IDP Rookie Review: Week Four
It’s sad to write up a rookie review that doesn’t include Chase Young, but we did get a handful of nice surprises this week – including Yetur Gross-Matos, Tae Crowder, Julian Blackmon and Jaylinn Hawkins.
Each week in this article, I’ll keep watch on 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
33 (58%) snaps; started; two solo tackles; one tackle for loss
The numbers again aren’t eye-popping for Brown, but he’s showing his mettle as a run-stopper. This week he made center Mason Cole look bad, working both “A” gaps before slinging down Kenyan Drake for a three-yard loss.
K’Lavon Chaisson, DE JAC
40 (53%) snaps; one assist
I went into the Jaguars-Bengals game thinking anyone could pick up a sack of Joe Burrow, but Jacksonville couldn’t get much of a pass rush going even against Cincinnati’s offensive line. Chaisson received his highest snap total since week one, but was a non-factor. This is not the defensive end you are looking for in your fantasy lineups right now, but if you have a team that’s 0-4, you might consider putting out a trade feeler with an eye toward the future.
Yetur Gross-Matos, DE CAR
21 (37%) snaps; three solo tackles; one sack; one forced fumble
The second-round pick from Penn State had a mini-breakout game with a third-quarter strip-sack of Kyler Murray that ended a nice drive. Gross-Matos seems fully recovered from a poke in the eye that landed him in the concussion protocol and forced him to miss week two, and could be in line for more work opposite Brian Burns.
Javon Kinlaw, DT SF
47 (76%) snaps; started; two solo tackles, two assists; one pass defensed
Kinlaw logged a season-high in snaps against the Eagles, and was active early. He got his hands on a Carson Wentz pass that resulted in an interception to end Philadelphia’s second possession, and just missed a sack of a scrambling Wentz on a play that would have been negated anyway by a Kwon Alexander holding penalty. That first sack is coming soon, possibly this week against a Dolphins team that has surrendered two sacks to defensive tackles on the season.
DJ Wonnum, DE MIN
18 (28%) snaps; two solo tackles; one sack; one tackle for loss; one quarterback hit
It was another week of minimal snaps and nice production for Wonnum. The former South Carolina Gamecock picked up his first sack, coming in unblocked around the left edge and slowing up to make sure Deshaun Watson didn’t escape before he could bring him down. He hasn’t eclipsed more than 34 percent of snaps in any game this season, so you can’t start him, but he’s still a decent stash if you have the roster space.
Others of note:
- Ross Blacklock, DT HOU – 9 (14%) snaps; one assist
- Marlon Davidson, DE ATL – 15 (24%) snaps
- Raekwon Davis, DT MIA – 19 (30%) snaps
- Jordan Elliott, DT CLE – 31 (38%) snaps; one assist
- AJ Epenesa, DE BUF – 15 (20%) snaps
- DaVon Hamilton, DT JAX – 35 (47%) snaps; one solo tackle, four assists; two quarterback hits
- Julian Okwara, DE DET – 10 (14%) snaps
- Alton Robinson, DE SEA – 27 (38%) snaps; one solo tackle; one tackle for loss
- James Smith-Williams, DE WAS – 12 (21%) snaps; two solo tackles; one tackle for loss. Saw a season-high in snaps due to Chase Young’s absence.
- Tershawn Wharton, DT KC – 41 (55%) snaps; one solo tackle, one assist. Saw an increase in snaps due to Chris Jones’ absence.
Notable inactives and injuries:
- Neville Gallimore, DT DAL – second consecutive healthy scratch
- Justin Madubuike, DT BAL – he’s close to making his debut after getting in limited practices prior to week four. The third-round pick suffered a knee injury late in training camp but avoided injured reserve.
- Chase Young, DE WAS – missed his first full game after injuring his groin in week three
LINEBACKERS
Krys Barnes, LB GB
38 (54%) snaps; four solo tackles, two assists
With Christian Kirksey on the shelf, the Packers went with Barnes and Ty Summers in the middle, and the two seemingly rotated as defensive play-callers in single-linebacker looks. Barnes is not the fastest linebacker you’ll watch, but he does work through traffic well and knows how to find his way to the ball. He left the game early in the fourth quarter with shoulder injury, so we’ll have to watch his status after the Packers’ week five bye. If healthy enough to play – and if Kirksey remains out – Barnes looks like an option in tackle-heavy leagues that start four linebackers.
Tae Crowder, LB NYG
33 (58%) snaps; two assists; one quarterback hit; one pass defensed
Crowder, the NFL Draft’s Mr. Irrelevant, made his case to take over the middle linebacker spot next to Blake Martinez in week four. The Georgia product ran a 4.80-second 40 at the Combine but looked a lot faster against the Rams, getting after Jared Goff on a couple of blitzes and hitting the quarterback on an incomplete pass attempt early in the first quarter. Three plays later, he faked blitz and successfully filled the backside gap to stuff Darrell Henderson on a short run. He also picked off a Goff pass to start the second half, but the interception call was overturned after a replay review.
This was Crowder’s defensive debut so he’s likely on your waiver wire, and if you have a back-end roster spot you can free up or have an opening due to injury, you might want to fill it with Crowder. The fantasy production isn’t there yet, but his play justifies a larger role.
Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB CIN
21 (31%) snaps; one solo tackle, one assist; one-half sack; one quarterback hit
Davis-Gaither’s playing time remained consistent with Logan Wilson in concussion protocol and out of the rotation. The sack contribution and quarterback hit look good on the stat sheet, but he let Chris Conley run right by him on a shallow crosser that resulted in a big gain – and near touchdown – for Jacksonville in the fourth quarter. Keep him on your bench or taxi squad. Coverage busts when your team is trying to preserve a lead are not going to win you more playing time.
Willie Gay, LB KC
25 (33%) snaps; one solo tackle, one assist
Gay made his first start and logged his biggest workload of the season, so it looks like he has at least surpassed Ben Niemann on the depth chart. Considering his speed and athletic ability, his snaps should continue to grow. You have to keep him on your bench for now, but his time is coming – possibly soon.
Kenneth Murray, LB LAC
74 (97%) snaps; six solo tackles, four assists
Playing alongside Kyzir White, Murray has retained his status as the defensive signal-caller and continued his solid play with ten tackles. The rangy first-rounder has “splash” playmaking ability, so there’s higher upside here along with a low LB2/high LB3 floor.
Jacob Phillips, LB CLE
17 (21%) snaps; two solo tackles; one pass defensed
If I had told you before the season the Browns would have a good linebacker corps with BJ Goodson, Sione Takitaki and Malcolm Smith leading the way, you would have looked at me sideways. It seems to be true, though. Phillips missed two full games after suffering a leg injury in week one, but returned in week four, handling defensive play-calling duties when subbing in for Goodson. Snaps are tough to come by at the moment – don’t forget Mack Wilson is back in the rotation too – but Phillips may have the highest upside. Keep him stashed for now and we’ll watch for any increase in playing time.
Patrick Queen, LB BAL
57 (80%) snaps; nine solo tackles, three assists; three tackles for loss
Queen continued to pace Baltimore with another strong tackle showing – including an impressive three tackles for loss. Perhaps his highlight play of the week came late in the first half with Washington on the goal line: As Peyton Barber jumped to clear the pile at the line of scrimmage, Queen met him mid-air with a strong hit that sent Barber flying backward for a one-yard loss.
Earlier this week, coach John Harbaugh discussed Queen’s progress, noting his play against the run, and in pass coverage in man and zone schemes: “The run game … he made a lot of good plays. He was sorting the schemes. He read the schemes well.
“Man-coverage, he’s got speed. He works on his technique; he’s always working on that. He did pretty well with that, [but he] always can improve. Zone-coverage, I think, is probably the toughest thing for the inside ‘backers as young guys, because it’s not just so much as just dropping back there and seeing where they throw the ball. There’s a lot of matches that go on [and] a lot of pattern reads. … He knows that’s probably the one area where he can continue to improve. And that’s just going to happen with time, because he’s young and it’s really more of an experience issue with the zone drops.”
Isaiah Simmons, LB ARI
Ten (13%) snaps; one solo tackle
The “Simmons at safety” talk prior to week four was just talk. He did not play a snap there, and only played ten snaps in the game. Coach Kliff Kingsbury recently called him a “work in progress,” so continue to bench him until further notice.
Mykal Walker, LB ATL
32 (51%) snaps; two solo tackles
Coming off a big week three performance as the injury fill-in for Foye Oluokun, Walker started this week but mostly took a back seat to Deion Jones and Oluokun. It looks like Walker is a must-start if either of the top two linebackers are out, but otherwise he’s a risky proposition in lineups.
Others of note:
- Jonathan Greenard, LB HOU – five (8%) snaps; active for first time this season
- Malik Harrison, LB BAL – nine (13%) snaps; one solo tackle
- Anfernee Jennings, LB NE – 14 (25%) snaps; one assist
Notable inactives and injuries:
- Jordyn Brooks, LB SEA – missed his first game after spraining an MCL in week three
- Logan Wilson, LB CIN – landed in concussion protocol at some point following week three
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Julian Blackmon, S IND
62 (100%) snaps; one solo tackle; one interception; three passes defensed
Blackmon saw a full-time role for the first time this season and has continued to impress on a very good Colts defense. Starting in place of Malik Hooker, who tore an Achilles tendon in week two, Blackmon was in position to intercept a fourth-quarter Nick Foles pass that deflected off the hands of Anthony Miller. He’s been around the ball quite a bit, with five passes defensed in three games. From a fantasy perspective, he looks like a good safety depth piece.
Jeremy Chinn, S CAR
51 (89%) snaps; five solo tackles, three assists
It was another productive day at the office for Chinn, who keeps flashing elite closing speed. He did play his lowest snap total of the season, but he has proven to be one of the most important players on the Carolina defense. It was hard to watch Chinn against the Cardinals and not think about Isaiah Simmons – shouldn’t he be playing this same versatile and disruptive linebacker/safety role?
Chris Claybrooks, CB JAC
54 (72%) snaps; six solo tackles, two assists; one pass defensed
The seventh-round pick out of Memphis put up nice numbers this week, but was only forced into action for most of the game due to CJ Henderson’s first-quarter shoulder injury. DJ Hayden also left the game late with a hamstring strain. If Claybrooks is in line to see a big role again in week five against a Houston team desperate for a win, he’s likely to be heavily targeted and could be worth a start for cornerback streamers.
Trevon Diggs, CB DAL
75 (100%) snaps; four solo tackles, four assists; one sack
I don’t think Diggs is as bad a player as some are making him out to be, but he is a rookie corner playing full-time snaps, and he is getting picked on. The “rookie corner rule” is in effect here: The targets are going to continue, and you can continue to roll with him in your lineups with confidence.
Jaylinn Hawkins, S ATL
26 (41%) snaps; started; two solo tackles, two assists
Hawkins is a name to monitor in case Keanu Neal isn’t back with the Falcons next year. Hawkins’ snaps have been increasing due to injuries, and he was set to play a full-time role with Neal and Ricardo Allen both out Week Four. Unfortunately, he left the game late in the first half with a possible concussion – not long after fellow safety Damontae Kazee suffered an Achilles tendon tear. Before the injury, Hawkins helped stuff Jamaal Williams on a fourth-and-one, goal-line run late in the first quarter.
Jeffrey Okudah, CB DET
38 (54%) snaps; three solo tackles, two assists
Okudah didn’t start the game; he was part of a four-corner rotation that limited his production – which should be good as he’s getting targeted quite a bit. Okudah did show nice recovery speed on key third-down completion from Drew Brees to Tre’Quan Smith late in the game. The number three overall pick got his hand in position to knock the ball away from Smith but was unable to do so. He may return to a larger role after the Lions’ Week Five bye, as Desmond Trufant re-injured his hamstring.
K’Von Wallace, S PHI
27 (37%) snaps; two solo tackles
Wallace started, and made a nice tackle on a Jerick McKinnon run in the first quarter. He was also beaten by George Kittle for a long gain on a deep crosser the last play of the third quarter (at least he managed to bring him down). If Jalen Mills’ move to cornerback turns out to be more than a short-term shuffling of the secondary, the Eagles would do well to plug Wallace into a larger role to see what they have in the Clemson product.
Antoine Winfield Jr., S TB
53 (100%) snaps; two solo tackles
This was easily Winfield’s least inspiring fantasy performance, but it has been the outlier after four weeks. I’ll bet on a statistical rebound in week five against the Bears. He’s quick to recognize what’s happening in front of him and fast to close on plays. The production will be there more often than not.
Others of note:
- Essang Bassey, CB DEN – 37 (48%) snaps; started; three solo tackles. Undrafted rookie should see role diminish once AJ Bouye returns.
- Kamren Curl, S WAS – 24 (42%) snaps; started with WFT in a big nickel package; one tackle, two assists
- Cameron Dantzler, CB MIN – 63 (97%) snaps; three solo tackles. Returned to full-time role after missing two weeks with injury.
- Kyle Dugger, S NE – 16 (29%) snaps; three solo tackles, one assist
- Jeff Gladney, CB MIN – 65 (100%) snaps; five solo tackles; one tackle for loss; one pass defensed. Remained in a full-time role even with Dantzler’s return.
- C.J. Henderson, CB JAX – 12 (16%) snaps; started; one solo tackle, one assist. Injured his shoulder early in week four.
- Darnay Holmes, CB NYG – 33 (58%) snaps; one solo tackle
- Noah Igbinoghene, CB MIA – 63 (100%) snaps; one solo tackle. Should see role diminish a bit if Byron Jones returns in week five, as expected.
- Jaylon Johnson, CB CHI – 71 (99%) snaps; two solo tackles; two passes defensed. Continues stellar play as a rookie.
- Brandon Jones, S MIA – 19 (30%) snaps; one solo tackle
- Michael Ojemudia, CB DEN – 77 (100%) snaps; two solo tackles; one pass defensed
- Troy Pride, CB CAR – 16 (28%) snaps; one solo tackle, one assist; one tackle for loss
Notable inactives and injuries:
- David Arnette, CB LV – on injured reserve after having surgery to repair a fractured thumb
- Ashtyn Davis, S NYJ – missed Thursday night’s game with a groin injury
- Jordan Fuller, S LAR – was inactive after injuring his shoulder in week three. Fuller is not certain to reclaim his full-time role from Taylor Rapp once he does return.
- Kristian Fulton, CB TEN – on bye but sent to the reserve COVID-19 list on October 1
- L’Jarius Sneed, CB KC – placed on injured reserve with a broken collarbone suffered in week three
- AJ Terrell, CB ATL – missed week Four on the reserve COVID-IR list, but received the all-clear and returned to the Falcons’ facility on Oct. 7.
- 2023 IDP Rookie Review: Safeties - March 13, 2024
- 2023 IDP Rookie Review: Linebackers - March 2, 2024
- 2023 IDP Rookie Review: Edge Rushers, Part Two - February 21, 2024
