Week 10 IDP Waiver Wire Report

Saints DE Marcus Davenport might be worth a look.

Week 9 provided more twists and turns to an already fun 2021 NFL season. The defensive side of the ball continues to provide unique opportunities due to injuries, playing time shifts and players beginning to find their groove as we enter the back half of the year. In the end, we have to follow the points and that usually means following the snaps.

My recommendations will be based on what I feel is the ideal IDP format: I would recommend 10 defensive starters (1 DT, 2 DE, 3 LB, 1 CB, 2 S and 1 IDP flex) in addition to your format’s offensive starters. My ideal scoring system is 1.5 points per solo tackle, 1 per assist, 4 per sack, 4 per INT, 1.5 per pass defended, 3 per forced fumble, 1 per fumble recovery, 4 per safety and 6 for defensive touchdowns.

IDP WAIVER WIRE REPORT

Defensive Linemen

DE Marcus Davenport, New Orleans Saints

A confluence of inconsistent play, injuries and arrested development have stifled Davenport since coming into the league in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. I have a hypersensitivity to monitoring IDPs who kind of floundered through the first few years of their career. He hasn’t been great, hasn’t been bad either. The game hasn’t clicked for him just yet. He looked really good against the Falcons in Week 9—not saying much considering that offense—but I’m a sucker for big-bodied defensive ends who can accumulate tackles and force pressure. He had three tackles, three assists, a TFL, a forced fumble and a sack last week. Maybe not worth an add yet in your league, but he’s someone I’m watching closely.

DE Charles Harris, Detroit Lions

Held without a sack since Week 5 (he had a sack in four straight games to that point), Harris is still a reliable option with a limited upside. Sacks are always a bonus; I try instead to focus on reliable tackle production. Since a Week 1 goose egg where he was held scoreless vs. the 49ers, he’s produced like a borderline DE1, yet his availability is greater than similarly productive players.

DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, New Orleans Saints

I can’t fully trust Kpassagnon because he’s playing fewer than half the snaps in New Orleans. But he does tend to make the most of his situation with four sacks this year. He’s a bye-week fill-in caliber player until he can round out his game to earn more playing time.

DT Linval Joseph, Los Angeles Chargers

Joseph surely needs no introduction. He’s been doing it for a decade. Last week, he posted eight solos and an assist. Among DTs, Joseph ranks third in total tackles behind Javon Hargrave and DeForest Buckner. Yet somehow, Joseph is barely rostered compared to those aforementioned. Since Week 6, on a points per game average, Joseph has been a strong DT1.

More DTs: Armon Watts (MIN), Austin Johnson (NYG), Dexter Lawrence (NYG), Jerry Tillery (LAC), D.J. Jones (SF)

More DEs: Yannick Ngakoue (LV), Emmanuel Ogbah (MIA), Dean Lowry (GB), Denico Autry (TEN), Everson Griffen (MIN), Dewaune Smoot (JAC)

Linebackers

Kenneth Murray, Los Angeles Chargers

Kyzir White has filled in great for Kenneth Murray, who has been out but is designated to return from IR. So White’s role is up in the air, but I’m still willing to take the risk to keep him on my roster while this situation plays out. I’m expecting Murray and White to be the Chargers’ inside ‘backers here with Drue Tranquill rotating in and out. This is a situation to monitor, because it may end up that White and Tranquill cannibalize each other’s fantasy value, leaving Murray as the only viable fantasy option. Expectations are very high here, as Murray had a really great rookie year and should be even better now.

Tae Crowder, New York Giants

With Blake Martinez out for the year, Crowder has filled in admirably. His league availability doesn’t quite match what he’s doing on the field and that’s probably because he is just reliably accumulating tackles. Crowder is not a superstar player, and he was a seventh-round pick in 2020. In tackle-heavy scoring formats, he’s absolutely worth a roster spot.

Damien Wilson, Jacksonville Jaguars

Although Myles Jack is the more known name and more heavily rostered player between the two, it’s Wilson having the better 2021 season thus far. The Jags run a bit of a hybrid 3-4 and you can think of it almost like a 6-2 front at times. Wilson is a fixture, though, and most of the player rotation comes at the OLB/DE spots, where defensive coordinator Joe Cullen is disguising, blitzing and looking to keep offenses off-kilter. Wilson is the key in the middle. His lack of big plays reduces his big score potential. Still, I like his tackle production where he’s top 30 in the NFL.

Azeez Al-Shaair, San Francisco 49ers

After missing Week 8, Al-Shaair was right back at it in Week 9 with four solos, five assists and a pass defended. We’re still waiting for Dre Greenlaw to return and if you want to get in early, you can tuck him onto your bench. Greenlaw will certainly replace Al-Shaair once he does return, so you should be ready for that when it happens (and soon). For now, I’m still rocking with AAS, who is earning over 90% of snaps every week.

More LBs: Jayon Brown (TEN), Josh Bynes (BAL), Markus Golden (ARI), T.J. Edwards (PHI),

More LBs (availability)*: Shaq Thompson (CAR), Bobby Okereke (IND), Anthony Walker (CLE), David Long (TEN)

Deeper LBs: Leighton Vander Esch (DAL), Jalen Reeves-Maybin (DET), Mailk Reed (DEN)

* Still too widely available in spite of great production

** When healthy

Defensive Backs

CB Elijah Molden, Tennessee Titans

Listed in the Week 9 IDP waiver wire report, Molden continued his strong run with six solos and two assists vs. the Rams. Teams are picking on him a bit and he’s reaping the IDP rewards, so to speak. Since Week 6, Molden is a top-five CB, so sometimes you just have to follow the points.

S Xavier Woods, Minnesota Vikings

With back-to-back productive weeks, I can’t ignore Woods any longer after he notched eight solo tackles and an assist in Week 9 vs. the Ravens. In Week 8, he stuffed the stat sheet with four solos, four assists, a forced fumble, interception, sack and pass defended. His availability will continue to shrink after these big games

S Amani Hooker, Tennessee Titans

I love me a tackle-productive safety and Hooker delivered just that in Week 9 with eight solos and four assists. Hopefully his health holds, as he’s already missed five games this year. I think he can be a high DB3 and there’s always room for a little luck with big plays.

S Erik Harris, Atlanta Falcons

Harris is a mostly unknown undrafted journeyman player. He had a respectable 2019 with the then-Oakland Raiders, punctuated by two defensive touchdowns. With four straight games with at least five total tackles, you might be surprised to learn Harris is scoring like a DB2 on a point-per-game basis. Right up there with position studs like Budda Baker and Jamal Adams.

More CBs: Rasul Douglas (GB), Cameron Dantzler (MIN), Josh Norman (SF), Brandon Facyson (LV)

More Ss: Ashtyn Davis (NYJ), Nasir Adderley (LAC), Kareem Jackson (DEN), Adrian Phillips (NE), Kamren Curl (WAS), Jimmie Ward (SF)**

** When healthy