DT Deep Dive

***2023 Week 7 Rankings***

Welcome to the Week 7 edition of the DT Deep Dive! It is officially byemaggedon but there is no shortage of good (and great) DT options this week. 

For the season, the model is performing very well. Tier 1 > Tier 2 > Tier 3 > Tier 4 with only one exception (% over 10pts in Tier 2). Accuracy against projections sits at 68.82% with a 31.06% massive hit rate. The top end of my rankings are outperforming "Expert X" and FantasySharks in terms of % of top players identified, are second in terms of avg pts, and in third for FantasyPros accuracy. Full 2023 season and weekly results available here.

Week 7 sees a new entrant to the Ideal Tier, an old favorite dropping through the ranks, and 38 overall recommended plays among 102 options.

Good luck!

Week 7 DT Streamers (outside the top 30 rostered on MFL)

Week 6 - David Onyemata (11) and DaQuon Jones (.5), Season-long average at 12.4.

David Onyemata, ATL

Onyemata had a lackluster Week 6 but still topped 10 points for the 4th time in 6 weeks this season. Great snaps, great grades, and a good matchup having me sticking with him this week.

Alim McNeil, DET

McNeil only registered 1 QB hit last week but grades out as as PFF's DT9. That plus his consistently playing more than 70% of snaps has me giving him one last last chance.

Week 6 DT Rankings

Disclaimer 1: My model is performing well, but don't take these as gospel. Sometimes I even start a lower ranked guy who is more proven if the rest of my roster is in a place where I need to be risk averse (especially this early in the season).

Disclaimer 2: Check for guys who are out. There may even be 1-2 ranked guys on IR if they had enough snaps this year. I'll catch some of these when doing data entry but not all.

Here is the full list of 102 DTs rated this week. Note - tiers are sorted so higher in tier = better.


TIER 1 - IDEAL (guys you would start in any format and even consider in DL leagues that don't explicitly require DT)


Aaron Donald LA

Dexter Lawrence II NYG - 21 pressures with 0 sacks and plays 100% of pass rush snaps. The talent is too good for me to move off of him.

David Onyemata ATL

Chris Jones KC

DeForest Buckner IND

Christian Wilkins MIA

Vita Vea TB - Snaps have long kept Vea out of my top tier but he played 63% or more snaps in 3 of 5 games this year giving me more confidence to play him


TIER 2 - SOLID (players are also expected to perform well and you can usually start to find some potential streamers in this group)


Jonathan Allen WAS

Alim McNeill DET

Ed Oliver BUF - We were all frustrated by the output last week but pass rush talent plus an 81% snap share keeps him in Solid territory.

Zach Allen DEN

Jalen Carter PHI - If he is back, I am not sure what his snap share will look like but he has the talent to put up big numbers even in a limited role. 

Daron Payne WAS

Leonard Williams NYG

Grady Jarrett ATL


TIER 3 - SOLID - DEEPER (mostly relevant in 16 team leagues, leagues where you have to start 2 DT, or leagues with very deep benches).


Justin Madubuike BLT

Michael Pierce BLT

Kenny Clark GB

Sebastian Joseph-Day LAC

Roy Robertson-Harris JAX

Montravius Adams PIT

DeMarcus Walker CHI - Aiden O'Connell was sacked 58 times the last time he started a game. While that is a bit of an exaggeration, Walker is the Bears best pass rusher and is in a great spot this week.

Harrison Phillips MIN

Zach Sieler MIA - I was a big fan of Sieler last year but mediocre grades so far this season has me concerned for his hitting his ceiling consistently.

Larry Ogunjobi PIT

Calais Campbell ATL

Jonah Williams LA

Jonathan Harris DEN

Javon Hargrave SF

Dalvin Tomlinson CLV

Jonathan Bullard MIN

Justin Jones CHI

Kobie Turner LA - Turner actually outgrades teammate Williams but a snap share that is 20% lower drops him here. 

Dre'Mont Jones SEA

Logan Hall TB

Milton Williams PHI

Arik Armstead SF - PFF's 2nd highest graded DT in true pass rush sets is not seeing the field enough to capitalize in a consistent manner but remains a player who can pop in any given week.

Maurice Hurst CLV


TIER 4 - AVOID (players who did not have strong enough snap counts in Week 1 to warrant consideration in leagues other than Best Ball that you are managing in-season)


Jarran Reed SEA

Bilal Nichols LV

Devonte Wyatt GB

Kevin Strong ARZ

Lawrence Guy Sr. NE

Deatrich Wise Jr. NE

John Jenkins LV

Adam Butler LV

Nathan Shepherd NO

Bryan Bresee NO

Broderick Washington BLT

Javon Kinlaw SF

Mario Edwards Jr. SEA

Keion White NE

Eric Johnson IND

T.J. Slaton GB

Keeanu Benton PIT

Da'Shawn Hand MIA

Khalen Saunders NO

Andrew Billings CHI

Gervon Dexter Sr. CHI

Kevin Givens SF

Christian Barmore NE

Taven Bryan IND

Karl Brooks GB

Morgan Fox LAC

Fletcher Cox PHI

Jordan Davis PHI

Jonathan Ledbetter ARZ

Greg Gaines TB

Mike Greene TB

Benito Jones DET

Davon Godchaux NE

Jerry Tillery LV

Malcolm Roach NO

Austin Johnson LAC

Dante Stills ARZ

Rakeem Nunez-Roches NYG

Travis Jones BLT

Shelby Harris CLV

Jordan Elliott CLV

Bobby Brown III LA

John Cominsky DET

Colby Wooden GB

D.J. Jones DEN

Mike Purcell DEN

Nick Williams LAC

Armon Watts PIT

Adam Gotsis JAX

Angelo Blackson JAX

Folorunso Fatukasi JAX

Jeremiah Ledbetter JAX

John Ridgeway WAS

A'Shawn Robinson NYG

Jordan Phillips BUF

Tim Settle BUF

Scott Matlock LAC

DeMarvin Leal PIT

Tershawn Wharton KC

Derrick Nnadi KC

Raekwon Davis MIA

Leki Fotu ARZ

Dean Lowry MIN