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Welcome Back IDP Nerds! Just like that, we’re already a month into the NFL season. The Week 5 IDP Waiver Wire is here, and by now we’re starting to get a pretty good idea of which early-season performances we can trust. We’ve seen players earn bigger roles, others take advantage of injuries, and a few names come out of nowhere to become legitimate options for our IDP rosters.
We still have a long way to go, and the waiver wire will keep giving us opportunities as the season moves along. We don’t need to chase every player coming off a big Sunday, but when the production starts matching the opportunity, it’s time to pay attention. Keep working those waivers and looking for streaming options that can improve your roster. Let’s get into the top IDP waiver wire targets for Week 5.
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Best Defensive Line Waiver Pickups | Week 5 IDP
Brenton Cox | Green Bay Packers | 3-5% FAAB
The defensive line options are less than ideal this week, so we’re going to have to dig a little deeper. One player who has passed the eye test for me in deeper dynasty leagues is Brenton Cox. Green Bay is still trying to replace the production of Micah Parsons until he returns, and that has opened the door for some of their younger defenders to get more opportunities. Cox hasn’t exactly filled up the stat sheet with zero sacks and a defensive snap share below 40%, but he has recorded at least 2 tackles in every game and scored double-digit fantasy points in three of four games this season.
I’ll admit there’s probably a little more hope than proven production behind this recommendation. That’s okay. Injuries are starting to pile up across the league, and I’d rather take a chance on a player showing some promise now than wait until the production shows up and get stuck in a bidding war a few weeks from now. Cox is more of a deeper dynasty stash than someone I’m looking to start right away, but in a weak week for defensive line options, he’s a player I’m willing to take a chance on.
D.J. Wonnum | Detroit Lions | 0-3% FAAB
We haven’t quite gotten what we wanted from rookie Derrick Moore playing opposite Aidan Hutchinson this season, but veteran D.J. Wonnum has stepped up over the past few weeks. Wonnum is now on his third team since 2023 and is looking to get back to the player who recorded 8 sacks twice over his first four NFL seasons. He’s getting there lately with 3 sacks over his past two games while playing 58% of the defensive snaps this season.
Like most pass rushers in this range, Wonnum will have some boom-or-bust weeks. That’s something we can live with for a player who costs next to nothing on waivers. Playing alongside Hutchinson should continue to give him opportunities to create pressure, and right now he’s taking advantage of them. With bye weeks starting, Wonnum is a solid streaming option for IDP managers who need help at defensive line.
Best Linebacker Waiver Pickups | Week 5 IDP
Jimmy Rolder | Detroit Lions | 3-5% FAAB
In such a stacked rookie linebacker class, I wouldn’t blame IDP managers for not even knowing who Jimmy Rolder is. The former Michigan Wolverine dealt with some lingering issues to start the season and is nowhere close to helping our lineups right now. That doesn’t mean we should ignore him in dynasty leagues. Rolder didn’t start seeing action until Week 3 and has mostly been used on special teams, but he finally got 7 defensive snaps in Week 4. The snap count doesn’t move the needle, but what he did with them does. Rolder recorded 3 tackles, including a tackle for loss, in very limited action.
Outside of Jack Campbell, I’m not sold on anyone in this Lions linebacker room enough to think Rolder can’t work his way into the rotation eventually. We’ve seen Detroit take a patient approach before with Derrick Barnes, who played fewer than 40% of the defensive snaps in each of his first two seasons. Rolder might require that same type of patience, but seeing him make plays with his first real opportunity is encouraging. He’s not someone I’m adding to start anytime soon, but in deeper dynasty leagues, I’m willing to stash him and see where this goes. If you have the room on your taxi squad, even better.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. | Philadelphia Eagles | 0-3% FAAB
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. might be one of the better insurance policies to have at linebacker right now. He hasn’t gotten much of a chance to show what he can do defensively through his first two seasons, but a late-week concussion forced Zach Baun out in Week 4 and Trotter took full advantage. He finished with 15 tackles and 29 fantasy points in his first real opportunity to run the Eagles defense. I don’t expect that type of production every week, but it was nice to finally see what Trotter could do when given the chance.
As we seem to talk about every week, linebacker depth in dynasty leagues just isn’t there. Trotter has mostly been a special teams player, so I wouldn’t get too carried away with one big performance. Still, he’s a player I want on my roster in deeper leagues, especially if I’m a Baun manager. There are worse players to hold as an insurance policy, and with Baun getting older, Philadelphia will eventually have to figure out what it has behind him. For 0-3% FAAB, I’m willing to keep Trotter around and find out.
| Player | Pos | Team | Priority | FAAB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brenton Cox | DL | GB | Strong Add | 3-5% |
| D.J. Wonnum | DL | DET | Streamer | 0-3% |
| Jimmy Rolder | LB | DET | Strong Add | 3-5% |
| Jeremiah Trotter Jr. | LB | PHI | Streamer | 0-3% |
| Christian Izien | DB | DET | Must Add | 1-5% |
| Amik Robertson | DB | WAS | Strong Add | 1-5% |
Best Defensive Back Waiver Pickups | Week 5 IDP
Glosser’s No. 1 Add
Christian Izien | Detroit Lions | 1-5% FAAB
The Detroit Lions secondary is about as beat up as it gets right now. Thankfully for IDP managers, all of those injuries continue to create opportunities for veteran defensive backs who otherwise probably wouldn’t be on our radar. We hit on Chuck Clark a few weeks ago, and now Christian Izien gets his chance. The former Buccaneers defensive back has come on strong over the past two weeks, totaling more than 60 fantasy points during that stretch.
Izien didn’t start seeing significant defensive snaps until Week 3, but nobody has scored more fantasy points at defensive back since he entered the lineup. He’s outscored the next closest DB by more than 10 fantasy points over that stretch. Obviously, I’m not expecting this type of production to continue, but I’m also not going to ignore it. Detroit needs healthy bodies in the secondary, and Izien has taken full advantage of his opportunity. At this point, he’s my No. 1 waiver add this week, and I’m willing to ride the hot hand for as long as the snaps are there.
Amik Robertson | Washington Commanders | 1-5% FAAB
Amik Robertson has quietly put together a very impressive start to the season. While most IDP managers and analysts continue to believe in Mike Sainristil, it’s been Robertson delivering the fantasy production. The veteran defensive back is the DB13 overall and the top-scoring cornerback in IDP fantasy football through four weeks. He’s also coming off back-to-back 20-point performances and continues to give us reasons to keep him in our lineups.
Robertson is being targeted more than 5 times per game and has already collected 26 tackles through four games, putting him on pace to easily set a new career high. We know how quickly things can change at cornerback, and it’s still a position I’d rather stream than invest heavily in. At this point, though, Robertson has earned our attention. Ride the hot hand until he gives us a reason not to.
Just Missed
- Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DL, Kansas City Chiefs: Anudike-Uzomah put us on notice with his second double-digit fantasy performance of the season. His 48% defensive snap share is the highest of his career, and if that continues, the former first-round pick is a name to keep an eye on in deeper dynasty leagues.
- Kenneth Murray, LB, Houston Texans: Injuries have hit the Texans linebacker room hard, opening the door for Murray to see his first defensive snaps of the season. The veteran played 82% of the snaps and finished with 4 tackles. If Azeez Al-Shaair remains out in Week 5, Murray could be worth a short-term add for managers needing linebacker help.
- Hezekiah Masses, DB, Las Vegas Raiders: The rookie has quickly made a name for himself through the first month of the season. His defensive snap share has jumped from 17.9% in Week 1 to 96.7% in Week 4, and he ranks as the DB4 overall from Weeks 2-4. If that playing time sticks, Masses won’t stay in the Just Missed section for long.
Final Thoughts
Keep working those waivers, IDP Nerds. Bye weeks are here, injuries are piling up, and apparently we’re taking a heavy dose of Detroit Lions this week. Not every player we add needs to be a long-term dynasty asset. Sometimes we just need a player who can help us get through a tough week, and there’s nothing wrong with riding the hot hand while the opportunity is there.
As always, feel free to reach out to me on X @Glosser13 or find me on Reddit at u/IDPGlosser with any dynasty or IDP questions. Make sure to use #NerdHerd so I can find your questions. Good luck in Week 5!
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