This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
Depending on playoff schedules, we're over one-third of the way done with the fantasy regular season. That still leaves plenty of time for making roster adjustments and improving records, but it's also time to let go of preseason notions and focus on the roles and results we've seen so far in 2023.
A few players worth noting who didn't make the cut for the risers list include T.J. Watt and Jalen Carter. Watt arguably is doing what was expected of him, thus his exclusion from the list. However, he's now won two of the Steelers' three games single-handedly and has multiple sacks in three of five contests this season.
Meanwhile, Carter got to see a more significant role along Philadelphia's defensive line in the absence of Fletcher Cox (back). He delivered a two-sack performance with the opportunity, but Cox is expected back next week.
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Jack Gibbens, LB 
Azeez Al-Shaair is the star in the middle of Tennessee's defense, but Gibbens has served in a solid role himself. After Gibbens played on roughly two-thirds of defensive snaps in the first two weeks of the season, that mark has risen to almost exactly 80 percent in each of the last three games, and he's racked up 28 tackles in that span. There's not much in terms of peripheral production in Gibbens' profile, so his value will depend significantly on league format, but his role looks to be quite secure.
Jahlani Tavai, LB 
Not much has gone
Depending on playoff schedules, we're over one-third of the way done with the fantasy regular season. That still leaves plenty of time for making roster adjustments and improving records, but it's also time to let go of preseason notions and focus on the roles and results we've seen so far in 2023.
A few players worth noting who didn't make the cut for the risers list include T.J. Watt and Jalen Carter. Watt arguably is doing what was expected of him, thus his exclusion from the list. However, he's now won two of the Steelers' three games single-handedly and has multiple sacks in three of five contests this season.
Meanwhile, Carter got to see a more significant role along Philadelphia's defensive line in the absence of Fletcher Cox (back). He delivered a two-sack performance with the opportunity, but Cox is expected back next week.
Trending Up
Jack Gibbens, LB
Azeez Al-Shaair is the star in the middle of Tennessee's defense, but Gibbens has served in a solid role himself. After Gibbens played on roughly two-thirds of defensive snaps in the first two weeks of the season, that mark has risen to almost exactly 80 percent in each of the last three games, and he's racked up 28 tackles in that span. There's not much in terms of peripheral production in Gibbens' profile, so his value will depend significantly on league format, but his role looks to be quite secure.
Jahlani Tavai, LB
Not much has gone right for the Patriots this season, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. However, Tavai is one exception for the defensive unit, as he has a consistent role for the first time since joining the Patriots. In his first two years with the team, he had snap rates of seven and 50 percent, while this year it currently sits at 65 percent. If we eliminate Week 1, his snap rates have since been 60, 66 and 69 percent. In those games, he's tallied no fewer than five combined tackles. Like Gibbens, Tavai is overshadowed by teammate Ja'Whaun Bentley, but he's having a strong tackling season in his own right.
Tyrel Dodson, LB 
Dorian Williams, LB
This isn't a particularly fun name to point out, because the opportunity in Buffalo's linebacker corps comes at the expense of Matt Milano (lower leg), who was lost for the season in Sunday's game against the Jaguars. He was lost early in the game, so we have some idea of how the Bills will try to fill in for his absence when looking at both snap counts and coach Sean McDermott's comments following the game. Dodson led the effort with 53 defensive snaps, while Williams was behind him with 29. Each mark represented a season-high for the respective players. Meanwhile, McDermott suggested there would be a committee approach. It's interesting to note that despite the snap totals, Dodson and Williams each accounted for five tackles. It will be worth monitoring which of these players emerges.
Trey Hendrickson, DE 
It's likely most people would guess that T.J. Watt leads the league in sacks, but the group of players in second may come as a surprise. Hendrickson is among them in what appears to be a return his 2021 form when he posted 21 sacks. He currently has six for the season and has seven quarterback hits across five games. Those rostering him won't be doing so for his tackle total, but with 17 stops he's also on pace to shatter his previous career best. The Bengals may be a team trending up as a whole, and Hendrickson will have a key role in that.
Joey Porter, CB 
Following Pittsburgh's Week 4 loss to the Texans, coach Mike Tomlin suggested there would be changes. Many assumed that meant to the offensive unit, but one shakeup that occurred at halftime of the Steelers' game against Baltimore on Sunday was that Porter was inserted as a starting corner – replacing Patrick Peterson. Porter proceeded to pick off a Lamar Jackson pass to Odell Beckham in the end zone, a play that would have clinched victory for the Ravens had it gone the other way. After a Week 6 bye, we should project that Porter's role will become more consistent and continue to grow.
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Denzel Perryman, LB 
Perryman returned from a two-game absence Sunday, but after playing 97 and 100 percent of snaps in Weeks 1 and 2, he played only 56 percent of snaps in Week 5. It's possible he was being eased back into action, but it's also possible that the Texans are turning to a younger core of Henry To'oTo'o, Christian Harris and perhaps Blake Cashman (who looked out of favor in Week 4).
Grugier-Hill was on the risers list a few short weeks ago, but we all know things change quickly in the NFL. He's played only 36 defensive snaps combined across the last two weeks and has just four tackles to show for it. Chandler Wooten is in a rotational role with Hill and saw 60 percent of snaps Sunday against the Lions.
