Week 5 is in the books, and IDP managers are furiously scouring the waiver wire for impact additions. The first few weeks of the season always provide some new and some old options to consider, some of which will impact IDP starters for the rest of the season. The names below all seem to qualify and may very well be available in your leagues. Let’s take a look at some of the names that are worth some of your free agent budget.
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Greg Rousseau (DE – BUF): 5% rostered on Yahoo
Greg Rousseau has been a revelation for the Buffalo Bills. Up to three sacks on the season after a four solo, one assist, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended performance against the Kansas City Chiefs, Rousseau has emerged as one of the most promising young pass rushers in the league and is the DL19 through five weeks of action. He is creating pressures and looks destined to bounce back up over the 55 percent snap mark. Consistent snaps are the only thing holding him back from steady production on a deep Bills defensive line. With the byes now here, Rousseau is locked in as a DL2/DE2 option. Add and start him with confidence going forward.
Everson Griffen (DE – MIN): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Everson Griffen has been excellent in his return to the Minnesota Vikings. Once again creating havoc alongside superstar pass rusher Danielle Hunter, Griffen is up to four sacks on the season. He tallied two solos, two assists, two sacks, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble in Week 5 and should be even better during the byes. He has finally moved above the 70 percent snap mark, and more snaps mean more opportunities for production. It was a bit of a lost year for Griffen in 2020, but he is back to form and looks like a safe bet to threaten double-digit sacks when all is said and done. Griffen should be scooped up immediately and started going forward,
Trey Hendrickson (DE – CIN): 2% rostered on Yahoo
Hendrickson should not still be available in 98 percent of Yahoo leagues. Coming off a 13.5 sack season, Hendrickson came into Week 5 with a solid 2.5 sacks and had appeared in this column after a two game sack streak. For whatever reason, fantasy managers were not biting. Now after a two solo, two assist, two sack, two tackle for loss outing in Week 6, fantasy managers are going to have to surrender a significant portion of their waiver budget to add the Bengals pass rusher. Hendrickson has a tremendous schedule over the next three weeks and could provide DE1 value. Add him wherever possible.
K’Lavon Chaisson (DE/LB – JAC): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Chaisson had been quiet up until Week 5 but exploded for three solos, three assists, one sack, and two tackles for loss against the Titans. Chaisson finally crept up over the 50 percent snap mark in Week 5, and the hope is that after his productive day that he will jump over the 60 percent mark going forward. Regardless of what the Jags staff does regarding his snap count in the coming weeks, Chaisson is a shrewd add with the bye weeks now upon us. He is a high-level talent with a plus matchup in each of his next two games (Miami, Seattle). He will be a borderline DE2 option during the byes and should be added where available.
Yannick Ngakoue (DE – LV): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Ngakoue notched his first two sacks of the season in Week 5 and is back on the fantasy radar just in time for the byes. Yannick logged three solos, two sacks, and one tackle for loss against Chicago in Week 5 and has three plus matchups in his next three games. His lack of production for most of the season makes him hard to trust as anything more than a borderline DE2 for Week 6, but with another strong outing, he will morph into a bye week DE2 who can stay in the conversation even after the byes wrap up. Add the former Pro Bowler wherever possible.
Haason Reddick (DE/LB – CAR): 7% rostered on Yahoo
Reddick has been elite this season and is part of the reason that the Carolina Panthers defense has been such an impact unit. Second, in the league with 6.5 sacks, Reddick tallied six solos, two assists, two sacks, and two tackles for loss in Week 5 and looks all but certain to surpass the career-high 13.5 sacks he put up last season. The DL9 through five weeks of play, Reddick has finally come into his own and should be rostered in all competitive leagues, even in those where he qualifies as a linebacker only (I’m staring at you, Yahoo). While not a comparable talent overall, Reddick has pushed himself into the T.J. Watt, Chandler Jones, Khalil Mack territory of explosive outside linebacker edge rushers. Roster Reddick everywhere, even if it is just to block your opponents.
Harold Landry (DE/LB – TEN): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Landry is up to 4.5 sacks on the season and is on pace to reach double digits for the first time in his career. Landry is the rare edge rusher who also provides consistent production in the tackle department, making him all the more valuable on providers where he qualifies for the defensive line/defensive end. Landry finished Week 5 with six solos, one assist, two sacks, and two tackles for loss and has proven that he needs to be rostered even on archaic providers that list him as a linebacker only. The byes are here, which means top-tier edge rushers increase in value regardless of positional labeling. Add Landry wherever possible and enjoy the ride.
Matt Judon (DE/LB – NE): 8% rostered on Yahoo
Matt Judon has been excellent for the Patriots this season. He is tied for second in the league with 6.5 sacks and is coming off a two solo, two assist, two sack, two tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery performance in Week 5. Judon has always been a top-flight pass rushing option. However, positional labeling has kept his rostered numbers down. No more. Judon can be counted among the elite edge rushers and should be scooped up where available. He has a sack in four straight games, and with more plus matchups on the horizon, there is no telling when his streak will end. Add Judon wherever possible as a borderline DE1/LB2 for the bye weeks.
Quincy Williams (LB – NYJ): 8% rostered on Yahoo
Quincy Williams was strong again in Week 5 and is firmly entrenched in the LB2 conversation going forward, especially during the byes. Williams racked up five solos, three assists, one tackle for loss, and two forced fumbles against the Atlanta Falcons and has now produced at an LB1 level for three straight weeks. He should not require as much of your waiver budget as some other names on this list due to being on bye in Week 6 but should be scooped up immediately wherever available. He is finally coming into his own as a linebacker and should be one of the more consistent contributors thanks to consistent tackle opportunities against both the run and the pass.
Christian Kirksey (LB – HOU): 13% rostered on Yahoo
Kirksey has been one of the more consistent producers at the linebacker position this season and is currently the LB11 overall. He was strong again in Week 5, racking up six solos, six assists, and a pass defended. He is rostered in 13 percent of Yahoo leagues, so he is getting there in terms of being ineligible for this column (15 percent rostered cutoff), but the numbers should be much higher. There is nothing standing in the way of Kirksey continuing to produce at an LB1 level, so it behooves fantasy managers to act now. He has three plus matchups on deck and should be viewed as an LB1 option during the byes. Add Kirksey wherever possible, even if it is just to block a rival.
Vonn Bell (S – CIN): 13% rostered on Yahoo
Bell started the season a little slow but is back to the consistent IDP force we have come to expect. He tallied eight solos, one assist, and three tackles for loss in Week 5 and is back in the DB2 conversation. His down games in plus matchups are still a concern, but he is not the first and will not be the last, IDP mainstay to start a season slowly. He has three excellent matchups in a row and should be a boon to any fantasy roster. Add Bell where needed as a high-level DB2 option during the byes.
Tracy Walker (S – DET): 4% rostered on Yahoo
Walker finally got back on track in Week 5, to the tune of seven solos, two assists, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended. He fell off the face of the earth after a scorching Week 1 but got it going again just in time for the byes. Walker has a plus matchup in each of the next three weeks and is a strong DB2 option during the bye weeks. Add Walker where available.
Nasir Adderley (S – LAC): 7% rostered on Yahoo
Adderley has been excellent this season but is still available in far too many leagues. He has been a borderline S1 through five weeks of play. Adderley posted seven solos, one assist, and one tackle for loss in Week 5 and should continue to produce at a high level for the Chargers defense. He has a bye in Week 7 but has three straight plus matchups, making him a potential DB1/S1 option for the next few weeks. Add Adderley wherever needed.
Quandre Diggs (S – SEA): 11% rostered on Yahoo
Quandre Diggs is the DB10 through five weeks of action and needs to be added in all leagues. He was excellent again in Week 5, recording five solos, one interception, and one pass defended. He is in the midst of his best season and should continue to flirt with high-end DB1 value during the byes. The sample is large enough to believe in the jump in production. Scoop up the safety wherever needed.
Kyle Dugger (LB/S – NE): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Dugger tallied five solos and five assists in Week 5 and is rounding back into the DB1 level form he teased fantasy managers with to open the season. He has bounced back after a down Week 2 and Week 3 and followed up a strong Week 4 with five solos and five assists in Week 5. Dugger was held off the tackle for loss ledger for the first time this season but still delivered for fantasy managers. IDP managers should look to add Dugger as a bye week filler, now, while monitoring snap counts once Jamie Collins is active. Dugger is too versatile to be left off the field, but less snaps at linebacker could affect his weekly ceiling and floor. Add Dugger wherever possible.
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.