IDP Rookie Review: Week Two

Jason King Posted On September 24, 2020

Week two will be remembered for injuries to some of the game’s biggest stars. Luckily you won’t have to read about that in this week’s IDP Rookie Review, where Jeff Okudah’s pride was the top casualty, thanks to Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams and Co.

Each week, I’ll keep watch a number of IDP rookies to provide a look at their play and progress. I’ll also keep tabs on playing time and statistics for some of your bench and taxi squad stashes. By the end of the season we should have a good feel for who to build around, who to keep rostered, and who to let go.

As always, let me know in the comments section if you want more information on anyone covered or not covered.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

Derrick Brown, DT CAR

44 (72%) snaps; one solo tackle

Brown had a forgettable game, picking up two costly penalties – one a personal foul after pouncing on a downed LeSean McCoy on a third-and-ten pass play, and one for an egregious hands-to-the-face on the right tackle on a third-and-11 pass rush. Both penalties resulted in first downs for the Buccaneers. Better days are ahead for Brown and the Panthers defense.

K’Lavon Chaisson, DE JAX

18 (29%) snaps; one solo tackle, one assist; one sack; one tackle for loss; one quarterback hit

The Jaguars went with a more run-stuffing look geared to slow down Derrick Henry, hence Chaisson’s drop in snaps from 46 in week one. He showed off his playmaking ability early in the second quarter as he shot through the “B” gap for a sack of Ryan Tannehill on third and long.

Michael Danna, DE KC

40 (48%) snaps; two solo tackles, two assists; one sack; one tackle for loss; one quarterback hit

Tershawn Wharton, DT KC

25 (30%) snaps; four solo tackles, one assist; one tackle for loss

Get these guys on your radar, as both are playing and producing. Danna, a fifth-round pick out of Michigan, picked up his first career sack by quickly working past tight end Virgil Green, knocking a crossing fullback off his route, and spinning down Justin Herbert for a 14-yard loss.

Wharton came from a slightly smaller school (Missouri S&T – I’ve never heard of it either) than Danna, but looked good against the run as both an undersized nose and three-technique tackle. He has seven total tackles through two games – not bad for an undrafted rookie!

Javon Kinlaw, DT SF

43 (66%) snaps; one solo tackle, one assist

There’s still not a lot of production here, but his snap percentage improved, and injuries to Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas are likely to mean the first-round pick is going to be on the field more often than not. He nearly registered his first career sack in the first quarter on a pressure that ended up with Sam Darnold scrambling for eight yards. Continue to be patient here. Kinlaw’s “never satisfied” attitude, size and athletic abilities are going to pay off eventually.

Chase Young, DE WAS

55 (71%) snaps; four solo tackles; one sack; two tackles for loss; one quarterback hit

Arizona’s quick passing game, protection schemes and spread formations – and, of course, Kyler Murray’s elusiveness – really nullified Washington’s defensive strength this week. Still, Young was statistically productive.

Young is a beast when he’s flying to ball carriers for tackles. I will say that if you started Young and your league accounts for stat corrections, you may lose some points. His “sack” came on a Murray scramble, and Young never touched him – it was Da’Ron Payne on the tackle after Young’s front-side pursuit forced Murray back toward the middle of the field. I’m not sure how that one doesn’t get changed.

Others of note:

Bradlee Anae, DE DAL – three (4%) snaps; made his defensive debut
Ross Blacklock, DT HOU – 17 (26%) snaps; one assist
Raekwon Davis, DT MIA – 22 (36%) snaps; one solo tackle, one assist
Jordan Elliott, DT CLE – 34 (37%) snaps; 1 assist
A.J. Epenesa, DE BUF – 17 (23%) snaps in his debut
Neville Gallimore, DT DAL – 14 (19%) snaps
DaVon Hamilton, DT JAX – 27 (44%) snaps; three assists
Khalid Kareem, DE CIN – 14 (24%) snaps; 1 solo tackle
Larrell Murchison, DE TEN – 15 (20%) snaps; one assist in his debut
James Smith-Williams, DE WAS – seven (9%) snaps; one assist
D.J. Wonnum, DE MIN – 25 (34%) snaps; one solo tackle in his debut

Notable inactives:

Marlon Davidson, DT ATL – continues to recover from a knee injury
Yetur Gross-Matos, DE CAR – was hit in the eye during a practice drill on Sept. 16 and was still in the concussion protocol on Sunday. He played a quarter of the defensive snaps in Week One.
James Lynch, DT MIN – healthy scratch for the second consecutive week. The Vikings’ defensive tackles have been dreadful so maybe he’ll get a shot later this season.
Justin Madubuike, DT BAL – continues to recover from a knee injury suffered late in camp. He was on the sideline this week sporting a bulky knee brace.
Julian Okwara, DE DET – This was a bit of a surprise after Okwara received a lot of off-season buzz and a handful of Week One snaps.
Alton Robinson, DE SEA – healthy scratch for the second consecutive week
Jason Strowbridge, DE MIA – healthy scratch for the second consecutive week

LINEBACKERS

Krys Barnes, LB GB

15 (25%) snaps; one solo tackle, two assists

For anyone wondering if Barnes’ snaps were going to increase after a productive week one, you got your answer. Unless something bad happens to Christian Kirksey, Barnes is not going to have value with Green Bay keeping just one inside linebacker on the field in nickel.

Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB CIN

19 (33%) snaps

Logan Wilson, LB CIN

14 (24%) snaps

Neither Davis-Gaither nor Wilson produced anything in the stat column Thursday night, but their times are coming. Germaine Pratt looks slow to react, and Josh Bynes has never been special. Keep Davis-Gaither and Wilson stashed on your benches or taxi squads as we wait for their snap counts to increase. The Bengals are already 0-2 and should soon be in a position to let their rookies learn by playing more and watching less.

Willie Gay, LB KC

Six (7%) snaps; one assist

He barely played on defense, but he did step in for Damien Wilson for a few snaps, which is better than Week One. I wanted to mention him because he made a nice special teams play and got his hand on a punt early in the second quarter. Let’s hope he’s at least passed Dorian O’Daniel on the linebacker depth chart. With the Chiefs struggling to effectively tackle, Ben Niemann could be next. Gay’s speed and explosion could help overcome some of his inexperience.

Patrick Queen, LB BAL

42 (71%) snaps; started; seven solo tackles, two assists; one quarterback hit

Queen has been everything that we hoped for through two weeks. He gets to the ball quickly and is aggressive, something that really pops when he blitzes. Strong safety Chuck Clark is calling the plays for the defense so Queen doesn’t have a full-time role, but I don’t see him falling below his current clip of 70 percent of snaps, and his production has been LB1-level.

Kenneth Murray, LB LAC

64 (83%) snaps; started; four solo tackles, six assists; one pass defensed

Murray followed up a solid week one with another solid performance. He hasn’t popped with splashy plays so far, but we can live with that as long as the opportunity and production continues.

In a recent chat, Daniel Popper, who covers the Chargers for The Athletic, mentioned that Coach Anthony Lynn “is obsessed with Kenneth Murray as a player. That was the LB he wanted in this draft.” We have endured the Chargers linebacker carousel for a few seasons; Popper’s statement bodes well for Murray going forward. He should continue to be the linebacker on the field, even in nickel and dime packages.

Isaiah Simmons, LB ARI

Seven (11%) snaps

Ugh. I mentioned last week that 2020 could be a fantasy redshirt season for Simmons. He did start the game, but there’s not much else to mention. I think we have a right to be worried, but I am cognizant that some of my worry could be franchise-related after seeing my Haason Reddick shares go belly-up. This could be a buying opportunity at the right price, but it’s likely too soon to acquire Simmons at a discount that bakes in the bust potential.

Mykal Walker, LB ATL

46 (56%) snaps; four solo tackles, three assists

Walker, the Falcons’ fourth-round pick who enjoyed a nice training camp, saw his snaps jump to 56 percent from 16 percent in week one. It’s not likely to continue as the bump in playing time was the result of a hamstring injury to Foye Oluokun, who Coach Dan Quinn heaped praise on after the game and should be ready to roll in week three.

Others of note:

Zack Baun, LB NO – made his debut but played snaps on special teams only
Jordyn Brooks, LB SEA – eight (11%) snaps. I’ll be paying attention to see if his snaps increase with Bruce Irvin going on Injured Reserve. Off-season speculation had K.J. Wright moving to strong side linebacker to accommodate playing time for Brooks on the weak side.
Troy Dye, LB MIN – 21 (29%) snaps after being inactive in Week One. Following Anthony Barr’s injury, he should play in three-linebacker sets, and be in line for an even larger role should anything happen to Eric Kendricks or Eric Wilson.
Malik Harrison, LB BAL – 11 (19%) snaps; one solo tackle
Alex Highsmith, LB PIT – 11 (14%) snaps
Anfernee Jennings, LB NE – two (3%) snaps
Davion Taylor, LB PHI – special teams snaps only

Notable inactives:

Markus Bailey, LB CIN – healthy scratch for the second consecutive week
Trevis Gipson, LB CHI – Robert Quinn was active for his Bears debut, and Gipson was a healthy scratch after playing a handful of snaps in Week One.
Jonathan Greenard, LB HOU – continues to be limited with an ankle injury
Jacob Phillips, LB CLE – missed this game with a right leg injury suffered in Week One. Cleveland’s defense has been putrid, so keep him stashed and hope Phillips forms a productive three-down duo with Mack Wilson once they return to health.
Josh Uche, LB NE – healthy scratch for the second consecutive week

DEFENSIVE BACKS

There are a lot of rookie cornerbacks getting serious snaps this season, and I feel like I’m going to write up too many of them in this report, but they’re streamer worthy in cornerback-required leagues because opposing quarterbacks are testing them. How far are coaches willing to go in letting the rookies learn “on the job?” Just be aware that there’s potential for any of these rookies to lose playing time in any given week if they continue to struggle.

David Arnette, CB LV

49 (82%) snaps; seven solo tackles

Arnette is a great example of the rookie cornerback rule. He’s not been particularly good in his first two starts, but he’s getting lots of opportunity to pile up fantasy production. Drew Brees threw his way five times on Monday night, according to Pro Football Focus. His first-round draft pedigree should provide him with a long leash, so he’s worth targeting in good matchups.

Julian Blackmon, S IND

34 (63%) snaps; two solo tackles; two passes defensed

After sitting out almost all of training camp while recovering from an ACL injury suffered in December during the Pac-12 title game, Blackmon now stands to benefit from a season-ending Achilles injury to Malik Hooker. The third-round draft pick saw his first action of the season – much earlier than anticipated – and he showed some of his natural playmaking ability with a couple of tipped passes. If you’re desperate for safety help, Blackmon has splash play appeal.

Jeremy Chinn, S CAR

60 (98%) snaps; two solo tackles, four assists

It was another great game for Chinn, who again showed good range, physical play and sound tackling. His most memorable play for me came late in the third quarter on a play negated by an offensive hold: lining up in pass coverage, Chinn easily worked off the block of a receiver, and absolutely stonewalled Leonard Fournette on an outside run. He now has 14 total tackles in two games. Keep him in your lineups.

Trevon Diggs, CB DAL

75 (100%) snaps; six solo tackles; one pass defensed

Diggs was a value pick in the second round of the draft, and he’s played every defensive snap through two weeks. As with each of these rookie cornerbacks playing full- or almost full-time roles, he’s worth starting when the matchup is right. Atlanta is of course one of those matchups, and even though Diggs struggled with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley (most corners do), he made several plays on the ball and dropped what should have been an interception on an underthrown ball to Calvin Ridley.

Jordan Fuller, S LAR

71 (100%) snaps; five solo tackles, four assists

Two weeks marks a trend in the NFL, and through two weeks Fuller has started at free safety while Taylor Rapp has played less than a quarter of the Rams’ defensive snaps. Fuller has really been a pleasant surprise, especially in run support, and it doesn’t look like any change to his playing time is on the horizon.

Jeff Gladney, CB MIN

60 (82%) snaps; six solo tackles

Gladney got the start in his professional debut, but only because fellow rookie Cameron Dantzler was inactive with a rib injury. The first-round pick looked like a rookie backup, and fit right in on a dreadful Vikings defense. Philip Rivers didn’t have to sling the ball around much, but he did successfully pick on Gladney several times, including on a short touchdown connection with Zach Pascal.

CJ Henderson, CB JAC

61 (98%) snaps; four solo tackles, two assists; one pass defensed

Henderson continues to impress. He even showed a willingness to tackle “the King,” getting in or making tackles on big runs by Derrick Henry. Corey Davis got him for a touchdown and another nice reception, but Henderson also reached around Davis late in the fourth quarter to knock away a pass. Keep plugging him into your lineups as needed.

Noah Igbinoghene, CB MIA

57 (93%) snaps; four solo tackles; one fumble recovery

Igbinoghene was on Stefon Diggs most of the day, and it was a big day for Diggs. If Byron Jones misses Week Three’s tilt with the Jaguars, consider Igbinoghene as a streamer. The first-round pick reportedly had a nice training camp, and is a top-notch athlete. If he’s going to get targeted in coverage, he has playmaking ability.

Jaylon Johnson, CB CHI

63 (97%) snaps; three solo tackles, one assist; two passes defensed

Johnson is playing major snaps for the Bears, and playing well. The Falcons are on tap for week three, so he should be a nice streaming option for those in cornerback-required leagues.

Michael Ojemudia, CB DEN

65 (100%) snaps; six solo tackles, one assist; one pass defensed

With A.J. Bouye sidelined, Ojemudia is being asked to play more snaps. Against Pittsburgh, he was targeted early and often by Ben Roethlisberger, and was roasted by fellow rookie Chase Claypool on an 84-yard touchdown strike in the second quarter. He also bobbled what should have been an easy interception on a 20-yard pass into the end zone intended for Diontae Johnson – a drive the Steelers later scored on.

Jeff Okudah, CB DET

73 (100%) snaps; seven solo tackles

Okudah got the start in his debut and led the Lions in tackles, as Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling carved him up. “Welcome to the NFL” moments don’t come much tougher, and Adams absolutely abused the number three overall pick a few times. For a self-proclaimed “technician,” Okudah definitely looked sloppy. I’ll have my popcorn ready for the week 14 rematch as I’m sure Okudah will be out for redemption.

L’Jarius Sneed, CB KC

82 (99% snaps); five solo tackles, one assist; one interception; one pass defensed

Sneed picked up another start and again looked good in tough assignments against Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. Late in the third quarter with the Chiefs trailing 17-9, Sneed took advantage of a bad decision by fellow rookie Justin Herbert, who threw across-his-body into triple coverage. It ended up in the Sneed’s hands for the Louisiana Tech product’s second career interception.

AJ Terrell, CB ATL

82 (100%) snaps; four solo tackles, one assist; one quarterback hit

Terrell made his second straight start and again played every defensive snap. Moreover, he’s been good, and graded out as the Falcons’ highest-rated defender in week two by Pro Football Focus.

Antoine Winfield Jr., S TB

72 (99%) snaps; eight solo tackles, three assists; one sack; one quarterback hit; one forced fumble

Yes he’s a deep safety, but Winfield is bucking the fantasy norms since he closes so fast on plays in front of him. I said it last week and I’m doubling down here: this man is special. He even forced a fumble on a blitz and hit on Teddy Bridgewater on a great second-effort strip-sack as the Panthers quarterback scrambled out of a collapsing pocket.

Others of note:

Kamren Curl, S WAS – 32 (42%) snaps; two solo tackles. Troy Apke is not the answer at free safety; Curl’s role should grow going forward.
Ashtyn Davis, S NYJ – got the start but played just 13 (21%) snaps
Kyle Dugger, S NE – 34 (54%) snaps; three solo tackles, two assists
Kristian Fulton, CB TEN – 44 (59%) snaps; three solo tackles; one interception; one pass defensed
Darnay Holmes, CB NYG – 25 (38%) snaps; one solo tackle, one assist
Brandon Jones, S MIA – 18 (30%) snaps; one solo tackle. After a ten-tackle debut, Jones saw his snap percentage drop from 53% in Week One.
Troy Pride, CB CAR – eight (13%) snaps; one assist. He lost his one-week starting gig to Rasul Douglas.

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Jason King

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

Jason is a lifelong Steelers fan and proud alumnus of NC State University. He caught the fantasy football bug in 1996, and has a strange but strong affinity for IDP dynasty leagues with multiple copies of players. When he's not thinking about fantasy football, he's doing something with his two children, dabbling with photography or fixing something around the house.