Week 4 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 4, 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

Frankie Luvu (LB – CAR): 7% rostered on Yahoo
Luvu exploded in Week 4, racking up six solos, five assists, one tackle for loss, one interception, one pass defended, and one touchdown. Now the LB2 overall on the season, Luvu needs to be rostered in all competitive leagues. All of them. I was shocked to see his low rostership numbers on Yahoo and expect him to be the top waiver add of the week at the linebacker position. Act accordingly. Looking ahead to Week 5, Luvu gets a San Francisco 49ers team that has allowed the seventh most fantasy points to the position. Treat him as an LB1 option for Week 5 and beyond.

Matt Milano (LB – BUF): 10% rostered on Yahoo
Matt Milano is going to be inconsistent. We have seen him long enough to know this to be the case. However, we also know that he is capable of LB1 numbers on any given week, making him a frustrating but rewarding player to have on your roster. Case in point, Week 4 against Baltimore. Milano was all over the field against the Ravens, tallying 11 solos, two assists, and two tackles for loss. He is an LB3 option for Week 5 against Pittsburgh but will carry LB2 upside for a plus matchup regardless of who is under center for the Steelers.

Malcolm Rodriguez (LB – DET): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Rodrigo continues to produce for fantasy managers, posting eight solos, three assists, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble in Week 5. He has been a reliable LB2 option this season, and it appears to be past time that we start treating him as such. The Hard Knocks star has six or more solos in three of his four games this season, sneakily making him one of the most consistent options at his position. Add the rookie where possible with an eye on starting him as an LB3 or even an LB2 for Week 5 against a New England Patriots offense allowing the second most fantasy points to the position.

Rashaan Evans (LB – ATL): 4% rostered on Yahoo
Mykal Walker has been the linebacker to roster from the Falcons, but Rashaan Evans has been making some noise in his own right. Mykal is an LB1 option, but Rashaan, the former first round pick, has now posted two LB2 level outings in a row, a sign he may be getting more comfortable in the defense. He followed up his nine solos, three assists, one tackle for loss, and two passes defended in Week 3 to post five solos, five assists, and a fumble recovery in Week 4. Evans is a shrewd add with the byes barreling down on us, a time period in which he will be viewed as an LB2 option some weeks. Evans gets the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 5, which keeps him as an LB3 option, but there are LB2 conversation weeks ahead starting in Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers.

Josey Jewell (LB – DEN): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Jewell put his LB2 upside on display in Week 4, racking up seven solos, seven assists, and one tackle for loss. Jewell has played just two games this season, so he is still flying under some radars. However, as his stat lines this season have shown, he should be rostered in all competitive leagues as an LB3 with LB2 upside. He is going to be inconsistent, which is the main reason he is not yet in the weekly LB2 discussion, but if he can keep stringing strong starts together, we are going to have no choice but to accept him as one. He is a sneaky LB2 option for a tasty Week 5 matchup against an Indianapolis Colts offense relinquishing the fifth most fantasy points to the linebacker position.

Others to consider: Zaire Franklin (LB – IND): 8%, Drue Tranquill (LB – LAC): 6%, Zaven Collins (LB – ARI): 5%, Devin Bush (LB – PIT): 2%, Jacob Phillips (LB – CLE): 1%

Defensive Line

Odafe Oweh (DE/LB – BAL): 1% rostered on Yahoo
Oweh was excellent in Week 4, racking up six solos, one assist, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble. He is an LB only on Yahoo but has DL eligibility on other providers, where he is much more valuable. Oweh was excellent as a rookie. He had just five sacks but managed to generate 27 pressures despite not being a starter until the end of the season and playing just 65 percent of the snaps. He has double-digit sack upside and should be rostered in most competitive leagues, especially during the byes. Start him as a DL2/LB3 option for a plus Week 5 matchup against a struggling Cincinnati Bengals offensive line.

Haason Reddick (DE/LB – PHI): 3% rostered on Yahoo
Haason Reddick is heating up for the Philadelphia Eagles and needs to be back to being rostered universally. He recorded four solos, two sacks, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He does come with the unfortunate LB-only designation on Yahoo but is DL eligible on most other providers. Regardless of where your IDP leagues call home, Reddick, as he proved last season with his second straight double-digit sack campaign, is starter worthy at LB or DE. Reddick offers DE1/LB1 upside when he is rolling and should settle in with steady DE2/LB2 value the rest of the way. He is a DL2 option for a Week 5 matchup against an Arizona Cardinals team allowing the 15th most fantasy points to the position.

Jermaine Johnson (DE – NYJ): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Jermaine Johnson looked the part once again in Week 4, tallying three solos, one assist, one sack, and one tackle for loss. He is still stuck playing less than 35 percent of the snaps but should see his role expand after his performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Johnson is more of a target for those playing in deeper formats but is someone those in shallower leagues will want to keep on their radar as well. He will have DL2 upside once he earns starter-level snaps and could come through during a bye-week pinch. Add Johnson where bench sizes allow.

Kwity Paye (DE – IND): 11% rostered on Yahoo
Kwity was rock solid in Week 4, recording one solo, two assists, one sack, and one tackle for loss. He showed off his tackle upside with his six solos in Week 1 and is now at three sacks and five tackles for loss on the season. Kwity is a DL2 option for a plus Week 5 matchup against a Denver Broncos team allowing the fifth most fantasy points to the position. Add the talented pass rusher where available.

Zach Allen (DE – ARI): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Zach Allen was solid in Week 4, tallying three solos, three assists, and three passes defended. Yes, the batted passes came against one of the shortest QB’s in the league in Baker Mayfield, but Allen has shown active hands at the line of scrimmage since his days at Boston College and now has J.J. Watt as a mentor. Allen is included here as more of a target for those in deep leagues as he is not going to generate the kind of counting stats that he would if he was in an even front. He has DL3 value during the byes and when he gets good matchups like this week. Allen has a plus Week 5 matchup against a Philadelphia Eagles team allowing the seventh most fantasy points to the position, making him a DL3 option for deep leaguers.

Others to consider: Jihad Ward (DE/LB – NYG): 2%, Dante Fowler (DE – DAL): 3%, Denico Autry (DT/DE – TEN): 1%, Travon Walker (DE/LB – JAX): 10%, Azeez Ojulari (DE/LB): 0%

Defensive Back

Lamarcus Joyner (S – NYJ): 0% rostered on Yahoo
Lamarcus Joyner exploded in Week 4, racking up one solo, five assists, two interceptions, and four passes defended. His solo count has left fantasy managers wanting, but he has six or more combined tackles in three straight weeks. Joyner is more of a deep league option but has increased value this week and during the byes. He gets a plus matchup this weekend against a Miami Dolphins team allowing the fifth most fantasy points to the position, making him a high upside DB3 for Week 5. Make the add where needed.

Vonn Bell (S – CIN): 13% rostered on Yahoo
Bell was excellent again in Week 4, recording four solos, two interceptions, and two passes defended. Now the DB10/S8 on the season, Bell needs some respect on his name. He has been a DB1 option since joining the Bengals but somehow became an afterthought to start the year. Yes, there are many new names that are intriguing, and he had a slow start, but he has picked it up in recent weeks and should already be one of the 12 most rostered at his position. Now that he has had his true explosion, he is going to be a top priority for all DB and S needy teams. Bell has a plus Week 5 matchup against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Baltimore has surrendered the 12th most fantasy points to the position, making Bell a DB1 option once again this week.

Eddie Jackson (S – CHI): 8% rostered on Yahoo
Eddie Jackson has been excellent this season and was at it again in Week 4, tallying six solos, three assists, one interception, and one pass defended. Now the DB5/S4 on the season, it is time for fantasy managers to start taking him seriously as a DB2 or even a DB1 option. Yes, there is a good chance that his production slips to the level we have seen from him throughout his career, but if this is the new normal, we have all arrived late to the party. Jackson should be rostered in all competitive leagues, especially with the byes coming up. He has a tough on-paper matchup for Week 5 against a Vikings team limiting the position to the least fantasy points per game, making him more DB2 than DB1 for this week. Start Jackson wherever possible.

Donovan Wilson (S – DAL): 12% rostered on Yahoo
Donovan Wilson is another player who should be among the 12 most rostered at his position. Yes, it is true that his name will rarely come up when discussing the top 12 fantasy options at the position, but he has been productive all season and now sits as the DB7/S6. He recorded eight solos, one assist, and one tackle for loss in Week 4. He now has six or more solos in three straight games, making him one of the more consistent options at safety. Wilson is a borderline DB1 option against a Los Angeles Rams team that has had massive struggles at times this season. The Cowboys pass rush should generate enough pressure to allow their secondary to create some big plays themselves. Add Wilson wherever available.

Jaquan Brisker (S – CHI): 4% rostered on Yahoo
Brisker has played every snap this season, recording at least four solos in each of his games played. He posted a strong four solos, one assist, one sack, and one tackle for loss in Week 4. The sack was the first of his career, but it shouldn’t be the last one we see this season from the talented rookie. His steady production has led to him being the DB17/S14 overall on the season, locking him in as a DB2 option for Week 5 and beyond. He has a tough Week 5 matchup against a Minnesota Vikings team relinquishing the fewest fantasy points to the position but has established himself as a must-start DB2 option, and that does not change this week. Add and start the talented rookie where possible.

Others to consider: Andre Cisco (S – JAC): 0%, DeShon Elliott (S – DET): 1%, Nasir Adderley (S – LAC): 4%, Damar Hamlin (S – BUF): 0%, Kamren Curl (S – WAS): 4%

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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his profile and follow him @FantasyContext.