Four IDP waiver adds and two team defenses to stream that can swing your Week 10 matchup.
The IDP Week 10 waivers have four defenders worth an add: Giants linebacker Micah McFadden, Jets defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, Texans defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins, and Patriots linebacker Elijah Ponder. On the team defense side, stream the Green Bay Packers at home against Minnesota. If they’re gone, the Cincinnati Bengals at home against Pittsburgh are a solid backup for Week 10.
Every pick comes from my Frankenstein creation fantasy tool, which grades players on stats through Week 9 and then adjusts for this week’s opponent. IDP scoring changes a lot from league to league, so each projection below is a range. The low end fits tackle-heavy leagues. The high end fits big-play leagues that pay more for sacks and tackles for loss. Team defense projections use standard D/ST scoring: 1 point per sack, 2 per turnover, plus points-allowed tiers. Also, the Bears, Broncos, Eagles, and Buccaneers are on bye this week.
Best IDP Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickups
McFadden is the safest add of the four from your Week 10 waiver wire add. Fitzpatrick brings the steadiest tackle floor at defensive back. Rankins is the pick if your league requires a defensive lineman, and Ponder is the big-play swing with long-term upside.
Micah McFadden – New York Giants – LB
McFadden highlights the strongest add off waivers for Week 10 as a linebacker who played every defensive snap for New York in Week 9. That volume gives him the safest floor of any defender on the IDP Week 10 waiver wire. In Week 9, he posted 5 solo tackles, 4 assists, a sack, and 2 QB hits. He also has 3 tackles for loss in just 5 games, so he adds some big-play juice on top of the tackles.
The matchup is the one knock. McFadden hosts Washington on Thursday night, and the model gives him a matchup grade of 59 out of 100 (the higher the number, the more advantageous the matchup). However, the Giants are 2.5-point home favorites in a game with a 41.5-point total, which points to a close, grind-it-out game. That usually means plenty of snaps for the Giants defense, which keeps the tackle chances coming.
As a result, I’m projecting him for 7.8 to 9.2 points, the highest ceiling in this group.
Bottom line: McFadden is the add for managers who want a steady, every-week linebacker even beyond this week’s waiver wire.
Minkah Fitzpatrick – New York Jets – DB
Fitzpatrick has 26 solo tackles and 27 assists in 6 games. That is rare tackle production for a defensive back still sitting on waivers. He also played 87% of New York’s defensive snaps, so he rarely leaves the field. His Week 10 home game against Buffalo earns a matchup grade of 55.
However, the Bills are 8.5-point favorites with a 29.5-point implied total, which usually means long drives and plenty of tackle chances for the Jets secondary. I’m projecting from 7.6 to 7.9 points. That narrow range shows how steady he is across scoring formats.Still, the projection can’t fully price in his ball skills. He has an interception and 3 passes defended this year, and one more pick can push him well past that range.
Bottom line: Fitzpatrick is a strong play in any format, and he’s the top waiver add in tackle-heavy leagues, which is why I like him so much in Week 10 off waivers.
Sheldon Rankins – Houston Texans – DL
DLRankins is a rotational lineman who played 67% of Houston’s defensive snaps. Because of that, his floor is lower than McFadden’s or Fitzpatrick’s, and I project him for 5.8 to 8.0 points. That said, his pass rush is heating up. Rankins had 2 sacks and 2 QB hits in Week 9, and he has 4 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, and 8 QB hits on the year.
His trip to Cleveland also earns a matchup grade of 78, the best of the three main waiver adds for Week 10. The Browns have allowed a league-high 38 sacks, and Houston is a 4.5-point favorite.
Bottom line: Rankins is the pick for leagues that require a defensive lineman.
Elijah Ponder – New England Patriots – LB
Ponder is the high-risk pivot. He has the model’s top matchup grade (79) of this group. He has also piled up 7.5 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, and 13 QB hits in 9 games. However, he has only 14 solo tackles, so his floor is thin in tackle-heavy leagues, and I project 4.7 to 7.0 points. So treat him as an upside swap in big-play leagues, not a safe weekly starter. Detroit’s 51.5-point total also means New England’s defense should see plenty of dropbacks to rush.
Bottom line: add in a favorable matchup for Week 10 and this waiver add could save your matchup.
Week 10 Team Defenses to Stream
Neither the Packers nor the Bengals are in FantasyData’s top 100 most-rostered players this week, and ESPN has Green Bay at about 19% rostered. In other words, both defenses should be sitting on most waiver wires.
Green Bay Packers – D/ST
The Packers host Minnesota as 4.5-point favorites, and the Vikings’ implied total is just 18.5 points. That combination gives Green Bay a safe points-allowed floor. I’m projecting 8.9 points, the better of the two streams. The turnover upside is real, too. Green Bay’s defense has 26 sacks, 13 interceptions, and 6 fumble recoveries through 9 games. Meanwhile, the Vikings scored just 6 points in Week 9 with Carson Wentz under center.
Bottom line: The Packers are the top D/ST stream of Week 10.
Cincinnati Bengals – D/ST
The Bengals are the higher-risk option. They host Pittsburgh as 3.5-point favorites, and the Steelers’ implied total is 22.5 points. The game’s 48.5-point total is also one of the higher ones on the Week 10 board. As a result, Cincinnati will likely give up some points. So this is a bet on sacks and turnovers, not a shutout. The Bengals have 23 sacks and 12 takeaways in 8 games, and they held Atlanta to 17 points last week. The model projects 7.0 points.
Bottom line: Grab the Bengals if the Packers are gone or you need a second stream.
Before You Lock In Your IDP Week 10 Waiver Wire Adds
Week 10 injury reports start Wednesday, so these projections don’t include practice news yet. Check each player’s status Thursday or Friday before you set your lineup. Also, McFadden plays Thursday night. If you’re choosing between him and a Sunday option, lock him in early. Add the above IDP and D/ST Week 10 waivers for your IDP+ advantage, and THAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE!
