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So you took my advice and drafted Blake Martinez as a great value linebacker in the 15th round. Now Martinez is on the street without a team, and you are without a linebacker--at least until Martinez finds a new home. Blame me.
Or maybe it wasn’t my fault. Maybe you were banking on Harold Landry III getting four-digit snap volume again and making double-digit sacks, but then Landry tore his ACL, and now he’s getting no volume. Whatever the case, things happened, and now you need new defensive players for your IDP lineup.
Here are my IDP waiver wire pickups and streamers for Week 1 of the 2022 fantasy football season.
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Linebackers - IDP Waiver Wire Options
Micah McFadden, NYG
This fifth-round rookie, who made 2nd team All-Big Ten in his senior year at Indiana University, moves into the starting spot at right inside linebacker for the Giants with the release of Martinez. He projects to be a two-down linebacker; he’s good at blitzing the passer and stopping the run but not so good at pass coverage. Martinez owners can probably find a better replacement on a different team, but keep an eye on McFadden. Maybe you’ll be surprised.
Also, don’t cut Martinez. Wait to see where he ends up.
Cody Barton, SEA
Seattle’s new starting inside linebacker has a favorable matchup Week 1 against the Broncos, an above-average rushing team. The Broncos are 5.5 point favorites as of this writing. Expect the Broncos to get out to an early lead then keep running the ball in order to ease Russell Wilson into a new offense. Barton should see plenty of opportunities to make plays on Denver running backs Williams and Gordon, and he should see plenty of running plays ran against him all season.
Defensive Line - IDP Waiver Wire Options
Ola Adeniyi and Derrek Tuszka, TEN
Adeniya, an edge rusher in his fifth year in the league and his second year in Tennessee, figures to get a lot more playing time now with Landry having gone down. Last year, in 216 snaps, he made 2.5 sacks and graded at 62.9, 20 points better than fellow edge linebacker Rashad Weaver and just 0.8 points worse than Derrek Tuszka, who is third on the depth chart on the other side, behind Bud Dupree and Weaver. Tennessee claimed Tuszka, who is in his second-year after being drafted by Denver and playing for Pittsburgh through preseason, off waivers after Landry’s injury. (Funnily enough, that makes three former Steelers edge LBs signed by the Steelers former AFC Central rivals in the past two years.) One of them could end up being the starter.
Brandon Graham, PHI
The Eagles defensive end entering his thirteenth season makes his regular season return in Detroit (having already played in preseason) after injuring his Achilles and missing 15 games of 2021. Before that, he was a solid, but underrated, pressure-maker who created about 8 sacks, 50 tackles, 15 QB hits, 15 TFLs, and a force fumble or two in a typical season.
Yannick Ngakoue, IND
After having made ten sacks in Vegas last season, his second career double-digit sack season, and then being traded to Indy, Ngakoue seems a little bit overlooked. He is only rostered in about 40 percent of IDP leagues at MFL. He opens the season against Houston, which ranked ninth in most sacks allowed, and which allowed two sacks to the Colts in both contests last year. Ngakoue has had more sacks in all six seasons of his career than any Colts defensive lineman did last season.
Cornerbacks - IDP Waiver Wire Options
Anthony Brown, DAL
Coming off two straight multi-interception seasons and 59 solo tackles last season, eighth most of all cornerbacks, Brown is rostered in about 30 percent of MFL leagues. For owners with injured corners, Brown is a good replacement for a couple of weeks. In the first five weeks, the ‘Boys face some pass-heavy teams and teams: the Bucs Week 1, the Bengals Week 2, the Giants Week 3, and the Rams Week 5.
Charvarius Ward, SF
After having put up over 50 combined tackles each of his past three seasons in Kansas City, Ward signed with the 49ers. He’s also my new starter in the IDP Guys Invitational for the first couple of weeks while I wait for J.C. Jackson to get healthy. He opens the season against Justin Fields, he of the 3.7% interception rate last season, and follows it up with Geno Smith, who has a 3.7% interception rate in his career.
Safeties - IDP Waiver Wire Options
Darnell Savage, GB
The last time Green Bay played Minnesota with Cousins and Cook healthy, Cousins threw for 341 yards and Savage made six solo tackles and one interception, plus another interception on the field that was overturned. If Dalvin Cook is breaking off long runs and Justin Jefferson is getting open deep, Savage will be the last man standing to take them down. Owned in about 20 percent of MFL leagues, Savage is a good streaming option this week and a serviceable option in safety-specific leagues over the season.
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