Navigating the IDP landscape can be a perilous journey as the season unwinds. It becomes a battle of attrition as the injuries mount on a weekly basis. Then there are the bye weeks to contend with as they also deplete the talent pool. Well, buckle your collective seat belts as the NFL schedule makers decided that Week 10 would be a good time for six teams to be on their bye weeks.
Apparently, the schedule makers are not huge fantasy football fans. Ah well, we do not hang our heads, we press on regardless. With the fantasy playoffs merely weeks away, we will be digging deep down the stat sheets and rosters, to find the best possible waiver options to give teams that edge they need to gain a victory in Week 10.
The ownership percentages listed are from CBS sports leagues. Keep in mind that Denver, Houston, Jacksonville, New England, Philadelphia, and Washington are on their bye weeks. Sigh.
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Chris Jones (DL – KC): 25% owned (4% FAAB)
The veteran defensive tackle returned last week after missing multiple games with groin and core issues. The Chiefs’ defense desperately needed a boost to their pass rush with both Alex Okafor (ankle) and Frank Clark (neck) out of the lineup. He stepped up with three total tackles, one sack, one tackle for a loss, and was credited with two quarterback hits. He should be able to add to his sack total in Week 10 in a positive matchup. On the season, the Titans’ offense allows the most fantasy production to opposing defensive linemen. Through the first nine games, they have allowed 27.5 sacks to the position.
Bruce Irvin (DL – CAR): 6% owned (2% FAAB)
In a lean market for defensive linemen due to injuries and bye weeks, IDP owners could do worse than the veteran Irvin. After missing the first three games with a hamstring issue he has been more than serviceable since returning to the field. While he is coming off a down Week 9 performance that saw him register a single assisted tackle, he did post a pair of sacks against San Francisco in Week 8. Since returning in Week 4, he has put up 13 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, and has been credited with six quarterback hits. In the last three games, the Packers’ offense has allowed an average of two sacks per game to opposing defensive linemen.
Olivier Vernon (DL – CLE): 20% owned (3% FAAB)
After a very slow start to the season that saw him post just one sack in the first six games, Vernon has finally picked up his pace. He has posted a sack in back-to-back games and has been putting up solid tackle totals. In the past three games, he has put up 12 solo tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, and has been credited with five quarterback hits. Over the last four weeks, he is putting up top-20 defensive linemen numbers in balanced scoring formats. There is one caveat with this waiver wire suggestion. He left Week 9 late in the game with an apparent leg injury. While he did walk off under his own power, we will need to monitor practice reports out of Cleveland this week.
Harold Landry (LB – TEN): 16% owned (3% FAAB)
The second-year edge-rushing outside linebacker has been having an outstanding 2019 campaign. With defensive end Jurrell Casey sitting out with a shoulder issue the 23-year-old Landry took over as the main man on the Titans’ defense. Last week, he put up eight total tackles, two tackles for a loss, a sack, and an interception. In his last three games, he has racked up 15 total tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, one recovered fumble, and an interception. In that time, he is putting up top-10 linebacker totals in most balanced scoring formats. On the season, he has set career highs in total tackles (44) sacks (six), as well as fumble recoveries (two), and interceptions (one). He is currently a top- 20 linebacker and needs to be added in all scoring formats.
Fred Warner (LB – SF): 28% owned (6% FAAB)
It’s nice to see Warner come in at a 28% owned rate that keeps him just under the 30% total that we use as the cut off line for waiver wire adds. With Kwon Alexander out for the season with a pectoral injury, the second-year linebacker will once again be the main man in the middle of the 49ers’ defense. When pressed into the main role last season as a rookie, he put up 124 total tackles, and two big plays, finishing as a top-20 scoring linebacker. Last week, he tied his season-high for tackles in a game, putting up nine total against Arizona. This week, he faces a Seahawks offense that just allowed the duo of Lavonte David and Devin White to put up 21 total tackles, and two forced fumbles against them.
Zach Brown (LB – ARI): 7% owned (1% FAAB)
Let’s get ahead of the curve here by grabbing the veteran Brown on the cheap. After being released by Philadelphia after Week 6, the Cardinals signed him last week, and it shouldn’t take him long to secure a major role in the defense. Much to the disappointment of Haason Reddick owners, the Cardinals’ defense has been using journeyman linebacker Joe Walker in an expanded role, but appear to be looking for a proven upgrade. Walker is coming off a season-high 11 total tackles last week, while playing 57% of the snaps, to just 45% for Reddick. Look for Brown to supplant him sooner rather than later and be lining up opposite Jordan Hicks. In six games with Philadelphia, he had 31 total tackles, with two tackles for a loss.
Erik Harris (DB – OAK): 2% owned (2% FAAB)
It took three weeks before the Raiders’ defense decided to elevate Harris into a full-time role at safety. To say it has paid off nicely would be a vast understatement. Last week, he put up a season-high 11 total tackles and was credited with one tackle for a loss in the Raiders victory over Detroit. Since taking over a full-time role in Week 4, he has put up 33 total tackles and has an interception return for a touchdown. Those are top-10 defensive backs totals in balanced scoring formats. The matchup on Thursday night is a favorable one. Last week, the Chargers’ offense allowed 19 total tackles to the Packers’ safeties. Pick up Harris and get him in the starting lineup in Week 10.
Tavon Wilson (DB – DET): 1% owned (2% FAAB)
The Lions’ secondary has been in a state of flux due to injuries and a surprising trade. Two weeks ago they traded starting safety Quandre Diggs to the Seahawks and starting strong safety Tracy Walker is missing time due to a knee injury. Detroit has turned to the veteran Wilson as the starting strong safety and he has not disappointed. Last week, playing 94% of the snaps, he led the secondary in total tackles with eight. In the past four games, he has put up 22 total tackles along with a fumble recovery. He is a willing tackler that is often utilized in an in-the-box, off-ball linebacker role. The matchup with the Bears’ offense is a very favorable one. In the past two games, they are allowing an average of 28 total tackles per game to opposing defensive backs, and have allowed five big plays to the position.
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Walton Spurlin is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Walton, check out his archive and follow him @waltonspurlin.
