IDP Improvements: Moves to Make Before Week Six

Jared Verse and Kobie Turner | © Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Jason Abbey Posted On October 9, 2024

Hopefully, you survived the first bye week in good shape by adding and starting DeMarvion Overshown and Trevin Wallace, as we suggested in our last article. Here, we delve into some fantasy moves you should consider heading into week six to help you stay ahead of the competition.

Jared Verse, EDGE LAR – Add

Verse hasn’t been productive, but he has been disruptive. His 17 pressures rank 12th among all edge rushers, and his 36.8% win rate ranks third at the position. He has generated more pressure than teammates Byron Young and Michael Hoecht combined.

Jared Verse gets his first sack in the NFL!! 🔥 #NFLNoles pic.twitter.com/W6bLX3vHna

— Plant The Spear (@Plantthespear1) September 9, 2024

Critics will understandably point to the plays the rookie is leaving on the field. Verse’s missed tackle rate of 39.3% is abysmal. However, the Rams will be patient with their first-round pick while he continues to acclimatize to the NFL.

DLF rankers considered Verse a top-three rookie in dynasty formats because of his landing spot and potential. Those rankings look justified based on what we have seen so far.

If Verse continues to play as he has, it’s simply a matter of time before he begins to accumulate sacks. We should expect the usual inconsistency associated with rookie edge rushers, but he has a bright future. Acquire Verse now before his value increases.

Isaiah McDuffie, LB GB – Trade away

McDuffie’s role in the Green Bay Packers defense has steadily decreased as rookie linebacker Edgerrin Cooper eats into his snap share. That trend looks set to continue after Cooper produced arguably his finest display against the Los Angeles Rams in week five.

five games into his career and edgerrin cooper might already be the best linebacker the packers have pic.twitter.com/foT8chsi3K

— Zachary Jacobson (@zacobson) October 7, 2024

Barring an injury to Quay Walker, McDuffie may continue to split time with Cooper for a while. However, as the season unfolds, the Packers will give Cooper every opportunity to succeed, and that may come at McDuffie’s expense, considering he is only under contract through 2024.

McDuffie’s dynasty managers may be tempted to hold onto him, hoping that he’ll find a starting gig in 2025. That is a risky strategy, considering his performances have been subpar. The wiser move would be to capitalize on his unsustainably high 25% tackle efficiency rate from week five and sell him before his role diminishes further and any trade value he has disappears.

Josh Sweat, EDGE PHI – Add/Start

Sweat has produced 29 sacks in the last three seasons, but he managed only one sack in four games before the Philadelphia Eagles’ bye in week five.

IDP managers could be forgiven for being frustrated with Sweat’s production. Still, this is another case where the raw stats don’t tell the whole story. Sweat has been disruptive with 18 pressures and has simply been unfortunate not to convert more of those pressures into sacks.

If Sweat continues to play as he has, the sacks will come, and there is no better matchup for opposition pass rushers than the Cleveland Browns in week six. The Browns have allowed more sacks and pressures than any other team in 2024, and it’s not particularly close.

Jamien Sherwood, LB NYJ – Trade for

Once C.J. Mosley returns from injury, he will reclaim his role, Quincy Williams will occupy the other full-time role, and Sherwood will be left out in the cold.

Sherwood arguably deserves better. He has played at a high level in four consecutive games, and his performances will leave the Jets with some difficult decisions to make as he nears the end of his contract term.

If you can afford the roster space, trade for and carry Sherwood until his long-term outlook becomes clearer. If the Jets don’t pay him, someone else will.

This is a recommendation that IDP managers may wish to consider once Mosley gets healthy and Sherwood’s role and value diminish.

Marte Mapu, S NE – Add/Start

Mapu capitalized on the absence of Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers in week six, returning from IR to play every down in the New England Patriots’ loss to the Miami Dolphins. It was a productive outing for the sophomore as he finished with seven tackles and a pass breakup.

Marte Mapu covering three different routes and Christian Gonzalez sticking to Tyreek Hill's hip 1v1 pic.twitter.com/l69JM9wY4w

— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) October 8, 2024

Dugger is listed as questionable and may return this weekend, but Mapu should remain heavily involved as Peppers is likely to be out for a while following his recent arrest.

Mapu carries a DB designation on most major fantasy platforms. However, the Patriots use him as more of a linebacker, asking him to spend the majority of his time in the box. The phrase ‘cheat code’ is overused in such circumstances, but it may be appropriate in this case.

Conclusion

Don’t despair if your season has got off to a bad start. With careful planning and a little luck, you may be able to bounce back. However, if your season already feels lost because of long-term injuries to key players, it’s important to identify your situation early. Doing so can give you the jump on acquiring valuable future draft picks before managers of other struggling teams do the same.