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Jacob Phillips

IDP Waiver Wire Adds: Preseason Week 2

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Who are some IDP names to know after a week of preseason games? Let’s look at some players and see who makes for potential IDP waiver wire additions (or late-round targets) to your squads.

Over the past few days, every NFL team took the field and provided a glimpse into what they plan to do this year. Even players resting can be helpful information, telling you how important they are to a team. The following players make for potential IDP waiver wire adds or late-round targets. Hope your drafts or the waiver wires are kind to you this week!

This week, with the first data point of games, we’ll dive into specific players. These guys may not hold the role discussed, but reports in camps or gameplay have been promising. Without further ado, let’s dive into some of the players to add or watch.

Disclaimer: All league sizes and formats are different. Meaning some of these players may or may not be available in your league. Each week I’ll be doing my best to cover a wide enough base of scenarios. If you ever have any league-specific questions, I’m always willing to help, and so is our fantastic team here at IDP Guys.

Linebackers

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Jacob Phillips, LB, Cleveland Browns

As a player I highlighted as an AFC Sleeper, it was super exciting to see Jacob Phillips rocking the green dot with the first team defense. Wearing the green dot means he’s relaying plays from the sidelines, and only one player on each side of the ball does it. This is usually reserved for full-time players, so it appears Phillips is on his way to the starting MLB role.

It’s not a lock yet, Anthony Walker did start camp injured. This is a promising first step, however, toward a big role. In 2021, he only started one game, tallying nine tackles, a sack, and two passes defended. Obviously, that type of production is hard to expect on a weekly basis, but it’s just a sampling of the talent Phillips has. Excited to see if he can keep the starting MLB role.

Jamin Davis, LB, Washington Commanders

Jamin Davis struggled to carve out any consistency as a rookie in Washington last season. Davis was in and out of the starting lineup as the team couldn’t find the best ways to utilize him. Clearly, they’re still high on him, as their 2021 first-round pick, 19th overall. 2022 looks to be the year he could really show the league what he can do if preseason week one holds.

While the above tweet is about his teammate, Davis seeing 100% of the snaps with the first team defense is fantastic in the WILL role. Davis played 56% of the snaps in 2021 and tallied 76 tackles and a sack. Obviously, he’s not playing all the snaps, but even bumping that up to 75-80%, that would put him at over 100 tackles. Additional growth is likely as he gets more comfortable too! Love to see it.

Darrian Beavers, LB, New York Giants

This one isn’t about 2022 most likely. The Giants project to have Blake Martinez lined up next to Tae Crowder as their starting LBs. Martinez is returning from injury, though, and has been having his reps managed. Whenever he gets a snap or a day off, who’s coming on for him? Rookie sixth-round LB Darrian Beavers.

Beavers started the game wearing the green dot for the Giants in week one of the preseason. He was the heartbeat of the Cincinnati Bearcats defense that made the college football playoffs last year. Reports are that he’s being groomed to take on the role in 2023 after Martinez’s contract expires. I’m not looking to pay much on a speculative addition, but stashes like this can really help in a rebuild.

Defensive Line/Edge

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Carl Lawson, DE, New York Jets

A guy who seems to be the forgotten man to start 2022, Carl Lawson is returning from an Achilles injury in 2021 training camp. While scary for RBs, the injury should be less of a concern for Lawson getting back to normal. All the reports out of camp are he’s fully back a year later. Coach Robert Saleh admitted he held Lawson out week one as a precaution, which likely changes this coming week.

The Jets struggled to generate pressure in 2021. Lawson, back in 2020 with the Bengals, was given an 84.9 pass-rush grade per Pro Football Focus. That would’ve been top 12 at edge in 2021. The Jets added a running mate in Jermaine Johnson and lock down CB in Ahmad Gardner, both of which will only help improve the Jets team, and Lawson will benefit. Don’t overlook him due to the lost 2021 season.

Boye Mafe, DE, Seattle Seahawks

There’s a reasonable chance this one doesn’t help you at all to start the season. Boye Mafe didn’t play with the starters this week against the Steelers. That didn’t stop the rookie second-rounder from putting up two sacks in his preseason debut, though. Mafe has the look of an explosive pass rusher, something Seattle desperately needs, and if he continues, expect a rise up depth charts.

Mafe racked up 15 total sacks in his college career at Minnesota, including 7 as a senior. He’s also a strong athlete, running a 4.53 40-yard dash, on par with many smaller skill guys. Pete Carroll is heaping praise onto Mafe already, comparing the young man to Cliff Avril. Hopefully, Mafe continues his momentum from week one, keep an eye on him as the preseason goes along.

Alim McNeill, DT, Detroit Lions

Recommending a second-year DT with only two sacks is not something that’s the most comfortable. That being said, the Lions are transitioning from a 3-4 defense to a 4-3 front more regularly, and one player that was highlighted as a beneficiary by coaches? Alim McNeill. He’s got the size and strength and quickness to be a penetrating type and boost those pressures.

McNeill played limited snaps most of the year as a rookie but saved his best for last. In weeks 17 and 18, he played 65 snaps total and had two of his three highest graded games per Pro Football Focus. Then, 14 of his 39 tackles as well as 2 sacks came in the final five weeks of last year. If he can maintain that pace, that’d be 48 tackles and 8 sacks. While I wouldn’t project that sack production, I’m intrigued by the potential.

Defensive Backs

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Richie Grant, CB/S (?), Atlanta Falcons

Richie Grant‘s rookie season was one to forget, both for him and for IDP players. I’m ready to get hurt again if that’s what happens, but one week of the preseason has me right back in. He didn’t have a defined role and did a bit of everything as a rookie. His coach and the beat reporters are hyping him up again.

He’s been one of the few players who’ve been able to somewhat cover young TE Kyle Pitts. While he failed to tally any statistics, he played 12 snaps with the starting defense in week one of the preseason. He’s definitely a player I’m watching as the preseason goes along. Hopefully, Atlanta moves him around a bit more though, as eight snaps were from the deep alignment. Something to keep an eye on.

Rayshawn Jenkins, S, Jacksonville Jaguars

Rayshawn Jenkins was brought in by an older regime but is still looking like a big part of this defense. The defensive struggles and overall dysfunction in Jacksonville likely lead to what was a down year from an expectation standpoint. Jenkins failed to reach his tackle totals from 2020 and didn’t come down with a single pick in 2021.

The clip above makes me really excited for the 2022 version of Jenkins. The Jaguars have added all over the defense, adding great pieces at LB and the top pick in the draft along the line. All those pieces will help put Jenkins in a better spot to make plays. He played the majority of his snaps from the box against the Browns this past week, a great sign for his statistics to rebound in 2022.

Tavierre Thomas, CB, Houston Texans

2021 was a breakout season for Tavierre Thomas in his fourth season, and first in Houston. As the starting slot CB in Lovie Smith’s scheme, Thomas tallied two picks but 86 total tackles. Now he’s got a new lockdown teammate on the outside in top five pick Derek Stingley from LSU. The team also added Steven Nelson from Philadelphia.

Thomas started the preseason game as the slot corner this past week. He played 9 of his 11 snaps in the slot, but as you can see above, he seems to be getting looks on the outside too. A slot CB who kicks outside when in base defense? That’s a great option for any CB-specific spots, and having a high-end guy on the other side will only lead to more looks for picks and tackles.

Conclusion

Trying to read between the lines of what coaches are doing in the preseason can be a challenge, I hope the information was helpful and informative. As we get into joint practices this week and starters play more snaps in games, we’ll gather more data to pass along. I look forward to helping as many of you as possible win titles this fantasy season — football is back!

To get the low-down on everything IDP relevant from the full slate of games this week, check out Matt Record‘s IDP Rundown – Reaction and Analysis for Preseason Week 1!

Thank you for reading my article! Please remember to follow me for more content via Twitter @FFFBallers  and @IDPGuys as well as check out my IDP Guys author page and the IDP Guys website.

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