X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

IDP Leagues - Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 3

As you rush to the waiver wire in Week 3 of this season, it's worth noting that pickings are slim on the offensive side of the ball. Despite multiple injuries to key offensive players, many waiver wires have been picked clean and the remaining backups don't profile as worthwhile investments.

With the offensive end of waivers looking thin, it's fair to wonder whether you should spend some of your FAB on the defensive side of the ball this week. With Micah Parsons temporarily switching to defensive end, and injuries striking fantasy-relevant defenders like Bradley Chubb, Justin Hollins, Brandon Graham, and IDP superstar T.J. Watt, you may very well have a big hole to fill on your roster this week.

If that’s the case, you shouldn’t hesitate to prioritize a defender on waivers instead of reaching for a third-string RB. So below are my defenders to add for Week 3 - all are 20% rostered or lower. Hope you enjoy!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Logan Wilson, LB, Cincinnati Bengals

Rostered in 3.7% of IDP leagues

We were a bit early on Wilson when we listed him as a high upside waiver addition last year. He's paying early dividends on your investment this year, though. The Wyoming product has three interceptions as a pro, despite starting just four games, and he already looks to be one of Cincy's best tacklers. In both weeks of the 2021 season, Wilson has been a high-end fantasy starter.

For years, the Bengals have been looking for a long-term answer at linebacker, and Wilson looks to be it. Consider the blue-collar sophomore as a perennial LB2 moving forward, who profiles as a borderline LB1 in the right matchups.

FAB in Standard IDP: 4%

FAB in Deeper IDP: 7%

 

Jordyn Brooks, LB, Seattle Seahawks

Rostered in 18.9% of IDP leagues

Brooks' roster rate is slowly climbing, and there is hope he won't be eligible for this list much longer. That said, he still qualifies for this list so he will be on it. With the former Red Raider sitting fifth in the NFL in total tackles despite playing second fiddle to Bobby Wagner, it should worry opponents that Brooks isn’t yet making the big plays he’s capable of. Consider him in the same tier as Logan Wilson, but just a tick behind due to the Bengals potential to lead his team in tackles.

FAB in Standard IDP: 1%

FAB in Deeper IDP: 4%

 

Taylor Rapp, DB, Los Angeles Rams

Rostered in 21.2% of IDP leagues

Like many fantasy defenders, the concern about Rapp has always been about his inconsistent opportunities. Last season he started the year ranked highly on most IDP boards thanks to a promising rookie year prior, but the former Husky quickly lost his starting job and seemingly fell out of favor with his coaching staff.

This year, Rapp appears to be back in the good graces of his staff. He has played 100% and 99% of his team's defensive snaps in the first two games and has produced DB1 stats as a result. The former University of Washington star should be a priority addition for IDP managers looking for a high-end DB2, even if there's always the risk he again falls out of favor with his team.

FAB in Standard IDP: 5%

FAB in Deeper IDP: 10%

 

Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rostered in 15.8% of IDP leagues

After two weeks without a big play and average tackle production, expect many to bail on JPP for a flashier edge defender who is off to a hotter start. The resume and film suggest Pierre-Paul will eventually get his sacks, however.

Opponents will always be looking to keep up with the Bucs' high-flying offense, which means there will be tons of passing volume nearly every single week. That should allow Pierre-Paul and his teammates to continue making big plays. With a solid tackle floor on top of his big play potential, JPP is still a high-end DL2 in redraft leagues.

FAB in Standard IDP: 1%

FAB in Deeper IDP: 5%

 

Jayron Kearse, DB, Dallas Cowboys

Rostered in 0.6% of IDP leagues

While Kearse is 27 years old, this past Sunday was just his 13th career start. However, you wouldn’t know he was a career backup if you were to watch him play. Kearse was electric against the Chargers, making several impressive plays in coverage while earning positive grades from Pro Football Focus in every area of the game.

Kearse was already seeing more than half the team’s defensive snaps as a backup, and he collected 11 tackles against the Bucs in that role. If Donovan Wilson continues to struggle with injury or the Cowboys want to reward Kearse’s play with more snaps, then he could end up a long-term fantasy starter in deep leagues. Consider him a worthwhile bench stash with high-end DB3 upside.

FAB in Deeper IDP: 2%

 

Jaylon Johnson, DB, Chicago Bears

Rostered in 2.7% of IDP leagues

If your league rewards Passes Defensed (PDs) with two or more points, Johnson is a candidate for you. Johnson finished sixth in the NFL in this category as a rookie last year. Since most continue to consider the Bears' secondary their weakness, this former Ute should continue to use his length and size to collect PDs and picks.

Consider Johnson a solid addition if your league requires you to play CB. He has overall DB3 potential (regardless of CB requirements) in PD premium formats, as well.

FAB in Leagues Requiring a CB: 5%

FAB in Leagues That Score PDs: 2%

 

Javon Hargrave, DL, Philadelphia Eagles

Rostered in 3.2% of IDP leagues

In his first two games this year, Hargrave has been a force for the Eagles, placing second in the NFL in tackles for loss (TFL) despite his history as a rotational interior defender. What could help Hargraves continue his hot start this year is the injury to Brandon Graham, who is now out for the year with a torn Achilles. That loss could force Hargrave and others to see more of the field, and it should allow the former Steeler to become a low-end DT2 in leagues that require you to start a defensive tackle.

FAB in Leagues Requiring a DT: 2%

 

Payton Turner, DL, New Orleans Saints

Rostered in 0.3% of IDP leagues

Turner was a shocking first-round selection in this year’s NFL Draft, and he only has one game under his belt in which he played an underwhelming 41% of the Saints’ defensive snaps. So why do we have him on this list?

Turner is a quality IDP dynasty addition, and he could be a worthwhile bench stash if your redraft league is deep and you have the room. The Saints are thin at pass rush after the Marcus Davenport injury, and Turner likely earned more playing time after an impressive match against Carolina. With a sack and five tackles in just 31 snaps, the Houston product is a solid option for those desperate for upside at DL.

FAB in Deep IDP: 2%

FAB in Dynasty IDP: 2%

 

Jaylon Smith, LB, Dallas Cowboys

Rostered in 10.4% of IDP leagues

It will surprise many to see Smith on this list after we've faded him so hard for most of the summer and season. However, the injury to Demarcus Lawrence has had the unforeseen consequence of moving Micah Parsons to the defensive line and opening up a starting spot in the Cowboys’ linebacker corps.

While Parsons is likely to return as the Cowboys top linebacker once Lawrence is healthy, both Smith and Leighton Vander Esch should see a boost in fantasy value in the short term. Smith, in particular, has a long history of providing LB1 fantasy production when he gets quality snaps, and that should occur for the time being. Consider him a mid-tier LB2 for now.

FAB in Standard IDP: 1%



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Colby Thomas26 mins ago

X-Rays Come Back Negative On Colby Thomas
Brock Stewart35 mins ago

Exits With Knee Injury
Evan Sisk45 mins ago

Optioned to Triple-A
Will Benson52 mins ago

Sent To Triple-A
Bryan Shaw1 hour ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Mookie Betts1 hour ago

Could Miss Tokyo Series
Quinton Byfield1 hour ago

Scores In Sixth-Straight Contest
Chase Elliott1 hour ago

May Be A Sneaky DFS Option For Las Vegas Lineups
Artemi Panarin2 hours ago

Extends Point Streak To Eight Games
Pyotr Kochetkov2 hours ago

Shuts The Door On Saturday
William Byron2 hours ago

Expect William Byron To Compete For The Win At Las Vegas
Tyler Reddick2 hours ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Options For Las Vegas
Anthony Cirelli2 hours ago

Strikes Twice On Saturday
Denny Hamlin2 hours ago

Could Denny Hamlin Be A Quality Driver For DFS At Las Vegas?
Alex Ovechkin2 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Assist In Victory
Connor Dewar2 hours ago

Scores Twice On Saturday
NASCAR2 hours ago

Bubba Wallace Could Be A Solid DFS Option For Las Vegas
Brad Keselowski2 hours ago

Qualifies Deep In The Field For Las Vegas
Erik Jones2 hours ago

Is Erik Jones Worth Rostering At Las Vegas This Week?
Daniel Suarez2 hours ago

Should Fantasy Players Roster Daniel Suarez At Las Vegas?
Carson Hocevar3 hours ago

Showcases Speed And Can Be Worth Rostering At Las Vegas
Ryan Preece3 hours ago

Is Ryan Preece A DFS Fade For Las Vegas Lineups?
Joey Logano4 hours ago

Likely to Lead at Las Vegas, but Will He Lead Enough for DFS Consideration?
Michael McDowell4 hours ago

Wins Spire Motorsports's First Pole at Las Vegas
Austin Cindric4 hours ago

Qualified Third, but Almost Guaranteed to Lose Spots
Chase Briscoe4 hours ago

Las Vegas Performance Hard to Predict
Ty Gibbs4 hours ago

a Solid DFS Option in Theory, but Disastrous Recent Performance Likely Overrides That
Shane Van Gisbergen4 hours ago

Too Inexperienced at Las Vegas for DFS Consideration Despite Trackhouse Speed
Noah Gragson4 hours ago

Finished Well at Las Vegas Last Year, but Ran Worse
Austin Dillon4 hours ago

Decent at Las Vegas, but Not Worthy of DFS Play
Josh Berry4 hours ago

Poor Intermediate Record Likely to Override Strong Qualifying Result
Justin Haley4 hours ago

Spire Speed Suggests Justin Haley Is a Strong DFS Option
Cole Custer4 hours ago

Could be Valuable If Haas Has Intermediate Speed
Mitch Garver10 hours ago

Goes Hitless In Return To Cactus League Action
Austin Riley10 hours ago

Doubles In Return To Lineup On Saturday
Jordan Mason10 hours ago

Vikings Acquire Jordan Mason From 49ers, Sign Him To Two-Year Deal
RJ Barrett12 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Sunday
Immanuel Quickley12 hours ago

Won't Play On Sunday
Jerami Grant12 hours ago

Unlikely To Play On Sunday
Marcus Smart12 hours ago

Downgraded To Out
Anfernee Simons12 hours ago

Tagged As Questionable For Sunday
Christian Braun12 hours ago

Available On Saturday
Aaron Gordon12 hours ago

Unavailable On Saturday
Jamal Murray12 hours ago

Will Play On Saturday Night
Nikola Jokić12 hours ago

Nikola Jokic Cleared To Suit Up Versus The Wizards
Colby Thomas13 hours ago

Sustains Injury On Saturday
Dee Eskridge13 hours ago

Sticking With Dolphins
Josh Giddey13 hours ago

Officially Out On Saturday Night
Ja Morant13 hours ago

Ruled Out On Saturday Night
JuJu Smith-Schuster13 hours ago

Returning To Chiefs
Josh Rojas14 hours ago

Exits Early On Saturday
Tennessee Titans14 hours ago

Chidobe Awuzie Released By Titans
Thairo Estrada14 hours ago

Removed From Saturday's Contest
Damian Lillard14 hours ago

Available Versus Indiana
Parris Campbell14 hours ago

Headed To Dallas
Nick Kurtz14 hours ago

Exits After Hit-By-Pitch
Giannis Antetokounmpo14 hours ago

Good To Go On Saturday
Jamal Murray14 hours ago

Added To Saturday's Injury Report
Jiri Kulich14 hours ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury Saturday
Tobias Myers14 hours ago

Exits Early On Saturday
Brice Turang14 hours ago

Dealing With Shoulder Fatigue
Tyler Myers14 hours ago

Set To Return Against Blackhawks
Nikita Kucherov14 hours ago

Good To Go Against Bruins
Yegor Chinakhov14 hours ago

Rejoins Blue Jackets Lineup Saturday
Cole Anthony14 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report
Joel Armia15 hours ago

Expected To Return On Saturday
Brady Tkachuk15 hours ago

Available Saturday
Donovan Mitchell15 hours ago

Questionable Against Orlando
Adam Fox15 hours ago

Ready To Rejoin Rangers Lineup
Andre Drummond15 hours ago

Out Against Dallas
Ja Morant15 hours ago

Questionable On Saturday Night
P.J. Washington15 hours ago

Returning On Sunday
Philadelphia Eagles18 hours ago

Patrick Johnson Rejoins Philadelphia
Dante Exum18 hours ago

Diagnosed With A Fractured Left Hand
Los Angeles Rams18 hours ago

Larrell Murchison Back With The Rams
Amed Rosario18 hours ago

Returning On Saturday
Cam Thomas18 hours ago

Expected To Miss Rest Of The Season
Jose Trevino18 hours ago

Going For CT Scan
Kirk Cousins18 hours ago

Set To Receive Roster Bonus
Bryce Eldridge19 hours ago

Will Not Play On Saturday
Aaron Rodgers19 hours ago

Wants To Play In Minnesota
Blake Perkins19 hours ago

Cleared For Light Baseball Activities
Doug Nikhazy19 hours ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Jung Hoo Lee19 hours ago

Scratched On Saturday With Back Tightness
Cody Bradford19 hours ago

Won't Throw For At Least Four Weeks
Washington Commanders20 hours ago

Clelin Ferrell Returning To Washington
New York Jets20 hours ago

Kris Boyd Signs With The Jets
Los Angeles Chargers20 hours ago

Mekhi Becton Inks Deal With Chargers
Tyler Johnson21 hours ago

Links Up With Jets
Kyle Juszczyk22 hours ago

Returns To 49ers
Eeli Tolvanen1 day ago

Scores Twice In Victory
WPG1 day ago

Kyle Connor Strikes Twice On Friday
Jack Roslovic1 day ago

Tallies Goal, Assist In Friday's Victory
Leon Draisaitl1 day ago

Leads Edmonton To Victory
Liam O'Brien1 day ago

Exits With Undisclosed Injury
Josh Manson1 day ago

Exits On Friday
Atlanta Falcons1 day ago

Falcons Agree To Terms With Morgan Fox
Indianapolis Colts1 day ago

Colts Sign Corey Ballentine To One-Year Deal On Friday
Pittsburgh Steelers1 day ago

Brandin Echols Signs Two-Year Deal With Steelers
Kenny Yeboah1 day ago

Signs One-Year Deal With Lions
Avery Williams1 day ago

Signs With Eagles
Kene Nwangwu1 day ago

Jets Re-Sign Kene Nwangwu To One-Year Deal
Simi Fehoko2 days ago

Signing With Cardinals
Karel Vejmelka2 days ago

Makes Ninth Consecutive Start Friday
Dustin Wolf2 days ago

Set To Face Avalanche Friday
Roman Dolidze2 days ago

Set For A Rematch
Marvin Vettori2 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Chidi Njokuani2 days ago

Looks For His Third Win In A Row
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos2 days ago

Looks For His 12th UFC Win
Kurt Holobaugh2 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 104
Alexander Hernandez2 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Gibson2 days ago

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Da'Mon Blackshear2 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Vegas 104
Brendson Ribeiro2 days ago

Searching For Second UFC Win On Saturday
Diyar Nurgozhay2 days ago

Set To Make His UFC Debut
MMA2 days ago

Seung Woo Choi In Dire Need Of Victory
Kevin Vallejos2 days ago

Makes Debut At UFC Vegas 104
Jacob Bridgeman4 days ago

Use Caution For Jacob Bridgeman At TPC Sawgrass
Nicolai Hojgaard4 days ago

Looks To Stay Consistent Heading Into PLAYERS Championship
Karl Vilips4 days ago

Makes PLAYERS Championship Debut After First PGA Tour Win
Taylor Pendrith4 days ago

A Sneaky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Sahith Theegala4 days ago

Out Of Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick4 days ago

A Shaky Play Heading Into PLAYERS
Scottie Scheffler4 days ago

Eyeing Three-Peat At TPC Sawgrass
Aldrich Potgieter4 days ago

A Risky Play At TPC Sawgrass
Si Woo Kim4 days ago

Looks To Keep Building Momentum At The PLAYERS
Denny McCarthy4 days ago

Looks To Continue Solid Play At TPC Sawgrass
Collin Morikawa4 days ago

Poised For Another Strong Performance At TPC Sawgrass
Robert MacIntyre4 days ago

A Risky Play With Upside At The PLAYERS Championship
Jordan Spieth4 days ago

Looking To Change Fortunes At TPC Sawgrass
Cameron Young4 days ago

Avoid Cameron Young At The PLAYERS Championship
Michael Kim4 days ago

Continues Incredible Form Ahead Of The PLAYERS Championship
Justin Thomas4 days ago

Looking For More Magic At TPC Sawgrass
Xander Schauffele4 days ago

Continues Competitive Return At The Players Championship
Rory McIlroy4 days ago

Looks To Reverse Recent History At TPC Sawgrass
PGA4 days ago

Victor Hovland Looking To Find Form At The PLAYERS Championship
Brian Harman5 days ago

A Sleeper Pick At The PLAYERS Championship
Min Woo Lee5 days ago

A Hard Name To Trust At The Players Championship
Alex Pereira6 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC 313
Magomed Ankalaev6 days ago

Becomes The New UFC Light-Heavyweight Champion
Justin Gaethje6 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Rafael Fiziev6 days ago

Loses Third Fight In A Row
Ignacio Bahamondes6 days ago

Gets Submission Win At UFC 313
Jalin Turner6 days ago

Retires After UFC 313 Loss
Iasmin Lucindo6 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 313
Amanda Lemos6 days ago

Dominates At UFC 313
King Green6 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC 313
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Albert Haynesworth - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Worst NFL Free Agent Signings Of All Time

With the free agency period for the 2025 NFL season now underway, many big-name players will find new homes as teams compete to sign anyone and everyone they think they need to help their squad. While many signings end up being good moves, or at least help their teams fill holes at certain positions on […]


D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injuries

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets and Avoids: Running Backs to Buy or Sell (2025)

Running back volume and production is highly mercurial in the NFL. It can thus be difficult to know when to trade away and when to trade for tailbacks. There is constant competition for roles in certain backfields, and red-herring situations are abound due to injuries and plain luck. While some RBs are certainly safe in […]


Josh Downs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News Updates

2025 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Third-Year Breakouts

Patience can be tough, especially in fantasy football. We want instant production from rookies, but these players often take a while to get going. These youngsters need to adjust to the speed of the NFL and learn from their early struggles to break out fully. The third year in the NFL is oftentimes when things […]


Justin Fields - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Florio's Free Agency Fantasy Football Winners and Losers!

Free Agency is the most fun week of the NFL offseason. Even when it is not the strongest class, there is never a shortage of excitement. Players changing teams at a rapid rate. It is a week filled with hope that your favorite team will add stars and that those under-the-radar players you love will […]


Josh Downs - 2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook

The 2025 NFL Draft is quickly approaching. For the last few months, dynasty fantasy football gamers have been meticulously studying the incoming rookie class to gain any edge they can on their league mates. While we should be anxiously awaiting our rookie drafts, we must also take time and analyze how veteran players are valued […]


Tyron Smith Top Landing Spots: 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

New York Jets and former long-time Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Tyron Smith was one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL for an extended period of time. He's made five All-Pro teams, two with the first team and two with the second team, been selected to eight Pro Bowls, and earned a spot on […]


Bills Defense - Von Miller IDP Rankings, D/ST Streamers, Fantasy Football Team Defense

Von Miller Top Landing Spots: 2025 NFL Free Agency Outlook

Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller, one of the greatest pass-rushers in NFL history, was released by his team on March 9, 2025. He had signed a six-year, $120 million deal with the team in 2022, but the soon-to-be 36-year-old wasn't able to make it to the end of that contract, so he's now looking for […]


Aaron Jones - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Staying Put - Impact Players Re-signed: Aaron Jones, Zach Ertz, Jaylen Warren, more

NFL free agency is a frenzy. As football fans, we love to see the movement around the league. It allows us to dream about the possibility of our team signing a fresh player who could make a serious impact. However, one cannot overlook the impact of re-signing significant contributors. While it is not as exciting […]


Tucker Kraft - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Wide Receivers and Tight Ends To Buy in 2025

My friend Josh used to make me listen to the Bring Me The Horizon song "Diamonds Aren't Forever," which begins with the line "We will never sleep, cause sleep is for the weak." That sentiment rings true in fantasy football dynasty leagues as well. You can't get complacent. You can't stop thinking about how to […]


Zay Flowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football WR Buy or Sell: Zay Flowers, Rashee Rice, and Jordan Addison (2025)

The 2024 NFL Draft class had seven first-round wide receivers. Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, and Rome Odunze were selected in the top 10. Meanwhile, Brian Thomas Jr., Xavier Worthy, Ricky Pearsall, and Xavier Legette were Day 1 selections. More importantly, Nabers and Thomas finished their rookie seasons as top-7 wide receivers in half-point PPR […]


Courtland Sutton - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Sleepers, Draft Targets: Early 2025 Analysis

One of the biggest factors in winning fantasy football teams is finding middle-to-late-round sleepers. With wide receivers typically carrying the most drafted players of any position, it makes sense that taking multiple stabs at the position in search of hitting multiple-round values is the way to set yourself apart in drafts. For 2025, the draft […]


Caleb Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, QB, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

2025 NFL Free Agency Frenzy: Biggest Winners and Disappointments at Every Fantasy Football Position

NFL franchises will have an opportunity to reshape their rosters before the draft. Fantasy managers will have a chance to read the tea leaves and make measured strikes against their fantasy football opposition ahead of rookie drafts. Savvy managers will use this period to try to get the best return on some previous investments, as […]


DK Metcalf - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Free Agency Fantasy Football Analysis: Fallers On New Teams (2025)

With the first wave of NFL free agency coming to an end, several fantasy-relevant players have signed on to new teams. The quarterback carousel still has several dominoes to fall, but Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, and Kenny Pickett have found new homes within the first few days of the new league year. The running back […]