Welcome to our second IDP Waiver Wire article at Fantasy In Frames for the 2023 fantasy football season!
As I did for Week 1, I will use Fantasy Pros Expert Consensus Rankings to base my weekly recommendations for players to roster. I believe using this method of identifying waiver recommendations will benefit people in newbie leagues all the way through to the more advanced IDP playing fantasy managers. With that said, I’m Jorge Edwards (Twitter/X @JorgeBEdwards), and here are my IDP Fantasy Football Waiver Wire for Week 2 (2023) recommendations.
Will Anderson, Jr.
Week 2 ECR Rankings: DL31
Week 1’s Fantasy Point Finish: DL19 (14.0 Points in Fantasy Pros Scoring)
- The rookie came out the gate HOT with a 21.7% win rate and a 21.7% pressure rate, resulting in 1 sack, 2 QB hits, 6 total tackles, and 1 TFL….and that was with trying to run down Lamar Jackson!!!
- Anderson will benefit from being on a poor team and thus being on the field more, but combining that with his efficiency metrics should have him rise to DL1 value sooner rather than later in your IDP leagues.
Drake Jackson
Week 2 ECR Rankings: DL53
Week 1’s Fantasy Point Finish: DL10 (15.8 Points in Fantasy Pros Scoring)
- Playing opposite Nick Bosa has its advantages, and on Sunday, Drake Jackson took advantage of his opportunity, posting 3 sacks, 3 QB Hits, 3 solo tackles, and 2 TFLs.
- Playing the second most on passing down situations, Jackson had an impressive 24% win rate and 20% pressure rate, per PFF.
- If he can maintain a steady role as the DL2 on the 49ers and some semblance of the efficiency he displayed on Sunday, then Jackson could be a diamond in the rough for your IDP squad this year.
Denico Autry
Week 2 ECR Rankings: DL81
Week 1’s Fantasy Point Finish: DL5 (21.5 Points in Fantasy Pros Scoring)
- Despite the return of Harold Landry to the starting lineup for the Titans, the duo of Denico Autry and Arden Key lit it up for the Titans on Sunday, with both posting a + 20% win rate and pressure rate per PFF.
- While people in deep IDP leagues might go after rostering Arden Key based on his performance in Week 1 and ECR ranking heading into Week 2, do not dismiss Autry, as he has equal value and upside. Plus, he probably will be free on waivers after they run early Wednesday morning.
Kaden Ellis
Week 2 ECR Rankings: LB36
Week 1’s Fantasy Point Finish: LB36 (11.3 Points in Fantasy Pros Scoring)
- On Sunday, Kaden Ellis and Troy Andersen put up high tackle numbers (9 and 10, respectively). Still, it was Ellis who had the better solo-to-assist ratio and was the more efficient tackler with his duo-leading 11.7% tackle efficiency.
- Against a Packers team that gave up the 5th most points to linebackers in Week 1, according to IDPGuru.com, I’m investing in the linebacker who showed me last week that they have the higher fantasy point-scoring floor since solo tackles always count for more points than assisted ones.
Denzel Perryman
Week 2 ECR Rankings: LB20
Week 1’s Fantasy Point Finish: LB17 (15.3 Points in Fantasy Pros Scoring)
- Perryman took the reigns of the linebacking corps in Houston out snapping fellow inside linebacker Christian Harris 61 to 46.
- His 11 total tackle performance and 23% tackle efficiency were elite.
- If he is able to reduce his missed tackle efficiency (12.5%), Perryman has LB1 upside.
Kwon Alexander
Week 2 ECR Rankings: LB54
Week 1’s Fantasy Point Finish: LB26 (12.8 Points in Fantasy Pros Scoring)
- While Cole Holcomb played the majority of snaps at linebacker on Sunday, Kwon Alexander and his 21.3 % tackle efficiency on a 9 solo and 1 assisted tackle performance stole the show.
- Not only did Alexander play EXTREMELY WELL, but the rest of the linebacking corp also played extremely poorly, evidenced by their +20% missed tackle rate.
- If that continues, efficiency and consistency are on Alexander’s side and should lead to him taking LB1 duties in Pittsburgh and LB2 duties on your fantasy roster.
Josh Metellus
Week 2 ECR Rankings: DB68
Week 1’s Fantasy Point Finish: DB66 (9.0 Points in Fantasy Pros Scoring)
- On 5 solo tackles and 1 PD, Josh Metellus, per PFF, played 52.6% in the box on Sunday versus Tampa Bay in a 3-safety rotation, making him the DB4 on the week in total box snaps played among all safeties in the NFL.
- If Metellus can maintain his box snap % and show an increase in snaps count over starting safety Camryn Bynum, Metellus automatically becomes a DB3 on the season.
- In Week 2 against the Eagles (which only allowed the 19th most points to the position), you might not want to start him. In Week 3, he will go up against a Chargers team that allowed the 4th most fantasy points to the position, and then in Week 4 will face Carolina, which gave up the second most points to safeties in Week 1.
Nate Hobbs
Week 2 ECR Rankings: DB9
Week 1’s Fantasy Point Finish: DB5 (20.0 Points in Fantasy Pros Scoring)
- While only a cornerback, Hobbs played the highest percentage of box snaps among all defensive backs for the Raiders in Week 1, which is a role normally relegated to strong safeties.
- His 12 total tackles (8 solo/ 4 assisted split) resulted in an astounding 18.3 % tackle efficiency.
- He was also the primary blitzing defensive back and slot cornerback. This guy is a playmaker all over the field, and if he’s able to maintain his 38.3% box snap share, he will maintain DB1/DB2 value in your IDP leagues.