Week 3 is now in the books. There are numerous storylines to track, but perhaps the most significant is the new names that have emerged as potential IDP stars. There were a lot of defensive fireworks in Week 3, 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.
Defensive Back
Jalen Pitre (S – HOU): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Jalen Pitre had his breakout game in Week 3, posting a stellar five solos, three assists, one sack, one tackle for loss, two interceptions, and two passes defended. Pitre is playing an every snap role for the Texans, and this stat line suggests that the game is starting to slow down for the rookie. His performance showed off his obvious DB1 upside, but he remains a DB3 for Week 4. He will carry DB2 upside against a Los Angeles Chargers team that has allowed the 12th most fantasy points to the position and should be counted as a DB2 option for the bye weeks. Now the DB3 overall after his monster performance, fantasy managers should make the add in all competitive leagues.
Mike Edwards (S – TB): 2% rostered on Yahoo
Mike Edwards was excellent in Week 3, recording nine solos, four assists, and one tackle for loss. Edwards has been dominating snaps at free safety alongside Antoine Winfield, and it is time that we stop worrying about Keanu Neal and Logan Ryan lurking behind him on the depth chart. The Buccaneers are using enough three safety looks to keep Ryan busy, and Keanu has been a special teams and straight reserve player to this point of the season. Edwards has been playing well and should hold on to the starting job for the foreseeable future. Make the add where needed. Edwards is a DB3 option for Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Roger McCreary (CB – TEN): 0% rostered on Yahoo
You will rarely see cornerbacks mentioned in this column due to their propensity to be highly interception dependent. However, when a new name emerges as a CB1 option, it merits discussion. McCreary, noted as a tough tackler coming into the league, has received all the work he can handle with Kristian Fulton out, racking up 22 solos over the last two weeks. He had 13 in Week 2 and added nine solos this week to go with one assist, and one pass defended. He should stay busy even when Fulton returns, making him a CB1 option during the byes.
Vonn Bell (S – CIN): 12% rostered on Yahoo
Vonn Bell is and has been a DB1 option for years, so there is no reason for him to be rostered in just 12 percent of leagues. The former second round pick has played every snap this season and deserved to be scooped back up after Week 2. Now that he recorded eight solos and two tackles for loss, there will be competition to secure his services. He has recorded over 61 solos every season of his career and could have gamescript buoy him to a new career high if the Bengals start rolling. Add Bell universally as a DB1 option.
Brandon Jones (S – MIA): 5% rostered on Yahoo
Brandon Jones doesn’t get the hype of teammate Jevon Holland but is a very talented safety in his own right and has been producing consistently as a starter. His snaps did drop against Baltimore but were back up at 90 percent this past week against Buffalo. The S11/DB14 through three weeks of action, Jones posted six solos, three assists, and one pass defended in Week 3, giving him DB2 upside for Week 4 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Others to consider: Josh Metellus (S – MIN): 0%, Eddie Jackson (S – CHI): 4%, Richie Grant (S – ATL): 4%, Kamren Curl (S – WAS): 3%, John Johnson (S – CLE): 1%
Linebacker
Alex Anzalone (LB – DET): 2% rostered on Yahoo
Anzalone shined in Week 3, racking up nine solos, one assist, one sack, and one tackle for loss against the Minnesota Vikings. He has now recorded at least seven solos in two of his first three games, putting him in the LB2 mix for Week 4 and beyond, especially when the byes hit. Teammate Malcolm ‘Rodrigo’ Rodriguez has also been excellent this season, but it is Anzalone who has been the stronger fantasy producer through three weeks of play. Add Anzalone where possible as an LB3 who can operate as an LB2 option.
Jamin Davis (LB – WAS): 2% rostered on Yahoo
Jamin Davis caught fire in Week 3, tallying five solos, one assist, two sacks, and two tackles for loss. After recording just one sack as a rookie, Jamin is already up to three on the season, putting his full skill set on display. He has left fantasy managers wanting in the solo department, but if he can chip in sacks throughout the season, he is going to finish as an LB2, even if he is viewed as more of an LB3 most weeks. With a little more consistency, he will be able to be trusted as an LB2 on non byes. Add Jamin where needed as an LB3 with LB2 upside with the understanding that he can be utilized as an LB2 during the byes.
Devin Lloyd (LB – JAX): 15% rostered on Yahoo
15 percent is the cut-off for this column, but it is worth noting for one more week that Lloyd needs to be rostered universally. He had outproduced teammate Foyesade Oluokun in tackles through the first two weeks of the season and is still sitting with more fantasy points. Oluokun was the NFL tackle leader last season and was the LB2 overall. Let that sink in. Lloyd recorded five solos, two assists, one interception, and three passes defended in Week 3 and is only going to continue to get better as the game slows down for him. He screams future LB1 and has a good chance to get there this season. Lloyd has worked his way into must-start territory, regardless of opponent.
Darius Harris (LB – KC): 0% rostered on Yahoo
We knew that Darius Harris was going to be the next man up after the Willie Gay suspension but most thought that Leo Chenal would be heavily involved. That was not the case in Week 3, as Chenal actually saw his snaps scaled back. Perhaps some of this has to do with gamescript, but it is noteworthy nonetheless. For his part, Harris racked up nine solos and six assists and looks locked into the nickel role with Nick Bolton. This makes Harris an LB3 option at worst for the next few weeks and is someone who may be able to be counted on as an LB2 option during the byes. Deep leaguers should make the add where available.
Akeem Davis-Gaither (LB – CIN): 0% rostered on Yahoo
ADG went off in Week 3, piling up nine solos, four assists, and one tackle for loss. He saw a massive snap increase with Germaine Pratt sidelined and could be a sneaky LB3 option in Week 4 if Pratt misses more time. The doubtful tag Pratt had coming into Sunday suggests that he was not particularly close, especially since he sat out Friday’s practice after returning on Thursday. Add ADG in deeper leagues and monitor the injury report on Friday to ascertain whether or not ADG is still worth a roster spot.
Others to consider: Josh Bynes (LB – BAL): 0%, Jerome Baker (LB – MIA): 0%, Rashaan Evans (LB – ATL): 3%, Josey Jewell (LB – DEN): 0%, Jacob Phillips (LB – CLE)
Defensive Line
Deatrich Wise (DE – NE): 0% rostered on Yahoo
What? Deatrich Wise went bananas in Week 3 against the Baltimore Ravens, racking up five solos, one assist, three sacks, and four tackle for loss. Wise is up to four sacks on the season, just one off his career high of five. Wise sacked Lamar Jackson three times in the first half on Sunday. Yes, the Ravens are struggling with performance and injuries on their offensive line, but Wise’s dominance cannot be discounted. Yes, this will likely go down as a career day for the veteran edge rusher, but he has shown enough to warrant a roster spot in deeper leagues as a potential DL3 option, especially during the byes.
Brandon Graham (DE – PHI): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Brandon Graham was the host of the Carson Wentz sack party this past Sunday, racking up four solos, two assists, 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and one pass defended. He is up to three sacks on the season and makes for a solid DL3 option with byes rapidly approaching. Graham appearing in just two games last season has a lot to do with why he disappeared from the forefront of fantasy managers minds as he was coming off a Pro Bowl season before he got injured last year. Add Graham as a DL3 option where needed.
Jerry Hughes (DE – HOU): 4% rostered on Yahoo
Jerry Hughes had another big game this past Sunday, racking up three solos, one assist, two sacks, and two tackles for loss. The sacks put him at four on the season, putting him in a tie for the second most in the league. Hughes has played his way into being the snap leader of the Texans defensive end rotation, supplanting Jonathan Greenard, who is now seeing less than 60 percent of the snaps. The snap increase puts Hughes in the DL3 conversation. He will carry DL2 upside most weeks as the Texans pass rush has been potent, even if the run defense is a different story entirely. Add Hughes as a DL3 option where feasible.
Melvin Ingram (LB/DE – MIA): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Melvin Ingram has looked like his old self to open the season and had another impact game on Sunday afternoon, racking up three solos, two sacks, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. He has been big play reliant for the bulk of his fantasy points this season, so the two sacks are a welcomed sign from someone who is still available in many leagues. The byes are coming, so if your bench is large enough, adding someone like Ingram, who only appears to be getting more comfortable in the Dolphins defense, is a recommended strategy. He will have DL3 value before and during the byes, and if there is an injury ahead of him on the depth chart, he will become a DL2 option. Make the add where needed.
DeMarcus Lawrence (DE – DAL): 11% rostered on Yahoo
DeMarcus was moving all over the defensive line on Monday, a strategy that seems to have worked marvelously as he racked up six solos, three sacks, and three tackles for loss. Yes, they came against Daniel Jones, and he is still seeing less than a 60 percent snap sare on the season, but the former All-Pro has equaled his 2021 sack total in less than half as many games and will continue to benefit from teams scheming to stop Micah Parsons when he lines up on the defensive line. He is still more borderline DL2 option than a DL2 we will want to trust week in and week out, but with another strong game or two, he will get there. Make the add where possible with an eye on starting him as a DL2 option for a saliva-inducing matchup against Carson Wentz in Week 4.
Others to consider: Carlos Dunlap (DE – KC): 1%, Rasheem Green (DL – HOU): 10%, Frank Clark (DE – KC): 1%, Yannick Ngakoue (DE – IND): 1%, Jermaine Johnson (DE – NYJ): 4%, Darrell Taylor (DE – SEA): 1%
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.