IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Week 4

Photo of Nate Marcum Nate Marcum Follow on X Send an email September 26, 2022
7 minutes read

Welcome to our third IDP Waiver Wire article for the season!

Many people will assume that a fantasy championship is won on draft day, but I am here to tell you that it is most definitely not! While you can set yourself up very well on draft day, the Waiver Wire will be the key ingredient to your championship stew! Each week I will bring you my collection of players that should be available in over 50% of leagues. While the true roster % of IDP leagues is difficult to tabulate, I will do my best to ensure we are ahead of the curve. Let’s get down to our IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Week 4.

Defensive Line/Edge Rusher

Deatrich Wise (New England Patriots)

Wise is a mere 1 sack away from tying his season-high totals from his rookie season (2017). He has done this in a mere 3 games (168 snaps). This past week was just another heads-up that Week 1 wasn’t just an outlier but more like a sign of things to come. Wise has now put together 4+ pressure games in 2 of the 3 games on the season and getting credit for 3 sacks. The nice thing about Wise is that he is not completely “sack or bust,” as he does contribute in the tackle category. Of the 17 players with at least 3 sacks, his 10 solo tackles are the 4th highest total. If we need an added bonus, his 4 TFLs are tied for the most among defenders with at least 3 sacks.

Brandon Graham (Philadelphia Eagles)

The Philadelphia Eagles will be a big problem for opposing teams, and much of that begins up front. Three games into the season, they currently have 4 players on the defensive line with 9 pressures. Josh Sweat has been a popular name among IDP circles, and Brandon Graham deserves to join the group. Graham possesses all of the metrics to hold a spot on your roster with a 16% pressure, an 11% tackle rate, and a 22% win rate. Last week the Eagles were absolutely electric, turning 30 pressures into 9 sacks. Graham counted for 2.5 of them alone, despite only playing 27 snaps. There in lies the problem tho. If you are in a deep league, you can afford to gamble a little on limited snaps.

This week, the matchup is a little more daunting in Jacksonville, but the road ahead is smoother for Graham and the Eagles. Even better, the offense is humming on all cylinders and should put the pass-rush in a good position to see plenty of quality snaps!

Names to monitor:

Chris Rumph (Los Angeles Chargers)

With Joey Bosa expected to miss a few weeks with a groin injury, Chris Rumph should inherit the snaps. The 4th round pick out of Duke only generated 4 pressures across 89 pass-rush snaps in 2021, but the preseason buzz was loud enough to reach my ears in St. Louis.

* Myles Garrett was involved in a car accident Monday. While the severity of his injuries is unknown, it is assumed that he may have to miss this weekend’s action. The D-LIne in Cleveland was already thin without Clowney and Winovich. I will continue to monitor this action.

* Justin Houston left Week 3 with a strained groin. Brandon Copeland filled in admirably, registering a 15% pressure rate and recording a sack. Baltimore plays Buffalo, who gave up a year’s worth of pressure to the Dolphins.

Linebackers

Josey Jewell (Denver Broncos)

Somebody had to put on a show on Sunday Night Football, and it sure wasn’t the Broncos’ offense. Josey Jewell and the Denver defense decided it would be their time to grab the spotlight. Jewell was returning to see his first action of the season, and he picked up as if he hadn’t missed a snap. Jewell, in fact, played nearly 100% of the snaps in Week 3 and made it count, registering 5 solos, 4 assists, 2 TFL, 1 sack, and 1 Fumble recovery. The tackles should be a common theme each week, but I don’t know if I would bank on the sacks. His career high is 2, which he did back in 2020.

Darius Harris (Kansas City Chiefs)

When Willie Gay Jr. was suspended, many assumed it would be Leo Chenal who would step up in Week 3 against the run-heavy Indianapolis Colts. Well, in true KC fashion, we were completely wrong. Darius Harris was tasked with filling the shoes at WLB, with Harris playing 87% of the snaps. He turned those snaps into 13 tackles (7 solos) and 1 TFL. The most difficult thing to try and figure out is if it will still be Harris moving forward. From what I can determine, Harris is best served when it comes to being needed in coverage, which will be important for the next three weeks, as the Chiefs will face the Bucs, the Raiders, and the Bills during Gay’s absence.

Drue Tranquill (Los Angeles Chargers)

Tranquill is the only Chargers LB that I feel like I can trust so far. Drue has played nearly 75% of the snaps and has responded with 16 solos, 7 assists, 2 PD, 1 INT, and a .5 sack. While instilling trust has been an issue for Chargers’ LBs over the years, if you play in a deep enough league, Tranquill is definitely worth rostering.

Jacob Phillips (Cleveland Browns)

The hits keep coming for the Cleveland Browns this season. Both Anthony Walker and JOK left the Week 3 matchup with injury, with Walker’s season-ending quad injury being the most substantial. As a result, Jacob Phillips played the most snaps of any Browns LB. Phillips has had a tough career in his own right, but with the slew of injuries and overall lack of depth, this could be the best opportunity that Phillips has had in his short career. Last week, in replacement, he responded with 7 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, and 1 PD. The Browns will need Phillips to play significant snaps going forward, and with a general concern on the DL, with the injuries to Garrett, Clowney, and Winovich, there is a good chance that he will see a heavy workload.

Notable Names Worth Mentioning (or repeating)

Pete Werner (New Orleans Saints)- Still under-rostered in leagues. Leads all LB in solos and heavy playing time.

Zaire Franklin (Indianapolis Colts)- This was simply an honorable mention due to the thought that Shaq Leonard was returning sooner rather than later. Well, now it is later, and he still isn’t guaranteed to start.

Kwon Alexander (New York Jets)- The most to benefit from the Quincy Williams injury.

Malcolm Rodriguez (Detroit Lions)- Appears to be earning the trust of the Lions’ coaching staff each week. 6+ tackles in each game, and snaps improving by the game.

Defensive Back

Jalen Pitre (Houston Texans)

Pitre will be a popular name on the wire after his Week 3 performance, but you already have him on your team if you read this article weekly! That said, if he is available, he should be one of the top DB waiver claims this week. This past week may have been an extreme output week for Pitre, but it was a sign of this young Safety’s upside. As a recap, he totaled 8 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 1 QB hit, 1 PD, 1 Fumble Recovery, and 2 INTs.

Mike Edwards (Tampa Bay Bucs)

When Jordan Whitehead left for the Jets, Mike Edwards was allowed to play every day, and he has definitely made the most of it! Edwards has played 100% of the snaps; to my liking, 40% of them have been in the box. While it’s always going to be a battle for sizable tackle volume with Devin White and LaVonte David, the playmaking and opportunity can lead to great production. If we use Week 3, where Edwards had 13 tackles and 1 TFL, and compare it to his Week 2 (3 assists, 1 PD, 1 INT, 1 TD), we see a wide range of potential outcomes. As Tampa Bay struggles on offense, the upside for Edwards remains.

Notable Names Worth Mentioning (or repeating)

Roger McCreary (Tennessee Titans)- Tied for 2nd most solo tackles among DB. Playing out of the slot and out wide, McCreary has been phenomenal in shutting down receivers after the catch.

Donovan Wilson (Dallas Cowboys)- Hopefully, you picked him up after last week’s article. He proved again last night just how dynamic of a playmaker he can be.

Kamren Curl (Washington Commanders)- There is a chance he is available after starting the season with back-to-back missed games. In his first game back, Kurl had 8 tackles and 1 TFL.

Thanks for reading our IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Week 4!

Now go put in those waiver claims ASAP!

Also, don’t forget to check out our Weekly IDP Rankings for the upcoming week by clicking here!

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Photo of Nate Marcum Nate Marcum Follow on X Send an email September 26, 2022
7 minutes read
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