IDP Breakdown - Week 3 Edition

Tampa Bay @ Atlanta

Home Stats Crew: Moderate to high volume total tackles; Assist-heavy

Things are getting ugly in Tampa, as Mason Foster will sit this one out with a shoulder injury. The Bucs are in trouble along the defensive line with Adrian Clayborn landing on injured reserve with a torn biceps, Michael Johnson sitting out last week with an ankle injury, and Gerald McCoy sustaining a broken hand in last Sunday’s contest. We saw Tampa start William Gholston and Da’Quan Bowers at the end positions, with Gholston looking half decent. He’ll be the player who sticks as a starter when Johnson returns. Both McCoy and Johnson are listed as questionable, and both could play. If you own them, make sure you’re keeping a close eye on the inactives. … Dashon Goldson had another strong game in Week 2, posting 11 total tackles (nine solo), but I’m not quite sold on this continuing. He put up both stat lines in a tackle-favorable Tampa venue, and there’s ample competition for tackles on that Bucs defense. Don’t expect double-digit tackles many more times again this season. That being said, Goldson is now on the DB3 radar.

While many in IDP leagues rushed out to pick up Joplo Bartu after he put up nine total tackles (eight solo) in Week 2, I recommend pumpin the brakes. This is a case where the numbers can be deceiving. A closer look at the game tape shows that Bartu actually rotated series with Prince Shembo in nearly a 50-50 split. That’s not good for Bartu’s fantasy stock, and would indicate a growing confidence in the rookie Shembo. You don’t want any piece of this situation. … Of course, you do want a piece of Paul Worrilow, especially after the second-year man posted yet another double-digit tackle game. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s now seven games with 10-or-more tackles in 13 games started as a professional.

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Jeff Ratcliffe is the Assistant Managing Editor and resident IDP maven of PFF Fantasy.  

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