IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Week 17

December 27, 2022 Nate Marcum
IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Week 17 (2022) Fantasy In Frames

Welcome to our Week 17 IDP Waiver Wire article this season!

What do the names Buzz Aldrin, Tenzing Norgay, and John Landy have in common?

They were some of the greatest “runner-ups” in history. Were they famous? Not hardly. While you probably have heard of Buzz Aldrin, he still lacks in notoriety to Neil Armstrong. How about Tenzing Norgay? He is credited as the 2nd man to scale Mt. Everest, with Sir Edmund Hilary being the 1st. Any chance you have heard of John Landy? Not unless you are a track and field savant, as he was the 2nd man to run a 4-minute mile, a standard first achieved by Roger Bannister.

Last but not least, can you name the runner-up in your fantasy league? Unless that person were you, I would highly doubt it. While there is no shame in finishing 2nd after a grueling 17 weeks of Fantasy Football, it’s not the goal we set for our readers before Week 1.

If you read this and made it to the championship, congrats, and bring home the trophy! Now is not the time to get cute and play the hottest waiver wire add. Now is the time for me to throw out some names that, should you happen to be in need, can help keep your team in Championship gear!

Let’s get down to business and discuss some IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Week 17!

Defensive Line/Edge Rusher

Gregory Rousseau (Buffalo Bills)

The Bills have really looked to Rousseau to fill the shoes of Von Miller, and he has responded somewhat quietly. While not getting the fanfare of the elite edge rushers, Rousseau is Top 15 since Week 13 in QB pressures (14%) and Top 25 with a 13.9% win rate.

As you may have guessed, it’s not just Rousseau’s accolades over the past month that has him as a Championship Week waiver wire add. This week the Buffalo Bills will have their hands full with the Cincinnati Bengals. Unfortunately, this Bengals team will be without starting RT La’el Collins. This is a huge blow to the Bengals’ O-line as they will look to Hakeem Adiniji to protect Joe Burrow. Adiniji came in for Collins and played 64 snaps but allowed a team-high five pressures.

In a game that is likely to be full of fireworks and big plays, I really like Rousseau to return DL2/DL3 value if you have unfavorable matchups.

Kwity Paye (Indianapolis Colts)

Like Rousseau above, Paye is likely a shallow league play, but it’s hard to recommend much in the way of waiver targets for Championship Week.

While injuries may have been a pitfall for Paye, his production on the field has been solid. Over his past four games played, he has recorded a sack in each contest. The Colts will travel to the Meadowlands this week to face the Giants.

Paye will have the fortune of lining up opposite Evan Neal. Among qualified tackles, Evan Neal ranks 56th out of 58 in PFF’s efficiency grading. Since Paye is definitely a sack-or-bust type of play, I love this matchup to get the most value when needed!

Honorable Mention or Previously Mentioned:

Cameron Sample (Cincinnatti Bengals)– Filled nicely for Sam Hubbard with three pressures. Don’t love the matchup, but if you’re in a super deep league, he appears to be in line for plenty of snaps.

Ogbonnia Okoronkwo (Houston Texans)- I have been calling him “OG-OK” for about a month now, and he has been anything but just “OK.” His 15 pressures are 7th in the NFL over the past three weeks, and his 30.8% win rate only trails Myles Garrett over this span.

Linebackers

Robert Spillane (Pittsburgh Steelers)

Spillane is the guy for the Steelers! He has now played 100% of the snaps in back-to-back games and recorded 19 tackles. His production has culminated in the LB19 over the past two weeks and looks to keep the production train rolling along.

The Steelers face the Ravens in a divisional matchup that will keep the Steelers’ LBs busy. If there is a chance that you can get a three-down linebacker on waivers for Championship Week, don’t hesitate. If anything, it is a great block against your opponent grabbing him.

Luke Masterson (Las Vegas Raiders)

Over the past few weeks, Luke Masterson has really been efficient in his usage on the field. This efficiency has led to an increase in playing time and, most importantly, fantasy production. Masterson has tallied 19 tackles over the past two weeks, good for a 19% tackle rate.

I love the matchup for Masterson and the Raiders in Week 17 when they will face the SF 49ers. The 49ers have been one of the more generous teams to opposing LBs, and it would appear that Masterson and Perryman will carry the bulk of the workload for LV.

Joe Thomas (Chicago Bears)

I am not about to say that we can pivot from IDP hero Jack Sanborn to Joe Thomas. I will not say those words. I will say, “if you are looking for an LB with an apparent full-time role, that should be in line for a solid tackle floor.”

Last week the Lions couldn’t stay on the field long enough to provide the Carolina linebackers with solid production, but I don’t see that trend continuing. Look for Thomas to deliver LB4 production; that could be beneficial if in a bind.

Honorable Mention or Previously Mentioned:

Troy Anderson (Atlanta Falcons)- Anderson has grabbed the 2nd LB role away from Mykal Walker and looks poised to finish his 2022 season strong. Look no further than his Week 6 matchup against the 49ers when he had 12 tackles and finished as the LB33. This week, the Cardinals will look to keep it on the ground with James Conner, which should benefit both Evans and Anderson.

Kyle Van Noy (Los Angeles Chargers)- Van Noy has really been on a tear as of late. With a sack in each of his last three games, this Week 17 matchup is extra juicy. Despite the impressive performance, the Rams put on against the Broncos; their O-Line has been one of the best matchups for OLB in 2023. Look for Van Noy to keep the sack streak alive and even help stop the run game.

Monty Rice (Tennessee Titans)- Hopefully, you already have him on your team, but if not, it is all systems go for Rice. Cunningham returned and then left again with an elbow injury. Dylan Cole is closer to returning, but it’s Rice’s job for the foreseeable future.

Defensive Back

Ifeatu Melifonwu (Detroit Lions)

When DeShon Elliott was ruled out with a shoulder injury, many were unsure who would fill his role. It appears that Melifonwu was that guy all along. The converted cornerback has battled injuries all season but really stepped up when needed the most. Melifonwu played on 98% of the snaps and recorded eight tackles (7 solos).

With the Bears up in Week 17, Ifeatu could really benefit from the large percentage of box snaps against their run-heavy approach. I would monitor the health of Elliott throughout the week, but I am encouraged by the playing time and the opportunity this week!

And if anything else…he has a great sense of humor!

Reed Blankenship (Philadelphia Eagles)

Blankenship returned to the lineup after missing Week 15 and nearly all of Week 14. In his return, Blankenship did what we had hoped from him when we saw him in replacement action for Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. Blankenship got right back on the horse with an eight-tackle performance.

Blankenship and the Eagles will battle the Saints in a matchup that has been fairly generous to opposing safeties over the past month.

Honorable Mention and Previously Mentioned:

Jeremy Reaves (Washington Commanders)- Jorge Edwards nailed this call for Week 16. He had mentioned that Rivera might not shy away from giving Reaves the playing time for an injured Kamren Curl. Keep an eye on Kurl’s status for Week 17. If he can’t go, I like Reaves against a Browns team that needs to keep the ball out of Watson’s hands and on the ground.

Richie Grant (Atlanta Falcons)- Each week, I see growth in Richie Grant and think of just how good he could be. Grant has had at least six tackles in his past 7 games and in turn, has been the DB19 over that span.

Thanks for reading our IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Week 17!

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!

About Nate Marcum 139 Articles
Director of IDP Content. 2021 Top 5 IDP Ranker per FantasyPros ECR. 20+ year Fantasy Baseball/Football addict. Addiction manifested into obsession, which drove me to writing/podcasting. Obsession is still present, but now it’s directed at helping others around me get better!
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