Not a ton of options to search for on the wire except in the linebacking group in Week 10. Although long-term readers will note the new addition of highlighting players that have been discussed here in previous weeks that are again worthy of your consideration. Especially with the final six-bye week coming up in Week 11. This is when the savvy IDP owner will be looking to grab players that have been dropped that still have tremendous value.

Bye Weeks coming up: Baltimore, Kansas City, Oakland, Philadelphia

Elevator Going Up

Linebackers

Darron Lee NYJ

Reuben Foster SF

Brock Coyle SF

Kevin Pierre-Louis KC

Joe Schobert CLE

Lee, a converted safety, appears to be settling in to his new role as a linebacker. He put up eight total tackles against Buffalo in Week 9 (five solo) with three of those being tackles for a loss of yards (TFL). Not a particularly great match up in Week 10 against the Bucs, but he did cash in with two QB hurries/hits (QH) last contest and also had a sack. Talent generally wins out, so grab him if you can.

Foster played a total of 75 snaps against the visiting Cardinals, and had 14 total tackles with 13 of those being solos. He also tossed in a TFL and his return to action has been highly anticipated, so peruse the wire to see if you can claim him.

Foster's teammate, Coyle, was also active in Week 9, racking up eight tackles (seven solo). With the 49er's defense occupying the field so much, he looks like a steady performer going forward.

Pierre-Louis is an athletic linebacker who put up seven tackles in Week 9 (six solo, one TFL). With Derrick Johnson out of action, he should continue to see plenty of action for the Chiefs.

Schobert is an overlooked asset for the Browns, although he should not be as he is an every down LB for the beleaguered Cleveland team. He has had double-digit tackles in the past three games and in four of the last five games for the Browns, including 12 total tackles against the Vikings (11 solo). Week 9 was a particularly effective contest for him, with a pass defensed (PD), an interception (INT) and a forced fumble (FF).

IDP to consider that have been previously profiled: Ramon Humber BUF (Week 2), Wesley Woodyard TEN (Week 4)

Defensive Linemen

Jadeveon Clowney DE HOU

Aaron Donald DE LAR

Clowney is going to be leaned up heavily with two of the best defensive players on the Texans sidelined with injury. He played every snap in Week 9 against the Colts, and collected four total tackles (three solo, one TFL), along with a sack and a QH. If you believe in the Houston defense, or figure they will be on the field a ton of snaps, he is someone to add now.

Donald started out the season in low gear, probably due to his holdout (ya think?) but has been ramping it up lately. Week 9 production: three solo tackles, a sack, a QH, one FF and a fumble recovery (FR) is the kind of DL line every IDP player is looking to find.

IDP to consider that have been previously profiled: Jurrell Casey DT CAR (Week 5)

Defensive Backs

Adrian Amos S CHI

Amos is the sole DB to make the list this week, but he is potentially a season-changing pickup. Ever since Jerrell Freeman went down with his injury, he has been a beast. Over his last three games, he has 20 total tackles (18 solo), with three PD, an INT, and a FF and a FR. He also scored a TD in Week 6. Snap him up if he is on your wire.

IDP to consider that have been previously profiled: Kevin Byard S TEN (Week 2)

Escalator Going Down

Linebackers

Matt Milano BUF

Shaq Thompson CAR

Ray Ray Armstrong SF

Milano will lose snaps now that Ramon Humber is back starting on defense. He had only 10 snaps in Week 9 on defense, but did have 23 snaps on special teams. Still, putting up a big goose egg against the Jets does not inspire confidence going forward.

Thompson is another player whose playing time was affected by the return of an injured starter, in this case Luke Kuechly. His production in Week 9 was limited to a solo tackle and forced fumble during his 10 special team snaps. If you picked him up when Kuechly went out with yet another concussion, fell free to drop him now.

Armstrong’s one snap in Week 9 was a surprise, as he had been playing well. He appears to have been replaced at starting weakside LB by Brock Coyle, who is profiled above. He is worth stashing for the meantime if you have a deep enough bench.

Defensive Linemen

Cameron Wake DE MIA

Wake had been extremely productive for a five week stretch but that has come to a screeching halt over the past two weeks, where he has accumulated just three total tackles (one solo). Things could turn around when he faces the Panthers in Week 10 before Miami goes on bye in Week 11, but it is a risky play to start him.

Defensive Backs

None to speak of except those listed on the injury report below.

Matchups to Exploit

Remember, the second team listed is the one to use your IDPs against. Do not go crazy, and play a LB5 against the Bills or Titans, but certainly you will do well if you own a top CB on the Lions or Browns or a Steeler DL in Week 10 that you can plug in this week, for the most part.

Linebackers

Detroit v Cleveland

New Orleans @ Buffalo

Cincinnati @ Tennessee

Defensive Ends

Los Angeles Rams v Houston

New England @ Denver

Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis

Detroit v Cleveland

Seattle @ Arizona

Defensive Tackles

Minnesota @ Washington

Seattle @ Arizona

Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis

Safeties

Carolina v Miami

New York Giants @ San Francisco

Green Bay @ Chicago

Denver v New England

Miami @ Carolina

Cornerbacks

New England @ Denver

Arizona v Seattle

Detroit v Cleveland

Cleveland @ Detroit

Chicago v Green Bay

Waiver Wire Targets

All these players are spotlighted above, and you can read my comments about them in the "Elevator Going Up" section of this article. Not all the players commented on are here, however, as there is no need to waste your time searching for players that are heavily owned. This group consists of those that you may have a chance of locating on your league's waiver wire in that they are owned in significantly less than 50% of leagues. Happy claiming for your weekly matchups.

Linebackers

Darron Lee NYJ

Reuben Foster SF

Brock Coyle SF

Kevin Pierre-Louis KC

Joe Schobert CLE

Defensive Linesmen

Jadeveon Clowney DE HOU Owned 54.2% in ESPN, 38% in Yahoo

Aaron Donald DE LAR Owned 45.8% in ESPN, 22% in Yahoo

Defensive Backs

Adrian Amos S CHI

Ouch (My Aching Roster)

All the injury reports below need evaluation prior to kickoff.  Teams are notoriously sketchy about injury reports, and we often do not know a player's status until just before game time. Consider the list below as a "heads up" as to what is going on early in the week, and should not be considered definitive.

Linebackers

Duke Riley ATL knee (Meniscus)

Tim Williams BAL thigh

Danny Trevathan CHI calf

Vontaze Burfict CIN thigh

Kevin Minter CIN elbow

Todd Davis DEN ankle

Jalen Reeves-Maybin DET ankle

Ahmad Brooks GB back

Nick Perry GB foot

Joe Thomas GB ankle

Dylan Cole HOU hamstring

Jadeveon Clowney HOU knee

John Simon IND neck

Dee Ford KC back

Hayes Pullard LAC neck

Robert Quinn LAR illness

Brandon Watts MIA back

Bryan Braman NO undisclosed

Jonathan Casillas NYG neck

Keenan Robinson NYG quadriceps

Devon Kennard NYG quadriceps

B.J. Goodson NYG ankle

Calvin Munson NYG quadriceps

Corey Lemonier NYJ foot

James Harrison PIT back

D.J. Alexander SEA ankle

Elijah Lee SF knee

Mark Nzeocha SF neck

Derrick Morgan TEN knee

Defensive Linemen

DE

Takkarist McKinley ATL shoulder

Roy Robertson CHI hamstring

Michael Johnson CIN back

Chris Smith DIN ankle

Ezekiel Ansah DET back

Joel Heath HOU knee

Allen Bailey KC knee (MCL)

Everson Griffen MIN foot

Stephen Weatherly MIN knee

Cassius Marsh NE shoulder

Alex Okafor NO ankle

Olivier Vernon NYG ankle

Kerry Wynn NYG knee

Muhammad Wilkerson NYJ foot

Anthony Johnson NYJ undisclosed

Lawrence Thomas NYJ concussion

Marcus Smith SEA concussion

Aaron Lynch SF calf

Solomon Thomas SF knee (MCL)

William Gholston TB neck

Robert Ayers TB ankle

Art Jones WAS shoulder

Matt Ioannidis WAS hand

DT

Grady Jarrett ATL ribs

Pat Sims CIN calf

Larry Ogunjobi CLE groin

Trevon Coley CLE neck

Maliek Collins DAL foot

Quinton Dial GB chest

Marcell Dareus JAX illness

Malcolm Brown NE ankle

Dalvin Tomlinson NYG ankle

Timmy Jernigan PHI ankle

Sheldon Richardson SEA oblique

Gerald McCoy TB shoulder

Defensive Backs

S

Chuck Clark BAL thigh

Mike Adams CAR shoulder

Chris Prosinski CHI hamstring

Shawn Williams CIN hamstring

Ed Reynolds CLE knee

Jabrill Peppers CLE toe

Darian Stewart DEN thigh

Don Carey DET knee

Morgan Burnett GB groin

Marcus Gilchrist OU shoulder

Anthony Harris MIN hamstring

Kenny Vaccaro NO groin

Michael Mitchell PIT calf

Earl Thomas SEA hamstring

Su’a Cravens WAS personal

Montae Nicholson WAS shoulder

Stefan McClure WAS hamstring

CB

Desmond Trufant ATL ankle

E.J. Gaines BUF hamstring

Sherrick McManis CHI hamstring

Bryce Callahan CHI knee

Jason McCourty CLE ankle

Briean Boddy-Calhoun CLE hamstring

Johnathan Joseph HOU knee

Vontae Davis IND groin

Chris Culliver IDN undisclosed

Darryl Morris IND undisclosed

Quincy Wilson IND knee

Jalen Ramsey JAX groin

Stephon Gilmore ME concussion

Eric Rowe NE groin

Michael Hunter NYG hamstring

Donte Deayon NYG ankle

Morris Claiborne NYJ foot

Gareon Conley OAK shin

David Amerson OAK foot

Ronald Darby PHI ankle

Richard Sherman SEA Achilles

K’Waun Williams SF quadriceps

Brent Grimes TB shoulder

As ever, good luck and Godspeed in your fantasy efforts. Make sure to read all of our great articles to help you win your fantasy match ups every week and ultimately bask in championship glory. If you have any fantasy football questions, especially about IDP leagues, I can be reached at ia@fantasyalarm.com.