trenton Simpson to slide right into the every-down role that Patrick Queen vacated. He might eventually get there but it didn't happen in Week 1. Simpson saw 70% of the action with Malik Harrison getting the rest. The good news is that Baltimore kept two backers on the field in virtually all situations. Now we need Simpson to earn the rest of the snaps.

Kyle Van Noy left last week's game with a fractured orbital socket. He will miss some time but should return in a few weeks.

Eddie Jackson got on the field in a limited role as the third safety. The Ravens fielded three safeties on about 40% of the snaps. 

Guru's IDP Notes on Buffalo

In last week's column, I talked about the potential of Greg Rousseau if he could get a bigger slice of the pie, and the fact that the team was thin at the. If Rousseau is available in your league, grab him. He had the biggest game of his career versus the Cardinals, going 6-0-3 with a forced fumble. Most importantly, Rousseau fell one snap short of 80% of the playing time.  

The Bills fielded at least five defensive backs on every play against the Cardinals. Taron Johnson suffered a forearm injury on the seventh play and was replaced by Cam Lewis, who went on to finish 7-3. So far, all we know about Johnson's injury is that it will keep him out of Week 2.

Terrel Bernard looked great, finishing at 10-1 on 100% of the snaps. Dorian Williams didn't get every snap, but he saw 85% which was enough to post a respectable 5-3 with a fumble recovery. It is a small sample but so far, Williams looks much better than he did as a rookie.

Taylor Rapp and Damar Hamlin played every snap at safety.

Guru's IDP Notes on Carolina

Carolina took a beating from the Saints. On Monday they poured salt in the wound with the announcement that Derrick Brown is headed to IR with a torn meniscus. Brown is the fourth player at the position to land on IR, leaving the team paper thin. According to their depth chart, third-year man Jayden Peevy would be the next man up.

Josey Jewell had modest production in the opener with three tackles and four assists but he was on the field full-time. The numbers will come, especially if this team continues to struggle as badly as they did against New Orleans.

Guru's IDP Notes on Chicago

The Bears were in a nickel on 61 of 64 plays with Kyler Gordon working in the slot. His numbers were not eye-catching, but this is a fantasy-friendly role, similar to the ones that have produced IDP studs for us in recent years.  

The Bears were in dire need of a bookend to pair with Montez Sweat. In Darrell Taylor, they might have one. Chicago went with the three-man rotation on the edge in Week 1. DeMarcus Walker got the start opposite Sweat and saw an 83% play share, but many of those snaps came from Walked sliding inside on passing downs. Taylor logged almost 60% of the snaps and was nothing short of impressive, going 7-1-2 with a forced fumble. Taylor has shown signs of IDP potential in the past but like many other players, his production has been limited by a lack of playing time. It would be risky to plug him into your lineup right away but it might be a good idea to stash him on your bench until we get confirmation that last week was not a fluke.  

It was a painfully slow day for Kevin Byard III who managed two tackles. This may well be a fluke from a game with a strange script but it is concerning enough to at least land him on the bench for Week 2.