IDP Rookie Review: Week Seven

Jason King

With a handful of rookies getting additional playing time due to development or need, this week I took a longer look at a few players I haven’t watched previously. Most of them aren’t worth rostering except in large leagues with deep benches, but it’s a good idea to keep an eye on them so that by the end of the season we 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 LINEMEN

K’Lavon Chaisson, DE JAC

26 (32%) snaps; one solo tackle

DaVon Hamilton, DT JAC

55 (68%) snaps; started; four solo tackles, four assists; one tackle for loss; two quarterback hits

It was Hamilton – not Chaisson – who was really impressive in week seven, piling up production in a game that included a whopping 81 offensive snaps for the Chargers. The former Ohio State Buckeye is strong, plugging the “A” gaps on tackles of Joshua Kelley on Chargers’ opening possession of the second half. He showed good hustle running from the boundary hash to the field sideline to tackle Kelley on a ten-yard reception, and got a nice hit on Justin Herbert on a first-and-15 incompletion in the first quarter. He again got to Herbert in the second quarter, wrestling him down as the rookie quarterback delivered a short completion to Hunter Henry.

Chaisson did generate a tackle, making a nice adjustment and turning an outside rush inside to drop Justin Jackson. Otherwise, his most encouraging moment of the day happened after the game ended.

AJ Epenesa, DE BUF

Nine (16%) snaps; three assists; half a sack; one quarterback hit

Epenesa doesn’t play much, but he is efficient with the snaps he does get. This week he split a sack of Sam Darnold with Trent Murphy, surprising left tackle Mekhi Becton with a quick inside move into the B gap and then leveraging through center Connor McGovern. He assisted on tackles of Frank Gore and Lamical Perine on back-to-back runs to finish up the first quarter, using his arms to stay off blocks and get free. It’s going to be interesting to see what he does with more snaps, but for now he’s well behind Jerry Hughes, Mario Addison and Murphy in the pecking order.

Neville Gallimore, DT DAL

38 (55%) snaps; started; one solo tackle, three assists; one tackle for loss

Gallimore played his highest number of snaps so far but looked fairly pedestrian, getting moved around too easily by Washington’s interior linemen. His best play came late in the game when he lined up over backup tackle David Sharpe, blew him off the line, and met Peyton Barber in the backfield for a three-yard loss. Gallimore is worth monitoring in defensive tackle-premium formats – just don’t count on much if you have to start him.

Bryce Huff, DE NYJ

30 (41%) snaps; three solo tackles, one assist; one tackle for loss

An undrafted rookie, Huff has given Jets fans something to be happy about by continuing his surprising play with a solid tackle week. During a productive third quarter, he did a great job snuffing out an end-around, avoiding a block by Tyler Kroft in the backfield and dropping the speedy Isaiah McKenzie for an 11-yard loss. He’s probably in line for healthy snaps going forward as defensive end Kyle Phillips is out for the season with an ankle injury. For fantasy, Huff’s just a “watch list” guy for now unless you’re in a deep league with lots of roster spots.

Khalid Kareem, DE CIN

18 (35%) snaps; four assists

Kareem, like Huff, is another name to monitor for those in deep leagues. The fifth-round pick from Notre Dame hasn’t registered a big statistical day yet, but has been solid against the run and looks like he could pick up additional snaps following Cincinnati’s trade of disgruntled “Employee 96” (Carlos Dunlap) to Seattle.

Tershawn Wharton, DT KC

47 (61%) snaps; one solo tackle, one assist; one forced fumble; one fumble recovery

The undrafted Wharton had another nice showing, playing a season-high in snaps in the Chiefs’ blowout win. At the end of the first quarter, he chased Melvin Gordon III from behind, dislodging the ball and corralling it before it hit the ground. As he turned upfield though he was drilled by an offensive lineman, fumbling in turn. Kansas City recovered, saving a nice rookie moment for Wharton.

Chase Young, DE WAS

46 (82%) snaps; started; five solo tackles, one assist; one tackle for loss

Young had his most productive outing since week two and looked overpowering at times while racking up some nice tackle numbers. Following a week eight bye, Young has some juicy matchups against the Giants, Lions, Bengals, and Cowboys again. It’s easy to imagine Young picking up a couple of sacks against those offensive lines.

Others of note:

Notable inactives and injuries:

  • McTelvin Agim, DT DEN – inactive; could get a helmet going forward with Mike Purcell out for the season
  • Marlon Davidson, DE ATL – missed the game while on the reserve-COVID-19 list; reinstated Oct 26
  • Julian Okwara, DE DET – placed on injured reserve Oct 21 with a leg injury suffered in week six

LINEBACKERS

Krys Barnes, LB GB

27 (40%) snaps; started; four solo tackles, four assists; one sack; one tackle for loss; one quarterback hit

Kamal Martin, LB GB

29 (43%) snaps; started; six solo tackles; one tackle for loss

The Packers suddenly have all kinds of good options at inside linebacker, as Martin returned from injured reserve to make his debut. The fifth-round pick was in line for the two-down starting spot next to Christian Kirksey before getting hurt just prior to week one. He showed good scrape skills and lateral ability at times, particularly on a fourth-quarter tackle of David Johnson that held the Texans running back to a one-yard gain.

Barnes continued to look good and led the Packers in total tackles despite playing just 27 snaps. He was forced from the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury; as of this writing, his status for week eight is unknown. He notched his first career sack, finding a scrambling Deshaun Watson for a five-yard loss. The snap counts and injury to Barnes make this a tough situation to project, but both have been productive so far. Either could be the long-term solution at inside linebacker, as Kirksey is an easy cap cut in the off-season before the second year of his two-year deal kicks in.

Jordyn Brooks, LB SEA

38 (45%) snaps; started; three solo tackles, four assists; one tackle for loss

Brooks returned to the Seahawks starting lineup for the first time since spraining an MCL in week three and had somewhat of a breakout game, logging his largest number of snaps and making several big plays.

He showed off an ability to cover a deep pattern, turning and carrying Dan Arnold down the seam on a pass that Kyler Murray overthrew the tight end. Following DK Metcalf’s now-famous rundown of Budda Baker, Arizona ran a quarterback sweep from the two-yard line on third down. Brooks sprinted through a gap in the line to drop Murray on the sideline for a one-yard loss.

He wasn’t perfect. Brooks was worked by Arnold for a 16-yard reception at around the four-minute mark in the first quarter. For fantasy purposes, he came off the field in nickel, limiting his snaps and opportunity. The big takeaway for now is that he looks like a long-term IDP asset.

Cam Brown, LB NYG

12 (15%) snaps

Brown has seen minimal snaps so far but stands to see an uptick in usage following the Giants’ trade of Markus Golden. Brown is a good athlete with a long frame but needs some additional strength to compete as a stand-up edge rusher. He got tossed around and stuffed in one-on-ones with the Eagles’ right tackle, but did have some success on stunts – primarily in the third quarter when he pressured Carson Wentz into a scramble and off-balance throw for an incompletion. We’ll have to see how he develops as the season goes along before determining whether he’s worth a roster stash in big-play leagues.

Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB CIN

14 (27%) snaps

Logan Wilson, LB CIN

22 (42%) snaps; started; two solo tackles, two assists; one tackle for loss

The Bengals continue to give Germaine Pratt and Josh Bynes the lion’s share of snaps at linebacker, but Wilson still showed well and was efficient with the snaps he did receive. On his tackle for loss, he lined up outside the defensive end and worked through a double tight end block to bring down Kareem Hunt four yards in the backfield. Wilson is a strong tackler and has shown the ability to find the ball quickly and pursue, and remains a strong IDP asset. Davis-Gaither, meanwhile, saw his fewest snaps of the season.

Willie Gay, LB KC

39 (51%) snaps; started; three solo tackles, one assist; one tackle for loss; two passes defensed

Was week seven a one-week blip? Or a sign that Gay’s usage is still inconsistent to the point that you can’t trust him in your lineup? After playing two snaps one week ago, Gay logged a season-high with 39 snaps and turned in a nice showing, making his presence felt on the first play of the game by bringing down Phillip Lindsay for a one-yard loss. He also made a couple of nice plays in pass coverage in the first half, dropping in zone coverage and leaping high to break up attempts to Nick Vannett and Tim Patrick. Gay simply moves at a different speed than Kansas City’s other linebackers.

Anfernee Jennings, LB NE

53 (80%) snaps; started; four solo tackles, two assists

Jennings easily saw his biggest usage of the season. The playing time was promising but the role was not. On San Francisco’s opening drive, he seemingly made a big error lined up over George Kittle. Jennings did little to try to disrupt his route before passing the star tight end off in coverage to a big void in the zone. It resulted in an easy 15-yard gain.

Jennings was in on a handful of tackles. I couldn’t watch the entire game, but he typically lined up as a stand-up linebacker in a “Wide 9” technique, or over the slot, and it looked like his main responsibility was to set the edge. We’ll have to see how his responsibilities expand (if they do) moving forward to gauge any fantasy value on a defense that’s typically not a good one for fantasy production.

Kenneth Murray, LB LAC

63 (100%) snaps; three solo tackles, two assists; one pass defensed

The snaps keep coming for Murray but unfortunately, the big production has not been there. He had a nice breakup of a pass to Keelan Cole on a shallow cross in the second quarter in what was probably his highlight play of the day.

Isaiah Simmons, LB ARI

Five (6%) snaps; one interception; one pass defensed

In the nuttiest game of a fun week of football, Simmons of all people came up with one of the plays of the week, intercepting Russell Wilson in the final minute of overtime. His 12-yard return set up Arizona with good field position in what turned into a statement win for the Cardinals. Other than that, there’s not much to say about his performance. Maybe this is the spark that lights a flame moving forward.

Others of note:

  • Zack Baun, LB NO – 13 (28%) snaps; started; one solo tackle
  • Shaun Bradley, LB PHI – one (2%) snap; was in on a special teams tackle but did not build on his 32 snaps from week six
  • Alex Highsmith, LB PIT – eight (14%) snaps; three solo tackles, one assist
  • Terrell Lewis, LB LAR – 20 (32%) snaps; one solo tackle; one tackle for loss; one quarterback hit
  • Davion Taylor, LB PHI – special teams snaps only
  • Mykal Walker, LB ATL – 26 (42%) snaps; two solo tackles, one assist

Notable inactives and injuries:

  • Tae Crowder, LB NYG – placed on injured reserve Oct. 20 with a hamstring injury
  • Troy Dye, LB MIN – designated to return from injured reserve, so could return to the 53-man roster within the next three weeks
  • Jacob Phillips, LB CLE – inactive; week five knee injury is still holding him out

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Jeremy Chinn, S CAR

66 (94%) snaps; four solo tackles, four assists; one pass defensed

Sam Franklin, S CAR

70 (100%) snaps; one solo tackle, one assist

With strong safety Juston Burris going on injured reserve, the undrafted Sam Franklin stepped into a full-time role. He was pretty much a zero from a fantasy standpoint, so there’s no need to go rush to pick him up. One thing you can say about Franklin: he’s physical, and let everyone know on the first play of the game by de-cleating Saints wide receiver Juwan Jennings while coming up in run support.

Chinn had his typical, solid tackle day, and remains a DB1. In pass protection, he made a nice play in the middle of field, closing on Adam Trautman to break up a pass attempt. Otherwise he allowed several receptions. He’s a better player near the line of scrimmage.

Kamren Curl, S WAS

39 (70%) snaps; three solo tackles

Curl saw major snaps in place of Landon Collins, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon early in the second quarter, and should be added in leagues with larger lineups. Curl was definitely the safety playing closer to the line of scrimmage in high-low looks, with Deshazor Everett playing deep. Washington also had him lined up in zone coverage, in deep split safety formations, in man coverage over the tight end, and even brought him on a blitz three or four times.

I thought Curl looked pretty good for the most part – he did miss a tackle on running back Tony Pollard late first half and seemed a little reluctant to put his body into the action at times – but it looks like he’ll get opportunities going forward.

Vernon Scott, S GB

13 (19%) snaps; one solo tackle; one tackle for loss

The seventh-round TCU product is worth keeping an eye on as he’s looked good in limited snaps playing a dime linebacker role for the Packers. His lone tackle came as he brought down Duke Johnson for a three-yard loss on a third-and-eight red zone pass in the fourth quarter. The Packers have Will Redmond entering unrestricted free agency and Raven Greene entering restricted free agency – plus Adrian Amos has a hefty contract and could be a cap casualty – so Scott could be looking at a larger role as early as next season.

Antoine Winfield Jr., S TB

64 (98%) snaps; one solo tackle, one assist; one interception; one pass defensed

Winfield nabbed his first career interception on a pass that fellow safety Mike Edwards deflected off Nelson Agholor, saving a mediocre fantasy day. On a third-quarter tackle of Hunter Renfrow, he was a little slow to react to the throw but took a perfect angle to close from 14 yards out. Winfield will continue to be inconsistent with his tackle production, but he’s a big play waiting to happen due to his physical play and football smarts.

Others of note:

  • Terrell Burgess, S LAR – 12 (19%) snaps; two solo tackles, one assist; broke his ankle on a tackle and will miss the remainder of the season
  • Chris Claybrooks, CB JAX – 42 (52%) snaps
  • Ashtyn Davis, S NYJ – 24 (32%) snaps; two solo tackles, one assist; highest snap total of the season
  • Trevon Diggs, CB DAL – 61 (88%) snaps; started; two solo tackles; two passes defensed; torched by Terry McLaurin on a 52-yard touchdown reception
  • Kristian Fulton, CB TEN – 37 (47%) snaps; started; two solo tackles, one assist
  • C.J. Henderson, CB JAX – 79 (98%) snaps; five solo tackles, three assists
  • Jaylon Johnson, CB CHI – 72 (100%) snaps; two solo tackles, one pass defensed
  • Michael Ojemudia, CB DEN – 37 (73%) snaps; started; two solo tackles
  • Jeff Okudah, CB DET – 69 (92%) snaps; started; four solo tackles; one pass defensed
  • Troy Pride, CB CAR – 37 (53%) snaps; started; three solo tackles, one assist
  • A.J. Terrell, CB ATL – 61 (98%) snaps; one solo tackle, three assists
  • Daniel Thomas, S JAX – four (5%) snaps; one solo tackle; blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown to put the Jaguars up on the Chargers early in the third quarter

Notable inactives and injuries:

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