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Mitch Blatt's top IDP waiver wire adds and defensive streamers for Week 5 of the 2023 fantasy football season. These LB, DL, and DB have matchups worth exploiting.
A quarter of the way through the 2023 NFL season, the leaders for IDP scoring are (in order): T.J. Watt, Zaire Franklin, Jessie Bates III, Khalil Mack, and Dax Hill.
Wait, go back a minute. Who was that last one? Khalil Mack. Wasn't he a bust in 2022? Didn't he make just one tackle in Week 3? Yes, but it was a solo tackle! Well, I'm sure he popped off in Weeks 1 and 2. No, just two tackles in Week 1. Six in Week 2. And no sacks. Then why are you including him on your list of IDP scoring leaders?
Because he has scored 86 points in the RotoBaller IDP Bonus scoring format by making six sacks and forcing two fumbles in addition to his tackles and that puts him at number four overall. But you said he did nothing in Weeks 1 through 3. So did he do all of that in Week 4? Pretty much.
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IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Shallow Leagues
DaRon Bland, CB, DAL
Bland made two interceptions against Mac Jones and the Patriots and returned one for a touchdown. Bland's athleticism and interception abilities are no joke, but even an elite ballhawk is not going to make an interception in every game. (So far, Bland has only made an interception in half of his games.) When he doesn't make a pick, he can bust. In Week 2, he only made a single tackle.
Devon Witherspoon, CB, SEA
The Seahawks' first-rounder is one of the leading Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates, and he's available in most shallow Sleeper leagues. He made 11 tackles in Week 3, and he made his first interception last week, which he took back for a touchdown.
The interception was on a terrible Daniel Jones pass, and the two sacks of Jones also look like they could be outliers. He didn't rush the passer at all in Weeks 2 or 3. Even if you just take the tackles, he is averaging 7.667 tackles per game.
Eric Kendricks, LB, LAC
Kendricks returned in Week 4 after missing Weeks 2 and 3 to make six combined tackles. It wasn't a great game for either him or Kenneth Murray. Murray wore the green dot again and played 100% of the snaps, but he played poorly. He made fewer tackles than Kendricks and was criticized for coverage busts. Kendricks should have a larger role in Weeks 5 and 6 than he did in Week 4.
Uchenna Nwosu, LB/DL, SEA
The Seahawks' pass-rushing specialist has made two sacks and two forced fumbles, though he usually only makes two to three tackles per game and is available in most Sleeper IDP leagues.
Watch List: Khalil Mack, LB, LAC
Mack is tied for the league lead with six sacks after making six sacks against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4. It's not every week that a player makes six sacks, and Mack made zero sacks in the first three weeks of the season even though he was still playing over 75% of the defensive snaps.
The Chargers were facing a Raiders team that was starting late-round rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell in his first game ever, so Mack won't get as favorable of a matchup again. While I can't guarantee it, I would bet that he won't make six sacks in a game again this season.
IDP Waiver Wire Adds for Deep Leagues
Andrew Van Ginkel, LB, MIA
Van Ginkel alternates his time between the defensive line and off-the-ball as a linebacker, but he makes plays from everywhere. Lately, he's been playing mostly on the line. He took 32 snaps as a left outside linebacker in Week 4 and 59 snaps as a left outside linebacker in Week 2.
In each of those games, he made at least one sack. Both of those were games Jaelan Phillips missed. Monitor Phillips' health for Week 5. Van Ginkel is more valuable from the defensive line than he is as a linebacker.
Nik Bonitto, EDGE, DEN
The Denver Broncos edge rusher flashed brilliance in his rookie season. Now he's in his second season, and he's put up good games in his past three. Last week, Bonitto made 2.5 sacks and forced a fumble. He only played 15 snaps in Week 1, but he has been playing over 40 snaps per game since then. If he keeps it up, he could have more boom games.
That said, this big showing against the weak Chicago Bears isn't repeatable every week, but the New York Jets next week also have a weak offensive line and a sack-prone quarterback.
Nicholas Morrow, LB, PHI
If there is a linebacker to add from the Eagles, it's Nicholas Morrow, not Zach Cunningham. Morrow has played over 95% of the team's snaps in each week and almost 100% in the past two. He was off to a slow start, as he only made five combined tackles (all solo) in the first two weeks. But last week against the Washington Commanders, he made 10 solo tackles and 3.0 sacks.
The Commanders were a particularly favorable matchup. They are allowing the most sacks of any team. It is still unclear when Nakobe Dean will return from injury. Morrow will likely revert to the role of No. 2 LB and play 70-90% of the snaps when he returns.
Jerry Jacobs, CB, DET
Jerry Jacobs made two interceptions in Week 4 against the division-rival Green Bay Packers. He has made five or more tackles every game of the season. He has played over 60 snaps twice and over 55 snaps once.
Darious Williams, CB, JAX
Jaguars CB1 Darious Williams has emerged as a boom-bust cornerback who has scored double-digit fantasy points twice in four weeks. While his tackle numbers are limited, he has made a pick-six and a forced fumble this season.
Jonathan Cooper, DL, DEN
Cooper continues to make a lot of tackles for a defensive lineman. In three straight games, he has made five or more tackles, including eight in Week 2. With a sack against the Bears, he has now made sacks in two of the past three games. In addition, he has also made a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
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