Well #4EYEDfans, we did it!
If you are reading this, I have to assume that you have advanced to the next round of the fantasy playoffs, or you were lucky enough to have received a BYE and are preparing for your most important victory of the year! If you read last week’s article and inserted any, if not most, of the recommended pickups, you are most likely a very happy camper!
While I am not one to toot my own horn, it does build a level of credibility to acknowledge the “wins” and “losses” of previous picks. As I mentioned above, if you had followed the advice from last week, you would be very happy and potentially reading this article as a result. Let’s take a look at what went right…and wrong.
- Markus Golden-15 pts
- Aldon Smith-13 pts
- Alex Highsmith-3.5 pts (oops)
- Tae Crowder-4.5 pts (Martinez played)
- Avery Williamson-15 pts
- Anthony Walker Jr-8.25 pts (so-so)
- Mike Hilton-18.5 pts
- Josh Jones-3 pts (my bad)
- Kamren Curl-24.5 pts
If you take a look at the totals, that is good for an average of 11.7 points per player. Let’s hope that this weeks’ recommendations are equally as valuable.
Defensive Line
Olivier Vernon
- 3.1% Rostered (FantasyPros Consensus)
- 17.25 Week 14 Fantasy Points
- 8.1 Fantasy Points per Game
Vernon, in Week 14, demonstrated that high upside edge-rushing ability that we have seen on occasion this season. While Vernon may only have sacks in 3 games on the season, he definitely likes to get them in bunches. Despite only having sacks in 3 games, he has multiple in each game. 7 total, to be exact! This week is no different. A great matchup against a very suspect Giants 0-line that has allowed the 3rd most sacks on the season. I would expect Myles Garrett to receive the majority of the attention, leaving Vernon alone in a lot of one-on-one matchups.
Alex Highsmith
- 3.4% Rostered (FantasyPros Consensus)
- 3.5 Week 14 Points
- 3.6 Fantasy Points per Game
I am going to go back to the well on Alex Highsmith. I recommended him last week and unfortunately didn’t get the fantasy results despite a 90% snap share, 1 QB hit, 2 QB hurries, and 3 QB pressures. This week, the Steelers will face the lowly Bengals and their porous O-line. On the season, the Bengals have allowed the 2nd most sacks and, as mentioned last week, lost their starting LT for the season. If you are willing to give him a 2nd chance, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Benson Mayowa
- 1.4% Rostered (FantasyPros Consensus)
- 0 Week 14 Fantasy Points
- 6.5 Fantasy Points per Game
Mayowa is most definitely not a name that is going to generate a ton of buzz, but in the deepest of IDP leagues, he has the potential to put up double-digit points! One key factor to pay attention to is the potential return of Carlos Dunlap. Dunlap sat out in Week 14 with a foot sprain, that he is hoping to heal up with a week of rest. Even with Dunlap in the lineup, as shown in Weeks 12 & 13, Mayowa can get to the Qb on limited snaps. (Mayowa recorded a sack in back to back weeks). This week, the Seahawks will face the Washington Football Team, who have allowed the 6th most QB sacks, with the vast majority coming from the blind side, which is where Mayowa should see plenty of action.
Linebacker
Haason Reddick
- 14% Rostered (FantasyPros Consensus)
- 43 Week 14 Fantasy Points
- 12 Fantasy Points per Game
Let’s start with one thing, Reddick will most likely be the hottest waiver wire add based on last weeks’ production. I am typically a proponent of the “don’t chase stats”, but in this case, he gets another prime matchup! The Eagles have allowed the most sacks on the season and they just lost their starting RT for the season. While the change to Jalen Hurts would appear to decrease the sack opportunities because of his speed, let’s not forget that Wentz wasn’t exactly flat-footed. Last week I suggested Markus Golden, who delivered, and I would recommend him again in a plus matchup.
Jerome Baker
- 25% Rostered (FantasyPros Consensus)
- 23.75 Week 14 Fantasy Points
- 11.4 Fantasy Points per Game
I had mentioned the name Elandon Roberts a few weeks back. He was quickly and quietly taking the majority of the snaps away from Jerome Baker, yet never really did much outside of the 5 tackle floor that he had established. Well, Roberts suffered a chest injury that kept him out of the Week 14 matchup with the Chiefs, and Jerome Baker stepped back in to play nearly 100% of the snaps and turned in his 2nd best week of the season. What was his best game of the season? Funny you asked, it was in Week 1 vs the New England Patriots, the team he is about to face here in Week 16. While I cannot guarantee the 31 points he put up against them in Week 1, I can say that the Pats allow some of the most points to opposing LB and the Dolphins are extremely thin at LB. The icing on the cake, while I know the Patriots aren’t the Chiefs, the fact that Baker had 14 pass rushes is an extremely encouraging statistic!
Duke Riley
- .7% Rostered (FantasyPros Consensus)
- 14.75 Week 14 Fantasy Points
- 6 Fantasy Points per Game
The Eagles aren’t just beaten up on the Offensive line, their LB corps isn’t exactly the idea of health. T.J. Edwards was a late scratch last week with a troublesome hamstring. Riley stepped in and played 90% of the snaps and recorded 5 solos, an assisted tackle, and an interception. While I can’t recommend anticipating an interception, the Eagles have generated a lot of pressure on opposing QB’s, and Kyler might look to get rid a little too quickly vs take an unnecessary hit on that shoulder, despite it appearing a little healthier.
Defensive Back
A.J. Terrell
- 4.1% Rostered (FantasyPros Consensus)
- 25 Week 14 Fantasy Points
- 11.1 Fantasy Points per Game
The 1st round rookie pick for the Falcons has been thrust into a starting role since Week 1 and has definitely turned into a serviceable IDP option at DB. Recording 20+ points in back to back weeks, Terrell has been the most heavily targeted CB over the past month and is 12th on the season. The question this week will be if Brady is going to pick on Terrell as Herbert and Hill have done for the past 2 weeks. While most would prefer to play a Safety in their DB spot, Terrell might be one of the rare CB’s that would make sense. Over the past 3 months, only Jeremy Chinn has scored more points than AJ Terrell among DB’s.
Darnell Savage
- 2.1% Rostered (FantasyPros Consensus)
- 18 Week 14 Fantasy Points
- 9.1 Fantasy Points per Game
Darnell Savage went into Week 14 on the injury report for a troubled groin but played through and delivered 8 tackles, 1 TFL, and a sack! Looking back at the past 3 weeks and he has 11 tackles, 3 INT, 1 sack, and 3 Passes Defended. The Packers will face off against the Carolina Panthers, who are in the top half of points allowed to the Safety position. Finally, it’s a nice spot to see Savage playing so many significant snaps as the slot corner in a game against a team that runs so many targeted routes out of the slot.
Jayron Kearse
- 1.2% Rostered (FantasyPros Consensus)
- 7.5 Week 14 Fantasy Points
- 6.5 Fantasy Points per Game.
Jayron Kearse has definitely met and exceeded expectations set upon him for the season. Kearse ranks 3rd on the Lions in tackles in only 6 starts and has started to see his snap share creep into the 70% range over the past month, as we see the snap share for Tracy Walker creep under 50%. This week the Lions will face Derrick Henry and the Titans in a game that should be pretty run-heavy, especially considering the Lions will most likely be without Stafford. Kearse has seen 40%-50% of his snaps in the box over the past month, expect him to establish a solid tackle floor this week.
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That will conclude this weeks’ Waiver Wire Adds for IDP! I can only hope that this brings you all luck and that I will see you back here next week for your league Championship! Good Luck!
