As we head into Week 10 of the fantasy season, the bye weeks are taking a heavy toll on the IDP realm. For some inexplicable reason, the NFL decided that this would be a good week for six teams to be on their bye weeks. It definitely has an impact on the IDP landscape as injuries have already thinned the talent pool as we approach the fantasy playoffs.

It’s all good. At this point in the season, we have gathered enough video and statistical insight that no matter how many players are out, we can still find viable IDP options. Let us not make excuses, but press on regardless. Keep in mind that Denver, Houston, Jacksonville, New England, Philadelphia, and Washington are on their bye weeks.

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Start

Jason Pierre-Paul (DL – TB)
In his second game back after missing time due to a neck issue, the veteran defensive end managed to put up half a sack, bringing his two-game total to 1.5 sacks. More importantly, he saw a significant increase in snaps. In his Week 8 return, he played just 43 (68%), and last week that number jumped to 72 (96%). Playing opposite the surging sack machine Shaq Barrett will only benefit him moving forward as he will avoid double teams. He’s also got a positive matchup this week, as the Cardinals’ offense has allowed 30 total sacks this season, and defensive linemen account for 12 twelve of those.

Demarcus Lawrence (DL – DAL)
It appears that Lawrence has shaken off a slow start to the season coming out of the bye week. Through his first six games, he had put up just nine total tackles and 2.5 sacks. Against the Giants on Monday night, he put up four total tackles, two tackles for a loss, one sack, and was credited with three quarterback hits. He has now registered sacks in back-to-back games for the second time this season. The addition of veteran Michael Bennett should help to ease some of the attention he draws, further boosting his value. He’ll look to continue the streak against a Vikings’ offense that has allowed 12.5 sacks to opposing defensive linemen in 2019.

Nick Vigil (LB – CIN)
Vigil will look to break out of a mini-slump as he returns following the Bengals’ bye week. After putting together a hot streak that saw him post 45 total tackles and a fumble recovery in Weeks 4-7, he had just three tackles against the Rams’ offense in Week 8. He has just the matchup to get back on track this week. Over their past four games, the Ravens’ offense is giving up an average of 29 total tackles per game to opposing linebackers. With little competition to eat into his tackle totals, look for a huge Week 10 from Vigil on a struggling Bengals’ defense.

Fred Warner (LB – SF)
Now that Kwon Alexander is out for the season with a pectoral injury, Warner is once again the main man in the middle of the 49ers’ linebacking corps. Let’s keep in mind that he excelled when he faced a similar situation as a rookie last season. He put up 123 total tackles, two big plays, and was a top-20 linebacker in balanced scoring formats. This year he had been having a bit of a down season playing alongside Alexander, as he had put up just 48 total tackles along with three passes defended. That will all change moving forward as Warner will have free reign once again to get after opposing ball carriers with little competition for tackles. He should have a big Monday night showing against the Seahawks’ run-heavy offense.

Shawn Williams (DB – CIN)
While it has become apparent that Williams is highly unlikely to repeat the top-five finish among defensive backs that he posted last season, he has still been a productive IDP option in 2019. He currently sits just outside the top-20, having put up 62 total tackles and a pass defended in eight games. He fits the bill as a good defender playing on a team with a struggling offense that IDP owners covet. This week, he has a matchup to finish with top-10 defensive back numbers for Week 10. On the season, the Ravens offense is allowing an average of 28 total tackles per game to opposing defensive backs, and they have given up eight big plays to the position.

Sit

Jadeveon Clowney (DL – SEA)
In what was a positive matchup against a Buccaneers’ offense that had allowed 22.5 sacks to opposing defensive linemen, Clowney came up flat once again. Playing 65 snaps, he managed to post just two total tackles. The Seahawks’ effort to bring in a big-time edge rusher has failed to date as both Clowney and Ezekiel Ansah have struggled mightily. Through nine weeks, he has just two sacks. He has managed to register only seven QB hits. He’s remained marginally fantasy-relevant only due to the fact he posted a defensive touchdown back in Week 4. He can safely be sat against a 49ers’ offense that is allowing less than one sack per game to opposing defensive linemen this season.

Denico Autry (DL – IND)
Big things were expected from Autry as he entered the 2019 season coming off of a career-high nine sacks last year. Over the first two weeks, he seemed to pick up where he left off, posting three tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, and registering three quarterback hits. Unfortunately, it has all been downhill since then. In the last six games, despite playing 69% of the snaps, he has managed a paltry nine total tackles and zero big plays. He is not worth starting regardless of the matchup, as the production simply hasn’t been there.

Jarrad Davis (LB – DET)
This is shaping up as a lost season for the third-year linebacker out of Florida. An ankle injury cost Davis the first two games of the season, and he has been wholly disappointing since his return. He has yet to top eight total tackles in a game, and he managed to post just six total last week in a positive matchup against the Raiders’ offense. On the season, in balanced scoring formats, he trails teammates Devon Kennard, Christian Jones, and Jahlani Tavai in linebacker production. There is no point in starting him this week in a down matchup against the Bears’ offense. Through eight games, they have given up only seven big plays and are allowing an average of just 16 total tackles per game to opposing linebackers.

Patrick Onwuasor (LB – BAL)
After missing a pair of games due to an ankle injury, Onwuasor returned last week and had one of his best performances of the season. Against the Patriots’ offense, he got it done in all facets of the game. He put up eight total tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. For the first time this season, he finished the week as a top-five scoring linebacker. However, he played just 28 snaps and may continue to be on a snap count in order to let his ankle heal. The matchup this week is a bit concerning as well. The Bengals’ offense will be led by rookie quarterback Ryan Finley making his first career NFL start. There is a strong likelihood that the unit struggles to stay on the field enough for Ravens’ defenders to accumulate fantasy production.

Eddie Jackson (DB – CHI)
The knee-jerk reaction would be to think that Jackson has turned things around after an impressive 10 solo and 11 total tackles performance in Week 9. Not so fast. He remains a safety that relies on big-play production, not tackle numbers, to be fantasy relevant. The fact is that the big plays continue to elude him in 2019 as he has a total of one in eight games. Furthermore, even with the 11 tackles he posted last week, Jackson has a total of just 34 on the season. He currently sits outside the top-90 defensive backs in balanced scoring formats. Do not chase the outlier Week 9 stat line because he is not a starting option this week.

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Walton Spurlin is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Walton, check out his archive and follow him @waltonspurlin.