Week 2 is now in the books. There are numerous storylines to track, but perhaps the most significant is the new names that have emerged as potential IDP stars. There were a lot of defensive fireworks in Week 2, so there are more than a few intriguing names on the waiver wire in leagues of all sizes. Let’s take a look at some of the names that may be worth some of your free agent budget.
Defensive End
Aidan Hutchinson (DE – DET): 10% rostered on Yahoo
After being held off the sack sheet in Week 1, Aidan Hutchinson broke out against the Washington Commanders with three first half sacks. He finished the afternoon with five solos, one assist, three sacks, and two tackles for loss. On 16 percent of Yahoo rosters prior to Week 1, take advantage of impatient rival managers if you happen to find yourself in a league where he was dropped. Yes, it came against the Commanders and Carson Wentz, but this may be the start of his ascension to the DL1 conversation. Hutchinson should be rostered wherever possible.
Randy Gregory (DE – DAL): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Inching closer to 100 percent, Randy Gregory saw a significant snap increase in Week 2, staying on the field for 42 snaps compared to just 26 in Week 1. He was able to parlay the extra playing time into production and should maintain this level of involvement going forward. Gregory recorded two solos, one assist, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble and should only get better as his familiarity with the system improves. Gregory is a DL2 option against San Francisco for Week 3 and should stay in that conversation for the bulk of the season. Make the add where needed.
Boye Mafe (DE – SEA): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Boye continues to play a limited role for the Seahawks defense but appears to be finding his footing, recording four solos, one sack, and one tackle for loss on just 23 snaps. The snap count is an improvement over the 19 he saw in Week 1 but is still far from what fantasy managers hoped for when they drafted him to their teams. Dropped like a bad habit by many fantasy managers after his bagel against the Broncos, Boye should be added and stashed where bench sizes allow. He is not going to be a recommended start until he starts to see more significant snaps, but he is already pushing to be included in the DL3 conversation. Make the add as a depth option/bye week filler who has a chance to enter the DL2 discussion before the year is over.
Dorance Armstrong (DE – DAL): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Armstrong continues to play just under 50 percent of the snaps for the Cowboys but is managing to stay busy in the counting stat department. He recorded two solos, two sacks, and two tackles for loss in Week 2 and should maintain his ‘starter’ role as long as he continues to be productive. The Cowboys are rotating five edge rushers and giving Micah Parsons snaps, so Armstrong is more of a deep league target for those searching for a DL3. He has a tasty Week 3 matchup against the New York Giants and should be started where needed as a DL3 option. He gets another plus matchup in Week 4 against the Washington Commanders, making him someone you want on your roster until at least Week 5.
Jadeveon Clowney (DE – CLE): 7% rostered on Yahoo
Jadeveon Clowney is back in his happy place across from Myles Garrett, and it is showing in his production. Known to be a better run defender than sack artist at this point of his career, Jadeveon tallied two solos, one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Now at 1.5 sacks on the season, Clowney has a legitimate chance to finally crack the double-digit sack mark. He remains nothing more than a tackle-dependent DL3 option, but the back-to-back games with at least half a sack should put him on the radar for deep leaguers who may be in need of a DL2 option. Don’t chase the sacks; rather, be cognizant of the value boost he gets against run-heavy teams like his Week 3 opponent in the Pittsburgh Steelers, and view any sack production as an added bonus. He has been ruled out for Week 3 after injuring his ankle late during Week 2 but is still worth the roster spot given his recent play.
Others to consider: Dre’Mont Jones (DE – DEN): 4%, Trevis Gipson (DE – CHI): 1%, Darrell Taylor (DE – SEA): 1%, Jonathan Greenard (DE – HOU): 3%, Charles Harris (DE – DET): 2%
Linebacker
Frankie Luvu (LB – CAR): 0% rostered on Yahoo
We might have a new IDP star on our hands in the Carolina Panthers’ Frankie Luvu. After an excellent Week 2 that saw him record 10 solos, three tackles for loss, and a pass defended, Luvu is now up to 15 solos on the season to go with a position high four tackles for loss. He is playing starters snaps for the first time in his career, averaging around 90 percent over the first two weeks. Carolina has Corey Littleton, Damien Wilson, and rookie Brandon Smith behind him but will continue to let Luvu log heavy snaps as long as he is cooking. He played more snaps than Shaq Thompson against the Giants and is in no danger of losing his role for the time being. The LB8 overall through two weeks of action, Luvu needs to be rostered and started as an LB2 option for Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints.
Leighton Vander Esch (LB – DAL): 3% rostered on Yahoo
LVE continues his renaissance season and is playing roughly 88 percent of the snaps. Why does that matter? It means he is playing well enough to hold off the competition and is actually managing the highest snap percentage of his career. After his four solo, three assist, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended performance in Week 2, LVE is on pace to have a borderline LB1 season, something no one thought they would say again after injuries derailed a bourgeoning All-Pro career. Roster him as an LB2 with the knowledge he is capable of LB1 production the rest of the way.
Divine Deablo (S/LB – LV): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Deablo dominated snaps in the middle with Denzel Perryman ruled out and has solidified himself as an LB2 option while the veteran is on the shelf. He should still play a near every snap role when Perryman returns, but his tackle production needs to be gauged before we can tell if he can keep producing at this level from a fantasy standpoint alongside a fellow tackle magnet. Deablo recorded six solos and nine assists in Week 2 and should keep stacking up the numbers. He is infinitely more valuable on providers where he still has S/DB eligibility, but now that he has worked his way into the LB2 conversation, he should be started most weeks regardless of where you play your IDP leagues. For those on other providers, he is now a DB1 option.
Devin Lloyd (LB – JAX): 9% rostered on Yahoo
Through two games, rookie Devin Llyod has more tackles and assists than teammate and 2021 NFL tackle leader Foyesade Oluokun. Lloyd saw his tackle count drop in Week 2 but managed to salvage his day due to some excellent work in coverage, finishing the afternoon with three solos, three assists, one interception, and three passes defended. The LB11 through two weeks of play, Lloyd needs to be rostered in all leagues. He was a first round pick for a reason, and his work in coverage is exactly why he was the first at his position off the board. He may not finish the season with more tackles than Foye, but he has shown his versatility and upside and should be considered an LB2 going forward.
Nicholas Morrow (LB – CHI): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Morrow is playing an every snap role for the Bears defense and needs to be taken seriously. He will never have the name equity some others at his position enjoy, but he is going to outproduce many of those ‘brand names’ this season, just like has done over the first two weeks. Morrow racked up seven solos, four assists, and one tackle for loss in Week 2 and should continue to eat beside Roquan Smith. Morrow took on a larger role when Roquan held in and is likely being groomed to man the middle once Roquan and the Bears inevitably part ways this summer. It may not be time to anoint him as a locked-in LB2 just yet, but he will outproduce most LB3’s and thus belongs in the LB2 conversation for this week’s plus matchup against the Houston Texans.
Others to consider: Mykal Walker (LB – ATL): 2%, Christian Kirksey (LB – HOU): 10%, Zaven Collins (LB – ARI): 2%, Ernest Jones (LB – LAR): 2%, Shaq Thompson (LB – CAR): 8%
Defensive Back
Vonn Bell (S – CIN): 12% rostered on Yahoo
Vonn Bell is and has been locked into the DB1 conversation, so there is no excuse for him to be rostered in just 12 percent of Yahoo leagues. Yes, IDP managers are notoriously fickle and impatient, so dropping him after his one solo, one assist, and one pass defended Week 1 outing may have made sense to some. Vonn got his groove back in Week 2, posting five solos, two assists, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble. He is one of the more consistent options at the position and is going to be a top-15 option more often than not. Vonn will produce at a DB1 level over the season and will be just that for a tasty Week 3 matchup against Joe Flacco and the New York Jets. Start him with confidence going forward.
Jalen Thompson (S – ARI): 13% rostered on Yahoo
Jalen Thompson was excellent in Week 2, racking up seven solos, three assists, and a pass defended. Like some of the other names above, Thompson may never be a name equity type of option outside of Arizona and the deepest of IDP leagues, where his production is truly appreciated, but he continues to rack up the fantasy points. He is up to 15 solos in two games, putting him on pace to better the numbers that landed him a large contract this summer. He may not be the first name to come to mind when you think of DB2 options, but he has proven that he can provide results as long as he is starting. Start him as a DB2 option against a Los Angeles Rams defense he notched five solos on in both games last season.
Darrick Forrest (S – WAS): 1% rostered on Yahoo
It has become readily apparent that Darrick Forrest is going to ball out for as long as Kam Curl is sidelined. Exactly how long that will be is up in the air as Curl practiced all of last week, albeit on a limited basis, and was deemed questionable as opposed to being an early rule out. For those with the roster space and the need for DB1 level production, look no further than Forrest. Washington will find creative ways to get him on the field once Curl returns, but for now, consider him an elite injury replacement for another elite option. Forrest recorded eight solos and two assists in Week 2. Currently the S5/DB6 overall, Forrest needs to be in all lineups until Curl returns.
Jaquan Brisker (S – CHI): 2% rostered on Yahoo
Jaquan is already playing every snap for the Bears defense. While his four solo, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble performance in Week 1 put him firmly on the redraft radar, his seven solos and three assists this week should signal that the rookie safety is here to stay. Jaquan is worth consideration as a DB2 option going forward, and it may not be long until he works his way into the weekly DB1 conversation. Jaquan should be rostered in all competitive leagues; add the rookie where possible.
Jonathan Owens (S – HOU): 8% rostered on Yahoo
The DB5/S4 overall through two weeks of play, Jonathan Owens needs to be rostered universally. He was likely added in most competitive leagues after his breakout Week 1, but there were many who wanted him to prove it for one more week. Yes, his numbers dropped a bit from his 11 solo, four assist, and one pass defended Week 1 explosion, but he was still plenty valuable in Week 2, where he racked up six solos and four assists against the Denver Broncos. He gets a plus Week 3 matchup against Justin Fields and the Bears and has forced his way into the DB1 conversation. Start him as a DB2 with no doubt DB1 upside for Week 3.
Others to consider: Johnathan Abram (S – LV): 9%, Grant Delpit (S – CLE): 0%, Donovan Wilson (S – DAL): 0%, Rayshawn Jenkins (S – JAX): 0%, Eddie Jackson (S – CHI): 2%
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.