Welcome to the NFL and fantasy football Week 3 kickoff.
With minimal data available, we will try to make the best start/sit decisions and roster moves based on the offseason/coach speak and Week 1 and 2 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 3!
Which IDP Players Should You Start in Fantasy Football?
1) T.J. Edwards, LB | CHI (at IND)
2) Zack Baun, LB | PHI (at NO)
3) Fred Warner, LB | SF (at LAR)
4) Alex Singleton, LB | DEN (at TB)
5) Roquan Smith, LB | BAL (at DAL)
6) Bobby Okereke, LB | NYG (at CLE)
7) Azeez Al-Shaair, LB | HOU (at MIN)
8) Maxx Crosby, DE | LV (vs. CAR)
9) Bobby Wagner, LB | WAS (at CIN)
10) Nick Bolton, LB | KC (at ATL)
11) E.J. Speed, LB | IND (vs. CHI)
12) Foyesade Oluokun, LB | JAC (at BUF)
13) Logan Wilson, LB | CIN (vs. WAS)
14) Aidan Hutchinson, DE | DET (at ARI)
15) Nick Bosa, DE | SF (at LAR)
16) Baylon Spector, LB | BUF (vs. JAC)
17) Blake Cashman, LB | MIN (vs. HOU)
18) Shaq Thompson, LB | CAR (at LV)
19) Eric Kendricks, LB | DAL (vs. BAL)
20) Brian Branch, S | DET (at ARI)
21) Kyzir White, LB | ARI (vs. DET)
22) Lavonte David, LB | TB (vs. DEN)
23) Robert Spillane, LB | LV (vs. CAR)
24) Josey Jewell, LB | CAR (at LV)
25) Derwin James Jr., S | LAC (at PIT)
26) Quay Walker, LB | GB (at TEN)
27) Myles Garrett, DE | CLE (vs. NYG)
28) T.J. Watt, LB | PIT (vs. LAC)
29) Micah Parsons, LB | DAL (vs. BAL)
30) Zaire Franklin, LB | IND (vs. CHI)
31) Ernest Jones IV, LB | TEN (vs. GB)
32) Quincy Williams, LB | NYJ (vs. NE)
33) Tremaine Edmunds, LB | CHI (at IND)
34) Tyrel Dodson, LB | SEA (vs. MIA)
35) Jordyn Brooks, LB | MIA (at SEA)
36) Boye Mafe, DE | SEA (vs. MIA)
37) Kyle Dugger, S | NE (at NYJ)
38) Demario Davis, LB | NO (vs. PHI)
39) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB | CLE (vs. NYG)
40) Kyle Hamilton, S | BAL (at DAL)
41) Trenton Simpson, LB | BAL (at DAL)
42) Joshua Metellus, S | MIN (vs. HOU)
43) Will Anderson Jr., DE | HOU (at MIN)
44) Grant Delpit, S | CLE (vs. NYG)
45) Troy Andersen, LB | ATL (vs. KC)
46) Jalen Pitre, S | HOU (at MIN)
47) Jahlani Tavai, LB | NE (at NYJ)
48) Derrick Barnes, LB | DET (at ARI)
49) Jaquan Brisker, S | CHI (at IND)
50) Germaine Pratt, LB | CIN (vs. WAS)
51) Dorian Williams, LB | BUF (vs. JAC)
52) Micah McFadden, LB | NYG (at CLE)
53) Trey Hendrickson, DE | CIN (vs. WAS)
54) Jalen Thompson, S | ARI (vs. DET)
55) Julian Blackmon, S | IND (vs. CHI)
56) Budda Baker, S | ARI (vs. DET)
57) Devon Witherspoon, CB | SEA (vs. MIA)
58) Quinnen Williams, DT | NYJ (vs. NE)
59) Patrick Queen, LB | PIT (vs. LAC)
60) Nakobe Dean, LB | PHI (at NO)
61) Jamien Sherwood, LB | NYJ (vs. NE)
62) Josh Hines-Allen, DE | JAC (at BUF)
63) Alex Highsmith, LB | PIT (vs. LAC)
64) Denzel Perryman, LB | LAC (at PIT)
65) Kamren Curl, S | LAR (vs. SF)
66) Camryn Bynum, S | MIN (vs. HOU)
67) Jevon Holland, S | MIA (at SEA)
68) Danielle Hunter, DE | HOU (at MIN)
69) Brian Burns, DE | NYG (at CLE)
70) Khalil Mack, LB | LAC (at PIT)
71) Devin Lloyd, LB | JAC (at BUF)
72) Montez Sweat, DE | CHI (at IND)
73) Chris Jones, DT | KC (at ATL)
74) Kaden Elliss, LB | ATL (vs. KC)
75) Greg Rousseau, DE | BUF (vs. JAC)
76) Julian Love, S | SEA (vs. MIA)
77) Minkah Fitzpatrick, S | PIT (vs. LAC)
78) Kenny Moore II, CB | IND (vs. CHI)
79) Javon Bullard, S | GB (at TEN)
80) Jessie Bates III, S | ATL (vs. KC)
81) Daiyan Henley, LB | LAC (at PIT)
82) Jonathan Greenard, DE | MIN (vs. HOU)
83) De’Vondre Campbell Sr., LB | SF (at LAR)
84) Jordan Hicks, LB | CLE (vs. NYG)
85) George Karlaftis III, DE | KC (at ATL)
86) Divine Deablo, LB | LV (vs. CAR)
87) Dexter Lawrence II, DT | NYG (at CLE)
88) Josh Sweat, DE | PHI (at NO)
89) Yaya Diaby, DE | TB (vs. DEN)
90) Jared Verse, DE | LAR (vs. SF)
91) Tyler Nubin, S | NYG (at CLE)
92) Jeremy Chinn, S | WAS (at CIN)
93) Xavier McKinney, S | GB (at TEN)
94) P.J. Locke, S | DEN (at TB)
95) Justin Reid, S | KC (at ATL)
96) Kenneth Murray Jr., LB | TEN (vs. GB)
97) Frankie Luvu, LB | WAS (at CIN)
98) Quentin Lake, S | LAR (vs. SF)
99) Odafe Oweh, DE | BAL (at DAL)
100) Carl Granderson, DE | NO (vs. PHI)
Best IDP Players To Start in Week 3
Baylon Spector, LB, Buffalo Bills
If your first question to this is, “Who is this?” I don’t blame you. Baylon Spector took over the Terrel Bernard role after his injury, and that should continue into Week 3. It will be the first start of his career, but after Bernard left, Spector posted 10 combined tackles despite playing 82% of snaps.
The Jacksonville Jaguars matchup is not ideal for fantasy, as they’re one of the teams allowing the fewest points to LBs through two weeks, but any full-time LB should not be worried. Bernard was a breakout star last year, and the Bills now have new DBs as well, so they really have no one else to expect the snaps to go to. Fire up Spector with high confidence.
Blake Cashman, LB, Minnesota Vikings
There was a lot of concern over the Minnesota Vikings’ LBs to start the year. A clip of Ivan Pace Jr. saying he was going to wear the green dot made the rounds and scared everyone off of Blake Cashman. Being hurt for much of camp didn’t help Cashman’s cause either. Fast forward two weeks, though, and just make sure you’ve caught up on what’s happening.
Pace has been a part-timer while Cashman has been the full-time LB and play-caller. Cashman has played nearly 50 more snaps than Pace. While his stats look a little up and down, the role is rock solid. This week the Vikings play the Houston Texans, who play the same scheme as the San Francisco 49ers did last week, when Cashman posted 13 tackles and a sack.