Who are some names to know in your IDP leagues after a wild Week 1? Let’s take a look at a list of players who make for potential waiver wire week 2 additions to your IDP squads.
Football is back! After a long offseason wait, we finally made it to week 1 of the regular season. Thursday night’s game kicked off the year in a big way and Sunday’s action definitely didn’t disappoint. We still have one more game Monday night to cap off the action. Waiver wire week 2 pickups, IDP edition, are here to the rescue!
This article was written before the conclusion of that game, so unfortunately it doesn’t include those players. Now it’s time to dive into some potential waiver wire week 2 IDP additions!
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.
Linebacker
Anthony Walker, LB, Cleveland Browns
Week 1 Stats: 9 tackles (8 solos)
Walker was the man in the middle holding it down for the Cleveland defense on Sunday. While the likes of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Mack Wilson, and Sione Takitaki all saw some time, it was a rotation at the other spots.
Walker, on the other hand, played 95% of the defensive snaps and wore the coveted green dot. He went on to have a productive day collecting 9 tackles (8 solos) and is the only startable linebacker in Cleveland at the moment. Walker is likely more of a shallower IDP league waiver add. That being said, scoop him where he’s available.
Cole Holcomb, LB, Washington
Week 1 Stats: 11 tackles (8 solos), 1 QB hit
There was some unknown of what the Washington linebacker rotation would look like out of the gate. Well, it was Cole Holcomb leading the way playing all 81 defensive snaps and also rocking the green dot. Veteran Jon Bostic played 84% of the defensive snaps and rookie Jamin Davis played 56% in his debut.
I fully expect Davis’ role to grow as the year goes on, but early on it seems Holcomb is the guy in Washington. Holcomb makes for a great addition with his current every-down role as he should continue to put up some solid tackle numbers.
Kenny Young, LB, Los Angeles Rams
Week 1 Stats: 10 tackles (5 solos), 1 fumble recovery, 1 pass defended
Leading up to the season, the buzz was Kenny Young and Troy Reeder would be the guys competing for the lead role on the Rams defense. It turns out Young won the job as he played every defensive snap (69), while Reeder played only 19 snaps (28%) in week 1.
While Young has had a rocky start to his career, he was solid Sunday night producing a ten tackle (5 solos) performance while also forcing a fumble. It certainly appears Young is the linebacker to roster in LA for the time being and managers should look to ride the hot hand while they can.
De’Vondre Campbell, LB, Green Bay Packers
Week 1 Stats: 6 tackles (5 solos)
In a bit of a surprise outcome, De’Vondre Campbell led the way in snaps at linebacker for the Green Bay defense. Campbell played 56 snaps (90%) in week 1, while teammate Krys Barnes played 47 snaps (76%). Barnes actually was a bit more productive collecting 8 tackles (7 solos) to Campbell’s 6 tackles (5 solos).
However, if this snap share continues we may have two IDP relevant linebackers here in leagues where you start 3-4 players. Campbell might be on your waiver wire due to Barnes generating more noise this offseason. If this snap trend continues, Campbell could end up being a solid weekly option for IDP managers.
Christian Kirksey, LB, Houston Texans
Week 1 Stats: 6 tackles (5 solos), 2 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 2 passes defended
After a forgettable 2020 campaign, it seems Kirksey has somehow earned himself another chance at IDP relevancy. Kirksey played all 74 of Houston’s defensive snaps and was quite productive with them as his stat line above shows.
In leagues where you need linebacker help/depth, Kirksey is worth an add while he holds down the job next to teammate Zach Cunningham. Just be warned that the injury bug likes to bite Kirskey, so enjoy the production while you can.
Josey Jewell, LB, Denver Broncos
Week 1 Stats: 4 solo tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass defended
While Alexander Johnson is the most talked-about linebacker in Denver these days, it was Josey Jewell leading the way in snaps week 1. Jewell played 100% of the defensive snaps while Johnson played a few less at 84%. Following a busy workload and solid output, Jewell is a fine waiver wire grab should he be available.
Nick Vigil, LB, Minnesota Vikings
Week 1 Stats: 10 tackles (8 solos), 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 QB hit
With teammate Anthony Barr out due to an injury, Nick Vigil was thrust into the starting lineup. Not only did Vigil rock the green dot and play all 69 defensive snaps, but he was also very productive on the day (see stats above).
Vigil’s relevance will depend on Anthony Barr‘s health and availability. In deeper leagues where your linebacker unit could use a boost, Vigil is worth a pickup, just make sure you monitor Barr’s status throughout the week.
Jermaine Carter, LB, Carolina Panthers
Week 1 Stats: 5 tackles (1 solo), 1 QB hit
This suggestion is more of a preemptive add in deeper leagues right now. While Carter didn’t exactly light it up this week, he did play 95% of Carolina’s defensive snaps. Should that snap share continue, Carter could definitely end up being IDP relevant. So if managers have the room in their deeper roster leagues where you start 3-4 players, Carter is worth a look.
Defensive Line/Edge
Von Miller, Edge, Denver Broncos
Week 1 Stats: 3 solo tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 2 QB hits
After missing all of the 2020 season with an ankle injury, all the reports leading up to the season said Miller was feeling good and ready to go. Well, that all turned out to be true. Miller hit the ground running and was back to his old ways wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks. He generated five pressures on the day, converting them into two sacks.
Playing 44 defensive snaps (72%) off the bat, Miller showed he’s healthy and able to handle a solid workload. In leagues where Miller has a DL/Edge designation, he makes for a nice pickup after his big week 1 performance. Even at age 32, Miller showed he still has some juice left in the tank.
John Franklin-Meyers, DE, New York Jets
Week 1 Stats: 3 tackles (2 solos), 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 2 QB hits
If you play IDP fantasy football, then you are probably aware of the Jets’ devastating loss of defensive end Carl Lawson before the season. The question was, who will step up?
Well, in week 1 that guy was John Franklin-Meyers. Franklin-Meyers led the defensive end rotation in snaps playing 44 defensive snaps, good for 69%. He ended up putting those snaps to good use as he notched a sack and two quarterback hits on the day.
Franklin-Meyers had flashed a bit at the end of last season and got himself off to a nice start to this season. The opportunity is there for Franklin-Meyers to take a step this year and showcase his talent. IDP managers in need of DL/Edge help should give Franklin-Meyers a look, especially in your deeper roster leagues.
Javon Hargrave, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
Week 1 Stats: 6 tackles (3 solos), 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 3 QB hits
Hargrave’s first season in Philadelphia was less than ideal last year. He got off to a slow start but was able to pick it up later in the year. This year, that wasn’t the case. Hargrave came out on fire week 1 putting up an impressive stat line of six tackles (three solos), two sacks, and three quarterback hits.
Hargrave was a straight-up problem generating steady pressure from the interior. Playing 40 snaps (56%) this week, one less than Fletcher Cox, Hargrave has a firm role among the Philadelphia defensive line.
I’ve always been a believer in Hargrave’s talent and love seeing him getting off to such a fast start. In defensive tackle-required leagues, Hargrave is a fantastic waiver wire add. He’s also worth a roster spot in DL grouped formats where you start 3-4 players.
Larry Ogunjobi, DT, Cincinnati Bengals
Week 1 stats: 4 solo tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 QB hit
I always like showing love to the big fellas in the trenches when I can. We have another one here in veteran Larry Ogunjobi. In his first game with Cincinnati, Ogunjobi had a really nice showing (see stat line above) and led all interior linemen in snaps with 59 (71%). In defensive tackle required formats, Ogunjobi is a fine addition for managers looking to bolster their DT spot.
Defensive Backs
Rayshawn Jenkins, S, Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 1 stats: 6 solo tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 QB hit, 1 pass defended
A big offseason addition to the Jaguar defense, Jenkins was a busy man in his first game. He played all 78 of Jacksonville’s defensive snaps and produced a solid IDP outing.
One of the promising things from Jenkins’ usage in week 1, was that he played about half his snaps up in the box. If he continues to be deployed this way going forward, it should lead to some nice IDP production this season. Jenkins is a fantastic waiver wire grab for managers in need of safety help.
Marcus Maye, S, New York Jets
Week 1 Stats: 8 tackles (5 solos)
Marcus Maye is another safety who didn’t get a break this past week as he played all 64 of the Jets’ defensive snaps. Maye saw just over half his snaps up in the box, which aided him in putting up eight tackles (five solos) on the day.
With his healthy snap share and box safety role, Maye is set up for a solid 2021 output. Maye’s role is conducive to IDP production and making him a good add for managers looking to add to their safety unit.
Logan Ryan, S, New York Giants
Week 1 Stats: 10 tackles (8 solos), 1 tackle for loss, 1 QB hit, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery
There were certainly some questions on how the Giants would deploy their safeties with the likes of Jabrill Peppers, Xavier McKinney, and Logan Ryan on the roster. Well, I’ll say it’s not quite what I expected. McKinney and Ryan were the mainstays as they played 95% and 92% of the defensive snaps respectively. Surprisingly, Peppers only played 45% of the defensive snaps, not what I expected.
Ryan had himself a heck of a day (see stat line above) and seems to have a prominent role in the secondary. Keep an eye on this situation going forward, but right now Ryan certainly looks to be a solid waiver wire addition.
Jalen Ramsey, CB, Los Angeles Rams
Week 1 Stats: 9 tackles (7 solos), 2 tackles for loss, 1 pass defended
This offseason, there was a lot of talk about how Jalen Ramsey would be used and where he would line up. Ramsey started seeing time in the slot last season, playing the Rams “star” position rather than just playing out wide. The talk was he would see more time at “star” this year and The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue wrote a fantastic article about it at the end of last month.
In week 1, Ramsey played all 69 defensive snaps and it seemed like he was everywhere impacting the game. Of his 69 snaps, Ramsey played 37 of them from the slot per PFF. For IDP, this is exactly what we want to see. By being moved around, Ramsey can no longer be avoided on the outside.
In cornerback required formats, Ramsey is a great pickup if available. Ramsey also has appeal in grouped DB formats, as playing closer to the line provides him a higher tackle floor.
Conclusion
First off, thanks for tuning in to the first edition of this year’s IDP waiver wire. I had a blast writing this article last year and hope I was able to help a few IDP managers along the way. We saw some surprises in week 1 and I expect to see more as the season progresses. This makes staying active very important as injuries and possible role changes pop up.
There are many IDP leagues and formats out there, so I did my best to provide a broad enough list of players as we head into week 2. Thanks again for tuning in and let’s do it again next week!
To get the low-down on everything IDP relevant in week 1, make sure you check out Johny The Greek’s “The Monster” dropping on Thursday!
Thanks for taking the time to read my article, I hope you enjoyed it and found it helpful. You can find my work here at idpguys.org and follow me on Twitter @KBellf54. I’m always available for any questions or feedback you may have and my DMs are always open.
