IDP Defensive Playbook - Week 7

Oct 21, 2015

Welcome to your Week 7 IDP Defensive Playbook. Each week, I'll highlight some of the top defensive waiver wire targets, as well as matchups to exploit and avoid in each game. Week 6 is in the books, and there were both some fine performances and some stinkers thrown about. Cameron Wake emerged from the depths and I still can’t figure out Christian Kirksey. Before I look at Week 7, here's how my Week 6 waiver targets performed:

Mike Daniels, DE, GBP: Two tackles/0.5 sack
Jabaal Sheard, DE, NEP: One tackle
Bennie Logan, DT, PHI: Three tackles
Wesley Woodyard, ILB, TEN: 10 tackles/One sack
Thurston Armbrister, ILB, JAC: One tackle
Rolando McClain, OLB, DAL: Bye week
Kenny Vaccaro, SS, NOS: Five tackles/One defended pass
Jerraud Powers, CB, ARI: Five tackles
Brandon Browner, CB, NOS: Six tackles

Defensive Line

Lawrence Guy, DE, BAL: Guy saw his highest usage of the season at 78 percent of the snaps and provided a solid result. He now has sacks in consecutive games with double-digit fantasy points. He’s started four consecutive games and if his snaps remain, he’ll be a viable DL option.

Allen Bailey, DE, KCC: I liked Bailey as a breakout candidate, and he’s delivered. He has sacks in two straight games, with four overall. Of his double-digit games, all three have gone for 19 or more fantasy points. He’s producing 0.20 points per snap and is among the top DL scorers.

Damontre Moore, DE, NYG: It’s a shame he’s getting fewer than 50 percent of the snaps, but he’s productive with his playing time. He’s producing a 12-percent QB pressure rate and 0.28 points per snap. He’s worth playing as a DL3 in deeper leagues with this type of production.

Linebacker

Dannell Ellerbe, OLB, NOS: After seeing 31 percent of the snaps in Week 4, Ellerbe has consecutive weeks of 70-plus percent of the snaps and is producing 0.41 points per snap in that timeframe, thanks to a huge 13 solo tackle outburst in Week 6.

Ramik Wilson, ILB, KCC: Wilson was aided by big play in Week 5 and followed it up with a nine tackle performance in Week 6. Wilson hasn’t missed any tackles and he appeared in 71 percent of the snaps, so his opportunities are on the rise. I like the matchup this week against the Steelers and Wilson is worth adding for depth.

Jeremiah Attaochu, OLB, SDC: His snaps are on the rise and has produced four sacks and is producing 0.25 points per snap. He has three consecutive games of 14 or more fantasy points and is worth the addition in big play scoring formats.

Defensive Back

Bashaud Breeland, CB, WAS: Breeland has been thrown at six or more times three times this season, producing three games of double-digit fantasy points. He’s worth adding in CB-required leagues, especially for his matchup this week against the Bucs. Breeland is producing a play on the ball 30 percent of the time he’s thrown at.

Devin McCourty, FS, NEP: Since the Week 4 bye, McCourty has recorded 14 solo tackles and on the year, is producing a 4:1 solo-to-assist ratio. I like the matchup this week for McCourty, as the Jets are allowing 11 solo tackles per game to opposing safeties.

Michael Mitchell, FS, PIT: Mitchell is making the most of his snaps with Will Allen out. Mitchell, even though he recorded two solo tackles, he recovered a fumble and picked off a pass. He’s on the field and getting the snaps, so opportunities are there.

IDP Matchups to Exploit

These four teams are on bye: Denver, Cincinnati, Chicago, Green Bay. Make sure to get these guys out of your lineups this week.