IDP Waiver Wire: Week 17

This is it: championship weekend. Let's go win that title!

If you’ve made it this far in the fantasy football season, you should be very proud of yourself. With all the last minute inactives and players who said they were good to go, but then weren’t once the game began, there is without a doubt a lot of luck involved in this pastime that we (sometimes) enjoy! This week’s waiver claims will be brief because of the holidays, but I did want to fire out a couple of names at each position that deserve a closer look heading into your championship week.

Defensive Line

Carlos Dunlap, Seattle Seahawks

The dude has been going nuclear the last few weeks and has a sweet matchup with Detroit this championship weekend of the fantasy football season. Playing huge snaps and producing with big plays, Dunlap should continue to produce for you!

William Gholston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

William Gholston has seen a nice uptick in snaps over the last few weeks and he has himself a primo match-up this weekend against a very decimated Jets O-line that have caused rookie Zach Wilson to be scrambling for his life. It should be another solid performance this week for Mr. Gholston!

Defensive Backs

Jeremy Reaves, Washington Football Team

Jeremy Reaves stepped in on Sunday for the WFT to replace Landon Collins, who’s been producing well over the last few weeks. Reaves stepped right in and did not miss a beat. With Washington’s LBs also being hit hard with injuries, this leaves lots of opportunities for the secondary to step up and make some plays of their own.

Tony Jefferson, Baltimore Ravens

If you need a one-week Band-Aid in your championship week, Tony Jefferson might be just what you need. Once a legendary IDP in his own right, Jefferson has started to lose the battle with father time (a race we all lose). Between injuries and positive COVID cases, the Ravens have been obliterated. This season, the last man standing will be able to finish the race. Jefferson might just be the man to do that.

Linebackers

Neville Hewitt, Houston Texans

I wrote about stashing Neville Hewitt before the season began, not so much due to his production, but due to the lack of availability of Christian Kirksey come playoff time. And what do you know, Hewitt has had back-to-back great weeks filling in for injured linebackers in Houston. I’m not expecting much of a change this week either.

Jonas Griffith, Denver Broncos

Another week, another Denver Broncos LB in the waiver wire article. It seems like every week a new name was showing up. Griffith is this week’s hot new name. He has two very solid games in back-to-back weeks, posting 22 combined tackles in that time; with the Chargers up next, expect those tackle numbers to remain high.

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Well kids, there you have it. It is unreal to look across the fantasy football landscape and think about the names being considered for your lineups. IDP is about the role those players have in their particular scheme. If the player they are replacing has produced well, there is a very good chance their replacement will score just as well. Truly, it is the next man up mantra and we have see that in full effect this season on both sides of the ball. Good luck this weekend and I hope the new year starts off very well for you, your family, and your fantasy football team(s). Have a great one, kids!