We’ve made it to Week 18, and it’s the season finale for most. As we do each season, we’ll forecast the best one-week plays you can take advantage of on waivers.
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
EDGE Odafe Oweh, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens clinch the AFC North with a win over the Cleveland Browns Saturday. The Browns have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing D-linemen in the last five weeks. Their offense is fronted by the hapless Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who has thrown no TDs and six INTs on the season. Oweh, who has a career-high nine sacks, recorded his first sack in a month last week against Houston. He has a great matchup to do it again.
DE Chauncey Golston, Dallas Cowboys
We highlighted him a few weeks ago, and he paid dividends the last three weeks. He tallied four tackles and a sack in Week 15, six tackles plus another sack in Week 16, and four tackles in Week 17. He’s facing the Washington Commanders, who have allowed the third-most PPG to DL over the last five games. He also is playing for a contract, and he has Micah Parsons on the other side drawing double teams. I love this play.
Linebackers
LB Payton Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers need a Ravens loss and a win to take the AFC North. This game will be played immediately after Baltimore’s game, and they could rest some guys if Baltimore wins. Wilson probably wouldn’t be one, and he has a great matchup against the Bengals. Cincinnati allowed the third-most fantasy points to LBs the last five weeks. Wilson takes a backseat to Patrick Queen in Pittsburgh’s 3-4, but the third-rounder could see an increased snap count if this game becomes meaningless.
LB Jerome Baker, Tennessee Titans
The Titans acquired Baker from Seattle before the deadline, and he picked up eight tackles in his first game. He has had three, six, and six tackles over the last three weeks. He included a sack in Week 17. The team put Kenneth Murray Jr. on IR, and they’ll want to get a longer look at Baker against the Houston Texans this week.
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LB Jonathon Cooper, Denver Broncos
Cooper had four tackles and 1.5 sacks against Cincinnati last week. That was his best game in a few weeks. He has 9.5 sacks on the season, but Cooper had just 1.5 since facing the Kansas City Chiefs Nov. 10. He’ll face the Chiefs again this week, against whom he had six tackles and a sack in the prior meeting. And the Chiefs will have no reason to play anyone of value with the top seed locked up.
Defensive backs
SS Calen Bullock, Houston Texans
The third-round rookie has shown signs of life at the right time. He had six tackles and an INT in Week 15, registering five and three tackles the last two weeks, respectively. He’ll face the Titans this week, and they’ve allowed the fourth-most PPG to opposing DBs the last five weeks.
CB Deommodore Lenoir, San Francisco 49ers
Lenoir was worthy of picking up earlier in the year but took a backseat the last few weeks until Week 17. He had nine tackles against the Detroit Lions. He’ll face the Arizona Cardinals this week, and they’ve allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing DBs the last five weeks.
CB Alontae Taylor, New Orleans Saints
The Saints face the Bucs in their season finale, and Tampa has awarded the most PPG to opposing DBs the last five weeks. Tampa has to win to get in, and they will throw a ton to get Mike Evans his 1,000 yards. Taylor had six tackles against Tampa in October, and he should easily match that this week.
