Prior to the dreaded arrival of bye week non-action for selected groups of your players populating your fantasy football rosters, there are plenty of low-percentage owned IDP to consider adding to your squads. Some rookies stepping into starting roles as well as veterans showing off their skills, learned on the field and benefiting not just their teams, but your fantasy teams as well.

Bye Weeks coming up (get ready as the tests of your fantasy adaptability begin): Week 5-Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, Tampa Bay Rays; Week 6-Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers

 

Fantasy Football IDP Risers – Elevator Going Up

Linebackers

Rashan Gary, Green Bay Packers

Coming off a three-sack effort, where he also had three total tackles and four QB hits/hurries (QH), the Green Bay edge rusher will be a popular player on the waiver wire this week most likely, and you should act quickly to snap him up for your roster. All three of his tackles in Week 3 were solos and were for a loss of yards (TFL) as a side note. He is providing this production on limited playing time (PT), having been on the defensive side of the field for just 38% of the snaps last week. Note also that he was limited in practice heading into Thursday’s game.

Alex Singleton, Denver Broncos

The Bronco defense was embarrassed by Miami in Week 3, but that led to nine TT (seven solo) for Singleton, who was called upon to take up an every-down role once Josey Jewell was sent to the sidelines due to injury. If Jewell misses time, Singleton will be on the field calling the defensive plays and will be an asset in tackle-oriented fantasy schemes.

Drue Tranquill, Kansas City Chiefs

Another LB that saw his value improve due to a teammate’s injury (Nick Bolton), as the Chiefs relied upon him as their sole every-down LB in Week 3, and turned to him to take on the defensive signal calling responsibilities. He collected eight TT in the game against the over-matched Bears, as well as collecting a half a sack. Keep an eye on Bolton’s status to determine how much PT he will be seeing going forward.

Micah McFadden, New York Giants

Double digit tackles in Week 3 (nine solo, four TFL), a feat he also accomplished in the opening week of the season makes him a resource to be considered in tackle-oriented leagues. This week’s opponent, Seattle, is a top 10 offense in respect to allowing LB fantasy production.

Deion Jones, Carolina Panthers 

Jones is an addition off the practice squad, to cover the injury to Shaq Thompson. He immediately had an impact, picking off a pass (INT) and also deflecting one (PD). He had just four TT (three solo) as Kamu Grugier-Hill was covetous of the tackles on defense in Week 3 with 10 TT. With a past history of colleting stops, though, so long as he is seeing significant PT, the tackle numbers should improve.

Defensive Linemen

Samson Ebukam, Indianapolis Colts DE

In Baltimore in Week 3, the edge rusher for the Colts had four TT (four solo, two TFL). He had big play value as well, with a sack, a QH and a force fumble (FF). He has a pair of great matchups in terms of sack potential with the Rams and Titans on the schedule the next two weeks.

Leonard Floyd, Buffalo Bills DE

His tackle totals were not tremendous in Week 3, with three TT (two solo, two TFL), but he also tossed in a pair of sacks against the Commanders and had an additional three QH on the day. 

Tuli Tuipulotu, Los Angeles Chargers DE

Here is another DE that provides both tackle and big play action for his owners. In Week 3, he racked up four QH and a sack, while also wrapping up Viking offensive players for four solo tackles (one TFL). The rookie has also been seeing an increase in PT as the season progresses, with this past contest seeing him on the defensive side of the line of scrimmage for 77% of the snaps.

Jarran Reed, Seattle Seahawks DT

Despite playing just about half of the defensive plays in Week 3, he had a full stat sheet: eight TT (four solo, one TFL), 1.5 sacks, three QH and a PD. He has returned to the Seahawks, and seems happy to be back where he saw a significant part of his best work on the defensive line.

Kenny Clark, Green Bay Packers DT

Our second DT being profiled this week as someone you might want to add in a league that mandates a defensive tackle on your IDP roster, he was also a big play value and a tackle producer in his most recent action, with four TT (three solo, one TFL), a QH and a sack. He plays on Thursday night so add him now if you want to get his production in Week 4.

Defensive Backs

Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens S

Hamilton was concerning many that drafted him with a slow start, but he picked things up in Week 3 certainly: 9 TT (seven solo, two TFL), three (!) sacks, three QH, a forced fumble (FF) and a PD. Whew! Talk about coming to life. He now has a top matchup on the slate against the Browns, who are allowing the 7th most fantasy points to safeties heading into Week 4.

Amani Hooker, Tennessee Titans S

After providing big play production in Week 1: two PD, a FF, a fumble recovery (FR), and an INT, he produced big in the tackle department in Week 3 after sitting out the second game of the season due to a concussion, with 11 TT (nine solo) to lead the team in wrap ups. Perhaps he can put together a fusion of tackle and big-play production against the visiting Bengals in the upcoming contest?

Brian Branch, Detroit Lions CB

The Lion rookie defensive back has made a statement on the field, playing every snap in Week 3, and collecting 11 TT (all 11 solo, three TFL). Playing slot corner, he also had a pair of PD against the Falcons at home last week. He plays on Thursday night in Green Bay, and will likely be a waiver wire favorite, so make the move to add him to your IDP rosters immediately.

Alonte Taylor, New Orleans Saints CB

Taylor was on the field for every defensive snap in Week 3 and put up great stats: five TT (five solo, two TFL), a sack, a QH and five (!) PD. He is becoming a huge complementary piece in the New Orleans secondary with his teammate Marshon Lattimore helping to shut down the opposing offenses.

Byron Murphy Jr. & Akayleb Evans, Minnesota Vikings CB

These two corners are not elite, and thus it will behoove offensive coordinators to target them frequently. If a cornerback is not a shut down CB, he is frequently an IDP value as he is tested early and often by the passing attack. In Week 3, these two combined for 21 TT (16 solo). Murphy had a pair of PDs to his credit, while his teammate Evans picked up a FF during his time on the field. Carolina is a good matchup for CB point production.

Kei’Trel Clark, Arizona Cardinals CB

The rookie has seen plenty of PT, playing all the defensive snaps in Week 3 while gathering in 10 TT (eight solo). He also was able to contribute a pair of PD. As an unproven first year player, look for the opposing offenses to target him frequently, and with his PT at the high end, that will lead to fantasy point production going forward.

 

Fantasy Football IDP Fallers – Escalator Going Down

Linebackers

Shaq Leonard, Indianapolis Colts

Leonard is seeing his snap count as a member of the Colt linebacking crew slowly decrease over the season’s first three weeks. He is certainly not an every-down LB you can trust entirely, and while he did collect seven TT in Week 3’s tilt against the host Ravens, the emergence of E.J. Speed in the defensive scheme for Indy is a concern.

Defensive Linemen

Za’Darius Smith, Cleveland Browns DE

No sacks to his credit through three weeks of action, and in Week 3 he was credited with just two TT (one solo). He did have some time sidelined during the week’s practice sessions due to an ankle injury, so perhaps that explains part of his sub-par performance.

Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints DE

He was on the field for a majority of defensive snaps in Week 3 (86%), yet was shut out on the stat sheet with a goose egg for tackle production. He is 34 years of age, so the mileage may be catching up with the veteran.

Defensive Backs

Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings S

Smith has started slow through the first three weeks of the season, and only had four TT in Week 3 (two solo). At 34 years old (see a trend here?), he may be losing a step as other members of the Viking defense seem to be getting the tackles instead of Smith.

 

NFL Week 4 Matchups To Exploit

Remember, the first team listed is the one to use your IDPs against. Do not go crazy, and play a LB5 against the Jaguars, but certainly, you will do well if you own a top DL on the Browns or Commanders that you can plug in this week, for the most part.

Linebackers

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Atlanta 

Baltimore Ravens @ Cleveland

Houston Texans vs Pittsburgh

Kansas City Chiefs @ New York Jets

Defensive Ends

Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia

Cleveland Browns vs Baltimore

Atlanta Falcons @ Jacksonville

Defensive Tackles 

Cleveland Browns vs Baltimore

New England Patriots @ Dallas

Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia

San Francisco 49ers vs Arizona

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans

Safeties

New Orleans Saints vs Tampa Bay

Minnesota Vikings @ Carolina

Philadelphia Eagles vs Washington

Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco

Cornerbacks

Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas

New York Giants vs Seattle

Los Angeles Rams @ Indianapolis

New England Patriots @ Dallas

Buffalo Bills vs Miami

 

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Targets

This section is intended to serve as a shortened cheat sheet listing those waiver wire targets you should be considering if you need to plug a hole in your starting lineup. 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

Rashan Gary Green Bay Packers

Alex Singleton Denver Broncos

Drue Tranquill Kansas City Chiefs

Micah McFadden New York Giants

Deion Jones Carolina Panthers 

Defensive Linemen

Samson Ebukam Indianapolis Colts DE

Leonard Floyd Buffalo Bills DE

Tuli Tuipulotu Los Angeles Chargers DE

Jarran Reed Seattle Seahawks DT

Kenny Clark Green Bay Packers DT

Defensive Backs

Kyle Hamilton Baltimore Ravens S

Amani Hooker Tennessee Titans S

Brian Branch Detroit Lions CB

Alonte Taylor New Orleans Saints CB

Byron Murphy, Jr. Minnesota Vikings CB

Akayleb Evans Minnesota Vikings CB

Kei’Trel Clark Arizona Cardinals CB
 

NFL IDP Injuries – 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

Josh Woods Arizona Cardinals ankle

Troy Andersen Atlanta Falcons shoulder IR

Odafe Oweh Baltimore Ravens ankle

Frank Clark Denver Broncos hip

Rashan Gary Green Bay Packers knee

Denzel Perryman Houston Texans hand

Devin Lloyd Jacksonville Jaguars thumb

Nick Bolton Kansas City Chiefs ankle

Eric Kendricks Los Angeles Chargers hamstring

Marcus Davenport Minnesota Vikings ankle

Dre Greenlaw San Francisco 49ers ankle

SirVocea Dennis Tampa Bay Buccaneers hamstring

Defensive Linemen

DE

Carlos Watkins Arizona Cardinals biceps IR

Leonard Floyd Buffalo Bills ankle

Khalid Kareem Chicago Bears hip IRR

Christopher Hinton Los Angeles Chargers back

Azeez Ojulari New York Giants hamstring

DT

Daniel Ekuale New England Patriots biceps IR

K.J. Davidson New York Giants elbow

Clijah Kancey Tampa Bay Buccaneers calf

Defensive Backs

S

Marcus Williams Baltimore Ravens pectoral

Geno Stone Baltimore Ravens ribs

Jordan Poyer Buffalo Bills knee

Siran Neal Buffalo Bills ankle

Micah Hyde Buffalo Bills hamstring

Xavier Woods Carolina Panthers hamstring

Eddie Jackson Chicago Bears foot

Justin Simmons Denver Broncos hip

Kerby Joseph Detroit Lions hip

Emmanuel Moseley Detroit Lions knee-ACL

Zayne Anderson Green Bay Packers hamstring

Jalen Pitre Houston Texans chest

Antonio Johnson Jacksonville Jaguars hamstring

Jonathan Jones New England Patriots ankle

Tony Adams New York Jets hamstring

Sydney Brown Philadelphia Eagles thigh

Justin Evans Philadelphia Eagles neck

Jamal Adams Seattle Seahawks knee

Jamel Dean Tampa Bay Buccaneers shoulder

Mike Brown Tennessee Titans undisclosed IR

CB

Marlon Humphrey Baltimore Ravens foot

Greg Newsome II Cleveland Browns elbow

Trevon Diggs Dallas Cowboys knee-ACL IR

Nahshon Wright Dallas Cowboys ankle IR

Jaire Alexander Green Bay Packers back

Tavierre Thomas Houston Texans hand

Derek Stingley, Jr. hamstring IR

Marcus Jones New England Patriots shoulder IR

Paulson Adebo New Orleans Saints hamstring

Ambry Thomas San Francisco 49ers knee

Coby Bryant Seattle Seahawks toe

Tariq Woolen Seattle Seahawks chest

Carlton Davis Tampa Bay Buccaneers toe

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, you can also send a message to ia@fantasyalarm.com for a personal response from the writer of this article. Naturally, the more detail you can send about your league, such as number of teams, platform you play in (Yahoo, ESPN, etc.), scoring and roster system, the better the ability to provide accurate advice.