Week 14 IDP Waiver Wire Report

On the lookout for any tackling machines that will help you down the stretch.

There’s been a certain lack of punch to IDP scoring totals this year. The highest-scoring performance, at least in my preferred scoring system, came in Week 1 when Cardinals LB Chandler Jones accumulated six solos, two forced fumbles, four TFLs and five sacks for a total of 44 points.

I’m a firm believer that your highest IDP score should be reasonably close to your highest offensive player’s high score. If you recall, the highest scoring game for a player on offense this year was Jonathan Taylor’s Week 11 (204 combined yards, three receptions and five touchdowns) for 53.4 PPR points. We’re splitting hairs but that’s a better offensive game than Jones’s defensive game so it deserves to count for more.

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But the point here is this: What you don’t want is a scoring system that creates too much positional scoring disparity disadvantage. What the heck does that mean?

Well, think of it like, defensive tackles are never going to be able to keep up in scoring with linebackers, but you can create a small DT-premium, like in a TE-premium league, to give a scoring tackle boost to DT scoring so they aren’t a total afterthought if the DT’s name isn’t Aaron Donald.

At this level of depth to your fantasy league, creating these small scoring wrinkles keeps the league fresh and challenging. However, if you want to make a change to your scoring system, in dynasty at least, I do feel it requires a league vote (majority rule) and it shouldn’t take effect until the following season. So if you voted in the 2022 offseason for a scoring change and it passed, it wouldn’t be implemented until the 2023 season. Just food for thought…

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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 2 points per solo tackle, 1 per assist, 1 per TFL, 4 per sack, 4 per INT, 1.5 per pass defended, 4 per forced fumble, 1 per fumble recovery, 4 per safety and 6 for defensive touchdowns.

If your league only uses a small, limited number of IDPs, you should stick with the IDP blue bloods, typically at linebacker—high-yield tackle machines who have been scoring well all year long. This article goes deeper than that.

IDP WAIVER WIRE REPORT

Defensive Linemen

DE Chris Wormley, Pittsburgh Steelers

Wormley enjoyed something of a breakout game after notching three solos, two assists, two TFLs and 2.5 sacks. It’s not for a lack of playing time as he has the second-most snaps among the Steelers’ defensive ends. He’s just on a hot streak with 3.5 sacks in his last two games.

DE Zach Allen, Arizona Cardinals

Allen tallied an INT in Week 13, which salvaged what otherwise would’ve been a forgettable game for him. Since J.J. Watt went out, the Cardinals have used Allen in that role but the pass rush duties are still dominated by Chandler Jones and Markus Golden. He’s an adequate replacement, but little else.

DE Dre’Mont Jones, Denver Broncos

Jones was mentioned here back in the Week 11 IDP waiver wire report. He remains a hot-and-cold player with just two assists in Week 12, followed up with three solos, one assist, one TFL and a sack in Week 13. There’s only so much upside considering he’s averaging around 60% of the snaps in any given week.

DT D.J. Jones, San Francisco 49ers

With seven solos, one forced fumble and two TFLs, Jones continues to show flickers of improvement along the 49ers’ defensive front. Jones is at best a space eater, but he’s finding success in a limited role.

More DT: Jarran Reed (KC), Davon Godchaux (NE), Brandon Williams (BAL), Justin Jones (LAC, while Linval Joseph is out), Linval Joseph (LAC)**

More DE (availability)*: Jaelen Phillips (MIA), Marcus Davenport (NO)**, Charles Harris (DET), Calais Campbell (BAL)

More DE: Mario Addison (BUF), Al-Quadin Muhammad (IND), Trevis Gipson (CHI), Dorance Armstrong (DAL), Chris Rumph (LAC), Greg Gaines (LAR)

* Still too widely available in spite of great production

** When healthy

Linebackers

Germaine Pratt, Cincinnati Bengals

Logan Wilson was carted off on Sunday vs. the Chargers with a shoulder injury. Pratt saw plenty of extra snaps with Wilson out. Pratt has been a decent bye-week fill-in type player but little else. This is a big opportunity for him to shine.

Christian Kirksey, Houston Texans

Kamu Grugier-Hill had the bigger game (10 solos, 10 assists and a sack) and has had a nice run recently, but Kirksey is the better player in the end. Kirksey has missed three straight games, so his availability is worth a look.

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Kwon Alexander, New Orleans Saints

Alexander is former IDP royalty and needs no introduction. It’s great to see him healthy and earning playing time. The big dog LB on this team remains Demario Davis, but they’re working Alexander into a larger rotational role over the last few weeks.

Ernest Jones, Los Angeles Rams

It’s hard to get a read on this rotation, especially with Von Miller in the mix. Jones is the closest player this team has to a true inside linebacker, but it says a lot about this defense that three of their four leading tacklers are defensive backs. Jones seems to be edging out Troy Reeder as the team’s lead backer but it would be nice to see a prolonged commitment to giving him the snaps.

More LB: Jayon Brown (TEN), Nick Vigil (MIN, if Eric Kenricks is out), Blake Lynch (MIN, if Anthony Barr is out), Ja’Whaun Bentley (NE, Week 14 bye)

More LB (availability)*: Kamu Grugier-Hill (HOU, if Zach Cunningham is out), Tae Crowder (NYG), Zach Cunningham (HOU), T.J. Edwards (PHI), Azeez Al-Shaair (SF), Kyle Van Noy (NE), Alex Anzalone (DET), Quincy Williams (NYJ)

Deeper LB: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (CLE), Preston Smith (GB), Keanu Neal (DAL), Baron Browning (DEN), Krys Barnes (GB), Willie Gay (KC), Quincy Roche (NYG)

* Still too widely available in spite of great production

** When healthy

Defensive Backs

S Juan Thornhill, Kansas City Chiefs

Daniel Sorenson has been the more IDP-relevant safety over his career, but the playing time flipped in favor of Thornhill back in Week 6. He had a solid game with four solos, two assists, one INT and a PD. The Chiefs don’t have any true IDP standouts, except for the occasional monster game from Chris Jones, as they rotate everybody heavily with the exception of their starting corners and Tyrann Mathieu. Thornhill is the next-best option because of his playing time, but you’d still like to see more in the stat sheet.

S Khari Willis, Indianapolis Colts

Willis finally returned to the field after missing four games. It was a mostly quiet Week 13 with five solos and a PD, but he’s capable of much more. Especially in contrast to the Colts’ other starting safety, Andrew Sendejo, who played 100% of the snaps last week and managed to score zero points.

S Ryan Neal, Seattle Seahawks

If Jamal Adams missed any time due to a shoulder injury—same shoulder he had offseason surgery on—then Neal would be the fill-in. He’s nothing special on the field, but that often works out for our IDP purposes and offenses try to pick on him, which leads to more scoring opportunities.

CB Amani Oruwariye, Detroit Lions

Tackle volume at corner is rare but Oruwariye has found something. Since Week 8, he’s provided at least four solos in four of his five games. Not to mention, he has five picks this year and his availability is far too low.

More CB: Rasul Douglas (GB), Donte Jackson (CAR), Tavierre Thomas (HOU), Charvarius Ward (KC), Nate Hobbs (LV), Sean Murphy-Bunting (TB)

More S: Ronnie Harrison (CLE), Eric Murray (HOU), John Johnson (CLE), Andrew Wingard (JAC)

Deeper S: Divine Deablo (LV), Elijah Riley (NYJ), Marcus Epps (PHI)

More S (availability)*: Jayron Kearse (DAL), Jalen Thompson (ARI), Tracy Walker (DET), Will Harris (DET), Dean Marlowe (DET)

* Still too widely available in spite of great production

** When healthy