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Welcome back, IDP Nerds! Another week of NFL action is in the books, and we’re back looking for ways to improve our dynasty rosters. Before we get into the Week 9 IDP Waiver Wire, let’s give some credit to last week’s No. 1 Add, Ty’Ron Hopper. The Packers linebacker delivered a top-five LB finish in Week 8, rewarding IDP managers who took advantage of his increased playing time. It’s another reminder of why we continue to trust our data and pay close attention to injuries, snap counts, and changing roles throughout the season.
This week’s group isn’t going to blow anyone away, but there are still some players worth taking a chance on. Injuries have opened up a few opportunities at linebacker, while we’re seeing some defensive linemen put together solid production despite limited playing time. We also have a couple of defensive backs who could help us as we get into the second half of the season. At this point, it’s about finding players who can help our lineups now or give us some much-needed depth down the road. Let’s get into my top IDP waiver wire pickups for Week 9.
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Best Defensive Line Waiver Pickups | Week 9 IDP
Brenton Cox | Green Bay Packers | 0–3% FAAB
While IDP managers await the return of Micah Parsons, the Packers have seen several younger defensive linemen step up in his absence. Lukas Van Ness has enjoyed a breakout season, rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton has shown some encouraging signs, and Brenton Cox is another player making the most of his opportunities. Green Bay is starting to remind me of Pittsburgh with the amount of talent they have along the defensive front. Cox has scored double-digit fantasy points in 75% of his games this season and joins four of his teammates who have ranked inside the top 36 defensive linemen over the past two weeks. After failing to reach a 40% defensive snap share in each of his first four games, Cox has surpassed that mark in four consecutive games, including three where he’s played at least 50% of the snaps.
The biggest concern with Cox is what his role will look like once Parsons returns. Green Bay has a deep defensive line rotation, and it’s going to be difficult to trust all these players when everyone is healthy. However, that’s a problem we can worry about when the time comes. Right now, Cox is seeing enough playing time to produce useful fantasy numbers, and I’m not going to ignore that just because his role could change down the road. We’ve talked all season about trusting our data and taking advantage of opportunities when they’re available. Cox is a perfect example of that approach.
Adin Huntington | Cleveland Browns | 0–3% FAAB
Adin Huntington makes his second appearance in the IDP Waiver Wire this season after we first recommended him back in Week 6. The Browns defensive lineman was starting to see more opportunities at that point, and he’s continued to deliver for IDP managers. Huntington ranks as the DL20 over the past month despite playing just 45% of the defensive snaps this season. He’s still heavily dependent on sacks for his fantasy production, but he’s been getting the job done with at least half a sack in four of his last five games. Even with his snap share dropping below his season average over the past two weeks, Huntington has managed to record a sack in both games. It’s hard to argue with that type of production, especially from a player who isn’t seeing a full-time workload.
What makes Huntington even more appealing is his upcoming schedule. The Browns face the New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans, two teams allowing more than two sacks per game through the first half of the season. With injuries continuing to impact some of the bigger names at defensive line, IDP managers have been forced to rely more on streaming options than we’d like. Huntington isn’t someone I’m expecting to give us a consistent tackle floor, but he’s shown he can make an impact with limited opportunities. At 0–3% FAAB, I’m willing to add the second-year pass rusher and take advantage of these upcoming matchups while he’s producing.
Best Linebacker Waiver Pickups | Week 9 IDP
Glosser’s No. 1 Add
Malcolm Rodriguez | Detroit Lions | 3–5% FAAB
Injuries to Jack Campbell and rookie Jimmy Rolder against the Vikings have left Detroit thin at linebacker. Campbell spent Sunday night in the hospital and has yet to rejoin the team, making it likely he’ll miss some time. That puts Malcolm Rodriguez in line for a starting role, something we haven’t seen much of since his rookie season in 2022, when he recorded 87 tackles. He’s been mostly a rotational player since then, but with Campbell sidelined, Rodriguez has a chance to show he can still produce with consistent playing time.
Rodriguez is my No. 1 Add this week because he has a chance to step into a starting role, something we rarely find on linebacker waivers this late in the season. I’m not expecting him to replace Campbell’s fantasy production, but he has the ability to provide a solid tackle floor that IDP managers can feel comfortable putting into their lineups. In the deeper dynasty leagues we play in, there simply aren’t enough starting linebackers to go around. When a player becomes available who could step into a starting role, even if it’s only for a couple of weeks, we need to take advantage of that opportunity. At 3–5% FAAB, Rodriguez is worth adding for managers who need immediate linebacker help or want to strengthen their depth heading into the second half of the season.
Branson Combs | Jacksonville Jaguars | 0–3% FAAB
Branson Combs is a deep-league addition for IDP managers looking to build some linebacker depth before injuries force their hand. At this point in the season, finding a starting linebacker on waivers is difficult enough, and the last thing we want is to get caught in a bidding war for a backup we could have added weeks earlier. Combs has played just 18% of Jacksonville’s defensive snaps this season, with most of his opportunities coming in blowouts, but he’s made the most of his limited playing time. In Week 7, he recorded five tackles on just 10 defensive snaps and has finished with double-digit fantasy points twice this season, both performances helped by impact plays. Those numbers aren’t enough to trust him in our starting lineups right now, but they’re encouraging for a young linebacker who hasn’t had many opportunities.
What interests me most about Combs is his potential to step into a larger role if Ventrell Miller or Foyesade Oluokun were to miss time. Miller currently ranks as the LB47 on the season, and Combs could provide valuable insurance for managers who already have Jacksonville linebackers on their rosters. This isn’t an addition that’s going to help you win your Week 9 matchup, but it could save you a significant amount of FAAB later in the season. If you have the roster space, I’d rather take a chance on Combs now than wait until an injury makes him a priority waiver claim. There’s always the possibility that the opportunity never comes, but with linebacker waivers already extremely thin eight games into the season, these are the types of depth moves that can pay off for dynasty managers.
| Player | Pos | Team | Priority | FAAB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brenton Cox | DL | GB | Strong Add | 0–3% |
| Adin Huntington | DL | CLE | Depth Add | 0–3% |
| Malcolm Rodriguez | LB | DET | Must Add | 3–5% |
| Branson Combs | LB | JAX | Dynasty Stash | 0–3% |
| Zakee Wheatley | DB | CAR | Strong Add | 3–5% |
| Tony Jefferson | DB | LAC | Streaming Add | 0–3% |
Best Defensive Back Waiver Pickups | Week 9 IDP
Zakee Wheatley | Carolina Panthers | 3–5% FAAB
This rookie IDP class has been spectacular this season, and some of these young players have helped our dynasty teams perform better than we expected heading into the year. The top of this class has been so productive that we haven’t spent enough time talking about some of the other rookies making an impact. Zakee Wheatley is one of those players who has quietly been improving throughout the season. The Panthers defensive back just recorded his fourth double-digit fantasy performance of the year and is averaging 11.75 fantasy points per game, the second-highest mark of Carolina DBs. For a rookie still finding his role, that’s encouraging production and something IDP managers should be paying attention to.
With the amount of injuries Carolina has dealt with in its secondary, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Wheatley’s role continue to grow as the season progresses. He’s already shown he can deliver useful fantasy production without being a full-time starter, and additional opportunities could make him even more valuable. The Panthers have also already had their bye week, which is another bonus for managers looking to add depth for the second half of the season. I’m not ready to call Wheatley a weekly starter just yet, but he’s worth adding to see how his role develops. We’ve seen what this rookie class can do when given an opportunity, and Wheatley could be another player who rewards IDP managers willing to get ahead of the competition.
Tony Jefferson | Los Angeles Chargers | 0–3% FAAB
The Los Angeles Chargers’ struggles have been well documented this season, and things haven’t gotten any easier for their defense. Following the team’s bye week, All-Pro defensive back Derwin James was placed on injured reserve after missing the previous three games. Veteran Tony Jefferson has stepped in and provided some much-needed stability in the secondary. Jefferson has recorded double-digit fantasy points in three consecutive games while averaging a 72% defensive snap share since taking over for James. He’s averaging just under 10 fantasy points per game this season, and while those numbers won’t jump off the page, he’s been providing consistent production for IDP managers looking for help at defensive back.
Jefferson isn’t a long-term dynasty option, but he can help IDP managers get through injuries and bye weeks. With the Chargers sitting at 0–7, I wouldn’t be surprised if they take their time bringing Derwin James back. There’s a chance Jefferson could hold onto this role for much of the second half of the season. Even if that doesn’t happen, his recent production makes him worth adding for managers needing help at defensive back.
Just Missed | Week 9 IDP Waiver Wire
- Jack Sawyer, DL, Pittsburgh Steelers: We’ve talked frequently about the depth of Pittsburgh’s defensive line and how we wish some of these players were on other teams where they could see more opportunities. Jack Sawyer is another player caught in that situation, but I’ve noticed an encouraging trend in his playing time. The second-year EDGE rusher played just 25% of the defensive snaps last season, a number that’s increased to 31% this year. Since playing a season-low 16% of the snaps in Week 3, Sawyer has steadily earned more opportunities, reaching a season-high 47% in Week 8. Without an injury ahead of him, it’s difficult to project a consistent fantasy role, but he’s worth monitoring or stashing if you have the extra roster space.
- Austin Ajiake, LB, Indianapolis Colts: Ajiake is another linebacker worth considering for depth, especially if you already have Colts linebackers on your roster. He’s played more than 35% of the defensive snaps just once this season, recording five tackles in that game. Indianapolis’ linebacker rotation has been frustrating for IDP managers, and there’s no guarantee that changes anytime soon. With the Colts appearing to enter a rebuild, there’s some hope that younger players like Ajiake could see more opportunities during the second half of the season. For now, he’s a player I’d keep on the watchlist until we see a more consistent role.
- Geno Stone, DB, Buffalo Bills: Stone saw his first defensive action of the season with Chauncey Gardner-Johnson serving a suspension and made the most of his opportunity. The veteran defensive back finished with 13 fantasy points on just 19 defensive snaps, collecting six tackles in limited playing time. Buffalo’s defense looked better than it has in recent weeks, but it’s difficult to determine how much of that improvement came from Stone’s presence or the Ravens being forced to play their third-string quarterback. Either way, Stone made a positive impression in his first opportunity and is worth monitoring if his role continues to grow.
Final Thoughts | Week 9 IDP Waiver Wire
This week’s waiver wire isn’t the strongest group we’ve put together, but that’s something we should expect as we reach the halfway point of the season. In deeper dynasty leagues, finding productive defensive linemen and linebackers becomes increasingly difficult as the season progresses. Most of the players capable of delivering consistent fantasy production are already rostered, leaving us to look for injuries, increased playing time, and favorable matchups to find an advantage. Not every addition is going to be a weekly starter, and that’s okay. Sometimes adding depth before an opportunity opens up is just as important as finding someone who can help us win this week. We have to stay active and make the most of the opportunities available to us.
As always, if you have any IDP waiver wire, lineup, or dynasty trade questions, reach out to me on Twitter/X @Glosser13 or Reddit u/IDPGlosser. I’m always happy to talk IDP with the #NerdHerd and help you work through those difficult roster decisions. Good luck in Week 9, and thanks for reading!
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