Look for my rankings to hit soon, sit tight! Until then enjoy these IDP Waiver Wire picks headed into week 3.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
- Lardarius Webb - One week was a fluke. Two straight? A trend? I don’t know, but Webb is starting to make a believer out of me. I expected Jimmy Smith to be the stud that got picked on and put up great numbers. Smith went down and Webb has stepped in. He has 21 tackles (18 solo), a half sack and three passes defensed in two weeks. More than that, he has put up double digit tackles in back to back weeks. Teams cannot run on BMore so Webb could be in for more of this going forward.
- Jarius Byrd - I rarely tout the FS position unless it is a rare talent. I do not consider Byrd to be that. However, while I expected George Wilson to be huge at SS for Buffalo, Byrd has been the one that has stepped up through the first two weeks. Byrd has 15 tackles (13 solo) to Wilson’s 13 tackles. So if you think Wilson is a definite starter, you may have to start thinking the same way about Byrd.
- Sergio Brown - Brown is a sneaky pickup. He should be good for 6-7 tackles per week going forward and with how much the Pats are rolling on offense; teams will have to throw to catch up against NE. That bodes well for Brown.
DEFENSIVE LINE
- Michael Johnson- I have to pat myself on the back for calling this one. Loved him in the preseason and thought many people were overhyping Carlos Dunlap. Seems right so far. Dunlap has totaled exactly 4 tackles and no performance plays through two games. Johnson? In two games he has eight tackles (all solo), a sack, a forced fumble, and interception and 3 passes defensed! If your league lists him as a DL, go get him if he is out there!
- Dave Ball- Each year there always seems to be a DL or two in Tennessee that ends up being great. I thought it would be Derrick Morgan this year. It still may be. However, Dave Ball is laying his claim to be that guy. He has nine tackles (all solo) and a sack in the first two games and he is playing a lot of snaps. He is a nice waiver wire scoop in deeper leagues.
- Matt Roth- Aaron Kampman’s slow recovery from knee surgery is helping Matt Roth get the playing time he needs to excel. I predicted Austen Lane would break out for Jacksonville this year. Right position, wrong guy. Roth has a sack in both of the first two games and is one of the lone bright spots for that front seven so far.
LINEBACKERS
- NaVorro Bowman - Chances are Bowman is not out there in your league. But if he is, go get him. I had him somewhere around 60th in my final preseason LB rankings and he has even outperformed that. Bowman currently has 17 tackles (16 solo) and a pass defensed in two games. By comparison, his teammate Patrick Willis has 14 tackles (13 solo), one pass defensed and one forced fumble. So those of you scoring at home, Bowman has outdone Willis in the first two games. Wow.
- Justin Durant - I admit that I jumped off Durant’s bandwagon when Stephen Tulloch was signed. I had high hopes for him when I thought he was going to be the WILL in Detroit. When he was moved to the SAM spot, I cut him loose. I may have made a mistake there. He has performed wherever they put him. His 15 tackles (and 11 last week) are a welcome surprise. He is definitely worth stashing in deeper leagues.
- Thomas Howard - The question that runs through my head is will Keith Rivers even get his job back when he is healthy? Howard has 16 tackles in two games and he is consistent in that he has tallied 8 tackles in each game. You could do a whole lot worse.
