IDP Waiver Wire: Week 14

Jeff Pomazal gives you the week’s best waiver targets.

We have arrived at Week 14, the final week of the regular season for most fantasy leagues. Hopefully, your team has already locked up a playoff spot and now are battling for position and a possible bye week. If your season went sideways with numerous injuries, we can always look to stash players for next season. Today’s waiver wire article will have a little bit of both: some players you can definitely use in the coming week for that title run and some players you might be able to use in the coming seasons. Let’s take a look at this week’s prospects.

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Defensive Line

Previous Weeks: Carl Granderson, Drake Jackson, Harrison Phillips, Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Jonathan Cooper, Jarran Reed, David Onyemata, Nik Bonitto, Josh Uche, Tuli Tuipulotu, Yetur Gross-Matos, Zach Allen, Justin Madubuike, Darrell Taylor, Mike Hoecht, George Karlaftis, Jermaine Johnson, Kyle Van Noy, Kentavius Street, BJ Ojulari, Mike Hoecht, Leonard Floyd, YaYa Diaby, Andrew Van Ginkel, Samson Ebukam

Jadeveon Clowney, Baltimore Ravens

Coming off his bye week, very few managers are going to remember Jadeveon Clowney coming off a 3 game sack streak and 4 straight games scoring double-digit points, but that is exactly what Clowney has done. Clowney has rejuvenated his career like so many veteran players have done when they sign on with the Ravens. Clowney has been playing a little more than 50% of snaps this season in each game, which is good but not great; however, Clowney has been very efficient with those snaps, either pressuring the quarterback or collecting some tackles for loss. The bye came at the perfect time for the Ravens defensive line to get healthy and make a push for the playoffs in the real NFL, so maybe Clowney can help you in your leagues too. 

Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams

Kobie Turner of the LA Rams has been an amazing third-round rookie this season. Turner was thrown right into the fire in Week 1, playing more than 50% of snaps and in the process collected his first NFL sack. Since Week 1, Turner has only played less than 50% of snaps two times and has collected 6 more sacks.

In fact, he has 4 of them over his last 4 games. The great news for Turner is he gets to play next to Aaron Donald, who just happens to draw a little attention his way, allowing Turner to have one-on-one matchups. Over the last 4 games, Turner has 23 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He finished Week 13 as the DL14 on the week. Amazingly, he is still only rostered in 12.5% of leagues, making him not only a great player for the rest of the season but also a dynasty stash in mid to deeper formats.

Defensive Back

Previous Weeks: Reed Blankenship, Christian Gonzalez, Camryn Bynum, Jason Pinnock, K’Von Wallace, Jordan Whitehead, Daxton Hill, Rudy Ford, Juju Brents, Devon Witherspoon, Marcus Maye, Darious Williams, Sam Franklin Jr., Jaylon Johnson, Cam Taylor-Britt, Sydney Brown, Xavier Woods, Nate Hobbs, Johnathan Owens, Keanu Neal, Paulson Adebo, Jordan Battle, Ji’Ayir Brown, PJ Locke, Trenton Thompson

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Mike Hilton, Cincinnati Bengals

There seems to be a trend every week in the waiver wire adds; either a Steelers linebacker or someone in the Bengals secondary. Not one to disappoint my readers, I present to you Mike Hilton of the Cincinnati Bengals. Hilton has played exceptionally well out of the slot corner position. This is a very highly touted position in IDP leagues because it allows the defender to help in the run game more often than other defensive backs, which increases their weekly tackle numbers.

Hilton has done well in the tackle department. Since Week 9, he’s played more than 70% of snaps in each game, while racking up 31 tackles, 1 sack, and a fumble recovery. Heading into the MNF game versus Jacksonville, Hilton is riding a 4-game double-digit scoring streak. The slot corner position is a cheat code in IDP, and with Hilton only being rostered in 12.5% of leagues, not enough people are taking advantage.

John Johnson III, Los Angeles Rams  

The year is 2018. Second-year player John Johnson III is leading the league in tackles by a defensive back with 118. Ah, those were simpler times, weren’t they?

Fast forward to 2023. Johnson makes his return to LA after a few seasons in Cleveland, where he had a few lackluster seasons. The start of this season in LA? It was shaping up to be more of the same. Then Week 10 came, the bye week, and afterward, Johnson saw himself playing 71% of snaps and getting 3 tackles against the Seahawks in Week 11. Then he played 87% and had 4 tackles in Week 12. In Week 13, it was 100% of snaps, 6 tackles, and an INT. Not sure he can play more snaps next week, but it has been great to see his tackle numbers increasing each week as well. The Rams get Baltimore in Week 14, who are a top 3 team for opposing safeties at the moment.