Welcome back, IDP Nerds! As the fantasy football regular season approaches its climax, every lineup decision becomes more crucial. Whether you’re holding firm in a playoff spot or fighting to stay alive, the Week 10 IDP Start/Sit column is here to guide you. It highlights the players you can trust, the ones to fade, and the Hidden IDP Gems designed to give you that critical edge over your leaguemates down the stretch.
See our Week 10 Advanced Stats Start/Sit for advice on every player!
Catch up with the Week 10 IDP Waiver Wire and check our 2026 IDP Rookie Big Board for an early look at the defensive players to know heading into the NFL Draft.
Weekly Accuracy Recap | Week 10 IDP Start Sit
Week 1-9 Accuracy Report | IDP Week d10 Start/Sit
| Week | Hit Rate | Start Rate % | Sit Rate % | Stream Rate % | Top Performer (Position) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 62.5% | 66.6% | 33.3% | 100% | Jarvis Brownlee – CB1 |
| Week 2 | 37.5% | 66.6% | 33.3% | 0% | Tykee Smith – DB11 |
| Week 3 | 38.4% | 33.3% | 66.6% | 25% | Cooper DeJean – DB17 |
| Week 4 | 61.5% | 83.3% | 66.6% | 25% | Cole Bishop – DB17 |
| Week 5 | 81.8% | 80% | 66.6% | 75% | Marcus Jones – DB8 |
| Week 6 | 36.3% | 60% | 50% | 25% | Yaya Diaby – DL8 |
| Week 7 | 76.9% | 83.3% | 66.6% | 75% | SirVocea Dennis – LB3 |
| Week 8 | 41.6% | 50% | 33.3% | 25% | Alex Wright – DL9 |
| Week 9 | 61.5% | 66.6% | 66.6% | 50% | Keanu Benton – DT12 |
Weekly IDP accuracy metrics for Dynasty Nerds Start/Sit recommendations, Weeks 1–9 of the 2025 fantasy football season.
The rollercoaster of this season’s hit rates continued, but Week 9 gave us a strong showing across the board. We finished above 50% in every category for the first time since Week 7, which is precisely the type of momentum we want this late in the year.
Our start recommendations remain the most reliable metric—and, truthfully, the most important for IDP managers setting weekly lineups. I’ll always keep myself accountable with these calls, and sitting at 55.3% on the season while tailoring picks to deep dynasty formats isn’t a bad place to be heading into the stretch run.
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Players to Start | Week 10 IDP Fantasy Football
Defensive Line | Week 10 IDP Start Sit
| Player | Team | Opponent | Snap% | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Booker | Bears | Giants | 54% | ✅ |
| Alex Wright | Browns | Jets | 48% | ✅ |
Austin Booker | DL | Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears defense has been a welcome surprise for IDP managers this season. The team has a top 20 performer at all three prominent positions. The Week 10 Waiver Wire highlighted the return of second-year player Austin Booker, who has missed the first eight games of the season. Booker was a standout this preseason before his injury, leading the NFL with four sacks.
The former Kansas Jayhawk wasted no time making an impact with a 19-point fantasy performance in Week 9, recording a sack and forced fumble. Austin Booker is going to continue to earn his way back into the starting lineup and create problems for opposing offenses. He will join teammate Montez Sweat as the premier pass rushers for this Bears’ defense. In Week 10, he will have a favorable matchup against the New York Giants, who allow the ninth-most sacks per game (3.0) this season. The opportunity should be there for Booker to record back-to-back double-digit performances since his return.
Alex Wright | DL | Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns defense relies heavily on star EDGE rusher Myles Garrett, who is second in the NFL in sacks (10). IDP managers have seen the growth of DL Alex Wright—featured in our Week 8 Start/Sit column. Wright has been impressive over the last month of the season, ranking 12th overall in points and 8th in fantasy points per game. He has a great chance to keep his hot streak alive with a matchup against the New York Jets, who have allowed five sacks per game over their last three games—the second most in the NFL over that span.
Linebackers | IDP Week 10 Start Sit
| Player | Team | Opponent | Snap% | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nakobe Dean | Eagles | Packers | 53% | ✅ |
| Drake Thomas | Seahawks | Cardinals | 57% | ✅ |
Nakobe Dean | LB | Philadelphia Eagles
IDP managers received a nice bonus with the return of linebacker Nakobe Dean in Week 7. The Eagles LB missed six games due to recovering from a late-season injury in 2024. He picked up right where he left off, recording back-to-back games with double-digit fantasy points.
Nakobe Dean will see his most favorable matchup of the season in a matchup with the Green Bay Packers, who allow the third-most tackles per game (18.5). Green Bay allowed 15 tackles to Panthers LB Christian Rozeboom last week; he finished as a top 12 LB in Week 9. Fantasy managers can start Nakobe Dean with confidence this week.
Drake Thomas | LB | Seattle Seahawks
In IDP dynasty fantasy football, it’s not always about being right; sometimes it pays off to just be first. We trusted the data and saw Seattle linebacker Drake Thomas increase his snaps, which led to him being the top LB add in Week 5. Five weeks later, he is set to start after an injury that will likely force LB Ernest Jones to miss time.
Since Week 3, Drake Thomas has had six straight double-digit performances, and he’s playing his best football as of late. He has 20-point performances in two of his last three games and is the LB11 in FPPG over that stretch. Thomas will play his second game against the Arizona Cardinals this week. He had 4 tackles and a sack in their Week 4 matchup despite playing only 66% of the defensive snaps. He has top 12 LB upside in Week 10.
IDP Start/Sit Trivia | Which linebacker has recorded six consecutive double-digit fantasy performances heading into Week 10 and now steps into the LB1 role for one of the league’s top defenses?
Week 10 Defensive Backs | IDP Start Sit
| Player | Team | Opponent | Snap% | Start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Reaves | Commanders | Lions | 64% | ✅ |
| Jalen Pitre | Texans | Jaguars | 87% | ✅ |
Jeremy Reaves | DB | Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders have been decimated with injuries this season after coming up one game short of reaching the Super Bowl last season. One IDP I’ve been impressed with this season is DB Jeremy Reaves. The veteran safety has quietly put up substantial numbers for fantasy managers this season. Reaves started the season slowly but has come on as of late, with 15 fantasy points or more in 5 of his last 6 games. The Detroit Lions have been a top 12 matchup for opposing safeties this season, allowing 13.4 tackles per game to the position. Jeremy Reaves is a solid start and should continue his consistent play in this matchup.
Jalen Pitre | DB | Houston Texans
Houston Texans defensive back Jalen Pitre is the DB25 on the season, averaging just under 15 FPPG. He has a chance to continue to climb up the ranks as he attempts to finish as a top 12 DB for the first time since his rookie season.
Jalen Pitre will have a few things working in his favor, most notably the matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are the only team to surrender over 20 tackles per game to the position over the last three games. Also working in his favor will be history: Pitre has had great success against Jacksonville, averaging 7.4 tackles per game over his previous five games against them, including nabbing two interceptions. We are going to trust the data on this one and start Jalen Pitre with high confidence in Week 10.
Top IDPs to Stream in Week 10 | Start/Sit Fantasy Football Advice
| Player | Pos | Team | Opponent | Stream |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elijah Roberts | DT | Buccaneers | Patriots | ✅ |
| Arik Armstead | DT | Jaguars | Texans | ✅ |
| Mekhi Blackmon | CB | Colts | Falcons | ✅ |
| Jalen Ramsey | CB | Steelers | Chargers | ✅ |
Elijah Roberts | DT | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie DT Elijah Roberts continues to trend upwards. He was a streaming option in Week 8, and he was just short of a double-digit fantasy performance. I’m going back to him this week against a New England Patriots offensive line that allowed 6 sacks in their last game. Roberts’ snap share, combined with the opportunities, makes him a solid start in a streaming spot this week.
Arik Armstead | DT | Jacksonville Jaguars
IDP managers can find sneaky value in veteran DT Arik Armstead this week. He has quietly collected 3.5 sacks and has four games of double-digit fantasy points this season. The Houston Texans are coming off allowing 4 sacks in Week 9 and will be without their starting QB C.J. Stroud in this matchup. Armstead can be a strong bye-week fill-in for desperate managers.
Mekhi Blackmon | CB | Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts were not shy about upgrading their secondary by adding former New York Jets cornerback Sauce Garner ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. That shouldn’t impact Mekhi Blackmon, who has been a great waiver-wire find this season. Blackmon is the CB8 this season and remains available in over 90% of dynasty leagues. He has recorded 10 fantasy points or more in 87.5% of his games this season.
Jalen Ramsey | CB | Pittsburgh Steelers
IDP managers looking for a boom or bust player in Week 10, I offer you Jalen Ramsey. There’s a chance he’s likely rostered in CB-required leagues on name value alone, but his play this season has been wildly inconsistent. Ramsey has recorded 20 fantasy points twice this season and less than 9 points four times. He has been targeted 21 times over the past four games. There should be plenty of volume against the Los Angeles Chargers, who rank in the top 5 in passing attempts per game this season.
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Players to Sit | Week 10 IDP Start/Sit
| Player | Pos | Team | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|
| K’Lavon Chaisson | DL | Patriots | Buccaneers |
| Zaire Franklin | LB | Colts | Falcons |
| Grant Delpit | DB | Browns | Jets |
K’Lavon Chaisson | DL | New England Patriots
New England Patriots pass rusher K’Lavon Chaisson has had a solid season. He’s the DL42 on the season and has totaled over 50 fantasy points combined in his last three games. His 5.5 sacks this season are a career high, and he ranks 17th in total pressures with 32 (PFF). I’m recommending fading Chaisson in Week 10 with a tough matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who allow just 1.3 sacks per game at home this season. The Patriots’ EDGE rusher doesn’t have a safe enough tackle floor for me to see him as a strong starter in this matchup. There will be better games for him, but the risk is not worth the reward in Week 10.
Zaire Franklin | LB | Indianapolis Colts
There is nothing fun about this one for fantasy managers. Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin is in contention for the biggest bust of the 2025 season, not counting injured players. Franklin was the LB1 overall last season; he ranks as the LB48 this season. He’s failed to eclipse 20 fantasy points in any single game this season, but he hit that mark 10 times last season on his way to averaging 22 FPPG.
Zaire Franklin has struggled to maintain the same level of production in this new defensive system. Unfortunately, it won’t get any easier for the veteran LB who has an unfavorable matchup against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 10. Atlanta is one of eight teams that have allowed 125 tackles to the LB position this season. As painful as it is, IDP managers should not be treating Franklin as a plug-and-play starter in their dynasty lineups.
Grant Delpit | DB | Cleveland Browns
The New York Jets offense has been abysmal this season, ranking dead last in the NFL. This has made them an unfavorable matchup for defensive backs this season. The data points to recommending a sit for Grant Delpit in Week 10. The Cleveland safety has been performing poorly this season after a DB18 finish in 2024. Delpit has just one double-digit performance over the last month of the season. IDP managers will be setting themselves up for failure, starting the Browns’ DB on name value alone. As always, let’s rely on the data to find a higher-upside streaming option to put in our lineups.
Hidden IDP Gems | Week 10 Fantasy Football Start/Sit
- Montez Sweat is on a hot streak, a sack in three straight games and the DL3 overall since Week 7.
- Chicago Bears teammates Kevin Byard and Tremaine Edmunds are tied for the NFL lead with four interceptions.
- The Payton Wilson breakout season continues—he’s the LB8 on the season.
- Rookie high-volume tacklers—Demetrius Knight, Teddye Buchanan, and Carson Schwesinger all have collected 60 tackles through Week 9.
- Carl Granderson is the DL15 overall despite not recording a double-digit performance since Week 5.
- Kamari Lassiter has recorded 20 FPPG in three straight games — the longest streak of any DB this season. He ranks as the DB1 overall since Week 7.
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🧠 FAQ | Week 10 IDP Start/Sit Fantasy Football
Q1: Which IDP players should fantasy managers start in Week 10?
Top Week 10 IDP starts include Austin Booker (DL, Bears), Nakobe Dean (LB, Eagles), and Jalen Pitre (DB, Texans). Booker returned strong from injury, Dean has an ideal tackle matchup versus Green Bay, and Pitre faces a Jacksonville offense giving up 20+ defensive-back tackles per game.
Q2: Who are the riskiest IDP plays to bench in Week 10?
Sit K’Lavon Chaisson (DL, Patriots), Zaire Franklin (LB, Colts), and Grant Delpit (DB, Browns). Chaisson’s value relies too heavily on sacks, Franklin’s production has dipped in a new scheme, and Delpit’s efficiency has cratered—making all three volatile options this week.
Q3: What are the best Week 10 IDP streaming options?
Streamers to consider: Elijah Roberts (DT, Buccaneers), Arik Armstead (DT, Jaguars), Mekhi Blackmon (CB, Colts), and Jalen Ramsey (CB, Steelers). Both Roberts and Armstead get sack-friendly matchups, while Blackmon and Ramsey offer high tackle floors thanks to projected target volume.
Q4: Which lesser-known IDP defenders could shine in Week 10?
Keep an eye on Drake Thomas (LB, Seahawks) and Alex Wright (DL, Browns). Thomas has seized Seattle’s LB1 role and delivers steady double-digit totals, while Wright’s pressure rate and matchup versus the Jets make him a strong sleeper for top-12 production.
Q5: What’s the best IDP strategy for navigating Week 10 bye weeks?
Lean on opportunity over reputation. Target defenders with secure snap shares, strong tackle efficiency, and plus matchups. Limit sack-dependent players unless data favors pass-rush success—consistency outweighs upside during the heavy bye stretch.
Q6: What key storylines are defining the IDP scene entering Week 10?
Young talent is driving results. Drake Thomas, Demetrius Knight, and Teddye Buchanan continue emerging as reliable starters in deep leagues. Defensive line play remains dominant, while linebacker depth thins from injuries and rotations—tracking role changes is essential for stability.
Q7: How can IDP managers prepare for a playoff push?
Think two weeks ahead. Scout future matchups for high tackle or sack opportunities in Weeks 12–14, stream proactively for byes, and stash breakout players early. Smart planning and early moves separate playoff teams from the pack.
Trivia Answer | Drake Thomas (Seattle Seahawks) — Thomas has been on an incredible run since Week 3. Over his last three games, he’s posted two 20-point performances and ranks as the LB11 in FPPG during that stretch. With an expanded role following Ernest Jones’ injury, Thomas is primed for another strong outing in Week 10. (click to return)
