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.
DeForest Buckner (Ind, 24%) — We all know DLs are boom or bust. The trick is to put your money behind the ones with the most opportunities and the most talent to come through. Buckner checks both of those boxes, even in a week where he was Questionable. Buckner had 3 sacks in Week 15, and while we can’t expect 3 sacks often, we can expect that if he’s out there, he’s got double-digit FP upside (like he’s delivered in 2 of his last 3 games). Buckner has missed a game and is still the #4 overall DL.
DeMarcus Lawrence (Dal, 19%) — Lawrence has been playing like his Pro Bowl self lately, including last week when he posted 5 tackles (3 solo), 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble. He faces a weak Philly O-line that just surrendered 6 sacks last week and continues to be near the top in sacks allowed. Lawrence had 6 tackles (5 solo), 1 sack, 3 TFL, and a forced fumble against the Eagles back in Week 8. He’s the #6 overall DL this season.
Top Targets
In leagues with 2-3 IDPs per position, these could be league-winners. We’re going decent floor, but mostly upside here.
Leonard Williams (NYG, 7%) — Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Williams had another strong game. He racked up 6 tackles (3 solo) and a TFL against a very strong Cleveland O-line. He’s been a DL1 all season and gets the Ravens this week, a team that gives up the 5th-most production to DLs this season.
Romeo Okwara (Det, 10%) — Okwara had one of the worst matchups in the league last week, and all he did was produce 4 solos, 2 TFL, 1 sack, and a safety. Okwara has become a weekly starter and now faces Tampa Bay in Week 16. The Bucs are a bad matchup on paper, but as he showed us last week, Okwara doesn’t seem to care.
Haason Reddick (Ari, 3%) — Sadly, Reddick’s transition from ILB to edge rusher occurred during the season, so he’s not available as a DL in most leagues. But if your league allows it, you can’t sit him right now. Reddick added another sack in Week 15, giving him 6 sacks in two weeks. He faces a 49ers team giving up 1.5 sacks per game to DLs.
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.
Shelby Harris (Den, 1%) — Harris has high-tackle upside this week. As primarily a run-stopper, Harris fares well against teams that produce tackles to DLs. This week, he has the best matchup for DL tackles when he faces the Chargers (19 tackles per game to DLs). Earlier this season, Harris posted 6 tackles against LAC.
Johnathan Hankins (LV, 0%) — Hankins had another 3 tackles in Week 15, proving he’s a solid starter in DT-required and/or tackle-heavy leagues. He’s posted 3-5 tackles in seven of his last eight starts ever since his role increased after the Raiders came out of their bye.
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.
Tyrell Adams (Hou, 22%) — Adams racked up another 11 tackles (8 solo) and a TFL last week, playing every down again. Over the past four weeks, no LB has more tackles than Adams. He faces the Bengals this week, who produce an above-average 20 tackles per game to LBs, but produce a top-5 number of TFL and sacks, so Adams has a high ceiling this week to pair with that tackle production.
Myles Jack (Jax, 17%) — Jack had 10 tackles (7 solo) and a TFL in Week 15. You can book Jack for double-digit tackles each week. In the 10 games he’s been fully healthy for, he has double-digit tackles in 8 of them. The other two games? 8 and 9 tackles. He’s also managed at least 1 big play in every game but one (including the games he left due to injury). This week, he gets to chase David Montgomery and the rejuvenated Bears offense. While the Bears appear to be a bad matchup for LBs on paper, they’ve allowed over 20 tackles per game to LBs over the last few weeks as Montgomery and Mitchell Trubisky have heated up.
Top Targets
In leagues with 2-3 IDPs per position, these could be league-winners. We’re going decent floor, but mostly upside here.
Alex Singleton (Phi, 14%) — Seriously, folks. Please tell me EVERY one of you now have Singleton in your lineups. Singleton added another 11 tackles (7 solo - with 1 TFL and a FR) in Week 15 and now has at least 11 tackles in five of his six starts. He has led the NFL in tackles since then. He’s outproducing most of the household names rostered in 3-4X more leagues. His Week 16 matchup is also beautiful. The Cowboys give up over 21 tackles per game to LBs.
Shaq Thompson (Car, 20%) — Thompson has had two brutal matchups in the last two weeks, including Denver in Week 14 (the Broncos are dead last in tackles allowed to LBs) and Green Bay in Week 15 (the Packers are ranked 30th in FPG to LBs). Thompson’s fortunes reverse over the next two weeks, as he faces the #2 (Washington) and #1 (New Orleans) teams for opposing LB scoring. Thompson had 13 tackles against New Orleans (his Week 17 opponent if your league goes that far) earlier this season.
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.
Cole Holcomb (Was, 1%) — Watch to see if Holcomb clears concussion protocol. If he does, you have an LB2 who gets Carolina and their 22 tackles per game to LBs. Holcomb posted 8 tackles in Week 14, as he saw his already high usage climb to 98%.
Tae Crowder (NYG, 0%) — Crowder was seeing a rise in playing time earlier in the season before getting injured. Over the last four weeks, he’s risen to the 55-70% range and has been a 4-7 tackle producer next to Blake Martinez. The Ravens produce 22.5 tackles per game, which is 6th-most. Expect 5-6 tackles out of this LB3, but his matchup might produce more.
Ben Niemann (KC, 0%) — Niemann is a free pickup that has LB2 value if Damien Wilson misses another game. Niemann had 5 and 8 tackles in the last two games starting for the injured Wilson. If Wilson plays, you can’t trust Niemann. But again, he’s free.
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.
NOTE: This week all our best options are reasonably owned. Even in shallow leagues, start with Top Targets for Championship Week.
Top Targets
In leagues with 2-3 IDPs per position, these could be league-winners. We’re going decent floor, but mostly upside here.
Kamren Curl (Was, 8%) — Curl posted another 8 tackles (6 solo) in Week 15 and hasn’t had fewer than 7 tackles in a game since he took over as the starting safety. High-tackle floors like this for DBs are rarer than a non-Patriots AFC East Champion. Ride this DB1 to your Championship. He’s the #1 DB since he became a starter.
Donovan Wilson (Dal, 1%) — Wilson recorded 8 tackles (6 solo), 2 PD, and an INT in Week 15. Since regaining his every-down role after returning from injury, Wilson has 9, 10, and 8 tackles.
Khari Willis (Ind, 5%) — Willis had 9 solos and a forced fumble last week, giving him at least 6 tackles in seven of his last eight games. His lowest tackle output since Week 5 is four tackles, so Willis carries double-digit tackle upside with a solid floor. He’ll get the pass-heavy Steelers in Week 16, the #4 team for opposing DB production.
Adrian Phillips (NE, 12%) — Phillips stayed busy in Week 15, with 7 tackles (1 solo) and a sack. Phillips has some of the highest big-play upside due to his unique usage in New England as a three-level defender in a role similar to Jamal Adams.
Eddie Jackson (Chi, 7%) — Jackson posted 7 tackles (5 solo) in Week 15, and has been one of the most consistent DB2/DB3s in the game. He has at 4 tackles in all but two games and has two DB-friendly matchups to finish out the year (Jax and GB).
MARCUS ALLEN??
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.
Lonnie Johnson, Jr. (Hou, 0%) — Johnson’s role has skyrocketed with the loss of Bradley Roby to suspension and Justin Reid to IR. The S/CB had 9 tackles (7 solo) in Week 15, and now has23 tackles in his last three games since being pressed into higher usage. He’ll face the Bengals who pass early and often. They’re the 5th-best option for opposing DBs.
Karl Joseph (Cle, 0%) — Between injuries and ineffectiveness, Joseph has been moved into a starting role again as of Week 13. Over the last two weeks, Joseph has 17 tackles (13 solo), 1 TFL and 2 PD. His big-play opportunity might get a boost against the Jets this week.
Darnell Savage (GB, 2%) — Savage has been playing more snaps lately for the Packers. He had 6 solos in Week 15, and now has 14 solos and a sack in his last two games.
Marcus Allen (Pit, 0%) — Allen has been an ILB with Vince Williams on the COVID/Reserve list. If you can stash Allen in case Williams can’t return this week, you’re getting a 6-8 tackle IDP option with a high floor for a DB. Allen had 8 tackles in Week 14 and 6 tackles in Week 15 and now plays in front of one of the friendliest tackle crews when he travels to Indy.
