Category: Fantasy Football IDP Analysis

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 16

Forecasting the free-agent IDPs you should target in fantasy leagues.

What a wild, crazy Week 15 we experienced. The pandemic continues to wreak havoc on rosters, and we have to keep rolling with the punches in fantasy. Here are this week’s gems to add from the waiver wire.

Defensive Linemen

DE DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys

He missed 10 games to injury and hasn’t set the world ablaze, but there are promising signs. Lawrence had his first sack of the year two weeks ago. He followed up with five tackles, a forced fumble and a pass defense last week. He has Washington, Arizona and Philadelphia left on the schedule to terrorize their pockets.

DE Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears

After missing a month of action, Hicks returned with a bang in Week 15. He had five tackles and two sacks. He’ll have the Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings are remaining on the schedule, and those O-line situations leave a lot of leaks for opposing pass rushers.

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Linebackers

LB Garret Wallow, Houston Texans

Wallow saw more action in Week 15 after the defense was hit hard by COVID-19. The fifth-round rookie responded with 11 tackles and a sack. With the team going nowhere this season, they have every reason to keep him in there to see what he can do.

LB Lorenzo Carter, New York Giants

Carter has seen a boost in playing time lately, and it’s showing in the stat sheet. In just over 60 percent of the defensive snaps the last two weeks, he has eight tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a pass defense. He’s more of a deep-league option, but we could be seeing the beginning of a peak.

Defensive Backs

SS Terrell Edmunds, Pittsburgh Steelers

Edmunds had a season-high 10 tackles against the Tennessee Titans in Week 15. He doesn’t do much beyond the tackle column, but he could be busy against the Kansas City Chiefs over the middle of the field next week. He’s a potential flex play there.

CB Dane Jackson, Buffalo Bills

The second-year man has made a name for himself the last couple of weeks. He was thrust into action in Week 13, and he has posted 19 tackles and four pass defenses in the last three. Teams clearly have thrown his way not believing in the seventh-round pick. Maybe it’s time to start.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 15

Forecasting the free-agent IDPs you should target in fantasy leagues.

For many leagues, the fantasy playoffs are upon us. Whether you snagged one of the top seeds and have a bye this week, or you’re still charging to the end of the season in a roto league, let’s nail those IDP gems on waivers.

Defensive Linemen

DE Greg Gaines, Los Angeles Rams

Gaines is a bit of an unknown as a fourth-round pick from 2019. As of three weeks ago, he had just 1.5 sacks and 28 tackles on the year. He came alive in the last three games with 16 tackles and two sacks. He has the Seahawks, Vikings and Ravens to pad that sack total.

DE Dre’Mont Jones, Denver Broncos

The 2019 third-round pick has come on strong the last few weeks with 5.5 sacks in the last six games. He has been ablaze the last two games with seven tackles, three sacks and a pass defense. He has a favorable schedule to continue terrorizing pockets the last three weeks of the season.

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Linebackers

LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, New England Patriots

The only thing that kept Bentley out of this piece last week was the bye the Pats had. Over the last four games, he had 25 tackles, one sack and two forced fumbles. Bentley has had peaks and valleys, but he’s peaking at the right time.

LB Josh Woods, Detroit Lions

Thirteen tackles will certainly get your attention. That’s what Woods posted last week as an injury replacement. He had eight total tackles in Week 13, and he should be scooped up for depth or to block another leaguemate if that earned him more PT.

Defensive Backs

SS Elijah Riley, New York Jets

The 23-year-old from Army first emerged two weeks ago with even tackles and a sack. He followed that up with 10 tackles last week in what looks like a spot he can use for an audition for a role for next year.

CB Bashaud Breeland, Minnesota Vikings

The 29-year-old veteran has been a beast the last two weeks. He has 17 tackles, a forced fumble, an INT and two pass defenses. His final three games are against the Bears, Rams and Packers as the Vikings try to stay in the hunt.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 14

Forecasting the free-agent IDPs you should target in fantasy leagues.

With one of the windiest games in recent memory in the rearview, let’s keep the momentum going as we charge forward toward the fantasy playoffs. Keep an eye out for these hidden gems to add to your championship pedigree.

Defensive Linemen

DE Chris Wormley, Pittsburgh Steelers

Wormley, 28, is in the midst of a breakout. He had just 3.5 sacks in his career entering this season, and he has matched that the last two weeks to give him five on the year. He also has nine tackles in that stretch. He’ll have a chance to add to it against the Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans the next two weeks.

DE D.J. Wonnum, Minnesota Vikings

The 24-year-old is a risky proposition, because he doesn’t get many tackles. He has a sack in each of the last two games, though, and faces the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears the next two weeks. He could easily get two or three more during that stretch and is worth consideration.

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Linebackers

LB Drue Tranquill, Los Angeles Chargers

The Notre Dame product had some banner weeks earlier in the season, but injuries caught up. He bounced back last week with 10 tackles, a sack and a pass defense. You don’t find many starting inside linebackers on waivers around this time, so scoop him up at least for depth.

LB Baron Browning, Denver Broncos

The third-round rookie has started to kick up dust the last few weeks. He has averaged 7.5 tackles the last two. He had one clunker in Week 10, along with a bye week, but if you throw those two out – he averaged 7.25 tackles during a four-game stretch. Give him a look.

Defensive Backs

FS Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pittsburgh Steelers

Fitzpatrick was a solid contributor early in the season, but he missed some time on the COVID list. He has been a force the last two weeks with INTs and nine tackles in each game. He’s still on a lot of waivers, but he needs to be owned everywhere.

CB Amani Oruwariye, Detroit Lions

It’s time to take notice to this guy. He has averaged 5.5 tackles per game over the last month, and he picked off a couple passes with three passes defended. Three of his four remaining games are against teams under .500 that he could possibly jump a few more pass routes.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 13

Forecasting the free-agent IDPs you should target in fantasy leagues.

How is it Week 13 already? This season has flown by, and we hope the wind has been at your sails in the standings. Let’s keep the ship moving!

Defensive Linemen

DE Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs

The former All-Pro went off in Week 11 with a season-high 3.5 sacks and had a bye last week. He’ll be a hot pickup on waivers this week. The Chiefs take on the Denver Broncos. Teddy Bridgewater is under center, and he moves like his feet are in cement. Jones has a chance for another big game.

DE Jaelan Phillips, Miami Dolphins

The first-round pick has come on strong. He has at least a half-sack in four straight games, and he’s coming off a breakout, three-sack game last week. He’ll face both lowly New York teams with a bye in between the next three weeks. Get him while he’s sizzling.

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Linebackers

LB Tyus Bowser, Baltimore Ravens

Bowser has been one of the better linebackers in fantasy the last two weeks. He has nine tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble and two pass defenses during the stretch. He also has games against three banged-up quarterbacks when he faces the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers upcoming.

LB Kyle Van Noy, New England Patriots

The cagey veteran exploded in Week 11 with eight tackles, an INT, two sacks, a pass defense and a touchdown. He backed it up with five tackles, a forced fumble and three pass defenses last week. He’ll face the Buffalo Bills this week before a bye, so his shelf life might not last long, but he’s there for depth.

Defensive Backs

CB Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans Saints

Usually better in real life than in fantasy, the stud corner has been piling up tackles. He has 20 stops over the last month but has just one pass defense. They’re clearly going away from him on the field, but he still has an eye for making plays.

SS Ronnie Harrison Jr., Cleveland Browns

He’s on a bye this week, but he just racked up 14 tackles and an INT last week. Pick him up and stash him as his schedule is pretty favorable the rest of the way.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 12

Forecasting the free-agent IDPs you should target in fantasy leagues.

It’s Thanksgiving Week as we head into Week 12. There’s a lot to be thankful for, and hopefully a spot in the fantasy playoffs is one. Let’s find those hidden gems on the defensive side of the ball.

Defensive Linemen

DE Dorance Armstrong, Dallas Cowboys

Armstrong has had nearly identical stat lines the last two games with three total tackles and a sack in each game. Injuries have thrust him into a position to see an extended look, and he has cashed in. He has a somewhat favorable schedule down the stretch to cement a place in your lineup.

DT A’Shawn Robinson, Los Angeles Rams

He’s coming off a bye week, but he was piling up tackles in the two previous weeks. He averaged seven total tackles per game. The nose tackle is an option in deeper formats if you need some depth.

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Linebackers

LB Zach Cunningham, Houston Texans

Cunningham was on a lot of rosters early on, but he fizzled out around midseason. He’s back with a vengeance, though as he had 11 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass defense last week. Scoop him up and get him in there as a potential flex.

LB Robert Quinn, Chicago Bears

The former Pro Bowl defensive end has taken over for his fellow converted linebacker in Khalil Mack with an eye-popping 3.5 sacks last week. He also forced a fumble and had five tackles. He’s an imperfect linebacker in fantasy, but he faces the Detroit Lions in Week 12. That could be quite a feast.

Defensive Backs

SS Eric Murray, Houston Texans

With a bye week sandwiched in, Murray has had two solid games in a row. He had 19 tackles, an INT and two pass defenses. With the New York Jets on the docket this week, he has potential to continue his ballhawking.

CB A.J. Terrell, Atlanta Falcons

The 2020 first-round pick has been making noise the last three weeks with five, seven and nine total tackles, respectively. He also has one INT and four pass defenses. Darius Slay deserves some honorable mention for scoring touchdowns in three of the last four games, but Terrell brings stats that you can count on more.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 11

Forecasting the free-agent IDPs you should target in fantasy leagues.

It’s that time of the week! Ring in Week 11, and let’s find those hidden IDP gems on waivers.

Defensive Linemen

DE Marcus Davenport, New Orleans Saints

The former first-rounder is coming of age at 25 with two big games in a row. He has nine tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble over the last two weeks. Davenport gets to chase Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts this week in what is a good matchup for the position.

DT Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans

He has been feast or famine all season, but his last two weeks have been massive. He has 10 tackles, five sacks and a pass defense. He’ll look to add on against the lowly Houston Texans this week. Continue to ride his hot hand.

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Linebackers

LB Davion Taylor, Philadelphia Eagles

The second-year man has emerged the last two weeks with eight tackles two weeks ago and seven tackles with two forced fumbles last week. He’ll play the New Orleans Saints, New York Giants and New York Jets the next three weeks to pile on more.

LB Elandon Roberts, Miami Dolphins

Roberts has been hovering our radar for a few weeks, and it might be time to act in deeper leagues. He has averaged six tackles per game the last four games and recorded his first sack of the season last week. He’ll face the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and New York Giants the next three weeks.

Defensive Backs

SS Ashtyn Davis, New York Jets

Davis has been hot and cold the last month, but he has been really on his game in the good slates. He had 11 tackles one game and nine stops with two forced fumbles in another. Another thing going for him, he faces one team with a favorable quarterback situation the rest of the year when he sees Tom Brady in the season finale – and they may not have to win that one.

CB L’Jarius Sneed, Kansas City Chiefs

We’re diving deep here, but Sneed has been racking up the tackles the last month. He’s averaging 6.5 tackles per game, and there should be plenty of chances for stops against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11. If you’re in a league that uses multiple DBs, give him a look.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 10

Forecasting the free-agent IDPs you should target in fantasy leagues.

With double digits comes double the importance of nailing the IDP gems in Week 10. You have stated your case as a contender, so now let’s cement your case for the top seed.

Defensive Linemen

DE Dawuane Smoot, Jacksonville Jaguars

Josh Allen is making all the headlines, but the guy playing on the other side of him has quietly made some plays. Smoot has sacks in three out of the last four games and pitched in nine tackles and a forced fumble during the stretch. Allen will continue to get all of the attention in game planning, and Smoot should continue to benefit.

DE Denico Autry, Tennessee Titans

He’s feast or famine, but there has been a lot to consume the last three weeks. He has nine tackles, 3.5 sacks and three pass defenses during the time period. He has New Orleans and Houston the next two weeks, and they don’t exude strong quarterback play.

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Linebackers

ILB Josh Bynes, Baltimore Ravens

Finally healthy after a sluggish start to the season, Bynes has been a standout of late. He had 11 tackles in the overtime win in Week 9, and has racked up 23 stops in the last three games combined. He tossed in two pass defenses as well. It’s hard to find double-digit tacklers this late, so pick him up even to block your opponents.

LB Leighton Vander Esch, Dallas Cowboys

The former first-round pick has really fallen from grace – mostly due to injuries. He picked up 12 tackles last week, which was by far his best game of the season. The Cowboys offense has been struggling, relatively speaking, and other teams are running the ball against them. That gives LVE upside.

Defensive Backs

FS Erik Harris, Atlanta Falcons

Harris has been consistent week to week, but it has been average, at best. He has six tackles in five of seven games with a season-high eight stops last week. He also has seven pass defenses on the season, which is one shy of his career high. There isn’t a lot of upside here, but he’s a safe tackle commodity.

CB Cameron Dantzler, Minnesota Vikings

The former third-rounder had a season-high 10 tackles last week. Two weeks ago, he had seven tackles and two pass defenses. He has been quiet all season to this point, but he’s making noise now that you can’t ignore in deeper leagues, especially as long as Patrick Peterson remains sidelined.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 9

Forecasting the free-agent IDPs you should target in fantasy leagues.

The trade deadline has come and gone, and there was some movement on the defensive side of the ball. We have begun the stretch run in Week 9 as we try to separate with the contenders from the pretenders.

Defensive Linemen

DE Dean Lowry, Green Bay Packers

The 27-year-old Lowry has at least a half-sack in four consecutive games. He also has 13 tackles over the last three games. He’s a big, 296-pound, high-motor player, and even though the sacks may come back to the mean, he is still around the ball.

DE D.J. Wonnum, Minnesota Vikings

Stud DE Danielle Hunter (pectoral) is out for the season, and the former fourth-round pick Wonnum is set to replace him. He’s a deep-league, speculative pickup, but he had three sacks in limited action as a rookie last year. He has eight tackles and a sack over his last three games combined in limited action.

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Linebackers

LB Damien Wilson, Jacksonville Jaguars

The 28-year-old veteran has played opposite of Myles Jack on the interior and posted some solid tackle numbers. He hasn’t contributed anywhere else, though. He had eight tackles last week and has had three games of at least that many stops in a game. His bye week is behind him, and he’ll provide quality depth.

LB Von Miller, Los Angeles Rams

Miller (ankle) is a bigger name than a fantasy asset, but he wreaks havoc in opposing backfields. He’ll line up with Leonard Floyd on the other side tearing it up, Aaron Donald up front, and Jalen Ramsey behind him. That defense is going to be scary, and Miller should have enough opportunities for sacks to be a worthwhile pickup.

Defensive Backs

FS Marcus Epps, Philadelphia Eagles

Epps has broke out the last two weeks with 11 and nine tackles, respectively. In fact, he has at least eight tackles in three of the last four. The Eagles aren’t going anywhere, and teams are dominating time of possession against them, which leads to ample tackle changes for Epps.

CB Josh Norman, San Francisco 49ers

The former All-Pro has put up some absurd numbers the last two weeks. He has 17 tackles, three forced fumbles, an INT and two pass defenses. He’ll take on the Arizona Cardinals with a gimpy Kyler Murray (ankle) who may not even be able to suit up. Ride his hot streak at least another week.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 8

Forecasting the free-agent IDPs you should target in fantasy leagues.

As we enter Week 8, it’s time to start thinking about roster depth and where you can fortify as we enter a pivotal part of the schedule before the fantasy football playoffs. There were a lot of Week 7 byes, and if you see one of the studs dropped as a result, act quickly.

Defensive Linemen

DE Sam Hubbard, Cincinnati Bengals

Hubbard had a couple of clunkers in Weeks 5 and 6 that dropped his ownership in IDP leagues. He cranked it back up last week with five tackles, 2.5 sacks and a pass defense. The better news? He faces the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns the next two weeks, and both have injuries at quarterback.

DT DeForest Buckner, Indianapolis Colts

The run-stuffing veteran has filled the stat sheet the last two weeks with 10 tackles and two sacks. He’ll have plenty of tackle opportunities against the run-heavy Tennessee Titans this week. A three-week string of mediocrity could have sent him to your wire, but he’s likely owned in highly competitive formats. He plays the New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars after Week 8, so Buckner has staying power.

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Linebackers

LB Nick Bolton, Kansas City Chiefs

The 21-year-old rookie has really made a name for himself the last couple of weeks with nine and 15 tackles, respectively. He’s for sure going to be one of the most sought-after linebackers on waivers this week, so get your claim in on him.

LB Kyzir White, Los Angeles Chargers

Fresh off a bye week, White hopes to add to the breakout performance he posted in Week 6. He had eight tackles, two interceptions and two pass defenses. He’ll have a decent opponent in the New England Patriots and then a Philadelphia Eagles team that barely shows interest in rushing the ball, so his staying power is limited.

Defensive Backs

SS Lonnie Johnson, Houston Texans

After nine tackles and an interception last week, Johnson should be flying off the waiver wire shelves this week. He has interceptions in three out of the last four games. That’s obviously not likely to continue, but it’s a good sign that he’s always around the ball and making plays. He’ll have to be against the pass-heavy Los Angeles Rams in Week 8.

SS Kyle Dugger, New England Patriots 

After three banner weeks in a row, Dugger is owned in less than one-fifth of leagues polled. That’s far too low for someone that has 27 tackles and two picks over the last three weeks. His bye isn’t until Week 14, and there are some soft spots in the schedule upcoming.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 7

Forecasting the free-agent IDPs you should target in fantasy leagues.

The train keeps rolling into Week 7, and bye weeks are frequent roadblocks. You’ll have to keep an eye on waivers each week to see if other owners are dropping key pieces due to the roster crunch. Otherwise, we present you with some other options.

Defensive Linemen

DE Randy Gregory, Dallas Cowboys

It may have taken six years, but are we finally witnessing the breakout season for Gregory? He has recorded two sacks in two of the last three games. The Cowboys are on a bye this week, which means you’ll need to stash him for a week, but if you need the depth, the time appears to be now for the 28-year-old.

DE Jonathan Greenard, Houston Texans

The second-year, third-round pick has played in three games this season and made a statement in all three. He has 13 total tackles, four sacks and a forced fumble. That’s DL1 production. Can it continue? It’s worth the waiver claim to find out.

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Linebackers

LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Detroit Lions 

The team has raved about Reeves-Maybin and his playmaking ability, and he has started to see more playing time as a result. He has 12 total tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the last two games combined. The team has been decimated by injuries, and there’s no reason to believe the impending free-agent won’t receive a long look.

LB Ja’Whaun Bentley, New England Patriots

Thirteen total tackles in a game he left early due to a rib injury … That’s what Bentley broke out with in Week 6. Now the injury will need to be monitored, and there’s the threat that newly reacquired Jamie Collins also takes time away from him, but he’s another back-end stash option who also happens to play the lowly New York Jets this week.

Defensive Backs

SS Kareem Jackson, Denver Broncos

Jackson has been one of the top performers at DB the last three weeks with 24 total tackles and a sack. Injuries have thrust him into a leadership role. He’ll have a banged-up Cleveland Browns team in his sights this week to continue his top-10 play in some scoring systems.

FS Sean Chandler, Carolina Panthers

Chandler took over for starting FS Juston Burris, who has been out for three weeks with a groin injury. In that time, Chandler had two good games: nine total tackles three weeks ago and 10 tackles with a forced fumble last week. Burris is eligible to return in Week 7, but there has been no word on his status yet. Chandler should be a good short-term option in the meantime.