Welcome to the IDP Waiver Wire article.
*Due to a glitch in Yahoo % Rostered information, typical availability can’t be used this week. Instead, these are the players most likely to still be available that have playoff-stretch potential. I’m still factoring in league size, so the bottom players should be available in deeper leagues.
Defensive Linemen
Joey Bosa (LAC) — Don’t let Bosa’s Week 11 dud fool you: he’s still the man. He had a TFL called back for a penalty, he had a sack and forced fumble removed because they flagged him for a low hit (he was being pushed down as he was going for the sack), and he had 5 QB hits while playing 90%. His league availability last week could be even higher this week, so look for him to get cut by impatient managers post-WW if he’s not out there now.
Carlos Dunlap (Sea) — As mentioned before, Dunlap has been rejuvenated in this LEO role in Seattle. He had a walk-off sack of Kyler Murray in Week 11, and now has 9 tackles and 3 sacks in his 3 games as a Seahawk. Seattle also has a nice stretch of winnable games ahead, so look for Dunlap to get plenty of pass-rushing opportunities.
Leonard Williams (NYG) — Williams is coming off his bye and while he’s been a DL1 for most of the season, he’s got perhaps the best chance to improve on his numbers of anyone with more than 80% availability. His remaining opponents - @Cin, @Sea, Ari, Cle, @Bal, Dal - all reside in the top-12 for opposing DL fantasy production. The Bengals, Seahawks, and Ravens are particularly good matchups.
Grady Jarrett (Atl) — After a strong start to the season, Jarrett got banged up and his production suffered. He had three weeks where he had just 2 solos. Since then, he’s looked like his old self, posting 15 tackles in his last three games. He had 7 tackles (4 solo) and a sack in Week 11 against the Saints, and has a lot of run-heavy teams ahead of him, including another crack at the Saints in a few weeks.
Kenny Clark (GB) — Seriously, don’t sleep on Clark in DT-required and tackle-heavy leagues. Clark had another 6 tackles (5 solo) and a sack in Week 11, giving him at least 4 tackles in four of five games, and 10 tackles in his last two games.
Linebackers
Christian Kirksey (GB) — Kirksey was a projected LB1 heading into the season, and his first two games justified that ranking: 12 tackles in each game. Then he went on IR and was dropped by almost every manager who couldn’t waste a roster spot for a multi-week injury with no clear timeline of return. Well, Kirksey now has 18 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 INT, and 1 PD in his two games since his return. Shockingly, that makes him an LB1.
Tremaine Edmunds (Buf) — Thanks to a few mediocre games, Edmunds was dropped by a ton of managers a few weeks ago. Plus, he had his bye in Week 11. But over his last two games, we’ve seen the old Edmunds: 21 tackles and a sack. Use the timing of a few slow games combined with his bye week to add Edmunds and his double-digit tackle upside for your playoff run.
Harvey Langi (NYJ) — Langi survived the bye as the every-down LB for the Jets, and now has back-to-back games of double-digit tackles. He has 21 tackles (17 solo) and has borderline LB1 upside going forward as the Jets are clearly in evaluation mode.
Nick Kwiatkoski (LV) — After getting injured in Week 1, our prediction that Nicky K had double-digit tackle upside seemed like a bust. But now that he’s back and healthy, we’re seeing that upside come to fruition. In his last three games, Kwiatoski has 30 tackles, 2 PD, and an INT, making him the #3 LB during that stretch.
Isaiah Simmons (Ari) — It’s happening. Simmons has seen his snaps rise since Arizona’s Week 8 bye, going from the single digits pre-bye to 40-50 and eventually 68% last week. He had 4 tackles in each of Week 9 and 10, then he exploded for 10 tackles (9 solo) and a sack in Week 11. He might settle in somewhere in the middle of those tackle numbers, but now is the time to pick Simmons up as an LB3/LB4, because he carries LB1 upside as you head toward playoff season.
Defensive Backs
Justin Simmons (Den) — In addition to his high and stable tackle floor, Simmons has added a nose for the football. He’s the #3 DB on the season. That tackle floor includes at least 5 tackles in every game but one, and that one game he had four tackles. His big-play upside includes 4 INTs, 7 PD, and 1 FR.
Keanu Neal (Atl) — Neal is a top-12 DB even with his slow start and missed time due to an injury. In his last six games, Neal is DB #4. He’s posted at least 6 tackles in every game and his 43 tackles over that stretch are just 2 behind league-leader Jordan Poyer.
Jonathan Abram (LV) — Look, we honestly don’t know for sure why Abram’s production plummeted earlier this season. He was injured, and that played a role. He was unlucky at times, and we’re sure that played a factor. Maybe he played more hesitant because of his injury. Either way, he’s been the DB1 threat we expected him to be over the last three weeks. Abram’s 25 tackles (18 solo) over his last three games are third-most during that stretch. He has the chops and the role to push for double-digit tackles. He posted that kind of production to start the season, and he’s doing it again. Let’s just hope he’s completely shaken off that mid-season slump.
Kamren Curl (Was) — Curl has been a difference-maker for Washington. Since his increased role coming out of their Week 9 bye, Curl has 11, 9, and 9 tackles. No DB has more tackles during that stretch. Curl also gets multiple pass-rush attempts per game and has parlayed that opportunity into 2 sacks over his last three games. Curl has earned the job over Troy Apke and doesn’t appear to be ceding it any time soon.
D.J. Reed (Sea) — Reed’s emergence in Seattle has both helped steady his team and boost his fantasy production. The former 49er has 21 tackles over his last two games. That production coincided with a shift to starting outside, but also with some snaps on the line of scrimmage. Those extra on-ball snaps can provide a nice boost to a perimeter corner’s fantasy value. He’s also returning kicks for Seattle. The danger for Reed is whether or not Shaquill Griffin gets his job back once he returns from injury. Griffin hadn’t been playing well, so it’s likely Reed - who has made some big plays for Seattle since Griffin went down - will stay on the field.
