This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
The story of Week 3 was unfortunately injuries as several key players are now set for multi-week absences. The focus of our article will be to summarize those injuries and highlight the probable players with expanded roles as a result. We'll also highlight some of the best performances we saw in Week 3.
Risers
Will McDonald, DE 
Jermaine Johnson tore his Achilles, which is unfortunate news for a potential breakout candidate. That seemingly opened up a role for McDonald, another pass rusher with high pedigree. Interestingly, McDonald's snap rate didn't increase at all in Johnson's absence by still hovering around the 55 to 56 percent mark. Nevertheless, he's worth highlighting due to his performance. McDonald has multiple sacks in back-to-back weeks and has seven quarterback hits in three games this season after posting five in 15 games as a rookie.
Raekwon McMillan, LB 
McMillan is a direct replacement for Ja'Whaun Bentley (pectoral) at inside linebacker for New England. This one is pretty straightforward. When Bentley was fully healthy in Week 1, McMillan played zero defensive snaps. That ticked up in Week 2 when Bentley exited partway through the game and took another jump in Week 3 when he played 71 percent of snaps and tallied 10 tackles.
Kwon Alexander, LB
Alex Singleton (knee) is lost for the season in a big blow to the middle of Denver's defense. A glance at the current depth chart isn't likely to indicate his direct replacement. Kristian Welch would be the
The story of Week 3 was unfortunately injuries as several key players are now set for multi-week absences. The focus of our article will be to summarize those injuries and highlight the probable players with expanded roles as a result. We'll also highlight some of the best performances we saw in Week 3.
Risers
Will McDonald, DE
Jermaine Johnson tore his Achilles, which is unfortunate news for a potential breakout candidate. That seemingly opened up a role for McDonald, another pass rusher with high pedigree. Interestingly, McDonald's snap rate didn't increase at all in Johnson's absence by still hovering around the 55 to 56 percent mark. Nevertheless, he's worth highlighting due to his performance. McDonald has multiple sacks in back-to-back weeks and has seven quarterback hits in three games this season after posting five in 15 games as a rookie.
Raekwon McMillan, LB
McMillan is a direct replacement for Ja'Whaun Bentley (pectoral) at inside linebacker for New England. This one is pretty straightforward. When Bentley was fully healthy in Week 1, McMillan played zero defensive snaps. That ticked up in Week 2 when Bentley exited partway through the game and took another jump in Week 3 when he played 71 percent of snaps and tallied 10 tackles.
Kwon Alexander, LB
Alex Singleton (knee) is lost for the season in a big blow to the middle of Denver's defense. A glance at the current depth chart isn't likely to indicate his direct replacement. Kristian Welch would be the best guess based on his snap rates in Weeks 1 and 2 (28 and 17 percent), but the Broncos also signed Alexander to their practice squad Tuesday. Alexander was enjoying a productive season with the Steelers before tearing his Achilles. Maybe he won't be promoted for a Week 4 matchup against the Jets, but he should be on the active roster sooner rather than later.
Baylon Spector, LB 
Spector is more of a short-term winner due to the ongoing absence of Terrel Bernard (pectoral), but Bernard has already been ruled out for a Week 4 showdown with Baltimore, so Spector is a decent streaming option in leagues that reward tackles.
Damar Hamlin, S
Hamlin's inclusion is more about recognition of his performance than to suggest he's an immediate must-add player. He chipped in to Buffalo's beat down of the Jaguars with his first career interception. Hamlin has also, surprisingly, emerged as the Bills' solution for the departure of Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer at safety. I'd still expect Mike Edwards and/or Cole Bishop to see increased snaps as the season progresses, but Hamlin has been a good bet for around six tackles early this season.
Ventrell Miller, LB 
Foye Oluokun (foot) hasn't officially been placed on IR but is expected to miss several weeks with plantar fasciitis. Those in IDP leagues likely know Oluokun was a tackling machine and one of the most valuable players in the format. While some of that was certainly the product of his own skill, the role alone should make Miller – Oluokun's replacement – productive. With only a 47 percent snap rate in Week 3, Miller still managed six tackles. That should only increase in Week 4 and beyond.
Nick Herbig, LB 
Herbig should immediately be on the radar for leagues that reward sacks. He has five career sacks on only 231 snaps. That prolific rate won't continue now that Herbig's role will increase in the absence of Alex Highsmith (groin). The Steelers have made it clear that Herbig will be the replacement for Highsmith, and both the organization and teammates seem to have a strong belief he'll take advantage.
Nick Scott, S 
Scott has proven to be a productive player during his time with the Rams, though his best season came in 2022, and he has seen his role shrink with two separate teams since. He has the chance to reverse that trend now that Jordan Fuller is sidelined for the foreseeable future with a hamstring injury.
Fallers
Trenton Simpson, LB 
Simpson was projected to be the one-for-one replacement of Patrick Queen, after the latter's departure this offseason. He played 100 percent of snaps in Week 2 but dipped to a season-low 51 percent in Week 3 against Dallas. Simpson may be filling the role the Ravens want him to, but he has yet to top five tackles in a game this season, making him a disappointment for IDP purposes.
Battle was expected to see a reduced role after the return of Vonn Bell, but he has played only one defensive snap in three games. Bell is only on a one-year deal, so the long-term outlook may not be as poor for Battle but, for now, it's bleak.
Leo Chenal, LB 
There's a lot of praise for Chenal across the internet, but there certainly seems to be a disconnect between that and his usage. His snap rate has fallen (61, 51, 23 percent) each game, and the reason for that pattern is pretty clear – the Chiefs don't trust him in pass coverage. After playing 14 snaps in coverage (per PFF) in Week 1, he played only one in Week 3. After the financial commitment the team made to Drue Tranquill this offseason, Chenal was likely to be the odd man out, but that has been confirmed, and the degree to which he's off the field appears to be growing.
