Week 2 IDP Waiver Wire Pickups (2022 Fantasy Football)

Week 1 is now in the books. There are numerous storylines to track, but perhaps the most significant from an IDP perspective, aside from the debuts of old faces in new places, is the injury to reigning Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt. He avoided a season-ending injury but is set to miss the bulk of the season while recovering from a torn pec. There were a lot of defensive fireworks in Week 1, so there are more than a few intriguing names on the waiver wire in leagues of all sizes. Let’s take a look at some of the names that may be worth some of your free agent budget.

Linebacker

Alex Highsmith (LB/DE – PIT): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Highsmith went off in Week 1, recording six solos, three assists, three sacks, three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. His LB-only designation on Yahoo will keep his rostership low, but for those in a three-LB-deep Yahoo league or playing on a provider when he is listed as an edge (DE/LB), he should be added immediately. He dominated snaps from the right side and will maintain a high usage role as long as he is cooking. He gets the New England Patriots in Week 2, a team that allowed the 12th most fantasy points to edge rushers in 2021. Highsmith will not get three sacks against the Pats but should rack up tackles against the run, especially with T.J. Watt sidelined.

Linebacker

Khalil Mack (LB/DE – LAC): 10% rostered on Yahoo
Mack went off against his original team in Week 1, racking up five solos, one assist, three sacks, four tackles for loss, and one forced fumble. He is likely rostered on providers where he has DE eligibility, but for those still on Yahoo, he is currently listed as an LB only. Mack had just six sacks last season but is poised to once again crack double digits alongside Joey Bosa. Mack should post LB2 numbers this season and should be added to squads that can start two or more LBs every week. There are special pass rushers who play in odd fronts and thus have LB-only designation but still need to be rostered in all leagues. Mack is one of them now that he is out of Chicago. Week 2 gives him a Kansas City Chiefs team that surrendered the 13th most fantasy points to opposing edge rushers in 2021.

Jordan Hicks (LB – MIN): 13% rostered on Yahoo
Hicks thrived in his first game as a Minnesota Viking, racking up nine solos, five assists, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble. He will look to keep the good times rolling against a Lions team that funneled 31 of 49 available touches to their running backs in Week 1. Hicks is in the LB2 conversation for Week 2, and for as long as he can keep up the hot play. Rostered in just 13 percent of Yahoo leagues, Hicks should be a priority add for those who would prefer to eschew the potentially more sack-dependent names above in favor of a player who should be more consistent week-to-week due to his production in the tackle department.

Kamu Grugier-Hill (LB – HOU): 5% rostered on Yahoo
KGH was a bit of a forgotten man once the Texans added hotshot SEC rookie Christian Harris in the 2022 NFL Draft. However, with Harris on IR and set to miss at least the first four games, KGH will get all of the snaps he can handle. He responded with 14 solos, four assists, and one pass defended against the Colts and will be an elite LB2 option for his Week 2 matchup against the Denver Broncos. Denver will run the ball enough to keep him busy, especially if the Texans fall behind, as expected. KGH should be added universally and rostered at least until his Week 6 bye.

Pete Werner (LB – NO): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Pete Werner has finally arrived. A long-time dynasty darling due to the aging situation in the middle in New Orleans, Werner had his breakout game in Week 1, racking up 12 solos, one assist, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble. He should be just as active in Week 2 against Tampa Bay and be viewed as an LB2 option. He proved he has LB1 upside but will need to string together a few more strong weeks before he enters that discussion.

Other names to consider: Myles Jack (LB – PIT): 9%, Ja’Whaun Bentley (LB – NE): 3%, Quincy Williams (LB – NYJ): 7%, Devin Lloyd (LB – JAX): 7%, Ernest Jones (LB – LAR): 3%, Khalil Mack (LB/DE – LAC): 4%, Khalil Mack (LB/DE – LAC): 2%

Defensive Line

Jerry Hughes (DE – HOU): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Hughes took advantage of Mario Addison and Rasheem Green being sidelined to have a monster game, recording two solos, two sacks, two tackles for loss, one interception, one pass defended, and one forced fumble. He is a solid DL2 option as long as one of Green and Addison are sidelined. He will revert back to more of a DL3 when both are back and rotating snaps with Hughes. Available even in deeper leagues, make the add where needed.

Travon Walker (DE/LB – JAX): 7% rostered on Yahoo
Walker paid immediate dividends in Week 1, recording three solos, one assist, one tackle for loss, one interception, and one pass defended. He should stay busy in Week 2 against Indianapolis but may still be seeking his first sack of the season after doing battle with the Colts offensive line. Luckily, he is active enough against the run to still be worth starting as a low-end DL2 option. Add the rookie where needed.

Kwity Paye (DE – IND): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Kwity Paye had a breakout performance in Week 1, racking up an impressive six solos, one assist, two sacks, and two tackles for loss. Paye was a bit of a disappointment as a rookie, managing ‘just’ four sacks. However, all four sacks came in his final eight games of the season, and he had a streak with a sack in three straight contests. He gets a plus matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2, making him an attractive DL2 option.

Carlos Dunlap (DE – KC): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Dunlap played a rotational role in Week 1 but made the most of his 26 snaps, racking up three solos, one assist, one sack, and one tackle for loss. Frank Clark and rookie George Karlaftis played more snaps than Dunlap, but look for the Chiefs to continue to find ways to put Clark, Karlaftis, Chris Jones, and Dunlap on the field together. His current role makes him more of an option for deeper leagues, but if he continues to play well, he can earn more snaps and make his way into weekly DL2 consideration. For now, view him as an upside DL3.

Emmanuel Ogbah (DE – MIA): 4% rostered on Yahoo
Ogbah started his season off the right way against New England, recording three solos, one assist, one sack, and one tackle for loss. Ogbah has been a consistent fantasy contributor the past couple of seasons, hitting nine sacks in each of them. With improved help around him in the form of Jaelan Phillips, who some OC’s will gameplan for instead of Ogbah, the veteran pass rusher seems primed to finally crack double-digit sacks.

Other names to consider: Greg Rousseau (DE – BUF): 17%, Jeffery Simmons (DT – TEN): 12%, Jonathan Allen (DT – WAS): 15%, Arnold Ebiketie (DE/LB – ATL): 1%, Dominique Robinson (DE – CHI): 0%

Defensive Back

Talanoa Hufanga (S – SF): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Hufanga was excellent in Week 1, racking up nine solos, two assists, three tackles for loss, one interception, and one pass defended. He played a near every snap role and looks to be coming into his own as a steady IDP contributor. Hufanga played more than half of his snaps in the box, which is something that should propel him into the upper echelon DB2 conversation immediately.

Brandon Jones (S – MIA): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Teammate Jevon Holland gets more of the IDP love, but Brandon Jones was the shiny new IDP rookie that managers were salivating about not too long ago. He reminded us of why he was so highly regarded by racking up six solos, five assists, one sack, one forced fumble, and one pass defended. He gets a plus matchup against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, firmly entrenching him as a strong DB2 option.

Jonathan Owens (S – HOU): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Owens exploded in Week 1, tallying 11 solos, four assists, and one pass defended. This may very well go down as one of his, if not his best, game of the season, but he flashed enough upside to be rostered in leagues where you can start two or more S or DB. He played enough snaps to be taken seriously, and if he can produce another strong game will place himself squarely on the DB2 border. He is someone those in deeper leagues will want to check the wire for immediately.

Marcus Williams (S – BAL): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Williams was excellent against the Jets in Week 1, recording 10 solos, two assists, one interception, and one pass defended. The former second round pick started off his tenure as a Raven with a bang and will look to keep the momentum going against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. Williams has never been an elite option for IDP purposes but could become a reliable upside DB2 option in the Ravens defensive scheme. He is worth a roster spot in leagues of all sizes.

Desmond King (CB – HOU): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Cornerbacks are often among the most volatile IDP players, but there are a few who are elite tacklers who make a case for DB2 or even DB1 consideration, and Desmond King is one of them. King racked up five solos, one assist, one tackle for loss, and two passes defended in Week 1 and should be among the defensive back tackle leaders at the end of the season, not just cornerbacks. His 68 solos last season placed him 13th among all defensive backs and second among all cornerbacks. King should be rostered in all formats where you can start two or more DB’s.

Other names to consider: Tracy Walker (S – DET): 4%, L’Jarius Sneed (CB/S – KC): 3%, Marcus Epps (S – PHI): 0%, Marcus Maye (S – NO): 2%, Johnathan Abram (S – LV): 7%, Richie Grant (S – ATL): 0%

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