Fantasy Football Week 5 IDP Waiver Wire Pickups: Cody Barton, P.J. Locke, Kyle Van Noy and More
These are the IDP options you should be targeting on the waiver wire this week.
Linebackers
Cody Barton, Denver Broncos
With Alex Singleton tearing his ACL in Week 3, Barton stepped in and played 100% of the defensive snaps in Week 4. He played well too and had a productive day. He tied for the team lead with 10 total tackles and looks to be in line to be the starter for the remainder of the season barring some sort of trade.
Trevin Wallace, Carolina Panthers
The Panthers lost both Josey Jewell and Shaq Thompson this week. Jewell looks like he's going to miss some time with a hamstring injury and Thompson's season is over due to a torn Achilles. When both linebackers were out, Wallace stepped in to lead the way and is projected to be an every-down linebacker moving forward. Claudin Cherelus could also have value as long as Jewel is out, but Wallace is the guy who is being projected as an asset for the remainder of the season.
Christian Harris, Houston Texans
Harris is eligible to return from injured reserve this week and it sounds like he has a strong chance of getting back on the field soon. If Harris is sitting on waivers, he projects to be the play caller and an every-down linebacker for the Texans once he's back and at full strength. He can end up being a valuable piece of your defense for the remainder of the year.
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, San Francisco 49ers
San Fran lost Fred Warner this week to an ankle injury and we don't yet know the full severity. However, we do know that it happened in the first half and he was unable to return to the game. While the injury doesn't seem like a long-term issue, if he misses time, Flannigan-Fowles should see a near every-down role next to De'Vondre Campbell Sr. When monitoring this situation be sure to keep an eye on Dre Greenlaw as well, who is eligible to return from the PUP list this week.
Defensive Backs
P.J. Locke, Denver Broncos
After exploding onto the IDP scene last year, albeit in a limited sample size before getting hurt, Locke had been a disappointment this season. That is until this past week when he recorded 10 tackles and a sack against the New York Jets. With Singleton done for the year, we could see these types of numbers on a more common basis. The void Singleton has left could force Locke to step up in the box and become more of a tackler out of necessity for his defense.
Xavier Woods, Carolina Panthers
It's a New Day, yes it is! Woods stepped up in a major way this week, posting a monster fantasy week. He made 10 tackles, with one for a loss, and had an interception. Much like Locke, the absence of the Panthers' top linebackers could lead to the inflation of his tackle numbers moving forward. We have seen Woods be a strong fantasy option in the past so we know he is more than capable.
Isaiah Pola-Mao, Las Vegas Raiders
With Marcus Epps out with injury, Pola-Mao stepped in and played 100% of snaps. In his first game in his new role, he had six tackles and a sack. That's not a bad first game. He's worth a speculative pickup with potential upside. We may give him another week before we plug him into our starting lineup though.
Linemen
Chauncey Golston, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys lost both DeMarcus Lawrence and Micah Parsons this week for what looks to be an extended period of time. We are projecting Golston as the defensive end to add off of this defense. We wouldn't start him immediately because there is a world where they just don't get pressure, nevertheless, we like Golston's potential.
Kyle Van Noy, Baltimore Ravens
Van Noy scares us due to his low snap count, however, he's had six sacks in the past three games. Those numbers can't be ignored, especially when they come at the hands of a player who has proven to be a valuable fantasy asset in the past. He is and has been a playmaker for a very long time in the NFL.
Jonathon Cooper, Denver Broncos
We have a lot of Broncos we're picking up off the waiver wire this week. Cooper has been very good this season but is still available in most leagues. Through four games, he's had three sacks and has posted an impressive pass rush win rate this season. He also played over 80% of the snaps this week. This is the ultimate "trust the process" guy that you should scoop up off of waivers.
