Week 12 is now in the books. There are numerous storylines to track, but perhaps the most significant is the overlooked IDP players who showed out in Week 12. There were a lot of defensive fireworks in Week 12, 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.
Week 13 IDP Waiver Wire
Linebacker
Isaiah McDuffie (LB – GB): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Isaiah McDuffie stepped up in Week 12, stacking five solos, four assists, 0.5 sacks, one interception, and one pass defended. McDuffie got the spot start with Quay Walker injured, and is likely to be in line for another start in Week 13 due to the short turnaround. Walker missed practice all of last week and may not have enough time to get cleared. Tap McDuffie as a sneaky top-25 option for a plus Week 13 matchup against the Detroit Lions. Make the add wherever needed.
D’Marco Jackson (LB – CHI): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Jackson showed up in Week 12, racking up five solos, 10 assists, and one tackle for loss. The Bears are dealing with a litany of injuries, prompting them to start Jackson. Jackson started with T.J. Edwards and Noah Sewell sidelined and Tremaine Edmunds on IR, and with the Bears playing on Friday, he may very well get at least one more start. Add and start D’Marco as an LB3 option for a plus Week 13 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Devin Lloyd (LB – JAC): 9% rostered on Yahoo
Lloyd showed up in Week 12, tallying three solos, two assists, 1.5 sacks, and two tackles for loss. Devin has been inconsistent, with this being his first plus outing since back in Week 5. Lloyd boasts LB1 upside with an LB4 floor; a wild level of variance makes him more of a low-end LB2 at best. Treat him as such for Week 13, thanks to a tasty Week 13 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
Drake Thomas (LB – SEA): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Drake was excellent in Week 12, reeling off five solos, four assists, and one tackle for loss. Thomas has been an easy LB1 since he became a starter in Week 4, but still remains overlooked in IDP. Fire Drake up as a top-15 option for a plus Week 13 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Make the add everywhere, even if it is just to block your rivals.
Akeem Davis-Gaither (LB – ARI): 2% rostered on Yahoo
ADG showed up in Week 12, racking up three solos, four assists, one interception, and one pass defended. Davis-Gaither has been a low upside LB3 play at best this season. It is better to view him as more of a flex/flex2, but he can be slotted in as an LB3 if you find yourself in an injury pinch. Treat him as such for a plus Week 13 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Add ADG where needed.
Defensive Line
Dre’Mont Jones (DE/LB – BAL): 2% rostered on Yahoo
Dre’Mont showed up in Week 12, tallying two solos, two assists, 1.5 sacks, one tackle for loss, and one pass defended. The sack was Jones’ first with the Ravens, who is now up to six on the season. Tap Dre’Mont as a top-25 option for a plus Week 13 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
James Pearce (DE/LB – ATL): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Pearce was at it again in Week 12, tallying one solo, one assist, 1.5 sacks, and one tackle for loss. While Jalon Walker has been the one making SportsCenter due to his splash plays, James Pearce has been heating up in his own right, recording a sack in each of his last three games. Suddenly up to four sacks on the season, Pearce is a DL3/4 option even with no teams on bye in a busy Week 13. Treat him as such, thanks to a tasty Week 13 matchup against the New York Jets. Make the add where possible.
Laiatu Latu (DE – IND): 2% rostered on Yahoo
Latu was excellent in Week 12, racking up two solos, four assists, one sack, one interception, and one pass defended. Laiatu has registered at least a half sack in three of his last four games, a span in which he has recorded five of his six sacks on the season. Tap Latu as a sneaky DL2 option for Week 13, thanks to a plus Week 13 matchup against the Houston Texans.
Cameron Jordan (DE – NO): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Cam showed up in Week 12, reeling off two solos, one sack, two tackles for loss, and one forced fumble. Jordan has recorded a sack in back-to-back games and is now up to 4.5 on the season. Treat the veteran pass rusher as an elite DL3 play for a tasty Week 13 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Make the add where possible.
Arden Key (DE – TEN): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Key was at it again in Week 12, notching two solos, one sack, and two tackles for loss. Key has recorded at least a half sack in each of his last four contests, a stretch in which he registered all four of his sacks (spread out over eight weeks due to missing four weeks with a quad injury). Tap Key as a top-25 option for a tasty Week 13 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Defensive Back
Geno Stone (S – BAL): 4% rostered on Yahoo
Geno Stone showed up in Week 12, going off with six solos, seven assists, one interception, one pass defended, and one touchdown. This latest splash week brings Stone into sneaky DB2 value territory, albeit with a DB3 profile and floor. Start Stone with confidence as a top-30 option for a plus Week 13 matchup against his former team in the Baltimore Ravens.
Calen Bullock (S – HOU): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Bullock was elite in Week 12, reeling off five solos, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and two passes defended. Treat Bullock as a DB2 option for a tasty Week 13 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.
Jalen Thompson (S – ARI): 2% rostered on Yahoo
Jalen Thompson went off in Week 12, exploding for six solos, three assists, one sack, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, and one pass defended. Jalen has recorded five or more solos in two of his last three games and is back on the DB3 radar for the stretch run. Treat him as such for a plus Week 13 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Add Thompson where needed.
Justin Reid (S – NO): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Reid was excellent in Week 12, tallying three solos, four assists, one interception, one pass defended, and one touchdown. Reid has provided impact production since Week 7, and more recently has posted two spike weeks in his last three games. Treat Reid as an upside DB3 option for a plus Week 13 matchup against the Miami Dolphins. Make the add where needed.
Xavier Watts (S – ATL): 4% rostered on Yahoo
Watts showed up in Week 12, racking up five solos, one assist, one interception, and one pass defended. While he did have a power outage from Week 6 to Week 9, Watts has recorded five or more solos in two of his last three games, putting himself back in the DB2 mix for a tasty Week 13 matchup against the New York Jets. Make the add where needed.
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.
