Week 2 IDP Fantasy Football Top Performers and Injury Roundup: Henry To’oto’o, Aidan Hutchinson, Odafe Oweh, Jason Pinnock, DeForest Buckner and More

Discussing some of the best fantasy football IDP performances, along with injuries, from week 2 of the NFL season.

After already taking a look at some fantasy football takeaways from Sunday’s games, it’s time to do the same for some individual defensive players (IDPs).

We’ll assess how sustainable some of the performances were and also discuss some injuries to key defensive players.

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Big Tackle Numbers

Week 2 saw several IDPs really shine in the tackle department.

Cincinnati Bengals’ Germaine Pratt recorded 16 total tackles and also forced a fumble on Sunday.

Pratt had eight total tackles in week 1, so I don’t envision him leading the league in tackles every week. Still, that’s really solid tackle production through two weeks, which makes him a good fantasy IDP.

Indianapolis Colts’ Nick Cross had 15 total tackles in week 2.

Cross had 14 total tackles in week 1, so this looks like more of a trend than a fluke. Pick up Cross and get him into your lineup before it’s too late.

Carolina Panthers’ Shaq Thompson had 14 total tackles on Sunday.

Thompson has 10 tackles in week 1, so he’s definitely one to target as an IDP. He’s not on a good defense, but with how much that unit will be on the field, Thompson should be able to rack up a bunch of tackles and serve as a good IDP.

Houston Texans’ Henry To'oto'o, New York Giants’ Micah McFadden and Minnesota Vikings’ Blake Cashman all had 13 total tackles and a sack on Sunday.

To’oto’o had seven tackles back in week 1. He might not rack up tackles quite like he did on Sunday every week, but with the sack also this week, he’s got some decent upside as an IDP.

McFadden missed week 1 with an injury. A season ago, he had 101 total tackles, so he was a good IDP option coming into the season. The Giants’ defense is likely to be on the field a bunch, making several starters on that defense good IDP options.

Cashman had six tackles in the first week of play, but the Vikings dominated the Giants, so there weren’t a ton of opportunities for Cashman. He’s a pretty solid IDP option, but is a better one in deeper formats.

Sacks Galore

Eleven players have two or more sacks this week.

Detroit Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson led the way with 4.5 sacks. He had five total tackles and also forced a fumble. 

Everyone knows Hutchinson, and because of his sack potential, he’s a good IDP option. He had a sack and five tackles in week 1, so he’s off to a fantastic start this season.

Arizona Cardinals’ Dennis Gardeck and New York Jets’ Will McDonald IV had three sacks each.

Gardeck also had a forced fumble and six total tackles. McDonald had four total tackles and forced a fumble as well.

Gardeck didn’t even post a tackle in week 1, so while this week was great, I also don’t anticipate a ton of other big games this season. In deeper leagues, he’s still worth rostering just in case his showing in week 2 is the start of a hot streak.

McDonald had just one assisted tackle in week 1, so again, this looks more like an outlier instead of something to expect a couple times this season. He had just three sacks as a rookie, but definitely is a player to keep an eye on as he keeps developing.

Baltimore Ravens’ Odafe Oweh had 2.5 sacks on Sunday. He had five total tackles and a forced fumble.

Oweh didn’t have a sack in week 1, but he had four total tackles. He had five sacks a season ago, but appears to be developing into a big-time pass rusher in Baltimore. I’ve seen enough through two weeks to give him a chance as a fantasy player.

Giants’ Jason Pinnock, Las Vegas Raiders’ Maxx Crosby, Minnesota’s Pat Jones II, San Francisco 49ers’ Nick Bosa, Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson, Baltimores’ Kyle Van Noy and Tennessee Titans’ Harold Landry III all had two sacks.

Pinnock also finished with nine total tackles, leading to a monster fantasy showing. He only had two tackles in week 1, but did have 85 total tackles a year ago, so his showing this week might be the one that gets him going. Again, on a defensive unit that will be on the field a bunch, Pinnock is a pretty solid fantasy option already, and with this kind of production, he just shows you a glimpse of what he brings every week.

Crosby is a big-time name and a big-time IDP option because of it. He had six total tackles this week, following up a solid, five-tackle, one-sack showing in week 1. Crosby should always be a part of starting lineups in leagues where defensive linemen are used.

Jones had five total tackles and a forced fumble to go along with his two sacks this week. He had two sacks among his four total tackles in week 1, so he’s proving to be a big-time pass rusher early this season. He only had five sacks in his three-year NFL career coming into the season, so this might be his breakout season.

Bosa is another big-name player. He had five total tackles this week after just two tackles and no sacks a week ago. Bosa is another pass rusher who should be in your lineup every week.

Hendrickson is another must-start pass rusher. He had four total tackles this week, after two tackles and no sacks a week ago. Hendrickson had 17.5 sacks a season ago, and maybe the week 2 showing will get him going for this season.

Van Noy is aging a bit (33 years old), but he showed he’s still got big-play potential. He only has four total tackles through two weeks, so he’s more an IDP option in deeper setups.

Landry has double-digit sack totals in back-to-back seasons, and he looks well on his way this season with three through two games. He had three total tackles in week 2 and six in week 1, showing he’s not just a sack specialist.

More Standout Players

San Francisco’s Fred Warner filled up the stat sheet on Sunday. He had nine total tackles, including a sack, two forced fumbles and an interception.

Usually when we are discussing a player with multiple takeaways in a single game, I’d be warning you not to add them, but Warner is a known and elite defensive player. He had seven total tackles and a forced fumble in week 1, so it’s not like his fantasy showings are inconsistent. Warner is a must-star IDP option.

Baltimore’s Marlon Humphrey and Las Vegas’ Robert Spillane had 10 total tackles and an interception each.

Humphrey’s showing was especially big considering he’s a defensive back. Usually teams try to avoid him - like in week 1 when he had just two total tackles. I see this week as more of an outlier with Humphrey - he’s a fantastic defender, but not a great week-to-week starting option outside deeper formats.

Spillane’s week 2 output is more sustainable. In fact, Spillane also posted 10 total tackles in week 1, so he’s a great guy to target and start for week 3.

IDP Injuries

Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Vita Vea is believed to have suffered an MCL sprain in week 2. 

He’s not a major IDP option, but he does have 30 or more total tackles and between 4-6.5 sacks over the past three seasons. If he’s out, that’s a big blow to the Tampa Bay defense.

Cincinnati’s B.J. Hill suffered a hamstring injury in week 2. 

He’s had 50 or more total tackles in his first three seasons with the Bengals, so if he misses time, that’d be a big loss. Hill also has at least three sacks in those seasons. Without him in there, more attention can go toward slowing Hendrickson.

Indianapolis’ DeForest Buckner was carted off with an ankle injury.

Bucker is a stud, with at least 58 total tackles and three sacks in his first eight NFL seasons. His absence would be absolutely massive for a Colts’ defense that’s already given up a ton of rushing yards through two weeks.

Laiatu Latu, the Colts’ No. 1 draft pick in 2024, was pulled from Sunday’s game with a hip injury. He had a tackle and recovered a fumble on Sunday, and would be another big loss, especially if Buckner is out too.

Los Angeles Chargers rookie Junior Colson left Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury. He had four total tackles in week 1 before another in week 2. An injury could slow his development and hurt the Chargers’ defense a bit.

New England Patriots’ Ja'Whaun Bentley, Jets’ C.J. Mosley and Jermaine Johnson and Seattle Seahawks’ Jerome Baker were other linebackers to leave with injuries.

Bentley had 12 tackles and 0.5 sacks in week 1, showing you how valuable he is to the Pats’ defense.

Mosley had nine total tackles in week 1 and 151 total in 2023. He’s another major piece to his defense. Johnson might be done for the season with a torn right Achilles’ tendon. He had 55 total tackles and 7.5 sacks last season, so that’s a massive blow to the Jets’ defense.

Baker has had three seasons with 100 or more total tackles, so he would be missed if he has to sit out any games.

Los Angeles Rams’ John Johnson III suffered a shoulder injury. He had 42 total tackles in his first season with the team in 2023, but also has three seasons over 100 total tackles, so his absence would hurt a bit.

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