IDP Dynasty Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: Week Eight

The NFL trade deadline typically doesn’t cause much of a ripple, but the 49ers’ trade for Christian McCaffrey has temporarily reset some expectations (hope?) for more action prior to the November 1 date.

What does this mean for dynasty? I’d become familiar with the depth charts on teams that are going nowhere, and be ready to scoop up those IDPs who stand to see an increase in volume should a trade of a starter occurs. I’m not necessarily expecting to suddenly land a long-term IDP asset by doing this, but I’m taking swings and hoping for some hits. Recognize that you’ll be adding players now who you may drop in a couple of weeks, but that comes with working the waiver wire and churning the bottom of your roster in search of startable or tradable assets.

Depending on the depth of your leagues, you may want to preemptively seek out some trades if you can land some depth targets on the cheap. Otherwise, these types of targets are good waiver wire shots during a time of the season when the list of available players looks fairly barren. I’m including some of those players in this week’s waiver wire article.

Edge Rushers

Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper, DEN

It would make sense for the struggling Broncos to make a move to recoup some of the draft capital they lost in the Russell Wilson trade, and Denver of course moved Von Miller last season for second and third-round picks. The Broncos already moved Malik Reed prior to the season, but we could again see Denver part ways with an edge as Bradley Chubb is in a contract year, is healthy, and is providing the production you would expect from a fifth-overall pick.

Chubb, in fact, may even be a waiver wire option in tackle-heavy, non-true position MFL leagues on the chance he is dealt to a “4-3” base team and gets redesignated as a defensive end. In most dynasty formats he’s taken though, as are the red-hot Baron Browning (suffered a hip injury Sunday) and Randy Gregory (currently injured). Browning and Gregory could capably man the edge for Denver through 2024, with Bonitto and Cooper seeing IDP value in case of injury.

Cooper, who impressed as a rookie, saw 26 snaps in week six after returning from a hamstring injury, and collected a couple of tackles in week seven. Bonitto has the higher draft pedigree (second round) and has recently found his footing with four pressures on 29 snaps in week five and half-a-sack in week seven.

Kingsley Enagbare, GB

Enagbare picked up his second sack in as many weeks and could see an uptick in usage if Rashan Gary’s concussion keeps the star out in week eight. Enagbare, a rookie fifth-rounder from South Carolina, finished with three total tackles. He’s not a high-upside prospect, but he’s capable of serving as a third edge for Green Bay.

Trevis Gipson, Al-Quadin Muhammad and Dominique Robinson, CHI

Along with Robert Quinn, this has been an edge group not for the faint at heart. Quinn, famous for on-again, off-again productive seasons, is mired in a non-productive year, but still is the subject of trade speculation. Muhammad, recommended last week, is capable in the right matchup. Gipson enjoyed a nice year two but has underwhelmed in his third season, and the rookie Robinson has been quiet since a huge one-and-a-half sack, seven-tackle week one debut. A Quinn trade would simply mean more snaps, not necessarily more production, but it wouldn’t be the first time increased expectations lifted a player to better play.

Deangelo Malone, ATL

Fellow rookie Arnold Ebiketie hasn’t wowed us yet, and Lorenzo Carter never will, so why not Malone? Atlanta needs something – anything – to serve as a consistent threat off the edge. Malone didn’t see major snaps on Sunday, but he did come through with a sack on a career-high 18 defensive snaps, and that may be enough to earn him a larger role as an outside speed rusher moving forward.

Joseph Ossai, CIN

If he’s been forgotten about, consider scooping him up in case Trey Hendrickson‘s neck injury is more serious than believed. In relief, Ossai delivered his first career sack. As long as Hendrickson and Hubbard are around and healthy, Ossai will be nothing more than a pass-rush specialist, but how many of your bench edge rushers have Ossai’s upside?

Josh Paschal, DET

The second-round edge out of Kentucky made his season debut on Sunday, starting at edge with Charles Harris on the inactive list with a groin injury. Paschal (two total tackles) doesn’t profile as a dynamic edge, and found a landing spot in Detroit that has plenty of other edge options (Aidan Hutchinson, Harris, and the Okwara brothers), so I don’t expect him to offer much from a dynasty perspective.

Revisits from Previous Weeks

• Oshane Ximines and Jihad Ward, NYG – Second-year disappointment Azeez Ojulari was recently placed on injured reserve, again opening the door for major snaps opposite Kayvon Thibodeaux. You can consider Ximines, who missed week seven with a quad injury, or the slightly more productive Ward (two total tackles), but you’re best served to look elsewhere.

Interior Defensive Linemen

Zach Allen, ARI

In more shallow leagues, Allen may have been dropped after he followed up two consecutive monster performances with a “meh” week six. Week seven provided a modest three combined tackles (one for loss) and a pass defensed, but he’s seeing snaps to die for (378 on the season, and top ten in snap percentage) and is squarely in the DT1 conversation each week. In dynasty, even where he’s not available on waivers, he’s not a bad cheap trade target given his low profile and age (25). Allen is scheduled to hit free agency in the coming off-season and should see a big payday even in a strong defensive tackle free agent class led by Da’Ron Payne and Javon Hargrave.

Zachary Carter, CIN

A third-round rookie, Carter is quick enough to cause some problems as a part-time NFL lineman. He’s in an ideal spot in Cincinnati, which really doesn’t have much in the way of above-average talent on the interior (B.J. Hill is far and away the Bengals’ best defensive tackle, if that tells you anything). Carter offers some “desperation play” appeal in run-heavy game scripts -–witness his performance Sunday against Atlanta, which ran the ball on 29 of 42 offensive snaps. Carter finished with four solos and an assist. He’s probably not worth a roster spot unless you’re in a deep league with plenty of roster spots.

Phidarian Mathis, WAS

We barely saw Mathis this season before he suffered a season-ending knee injury (torn meniscus) during the first quarter of week one. As a prospect, he profiled in the short-term as more of a run stuffer than pocket disruptor, but the Commanders invested a second-round pick in him. And with Da’Ron Payne approaching free agency, a healthy Mathis should be looking at a nice workload in 2023 should Payne indeed depart as a free agent.

Milton Williams, PHI

Speaking of Hargrave and free agents, the Eagles are also scheduled to lose veteran Fletcher Cox. It’s doubtful both will be elsewhere in 2023, but either departure would open the door for a larger role for Williams, a second-year lineman who has shown to be a versatile inside/outside option. He’s merely a dynasty stash, but likely available and worth a bench spot on your non-contenders over short-term options with little or no trade value.

Off-Ball Linebackers

Akeem Davis-Gaither, CIN

I’ve previously mentioned Davis-Gaither, the third-year linebacker. He’s seeing a larger role with Logan Wilson on the shelf, and has a shot at the Bengals’ No. 2 linebacker job in 2023 should Germaine Pratt exit in free agency. He’s a future stash with current lineup fill-in value, as evidenced by his six solo tackles and two assists against Atlanta.

Cory Littleton, Brandon Smith and Damien Wilson, CAR

Shaq Thompson has been the subject of many a trade rumor, a move that would make sense for the Panthers should they be able to find a taker for a contract that extends into 2023 at more than $13 million in base salary and bonuses. I’m not seeing it happen, though the Falcons found a partner for Deion Jones so anything’s possible. I was no fan of Smith, but it might behoove Carolina to give the rookie a look, or roll with the cheaper options, Littleton or Wilson, as secondary options to Frankie Luvu.

Safeties

Andrew Adams, TEN

Winner of the “out-of-nowhere performance of the week” is Adams, the veteran journeyman who has had some very spotty usefulness over the years. He took a Matt Ryan interception to the house and racked up six solos and four assists while seeing a near-full workload despite the return of Amani Hooker, who shifted to a slot defender role with Kristian Fulton and rookie Roger McCreary on the outside. We could in the short-term continue to see Adams play a significant role at safety with Caleb Farley holed up in struggle city and Elijah Molden seemingly unable to get healthy enough to return from injured reserve. Adams is worth a shot if you need a fill-in safety.

Revisits from Previous Weeks

• Landon Collins, NYG – He finally got the call-up from the practice squad and played about half the defensive snaps, managing just one solo tackle. He’s worth keeping an eye on to see if his usage increases at the expense of Tae Crowder or Jaylon Smith.
• Geno Stone, BAL – Marcus Williams’ injury opened the door for Stone to see a big role, and he came through for the second consecutive week with seven solo tackles plus a forced fumble and recovery to end the game and preserve a win for the Ravens. He’s definitely worth a roster spot, and possibly worth a starting spot, until Williams returns.

Cornerbacks

It’s pretty tough to know who is available league-to-league in cornerback-required formats, and corners have little to offer from a dynasty perspective, so moving forward I’d simply list some of the better matchup options for the upcoming week.

• Cameron Dantzler, Patrick Peterson and Chandon Sullivan, MIN – I’m always game for corners going up against the Arizona offense. Sullivan, the Vikings’ slot defender, will have to play even more than usual, and he’s struggled this season.
• James Bradberry, Avonte Maddox and Darius Slay, PHI – It would be fairly surprising should Pittsburgh’s defense be able to slow Philly’s offensive juggernaut. Kenny Pickett has been relatively impressive, but you still have to like these corners against a rookie quarterback in a game script that seems likely to force the Steelers to throw a good bit.
• Kendall Fuller, Benjamin St-Juste and Rachad Wildgoose, WAS – Jim Irsay can crow all he wants about Matt Ryan’s leadership skills; the veteran is also very capable of multi-interception performances (he tossed two more in week seven). I’m not totally confident in checking the box for any of these guys, but someone here should be available in your league, and it’s a good prospective matchup.
• Byron Murphy and Marco Wilson, ARI – I can’t imagine Murphy is available in cornerback-required leagues, and Wilson won’t be either following a huge week seven outing that included a pick-six. They should both see plenty of opportunity against the Vikings in week eight.
• Deommodore Lenoir, Charvarius Ward and Samuel Womack, SF – Matthew Stafford has been in a giving mood this season, and San Francisco added some offensive punch via a running back that Los Angeles really could have used. I’d expect the Rams to continue to lean on the passing game, giving plenty of chances through the air to Niners corners.