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Fantasy Football IDP Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 16

Fantasy Football IDP Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 16

This is it. Week 16 is at last upon us and IDP fantasy championships are at stake. No offense intended for folks that incorporate Week 17 into their championships, but this will be the last IDP waiver wire article of the season. That being said, I’m not going away as there will be an IDP season recap and look ahead coming up soon.

That can wait since we have serious business to attend to. With this being the last kick at the waiver can, these are not just pick up suggestions, but also players that should be in starting lineups. After all, what would be the point in grabbing a player to stash with one last game to go? Let’s do this. Here is a look at the final IDP waiver wire options of the season. Good luck to all!

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Josh Allen (DL – JAC): 21% owned (5% FAAB)
The rookie defensive end just keeps rolling along after putting up another sack last week and now leads the team with 10 on the season. He also leads the team in total quarterback pressures with 37. Due to a shoulder issue that briefly kept him out of the game, he played just 39% of the snaps, but should be good to go this week. Through 14 games, he is putting up top-20 defensive linemen totals in balanced scoring formats. The matchup this week is a very good one against a Falcons’ offense that has allowed 16 sacks in the past three games. The defensive line position has accounted for 11 of those sacks and he is a must-start.

Maxx Crosby (DL – OAK): 26% owned (4% FAAB)
It is nice to see Crosby sitting at just a 26% ownership percentage as he is just the type of player to push IDP teams over the top in Week 16. Playing 77% of the snaps last week, he put up another sack and now has a team-high 8.5 on the season. The rookie out of Eastern Michigan has been an IDP standout and also leads the team in total quarterback pressures with 25 as well as hits with 13. He is currently putting up top-20 defensive linemen numbers through 14 games. The matchup this week works in his favor against a struggling Chargers’ offense that turned the ball over seven times last week. They have allowed 10 sacks to opposing defensive linemen over the last four games along with two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Shelby Harris (DL – DEN): 6% owned (3% FAAB)
With Derek Wolfe (elbow) out for the season, the Broncos’ defense has seen Harris step up as a pass-rushing threat to compliment outside linebacker Von Miller. After playing a season-high 84% of the snaps last week, he put up three total tackles and two sacks. In his past five games, he has 14 total tackles, five tackles for a loss, five sacks, and a forced fumble. Since Week 11, he has been putting up top-10 defensive linemen numbers in balanced scoring formats. This week he faces a banged-up Lions offensive line that has allowed 13 sacks in the past three games. He can be had cheap and pay immediate dividends in this positive Week 16 matchup.

Donald Payne (LB – JAC): 12% owned (5% FAAB)
We suggested picking up Payne last week and apparently folks were hesitant to do so as he is still sitting at only 12% owned. There were mid-week rumors that the Jaguars’ defense would be tinkering with their linebacker rotation and perhaps he would see fewer snaps. That was not the case so he needs to be picked up this week. After playing 100% of the snaps last week, he put up his third straight game with at least 13 total tackles. In the past three weeks, he had 24 solo tackles, 41 total tackles, and a sack. Every-down linebackers on teams with struggling offenses are fantasy gold at this crucial point in the season. The matchup with Atlanta is a solid one and he is a very strong starting option in championship week.

Joe Walker (LB – ARI): 1% owned (4% FAAB)
At this crucial point in the season, it’s advisable to get as many every-down linebackers into the lineup as possible. Over the past three games, Walker has been close to that playing an average of 94% of the defensive snaps. Last week, he put up seven total tackles as well as a forced fumble. In the past three games, he is averaging five solo tackles per game and has 18 total. The matchup this week against the Seahawks’ offense is a positive one. They are rushing the ball roughly 47% of the time on the season, offering up plenty of tackle opportunities. In their past three games, they have allowed four different linebackers to reach double-digit tackles against their offense, including a 17-total tackle performance by Luke Kuechly last week.

Tyrann Mathieu (DB – KC): 24% owned (5% FAAB)
It’s been an up and down first season in Kansas City for Mathieu, but things are definitely trending up. Playing 100% of the snaps last week, he finished with five solo tackles, a sack, and two passes defended. He’s proven to be very durable this season, having played 100% of the snaps in all but four games. He has also picked up his big-play production over the last four games. In that time, he has two interceptions as well as a sack to go along with 20 total tackles. The Chiefs’ defense has brought him on the blitz 35 times on the season and that trend is likely to continue this week at Chicago. Over the past four games, the Bears’ offense has been a top-10 unit in allowing points to opposing defensive backs.

Jourdan Lewis (DB – DAL): 0% owned (4% FAAB)
Alternating between cornerback and safety, he has been producing in all facets of the game. After playing 79% of the snaps last week, he finished with six total tackles, a sack, and a pass defended. More importantly, he been a big-play machine over his last three games and has now put up three sacks as well as an interception. The tackle production over that time has also been solid, as he’s averaging 5.6 per game. The matchup this week is a strong one in the big NFC East showdown against Philadelphia. In the last three games, the Eagles’ offense has been a top-12 unit in allowing production to opposing defensive backs. In the Week 7 meeting between the teams, Lewis put up four solo tackles and a sack.

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Walton Spurlin is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Walton, check out his archive and follow him @waltonspurlin.

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