Welcome to the NFL, fantasy football Week 10 kickoff, and the stretch run of the fantasy football season!
With growing data available, we will try to make the best start/sit decisions based on the early season results. Pay attention to the injury reports, and keep your lineup flexible when setting to cover your risk and maximize results.
Every league is different — especially in the individual defensive player (IDP) world. These rankings are based on our fantasy scoring to help you adjust to your league while acknowledging that there will be some variations across different platforms. It doesn’t account for position requirements and is best thought of as IDP Flex rankings for Week 10!
Which IDP Players Should You Start in Fantasy Football?
1) Foyesade Oluokun, LB | JAX (vs. MIN)
2) Roquan Smith, LB | BAL (vs. CIN)
3) Fred Warner, LB | SF (at TB)
4) Bobby Wagner, LB | WAS (vs. PIT)
5) Blake Cashman, LB | MIN (at JAX)
6) Daiyan Henley, LB | LAC (vs. TEN)
7) Logan Wilson, LB | CIN (at BAL)
8) Terrel Bernard, LB | BUF (at IND)
9) Quincy Williams, LB | NYJ (at ARI)
10) Brian Branch, S | DET (at HOU)
11) T.J. Edwards, LB | CHI (vs. NE)
12) Derwin James Jr., S | LAC (vs. TEN)
13) Josh Metellus, S | MIN (at JAX)
14) Kaden Elliss, LB | ATL (at NO)
15) Azeez Al-Shaair, LB | HOU (vs. DET)
16) T.J. Watt, LB | PIT (at WAS)
17) Budda Baker, S | ARI (vs. NYJ)
18) E.J. Speed, LB | IND (vs. BUF)
19) Dorian Williams, LB | BUF (at IND)
20) Tyler Nubin, S | NYG (at CAR)
21) Antoine Winfield Jr., S | TB (vs. SF)
22) Zaire Franklin, LB | IND (vs. BUF)
23) Jamien Sherwood, LB | NYJ (at ARI)
24) Nick Cross, S | IND (vs. BUF)
25) Kyzir White, LB | ARI (vs. NYJ)
26) Germaine Pratt, LB | CIN (at BAL)
27) DeMarvion Overshown, LB | DAL (vs. PHI)
28) Nick Bosa, DE | SF (at TB)
29) Micah Parsons, LB | DAL (vs. PHI)
30) Kyle Hamilton, S | BAL (vs. CIN)
31) Zack Baun, LB | PHI (at DAL)
32) Jalen Pitre, S | HOU (vs. DET)
33) Jessie Bates III, S | ATL (at NO)
34) Trenton Simpson, LB | BAL (vs. CIN)
35) Nick Bolton, LB | KC (vs. DEN)
36) Lavonte David, LB | TB (vs. SF)
37) DeShon Elliott, S | PIT (at WAS)
38) Nakobe Dean, LB | PHI (at DAL)
39) Kamren Curl, S | LAR (vs. MIA)
40) Will Anderson Jr., DE | HOU (vs. DET)
41) Minkah Fitzpatrick, S | PIT (at WAS)
42) Josey Jewell, LB | CAR (vs. NYG)
43) Josh Hines-Allen, DE | JAX (vs. MIN)
44) Brandon Jones, S | DEN (at KC)
45) Jeremy Chinn, S | WAS (vs. PIT)
46) Kenneth Murray Jr., LB | TEN (at LAC)
47) Jack Campbell, LB | DET (at HOU)
48) Frankie Luvu, LB | WAS (vs. PIT)
49) Quentin Lake, S | LAR (vs. MIA)
50) Bobby Okereke, LB | NYG (at CAR)
51) Jalen Thompson, S | ARI (vs. NYJ)
52) Jevon Holland, S | MIA (at LAR)
53) Tyrann Mathieu, S | NO (vs. ATL)
54) Jaylen McCollough, DB | LAR (vs. MIA)
55) Tremaine Edmunds, LB | CHI (vs. NE)
56) Patrick Queen, LB | PIT (at WAS)
57) Taron Johnson, CB | BUF (at IND)
58) Justin Reid, S | KC (vs. DEN)
59) Damar Hamlin, S | BUF (at IND)
60) Cody Barton, LB | DEN (at KC)
61) Jared Verse, DE | LAR (vs. MIA)
62) Trevin Wallace, LB | CAR (vs. NYG)
63) Trey Hendrickson, DE | CIN (at BAL)
64) C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S | PHI (at DAL)
65) Marte Mapu, LB | NE (at CHI)
66) Jordyn Brooks, LB | MIA (at LAR)
67) Camryn Bynum, S | MIN (at JAX)
68) Alex Anzalone, LB | DET (at HOU)
69) Demani Richardson, S | CAR (vs. NYG)
70) Devin Lloyd, LB | JAX (vs. MIN)
71) Nate Landman, LB | ATL (at NO)
72) Ivan Pace Jr., LB | MIN (at JAX)
73) Dexter Lawrence II, DT | NYG (at CAR)
74) Reed Blankenship, S | PHI (at DAL)
75) Demario Davis, LB | NO (vs. ATL)
76) Drue Tranquill, LB | KC (vs. DEN)
77) Danielle Hunter, DE | HOU (vs. DET)
78) Jerome Baker, LB | TEN (at LAC)
79) Jordan Poyer, S | MIA (at LAR)
80) David Long Jr., LB | MIA (at LAR)
81) Eric Kendricks, LB | DAL (vs. PHI)
82) Taylor Rapp, S | BUF (at IND)
83) Brian Burns, DE | NYG (at CAR)
84) Alex Highsmith, LB | PIT (at WAS)
85) Jahlani Tavai, LB | NE (at CHI)
86) Amani Hooker, S | TEN (at LAC)
87) Mack Wilson Sr., LB | ARI (vs. NYJ)
88) Henry To’oTo’o, LB | HOU (vs. DET)
89) Jordan Battle, S | CIN (at BAL)
90) Jordan Whitehead, S | TB (vs. SF)
91) Will McDonald IV, DE | NYJ (at ARI)
92) Travon Walker, DE | JAX (vs. MIN)
93) Sione Takitaki, LB | NE (at CHI)
94) Justin Strnad, LB | DEN (at KC)
95) Quinnen Williams, DT | NYJ (at ARI)
96) Josh Sweat, DE | PHI (at DAL)
97) Greg Rousseau, DE | BUF (at IND)
98) Payton Wilson, LB | PIT (at WAS)
99) K.J. Britt, LB | TB (vs. SF)
100) George Karlaftis III, DE | KC (vs. DEN)
Best IDP Players To Start in Week 10
Brian Branch, S, Detroit Lions
I’m keeping it simple this week with Branch, but for anyone who hasn’t paid attention to what happened last week, don’t worry. He was ejected from the game in Week 9, hence the “down” week.
Branch actually had two or more passes defended in each of his first five games, then none in the last two. He’s also hit six or more tackles in five of his six full games. That combination of tackle and passes defended, plus a few interceptions, give you a solid floor-and-ceiling combination for a DB week in and week out. Forget the ejection and start Branch again.
Jamien Sherwood, LB, New York Jets
The rise of the IDP star Sherwood this season has been remarkable. He started out the year as the third LB playing in base sets only; now he is the green-dot guy, and I don’t see that changing. Since Week 3 he’s played at least 95% of snaps in every game.
Most tackles this season:
58 — Budda Baker
52 — Robert Spillane, Zack Baun, Dorian Williams
50 — Jamien Sherwood
49 — EJ SpeedBudda is a different BREED. pic.twitter.com/rj0uyP1Sc0
— Cardinals Muse (@CardsMuse) November 4, 2024
In games where Sherwood has played a majority of the snaps, he’s hit double-digit tackles in half and fallen below seven only once. That is remarkable consistency with a solid upside. Last week unlocked a new level, as he picked up his first two sacks of 2024, hopefully leading to more rush opportunities to add serious upside to a stud IDP LB.