• A new challenger has appeared in Buffalo: With Matt Milano injured and Terrel Bernard inactive, the Bills asked a new and unfamiliar player to wear the green dot — leading to the question, who is Joe Andreessen?
• We got a closer look at the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ linebacker rotation: With the starting linebackers all active, IDP managers got a better feel for what this rotation might look like in 2024.
• Dominate fantasy football season with promo code PFF25: Unlock all of PFF's fantasy content and tools, including full access to the fantasy football mock draft simulator, for 25% off using promo code PFF25.
Estimated reading time: 10 minutes
With two weeks of NFL preseason games in the books, there were even more IDP-related takeaways to help fantasy managers prepare for this fantasy football season.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
• The Eagles' linebacker situation was the same as last week, with Devin White and Zack Baun getting the start and playing full-time snaps through the first two defensive drives (12 snaps).
• Baun stayed on for one more drive alongside Nakobe Dean on the third drive, with Dean staying in alongside rookie Jeremiah Trotter Jr. late into the third quarter as full-time players.
• As was the case last week, Dean earned an elite overall grade (90.0), the highest mark among Philadelphia's defensive players this week.
• It’s a small sample of just 46 snaps across two games playing with and against backups, but it is also worth monitoring for a team needing linebacker help because of Dean’s profile coming out of college.
• The Patriots played a handful of their expected defensive starters, including edge defender Anfernee Jennings, who is expected to take on a bigger role after the team traded Matthew Judon. Jennings played a sizable 677 snaps in 2023 but could set another career-high this season.
• Jennings got the start in both preseason games and was given limited/protected snaps, indicating the team will utilize him more during the season.
ATLANTA FALCONS @ BALTIMORE RAVENS
• The Falcons did not play any of their expected starters.
• A few potential Ravens starters took the field, specifically linebackers Trenton Simpson and Malik Harrison.
• Last week, Harrison played exclusively on the edge and did not appear to be a threat to Simpson’s starting linebacker snaps. However, this week was different, as Harrison not only started and played exclusively at linebacker but also wore the green dot and even left the game earlier than Simpson.
• Between the playcalling duties and the earlier exit from the game, this could indicate that Harrison is ahead of Simpson on the depth chart and will potentially start next to Roquan Smith come Week 1. It could also just be the team wanting to give more snaps to the more inexperienced Simpson.
• Either way, this will be a situation to monitor, and we should take note of Simpson’s potential usage once the season begins.
#FFIDP – Baltimore Ravens LBs in P2:
Roquan Smith inactive.
Trenton Simpson and Malik Harrison get the start.
Last week Harrison played exclusively on the edge but played 100% off-ball LB this week and wore the dot.
Harrison was also first out of the game while Simpson stayed… pic.twitter.com/VJGHSqj8AR
— Jon Macri (@PFF_Macri) August 17, 2024
NEW YORK GIANTS @ HOUSTON TEXANS
• The Giants played a number of their expected starting defensive players in the first half of this game.
• The Giants rotated safeties Jason Pinnock, Dane Belton and rookie Tyler Nubin by drive, which doesn't give us a clear idea of who will start come Week 1.
• Pinnock and Belton started this game, but that doesn’t necessarily mean this situation is sorted.
• The Texans played a handful of their starting defensive players, including safety Jalen Pitre, through the first three drives. Pitre seems to have been moved to a new role this season.
• Last season under DeMeco Ryans, Pitre played 60% of his snaps from a deep alignment, whereas now he’s played only 17% of his snaps deep, spending the large majority of his time in the slot (48%) and the box (26%).
• This was still a full-time role for Pitre in the drives he played with the starters this week, and if that usage continues into the regular season, he should have a nice bounce-back season after disappointing a lot of IDP managers in 2023.
CINCINNATI BENGALS @ CHICAGO BEARS
• The Bengals only played their backups in this game, which included both Jordan Battle and Dax Hill, confirming that they won’t be IDP-relevant in 2024 as long as Geno Stone and Vonn Bell are healthy.
• The Bears played several of their expected starting defensive players for the first two drives without any new IDP-relevant takeaways.
DETROIT LIONS @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
• The Lions only played their backups, including Ifeatu Melifonwu, who appears to be behind Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph for a starting safety spot, keeping him from being IDP-relevant in 2024.
• The Chiefs played several of their expected starting defensive players in this game, with Nick Bolton still not participating.
• In Bolton’s stead, Leo Chenal and Drue Tranquill handled the starting linebacker duties. Tranquill played an every-down role for the first drive but just the final snap on the second, giving both players a chance to rotate off, as they’d likely be doing with Bolton in the lineup.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS @ CLEVELAND BROWNS
• The Vikings did not play any of their expected starting defensive players.
• The Browns did not play any of their expected starting defensive players.
ARIZONA CARDINALS @ INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
• The Cardinals did not play any of their expected starting defensive players.
• The Colts did not play any of their expected starting defensive players.
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS @ MIAMI DOLPHINS
• The Dolphins played several of their expected defensive starters in this game, including linebackers David Long and Jordyn Brooks.
• Both linebackers played 100% of snaps on the first drive, potentially indicating that new defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver may utilize his starters similarly in the regular season.
• David Long got banged up on the second drive and did not return. At the time of writing, the injury isn’t expected to be serious.
• The Commanders played several of their expected defensive starters, including linebacker Frankie Luvu and safety Jeremy Chinn.
• Last week, Luvu played three of his four snaps as a pass rusher, with two coming lined up along the defensive line. This week, Luvu played 11 snaps, three lined up on the edge and two rushing the passer.
• Luvu’s usage this week was more encouraging than last week, at least for his tackle efficiency, since he mainly played (73%) off-ball linebacker.
• It’s worth noting that neither Bobby Wagner nor Jordan Magee (who started at off-ball linebacker last week) played in this game, so it’s possible that with either of those two back in, Luvu’s usage reverts to more of a pass-rush role.
#FFIDP – Washington Commanders starting safety Jeremy Chinn through two preseason games.
Getting IDP-friendly usage in Dan Quinn's defense, as expected. 🔥
Should be in for a nice bounce-back season. 📈
Jartavius Martin, the other starting safety, has played 86% deep. pic.twitter.com/1YJGoZsjvb
— Jon Macri (@PFF_Macri) August 18, 2024
BUFFALO BILLS @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS
• The Steelers played several of their expected defensive starters in this game, including linebacker Patrick Queen, who started alongside rookie Payton Turner. Elandon Roberts mixed in.
• This was different from last week, where Queen was inactive and Roberts and Wilson both started, with Roberts being first to exit the game and Wilson staying in with more of the backups. This was the case again, with Roberts wrapping up his day at the end of the first quarter and Wilson playing until the early portion of the second half.
• Queen worked as the lone full-time linebacker with Wilson and Roberts rotating on and off the field based on situation, which has been a common theme in Pittsburgh in recent years, making whoever wins the LB2 starting role a deep-league target only, as it won’t be a full-time position.
• Roberts played the first defensive snap of the game next to Queen, with Wilson coming in for second and third down on that first drive.
• The Bills lost Matt Milano for a significant period this week due to a bicep injury and were without another expected starting linebacker, Terrel Bernard, in this game.
• With both starters out, Joe Andreessen and Dorian Williams got the start, playing 100% of snaps through the first six drives, with Andreessen wearing the green dot.
• It’s possible Dorian Williams is still the next man up as a starter next to Terrel Bernard come Week 1, but the team’s faith in the rookie UDFA out of Buffalo should put him on IDP radars.
• Andreessen stayed in the game for two additional drives, with Williams getting the “rest” treatment near the end of the second quarter, adding another wrinkle to this situation.
• It’s also very possible that neither player is a full-time linebacker in the regular season, even if they do technically start, as we saw last year from their LB2 situation when Milano was out.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS @ TENNESSEE TITANS
• The Seahawks only played a couple of their expected defensive starters, including rookie Byron Murphy and edge Boye Mafe, but there weren’t any relevant takeaways.
• The Titans did not play any of their expected defensive starters in this game.
NEW YORK JETS @ CAROLINA PANTHERS
• The Jets did not play any of their expected defensive starters in this game.
• The Panthers did not play any of their expected defensive starters in this game.
LOS ANGELES RAMS @ LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
• The Rams did not play any of their expected defensive starters in this game.
• The Chargers played their potential starting linebackers Denzel Perryman and Daiyan Henley in this game. They were without rookie Junior Colson, the other contender for a starting spot.
• Perryman led the defense, wearing the green dot and playing just one drive before his night was done.
• Henley stayed on into the second quarter before his night was over.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
• The Buccaneers played only a handful of their expected defensive starters in this game without any real takeaways.
• The Jaguars did not play any of their expected defensive starters in this game.
DALLAS COWBOYS @ LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
• The Cowboys did not play any of their expected defensive starters in this game.
• The Raiders played several of their starters for the entire first half, including linebackers Robert Spillane and Divine Deablo.
• Spillane worked as the lone full-time linebacker, while Deablo came off the field on the only two third-and-long plays the defense faced in that first half.
• Deablo wasn’t a full-time player last season either, and this should indicate that his usage will continue to be limited, especially when it comes to obvious passing situations.
#FFIDP – Las Vegas Raiders linebackers in P2:
Both Robert Spillane (🟢) and Divine Deablo got the start and played the entire first half.
The Raiders defense only faced two third & long plays in that first half with Deablo coming off the field for both of them.
Potential… pic.twitter.com/PxhFOhJsZK
— Jon Macri (@PFF_Macri) August 18, 2024
GREEN BAY PACKERS @ DENVER BRONCOS
• The Packers did not play many of their expected starters on defense in this game.
• After starting last week alongside Xavier McKinney, rookie safety Javon Bullard did play and this week spent most of his time in the slot, as he did last week.
• Bullard played more at safety when not covering the slot, while Anthony Johnson Jr. and Evan Williams filled the deep safety roles when Bullard was in the slot.
• Bullard appears safe in a full-time role, as his night was done after just one drive.
• Bullard could also potentially be getting the more optimal IDP usage if he continues getting work in the slot.
• The Broncos played a number of their expected starting defensive players in this game.
• Both linebackers Alex Singleton and Cody Barton played full-time snaps into the second quarter.
• The Broncos starting edge defenders Baron Browning and Jonathon Cooper each played volume-heavy roles, as well, which should provide for some valuable IDP potential in players that are not drafted highly at the moment.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS @ SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
• The 49ers did not play many expected starting defensive players in this game.
• The Saints played several starting defensive players, minus expected starting linebackers Demario Davis and Pete Werner.
• Both Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson started this game, playing every snap on the first drive, with Chase Young only coming on the field during a third-and-long.
• On the second drive, Jordan played every snap alongside Young, while Granderson came on for a third-and-long.
• The third drive was Young and Granderson playing every snap, with Jordan coming on for the third-and-long.
• This was the same pattern from last week’s game through three drives.
• It’s likely to be a similar rotation in the regular season, with all three capable of putting up decent IDP production.
#FFIDP – New Orleans Saints EDGE rotation in P2:
Cameron Jordan, Carl Granderson, and Chase Young all got similar work in this game.
Jordan & Granderson start with Young coming on for a third-and-long.
2nd drive it was Granderson for the 3rd down.
3rd drive was Jordan's turn.… pic.twitter.com/VyFAD8hATY
— Jon Macri (@PFF_Macri) August 19, 2024
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