IDP Waiver Wire Pickups and Streamers for Week 17 (2023)

December 26, 2023

Mitch Blatt's top IDP waiver wire adds and defensive streamers for Week 17 of the 2023 fantasy football season. These LB, DL, and DB have matchups worth exploiting.

It's time for the final IDP waiver wire column of the year!

Most fantasy leagues have their championships this week. My dynasty league had its championship last week, and I ended up winning it with big performances from DE Carl Granderson, who made a sack and eight tackles, and Ernest Jones, who made another sack and seven tackles. Both have been quality waiver wire adds I have recommended in previous columns.

Now for the final week of the season, here are 11 DL, LBs, and DBs who you should add!

IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Shallow Leagues

Ifeatu Melifonwu, DB, DET

Detroit's new starter (ahead of Tracy Walker) had a huge game for the second straight week. He made two sacks and an interception. He made one sack and forced a fumble in Week 15, his first start. He is very athletic. He played running back, receiver, and defensive back in football, in addition to basketball, lacrosse, and track and field in high school.

He may be playing at his ceiling right now. He was a pretty good cornerback for three years at Syracuse, but he only made one sack and three interceptions in his collegiate career and was drafted in the third round.

Geno Stone, S, BAL

Kyle Hamilton injured his knee in the fourth quarter of Monday night's victory over the San Francisco 49ers. The Ravens hope it isn't serious, but if it is, that will mean more playing time for Geno Stone. 

Smith has made six interceptions this season. From Week 6 through Week 9, he made one interception in each game while staying on the field for almost every snap. Since then, he has played between 40 and 55 snaps in most games. But if Hamilton misses time, Stone could be back to playing over 70 snaps in a game.

Josh Allen, DE, JAX

Allen will only be available in the shallowest of leagues; currently, he's rostered in 43% of Sleeper-hosted IDP leagues. He hasn't made a sack in three weeks and he only made one tackle in Week 16 against the Bucs. But he has made 13.5 sacks this season, and he has a juicy matchup with the Carolina Panthers coming up next week. The Panthers have allowed the sixth-most QB pressures and the fourth-most sacks.

IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Deep Leagues

Malcolm Koonce, DE, LV

The third-year end has seen an increase in playing time since Week 8. He has played 30 or more snaps in each of the past three games and five of the past eight. His six tackles and three sacks helped the Raiders defeat the Kansas City Chiefs. He made two sacks and two forced fumbles the previous week against the Chargers. This season, he has made 35 tackles, seven sacks, and three forced fumbles.

Nick Cross, S, IND

Cross was drafted in the third round last year, and there were high expectations for the four-star recruit. But he didn't play much as a rookie, and he was only graded 56.5 by PFF. This season, he is playing a little bit more and doing better. He's been graded at 88.3. 

An injury to Julian Blackmon, who left Week 16's game, could give Cross more playing time. Cross played 55 snaps against Atlanta, his career-high, and made five solo tackles and two assists. His tackle rate is two points higher than it was last year, so he could make an impact in deep IDP leagues.

Javon Hargrave, DL, SF

Hargrave sacked Lamar Jackson once on Monday Night Football. It was all for naught for his team, but it was good for his fantasy starters. He has made seven sacks this season, second on his team, and next week, the Niners face the Commanders who have allowed the third-most sacks in the NFL. 

Zach Harrison, DE, ATL

Harrison, a rookie from Ohio State, has been getting more playing time and has made three sacks in the past two games. He has played 25 or more snaps in each of those games. It was his first two-week stretch of 25+ snap games. The Falcons' 37-year-old DE Calais Campbell and their 30-year-old DE Bud Dupree are both unrestricted free agents at the end of this season, so Harrison could step into the DE1 role if one or both are not resigned.

Eric Rowe, S, PIT

Thanks to the unjustified season-long suspension of Damontae Kazee, the Steelers were without a safety against the Bengals. The eight-year veteran has bounced around the league and joined the Steelers' practice squad in late November at a time when Minkah Fitzpatrick was first injured (and now he is again). He played his first game this past week against the Bengals, and he made seven tackles and an interception.

IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Big Play Leagues

Christian Barmore, DL, NE

The 315-pound defensive tackle made three sacks in the Patriots' win over the fading Denver Broncos. It was his third straight game with at least half a sack and his fourth game in the last five. 

Za'Darius Smith, DE, CLE

All of Smith's 5.5 sacks and his one forced fumble have come since Cleveland's Week 5 bye. This past week against Houston, he made two sacks. He faces the Jets in Week 17. The Jets had allowed the second-most sacks of all teams going into Week 16. Streaming Smith could win you your IDP championship.

YaYa Diaby, LB, TB

Diaby is listed as an inside linebacker on Sleeper, but he's listed as a defensive end on My Fantasy League. My Fantasy League is right; he has lined up on the defensive line 424 times this season and lined up in the box just nine times. 

He has rushed the passer 255 times and only dropped into coverage 28 times. In those pass rushes, he has made 22 pressures and eight total sacks, per PFF. Those eight sacks translate into 6.5 official NFL sacks. This past week, he made 1.5 sacks and forced and recovered a fumble. As an LB-eligible edge rusher, he offers an advantage over inside linebackers in big-play leagues.

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