• Injuries piled up in Week 2, creating plenty of waiver targets for this week: After escaping relatively unscathed in Week 1, we lost a number of IDP starters this past week so be sure to stay active on the waiver wire to fill those roster holes.
• In case you weren’t aware, Aidan Hutchinson is elite: He is the highest-graded defensive lineman in the league (94.1) with the highest pass-rush grade (95.0) and the NFL’s sack leader (5.5) through two weeks.
LB Troy Andersen, Atlanta Falcons: With the Falcons placing Nate Landman on injured reserve on Monday, the rotation at the Falcons LB2 spot ended and allowed Andersen to play a near full-time role. Andersen can be safely added and started where needed while Landman is out.
LB Baylon Spector, Buffalo Bills: Spector stepped in as the Bills’ every-down linebacker once Bernard left the game, wearing the green dot and delivering decent tackle production in that role. Dorian Williams remained as a sub-package player, coming off the field on obvious passing downs, which suggests that Spector will be the primary waiver add in Buffalo this week.
LB Daiyan Henley, Los Angeles Chargers: With Junior Colson out, the Chargers were unable to deploy such a heavy rotation among their linebackers, which allowed Henley and Denzel Perryman to play more snaps this week. Should Colson miss time, Henley figures to be the primary beneficiary in terms of snaps and can be considered a potential starter in deeper leagues.
LB Jahlani Tavai, New England Patriots: Tavai stepped in as a 100% snap linebacker in Ja’Whaun Bentley’s absence, and while he wasn’t overly productive in that role, he should still be in waiver consideration as a strong rest of season option now that Bentley’s season is over.
LB Micah McFadden, New York Giants: As mentioned last week, McFadden was the team’s expected LB2 and would resume that role once healthy, even though Darius Muasau wasn’t healthy this week. McFadden regained his LB2 role, even leading the team in tackles while adding a sack. His snap share is already better than his season average in 2023 (69%), which could be a sign that he’ll be a viable IDP in more league formats going forward. He can be added in those deeper leagues where available.
LB Jamien Sherwood, New York Jets: Sherwood played 100% of the defensive snaps with Mosley out of the game and should expect a similar role for as long as C.J. Mosley is out of the lineup. This makes him one of the top waiver options to target heading into Week 3.
LB Tyrice Knight, Seattle Seahawks: Knight stepped into a near 100% snap role once Jerome Baker left the game. He should be expected to do the same for as long as Baker is out of the lineup, as Mike Macdonald has now shown a tendency to deploy two full-time linebackers. Knight was also productive with his snaps and wouldn’t take much for him to be a more efficient IDP than Baker.
DB Cam Lewis, Buffalo Bills: While designated as a safety right now, Lewis served as the immediate Taron Johnson replacement and figures to do so for as long as Johnson is out. On fantasy platforms where Lewis carries a cornerback designation, he makes for a fine waiver option in CB-required leagues should Johnson miss more time.
S Elijah Molden, Los Angeles Chargers: Alohi Gilman was out for this game, allowing Elijah Molden to step into a full-time role. Molden played exclusively deep but managed six total tackles and an interception. For leagues that value full-time safeties, Molden can be an option for as long as Gilman is out.
DB Christian Izien, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Izien stepped in at safety in the absence of Antoine Winfield Jr. this week. He played well, had solid production and can be added in leagues where starting safeties are valuable, for as long as Winfield is out.
EDGE Dennis Gardeck, Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals deployed a very heavy rotation along the defensive line with Gardeck leading the way in both snaps and production, delivering three sacks in this game to pair with his high-end pass rush metrics. Gardeck can be added in deeper leagues and treated as a boom/bust option based on matchup.
DT Gervon Dexter Sr., Chicago Bears: For DT-required leagues, Dexter has started the year strong, delivering a sack in back-to-back weeks while playing a healthy snap share on the interior of the Bears’ offensive line. He can be considered a solid depth piece in those IDP leagues that require starting defensive tackles.
EDGE Nik Bonitto, Denver Broncos: Bonitto saw his snap share essentially double with Browning out of the game this week. Should Baron Browning miss time, this could be a nice spot for Bonitto to get enough volume where his previously strong pass-rush metrics allow for more big-play production as a deeper league target.
EDGE Pat Jones II, Minnesota Vikings: Jones is coming off back-to-back weeks where he played 49% of the Vikings’ defensive snaps and landed two sacks. Jones is still playing behind the clear starters, Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard, but can be added as a depth piece in deeper leagues. Just don’t expect that level of efficiency to continue much longer or be anywhere close to this consistent.
EDGE Will McDonald IV, New York Jets: McDonald should expect to see a snap increase and is the only edge on the roster for now that will pique any sort of IDP interest in Jermaine Johnson‘s absence. McDonald landed three sacks in Week 2 and as a first-round talent, he should be able to step up consistently in 2024.
Waiver wire: The Cardinals deployed a very heavy rotation along the defensive line with Dennis Gardeck leading the way in both snaps and production, delivering three sacks in this game to pair with his high-end pass rush metrics. Gardeck can be added in deeper leagues and treated as a boom/bust option based on matchup.
Point of interest: Due to garbage time in this game, Kyzir White and several other starters (Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson) did not play much in the fourth quarter, keeping them from being 100% snap players, as they’d typically be.
Waiver wire: With the Falcons placing Nate Landman on injured reserve on Monday, the rotation at the Falcons LB2 spot ended and allowed Troy Andersen to play a near full-time role. Andersen can be safely added and started where needed while Landman is out.
Point of interest: Jessie Bates continues to play more in the box than he has previously in his NFL career, as he’s never even hit a 20% snap share in the box in his six previous NFL seasons. He now sits at 34% of his snaps in the box through two games. As a result, his tackle numbers have been strong, including leading the team with 12 this week.
Point of interest: After suffering an orbital bone injury in Week 1, Kyle Van Noy did not end up missing much time at all and even registered two sacks in this game. Odafe Oweh also delivered in a big way with 2.5 sacks of his own as the clear leader on this defensive line.
Point of interest: Trenton Simpson moved into a full-time role this week after playing just 70% of the Ravens’ defensive snaps in Week 1. It’s possible that Simpson’s limited usage in Week 1 was due to having to defend the Kansas City Chiefs passing attack and may vary depending on the offense that Baltimore is facing each week. Either way, this is a positive sign for his IDP viability going forward.
SAFETY
Point of interest: Kyle Hamilton’s usage in the slot, just like last season, has led to an inefficient start to the year in terms of his tackle production. Hamilton had the chance to blitz Gardner Minshew in this game but wasn’t able to come away with a sack, let alone the three that he did against Minshew last season. Hamilton is starting to show signs of being a relatively ineffective tackler for ID, despite being considered among the best safeties in the league. He will be a fine IDP option but is not necessarily a must-start going forward until we get some consistency from him.
Point of interest: Von Miller looks back to his old self after a down year plagued by injuries in 2023. He’s earned impressive pass-rush numbers through the first two weeks, including an 82.1 pass-rush grade overall. His snaps are still not quite high enough to trust in IDP lineups just yet.
Injury: Terrel Bernard suffered a pectoral injury in this game, which is likely to land him on injured reserve but not for the entire season with it being deemed a strain instead of a tear.
Waiver wire: Baylon Spector stepped in as the every-down linebacker for the Bills once Bernard left the game, wearing the green dot and delivering decent tackle production in that role. Dorian Williams remained as a sub-package player, coming off the field on obvious passing downs, which suggests that Spector will be the primary waiver add in Buffalo this week.
Point of interest: While designated as a safety right now, Cam Lewis served as the immediate Taron Johnson replacement and figures to do so for as long as Johnson is out. On fantasy platforms where Lewis carries a cornerback designation, he makes for a fine waiver option in CB-required leagues should Johnson miss more time.
Point of interest: Both Panthers linebackers are in a great spot to deliver consistently strong tackle production going forward as they play full-time roles. It also helps that Carolina’s defense has been top-10 zone coverage rate thus far, which provides an added boost to average tackle efficiency.
Point of interest: DeMarcus Walker has quietly dominated the snap share among the Bears edge defenders, playing over 80% of Chicago’s defensive snaps in each of the past two games. He’s also been relatively quiet in the box score so isn’t giving too much reason for excitement in IDP leagues, but he is a name to keep in mind in deep leagues.
Waiver wire: For DT-required leagues, Dexter has started the year strong, delivering a sack in back-to-back weeks while playing a healthy snap share on the interior of the Bears’ defensive line. He can be considered a solid depth piece in those IDP leagues that require starting defensive tackles.
Point of interest: After being held to a quiet day in Week 1, Trey Hendrickson put his strong pass-rush metrics to work in Week 2, delivering two sacks and proving why he was such a highly-drafted IDP this offseason.
Point of interest: The positive signs of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah’s increased snap share in 2024 are beginning to stack up with Owusu-Koramoah missing just one defensive snap in this game. He looks to be a good bet to remain in that role in the weeks ahead. Jordan Hicks also saw a snap share increase as he’s gotten healthier, and with fewer linebackers used in the Browns rotation than usual this week, it could be a sign of a positive change for the position in Cleveland going forward.
Point of interest: Eric Kendricks looks like the only Cowboys linebacker worth trusting until we see some more consistent usage from the team’s LB2. Last week, it was clearly DeMarvion Overshown, but this week, there was a dramatic shift in usage despite Overshown grading as a top-three linebacker in Week 1. This will be a group, outside of Kendricks, to avoid for a couple of weeks.
Injury: Baron Browning suffered a foot injury early in the second quarter and did not return. It’s unclear if he will miss any time.
Waiver wire:Nik Bonitto saw his snap share essentially double with Browning out of the game this week. Should Browning miss time, this could be a nice spot for Bonitto to get enough volume where his previously strong pass-rush metrics allow for more big-play production as a deeper league target.
Point of interest: As highlighted multiple times last week, Zach Allen is playing a ton of snaps and was expected to bounce back and deliver in Week 2, which he did with a sack, four QB hits and four total tackles.
Point of interest: Cody Barton’s low usage in Week 1 (36%) improved this week, which helps his deep-league viability, but he’s still far from an every-down linebacker where snaps could fluctuate on any given week.
Trending up: While still not necessarily a safe play for IDP lineups, Brandon Jones did increase his snap share from Week 1 (69%) as he continues to acclimate to his new team, and he could potentially get up to 100% in Week 3 if this trend continues.
Point of interest: Aidan Hutchinson put together an elite performance in Week 2, delivering 4.5 sacks that brought him to 5.5 on the year, which is essentially halfway toward his 2023 sack total (11.5) through two games. Hutchinson was the league leader in expected sacks coming out of last season, and he’s delivering early on that expected positive regression for 2024.
Point of interest: Alex Anzalone left this game in the fourth quarter due to a concussion and didn’t finish the game so it’s unclear if he’ll miss any time. However, if he does then both Derrick Barnes and Jack Campbell should see an uptick in usage. It’s worth noting that while Barnes led the group in snap share. He spent 78% of those snaps on the edge, which isn’t typically ideal for tackle efficiency. If Anzalone misses Week 3, then Campbell would be the preferred waiver target.
Point of interest: Kingsley Enagbare out-snapped Preston Smith this week, which is something that is new, and unclear whether it will be the new normal since there doesn’t appear to be anything injury-related for Smith. Enagbare didn’t do anything with his additional snaps this week, but it could more be reason for concern for Smith if this continues.
Rookie watch: After talk leading into the week that Isaiah McDuffie could cede some snaps to rookie Edgerrin Cooper, it turned out not to be true as the rookie’s snap share did not increase in Week 2 while McDuffie still played the large majority of defensive snaps.
SAFETY
Rookie watch: After playing 100% of the snaps in Week 1, Bullard’s snaps took a hit in Week 2, as he came off the field in certain packages, which hurts his IDP value, especially at safety where there are so many 100% snap players at the position. It’s unclear if this will be the usage going forward, but for now, there will be safer startbale IDP safeties over Bullard in Week 3.
Point of interest: After a quiet Week 1, both Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson took care of business in Week 2, combining for three sacks and 14 pressures, much to the delight of their IDP managers who were right to leave them locked into lineups.
Point of interest: Henry To’oTo’o had a great game for IDP after being included as a waiver target last week, but technically, his usage wasn’t as strong as it was in Week 1 where he came off the field on almost all third down passing situations, which wasn’t always the case last week. With Christian Harris still on injured reserve, To’oTo’o will continue as the LB2 next to Azeez Al-Shaair but should be treated with caution heading into Week 3 because plenty of full-time linebackers will be ranked ahead of him.
Point of interest: While cutting into To’oTo’o’s snaps, the Texans deployed more defensive backs in this game, which is a common strategy to help defend against the pass. This includes giving three safeties plenty of work and deploying Jalen Pitre as the primary slot defender again. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see this usage continue in 2024.
Injury: Rookie first-round edge defender Laiatu Latu left this game early in the fourth quarter and did not return. He was already playing behind both Tyquan Lewis and Kwity Paye, so there is no real snap bump for anyone to absorb should he miss time, though the injury is not expected to be serious.
DEFENSIVE INTERIOR
Injury: DeForest Buckner left this game due to an ankle injury, only playing 10 defensive snaps. He is expected to miss at least one game and potentially more. His production will not be replaced on the waiver wire as one of the top defensive tackles for IDP.
Point of interest: Nick Cross was mentioned as a waiver target last week, but he becomes all the more interesting with Julian Blackmon not playing in this game and potentially for longer, as Cross absorbed the box-heavy deployment that was typically Blackmon’s and led the team in total tackles (15). He becomes a clear safety target in IDP for as long as he’s going to get this kind of deployment.
Point of interest: Josh Hines-Allen was mentioned in last week’s IDP rankings article as a prime bounce-back candidate against the Browns, and he delivered a dominant performance with elite pass-rush metrics and a sack. He’ll continue to be a top-end option for the position in IDP regardless of matchup.
Trending down: Foyesade Oluokun, like last week, just barely cracked an 80% snap share in Jacksonville’s new defensive scheme, and while he had a relatively productive day, there’s plenty of concern that he won’t be able to produce consistent top-12 LB numbers across the entire season. Oluokun cost a top-three pick at his position this offseason, and IDP managers should look for trade opportunities now while he may still be viewed at that price tag before the fluctuating production starts to kick in with this usage.
Point of interest: Montaric Brown was one of the most productive cornerbacks of the week, getting targeted 12 times and leading to 11 total tackles, which led the team. Brown can be a fine IDP option in CB-required leagues while Tyson Campbell is on injured reserve.
Point of interest: Nick Bolton led the team in tackles this week, though it wasn’t by a large margin, which a lot of IDP managers are expecting from him. He’s still a full-time player and didn’t miss any tackles this week, which will lead to better games. It’s too early in the season to totally give up on players playing 100% of their team’s snaps.
Fool’s gold: Chamarri Conner had a sack and a defensive touchdown in this game, working as one of team’s slot defenders, which was the case last week. Unfortunately, Conner is splitting those slot duties with Trent McDuffie, which has kept him from being anywhere close to a full-time player. He should not be a starting option in most IDP leagues until those snaps significantly increase.
Iron Man watch: We’re now at five straight games of Maxx Crosby not taking off a single defensive snap. He landed two sacks in this game to go along with six total tackles. He continues to be an elite IDP option.
Rookie watch: Jared Verse delivered another strong showing in Week 2, coming up with seven total tackles, including three for a loss, while adding a forced fumble. He is going to be an option for a lot of starting IDP lineups already in his career.
Point of interest: The Rams are showing no signs of going away from Troy Reeder and Christian Rozeboom as the starting linebackers just yet. However, Rozeboom had a 40% missed tackle rate in this game, bringing him to six missed tackles in two games – tied for the most at the linebacker position despite not being an every-down player.
SAFETY
Point of interest: In the battle of Quentin Lake versus Kamren Curl for the Rams most IDP-relevant safety, Lake continues to hold the lead. A lot of that comes from his more favorable alignment (see chart below). Curl still came away with eight total tackles in this game, which is good for a safety, but Lake is just looking like a more efficient player at this point.
Injury: John Johnson III landed on injured reserve after this game. He was not a full-time player through the first two weeks.
Point of interest: Joey Bosa ended up being limited in this game due to a lingering back issue. This is a recurring issue that Bosa’s IDP managers have to deal with pretty consistently throughout his career. Luckily, he landed a sack in this game, but the injury-prone label isn’t going away anytime soon, it seems like.
Injury: Junior Colson suffered a hamstring injury in this game, which could cause him to miss time.
Waiver wire: With Colson out, the Chargers were unable to deploy such a heavy rotation among their linebackers, which allowed Daiyan Henley and Denzel Perryman to increase their snaps this week. Should Colson miss time, Henley figures to be the primary beneficiary in terms of snaps and can be considered a potential starter in deeper leagues.
Waiver wire: Alohi Gilman was out for this game, allowing Elijah Molden to step into a full-time role. Molden played exclusively deep but managed six total tackles and an interception. For leagues that value full-time safeties, Molden can be an option for as long as Gilman is out.
Point of interest: Continuing to monitor Jaelan Phillips coming off his late-season achilles injury last season, he didn’t play as high of a snap share as last week (64%), but this was also a game where there weren’t many defensive snaps for the Dolphins as a team. In a blowout, he only played three snaps in the fourth quarter. Phillips should mostly just be treated as IDP depth at this point until we get more consistency from his snaps and pass-rush metrics.
Point of interest: As was the case last week, both Dolphins linebackers played full-time roles, which is a positive sign for their IDP viability going forward.
Waiver wire: Pat Jones is coming off back-to-back weeks where he played 49% of the Vikings’ defensive snaps and landed two sacks. Jones is still playing behind the clear starters, Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard but can be added as a depth piece in deeper leagues. Just don’t expect that level of efficiency to continue much longer or be anywhere close to this consistent.
Point of interest: Ivan Pace continues to be held back by a part-time role, though his efficiency has been pretty impressive through two games. That tends to even out as the season goes on. He’ll still only be a deep league option barring an injury to Blake Cashman.
Point of interest: After highlighting Keion White as a waiver target last week, he delivered again in Week 2, landing 1.5 sacks and seven total tackles. White’s snap share and early-season pass-rush metrics are very encouraging for him to remain worthy of being a starter in our IDP lineups.
Injury: Ja’Whaun Bentley suffered a shoulder injury in the first quarter of this game and is now out for the season.
Waiver wire: Jahlani Tavai stepped in as a 100% snap linebacker in Bentley’s absence, and while he wasn’t overly productive in that role, he should still be in waiver consideration as a strong rest of season option now that Bentley’s season is over.
Point of interest: The Giants landed five sacks in this game; none of which came from their defensive linemen. Kayvon Thibodeaux’s pass-rush metrics were better this week but still far from making him a locked-in weekly IDP starter.
Waiver wire: As mentioned last week, Micah McFadden was the team’s expected LB2 and would resume that role once healthy, even though Darius Muasau wasn’t healthy himself this week. McFadden regained his LB2 role, even leading the team in tackles while adding a sack. His snap share is already better than his season average in 2023 (69%), which could be a sign that he’ll be a viable IDP in more league formats going forward. He can be added in those deeper leagues where available.
Point of interest: Despite rookie Tyler Nubin handling the large majority of box safety snaps again this week, Jason Pinnock came away with a very efficient day, even landing two sacks despite just two blitz attempts. Nubin is still the primary IDP target, though Pinnock can also be startable, if needed.
CORNERBACK
Rookie watch: Andru Phillips didn’t start last week but saw a significant increase in usage in Week 2, working as the primary nickel corner, which led to 12 total tackles and a sack. If Phillips is going to hold onto this role, he could be a key cornerback target for IDP.
Injury: Jermaine Johnson suffered a torn Achilles that will end his season. Johnson was the clear leader in snap share for this edge unit and will be a big loss to a solid defensive line.
Waiver wire: Will McDonald should expect to see a snap increase and is the only edge on the roster for now that will pique any sort of IDP interest in Johnson’s absence. McDonald landed three sacks in Week 2 and as a first-round talent, should be able to step up consistently in 2024.
Injury: C.J. Mosley was carted to the locker room due to a foot injury this week and did not return. It’s unclear how long he’ll be out, but the Jets play on a short week in Week 3, which leaves little hope for him to get back in time for that matchup.
Waiver wire: Jamien Sherwood played 100% of the defensive snaps with Mosley out of the game and should expect a similar role for as long as Mosley is out of the lineup. This makes him one of the top waiver options to target heading into Week 3.
Point of interest: After playing nearly 70% of his snaps in the box in Week 1, Tony Adams came back to Earth in Week 2, which cut into his production quite a bit as well. Adams and Chuck Clark still saw decent usage closer to the line of scrimmage, which is still a positive sign going forward.
Point of interest: Jalen Carter has been quiet in the box score through these first two games, but the positive notes are regarding his usage, which has allowed him to average 75% of the Eagles’ defensive snaps through the first two weeks. The big difference coming from an uptick in snaps on run downs where he’s now played 73% of the Eagles’ run downs compared to just 45% as a rookie. He’ll have more productive games based on his talent and usage, which keeps him as a good IDP option in DT-required leagues.
Point of interest: Devin White was a healthy inactive for this game, which should provide IDP managers confidence that both Zack Baun and Nakobe Dean’s full-time roles are relatively safe going forward.
Point of interest: Patrick Queen’s tackle efficiency continues to be atrocious and an issue for IDP. He’s still playing 100% of Pittsburgh’s snaps, which is a good indicator that his production will level out across the season, but it’s still worth noting for a player that drafters invested heavily in this offseason despite his history of being inefficient as a tackler.
Point of interest: Nick Bosa bounced back, as expected, in Week 2. He came away with two sacks in this game despite leaving for a brief period due to injury.
Point of interest: Without Talanoa Hufanga, the 49ers ended up relying on more of a committee approach at the second safety spot between Malik Mustapha and George Odum. It didn’t go well. Hufanga will likely be a full-time starter once he’s back, but his replacements should not be trusted in IDP lineups.
Trending up: Boye Mafe quietly increases his IDP stock with each passing week, coming up with a sack again in Week 2, while playing a strong snap share and delivering encouraging pass-rush metrics. He was ranked as ED17 this past week and will improve upon that ranking heading into Week 3.
DEFENSIVE INTERIOR
Rookie watch: First-round defensive tackle Byron Murphy got in on his first sack this week, posting some very strong pass-rush metrics for his position. He even played slightly more than Jarran Reed this week, which could be a sign that his role is growing in this defense.
Injury: Jerome Baker suffered a hamstring injury in this game and did not return. He was a full-time player prior to the injury.
Waiver wire: Rookie Tyrice Knight stepped into a near 100% snap role once Baker left the game. He should be expected to do the same for as long as Baker is out of the lineup, as Mike Macdonald has now shown a tendency to deploy two full-time linebackers. Knight was also productive with his snaps and wouldn’t take much for him to be a more efficient IDP than Baker.
Trending up: SirVocea Dennis continues to eat into K.J. Britt‘s playing time, as highlighted last week. This time, Dennis played 100% of the Bucs’ late-down snaps while Britt didn’t play any. This was more of a 3:1 ratio in Week 1, but given Dennis’ effectiveness in that role, the team obviously felt comfortable in letting him handle all of those duties this week. He still isn’t close to a full-time player, which makes him more of a deep league option only, but he still has promising usage.
Point of interest: Jordan Whitehead led the team in tackles (11) this week, doing so with 47% of his snaps coming in the box. Whitehead only spent 24% of his snaps in the box in Week 1, so this could have been more so about defending the Lions run game than a trend.
CORNERBACK
Waiver wire: Christian Izien stepped in at safety in Antoine Winfield Jr.‘s absence this week. He played well, had solid production and can be added in leagues where starting safeties are valuable for as long as Winfield is out.
Trending up: It didn’t take long at all for Ernest Jones to step back into a 100% snap role after playing just 46% of the Titans’ defensive snaps in Week 1. Jones can be safely trusted in IDP lineups again with the Titans ripping the band-aid off and letting Jones get back to being a full-time player despite still being relatively new to the team.
Point of interest: After playing just 79% of Washington’s defensive snaps in Week 1, Jeremy Chinn became a full-time player in Week 2 while still playing a decent amount of snaps in the box. He did nothing worth getting excited about for IDP purposes but thanks to the full-time snap share keeps him from being a total avoid at the very least.
CORNERBACK
Data keys
Tackle efficiency = Percentage of snaps where that IDP was in on a tackle. Average tackle efficiency for linebackers in 2023 was 13.3% (min. 100 snaps).
Win rate = Percentage of snaps that a defensive lineman won their rep against a blocker. Average win rate for edge defenders in 2023 was 11.7% (min. 100 prsh snaps).Average win rate for interior defenders in 2023 was 8.7% (min. 100 prsh snaps).
Pressure rate = Percentage of pass-rush snaps that resulted in a pressure. Average pressure rate for edge defenders in 2022 was 12.2% (min. 100 prsh snaps). Average pressure rate for interior defenders in 2023 was 8.1% (min. 100 prsh snaps).
Pass-rush grade = PFF pass-rush grade, taking into account the quality of every pass-rush snap for every player on every play. Average pass-rush grade for edge defenders in 2023 was 67.1 (min. 100 prsh snaps). Average pass-rush grade for interior defenders in 2023 was 64.9 (min. 100 prsh snaps).
Zone coverage rate = Percentage of Cover-2, Cover-3 (+variations), Cover-4/quarters, and Cover-6 snaps played by the defense.
Man coverage rate = Percentage of Cover-1, Cover-0, and Cover-2-Man snaps played by the defense.
Dime personnel rate = Percentage of snaps the defense spent with six defensive backs on the field at once, typically at the cost of a linebacker.
Blitz rate = Percentage of snaps where the defense sent at least one extra pass rusher on a given play.
Box snaps = Snaps where the defensive player is lined up in a linebacker or strong safety alignment (within 2-10 yards of the line of scrimmage).
Free safety snaps = Snaps where the defensive player is lined up more than 10.5 yards from the line of scrimmage.
Slot corner snaps = Snaps where the defensive player is lined up covering an eligible receiver who is aligned inside of an outside receiving option.
Outside corner snaps = Snaps where the defensive player is the widest outside defender to any given side where there is a wide receiver aligned.
Defensive line snaps = Snaps where the defensive player is lined up on or within 1.5 yards of the line of scrimmage.
