IDP Waiver Wire Report Week 7: Jacob Phillips, Zaven Collins Heating Up

A pair of young linebackers are your latest IDP waiver wire considerations.

Welcome to the Week 7 IDP Waiver Wire Report. If you have any IDP waiver or lineup questions, I'm happy to help and you can contact me directly on Twitter. Before I offer the latest IDP information, please do go back and check the names on the Week 6 IDP waiver wire list. I've opted to expand the "more" section for each position after receiving feedback that readers needed deeper recommendations.

The wide variety of IDP leagues makes it difficult to pinpoint roster percentages, so not every recommendation may be a good fit for your league. Generally, if you play in a shallow format with a total of 24 or fewer IDP starters across the league (two per team), these recommendations are at least a layer too deep for you. For specifics, it's always best to consume a lot of IDP content to get a feel for the landscape from multiple points of view.

Note: For each player, I provide a rest of season (ROS) ranking and list their percentage of defensive snaps played in their most recent game. For example, Derwin James would be a DB1+, meaning a defensive back ranked 1 to 12 (DB1) and the plus sign meaning on the high-end (1 to 4). DL3- would be a defensive lineman ranked 25 to 36 (DL3) and the minus means on the low-end, specifically 33 to 36.

NFL Game Books (PDF): WAS VS. CHI | SF VS. ATL | NE VS. CLE | NYJ VS. GB | JAC VS. IND | MIN VS. MIA | CIN VS. NO | BAL VS. NYG | TB VS. PIT | CAR VS. LAR | ARI VS. SEA | BUF VS. KC | DAL VS. PHI

Notable IDP injuries

• Bengals LB2+ Logan Wilson (shoulder) did not return.
• 49ers CB2+/DB5 Charvarius Ward (groin) did not return.
• Falcons CB2-/DB6+ A.J. Terrell (thigh) did not return vs. the 49ers.
• Patriots DT2-/DL8+ Christian Barmore (knee) was ruled out.
• Dolphins DE9+ Emmanuel Ogbah (back) did not return.
• Jets CB3-/DB8 Sauce Gardner (head) was examined and returned.

More IDP Injuries: Falcons CB Casey Hayward (shoulder), Falcons DT Ta'Quon Graham (knee), Panthers CB Donte Jackson (ankle), Panthers LB Cory Littleton (groin), Panthers CB C.J. Henderson (concussion), Bengals DE Jeffrey Gunter (knee), Bengals DT Josh Tupou (calf), Dolphins LB Trey Flowers (foot), Dolphins LB Keion Crossen (knee), Dolphins CB Nik Needham (torn Achilles), Patriots DB Cody Davis (knee)

IDP Waiver Wire Pickups

Defensive Linemen

DE Uchenna Nwosu, Seattle Seahawks
The slow and steady Nwosu has two sacks in his last three games. With only one big impact point total coming back in Week 1, Nwosu has largely flown under the radar, except for in this article series. A real value pickup if available. Nwosu played in 83% of Week 6 snaps. DE3+

DE Za'Darius Smith, Minnesota Vikings
With at least a half sack in five of the Vikings' six contests, Smith has been flirting with us all season. He finally delivered a big game with two sacks against the Dolphins, along with three solos, one assist and two TFLs. With defenses keyed on Danielle Hunter, Smith gets a lot of opportunities, although I believe he's a matchup specific play and I'd target him against average or worse offensive lines if possible. Smith played in 77% of Week 6 snaps. DE3+

DE Samson Ebukam, San Francisco 49ers
With Nick Bosa out, the 49ers have given Ebukam and Charles Omenihu (listed in the More Defensive Linemen section below). After tallying 2.5 sacks in Weeks 4 and 5, Ebukam switched it up a bit with five solos, three assists and two TFL. If he can combine that tackle production with the sacks, he could make himself a rich man and an IDP stalwart. Ebukam played in 80% of Week 6 snaps. DE4 (until Bosa returns)

DT Grover Stewart, Indianapolis Colts
With two sacks in his last three games, Stewart is inching his way up the defensive tackle rankings. He's second in the Colts' DT pecking order behind the name recognition and talent of DeForest Buckner; however, Indy has been rotating more big bodies along the defensive line and giving less time to linebackers. Stewart played in 65% of Week 6 snaps. DT2/DT9+

More Defensive Linemen (< 5% rostered on MFL)

DE Rasheem Green, HOU, DL4, Bye
DE Rashad Weaver, TEN, DL4-, Bye
DE Denico Autry, TEN, DL6+, Bye
DE Charles Omenihu, SF, DL6+ (until Bosa returns), 71% snaps played
DE Darrell Taylor, SEA, DL6, 52%
DE John Franklin-Myers, NYJ, DL7, 63%
DE D.J. Wonnum, MIN, DL7-, DNP
DE Tyquan Lewis, IND, DL7-, 65%
DE Efe Obada, WAS, DL8+, 36%

DT Jarran Reed, GB, DT2+/DL8-, 67%
DT D.J. Jones, DEN, DT2/DL9+, MNF
DT Marcus Copeland, LAR, DT3+, 55%
DT Poona Ford, SEA, DT3, 56%

Browns linebacker Jacob Phillips has back-to-back weeks with 10-plus tackles :: David Dermer/USA TODAY Sports

Linebackers

Jacob Phillips, Cleveland Browns
Phillips continues to thrive in Anthony Walker's absence. He has three straight weeks at 100% snaps and back-to-back games with at least 10 total tackles. If you're worried about the Browns signing of Deion Jones, don't be. His best days are long gone. Full steam ahead with Phillips. He played in 100% of Week 6 snaps. LB3-

Zaven Collins, Arizona Cardinals
Collins stacked the box score against the Seahawks with five solos, four assists, two sacks, two TFLs and one PD. The 2021 first-rounder hasn't quite put it all together, but there is still a lot of room for development and improvement. His Week 6 performance is a notable step in the right direction. Collins played in 100% of snaps in Week 6. LB4

Germaine Pratt, Cincinnati Bengals
Before Logan Wilson arrived, Pratt was the presumed up-and-comer among the Bengals' linebackers. He had 89 and 91 total tackles in 2020 and 2021 respectively, but again, Wilson gets all the attention after a dynamite 2021 rookie season. Pratt is still lacking in coverage so he comes off the field and I always prefer 100% snaps linebackers. But we're at the stage of the season in which those LBs are already rostered. Pratt played 81% of Week 6 snaps. LB4-

Darius Harris, Kansas City Chiefs
After a breakout Week 5 (eight solos, two assists, one sack and one TFL), Harris followed that up with a solid Week 6. He registered four solos, two assists, one TFL, one fumble recovery and one pass defensed. Nick Bolton is still the clear leader in this defense, but Harris is on the come-up. Harris played 77% of Week 6 snaps. LB7+

More Linebackers (< 10% rostered on MFL)

Frankie Luvu, CAR, LB2, DNP
Divine Deablo, LV, LB3, Bye
Nicholas Morrow, CHI, LB3-, 100% snaps played
Alex Anzalone, DET, LB3-, Bye
Malcolm Rodriguez, DET, LB4+, Bye
Troy Anderson, ATL, LB4+ (until Mykal Walker returns), 100%
Quay Walker, GB, LB4, 69%
Ernest Jones, LAR, LB4-, 75%
Cory Littleton, CAR, LB5+ (until Luvu returns), 69%
Trae Crowder, NYG, LB5-, 68%
Rodney Thomas, IND, LB6+ (S/DB eligibility), 100%
Jamin Davis, WAS, LB7, 67%
Josh Bynes, BAL, LB8+, 62%
Elandon Roberts, MIA, NR, 75%

Defensive Backs

S Jaylinn Hawkins, Atlanta Falcons
Richie Grant has been the more productive safety in Atlanta, but Hawkins is finding a path to fantasy rosters. He did score an interception return touchdown in Week 6, so he's not going to do that every week. However, in Week 5, he had eight solos and three assists. Productive tacklers who can sprinkle in big plays are the IDP ideal. We'd like to see more of both. Hawkins played in 100% of Week 6 snaps. DB4+

S Malik Hooker, Dallas Cowboys
Playing time has been reliable for Hooker and he's found a way to stay productive weekly. In Week 6, he registered 12 total tackles. The week before, when the tackles didn't come, he collected an interception and a pass defensed. With lots of tackles against the Eagles, it's safe to assume run-heavy matchups fare better for him. Hooker played in 82% of Week 6 snaps. DB4-

S Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills
There's little big-play upside with Hamlin, but he gets his nose dirty on every play. Since taking over for Micah Hyde, Hamlin has delivered at least seven total tackles in each of the last three weeks. Hamlin played in 100% of Week 6 snaps. DB5+

CB Kaiir Elam, Buffalo Bills
With one interception in each of his last two games, the 2022 first-round rookie is picking up steam in the cornerback rankings. Elam played in 76% of Week 6 snaps. CB3+/DB6+

More Defensive Backs (< 5% rostered on MFL)

S Ryan Neal, SEA, DB4+, 100% snaps played
S Kareem Jackson, DEN, DB5+, MNF
S Camryn Bynum, MIN, DB5, 100%
S Adrian Phillips, NE, DB6+, 80%
S Lamarcus Joyner, NYJ, DB7+, 100%
S Marcus Epps, PHI, DB7-, 100%
S Andre Cisco, JAC, DB8+, 98%
S Caden Sterns, DEN, DB8-, MNF
S Tashaun Gipson, SF, DB8-, 98%
S Myles Hartfield, CAR, DB9, 100%
S Geno Stone, BAL, DB9-, 75%

CB Kyler Gordon, CHI, CB3+/DB6+, 
CB Tyson Campbell, JAC, CB4/DB8+, 100%
CB Shaq Griffin, JAC, CB4/DB8, 99%
CB Jack Jones, NE, CB4-/DB9+, 66%
CB Coby Bryant, SEA, CB4-/DB9, 75%