Not a ton of options to search for on the wire except in the linebacking group in Week 10. Although long-term readers will note the new addition of highlighting players that have been discussed here in previous weeks that are again worthy of your consideration. Especially with the final six-bye week coming up in Week 11. This is when the savvy IDP owner will be looking to grab players that have been dropped that still have tremendous value.
Bye Weeks coming up: Baltimore, Kansas City, Oakland, Philadelphia
Elevator Going Up
Linebackers
Darron Lee NYJ
Brock Coyle SF
Joe Schobert CLE
Lee, a converted safety, appears to be settling in to his new role as a linebacker. He put up eight total tackles against Buffalo in Week 9 (five solo) with three of those being tackles for a loss of yards (TFL). Not a particularly great match up in Week 10 against the Bucs, but he did cash in with two QB hurries/hits (QH) last contest and also had a sack. Talent generally wins out, so grab him if you can.
Foster played a total of 75 snaps against the visiting Cardinals, and had 14 total tackles with 13 of those being solos. He also tossed in a TFL and his return to action has been highly anticipated, so peruse the wire to see if you can claim him.
Foster's teammate, Coyle, was also active in Week 9, racking up eight tackles (seven solo). With the 49er's defense occupying the field so much, he looks like a steady performer going forward.
Pierre-Louis is an athletic linebacker who put up seven tackles in Week 9 (six solo, one TFL). With Derrick Johnson out of action, he should continue to see plenty of action for the Chiefs.
Schobert is an overlooked asset for the Browns, although he should not be as he is an every down LB for the beleaguered Cleveland team. He has had double-digit tackles in the past three games and in four of the last five games for the Browns, including 12 total tackles against the Vikings (11 solo). Week 9 was a particularly effective contest for him, with a pass defensed (PD), an interception (INT) and a forced fumble (FF).
IDP to consider that have been previously profiled: Ramon Humber BUF (Week 2), Wesley Woodyard TEN (Week 4)
Defensive Linemen
Jadeveon Clowney DE HOU
Aaron Donald DE LAR
Clowney is going to be leaned up heavily with two of the best defensive players on the Texans sidelined with injury. He played every snap in Week 9 against the Colts, and collected four total tackles (three solo, one TFL), along with a sack and a QH. If you believe in the Houston defense, or figure they will be on the field a ton of snaps, he is someone to add now.
Donald started out the season in low gear, probably due to his holdout (ya think?) but has been ramping it up lately. Week 9 production: three solo tackles, a sack, a QH, one FF and a fumble recovery (FR) is the kind of DL line every IDP player is looking to find.
IDP to consider that have been previously profiled: Jurrell Casey DT CAR (Week 5)
Defensive Backs
Adrian Amos S CHI
Amos is the sole DB to make the list this week, but he is potentially a season-changing pickup. Ever since Jerrell Freeman went down with his injury, he has been a beast. Over his last three games, he has 20 total tackles (18 solo), with three PD, an INT, and a FF and a FR. He also scored a TD in Week 6. Snap him up if he is on your wire.
IDP to consider that have been previously profiled: Kevin Byard S TEN (Week 2)
Escalator Going Down
Linebackers
Matt Milano BUF
Shaq Thompson CAR
Ray Ray Armstrong SF
Milano will lose snaps now that Ramon Humber is back starting on defense. He had only 10 snaps in Week 9 on defense, but did have 23 snaps on special teams. Still, putting up a big goose egg against the Jets does not inspire confidence going forward.
Thompson is another player whose playing time was affected by the return of an injured starter, in this case Luke Kuechly. His production in Week 9 was limited to a solo tackle and forced fumble during his 10 special team snaps. If you picked him up when Kuechly went out with yet another concussion, fell free to drop him now.
Armstrong’s one snap in Week 9 was a surprise, as he had been playing well. He appears to have been replaced at starting weakside LB by Brock Coyle, who is profiled above. He is worth stashing for the meantime if you have a deep enough bench.
Defensive Linemen
Cameron Wake DE MIA
Wake had been extremely productive for a five week stretch but that has come to a screeching halt over the past two weeks, where he has accumulated just three total tackles (one solo). Things could turn around when he faces the Panthers in Week 10 before Miami goes on bye in Week 11, but it is a risky play to start him.
Defensive Backs
None to speak of except those listed on the injury report below.
Matchups to Exploit
Remember, the second team listed is the one to use your IDPs against. Do not go crazy, and play a LB5 against the Bills or Titans, but certainly you will do well if you own a top CB on the Lions or Browns or a Steeler DL in Week 10 that you can plug in this week, for the most part.
Linebackers
Detroit v Cleveland
New Orleans @ Buffalo
Cincinnati @ Tennessee
Defensive Ends
Los Angeles Rams v Houston
New England @ Denver
Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis
Detroit v Cleveland
Seattle @ Arizona
Defensive Tackles
Minnesota @ Washington
Seattle @ Arizona
Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis
Safeties
Carolina v Miami
New York Giants @ San Francisco
Green Bay @ Chicago
Denver v New England
Miami @ Carolina
Cornerbacks
New England @ Denver
Arizona v Seattle
Detroit v Cleveland
Cleveland @ Detroit
Chicago v Green Bay
Waiver Wire Targets
All these players are spotlighted above, and you can read my comments about them in the "Elevator Going Up" section of this article. Not all the players commented on are here, however, as there is no need to waste your time searching for players that are heavily owned. This group consists of those that you may have a chance of locating on your league's waiver wire in that they are owned in significantly less than 50% of leagues. Happy claiming for your weekly matchups.
Linebackers
Darron Lee NYJ
Brock Coyle SF
Joe Schobert CLE
Defensive Linesmen
Jadeveon Clowney DE HOU Owned 54.2% in ESPN, 38% in Yahoo
Aaron Donald DE LAR Owned 45.8% in ESPN, 22% in Yahoo
Defensive Backs
Adrian Amos S CHI
Ouch (My Aching Roster)
All the injury reports below need evaluation prior to kickoff. Teams are notoriously sketchy about injury reports, and we often do not know a player's status until just before game time. Consider the list below as a "heads up" as to what is going on early in the week, and should not be considered definitive.
Linebackers
Duke Riley ATL knee (Meniscus)
Tim Williams BAL thigh
Danny Trevathan CHI calf
Vontaze Burfict CIN thigh
Kevin Minter CIN elbow
Todd Davis DEN ankle
Jalen Reeves-Maybin DET ankle
Ahmad Brooks GB back
Nick Perry GB foot
Joe Thomas GB ankle
Dylan Cole HOU hamstring
Jadeveon Clowney HOU knee
John Simon IND neck
Dee Ford KC back
Hayes Pullard LAC neck
Robert Quinn LAR illness
Brandon Watts MIA back
Bryan Braman NO undisclosed
Jonathan Casillas NYG neck
Keenan Robinson NYG quadriceps
Devon Kennard NYG quadriceps
B.J. Goodson NYG ankle
Calvin Munson NYG quadriceps
Corey Lemonier NYJ foot
James Harrison PIT back
D.J. Alexander SEA ankle
Elijah Lee SF knee
Mark Nzeocha SF neck
Derrick Morgan TEN knee
Defensive Linemen
DE
Takkarist McKinley ATL shoulder
Roy Robertson CHI hamstring
Michael Johnson CIN back
Chris Smith DIN ankle
Ezekiel Ansah DET back
Joel Heath HOU knee
Allen Bailey KC knee (MCL)
Everson Griffen MIN foot
Stephen Weatherly MIN knee
Cassius Marsh NE shoulder
Alex Okafor NO ankle
Olivier Vernon NYG ankle
Kerry Wynn NYG knee
Muhammad Wilkerson NYJ foot
Anthony Johnson NYJ undisclosed
Lawrence Thomas NYJ concussion
Marcus Smith SEA concussion
Aaron Lynch SF calf
Solomon Thomas SF knee (MCL)
William Gholston TB neck
Robert Ayers TB ankle
Art Jones WAS shoulder
Matt Ioannidis WAS hand
DT
Grady Jarrett ATL ribs
Pat Sims CIN calf
Larry Ogunjobi CLE groin
Trevon Coley CLE neck
Maliek Collins DAL foot
Quinton Dial GB chest
Marcell Dareus JAX illness
Malcolm Brown NE ankle
Dalvin Tomlinson NYG ankle
Timmy Jernigan PHI ankle
Sheldon Richardson SEA oblique
Gerald McCoy TB shoulder
Defensive Backs
S
Chuck Clark BAL thigh
Mike Adams CAR shoulder
Chris Prosinski CHI hamstring
Shawn Williams CIN hamstring
Ed Reynolds CLE knee
Jabrill Peppers CLE toe
Darian Stewart DEN thigh
Don Carey DET knee
Morgan Burnett GB groin
Marcus Gilchrist OU shoulder
Anthony Harris MIN hamstring
Kenny Vaccaro NO groin
Michael Mitchell PIT calf
Earl Thomas SEA hamstring
Su’a Cravens WAS personal
Montae Nicholson WAS shoulder
Stefan McClure WAS hamstring
CB
Desmond Trufant ATL ankle
E.J. Gaines BUF hamstring
Sherrick McManis CHI hamstring
Bryce Callahan CHI knee
Jason McCourty CLE ankle
Briean Boddy-Calhoun CLE hamstring
Johnathan Joseph HOU knee
Vontae Davis IND groin
Chris Culliver IDN undisclosed
Darryl Morris IND undisclosed
Quincy Wilson IND knee
Jalen Ramsey JAX groin
Stephon Gilmore ME concussion
Eric Rowe NE groin
Michael Hunter NYG hamstring
Donte Deayon NYG ankle
Morris Claiborne NYJ foot
Gareon Conley OAK shin
David Amerson OAK foot
Ronald Darby PHI ankle
Richard Sherman SEA Achilles
K’Waun Williams SF quadriceps
Brent Grimes TB shoulder
As ever, good luck and Godspeed in your fantasy efforts. Make sure to read all of our great articles to help you win your fantasy match ups every week and ultimately bask in championship glory. If you have any fantasy football questions, especially about IDP leagues, I can be reached at ia@fantasyalarm.com.