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Bye weeks are upon us.
In Week 5, fantasy managers will be without Aidan Hutchinson and his Lions teammates, Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa of the Chargers, Eagles' breakout linebacker Zack Baun, and Titans' star pass rusher Harold Landry.
Who should you add to your IDP fantasy football team to fill in for those on byes or replace those who got injured? Read on for a dozen Week 5 IDP waiver wire adds at linebacker, defensive line, cornerback, and safety.
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Waiver Wire Pickups at Linebacker
Germaine Pratt, LB, Cincinnati Bengals
Rostered in 25% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Pratt is the rare 90%-snap linebacker, who makes eight to 12 tackles per game, who is not rostered in most IDP fantasy leagues.
In Week 2, he made 16 tackles. Since then, he made nine tackles in each of the past two games. He has also forced two fumbles and recovered one this season.
Josey Jewell, LB, Carolina Panthers
Rostered in 12% of Leagues
Jewell played over 90% of the Panthers' defensive snaps in the first two weeks of the season and made 18 tackles, including 11 on a full-snap share in Week 2. Starting in Week 3, his snap share dropped into the 60% range, and, as expected, his tackle numbers dropped, too.
However, Jewell is likely to reprise his role as an every-down linebacker now that Shaq Thompson tore his Achilles in Week 4. He should be expected to make about eight to 12 tackles per game at that volume.
Jewell, too, has an injury designation. He left the game in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury, so his status is worth monitoring for Week 5. Although he might miss a game, he won't miss extended time.
Trevin Wallace, LB, Carolina Panthers
Rostered in 4% of Leagues
Third-round rookie Trevin Wallace could be another beneficiary of a greater snap share in the wake of Shaq Thompson's injury. Wallace's snap share has ramped up from 17% in Week 3 to 37% last week after both Thompson (Achilles) and Josey Jewell (hamstring) suffered injuries.
Thompson's injury has already been announced as a season-ender. Jewell's status for Week 5 is unknown. If Jewell is able to play, Wallace could be lined up for a 60% snap share as the No. 2 LB. If Jewell misses the game, Wallace might play 90% of the snaps.
The Kentucky standout shined at the scouting combine, running a 4.51-second 40-yard dash and jumping 37.5 inches vertically.
DeMarvion Overshown, LB, Dallas Cowboys
Rostered in 5% of Leagues
Overshown is the Cowboys' top-rated inside linebacker at pass rushing and pass coverage through four weeks. His snap share is increasing. He played 49 snaps in Week 3 and 59 snaps last week, tallying eight tackles.
With Micah Parsons (ankle) likely to miss Week 5 and maybe longer, the Cowboys will have to generate pressure in other ways. DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) is going on the IR.
Overshown made two pressures and one sack in Week 1. If he is sent as a pass rusher more often in upcoming games, he has upside, especially in leagues that use sack-friendly scoring formats.
Waiver Wire Pickups at Defensive Line
Kyle Van Noy, EDGE, Baltimore Ravens
Rostered in 7% of Leagues
Van Noy has only made seven tackles in the past three games, but when six of those tackles are sacks, that's good for fantasy football.
Already, Van Noy is just three sacks away from his total last season and his career-high of nine sacks. A hot streak like this for a 33-year-old isn't really sustainable, but, as I will say about Xavier McKinney's interception streak, sometimes you have to play the momentum.
While I don't think Van Noy will make 30 sacks in the season, I do think double-digit sacks the rest of the way is a distinct possibility. His productivity jumped when he joined the Ravens last season, as the scheme favors him.
Nick Herbig, EDGE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rostered in 7% of Leagues
Herbig didn't do much in his first game starting. He only made two tackles and no sacks against the Colts. But the Colts have one of the best offensive lines in football.
Herbig will be more likely to log a sack against the Cowboys this week. Dak Prescott has a good pocket presence, but he has been pressured and sacked more in total than the Colts' quarterbacks have, largely because Dallas' offense is more tilted toward high-volume passing.
Chauncey Golston, DE, Dallas Cowboys
Rostered in 0% of Leagues
DeMarcus Lawrence (foot) is being placed on the IR and will miss at least four weeks. Micah Parsons (ankle) is also expected to miss Week 5.
Chauncey Golston should have more opportunities as a pass rusher in their absence. Golston, a 2021 third-round pick, has the second-highest pressure rate of any Cowboys edge rusher, behind only Parsons. He may be primed for a breakout.
Carl Lawson, DE, Dallas Cowboys
Rostered in 0% of Leagues
Lawson is another possible beneficiary of Dallas' defensive line injuries. In his last full season, Lawson made seven sacks with the Jets in 2022. While he made 8.5 sacks as a rookie with the Bengals in 2017, he never broke the double-digit sack barrier.
The 29-year-old signed a flier one-year deal with the Cowboys in August but was relegated to the practice squad. He'll see playing time.
He was on the field for 22 snaps in Week 4, including 19 pass rushes, and that was with Parsons and Lawrence both starting the game. But he only made two pressures and no tackles. He'll be a worthwhile add in deep leagues.
Waiver Wire Pickups at Cornerback and Safety
Xavier McKinney, S, Green Bay Packers
Rostered in 59% of Leagues
Xavier McKinney has been on a tear with his new team. He's made exactly four tackles and one interception in each of the first four games of the season. He should be rostered in leagues of all sizes, but apparently, he's still not rostered in 40% of leagues.
It's true that you can't necessarily count on him to make another interception in every game. But sometimes you have to play the momentum with defensive backs. If you noticed early last season that DaRon Bland was making a pick-six every couple of games, and you added him, you would have profited.
Jump on the Xavier McKinney interception train and ride it while you can.
Camryn Bynum, S, Minnesota Vikings
Rostered in 43% of Leagues
The Vikings' "crazy" defensive schemes continue to confuse the heck out of opposing quarterbacks. Minnesota ranks second in takeaways per game and fourth in turnover margin.
Minnesota's DBs benefit with the chance to make interceptions and fumble plays on the opposing teams' miscues. Camryn Bynum has made an interception and a fumble recovery in the past two games.
Paulson Adebo, CB, New Orleans Saints
Rostered in 10% of Leagues
Adebo is unbelievable at making tackles for a cornerback. He has made double-digit tackles in two straight games. Last week, he made 12 tackles and added an interception against the Falcons.
He has made 31 solo tackles on the season, according to PFF, and only missed one tackle. That puts his missed tackle rate at 2.9%, which is half of the already-low 6.1% missed tackle rate he recorded last season.
In Week 5, Adebo has interception upside. The Saints face the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes has thrown at least one interception every game of the season, and he'll be without Rashee Rice, so he may have to force the ball more.
Julian Blackmon, S, Indianapolis Colts
Rostered in 10% of Leagues
Last week, Colts CB Nick Cross was a popular waiver wire add and one I recommended. He paid off, as he forced a fumble against the Steelers. Although he missed the 10-tackle mark, eight tackles is still good for a cornerback.
In Week 5, the Colts play the Jaguars, who might have to run more plays, as they should be playing from behind and are usually more pass-heavy than Pittsburgh.
Safety Julian Blackmon is another Colt who benefits from the team's high volume of defensive plays. Last week, he only made six tackles, fewer than his usual, but he made up for it with half a sack and one fumble recovery.
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