Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 10

Check your waiver wire for these IDP options ahead of Week 10.

We have reached double digits in Week 10. For some, the fantasy playoffs are mere weeks away, and every roster spot becomes increasingly important.

Each week, we’ll highlight diamonds in the rough or some players that just need to be rostered in more leagues on the defensive side of the ball. Keep in mind your scoring system and roster restraints when heading to the waiver wire to grab these IDPs.

Defensive linemen

DE Za’Darius Smith, Cleveland Browns

Rushing on the edge opposite of Myles Garrett – what a fruitful position that would be! Well, that’s where the 31-year-old Smith is lining up. He has sacks in two of the last three games, but the middle game, he had just a single assisted tackle. So Smith will have peaks and valleys, but you have to love the potential opposite of Garrett.

DE Bryce Huff, New York Jets

He has sacks in four straight games and five total sacks during the stretch. Huff played only 48 percent of the snaps in Week 9, though, and that’s where the potential problem prevents itself. With this kind of production, though, you can’t ignore it over a four-game stretch.

Linebackers

LB Tyrel Dodson, Buffalo Bills

The 25-year-old had a season-high 10 tackles in Week 9. Before that, he had five and seven tackles the previous two weeks. He has the Denver Broncos and New York Jets the next two weeks, and he could continue his hot stretch against those lesser foes.

LB Kyle Van Noy, Baltimore Ravens

This one is strictly an option for leagues that reward sacks more than others. Van Noy has just eight tackles over the last four games. He also has five sacks during that stretch. He has a solid matchup against the Cleveland Browns in Week 10.

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LB Zach Cunningham, Philadelphia Eagles

He’s on a bye this week, so keep that in mind when weighing this option. He had his second 10-tackle game of the season in Week 9 with LB Nakobe Dean (foot) suffering another injury. Cunningham made five tackles and two pass defenses two weeks ago, so he’s starting to leave bread crumbs of a viable fantasy option. This late in the game, it’s hard to find 10-tackle guys. Keep him in mind if you have the roster space and Dean isn’t available post-bye.

Defensive backs

CB Kenny Moore II, Indianapolis Colts

Moore is one of the highest-scoring DBs in fantasy over the last three weeks. He tallied 27 tackles and 1.5 sacks in the last three games, including two interceptions returned for touchdowns and two PDs in Week 9 alone. Obviously, you can’t count on the TDs, but his other counting numbers have been great.

SS Keanu Neal, Pittsburgh Steelers

FS Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) is likely out again this week, which will put more pressure on Neal on the strong side. He has had seven tackles in two straight games and seems to be thriving without Fitzpatrick. He has the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns the next two weeks to prove it.

FS Jonathan Owens, Green Bay Packers

Owens took over when Darnell Savage went on IR a couple of weeks ago. It took two games, but he had his breakout with eight tackles, a forced fumble, and a sack in Week 9. He’ll have some run over the next few weeks to build on it with Savage out.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 10

Check your waiver wire for these IDP options ahead of Week 10.

We’ve reached double digits in the 2022 NFL season, and four AFC teams will be on a bye this week. After this week, about half of the league will be clear of its bye, which makes it tougher each week to grab IDPs that should not be dropped. The diamonds in the rough emerging will be even more important.

Each week, we’ll highlight diamonds in the rough or some players that just need to be rostered in more leagues on the defensive side of the ball. Keep in mind your scoring system and roster restraints when heading to the waiver wire to grab these IDPs.

Defensive Linemen

DT Vita Vea, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The 347-pound tackle has never been much of a fantasy commodity, but he has made a statement over the last three weeks. Vea has 12 tackles and four sacks over the stretch, which has put him among the top scorers at the position. This could just be an aberration, but he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player worth the add.

DT Javon Hargrave, Philadelphia Eagles

Hargrave is another tackle performing at a high level, though fantasy players looking to add him must take heed. He has 15 tackles and five sacks over the last two games. The 29-year-old had just 11 tackles and one sack the previous six games. Pick him up as depth, but he’ll probably be one of the first ones dropped should you need the spot.

Linebackers

LB Krys Barnes, Green Bay Packers

Barnes missed the first seven games of the season due to an ankle injury, and he delivered eight tackles in his first game in Week 9. The Packers defense is a mess with injuries, and Barnes will be a cog in the second layer. The third-year pro had 80 tackles in each of his first two seasons and should be a steady piece.

LB Justin Houston, Baltimore Ravens

He’s on a bye this week, but what he has done the last three weeks can’t be ignored. Houston has a sack in all five games he has played, and he has at least two sacks in three games in a row. Houston records only about three tackles a game, though, so he’s very one-dimensional. That one dimension has been on full display of late, though.

Defensive Backs

S Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills

The former sixth-rounder is still a bit of an unknown and available in far too many leagues after amassing 22 tackles over the last two weeks. Hamlin has at least seven tackles over the last four weeks, and he notched his first full sack of the season last week.

S Kerby Joseph, Detroit Lions

He suffered a concussion in Week 9, so take that into consideration when scouring the wire. The third-round rookie had a breakout performance with 10 tackles, two INTs and three pass defenses. He has at least five tackles in three straight games. Monitor his status throughout the week, and consider picking him up if he’s fit to play.

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Best fantasy football waiver wire pickups for Week 10

With Nick Chubb on the COVID-19 list, D’Ernest Johnson could be in line for a massive workload in Week 10.

The fantasy football waiver wire has some intriguing options going into Week 10, which is good news for managers who are impacted by injuries and/or bye weeks.

The four teams on bye in Week 10 are the Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Giants and Houston Texans. Here’s a look at some fantasy-relevant players managers might need to replace:

Chicago Bears: QB Justin Fields, RB David Montgomery, WRs Allen Robinson and Darnell Mooney

Cincinnati Bengals: QB Joe Burrow, RB Joe Mixon, WRs Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, TE C.J. Uzomah

New York Giants: QB Daniel Jones, RBs Saquon Barkley and Devontae Booker, WRs Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney and Sterling Shepard

Houston Texans: WR Brandin Cooks

On top of giving you some potential long-term adds, we’ll also be suggesting players who can be streamed for this week. In addition to that, we’ll rate each of their priority levels based on potential impact.