Welcome to the IDP Waiver Wire article. Each of the three main positions will be broken down by league size. For shallow leagues, visit the Higher-owned Options. For 6-9 IDPs, check out the Top Targets, and for deeper leagues, check out the Going Deeper section. In general, we’re focusing on players who are less than 50% rostered in Yahoo! leagues.
Defensive Linemen
Higher-owned Options
These IDPs have steady, productive roles with high floors. Others may have better weeks but at the end of the season, these are most likely to help you most.
Brandon Graham (Phi, 18%) — Graham has been on fire lately, with 14 tackles (10 solo) and 4 sacks in his last three games. He’s coming off extra rest thanks to his bye, and now gets the sieve-like Giants O-line. Graham posted 4 tackles (3 solo) and a sack in this matchup a few weeks ago. After the Giants, Graham gets Cleveland and Seattle. The Browns give up 18 tackles per game to DLs while the Seahawks give up 2 sacks per game to DLs.
Emmanuel Ogbah (Mia, 19%) — With yet another sack in Week 9, Ogbah has at least a half-sack in seven straight games. He also has at least 5 tackles in three of his last five games. He’s a DL1 and his matchups only get sweeter over the next month, including Denver, NYJ, and Cincinnati.
Top Targets
In leagues with 2-3 IDPs per position, these could be league-winners. We’re going decent floor, but mostly upside here.
Carlos Dunlap (Sea, 5%) — Well, well, well. It’s like Dunlap was made for this LEO role in Seattle. Something we knew, Pete Carroll knew, and Dunlap knew once it was described to him. This role on the Seattle defense is simple: attack, attack, attack. And Dunlap did just that in his first game with Seattle: 5 tackles (3 solo) and a sack. He could have been playing on adrenaline and pride, so we might not get DL1 numbers every week from him, but this is a gamble to consider taking if you need DL2/DL3 help.
Leonard Williams (NYG, 8%) — Williams will be a one-week rental (or bench filler) as his bye is his Week 11. But his matchup and recent production can’t be ignored. Williams has 13 tackles and 3 sacks in his last four games and gets to feast on one of the weakest O-lines in the league this week. The Eagles are the second-best option for opposing DLs, giving up 14 tackles and 3 sacks per game. If you can hang onto Williams through his bye, he has Cincinnati and Seattle up after that, both juicy matchups.
Jeffery Simmons (Ten, 4%) — Simmons continued his march up the DL leaderboard with 3 solos, 1 TFL, 1 PD, and a FF/FR combo in Week 9. Simmons is the #19 DL, but he’s also played just seven games due to a bye and a precautionary COVID week off. He’s a top-10 DL in the 7 games he’s played.
Going Deeper
In leagues with 11-14 total IDPs, these are high-upside options who could come out of nowhere to be at least a solid 2nd/3rd starter, and at best give you a 1A option.
Jarran Reed (Sea, 2%) — Reed might be the player who will benefit most with the addition of Carlos Dunlap. Now Reed will see a lot less attention. We saw the first signs of this in Week 9, as Reed posted 4 tackles (3 solo) and 2.5 sacks. He now has at least 3 tackles in four of his last five games, and at least 2 tackles in every game. He’s a sneaky pickup in DT-required leagues.
Derrick Brown (Car, 1%) — Brown’s 5 tackles in Week 9 give him 8 tackles over the last two weeks as his usage has increased. Brown was a highly-coveted DT in this year’s draft and has been picking up his production lately.
Linebackers
Higher-owned Options
These IDPs have steady, productive roles with high floors. Others may have better weeks but at the end of the season, these are most likely to help you most.
Myles Jack (Jax, 11%) — Jack picked up right where he left off before his injuries, posting 11 tackles (6 solo), 1 PD, 1 TFL, and a forced fumble. He’s hit double-digit fantasy points in all five of his complete games, bringing a perfect mix of high tackles and big-play upside. In Jack’s five healthy games, he has 44 tackles, 1 sack, 2.5 TFL, 3 PD, 1 INT, and 1 FF.
Tyrell Adams (Hou, 21%) — In most other stadiums, Adams would have had a better today FPG-wise in Week 9. Adams racked up 12 tackles (his third double-digit tackle game out of the four he’s started in place of Benardrick McKinney), but Jacksonville’s stat crew cut those 12 in half (6 solos, 6 assists). Still, we’ll take it, and look forward to more double-digit tackle games ahead. Adams benefits from a top10 home stat crew in Houston.
Top Targets
In leagues with 2-3 IDPs per position, these could be league-winners. We’re going decent floor, but mostly upside here.
A.J. Johnson (Den, 13%) — Even in a terrible matchup, Johnson hit his 8-10 tackle mark (5 solos/3 assists). He’s had 8 tackles or more in six of his last eight games and remains an LB2+ option, particularly with better matchups on the horizon.
Eric Wilson (Min, 10%) — Wilson had a monster Week 9, with 13 tackles, 1 sack, 1 PD, and 1 INT. One of the key factors to Wilson’s value is his big-play upside. His tackle production can be all over the map, but since he gets so many chances to hit his big plays, he can be a mid-LB2 one week and an LB1 the next. He’s averaging 7.5 tackles per game and has 2.5 sacks, 4.5 TFL, 3 PD, 3 INTs, and 2 fumble recoveries.
Micah Kiser (LAR, 8%) — Coming off his bye, Kiser is severely under-rostered. Although we’ve made it clear Kiser isn’t an LB1, his 6-9 tackle value is rock steady, and he does have two double-digit tackle games so far this season. He also has some good matchups and stadiums coming up (Sea, @TB, SF, @Ari).
Going Deeper
In leagues with 11-14 total IDPs, these are high-upside options who could come out of nowhere to be at least a solid 2nd/3rd starter, and at best give you a 1A option.
Dre Greenlaw (SF, 7%) — Greenlaw added another 7 tackles (4 solo) in Week 9, solidifying his role next to stud MLB Fred Warner. He’s posted between 6 and 8 tackles in the games he’s started without Kwon Alexander. Now that Alexander is a Saint, this solid production should be his trajectory for the rest of the season. Just keep in mind that his bye is Week 11.
Nick Kwiatkoski (LV, 13%) — Now THAT is more like it. Kwiatkoski has been hindered by his pectoral injury that has cut into his playing time, but we finally saw a healthy Nicky K out there in Week 9, posting 13 tackles (10 solo) on 78% usage. We’d still like to see that usage get back above 80%, otherwise his tackle floor is low, but if you can plug him in as your LB3, you can enjoy these occasional double-digit tackle games.
Harvey Langi (NYJ, 0%) — With Blake Cashman Out (hamstrings) and Avery Williamson traded, Langi got a chance to show what he can do, and he delivered. Langi had 10 tackles (9 solo) and was all over the field. Perhaps it has been Langi’s play in practices - and not Cashman’s health - that inspired the Jets to let Williamson go in exchange for draft picks. Langi’s bye is this week, though! So this is a stash now, while he’s 100% available. Why pick up a guy on his bye? Because if Langi can re-produce Williamson’s double-digit tackles, then you’re getting an LB2+/LB1- to ride the rest of the season. Langi still has to continue playing ahead of Cashman and Patrick Onwuasor, but he certainly showed he’s capable of being a major factor for the Jets in the middle.
Defensive Backs
Higher-owned Options
These IDPs have steady, productive roles with high floors. Others may have better weeks but at the end of the season, these are most likely to help you most.
Jeremy Chinn (Car, 25%) — Here’s your chance. It’s a little risky since Chinn missed Week 9 with a knee injury. But here’s what we know: Chinn practiced (limited) twice last week, and HC Matt Rhule said he hopes to have Chinn back this week. Since there are so few top-5 DBs out there (there are, in fact, 5 of them), it’s worth the risk, particularly with a few major DBs on bye this week. A reminder: Chinn plays LB and produces like an LB. He has 67 tackles, which is still second-most for DBs despite playing one fewer game.
Harrison Smith (Min, 23%) — I’m not sure what was holding Smith - a perennial DB2+ - back earlier in the year, but he’s flying around now. Over the last two weeks, Smith has 18 tackles (12 solo), 2 PD, and an INT. One thing to look at is that this raised production has come directly after the Vikings had their bye, so it appears a re-shuffling of their secondary may have breathed life back into Smith’s fantasy prospects.
Top Targets
In leagues with 2-3 IDPs per position, these could be league-winners. We’re going decent floor, but mostly upside here.
Adrian Phillips (NE, 8%) — With the Patriots struggling at linebacker, Phillips has been a stop-gap as a hybrid safety/linebacker. He proved his worth once again in Week 9, posting 8 tackles (7 solo) on MNF. He only has one 2-tackle dud, and that was several weeks ago. Since the bye, Phillips is the #8 DB, with 31 tackles and 3.5 TFL. He’ll face run-heavy Baltimore and Houston next, which plays right into the Dime LB’s hands. Literally.
Khari Willis (Ind, 4%) — One of the emerging stars (for fantasy and otherwise) has been Willis. In Week 9, the Colts safety had 9 tackles (8 solo), and has been the #3 DB over his last three games. In those games, Willis has 26 tackles (23 solo), which is second-most for DBs over that span. He also gets one of the most generous schedules for tackle crews over the next four weeks. Between his home crew, Tennessee, and Houston, he’ll live in the top-10 for tackles.
Malcolm Jenkins (NO, 16%) — Jenkins carries a 5-tackle floor with him each week, but his big-play upside (thanks to his role on this defense) placed him in the double-digit FP club four times already this season. His steady tackle floor and occasional blow-up game is the perfect combination for your DB2/DB3 spot.
Going Deeper
In leagues with 11-14 total IDPs, these are high-upside options who could come out of nowhere to be at least a solid 2nd/3rd starter, and at best give you a 1A option.
Rayshawn Jenkins (LAC, 3%) — Jenkins posted 6 tackles (4 solo) in Week 9, settling in as a solid DB2. Ever since Week 3, Jenkins has cranked his play up a few notches. He’s currently DB #13 during that span, averaging 7 tackles per game and adding 1 sack, 4 TFL, 2 PD, and an INT. Plus, he’s past his bye.
Jabrill Peppers (NYG, 7%) — Peppers has been a solid 5-6 tackle option, but has been playing more aggressively once Logan Ryan arrived. In the last three weeks, he has 1 sack, 5 PD, 1 INT, and 1 FR, including a 6-tackle/1-sack game against the Eagles (the team he faces this week). He’s also a nice bonus in return yardage leagues as well. Just keep in mind, his bye is Week 11.
Jordan Fuller (LAR, 1%) — Fuller has been cleared to practice this week and is expected to play this Sunday. Fuller had 17 tackles in his first two games before getting dinged up twice. He’s apparently over his shoulder injury and should reclaim his starting safety role now that the Rams are out of their bye.
