2023 NFL Week 7 IDP Waiver Wire Adds

This season is simultaneously dragging on and going way too fast. I don’t know how we are going into Week 7 already, but at the same time, all the injuries have made the season a slog. Now adding bye weeks into it, it gets to be a lot to work through each week.

I’ve never liked the number seven, although I am not sure why. I know many people feel it is lucky, and believing it is lucky goes back to various ancient cultures. I think just seeing it (be that 7 or seven) looks off to me for some reason. Maybe it is the movie Se7en. I don’t know. Week 6 this year did not go welll for me, so perhaps Week 7 will be better.

Anyway, 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: Dallas Cowboys, Cincinnati Bengals, Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, New York Jets

2023 NFL Week 7 IDP Waiver Wire Adds – Linebackers

Dorian Williams, Linebacker, Buffalo Bills
Rostered: ESPN .6%, Yahoo 0% Sleeper 2%

An obvious course correction after last week’s incorrect prediction. It was Dorian, not Tyrel Dodson, who took over the LB 2 spot for the Bills. After a 63 – 36 snap share split in Tyrel’s favor when Matt Milano went out last week, Dorian had an 84% snap share this week to Tyrel’s 5%, and Dorian had 6 solos and 4 assists in the Bills win over the Giants. Dorian looks to be the linebacker to roster outside of Tyrel Dodson and should be a priority waiver add this week.

Jahlani Tavai, Linebacker, New England Patriots
Rostered: ESPN .9%, Yahoo 0%, Sleeper 1%

Nothing exciting about this one, but Jahlani has combined tackle numbers of 4, 7, 5, 6, 8, and 7 this year. He also has 2 TFL, 2 pass deflections, and 1 interception on the year. He only has a 66.83% snap share on the year and as you can see he does not make many big plays, but if you need tackles he should be a decent fill-in or bench player for you.

David Long Jr, Linebacker, Miami Dolphins
Rostered: ESPN 7.3%, Yahoo 4%, Sleeper 7%

After a disappointing Week 1 against the Chargers, David Long Jr has been the better linebacker when compared to fellow starter Jerome Baker. Take into consideration that David only had 1 solo tackle in Week 1, and then look at these season numbers:

David: 25 solos, 22 assists, 4 TFL, 3 QB hits, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble (68.75% snap share)
Jerome: 21 solos, 13 assists, 4 QB hits, 1.5 sacks (87.50% snap share)

Jermone left the Dolphins Week 6 win in the third quarter with a back injury, and he only played 68% of the snap. David is the better linebacker of the two on the year and his prospects look even better if Jerome misses time. If David is already rostered and you are in a deep pinch, Duke Riley looks like the next linebacker up in the pecking order if Jerome is indeed out going forward.

Oren Burks, Linebacker, San Francisco 49ers
Rostered: ESPN .4%, Yahoo 0%, Sleeper 2%

This is a real deep one, but with injuries and bye weeks sometimes we have to hold our nose take our medicine. Prior to Week 6 Oren had not gone over a 51% snap share on the year. In Week 6 with Dre Greenlaw out, Oren had a 100% snap share and ended with 4 solos and 4 assists. Eight combined tackles isn’t bad if you were in a pinch. It is unclear if Dre will be back in Week 7, he is recovering from a hamstring injury, but if he is out Oren could be an acceptable play in tackle heavy leagues; just don’t expect any miracles.

Blake Cashman, Linebacker, Houston Texans
Rostered: ESPN .4%, Yahoo 0%, Sleeper 0%

A bonus linebacker, who will probably be in next week’s article. Houston is on a bye this week, but if you can handle holding onto him for a week, consider Blake. Blake had a great last year in college at Minnesota and was always a sound tackler. It was other reasons he fell to the 5th round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

After three years with the New York Jets, this is Blake’s second year with the Texans. Blake had a 96% snap share in Week 5 and a 100% snap share in Week 6. In those two weeks, he had a combined 14 solos, 10 assists, 4 TFL, 2 QB hits, and 2 pass deflections. It feels like the Texans are ending up with Blake and Henry To’o To’o as their two starting linebackers.

2023 NFL Week 7 IDP Waiver Wire Adds – Defensive Backs

Marcus Williams, Safety, Baltimore Ravens
Rostered: ESPN 4.7%, Yahoo 1%, Sleeper 66%

This is a dicey one, but could pay off. Marcus left Week 1 with a pectoral injury that was thought to potentially put him out for the whole year. He returned in Week 6 to face the Titans in London. Between the bad matchup (Tennessee is in the bottom five of tackle allowed to opposing safeties) and a hamstring injury, Marcus was limited to 1 solo tackle and 1 pass deflection on a 67% snap share.

Due to the prior pectoral injury, Marcus has a much lower roster rate than he should be, and he may not play in Week 7 with the new injury. But keep an eye on it and if he plays he should be considered as a potential starter. The Ravens play the Lions who are in the top 3 in tackles allowed to opposing safeties.

Jabrill Peppers, Safety, New England Patriots
Rostered: ESPN 9.4%, Yahoo 1%, Sleeper 5%

Jabrill has taken over a starting safety spot this year after a mediocre 2022 on the Patriots. He has 26 solos, 11 assists, 3 pass deflections, 2 TFL, and 1 forced fumble on the year to go with a 91.34% snap share. He has at least 6 combined tackles in five of the six games he played this year.

This is right up there with Kyle Dugger, who many expected to be a top-10 safety this year. The Bills aren’t an amazing matchup for opposing safeties, but with the ineptitude of the Patriots’ offense this year there should be plenty of opportunities for the Patriots’ defense this week.

Kareem Jackson, Safety, Denver Broncos
Rostered: ESPN 1.9%, Yahoo 3%, Sleeper 3%

Kareem is once again a starter for the Broncos this year in his age-35 season. He has an 86.44% snap share on the year, but that would be in the 90s if he had not been ejected in Week 2 (he ended at a 48% snap share that week). Outside of Week 2, he has combined tackle numbers of 4, 8, 8, 10, and 5. The Broncos offensive woes have helped the defensive numbers and that should continue in Week 7 against the Packers, whose defense has not been the issue this year.

JC Jackson, Cornerback, New England Patriots
Rostered: ESPN 1.2%, Yahoo 1%, Sleeper 2%

The former Patriot was traded from the Chargers back to the Patriots on October 5th. In Week 5 he played 50% of the snaps for the Patriots, ending with 1 solo and 1 assist. In Week 6 against the Raiders he played 96% of the snaps and ended with 2 solos and 2 assists. JC is no stranger to facing the Bills, whom he played against nine previous times as a Patriot.

The Bills are in the top five of tackles allowed to opposing cornerbacks this year. JC should be good for tackles and always has a shot to make a big play; he had 22 interceptions and 47 pass deflections from 2019 – 2021 as a Patriot.

2023 NFL Week 7 IDP Waiver Wire – Defensive Linemen

AJ Epenesa, Defensive End, Buffalo Bills
Rostered: ESPN 1%, Yahoo 6%, Sleeper 4%

Boy, we have had a lot of Bills and Patriots this week haven’t we? Well, this one will either get you some big plays or nothing. On the year AJ has the following stat line:

5 solos, 4 assists, 4 sacks, 6 pass deflections, 4 TFL, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 touchdown

The good news here, again, is that the New England Patriots are a top-10 team in points allowed to opposing defensive ends. If a big swing is what you are looking for, AJ is your guy.

DJ Wonnum, Defensive End/Edge, Minnesota Vikings
Rostered: ESPN .5%, Yahoo 0%, Sleeper 0%

Sitting at a 70.84% snap share on the year, DJ has been a backup to Danielle Hunter and Marcus Davenport when they have been healthy. To no one’s surprise, Marcus has not been able to stay healthy once again; he has only played 118 defensive snaps on the year and was carted off in Week 6 with an ankle injury. In the games that Marcus has not played at all in DJ has 79% and 89% snap shares.

On the year DJ has 10 solos, 13 assists, 2 sacks, 2 TFL, 2 pass deflections, 1 fumble recovery, and 1 touchdown. He should be on the field more with Marcus looking like he will be out for a while, and is a fine add in deeper leagues.

Bradley Chubb, Defensive End/Edge, Miami Dolphins
Rostered: ESPN 21.9%, Yahoo 1%, Sleeper 14%

Bradley is 4/6 in decent games this year. In Weeks 3 and 4 this year he had a combined 2 solos, 1 assist, and 2 QB hits. In the other four games he has a combined 16 solos, 8 assists, 5 TFL, 4 QB hits, 2 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. Week 7 brings a showdown with the Eagles who have not looked like the 2022 Eagles so far.

Adding to that, offensive tackle Lane Johnson went out in Week 6 for the Eagles and is having an MRI to see the extent of the injury there. The Eagles are 13-23 in games when Lane has been on the team and not played. This is a good spot to deploy Brad as a defensive end or edge. I would have reservations about playing him when he is listed as a linebacker.

Grover Stewart, Defensive Tackle, Indianapolis Colts
Rostered: ESPN 3.2%, Yahoo 5%, Sleeper 6%

Grover has not had the impact he did last year, but he is still getting playing time and still having some good games. He has a 59.72% snap share this year, which isn’t far off the 64.35% snap share that DeForest Buckner has. Through the first six games, Grover has 13 solos, 7 assists, and 2 TFL. The past three games have not been great, but in Week 7 the Colts face the Browns, who give up the most fantasy points to opposing defensive tackles on the year. If there was a game to get Grover for in defensive tackle-required leagues, this would be it.

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