The 2017 trading deadline has come and gone in the NFL. And Tuesday was a wild and wacky day, with several fantasy-relevant players finding new homes.
Well, on offense anyway.
However, apart from the Jacksonville Jaguars acquiring Marcell Dareus from the Buffalo Bills (because that defensive line needed the help so badly) there wasn’t a ton of action on the defensive side of the ball.
It’s a similar story as fantasy trade deadlines loom.
Sure, you might be able to swap a d-lineman for a linebacker. Or a linebacker for a safety (although why you’d want to is another story), but if you try to trade an IDP for offensive help you’re probably going to discover something.
Even in leagues where IDP scoring gives defensive players weight comparable to their offensive counterparts, it’s nearly impossible to get value when dealing defenders.
Looking to add a wide receiver? Forget getting a top-20 option, even if you’re willing to part with an elite defensive talent like Khalil Mack of the Oakland Raiders. Ditto for running backs.
And you aren’t getting Deshaun Watson for anyone. So, forget it.
It’s a (losing) battle against perception. Even in leagues where the realities of the scoring refute it, the overwhelming majority of fantasy owners just don’t see IDPs as having value comparable to offensive players.
There’s an exception to every rule, but odds are if you want to get better on offense via a trade, you aren’t going to do it with defense.
Sorry.
One more bit of parade-raining before we start this week’s look around IDP Nation.
Week 9 is the second of the six-team byes. The Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are all off this week. No Everson Griffen. Or Danny Trevathan. Or Devin McCourty.
Now I’m depressed.
WEEK 9 IDP WAIVER WIRE TARGETS
Henry Anderson – DE, Indianapolis Colts: Anderson tallied five tackles, a sack and even blocked a field goal last week against the Cincinnati Bengals. He’s finally starting to again look like the defensive end who showed so much promise in 2015.
Cory James – ILB, Oakland Raiders: A knee injury cost James some time and likely got him the hook in some shallower IDP leagues. But he was back in the starting lineup for the Raiders a week ago, pacing the team with eight solos.
Johnathan Cyprien – S, Tennessee Titans: Cyprien’s string of 100-tackle seasons is probably toast (he hasn’t played since Week 1), but the Titans are optimistic coming out of their bye that he’ll be back in Week 9. Starting him is risky, but now is the time to add him.
WEEK 9 IDP INJURY REPORT
Morgan Burnett – S, Green Bay Packers (Questionable Hamstring): Burnett hasn’t played since Week 5 with a bad hammy, but he is back on the practice field and appears to be on track to return Monday night against the Detroit Lions.
Dylan Cole – ILB, Houston Texans (OUT – Hamstring): Cole’s injury isn’t so much about the player himself. But with him sidelined, rookie Zach Cunningham will play every down against the Colts. More on that in a bit.
Johnathan Cyprien – S, Tennessee Titans (Questionable – Hamstring): Cyprien will all but surely be on a snap count this week against the Baltimore Ravens, but he’s tentatively expected to play for the first time since the season opener.
Karlos Dansby – ILB, Arizona Cardinals (Questionable – Hand): Dansby left the Cardinals London loss to the Los Angeles Rams with a hand injury, but he’s since had the bye week to recover. The possibility of a diminishing snap count is a bigger concern than his health.
Reuben Foster – ILB, San Francisco 49ers (Questionable – Ribs): It seemed that Foster would be able to play last week, but he was scratched late with sore ribs. Monitor his practice participation before penciling him into IDP lineups.
B.J. Goodson – ILB, New York Giants (Questionable – Ankle): Goodson was able to play through his bad ankle in Week 7, but he wasn’t able to play every down. Until he can he isn’t of much help to fantasy owners.
Ramon Humber – OLB, Buffalo Bills (Questionable – Hand): Humber, who has missed the last three games after thumb surgery, was limited in practice on Tuesday. With the Bills playing on Thursday in Week 9, the smart money says he sits one more week.
Janoris Jenkins – CB, New York Giants (SUSPENSION): Coming out of the bye week, the New York Giants suspended Jenkins indefinitely for an unspecified violation of team rules. It’s been that kind of season for the G-Men.
Karl Joseph – S, Oakland Raiders (Questionable – Groin): Joseph was a late scratch in last week’s loss to the Buffalo Bills after pulling his groin in practice. His status for this week’s pivotal Sunday night matchup in Miami is uncertain.
T.J. McDonald – S, Miami Dolphins (SUSPENDED): McDonald has yet to play this season, but he’ll be eligible to return to the Dolphins next week. IDP owners in deeper leagues should at least prepare to scoop him up then if you need DB help.
Rashaan Melvin – CB, Indianapolis Colts (Questionable – Concussion): Melvin’s been a favorite of IDP owners in CB-required formats in 2017, but he’ll have to pass the final stages of the concussion protocol to be cleared to play in Week 9.
Jordan Poyer – S, Buffalo Bills (Questionable – Knee): Poyer has asserted that he intends to play after missing the win over the Raiders, but with the Bills facing a short turnaround this week the surprise IDP star is the definition of questionable.
Duke Riley – OLB, Atlanta Falcons (OUT – Knee): Riley will be sidelined indefinitely after surgery to repair a torn meniscus. So long as the rookie is on the shelf, De’Vondre Campbell is locked into a three-down role as the WILL linebacker in Atlanta.
Earl Thomas – S, Seattle Seahawks: (Questionable – Hamstring): While reports originally labeled Thomas’ hamstring pull “slight,” the Pro Bowl safety is now being called a “long shot” to take the field against the Washington Redskins.
Solomon Thomas – DE, San Francisco 49ers (OUT – Knee): It’s been a rotten year for the 49ers and injuries along the defensive line. The latest victim is Thomas, who has been ruled out for Week 9 with a sprained MCL.
Olivier Vernon – DE, New York Giants (Questionable – Knee): The poster boy for a lost season in New York, Vernon hasn’t played since spraining his ankle in Week 4. Until he strings a few consecutive practices together don’t hold your breath regarding a return.
Muhammad Wilkerson – DE, New York Jets (Questionable – Shoulder): Wilkerson got his first sack last week, but he hasn’t practiced at all in over two weeks and is all kinds of nicked up in advance of Thursday night’s tilt with the Bills.
THE WHAT THE HECK DO YOU HAVE TO LOSE WAIVER PLAY OF THE WEEK
Zach Cunningham – ILB, Houston Texans (vs. IND)
As Matt Weston wrote for SB Nation, Cunningham had a day to forget last week against the Seattle Seahawks. “It was a rough day for Cunningham,” he said, “who was completely exposed in pass coverage. Cunningham allowed 4-of-5 targets for 98 yards with a long of 66 and 52 yards after the catch with two touchdowns and a passer rating allowed of 158.3.”
As if that weren’t bad enough, for all that getting scorched in coverage Cunningham managed just a single tackle for the game – and that was an assist. As bad a day as it was though the Texans don’t have much choice but to roll the rookie back out there this week against the Indianapolis Colts – a Colts team that ranks inside the top 10 in fantasy points allowed to linebackers this season.
GUYS I LIKE IN WEEK 9
Frank Clark – DE, Seattle Seahawks (vs. WAS): Clark and Michael Bennett both had huge games in Week 8, combining for 3.5 sacks against the Houston Texans. The pair will enjoy that same kind of success in a similarly juicy matchup with Washington.
Aaron Donald – DE, Los Angeles Rams (at NYG): Donald had a sack in two straight heading into the bye week to give him three for the season. He’ll make it three straight (and four total) Sunday against a Giants team that’s struggled in pass protection.
Brandon Graham – DE, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. DEN): The Philly front four is as good as any in the NFL, and they should feast this week against a rattled Trevor Siemian and a Broncos team that’s fourth in fantasy points allowed to defensive linemen.
Darron Lee – ILB, New York Jets (vs. BUF): Both Lee and batterymate Demario Davis should be excellent fantasy plays Thursday against a run-heavy Bills offense that’s allowing the second-most fantasy points to linebackers this season.
Patrick Onwuasor – ILB, Baltimore Ravens (at TEN): Onwuasor isn’t technically an every-down linebacker, but he plays a high-enough percentage of Baltimore’s defensive snaps to be worth a look in this favorable matchup.
Wesley Woodyard – ILB, Tennessee Titans (vs. BAL): Woodyard has been as consistent as they come for fantasy owners in 2017. That will continue Sunday in a top-three IDP matchup with Joe Flacco, Alex Collins and the Ravens.
Morgan Burnett – S, Green Bay Packers (vs. DET): Assuming that the veteran safety is back on the field in Week 9 he’s a great play against a Detroit team that’s giving up the most fantasy points in the NFC to defensive backs.
Malcolm Jenkins – S, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. DEN): If you saw Trevor Siemian play against the Kansas City Chiefs Monday night you know why the Broncos are now surrendering the most fantasy points per game to defensive backs.
Kenny Vaccaro – S, New Orleans Saints (vs. TBB): If you’re looking for a division that’s kind to fantasy defensive backs, look no farther than the NFC South. The Buccaneers are leading the way in 2017, allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to the position.
GUYS I DON’T LIKE IN WEEK 9
Gerald McCoy – DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at NOS): Not only does McCoy draw a poor fantasy matchup Sunday, but given the injuries that have hit the Buccaneers on the defensive front the Saints should be able to key on him.
Jason Pierre-Paul – DE, New York Giants (vs. LAR): With six teams on a bye it’s next to impossible to sit a player like JPP. But the Rams have protected Jared Goff well in 2017, so be prepared to settle for a few solos from the star DE.
Cameron Wake – DE, Miami Dolphins (vs. OAK): Wake continues to defy Father Time at the age of 35, but he’s going to be even more hard-pressed to defy a historically awful IDP matchup with the Raiders stout offensive line.
Thomas Davis – OLB, Carolina Panthers (vs. ATL): Davis has usurped Shaq Thompson as the other three-down linebacker in Carolina, but it may not matter against an out-of-sync Falcons offense that’s dead last in fantasy points given up to linebackers.
Reuben Foster – ILB, San Francisco 49ers (vs, ARZ): Even if Foster plays it’s hard to get excited about his Week 9 prospects – the Cardinals have been one of the worst fantasy matchups in the NFL for the linebacker position all season long.
Blake Martinez – ILB, Green Bay Packers (vs. DET): Martinez ranks sixth in the NFL in both total tackles (64) and solos (47). But he faces an uphill climb on Monday night against a Lions team that’s been stingy to fantasy linebackers in 2017.
Jamal Adams – S, New York Jets (vs. BUF): I love Adams as a talent – I truly believe he has Landon Collins-type IDP upside. But it’s hard to realize that upside against the Bills, who have long been a bad matchup on the back end.
Kevin Byard – S, Tennessee Titans (vs. BAL): Byard’s been great for IDP owners this year, thanks largely to big plays. But between a poor matchup and the return of Johnathan Cyprien, the gravy train may hit a speed bump in Week 9.
Tony Jefferson – S, Baltimore Ravens (at TEN): The Ravens have quite a bit of money invested in the safety position between Jefferson and Eric Weddle. Over the first half of the 2017 season, they’ve gotten a rotten return on that investment.
THE SCRAP-HEAP STREAMING CORNERBACK PLAY OF THE WEEK
In recent years the number of dependable weekly fantasy starters at the cornerback position has dwindled to just about zero. So as a service to those hearty souls who play in IDP leagues that require them, each week I’ll point out a player at that position available in many leagues who should serve as a fine streaming option.
Vernon Hargreaves, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (at NOS): There are certain constants you can count on in the universe. There’s death. Taxes. Politicians lying. The Cleveland Browns being awful and making horrible personnel decisions. And the New Orleans Saints allowing lots of fantasy points to the cornerback position – eighth-most in the NFL in 2017.
