Plugging the Gaps: IDP Waiver Wire for Week 3
Jonathan Casillas, Weak-Side Linebacker
The New York Giants’ linebacker situation has been an unsolvable puzzle for a long time. Last year, four players took snaps at middle linebacker, which must be some kind of really depressing record. No, the G-Men were not able to find their linebacking corps of the future among the likes of Uani Unga, Jon Beason, and Jasper Brinkley, and things have gotten ever more dire in 2016. These three -- who accounted for 1,230 of New York’s linebacker snaps last year -- have all been released, J.T. Thomas was put on season-ending injured reserve, and Keenan Robinson and Mark Herzlich just aren’t that good.
That means weak-side linebacker Jonathan Casillas has stepped into the starting lineup with a golden opportunity to thrive in an every-down role. Casillas is the only Giants’ linebacker in 2016 to play over 60 percent of their defensive snaps, and he is the lone true sub-package backer for them. He’s rewarded New York’s faith by posting 17 total tackles on 105 snaps -- his 16.19 percent tackle rate is the seventh-highest among linebackers playing at least 60 percent of their team’s defensive snaps.
He will go up against Washington in Week 3, who leads the league in pass-to-run playcalling ratio, at a whopping 3.14. This week should be a ridiculous shootout, and I fully expect the Giants to leave Casillas on the field for nearly every single snap. He could be the primary cover man for tight end Jordan Reed (averaging 8.5 targets per week).
Casillas is available in 96.9% of ESPN IDP leagues, and we project him for 7.23 tackles, 0.11 sacks, 0.28 passes defended, and a total score of 8.88 fantasy points in Week 3.
