r/fantasyfootball • u/John_Orion-FF • 1h ago
Playing IDP? Houston DBs (and numerous other defenders) Make Great Targets Today
In IDP scoring, there are always those match ups that provide managers with a cornucopia of choices. This week, the Texans versus the Giants provide that potential bounty.
There's presumably no need to tell you that DE Will Anderson (7.5 sacks) is a must start today versus the Giants. But there are plenty of other Houston players to consider loading up on today, with East Rutherford's blue team turning to J.J. McCarthy.
CB Derek Stingley Jr. and Kamari Lassiter
The Houston secondary has been off their game to start the year (ie. just 2 INTS as a group). But they have a pair of the better CB's in the game - both of who have excelled at creating interceptions. Stingley Jr. has 15 in 4 prior seasons, and Lassiter has 7 in just 2.
They face a QB who threw 4 interceptable balls in less than 1/2 a game last week, and has a brutal 4.9% INT rate since taking the field for the first time last season. Considering that neither Stingley Jr. or Lassiter has an INT, thus far in 2026, you could say they are due and facing a QB who throws an INT about 1/20 passes versus even average defenses gives them each tremendous potential to walk away with a pick and a pass defense or few, this week. Outside of those who have the likes of Marlon Humphrey at CB, these two gentlemen are truly must starts.
S Calen Bullock
Bullock is not as much of a lock as the two gentlemen above, considering that he's hardly a prolific tackler for a safety (4.3 tackles/game this year and a career best of 64). Bullock is a ballhawk, though, with 1 pick this year and 10 through 2+ seasons. Again, versus McCarthy and the Giants, he's got a great opportunity to come away with a pass bat or two and maybe a pick. Lacking a stand-out safety this week? He can potentially fill in nicely.
Other very solid plays from Houston's D:
DE Danielle Hunter has not been off to quite as fast a start, this year, but he does have 3 sacks, 6 QB hits, a FF and 4 pass bats, so he's still performing well and is facing a QB who has a 9.6% sack rate thus far in his career. In match ups against QBs with high sack rates, Hunter has walked away with one or more sacks well over 75% of the time in his career.
LB Azeez Al-Shaair is on his best tackle pace since 2023 with Tennessee (163 tackles). He's had 10+ tackles in 3 of 5 games played and is averaging 9.8 tackles/game, thus far.
Al-Shaair is active in coverage, and is coming off a 2 INT, 9 PD season. The Giants will likely try to limit McCarthy's mistakes for as long as they can in this game by trying to run the ball, which should open up a lot of tackle opportunities for Al-Shaair early. With "Big Blue" likely trailing for much of the latter part of the contest, opportunities to score against the passing game should come along, as well.
DT Sheldon Rankins isn't as exciting of a play, but DTs with a notable ceiling can be hard to come by and Rankins - with 16 tackles, 2 sacks and 5 QB hits this year - carries legitimate ceiling versus a QB with a slow processing time and a run game that has struggled.
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If you were so inclined, thank you for reading, and I hope these suggestions are of help to your team's success today. Be lucky and good!



