Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Ryan Dodson

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 8

We’re nearing the halfway point of the NFL season, and we hope you’re looking back at the competition in the rearview. It’ll be a high-octane week because no teams are on a bye in Week 8.

Each week, we’ll highlight diamonds in the rough or some players that just need to be rostered in more leagues on the defensive side of the ball. Keep in mind your scoring system and roster restraints when heading to the waiver wire to grab these IDPs.

Defensive linemen

DE Josh Sweat, Philadelphia Eagles

He’s a bit feast-or-famine, because if Sweat is not reaching the quarterback, he won’t add a lot. He’s reaching the quarterback often right now. He had two sacks in Week 7 and has at least a half-sack in five of seven games this season. He has only 19 tackles in seven games but has seven forced fumbles and an INT. He could have a field day against Washington this week.

DE Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

He was the last pick in the first round of the 2021 draft, and if he qualifies at DL in your league, he’s on a tear the last two weeks. JTS had four tackles and a sack two weeks ago and six tackles last week. The 24-year-old EDGE recorded four sacks in each of his first two seasons, and he has three thus far in 2023.

Linebackers

LB Blake Cashman, Houston Texans

He’s coming off a bye week, which could have kept him floating on waivers after a monstrous game in Week 6. Cashman had 15 tackles and two pass defenses. He had nine tackles in Week 5 as well. If available, he has the most upside of our linebacker pecking order this week.

LB Kyle Van Noy, Baltimore Ravens

The 32-year-old veteran wreaked havoc in Week 7 with five tackles and two sacks. Van Noy has three sacks over the last two weeks and is forcing the team’s hand into giving him a bigger role. In deeper leagues, or leagues that rely heavier on sacks, he’s a sneaky option.

LB Anfernee Jennings, New England Patriots

The 2020 third-round pick has played in four games and has at least five tackles in each of them. He had six tackles in each of the last two games and could provide a low-ceiling, reasonable-floor option if you’re dealing with injuries at the position.

Defensive backs

CB Darious Williams, Jacksonville Jaguars

Five, seven, three, five – those are the tackle numbers the 30-year-old has produced the last four games. He also has a forced fumble, an INT and eight pass defenses in that stretch. Corners are combustible, but Williams has been great for the last month.

S Dean Marlowe, Los Angeles Chargers

Marlowe had 11 tackles against the Kansas City Chiefs last week and had six in the game before that. The 31-year-old journeyman will need S Alohi Gilman (heel) to remain sidelined to remain a factor, but you can’t ignore the output the last two weeks.

SS Jordan Poyer, Buffalo Bills

It has been a quiet season for 32-year-old vet, but he busted out in Week 7 with 10 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. Before that game, he had a ho-hum 24 tackles on the year and nothing else. So you run the risk of that game being an aberration, but he has had at least five tackles in three straight games.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.