The season is now three weeks in and those early-year blips are turning into downward trends, so fantasy owners are running to the waiver wire in search of viable replacements for the players who are not living up to expectations. As always, I’m urging patience when it comes to those highly drafted, under-performing defensive ends. Think twice about throwing Robert Quinn back to the player pool in order to pick up Mario Addison…
Defensive Lineman
Panther defensive end, Mario Addison, seems as good a place as any to start this week. However, this is not a recommendation to pick him up, rather it’s a public service warning. Addison has played just 69 snaps this season (11, 29, 29), seeing the field for just 34.2 percent of Carolina’s defensive snaps. He does have 3.5 sacks and three tackles for loss on his 2014 resume, but he’s being used almost exclusively on passing downs. The Panthers are using Addison, as well as rookie Kony Ealy and 2013 UDFA Wes Horton as rotational replacements for Greg Hardy, so unless you’re in a 16+ team league I don’t see Addison as roster-worthy.
Mike Daniels is a name who you will have heard discussed on our IDP podcast if you’re a regular listener, and if he’s still sitting on the waiver wire he’s worth adding as depth. He won’t post DE1 numbers anytime soon, but he offers a high floor at a position where studs can post a zero. He’s posted 14 total tackles (10 solo), two of which were for a loss and one sack so far this season. Despite their Week 3 woes you have to expect the Packers to force teams to pass against them to stay in the game, giving Daniels an opportunity to rush the passer. I like him as a DE3.
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Ross Miles is a Lead Writer for Pro Football Focus Fantasy. Follow him on Twitter – @RossMilesNFL
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