Welcome to IDP Plays & Fades for Week 2 (2025)!
And now we are off, running down to the Ript-IDP! Let’s uncap our pens and discuss the plays & fades for Week 2! Week 1 was a much-welcomed return to fantasy mountain, and we will try to lead you to the top of Mount Olympus!
In this series, I will help highlight some players who could surpass expectations or fall short of them. We will hit three plays and three fades at each position (DL, LB, DB) from varying positions in weekly rankings. While they will not be forced, I will also try to add in a DT and a CB from their respective position groups. The goal for each group will be to have at least one high-level name and a lower-ranked player, ones who could rise tiers based on matchups or falter a bit due to “empty” statistics. Now it is time to saddle your mount (horse, pegasus, dragon, etc) and ride into the fires (seas?) of IDP week 2!
Some notes! Common statistics and metrics used will come from the Pro Football Focus (PFF) database. Metrics include PRP (Pass Rush Productivity, essentially how effective an individual rusher is), PRWR (Pass Rush Win Rate), AVDT (Average Depth of Tackle – how far down the field run tackles are made), amongst some other snap counts. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Defensive Lineman
Play: Osa Odighizuwa, DT, Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants
- Finished week 1 with four pressures, but minimal impact in the box score. Metrics were solid, finishing as a top-28 pass-rushing interior defensive lineman by PRP and PRWR. Breakout pick of mine this season after borderline elite rush metrics in 2024.
- Run defense is a concern, with the 15th worst AVDT amongst iDL, but his overall Run Defense grade was 15th best. Losing Micah Parsons hurts overall, but Kenny Clark’s presence may help Odighizuwa’s run game.
- The Giants’ offensive line was solid last week, earning top-12 overall grades. However, this does not feel true, given what we know of the interior starters. Da’Ron Payne (more on him later) had poor metrics but finished with multiple sacks. Odighizuwa is an upside swing along the interior.
Play: Jared Verse, EDGE, Los Angeles Rams @ Tennessee Titans
- Verse disappointed in week 1, with the same line as Odighizuwa. However, this does not feel true as he finished top-11 amongst EDGE players in overall pass rush grade and PRWR, and the 2nd best run defense grade.
- Verse just missed on multiple plays against the 29th-rated pass-blocking OL in week 1, but now faces the 31st-best (2nd-worst, behind only Verse’s own team) in the Titans.
- Another great OL matchup, combined with a rookie QB who wants to extend plays, gives Verse a massive bounce-back potential. If you had a scare from week 1, consider it an apparition rather than a descent into Tartarus.
Play: Odafe Oweh, EDGE, Baltimore Ravens vs Cleveland Browns
- Early-season rankings can sometimes lead to take-lock. This may very well be one of those cases with a personal favorite in Oweh (from the team of the RoD PoD, Penn State!).
- Oweh was a pass-rush only play last week, but looked good on those reps despite a lack of production. The metrics were merely fine, but the role has a hidden upside.
- Baltimore should (key word…) handle Cleveland early, leading to another 40+ dropback day for Joe Flacco. Flacco’s poor mobility has further dissipated, leading to an easier target. Cleveland’s RT has been a rotating door of poor players, between an aging and injured Jack Conklin and Cornelius Lucas. Dawand Jones, on the other side, allowed more pressure than any tackle in week 1. Oweh is a sneaky waiver add and play for this matchup!
Fade: Brian Burns, EDGE, New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys
- Burns had a great week 1, with two sacks and six total tackles. However, the metrics were not as strong, finishing outside the top 30 in most areas. Abdul Carter, across from him, is a help, but it is unlikely that his presence and lack of high-level rushing will continuously lead to high sack numbers.
- Dallas is a tough matchup for EDGE players, allowing the 4th fewest points in Week 1. Their tackles may be the weakest point of their OL, but they are competent enough when combined with Dak Prescott’s processing to minimize sacks.
Fade: Laiatu Latu, EDGE, Indianapolis Colts vs Denver Broncos
- Latu’s only real fantasy production from week 1 came as a result of an interception. The EDGE player will drop back more than most DL players (not a good thing for fantasy), but we cannot expect many picks from this prototype.
- There is still hope for a breakout from the 2024 first-rounder, but it will be hard to happen in a deep rotation. Low snap counts may have been the result of a blowout, but reserve EDGEs Samson Ebukam and Tyquan Lewis will demand real snaps. Latu was fine as a rusher, but we need to see more before he becomes a confident start.
- This matchup is unfavorable for Latu, with Denver’s top OL in 2024. In week 1, Denver was only the 3rd best OL, while RT Mike McGlinchey (Latu’s matchup) was the 20th best pass-blocking OT overall. Bronco QB Bo Nix is divisive, but he does not take sacks often and is athletic enough to make it harder for defenders.
Fade: Carl Granderson, EDGE, New Orleans Saints vs San Francisco 49ers
- This is not very “Go Pokes” of me (for those who did not know, I am an alum of the University of Wyoming, when Granderson, Logan Wilson, Marcus Epps, Andrew Wingard, along with a relatively niche QB named Josh Allen, were playing there), but alas, it feels true. Granderson’s matchup in week 2 is none other than future Hall of Famer Trent Williams… not great!
- Granderson had a very good PRP in week 1, but his PRWR and overall rush grade were very poor. PRP is great for larger sample sizes, but can become inconsistent in smaller ones (such as one week). It will be hard for him to total three pressures (week 1 total) against Williams, but converting two of those into sacks will be even more challenging.
Linebackers
Play: Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints vs San Francisco 49ers
- Well, here we stay on the same side of the ball with the long-time stalwart. Davis finished week 1 with nine total tackles against the Cardinals. He now faces a 49ers team that will always be run-heavy, but even more so now that Mac Jones will start in place of the injured Brock Purdy.
- Davis finished week 1 as the top LB league-wide against the run while playing 100% of snaps. He has a massive floor in terms of these metrics. Davis is also a top-15 pass rusher at the LB position, adding more upside to the ageless wonder.
Play: Tremaine Edmunds, Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions
- This one will not be popular, but Edmunds has been overhated in IDP circles since arriving in Chicago. He has not lived up to his contract, but has been a consistent LB3 for IDP leagues, as he was last week. With T.J. Edwards hobbled/out, Edmunds is a lock for 100% of snaps.
- Edmunds had fine metrics, as a top-30 run-defending linebacker and a top-40 overall one. Add in a great matchup with Detroit, and we have a sneaky LB2 play. Both of Green Bay’s LBs posted top-15 finishes against Detroit in week 1, despite blowing them out. Detroit should be run heavy, especially if they take an early lead on Chicago, giving Edmunds a great floor.
Play: Christian Rozeboom, Carolina Panthers @ Arizona Cardinals
- Despite improvement from sophomore Trevin Wallace, Rozeboom remains the top LB in Carolina for now. He saw 100% of snaps while finishing as a top-24 LB against the run and in fantasy points.
- Arizona was a top-3 LB matchup last week, giving the full-time Rozeboom a high-floor potential. He may not be a flashy player, but facing a run-heavy & short pass-happy Cardinals team gives him a great opportunity.
Fade: Henry To’oTo’o, Houston Texans vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (MNF)
- As mentioned earlier, take-lock can be a thing after week 1. To’oTo’o is one of those players for me. He finished as a top-20 LB in week 1, but graded out as LB77 (of 100) per PFF. The Texans have been looking to displace him for years. How long will it be until Christian Harris or E.J. Speed cut into his snaps? If the play stays that poor, it will not be long.
- His fantasy week was boosted by a sack, one that will be hard to continue stealing from Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter. Add in a bad matchup against Tampa Bay (2nd worst matchup after week 1), and To’oTo’o is an absolute stay away for me.
Fade: Jack Sanborn, Dallas Cowboys vs New York Giants
- This one is a bummer. We had consistent reports and high hopes that Sanborn would take over the green-dot role in Dallas, but that was not the case. Sanborn was the LB2 behind Kenneth Murray (WHY), killing what we thought would be a great floor play.
- Sometimes a matchup can allow a limited-role player to thrive. This is not one of those. The Giants have a few solid backs, but no one who will make them run heavy. New York allowed the 8th fewest points to LBs in week 1. Limited role and bad matchup make Sanborn a Sanburn this week (sorry, not sorry).
Fade: Logan Wilson, Cincinnati Bengals vs Jacksonville Jaguars
- This has despicably become a very non-Go Pokes edition. Wilson had a solid week 1, finishing with seven total tackles and just outside LB2 territory. He missed some time with an injury, which hurt his total but also is a cause for future concern. Despite returning to that game, Wilson has become an injury scare, which may break some ties.
- Wilson faces a bad matchup in Jacksonville, which allowed the 4th fewest LB points in week 1. Tank Bigsby is now in Philadelphia, which takes away their hammerhead option, potentially worsening the running game (and Wilson’s production). Wilson can still be played as an LB2; however, he is ranked as a top-10 play this week, which feels overzealous at this time.
Defensive Backs
Play: Kenny Moore, CB, Indianapolis Colts vs Denver Broncos
- Moore ended week 1 just outside of the top-12 CBs with four total tackles and a sack. Denver is not the train wreck Miami appears headed towards; however, they did allow more points to CBs than any other team in Week 1.
- For CBs, Moore has an elite role for IDP. He played every snap on the inside, whether in the slot or up on the line. This has been the case for Moore for his whole career, where he has been a stalwart amongst CBs. Moore is setting up for another great season.
Play: TreVon Moehrig, S, Carolina Panthers @ Arizona Cardinals
- Perhaps my most aggressive predraft ranking among all positions, Moehrig lived up to my hype in Week 1. He finished the game with 11 tackles and ranked as S11 overall. No safety played more snaps in the box, and overall, 59 of 66 snaps were in the box or slot. This is elite usage for the new Panther star.
- Arizona is not a great matchup; however, Moehrig should steal many points from a subpar LB room (yes, I know Rozeboom was also a play this week). Arizona splits runs and passes nearly 50-50, favoring a short passing game that will lead to ample opportunities. Add in a top-10 Run defense grade, and Moehrig feels like a locked and loaded S1 until the room changes.
Play: Jeremy Chinn, S, Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Chargers (MNF)
- Not that there were many doubts, but Jeremy Chinn opened 2025 as the Raiders’ box safety. He did not finish with a great fantasy line, but he did show enough from metrics to give us faith in him. He saw fewer box snaps than only three safeties while having 67% in the box area.
- In addition to a significant role, Chinn finished as a top-15 run defending safety. Combine run game prowess with a box role, and you have the makings of an S2 floor. Los Angeles ended up having a split game against safeties, but the aforementioned Chamarri Conner tallied double-digit tackles.
Fade: Jamel Dean, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Houston Texans (MNF)
- Last week’s CB2, but buyer beware! A theme of my IDP analysis is bias against boundary corners. Yes, they are more likely to have interceptions, but those are sporadic and hard to predict while killing tackle floors. Dean is Tampa’s top CB, but a not-so-nice 69 of 74 snaps were on the outside.
- Houston is a bottom-5 CB matchup after week 1, allowing few tackle opportunities to boundary corners. The only real points allowed were an interception from reserve corner Decobie Dourant. As stated, picks are hard to predict, so we have a situation where Dean faces an uphill battle to score any points.
Fade: Chamarri Conner, S, Kansas City Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles
- Of 83 safeties with double-digit snaps, only seven graded worse than Conner did in week 1. He was completely outmatched by the Chargers, tying the league lead in missed tackles while allowing all seven targeted passes to be completed for 100 yards. Is there bias against Conner, as he is starting over my breakout pick in Jaden Hicks? Yes. But will he be able to hold Hicks off with this production? Also yes.
- Conner did have an excellent role for IDP production, with 80% of snaps in the box area. Despite the role, Conner faces an atrocious matchup in Philadelphia. The Eagles allowed the second fewest points to safeties in week 1.
Fade: Jaylin Hawkins, New England Patriots @ Miami Dolphins
- Yes, Hawkins did finish week 1 as S2 overall. No (much like Jamel Dean), I do not have faith in its repeatability. Hawkins had a modest tackle total of 5, but added a sack and an interception to raise his total. As stated, big plays are not consistent for DBs, and should be taken cautiously.
- Hawkins’ role as a 70% deep player makes him dependent on big plays. He was not a factor against the run, which Miami should lean on after a disastrous week 1 by QB Tua Tagovailoa. If Hawkins can add a sack or INT again (one was recorded by each Colts’ safety last week), he may sneak back up. However, he is a boom-or-bust play as of now and should be treated thusly.
Thank you for taking the time to read our IDP Plays & Fades For Week 2 (2025)!
I hope you enjoyed it and took away some valuable information from it, which will help you win your IDP matchups. For installments of my IDP Plays & Fades for the 2025 IDP Fantasy Football season click here. You can find my past & future work here, and catch me on the Ride or Dynasty Podcast (@RideorDynasty) every week, live at 7 pm EST, with JJ Wenner (@JJWenner) and Jameson Hutchison (@Jamesonrulez). Feel free to reach out to me directly @JoeLow63 on Bluesky, X, or in Discord, where you can also find and follow @FantasyInFrames !
