IDP Analysis: Week 4 Matchups

Here's a look at IDPs who have favorable Week 4 matchups. IDP formats can be quite different, so we'll list players of varying levels. Some will be players found on the waiver wire while in other leagues players will be automatic starters.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Cliff Avril, Seahawks vs Colts - After the Seahawks were smashed by the Titans' rushing attack Sunday, they should be in much better shape facing an inferior Colts attack in Week 4. As a result, Jacoby Brissett will be forced to throw often against a Seattle secondary that likely will give his receivers little room to operate, giving Avril the opportunity for multiple sacks against a weak offensive line.

Danielle Hunter, Vikings vs. Lions - It's been a slow start to the season for arguably the Vikings' best pass rusher, but Hunter could be in position to break his slump this week in a home game against a divisional foe. Detroit should struggle to run the ball against Minnesota's formidable front seven, and even though Matthew Stafford likes to get the ball out quickly, the Vikings' secondary should cover well enough to force the quarterback to the hold the ball longer than usual. That puts Hunter in an excellent spot to thrive.

Myles Garrett, Browns vs. Bengals – The rookie practiced last week and could makes his season debut this week on his home field against one of the weaker offensive lines in the league. It's likely he isn't owned in many leagues, especially those that have limited spots for bench players. It's a great week to grab him off the waiver wire, and expect immediate production while potentially adding a difference-maker to your roster

Dante Fowler, Jaguars at Jets - There probably isn't a Jacksonville player who doesn't look good in this week's matchup against the Jets. Even though they just returned from London, the Jaguars are veterans at making the trip across the pond and should respond well despite playing on the road. After the Jets pulled off a big upset against the Dolphins last week, they'll be ripe for a market correction, and after having recorded a sack in two of the first three games, Fowler should add to his early season dominance this week.

LINEBACKER

Blake Martinez, Packers vs. Bears - Despite starting the season slowly, Martinez racked up 11 tackles last week, and now he'll face a hyper-conservative Chicago offense that should keep most of their play calls near the line of scrimmage. As a result, he'll have an outstanding chance to record his second big game in a row, and it wouldn't be a surprise if he recorded a sack as well, especially if the Packers get out to a big lead.

Vontaze Burfict, Bengals at Browns - Burfict returns from a three-game suspension this week. In shallow leagues, he could still be a free agent. In addition, he comes back to face an opponent that would prefer to establish its rushing attack, which should help him get off to a solid start in tackles. And if the Bengals get out to a lead, Burfict could also take advantage of a rookie quarterback who tends to hold the football too long, which could help him make a big play as well.

Joe Schobert, Browns vs. Bengals - In what should be a hard-fought divisional battle, the Bengals likely will have quite a few rushing attempts to help get their inconsistent offense into a solid rhythm. Schobert should be in position to notch a number of tackles, especially after he posted at least eight in each of the last two games. In addition, he was credited with half a sack last week, and against an offensive line that struggles in pass protection, don't be surprised to see him add to his sack total.

Brian Orakpo, Titans at Texans - Aside from picking up a sack in Week 2, it's been a slow start to the season for Orakpo. That could change this week. After the Texans lit up the scoreboard against the Patriots, some might forget how bad the Houston offense actually is. The Titans should be able to roll out to a lead, and once Houston finds itself in obvious passing situations, its dreadful offensive line is sure to struggle against the Titans' physical front seven. Look for Orakpo to get back into the sack column this week.

DEFENSIVE BACK

Brian Poole, Falcons vs. Bills - Poole has at least six tackles in each game this season. This week, he faces a Buffalo offense that likely will be extremely conservative in its play-calling, as it has in each game this season. Poole should post strong tackle numbers for a fourth consecutive week.

James Bradberry, Panthers at Patriots - Bradberry has 16 tackles through three games. The Panthers likely will stuff the Patriots' rushing attack, forcing them to go to their staple, the short-passing. Once that happens, Bradberry should be in line to have another solid performance.

Jalen Ramsey, Jaguars at Jets - The Jets should be overmatched by the Jaguars this week, and there will be plenty of times in which they'll have to throw, especially since their rushing attack has been underwhelming. Josh McCown has been a bit of a gambler, especially when throwing downfield, and that plays right into Ramsey's hands, as one of the best cover corners in the league. After notching his first interception of the season last week, he has a great chance to come up big yet again.

Tyrann Mathieu, Cardinals vs. 49ers - The Cardinals should stuff the 49ers' rushing game, which will force Brian Hoyer into many predictable passing situations. Even though the San Francisco quarterback had a great stat line in last week's contest against the Rams, he's been shaky with his decision-making on a number of occasions this season. Mathieu is just the type of playmaker that could take advantage of this offense by coming up big on the stat sheet.