All About the Solo: Week Nine

One of the most frustrating things in IDP leagues is seeing your stud linebacker fly all over the field on game days only to see the home score keeper dilute his performance by divvying up his tackles as assists. On the flip side, if your league doesn’t score solos and assists too differently, you’ll have a better idea of which teams hand out assists like candy.

Not everyone knows this, but the NFL does not recognize a tackle as an official statistic. Tackles are scored by the home team’s official score keeper and those are the stats you see on the news and websites. The league made an effort to standardize what is and isn’t a solo tackle back in 2007 when they sent a video to all NFL teams, but it is still the discretion of the home score keeper. Even after this effort there is a still a large discrepancy from team to team and week-to-week. I will be tracking this throughout the season to give you a better idea of what to expect when choosing your IDPs each week.

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Wesley Woodyard has quietly put together a very solid 2017 season for IDPers. He has had at least 8 total tackles in each game this year except a week five contest against the Dolphins. The 14 total tackles this week was a season high. He has one of the safer floors among linebackers with decent upside. He’s the perfect low end LB2.

Welcome back Reuben Foster. With 13 solo tackles and an assist, Foster popped off the screen showing what we might be able to expect with NaVorro Bowman playing across the bay now. Talent is the biggest question mark with Foster, neither is opportunity, this defense sees more snaps than any in the league. As long as he is healthy enough to make it through the game he is locked in as an LB1. He’s going to make a ton of tackles.

Sean Lee continues gobbling up the tackles on an improving Cowboys defense. The tackles are being funneled to him and Jaylon Smith hasn’t been the IDP force we had hoped for just yet. With the defensive line playing inspired ball and wreaking havoc upon opposing quarterbacks, Lee is under less pressure to carry this defense on his back.

I don’t know what else can be said about Bobby Wagner. The guy deserves to be the LB1 in dynasty rankings right now. He’s consistent and sprinkles in enough big plays to win you some weeks. As a 49ers fan it’s hard to root for a Seahawk so I won’t, but I do enjoy the brand of ball Wagner puts on tape.

I think we should call Zach Brown the “Rodney Dangerfield of IDP” because he gets no respect. The guy was cast off in Buffalo and had to fight his way into a starting gig in Washington only to blow it up and kick some serious tail. He has had double digit tackles in six of eight contests and hasn’t totaled fewer than eight in any game. He also has 2.5 sacks over the last three games. He signed a one year contract this spring so where he ends up next year is anyone’s guess but the Redskins would be smart to lock him up. He’s only 28 years old.

Luke Kuechly’s 11 tackles look great on the surface until you see he had three solos and eight assists. To me, that says he was pile diving and the score keeper went full Oprah. “You get an assist. You get an assist, and you get an assist!” That stinks. Someone was robbed of a solo tackle. I love Kuechly’s game but he’s still a player I’m selling while healthy. I don’t want to get caught holding his mushy soup bucket when the next concussion hits.

Tyvon Branch should win the defensive Comeback Player of the Year. It’s like he’s turned back the clock and he’s back in his Raider days. I honestly never thought we’d see this from him again but I’m glad we are. I am riding him to the finish line this season without holding out hope for any sort of longevity.

NaVorro Bowman and Blake Martinez continue their resurgences. Bowman has undoubtedly returned to weekly LB1 status regardless of matchup. He doesn’t come off the field for the Raiders and has looked completely different than what he was with San Francisco this year. Martinez has been the bright spot for the Packers and without Aaron Rodgers leading the offense, this defense will spend more time on the field and see a lot more opportunities in non-shootout games. Martinez is one of those guys I’m keeping if I’m contending this year but selling if I’m not. I just don’t know if this is what we’re going to get every year.

Speaking of turning back the clock, holy crap! Since making his debut with the Seahawks in week eight, Dwight Freeney has three tackles…and every one of them have been sacks. He might be a situational one trick pony but it’s a pretty damn impressive trick. He has zero long term value but brings boom or bust potential in big play leagues.

Jabaal Sheard is too inconsistent for my liking unless it’s an incredibly deep league but he has flashed at times in Indianapolis. He combined for 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks in weeks four and five but followed it up with a total of seven tackles and zero sacks over the next three games. Owners undoubtedly benched him as he showed back up this week with a pair of sacks.

The big take away here is to exploit the Texans offensive line matchup moving forward. Tom Savage is not Deshaun Watson and they’re going to give up their fair share of quarterback hits and takedowns. The same continues to be true in Indy as Jacoby Brissett holds onto the ball too long and takes a lot of hits of his own. This led to Eddie Pleasant’s two sacks on just 33% of the defensive snaps. I’ll be exploiting both of these matchups the rest of the season.

Follow me on Twitter @OlingerIDP.

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