IDP Dynasty Sleepers, Week 2

Let's take a quick look at a few linebackers, defensive linemen, and defensive backs who are either good grab-and-stash types or those you should target in trades. Hope you enjoy the article and it opens your eyes to some of the gems that can be found on your leagues' waiver wires!

Linebackers

E.J. Speed/Zaire Franklin (IND): Franklin out-snapped Speed 70 to 38, but both posted double-digit fantasy points in Shaquille Leonard’s absence. Money’s on Franklin based on that, so if you’re looking to bank on Leonard’s back to continue to give him trouble, he’s a solid add in most formats right now. Speed would be the wild card.

Alex Anzalone (DET): Reports of Anzalone’s demise with the play of rookie Malcolm Rodriguez may have been premature. Both Rodriguez and Anzalone were on the field a bunch (Anzalone with 93% of the snaps to Rodriguez’s 61%), and per snap, Rodriguez was a bit more productive. Still, in the short term, both linebackers may prove useful for those looking for a high floor in tackle production. Derrick Barnes appears to have taken the back seat for now.

Robert Spillane/Alex Highsmith (PIT): Spillane may not directly back T.J. Watt up on the depth chart, but he may benefit the most if/when Watt misses significant time. Spillane has had flashes where he has shown promise and came up pretty big in the Steelers’ Week 1 win over the Bengals, finishing with three solos, two assists, and a sack. Highsmith came up huge, though, with Watt out. That said, Highsmith may already be scooped up in most formats. Consider Spillane a decent door prize if you can’t land Highsmith.

Defensive Linemen

Dominique Robinson (DE - CHI): The rookie could benefit from offensive linemen keying their blocks towards Robert Quinn. He logged five solos, two helpers, and one-and-a-half sacks in his first NFL game. He was all over the sloppy field on Sunday. And possibly the most telling stat is that he did this in only 28 snaps (41% share). Look for him to see his snap count increase as the weeks go by.

Carlos Dunlap (DE - KCC): Sure, he’s 33, but as a short-term/one-year add, he may provide some punch off your bench in the right matchup. He only logged 26 snaps but managed three solos, an assist, and sacked Kyler Murray once. It will continue to be a rotation, but if you see Dunlap consistently getting 50%+ of the snaps, he may be worth a shot, especially in big-play formats.

Jordan Phillips (DT – BUF): For those in start-DT leagues, Phillips is probably the best option on your wire coming into Week 2. He had a solid outing on Thursday night against the Rams, tallying a couple of solos, a couple of assists, and got 1.5 sacks. Tim Settle is a journeyman whose snap counts will taper off, allowing Phillips more chances at putting some stats in the book.

Defensive Backs

Camryn Bynum (S – MIN): His stat line wasn’t eye-popping (four solos and three helpers), but he was on the field for every defensive snap. Harrison Smith will continue to be the safety to own and start every week for the Vikings, but keep your eye on Bynum, especially if Lewis Cine doesn’t appear ready.

Marcus Williams (S – BAL): Hard to recommend a safety for the Ravens given their track record, but Williams was all over the place on Sunday. Then again, the opposing QB tossed the rock 50+ times, giving Williams an inordinate share of tackle chances. Williams is an add at this point, but if his play tapers off, don’t be afraid to cut bait, considering what Raven safeties typically produce and the fact that Kyle Hamilton will eventually see more snaps.

Jonathan Owens (S – HOU): I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Owens, who scored 27.5 points in my 12-team IDP dynasty. Can this be a sustainable figure? Probably not 27 points a week, but there are tackles to be had in the Texan backfield, and there’s no one competing with Owens for snaps. Jalen Pitre is a talented rookie who will also produce, but right now, Owens looks like a solid add and weekly start until further notice.