Week 16 IDP Waiver Wire: Why You Might Wanna Ignore This Article

Don't Let the Playoffs Change Your Approach

I get it. In most cases, you need to win this week or your season's over.

That seems like it changes the lineup calculation, but it doesn't. You're always playing to win. So just set your best lineup.

Why am I stating that obvious point here? Because you're more likely to overthink a key lineup decision this week than find some hidden gem on waivers, 15 weeks into your league's season.

Of course, there are some recent performances and upcoming matchups worth noting. So I've got some players here. But we're not traveling super deep.

In most cases, I'd roll with the guys who got me here.

Week 16 IDP Waiver Wire Pickups

This list of IDP waiver wire pickups is sorted by position, and then by priorty.

Of course, IDP leagues vary widely by depth, scoring rules, and lineup settings. So to get the best measure of who to pick up in your league, check your Free Agent Finder.

Greg Rousseau, Edge, Buffalo Bills

Gregory Rousseau

DL13 on Sun 1:00 PM @ CLE

Bye7

Week 16 PPR Proj5.2

Current Week-36.2%

Rousseau’s sack in Sunday’s win over the Patriots was his first since the Week 9 win over the Chiefs. His 2 QB hits also marked his first time with multiple hits in a game since that K.C. contest and third such game of the season. 

The main reason we’re targeting Rousseau now, though, is the Week 16 matchup with Cleveland. Shedeur Sanders took five sacks and 15 QB hits in Sunday’s loss to Chicago after entering the weekend with the league’s highest pressure rate (according to Pro Football Focus). 

Rousseau sits available in 82% of Sleeper IDP leagues as of this writing.

James Pearce Jr., Edge, Falcons

James Pearce

DL22 on Sun 4:05 PM @ ARI

Bye5

Week 16 PPR Proj4.7

Current Week3.9%

I have to admit, I’ve been resisting this guy through what is not a six-game sack streak. I have been boosting his sack projections some, but I’ve also been wary of overrating a player with a somewhat flimsy fantasy profile.

For one thing, Pearce has just four games all season with more than 1 solo tackle. Sunday marked the first time he topped 2 total tackles in a game. (He totaled 3.) Pearce also averaged just 1 pressure per game from Week 3 through Week 8 (a five-game stretch) and entered Week 15 having reached 60% playing time just once.

Well, I give.

The rookie delivered his first 2-sack game in the Thursday night win over Tampa Bay. That also marked his sixth outing among the past seven with 3+ pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.

Now comes a Week 16 meeting with Jacoby Brissett, who has taken the ninth-most sacks this season despite starting only nine games.

Pearce remains a low-floor option. But the more your league favors sack/pressure scoring, the more sense he makes as a Week 16 starter.

Don’t plan to use him in Week 17, though, against the Rams team that has allowed just 19 sacks across 14 games (1.36 per week).

Myles Murphy, Edge, Cincinnati Bengals

Myles Murphy

DL37 on Sun 8:20 PM @ MIA

Bye10

Week 16 PPR Proj4.2

Current Week45.9%

Make sure you read this one before grabbing Murphy, because I’m kinda including him begrudgingly …

The former first-round pick delivered the first multi-sack game of his three-year career Sunday against the Ravens. That gives him a whopping 4.5 sacks for this season and 7.5 for his career. Not the kind of guy you want to generally bet on, and not the kind of outlier production we usually want to chase this late in a season.

So Murphy’s not for everyone. But here’s the upside if you’re looking for an option in a deep league.

Murphy Refuses to Leave the Field

Murphy has garnered heavy playing time in the wake of Trey Hendrickson’s hip injury. Sunday’s high of 93% snap share marked his third straight game of 84% or more and fourth such outing in the past five games. That boosts the tackle chances and has led to 6 of the 8 QB hits Murphy has tallied this season.

Week 16 holds a Miami offense that’s been the eighth-most friendly to DL scoring by our adjusted fantasy points allowed.

Tua Tagovailoa spent most of the year largely avoiding sacks but has taken 3+ in three of the past four games. And Miami’s rushing lean presents tackle opportunities.

Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Chicago Bears

Tremaine Edmunds

LB30 on Sat 12:00 AM vs GB

Bye5

Week 16 PPR Proj6.4

Current Week-32.9%

Edmunds is returning to practice this week, ahead of Saturday’s game against the Packers. That marks the start of his eligibility to return from IR (groin injury).

We’ll have to watch his practice week to confirm that Chicago’s activating the LB and see whether the team will signal the playing-time plan. But Edmunds was working on a top-5 scoring season before going down. 

That likely kept him rostered in many IDP leagues. But his mere 23% rostered rate among Sleeper IDP leagues says Edmunds sits available in plenty of places.

Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB, Arizona Cardinals

Akeem Davis-Gaither

LB47 on Sun 4:05 PM vs ATL

Bye8

Week 16 PPR Proj5.0

Current Week27.6%

Mack Wilson wasn’t ready to return from IR for Sunday’s game, despite being eligible to do so. And he’s no lock to get back on the field at all this season. The Cards then watched his replacement, Cody Simon, leave that game with a knee injury. 

Owen Pappoe pushed Davis-Gaither out of the lineup in Week 14, but ADG returned to his role against Houston, grew his playing time in Simon’s absence, and tallied a team-high 11 tackles. 
Next come more favorable matchups with the Falcons and Bengals, setting up Davis-Gaither as a potentially viable LB3.

Where to Find More Week 16 Answers

It's quite possible none of these players make sense for your fantasy lineup this week. Wondering how to figure that out? It's simple.

Your Free Agent Finder will compare available players at each position with what you already have rostered, to see if a pickup makes sense. You can find multiple sorting options, but I'd recommend making sure you sort by Week 16 projections -- unless you're looking ahead to the following week already.

Your Team Dashboard will also help direct you to your optimal lineup, regardless of format.

I'll also be watching throughout the week to update projections as needed for injuries and any other meaningful factors.

Next Up

Week 15 IDP Hits: Terrel Bernard and More LBs You Probably Can't Trust

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Matt Schauf, Editor

Matt has earned two Fantasy Pros accuracy awards for IDP rankings and won thousands of dollars as a player across best ball, dynasty, and high-stakes fantasy formats. He has been creating fantasy football content for more than 20 years, with work featured by Sporting News, Rotoworld, Athlon, Sirius XM, and others. He's been with Draft Sharks since 2011.