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. The players listed are in waiver wire order based on balanced scoring.
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.
Josh Allen (Jax, 36%) — Allen has 8 or more tackles in two of his last three games, and 7 or more tackles in four of his last six. No, this isn’t an ILB or safety we’re talking about. Allen has been mopping up tackles at an elite rate, and also has 5.5 sacks, 9 TFL, 4 PD, an INT, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery on the season. He’s the #1 DL since turning up the heat around Week Five.
Top Targets
In leagues with 2-3 IDPs per position, these could be league-winners. We’re going decent floor, but mostly upside here.
Jonathan Greenard (Hou, 8%) — Greenard has been dealing with a foot injury and had his bye in Week 10, so his rostership plummeted. But as he gets closer to returning to the lineup, he needs to be added to rosters. Greenard checks all the boxes: looks consistently great on tape, puts up massive numbers, and the team loves him. There’s a chance he might not play this week (he was close to playing last week but they held him out), but adding a likely DL1 to your playoff roster is a risk worth taking. He faces two top-10 matchups for DLs over the next two weeks (NYJ, Ind).
Marcus Davenport (NO, 6%) — This will likely be your last chance to scoop up Davenport, who has been on fire lately. As mentioned a few weeks ago when he was virtually unowned, we are finally seeing the player the Saints chose over Trey Hendrickson. He’s DL #2 over the last four weeks, posting 22 tackles (15 solo), 4.5 sacks, 5 TFL, and a forced fumble during that span. He’s nursing a shoulder injury, so watch his practice reps.
Jaelan Phillips (Mia, 7%) — The highly-touted rookie has been turning it on as of late. While his snap shares ebbed and flowed early in the season, he’s been over the 50% mark in four straight games. He also has at least a half-sack in three of those four games and has at least 3 tackles in three of those four games. He gets the DL-friendly Panthers and Jets in two of his next three games.
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 most give you a 1A option.
David Onyemata (NO, 1%) — Onyemata returned from his suspension in Week Eight and after an “ease in” game, has been a run-stopping force since Week Nine. He has 17 tackles in his three full games, as well as 4 QB hits.
Kwity Paye (Ind, 1%) — Paye hasn’t been producing many tackles, but the sacks and big plays have been finally coming on. Over the last three games, Paye has 2 sacks, 5 QB hits, 1 PD, and a forced fumble. He’s heating up as we approach playoff time, and is a strong addition to big-play lineups.
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.
C.J. Mosley (NYJ, 35%) — Outside of his first week back to football after two years off, Mosley has been incredibly consistent. First game aside, he has at least 7 tackles in every game, at least 8 tackles in every game but one, and has double-digit tackles in five of those eight games. He’s also past his bye.
Jordyn Brooks (Sea, 22%) — Brooks has moved up from a 60-80% player to an 80-90% player. Since then, he’s had double-digit tackles in four of those six games. The Seahawks D continues to play more snaps than any team, so Brooks getting a larger share of those high snap counts has turned him into a top-10 LB since Week Five.
Top Targets
In leagues with 2-3 IDPs per position, these could be league-winners. We’re going decent floor, but mostly upside here.
T.J. Edwards (Phi, 10%) — Edwards’ 10 tackles (7 solo) last week gives him double-digit tackles in three of his last four games. He’s also been over the 90% mark in snap share for three straight weeks. He’s clearly the leader of the LB room now and has the LB1 production to justify it.
Kyzir White (LAC, 12%) — White has at least 8 tackles in five straight games, which was when he was promoted to a 90% player. Kenneth Murray returned two weeks ago, but that hasn’t changed White’s playing time or production. Since White’s promotion in Week Six, he’s LB #15.
Zach Cunningham (Hou, 7%) — Welcome back, Mr. Cunningham. After having issues with focus and promptness, Cunningham was benched for Kamu Grugier-Hill. When Christian Kirksey went down, Cunningham got his second shot and he didn’t miss. Cunningham earned the green dot and an every down role again and has 19 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 PD, and 1 forced fumble in his last two games. As Kirksey recovers from thumb surgery, Cunningham should see at least a few more games as an every-down player, but he also might keep that role next to Kirksey when Kirksey returns.
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.
Ernest Jones (LAR, 1%) — Jones started his elevated role off with a bang, but then got banged up. He managed 6 tackles in a limited role before his bye week, but we’re expecting that bye week to have helped him heal up. Jones has a good chance to be an 8-10 tackle guy going forward but is practically unowned.
Alex Anzalone (Det, 3%) — Anzalone has been nothing special for the Lions, which is what we expected. But he’s been picking up his tackle floor lately, which can come in handy at the back end of your LB roster. He has at least 7 tackles in four of his last five games while remaining Detroit’s only every-down LB.
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.
Johnathan Abram (LV, 28%) — Abram posted his second week in a row of double-digit tackles last week, making him the #4 DB this season. He’s been one of the most consistent tackle producers at the DB position, hitting at least 8 tackles in seven of his ten games, and never fewer than 6 tackles in a game. He’s an ILB in DB’s clothing.
Top Targets
In leagues with 2-3 IDPs per position, these could be league-winners. We’re going decent floor, but mostly upside here.
Xavier McKinney (NYG, 8%) — McKinney’s production saw an uptick when Jabrill Peppers was knocked out for the season. He now has 7 tackles in each of his last three games and has at least 6 tackles in six of his last eight games. The biggest concern for McKinney was volatility. How reliable would he be with Peppers and Logan Ryan also on the field? Now that Peppers is gone, McKinney has churned that volatility into consistency.
Desmond King II (Hou, 8%) — Since becoming a full-time starter in Week Four, King’s tackle production has been strong. He’s had at least 6 tackles in each full game since then (he left one game early with an injury) and has had 8 or more tackles in three of those five games. He also occasionally returns punts for those in return yardage leagues.
A.J. Terrell (Atl, 4%) — Teams have feasted on attacking the Atlanta secondary, and Terrell’s fantasy managers have been reaping the benefits. Terrell’s multiple targets per game have produced 21 tackles in his last three games, while also providing some nice big-play upside. Terrell hauled in an INT last week and also has 7 PD on the year so far.
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.
Tracy Walker III (Det, 2%) — Walker scared fantasy managers off after being relegated to a rotational role back in Weeks Three and Four. But outside of that bump in the road, he’s DB #15. He played every snap last week and racked up 9 tackles (6 solo) and a TFL. Not bad for barely being rostered.
Rodney McLeod (Phi, 0%) — Since Week Seven, McLeod’s elevation to a near-every-down role has moved him in position to post at least 6 tackles in three of those five games. He’s hit 8 tackles twice in that span and has become a reliable DB3 over the past month.
