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2023 NFL Week 16 IDP Waiver Wire Adds
Hopefully you made it to the next round of your playoffs. If not, join the rest of us looking in from the outside. The playoffs in fantasy football have a lot of luck. One game decides everything for you. Getting to the playoffs consistently has luck, but also a lot of skill. But once we get to the real deal, luck takes over a lot more.
Luck is a curious idea. Do we all have true agency over our lives? A different but interwoven concept. If we do have control over ourselves (free will) then we control ourselves and can influence what happens around us. Unless of course the self is all that does exist, and anything that is not you is a creation of you, or an other.
Let’s set that aside though and assume more than ourself truly exists. Then there are always other forces beyond use that can affect us as well. Those things that we have no control over at all but do occur would be luck. There is all sorts of luck to be had in football games that we have no effect on the result of. Throw in outside facts (illness, injury, weather, etc), and putting it all on one game gives a lot of variables. Just some food for thought.
As always these waiver additions are mainly redraft focused and looking at deeper leagues; if you have questions for shallow leagues, where you start 2 DL/2 LB/2 DB many of these are likely a bit deeper than you need. All statistics are courtesy of Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted, and the base scoring we go off of you can find here. Please feel free to reach out to us for questions on any specific league; the more info you have the better!
And now, let’s go to a clip.
Bye Weeks: You know there aren’t any at this point. Stop playing games.
2023 NFL Week 16 IDP Waiver Wire Adds – Linebackers
EJ Speed, Linebacker, Indianapolis Colts
Rostered: ESPN 3.5%, Yahoo 1% Sleeper 3%
Bringing this back from last week. I won’t regurgitate what I said then, but EJ and the Colts have great matchups the next two weeks against Atlanta and Las Vegas. EJ had 9 solos, 1 assist, and 1 forced fumble against the Steelers last week. EJ has a 99% snap share the past three weeks and is a priority add for those in need where he has not yet been added.
Khaleke Hudson, Linebacker, Washington Commanders
Rostered: ESPN .2%, Yahoo 0%, Sleeper 0%
Mea culpa on the Commanders suggested linebacker add last week (David Mayo). He played, but no defensive snaps. Rather it was Khaleke Hudson that had an 85% snap share as the second linebacker to Cody Barton. 46% is his next highest snap share this year (in Week 13), so his playing time is growing, and so is his production. He had a career-high 8 solos, 6 assists, and 1 TFL against the Rams. The Jets are near the top of the list in points allowed to opposing linebackers this year, and with the season in the tank for Washington, it makes sense for younger players to be getting shots.
Jonathon Cooper, Linebacker/Edge, Denver Broncos
Rostered: ESPN 18.6%, Yahoo 2%, Sleeper 10%
The New England Patriots have not done well protecting Bailey Zappe this season. In the three games he has started, Bailey has been sacked 11 times. Denver is still in the hunt for a playoff spot and Jonathan Cooper has a 73.75% snap share on the year. For stats, he has 39 solos, 26 assists, 6.5 sacks, 6 TFL, 2 pass deflections, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 forced fumble, and one interception. Jonathon’s position varies by site, but you can see he does a little bit of everything.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Linebacker, Cleveland Browns
Rostered: ESPN 9.3%, Yahoo 13%, Sleeper 19%
Check out these per game splits:
Weeks 1 – 9 (8 games): 65.5% snap share, 3.5 solos, 1.25 assists, 1.25 TFL
Weeks 10 – 15 (6 games): 85.83% snap share, 5.33 solos, 2.33 assists, 1.33 TFL
Jeremiah does not have a game under 6 combined tackles over the past six weeks, and has more big plays (sacks, pass deflections, etc) than he did over the prior 8 games as well. Houston is a good matchup for opposing linebackers and their tackles given up, so go get JOK if he is available in your league.
2023 NFL Week 16 IDP Waiver Wire Adds – Defensive Backs
Trenton Thompson, Safety, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rostered: ESPN .1%, Yahoo 0%, Sleeper 0%
Minkah Fitzpatrick will be out for Week 16 and Damontae Kazee has been suspended for his hit on Michael Pittman Jr. last Saturday. Trenton Thompson (76%) and cornerback Patrick Peterson (100% snap share) ended up playing safety. Keanu Neal is on injured reserve so there are limited options for the Steelers right now. Trenton did suffer a stinger in the game on Saturday but returned later that same game. If he suits up Trenton is a viable option against the Cincinnati Bengals, who are a middle-of-the-road offense for tackles allowed to opposing safeties. In his 51 snaps against the Colts, he had 6 solos and 1 assist.
Taylor Rapp, Safety, Buffalo Bills
Rostered: ESPN .2%, Yahoo 0%, Sleeper 1%
Taylor has been the backup safety to start whenever Jordan Poyer or Micah Hyde has missed games, getting the start and 100% snap shares in Weeks 4, 10, and 15. In those games, he averages 5 solos and 2 assists a game, to go with 1 TFL and half a sack.
Taylor has a good game against Dallas who has not been kind to opposing safeties this year. The Chargers (Week 16 opponent) are a middle-of-the-road matchup for giving up tackles to opposing safeties. If Micah (ESPN 1.3%, Yahoo 1%, Sleeper 0%) plays this week, he is also a good option and widely available as well.
Andrew Wingard, Safety, Jacksonville Jaguars
Rostered: ESPN .1%, Yahoo 2%, Sleeper 0%
When Andre Cisco has missed a game this year (Week 8 and Week 15) Andrew Wingard has had a 100% snap share each time as his replacement. In those two games he had:
5 solos, 1 assist, 2 pass deflections, 1 interception
10 solos, 1 assist
The Jaguars face the Buccaneers this coming week, and while it has not been a great matchup so far this year, I have a feeling it will be better than it has been. The Buccaneers found a groove last week against the Packers and Baker Mayfield had perhaps his best game ever. I think we are in line for a shoot-out between these two.
Zyon McCollum, Cornerback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rostered: ESPN 1.2%, Yahoo 0%, Sleeper 0%
The Buccaneers face the Jaguars in Week 16 and Jacksonville is a top three team in tackles allowed to opposing cornerbacks this year. Zyon has had 99%, 99%, 100%, and 100% snap shares the past four weeks with at least one of Carlton Davis III or Jamel Dean out.
In those four weeks Zyon averages 4.25 solos and 2 assists a game; he also has 3 pass deflections, 1 TFL, and 1 forced fumble in those weeks. If both Carlton (ESPN %, Yahoo %, Sleeper %) and Jamel (ESPN %, Yahoo %, Sleeper %) play they would be viable starts in Zyon’s stead.
2023 NFL Week 16 IDP Waiver Wire – Defensive Linemen
Malcolm Koonce, Defensive End, Las Vegas Raiders
Rostered: ESPN .1%, Yahoo 0%, Sleeper 0%
The Raiders play the Chiefs in Week 16, and the Chiefs have allowed Patrick Mahomes to be sacked 7 times total in the past three games, which is more than in any other three consecutive games this season. Las Vegas is coming off a huge win over the Chargers last week and will be looking to make another statement this week against the Chiefs.
Malcolm is coming off his two highest snap share of the year, 51% and 69%. In those two games (combined) he has 6 solos, 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 5 QB hits.
KJ Henry, Defensive End, Washington Commanders
Rostered: ESPN .1%, Yahoo 0%, Sleeper 0%
Over the past four games the Commanders played KJ has a 57.25% snap share. That is huge when compared to his only other two games with defensive snaps being at 14% and 15%. In those last four games, he has 9 solos, 3 assists, 3 TFL, 2 QB hits, 2 pass deflections, and 2 QB hits. The Jets are up next for the Commanders and we have seen the mess their offense, and offensive line, have been this year. I don’t expect the Commanders to completely stop them like some other teams have, but I do think they can get pressure and this is a good spot for KJ.
Leonard Williams, Defensive Tackle/Defensive End, Seattle Seahawks
Rostered: ESPN 3.7%, Yahoo 3%, Sleeper 8%
Since coming to Seattle, Leonard has a 73.28% snap share as a defensive lineman. In those seven games, he has 16 solos, 7 assists, 6 TFL, and 3 sacks. This is much better than the eight games he played with New York, where he had 13 solos, 8 assists, 1 TFL, and 1.5 sacks. Will Levis (who the Giants face in Week 16) has been sacked 14 times over the past three games. This a great spot to deploy Leonard, who should have a higher rate of being rostered, but I think people haven’t checked in the difference a new team has made for him.
D.J. Jones, Defensive Tackle, Denver Broncos
Rostered: ESPN .3%, Yahoo 0%, Sleeper 1%
The Patriots are top three team in tackles allowed to opposing defensive tackles. The Broncos use a heavy rotation there, but over the past three weeks, D.J. (59.33%) is only behind Zach Allen (78.33%) for Broncos defensive linemen in terms of snap share. In those three games, D.J. has 8 solos, 3 assists, 3 TFL, and 1 sack. This is the sort of matchup where you want to deploy a tackle-based defensive tackle.
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