Every Tuesday I’ll be giving you the lowdown on which individual defensive players (IDP) to target for the upcoming week’s waiver wire, so without further ado here is this week’s under the radar prospects.
Defensive Lineman
Jon Abraham, Arizona Cardinals 2 – 3% of FAAB
Abraham’s hot streak continues as in his last three games he has racked up five sacks, three forced fumbles and two tackles for loss. Unfortunately for those of you playing on MFL he’s designated (correctly) as a linebacker, but on other fantasy sites such ESPN Abraham is still classed as a defensive lineman. It’s in those leagues that I’m recommending him. To emphasize the point on Abraham’s renewed fantasy value, since Week 5 he has averaged 61.4 snaps a game which is a big jump from the 45-50 snaps a game he had seen throughout the last five years of his career. Even if you’re not planning on playing Abraham yourself, owners should be aggressive in picking him up to block your rivals.
Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers 1 – 2% of FAAB
Another player that has seen a spike in their playing time is Heyward. Over the first four weeks of the season he averaged just 28.75 snaps per game. Since the Steelers Week 5 bye Heyward has been on the field for an average of 56.2 snaps a game and has begun to convert his increased playing time into fantasy production. In his last three games Heyward has recorded two sacks and 17 total tackles (two for a loss). Although 3-4 defensive ends have seen a rise in their fantasy value thanks to the stellar play of J.J. Watt, Calais Campbell and Cameron Jordan, don’t get Heyward confused with those must-own fantasy players. He is more of a bye week replacement or injury fill-in.
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Ross Miles is a Lead Writer for Pro Football Focus Fantasy. Follow him on Twitter –@PFF_RossMiles
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