Fantasy Football IDP Analysis – Page 7

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 15

It’s time to find those IDP gems on the fantasy football waiver wire in Week 15.

We’re in the thick of the fantasy football playoffs in Week 15. Let’s take a look at some potential hidden gems floating on waivers.

Defensive linemen

DE Quinnen Williams, New York Jets

The former No. 3 overall pick has been one of the highest-scoring linemen the last three weeks. He has tallied 17 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and two passes defensed during the stretch. He really should be owned in every league that starts multiple linemen.

DE Dion Jordan, San Francisco 49ers

Jordan looks to have settled in the last couple of weeks with three tackles and a sack in each game. He faces the Dallas Cowboys this week, which have been generous to opposing linemen all season. He’s a boom-or-bust option, but the matchup gives optimism.

Linebackers

ILB Troy Reeder, Los Angeles Rams

Reeder was featured here a few weeks ago, and he has continued to perform. However, he is still floating on 80 percent of waivers polled. Reeder had a three-sack game earlier in the year, but he hasn’t reached the quarterback since. That could explain why he’s undervalued. However, he has 32 total tackles and a pass defensed over the last three weeks. He should be owned in most leagues.

[lawrence-related id=456488]

OLB Todd Davis, Minnesota Vikings

Davis has been all over the field the last two weeks with 18 total tackles. The uncertain caveat is that only six of those tackles were solo. So if you only get a half-point per assisted tackle, he slides down the pecking order. His productivity also is tied to the health of LB Eric Kendricks (calf).

ILB Nick Vigil, Los Angeles Chargers

Vigil’s value hinges solely on Denzel Perryman’s (back) status. Vigil has filled in and tallied 22 tackles, forced a fumble and defended a pass the last three weeks. Keep an eye on Perryman’s status to potentially use the undervalued Vigil.

Defensive backs

CB A.J. Terrell, Atlanta Falcons

The 16th overall pick has produced some eye-popping numbers the last two weeks. He had 22 tackles, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are up next, and they figure to test the rookie.

FS Eric Murray, Houston Texans

The fifth-year man busted out last week with 11 tackles and two sacks against the Chicago Bears. The Texans are thin in the secondary and lost safety Justin Reid (thumb) for the season, too. Murray has all the job security in the world right now, and he’s worth the speculative add after the huge game.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 14

It’s time to find those IDP gems on the fantasy football waiver wire in Week 14.

For a lot of leagues, the fantasy playoffs commence in Week 14. We have several potential gems to pluck from the waiver wire this week.

Defensive linemen

DE Sam Hubbard, Cincinnati Bengals

Hubbard has been a tackling machine the last two games with 17 total tackles. The downside is that he has just one sack on the year. Still, though, the tackles provide stability for your lineup, and the Dallas Cowboys are up next for the Bengals. He could reach the quarterback again.

DE Steven Means, Atlanta Falcons

The eight-year veteran has gotten after it the last two games. He has nine tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles during the stretch. The Los Angeles Chargers are ahead for Means, and they have been demolished by opposing linemen this year.

Linebackers

OLB Kyle Van Noy, Miami Dolphins

It has been a fun two games for Van Noy. He had three sacks over the weekend, which gave him 13 tackles, four sacks and a pass defensed in those two games. His schedule isn’t the greatest, but he’s peaking at the right time for playoff flex spots.

[lawrence-related id=456292]

OLB Malcolm Smith, Cleveland Browns

Smith has been solid, yet unspectacular this season with 57 total tackles, and he notched his first sack last week. The Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants and New York Jets are on the docket for the rest of his season, and they provide some upside for him the rest of the way.

OLB Jordyn Brooks, Seattle Seahawks

The first-round rookie has received a chance to play of late, and he has answered the bell. He has 16 tackles and a pass defensed in the last two games combined. He’s a sneaky option you can grab as depth that may pay off in the coming weeks.

Defensive backs

CB Troy Hill, Los Angeles Rams

While you can’t count on these, but Hill scored a touchdown for the second straight week in Week 13. He has 17 tackles over the last three games to go with a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and two passes defensed. He’s all over the field and worthy of a sniff in deeper leagues.

FS Matthias Farley, New York Jets

The 28-year-old is expected to fill in for Ashtyn Davis (foot), who was likely lost for the season last week. Farley had 98 tackles and two picks for the Indianapolis Colts in 2017, but he has seen sporadic playing time since. He could be a sneaky flex play the rest of the way.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 13

It’s time to find those IDP gems on the fantasy football waiver wire in Week 13.

This is (likely) the last set of byes for the season, which means working the wire has never been more important.

Defensive linemen

DE Carlos Dunlap, Seattle Seahawks

Dunlap has been getting after it the last two games with nine total tackles and three sacks. The only concern is that he left last night’s game with foot soreness. That will need monitored through the week, but he’s still worth a waiver claim after being revitalized in the new uniform.

DE Dre’Mont Jones, Denver Broncos

His season line of 28 tackles and three sacks won’t get your attention, but he has been one of the more solid DLs in the last month. He has 19 tackles and two sacks in the last four games. If the pickens are slim, Jones is an option in deeper leagues.

Linebackers

OLB Germaine Pratt, Cincinnati Bengals

The 23-year-old has been inconsistent, but he has hit his stride the last three weeks. He has 20 tackles in the three games, which isn’t otherworldly, but it’s a solid base. The Bengals have a fairly favorable schedule the rest of the way, and Pratt could shine.

[lawrence-related id=456107]

OLB Cole Holcomb, Washington Football Team

He had a dud against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11, but he returned with a strong showing in Week 12. He had 10 total tackles and a sack against the Dallas Cowboys to make it, depending on scoring system, double digits in five of six games.

OLB Jordan Jenkins, New York Jets

After a quiet first 10 weeks, Jenkins has been versatile the last two games. He has 14 total tackles, a forced fumble, a sack and a pass defensed. His next three games are against teams that throw a lot, and he could continue to tally up pass-rushing and coverage points.

Defensive backs

CB Taron Johnson, Buffalo Bills

The third-year man from Weber State has made a big impact the last two games. He has combined for 15 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and two passes defensed. He faces the inconsistent San Francisco 49ers this week, which could make it three big games in a row.

SS Kenny Vaccaro, Tennessee Titans

It has been an up-and-down year for the former fantasy stud. He started off spectacularly and was pretty meager afterwards. He missed Week 11 but returned last week with nine total tackles. The Titans play three straight bad teams, and the chances will be there for stops.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 12

It’s time to find those IDP gems on the fantasy football waiver wire in Week 12.

Crunch time has begun as we inch toward the fantasy playoffs. No one is on a bye this week, which means there are a lot of options to play. We’re here to sort out those crucial decisions.

Defensive linemen

DE Olivier Vernon, Cleveland Browns

Plain and simple, Vernon can dominate when healthy and motivated. He had three sacks last week, which gave him five sacks in three games. He has so-so matchups the next two weeks, but he finishes the season against the Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants and New York Jets. All of those are tantalizing.

DT David Onyemata, New Orleans Saints

The 6-foot-4, 300-pounder has been everywhere in the stat sheet the last two weeks. He had four tackles and a pass defensed two weeks ago, and he had three tackles and two sacks last week. The Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles are great slates for him the next three weeks to continue doing damage.

Linebackers

OLB Nicholas Morrow, Las Vegas Raiders

Morrow has been all over the field in the last three games with 16 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and four passes defensed. He was a top-20 linebacker during the stretch and is worth consideration as an LB2 or a flex.

[lawrence-related id=455928]

ILB Isaiah Simmons, Arizona Cardinals

We have been waiting for the No. 8 overall pick to emerge all season, and he had a statement game in Week 11. He had 10 total tackles and a sack in what could be a sign of things to come as he has fought to find his way into more playing time. He’s worth the speculative grab.

OLB Matt Judon, Baltimore Ravens

Judon is one of the better edge rushers in football, but he usually doesn’t tackle enough to warrant a lot of consideration. That has changed the last three weeks. He has 15 total tackles and two sacks in the last three games to scratch the surface for a pickup. The Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t the best matchup this week, but he follows it up with the Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Giants.

Defensive backs

FS Jordan Whitehead, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 23-year-old has been a DB1 the last three weeks with his increased tackling. He had 19 tackles, a forced fumble, an interception and a pass defensed over the last three weeks. He’ll face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 12, who throw a lot, and he’ll have plenty of chances to continue his tackling ways.

SS Donovan Wilson, Dallas Cowboys

The second-year man had a huge week in Week 11 with nine tackles, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a half-sack against the Minnesota Vikings. Even better news? He faces the Washington Football Team, which has granted the most points to DBs over the last three weeks. He’s a plug-and-play option for Week 12.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 11

On the hunt for more breakout performers on the fantasy football waiver wire in Week 11.

We’re approaching the final bye weeks, which means your plug-and-play game has to be on point. We’re here to help lend a hand in clicking those waiver transactions.

Defensive linemen

DT DaQuan Jones, Tennessee Titans

It’s rare we suggest two interior linemen, but Jones absolutely deserves consideration after posting double-digits in some scoring systems the last two weeks. He had 12 total tackles and 1.5 sacks in the two games. He’ll face the Baltimore Ravens this week, who run the ball often, presenting more opportunities for tackles.

DT Denico Autry, Indianapolis Colts

Autry came out of their bye week three weeks ago with a chip on his shoulder because he has four sacks and at least one in each of the three games. He doesn’t provide a lot of tackles, which means he’ll be an all-or-nothing option. However, right now, he’s worth the speculative pickup.

Linebackers

OLB Eric Wilson, Minnesota Vikings

Wilson is budding into an LB1, but he’s still hovering on too many waivers. Over the last three weeks, he’s tied for fifth in fantasy points at the position. He has 24 total tackles, 1.5 sacks, two passes defensed and an interception. If he’s still out there, he needs to be owned.

[lawrence-related id=455760]

ILB T.J. Edwards, Philadelphia Eagles

Edwards had a monstrous stat line before the Week 9 bye with 13 tackles, a forced fumble and a sack. He came back in Week 10 with 12 total tackles. He should be high on your priority list this week.

ILB Terez Hall, New England Patriots

After being promoted from the practice squad two weeks ago, Hall was all over the field in Week 10 with 10 total tackles. This could be a complete aberration, but it’s worth monitoring. If you’re in a league that uses three linebackers, you have to strike on opportunities like these quickly.

Defensive backs

FS D.J. Reed, Seattle Seahawks

He has played just three games this season, but he has tore it up in each of them. Reed is fourth among DBs during the stretch in fantasy points and had 22 tackles, two passes defensed, an interception and a fumble recovery.

FS Nassir Adderley, Los Angles Chargers

The former second-round pick appears to have his sea legs under him after a year-and-a-half in the league. He had 20 tackles and a pass defensed in the last three games. You’d like for more versatility, but the solid tackle cushion to fall back on is nice to find this late in the year.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 10

On the hunt for more breakout performers on the fantasy football waiver wire in Week 10.

We have a mixture of veterans and newcomers this week. There have been some breakout performers over the last few weeks that are now stalwarts in fantasy lineups. We’re here to find more for your lineups.

Defensive linemen

DE Jerry Hughes, Buffalo Bills

The cagey veteran is the top scorer among defensive linemen in a lot of leagues the last three weeks. He has sacks in three straight games, and he has 10 tackles over the stretch. The Arizona Cardinals are his opponent this week, and they run the ball a lot — which presents more tackle opportunities.

DE Josh Sweat, Philadelphia Eagles

Sweat is coming off a six-tackle game before the bye last week. It was the second time in three games he had at least five total tackles. With the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns looming the next two weeks, he has the chance to continue his scoring binge.

Linebackers

ILB Josey Jewell, Denver Broncos

The third-year man out of Iowa had his second 10-tackle game in a row last week. He now has 58 total tackles on the year, but he doesn’t offer a lot in other categories. That has him floating on many waiver wires. He’s clearly peaking right now, and you should continue to ride his hot wave of tackles.

[lawrence-related id=455585]

OLB Kyle Van Noy, Miami Dolphins

The 29-year-old has had two good games in a row, and his pass coverage has been a big part of it. He has 14 total tackles and three passes defensed to give Van Noy double-digit points in most leagues during the stretch. He’s not going to contribute a ton of tackles, but he does a little bit of everything to feed your scoring columns.

OLB Cole Holcomb, Washington Football Team

Injuries have thrust the 2019 fifth-round pick into action, and he has answered the call. Over the last three games, he has 18 total tackles, one sack, one interception and a pass defensed. He’ll face the Detroit Lions, Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys the next three weeks with ample opportunity to continue eating.

Defensive backs

FS Jordan Whitehead, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Teams have been throwing on the Bucs a lot, and there has been varying success. Whitehead has been in the middle of the action with 18 tackles the last three games. The Bucs’ offense had an abysmal game last week, but most weeks, they force teams to throw in order to contend. Look for the Carolina Panthers to be in that position this week.

CB Anthony Brown, Dallas Cowboys

The injury bug bit the Cowboys hard again last week as emerging CB Trevon Diggs was potentially lost for the season. Regardless of whether cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (hamstring) returns from IR this week, Brown figures to see plenty of passes come his way, and he had five tackles in the game last week. Brown is a sixth-round pick from 2016, and he has seen three straight starts with Awuzie out of action. However, the Cowboys’ secondary has been forced to make a ton of tackles. So Brown is worth the speculative flyer in deeper formats where you use more than one DB.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 9

Second chances loom for some IDP choices on the fantasy football waiver wire in Week 9.

The moving and shaking continues in Week 9 of the fantasy football season. Some changes to the starting lineup has created chances for some unheralded names and some former high-draft picks. We’re here to break it down for you to make that crucial roster decisions.

Defensive linemen

DE Tyquan Lewis, Indianapolis Colts

Lewis came out of the bye week ready to eat in Week 8. He had three tackles, two sacks and a pass defensed. It was an impressive showing after he was promoted over DE Denico Autry in the starting lineup. He’ll have a good matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Pounce on Lewis if you need a DL2-type of pickup.

DT Danny Shelton, Detroit Lions

Shelton has been versatile in the ways he has contributed the last few weeks. He has been in on a lot of assisted tackles for an interior lineman. He has 27 total tackles on the year and picked up his first sack last week. The Lions’ defensive line has been improving, and they face a good matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. He’s a speculative play if you need to cover a bye.

Linebackers

ILB Robert Spillane, Pittsburgh Steelers

Spillane busted out with a huge line last week thanks to a pick-six, but you can’t deny the 10 solo tackles. He had a forced fumble and two passes defensed as well. So while the touchdown was fluky, the tackle potential is there — especially this week against the Dallas Cowboys.

[lawrence-related id=455397]

OLB Haason Reddick, Arizona Cardinals

The former first-round pick is making up for lost action with increased playing time. A few weeks ago, the Cardinals moved him back to his natural, outside linebacker spot, and he has thrived in his pass-rushing role. He had 16 total tackles and three sacks in two games before the bye. He’s in position to continue the onslaught against the Miami Dolphins this week.

OLB Bud Dupree, Pittsburgh Steelers

The pass-rushing extraordinaire has been wreaking havoc in opposing backfields with a sack in five of seven games this season. The team acquired LB Avery Williamson, which should help Dupree along the way. More importantly, the Steelers have a salivating schedule against the Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens and Washington Football Team coming up. He won’t be in the tackle conversation consistently, but he could have double-digit sacks the rest of the way.

Defensive backs

FS Devin McCourty, New England Patriots

McCourty was pretty meh through the first four weeks, but he has started getting in on the action of late. He has 19 total tackles and an interception the last three games. He has another tantalizing matchup against the New York Jets this week.

SS Adrian Amos, Green Bay Packers

Another player that has emerged the last couple of weeks is Amos. He has 14 total tackles, a fumble recovery and a sack the last two weeks. That could continue against the banged-up San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars the next two weeks.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 8

Some potential emerging stars look to shine in Week 8.

Week 8 may be the halfway point of the NFL season, but it beckons crunch time in the fantasy season. It’s time to cut bait on early-season stashed pieces and start taking some chances. Fear not, we’re here to aid in those key roster decisions.

Defensive linemen

DE Calais Campbell, Baltimore Ravens

Campbell is owned in about half of leagues polled, but he needs to be owned in every, single, IDP league. Yes, he started slowly. However, he had three sacks against the Philadelphia Eagles before the bye week. The most important factor, though? The team acquired stud DE Yannick Ngakoue to line up on the other side. That will open ample lanes to rush the passer, and Campbell could be an absolute monster the rest of the season. Pick him up, trade for him, whatever you have to do!

DE Romeo Okwara, Detroit Lions

The fifth-year man may have turned a corner in his somewhat quiet career. Two sacks last week gave him at least one QB takedown in three of the last four games. He’s among the top 10 DEs in fantasy (depending on scoring system) over the last five weeks. That includes a bye week. Pick him up to see if this is in fact his coming of age.

Linebackers

OLB A.J. Klein, Buffalo Bills

The 29-year-old veteran was solid to start the season with five tackles in each of the first two games before going into the tank in his next two. He’s playing his best football right now with 13 total tackles, a forced fumble and a half-sack in the last two games combined. He’s a back-end ‘backer to use right now.

[lawrence-related id=455248]

OLB Malik Reed, Denver Broncos

The second-year man has disrupted offenses with two sacks in each of the past two games. He has only 22 total tackles on the year, which we’d like to see more of, but his schedule is pretty favorable. He’ll face the Los Angeles Chargers, Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins over the next month.

OLB Alex Singleton, Philadelphia Eagles

The Montana State product has been racking up tackles the last two weeks with 15 combined. He has the Dallas Cowboys this week before the bye, and the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns afterwards. So this could be a nice window to eat.

Defensive backs

SS Kamren Curl, Washington Football Team

Washington, and fantasy owners alike, lost star SS Landon Collins (Achilles) for the season in Week 7. Curl, a seventh-round rookie, is expected to inherit Collins’ spot in the lineup. He had 76 tackles as a junior at Arkansas last year and could be a tackle compiler the rest of the way.

SS Rayshawn Jenkins, Los Angeles Chargers

The fourth-year man is emerging as a fierce presence on the field, and it’s starting to show up in fantasy. He has had at least eight tackles in three of the last four games. He has a good matchup against the Denver Broncos as he looks to continue his hot streak.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 7

Familiar names are in line to shine in Week 7.

It’s onward to Week 7. Hopefully, this is where you’ll start to gain some separation from the pretenders in your league. If lady luck has not been on your side, we have you covered, too, with those key roster decisions.

Defensive linemen

DE Brandon Graham, Philadelphia Eagles

Graham has been spotty this year with a couple of two-sack games, the last of which was in Week 6, and some sparse production otherwise. He faces the injury-depleted New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys the next two weeks. If he’s hovering on waivers, those are salivating matchups.

DE Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers

Heyward had been pretty quiet this year with just 1.5 sacks and a handful of tackles before his eight total tackles last week. He has the Tennessee Titans this week, which is a midrange matchup. He’ll follow that game with the Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys and Cincinnati Bengals. There should be a lot of pressure to be applied in those slates, plus they’re quality tackling matchups.

Linebackers

ILB Krys Barnes, Green Bay Packers

Barnes was all over the field Monday night in Week 6, coming up with a season-high 10 total stops. He has 35 tackles in five games this year, but he has tallied nothing else in the stat sheet. With that said, it’s hard to find a seven-tackle linebacker at this stage.

[lawrence-related id=455028]

ILB Neville Hewitt, New York Jets

Hewitt has been a steady compiler with no fewer than six total tackles in each of his six games. He has two passes defensed, as well, and he has some history of rushing the quarterback. There could be some upside there to grab as depth or stash for later.

OLB Isaiah Simmons, Arizona Cardinals

The first-round rookie had his best game as a pro last week with four total tackles and a pass defense. He figures to see plenty more action with Chandler Jones (biceps) out for the season. He might be one to stash for a week to see how his role blossoms.

Defensive backs

CB Josh Norman, Buffalo Bills

Believe it or not, the former star cornerback has been one of the better DBs in fantasy over the last three weeks. He amassed 18 total tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and two passes defensed. He has the New York Jets this week and could make it a fourth banner game.

CB Malcolm Butler, Tennessee Titans

In this weird season, we’re seeing a lot more big games from cornerbacks. Butler had two picks two weeks ago, and he followed it up with eight tackles and a pass defense last week. He has flirted with double-digit fantasy points (depending on scoring system) four games in a row now. It’s time to buy in.

SS Eric Rowe, Miami Dolphins

We don’t normally like to offer up players on a bye week, but Rowe has been too good the last three weeks to not think about stashing. He has had: six tackles; four tackles and two passes defensed; and nine tackles and a pass defense over the last three tilts. If you have the extra space, grab and stash.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 6

Schedules have been shuffled, and important roster decisions loom in Week 6.

We have arrived at Week 6, and Week 5 took a little longer than normal in an abnormal season. Several teams have swapped bye weeks to account for the changes. We’re here to give you that edge over your competition with those key roster decisions.

Defensive linemen

DE Chase Winovich, New England Patriots

Winovich was off to a solid start the first four weeks, and his bye in Week 5 could have caused a lot of his owners to cut him. He has two good matchups against the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers upcoming, and he has at least a half-sack in three of four games.

DE Emmanuel Ogbah, Miami Dolphins

The former second-rounder had a sack in his second straight game in Week 5, and he has at least a half-sack in four of five this year. The Dolphins have a good matchup against the New York Jets this week, and Ogbah is a back-end option to key on.

Linebackers

ILB Troy Reeder, Los Angeles Rams

Reeder was a breakout performer last week with 11 total tackles and three sacks. He’ll be a hot pickup, but his value largely hinges on how long starter Micah Kaiser (groin) is out. Reeder’s value is a lot better in the short term than long term.

ILB Avery Williamson, New York Jets

Finally healthy-looking after last year’s ACL tear, Williamson has impressed the last three weeks with 23 total tackles, three passes defensed and an interception. His tackles have been solid each week, and while the numbers don’t wow you, he has been steady across the board.

[lawrence-related id=454835]

OLB Dre Greenlaw, San Francisco 49ers

The former fifth-rounder returned to the lineup after missing a game with a quadriceps injury. He had seven total tackles from the SAM position. He’s a bit riskier using on the outside, because he has just one sack in 19 career games, but his tackle numbers should hold.

Defensive backs

FS Daniel Sorensen, Kansas City Chiefs

Week after week, the 30-year-old veteran is among the top point-scorers at the position because of solid tackle production that has grown each week. He had a season-high eight total tackles last week and should continue to serve as a source for the IDP backbone stat.

CB Pierre Desir, New York Jets

Two weeks ago, Desir rattled off eight tackles, two interceptions and a touchdown. Fluke, right? Well, he countered with 11 total tackles in Week 5. It’s hard to ignore him for much longer. Grab him if you need to cover an injury or bye.

CB Chris Claybrooks, Jacksonville Jaguars

The seventh-round pick was thrust into the starting lineup and has produced 13 total tackles and three passes defensed in the last two games. If you’re in a league with a thin waiver wire, he’s a sneaky option to utilize while the league tries to pick on him as he gets his feet wet.