IDP Report Card: Week Seven
Many owners struggle to differentiate between IDP prospects once the well known targets are off the board. They get caught in the trap of checking the waiver wire for the past week’s top scorers and wind up adding a player whose performance in the previous game was an outlier, not a sign of sustainable future success. The result of this “dart-throwing” approach is often disappointment with the new player’s performance and even worse, losing games for our fantasy teams.
DLF’s IDP Report Card will aid owners who wish to see beyond the box score and focus on trends rather than events. Understanding when to avoid a pickup because the player’s perceived value is based more on circumstance than skill will help you improve your scoring efficiency and stack up wins. So, with a special thanks to Dan Meylor, proprietor of the offensive version of DLF’s Dynasty Report Card, here is the Defensive version.
Week Seven
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Player Evaluation #1
Jordan Hicks, MLB PHI
With a monster performance against the Minnesota Vikings, Jordan Hicks reminded IDP owners why his name was mentioned as a breakout candidate heading into 2016. He posted eight tackles, three of which went for a loss, along with three assists, two quarterback hits, a pair of passes defended and a sack, (If your league doesn’t award points in all of these categories, it may be time for an owner’s meeting.)
This was easily Hicks’ best performance of the season. He played 100% of the Eagles’ 76 defensive snaps last Sunday. For the season, Hicks has been in on 89.9% of the snaps. He and Nigel Bradham have combined to give Philly a dominant presence in pass defense over the middle of the field. The Birds have given up the fewest points to the tight end position of any team in the league in 2016. Through six games, they’ve allowed just 13 receptions for 148 yards to opposing tight ends. That number includes the 5/55 statline posted by Kyle Rudolph last weekend, which is the most success a tight end has managed on the Eagles’ defense to date.
Week eight brings a trip to Arlington for a first place showdown with the rival Cowboys. Hicks will see his fair share of pass defense against Jason Witten this Sunday, but his biggest challenge will be trying to contain the league’s second leading rusher, Zeke Elliott. Dallas has maintained a 52/ 48 run pass ratio with Dak Prescott at the helm. Aside from Witten and Elliott, the Cowboys will also send their slot maven, Cole Beasley across Hicks’ face a good deal. All of this should lead to a slew of opportunity for Hicks to put up another healthy stat line in week eight.
The long term projection for Hicks has cleared up a bit since the season began. Many were unsure if the Eagles’ signing of Stephen Tulloch spelled doom for Hicks, or his partner Mychal Kendricks on the outside. To date, Tulloch has played on just 45 downs, relegated to short yardage and goalline work to add a degree of stoutness to the Birds’ front seven. Hicks has managed to stay healthy and is gaining valuable experience in the middle. He sits at LB46, but could see his stock rise as the season progresses if he continues to play with the intensity he displayed in week seven.
Report Card
Player Name: Jordan Hicks Student Grade: (Instructor’s Notes)
Player Evaluation #2
Joey Bosa, DE SD
After getting his contract situation squared away, Bosa needed a four weeks to heal a severe hamstring injury. He finally took the field in week five and appears ready to assume a position to be one of the league’s best pass rushers, in less than three weeks of action. Bosa’s first game was a two sack, three tackle for loss effort with four tackles thrown in for good measure. In week seven, he returned with another two sack day against the Falcons, this time with a pair of TFLs and four more tackles.
He was in on 72% of the snaps last Sunday, already assuming a steady role on the Chargers defensive line rotation. There were some who doubted if Bosa’s game would translate to the NFL. Those questions appear to be answered. Bosa could reach double digit sacks as a rookie in just three quarters of a season. San Diego has struggled to find a legitimate, pass rushing, defensive end for years. In pairing Bosa with players like Melvin Ingram, and Jeremiah Attaochu, the Bolts have a stable of edge rushers that can propel their defense to the next level.
His four sacks in three games have propelled Bosa into the top ten in quarterback takedowns league-wide. It’s difficult to imagine what he could look like once he actually figures out how to play the game on this level and has experience working in tandem with his natural talents. He’ll play games against the Broncos, Browns, and Dolphins in the coming weeks, all teams in the top ten in sacks surrendered. Expect him to have a few more monster days before the season is through.
Bosa is a foundation piece at a position where it’s difficult to find consistency. Dynasty owners with deep rosters at positions like wide receiver or running back should consider over-paying for Bosa if it means filling a spot in you line-up that is currently yielding little to no production.
Report Card
Student Name: Joey Bosa Student Grade: (Teacher’s Notes)
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- Dynasty Capsule: Seattle Seahawks - January 17, 2018
- FanDuel Bargains: Week Five - October 8, 2017
- IDP Report Card: Week 4 - October 8, 2017
