Digging deep for some defensive fantasy help
Welcome back to the IDP waiver wire report. I was told to dig a little deeper ahead of this Week 8 edition. I play in a dynasty IDP league with 12 teams and 53-man rosters, so I like to think I know a thing or two about the deeper formats. Sometimes I’m reminded of how deep some rosters go and there’s really no adequate advice for them—that’s the point, though. Deepening, knowing and understanding the player pool beyond the fantasy status quo. I’ll be providing a few more picks to each position and please note the “more” sections will include players I feel aren’t owned in enough leagues. So it will be a mix of low ownership and deeper gems.
IDP WAIVER WIRE REPORT
Defensive Linemen
DE Jonathan Greenard, Houston Texans
As mentioned in last week’s IDP waiver wire report, Greenard is on a hot streak. He put up another great game with three solo tackles, one assist and two sacks. After missing the first two games of the year, the second-year defensive end has at least one sack in four straight games and four sacks in his last two games. This statistical pace can’t last but he’s worth an add across all formats.
James D Smith/Associated Press
DE DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys
A report came out about a week ago that said Lawrence wasn’t particularly close to returning from an injury that’s forced him out of action since Week 1. So his timetable to return puts him back for Week 10, maybe Week 11. If you have the roster room and he’s available, you need to snatch him ASAP! Lawrence can produce in run support and with his pass rush. He’s a disruptive DE1 even on his off days. In the meantime, if Lawrence isn’t available, consider adding Randy Gregory. The former Nebraska standout has four sacks in his last three.
DE Al-Quadin Muhammad, Indianapolis Colts
Slow and steady wins the race. Through seven games, Muhammad has 14 solo tackles, eight assists and three sacks. His snap count and usage could be higher, but the Colts seem content to run a rotation. His upside is limited because of that rotation, so I can only rate him a high DE3.
DT Larry Ogunjobi, Cincinnati Bengals
A familiar name to the IDP community, Ogunjobi had a notable Week 7 with three solo tackles, an assist and 1.5 sacks. After a handful of productive DT1 seasons, Ogunjobi had a slight down year in 2020 but seems close to getting back on track. I like the way the Bengals’ defensive front is crashing the pocket. He’s playing about two-thirds of Cincy’s defensive snaps; I’d like to see that number come up a little bit before I can move him back into the DT1 conversation. For now, he’s a top-end DT2.
More DTs: Derrick Brown (CAR), Linval Joseph (LAC), Dexter Lawrence (NYG), Quinton Jefferson (LVR), Bilal Nichols (CHI)
More DEs: Randy Gregory (DAL), Emmanuel Ogbah (MIA), Charles Harris (DET), Calais Campbell (BAL), Kingsley Keke (GB), Tanoh Kpassagnon (NO), Jaelan Phillips (MIA)
Linebackers
Markus Golden, Arizona Cardinals
Golden has been good for a long time. The problem is that he breaks up those good stretches with long droughts of mediocrity. With Chandler Jones out in each of the Cardinals’ last two games, Golden has stepped up with two sacks in each of those games. He has four forced fumbles too, so this season is really coming together. I hate to rely on sack production at the linebacker position, because I’m an old-school tackle-heavy scoring system guy. But when Golden is playing like this, he’s an add across all formats.
Azeez Al-Shaair, San Francisco 49ers
The Niners keep finding productive inside linebackers and Al-Shaair has been a very good replacement for Dre Greenlaw. Is Al-Shaair as good as Greenlaw? No, I don’t believe he’s even very close. That said, he’s been in the mix a ton and has produced an insane 23 assist tackles to go along with 20 solos. If your scoring system awards something appreciable to assists, AAS is likely already on your radar or maybe even on your roster. A dependable LB4 until Greenlaw returns, which is still a couple weeks away at best.
Alex Anzalone, Detroit Lions
You’d think a guy playing nearly 100% of the Lions’ defensive snaps and producing capably as a LB3 would have higher ownership. Yet Anzalone hasn’t quite moved the needle this year for the winless Lions. With seven or more total tackles in four of Detroit’s seven games, I think you could do a lot worse.
More LBs: Damien Wilson (JAC), Justin Strnad (DEN), Kamu Grugier-Hill (HOU), Robert Quinn (CHI), Alec Ogletree (CHI), Anthony Hitchens (KC)
More LBs low-ownership: Anthony Walker (CLE), David Long (TEN), Quincy Williams (NYJ), Kyzir White (LAC), Nick Bolton (KC), Ja’Whaun Bentley (NE)
Deeper LBs: Andrew Van Ginkel (MIA), Rashan Gary (GB), Jalen Reeves-Maybin (DET), Alex Highsmith (PIT), Akeem Davis-Gaither (CIN)
Defensive Backs
S Andrew Wingard, Jacksonville Jaguars
Wingard and the Jaguars are enjoying a Week 7 bye, but both will be ready to go in Week 8 against the Seahawks. The undrafted product out of Wyoming played 100% of Jacksonville’s defensive snaps in the last four contests. He’s had at least five tackles in every game with a dash of big-play production.
S Lonnie Johnson, Houston Texans
With three interceptions over his last four games, Johnson has really come into his own in his third year. He flirted with fantasy relevance in the final weeks of 2020 and the longevity of keeping this role depends on him outplaying the 2020 incumbent, Eric Murray. This job seems to teeter-totter frequently, so it may be worth monitoring for stability if you’re in a more shallow league.
S Ashtyn Davis, New York Jets
In his first heavy workload of the season, Davis put up a monster game with 10 solo tackles and one assist. The Jets’ secondary, like the rest of the team, is a mess as injuries and unreliable play leave the whole player group in flux. Davis’s athleticism is excellent and I liked what I saw of him, but that’s not what will keep him on the field. It’s giving up big plays, playing out of position, taking bad angles, etc.—things we may not see on camera during the game—that could push Davis out of the starting lineup. Either way, I’m intrigued and you know the Jets’ defense is on the field a ton.
More CBs: Amani Oruwariye (DET), Brandon Facyson (LVR), James Pierre (PIT), Brandin Echols (NYJ), Chidobe Awuzie (CIN)
More Ss: Amani Hooker (TEN), Kareem Jackson (DEN), Rayshawn Jenkins (JAC), Jimmie Ward (SF), Bobby McCain (WAS), Sean Chandler (CAR), Khari Willis (IND)
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