METHODOLOGY
In this weekly article, we will take a look at a couple of IDP players available in many leagues that appear to show promise or have a foreseeable path to time on the field and production. The hope is that you can acquire these players for free or relatively close to free. It depends on the depth and settings of each individual league. Qualifying players are those available in at least two-thirds of full IDP leagues on MyFantasyLeague.com (MFL).
In leagues with deeper rosters, some of these are players to stash for a few weeks until their time and opportunity to produce are ripe. Getting ahead of your league mates on these players, while also saving valuable waiver budget dollars, will give you an edge over your competition.
When conducting in-season weekly maintenance in your leagues, you should take advantage of IR spots and any opportunities to add players to your roster. You may have a player ruled out or on short-term IR that is eligible for your league’s IR list–utilize this! If you haven’t already, make sure you max out your taxi squad players with youngsters you like who are eligible to be placed on that list.
Since most of these recommended additions will occur over the weekend, we will exclude any players from the Thursday night game, since they will be locked from already having played. Let’s explore this week’s recommendations on the IDP crystal ball!
MUST-ADD IF AVAILABLE
Quincy Williams, LB New York Jets
Part of fantasy IDP production is getting opportunities. A player doesn’t necessarily have to be a good player or make good plays in real football in order to produce fantasy IDP-viable statistics. Consequently, whichever LBs the New York Jets have thrown out there on the inside of their defense the past few seasons have been piling up tackle numbers. The Jets are frequently losing at the end of games and see a heavy dose of the opposing team’s run game to run out the clock. This phenomenon kept James Burgess and Harvey Langi fantasy-relevant the past few seasons.
2021 looks no different for the Jets. While journeyman Del’Shawn Phillips utilized his rapport with DC Jeff Ulbrich and filled in nicely with 11 tackles in week one in Jarrad Davis’s absence, the Jets quickly signed B.J. Goodson and Quincy Williams to the active roster within 48 hours. Goodson has since retired and Williams unexpectedly ousted Phillips with less than four days of work and played 92% of the snaps at ILB for the Jets in Week Two, while Phillips saw just 3%. While he only made five tackles with one TFL, this heavy snap-count makes Williams a must-add.
The former third-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars out of Murray State in the 2019 NFL Draft boasts both draft capital and playing experience over the aforementioned Phillips. Jarrad Davis is expected to miss at least six more weeks, and if last week is any indication, it looks as though Williams will be the replacement. During his rookie season in 2019, he did a serviceable job filling in for the injured Myles Jack for five games.
Williams is another one of those undersized but explosive and athletic LB, with a reputation as a big hitter.
He compares to a less seasoned Jon Bostic (when he entered the league) from a skills and ability standpoint. He may even be playing with added motivation now with the chance to play with his brother, Quinnen Williams. The circumstances alone should keep him fantasy relevant at least until Davis returns from his ankle injury.
SLOW-PLAY
Ashtyn Davis, S New York Jets
Ashtyn Davis is a player that has turned heads in practice and has had considerable hype around the Jets organization the last two seasons. Davis filled in due at both safety spots last season and logged 36 tackles with a pass defensed, a forced fumble, and a TFL in limited action. Expected to slot into the strong safety role for Gang Green this year, his season has been delayed as his recovery from offseason foot surgery has been extended. As discussed above, any role with opportunities to make plays in the box on the Jets’ defense is a valuable one.
Davis is a tremendous athlete that plays with reckless abandon at all times.
Three weeks into the season, owners may be forgetting about Davis and his fortuitous circumstances, combined with his raw athletic upside. Incredibly, he is available in more than 67% of IDP leagues. The 2020 second-round pick should be healthy soon and will be a boost to your lineup.
TAXI ELIGIBLE
Monty Rice, LB Tennessee Titans
Featured in your author’s weekly draft stock watch article during last season, Monty Rice came through with third-round draft capital and landed in an outstanding spot. Aside from shallower leagues with fewer draft rounds, the reasons why Rice was not drafted in IDP rookie drafts are unknown.
This is a player who, aside from smaller size, provides nearly everything to an NFL defense from the LB role.
He can cover, he can run down ball-carriers sideline-to-sideline, he can blitz, and he makes impact plays.
Being undersized, he does not get off blocks well, which was the reason he fell some in the NFL draft.
Rice looks to be the heir-apparent to Jayon Brown in the Titans’ coverage ILB role. However, both Brown and teammate Rashaan Evans have contracts expiring after 2021. Regardless, there appears to be a feature role awaiting Rice.
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