Welcome to the NFL and fantasy football Week 9 kickoff and the halfway point of the NFL 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 9!
Which IDP Players Should You Start in Fantasy Football?
1) Bobby Wagner, LB | WAS (at NYG)
2) Roquan Smith, LB | BAL (vs. DEN)
3) Robert Spillane, LB | LV (at CIN)
4) Ivan Pace Jr., LB | MIN (vs. IND)
5) Foye Oluokun, LB | JAC (at PHI)
6) Logan Wilson, LB | CIN (vs. LV)
7) Brian Branch, S | DET (at GB)
8) Derwin James Jr., S | LAC (at CLE)
9) Terrel Bernard, LB | BUF (vs. MIA)
10) Nick Bolton, LB | KC (vs. TB)
11) T.J. Edwards, LB | CHI (at ARI)
12) Frankie Luvu, LB | WAS (at NYG)
13) Tyrel Dodson, LB | SEA (vs. LAR)
14) Kyle Hamilton, S | BAL (vs. DEN)
15) Lavonte David, LB | TB (at KC)
16) Budda Baker, S | ARI (vs. CHI)
17) Kyzir White, LB | ARI (vs. CHI)
18) Nakobe Dean, LB | PHI (vs. JAC)
19) Daiyan Henley, LB | LAC (at CLE)
20) Germaine Pratt, LB | CIN (vs. LV)
21) Antoine Winfield Jr., S | TB (at KC)
22) Maxx Crosby, DE | LV (at CIN)
23) Josh Metellus, S | MIN (vs. IND)
24) Tyler Nubin, S | NYG (vs. WAS)
25) Quincy Williams, LB | NYJ (vs. HOU)
26) Ernest Jones IV, LB | SEA (vs. LAR)
27) Tre’von Moehrig, S | LV (at CIN)
28) Josey Jewell, LB | CAR (vs. NO)
29) Jamien Sherwood, LB | NYJ (vs. HOU)
30) Kyle Dugger, S | NE (at TEN)
31) Julian Love, S | SEA (vs. LAR)
32) Eric Kendricks, LB | DAL (at ATL)
33) E.J. Speed, LB | IND (at MIN)
34) Myles Garrett, DE | CLE (vs. LAC)
35) Zaire Franklin, LB | IND (at MIN)
36) Jessie Bates III, S | ATL (vs. DAL)
37) Grant Delpit, S | CLE (vs. LAC)
38) Trevin Wallace, LB | CAR (vs. NO)
39) Zack Baun, LB | PHI (vs. JAC)
40) Tremaine Edmunds, LB | CHI (at ARI)
41) Nick Cross, S | IND (at MIN)
42) Dorian Williams, LB | BUF (vs. MIA)
43) Quay Walker, LB | GB (vs. DET)
44) Christian Elliss, DE | NE (at TEN)
45) Xavier McKinney, S | GB (vs. DET)
46) Jalen Thompson, S | ARI (vs. CHI)
47) Brandon Jones, S | DEN (at BAL)
48) Jalen Pitre, S | HOU (at NYJ)
49) Jordyn Brooks, LB | MIA (at BUF)
50) Kamren Curl, S | LAR (at SEA)
51) Jordan Whitehead, S | TB (at KC)
52) Reed Blankenship, S | PHI (vs. JAC)
53) Cody Barton, LB | DEN (at BAL)
54) Justin Reid, S | KC (vs. TB)
55) Camryn Bynum, S | MIN (vs. IND)
56) Kenneth Murray Jr., LB | TEN (vs. NE)
57) Kaden Elliss, LB | ATL (vs. DAL)
58) Jack Campbell, LB | DET (at GB)
59) Alex Anzalone, LB | DET (at GB)
60) DeMarvion Overshown, LB | DAL (at ATL)
61) Kevin Byard III, S | CHI (at ARI)
62) Will Anderson Jr., DE | HOU (at NYJ)
63) Damar Hamlin, S | BUF (vs. MIA)
64) Javon Bullard, S | GB (vs. DET)
65) Xavier Woods, S | CAR (vs. NO)
66) Mohamoud Diabate, LB | CLE (vs. LAC)
67) Jeremy Chinn, S | WAS (at NYG)
68) Trey Hendrickson, DE | CIN (vs. LV)
69) Bobby Okereke, LB | NYG (vs. WAS)
70) Julian Blackmon, S | IND (at MIN)
71) Devon Witherspoon, CB | SEA (vs. LAR)
72) Demario Davis, LB | NO (at CAR)
73) Mack Wilson Sr., LB | ARI (vs. CHI)
74) Divine Deablo, LB | LV (at CIN)
75) C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S | PHI (vs. JAC)
76) Nate Landman, LB | ATL (vs. DAL)
77) Taron Johnson, CB | BUF (vs. MIA)
78) Drue Tranquill, LB | KC (vs. TB)
79) Edgerrin Cooper, LB | GB (vs. DET)
80) Jerome Baker, LB | TEN (vs. NE)
81) Harrison Smith, S | MIN (vs. IND)
82) Donovan Wilson, S | DAL (at ATL)
83) Amani Hooker, S | TEN (vs. NE)
84) Kerby Joseph, S | DET (at GB)
85) Quandre Diggs, S | TEN (vs. NE)
86) Jason Pinnock, S | NYG (vs. WAS)
87) Nate Hobbs, CB | LV (at CIN)
88) Neville Hewitt, LB | HOU (at NYJ)
89) Justin Strnad, LB | DEN (at BAL)
90) Danielle Hunter, DE | HOU (at NYJ)
91) Trenton Simpson, LB | BAL (vs. DEN)
92) Jared Verse, DE | LAR (at SEA)
93) Will McDonald IV, DE | NYJ (vs. HOU)
94) Christian Rozeboom, LB | LAR (at SEA)
95) Pete Werner, LB | NO (at CAR)
96) Devin Lloyd, LB | JAC (at PHI)
97) Ventrell Miller, LB | JAC (at PHI)
98) Omar Speights, LB | LAR (at SEA)
99) Dexter Lawrence II, DT | NYG (vs. WAS)
100) Devin Bush Jr., LB | CLE (vs. LAC)
Best IDP Players To Start in Week 9
Terrel Bernard, LB, Buffalo Bills
Despite a disappointing season so far, don’t shy away from Buffalo Bills’ star LB Terrel Bernard in Week 9. All his issues have been health-related; from a performance standpoint, there’s been no issue.
Terrel Bernard among LBs in Week 7:
🔹 3 TFLs (T-1st) pic.twitter.com/x4HgaCzLNv
— PFF BUF Bills (@PFF_Bills) October 24, 2024
In his four games near full-time or at it, he’s totaled 30 combined tackles. He even posted eight combined tackles last week on just 77% of snaps. Now the Bills play a fairly healthy Miami Dolphins team that loves to run the ball. Don’t be shocked if Bernard hits double-digit tackles again for the first time since Week 1.
Tyrel Dodson, LB, Seattle Seahawks
I got some questions this week on X (formerly known as Twitter) about him, so I wanted to hit on my Tyrel Dodson thoughts. For this week, he’s still the top LB in Seattle and will be until he loses a full-time role (he won’t). Even with Jerome Baker there, both played a full allotment of snaps from Weeks 5-7. So, from a long-term outlook, both Dodson and new teammate Ernest Jones IV will eat.
Dodson is the Seahawks’ cover LB, and his role will not change with his new LB partner. Dodson has hit at least seven total tackles in six of his eight games so far. He’s locked into a full-time snap share weekly. Do not hesitate to play Dodson this week or any week until he’s not a 100% player for Seattle.