Plugging the Gaps: IDP Waiver Wire for Week 3
Mike Daniels, Defensive End
Never let anyone tell you this isn’t just an NFC North lovefest column. After discussing how one defensive end can destroy the Packers this week and another did destroy the Packers last week, let’s talk about the fantasy upside of a Packers defensive end himself.
Among the 123 defensive linemen to play at least 500 snaps in 2015 (per Fantasy Data), Mike Daniels’ 1.17 percent quarterback hit rate was squarely average, as the 60th-highest such showing. That might not seem impressive, but Daniels rotates between all three positions on the Green Bay 3-4 defensive line and still sustains this pressure consistently, even from a nose tackle spot. He is a fixture of their front-seven -- playing 63 and 67 percent of the Packers’ defensive snaps over the last two years -- which offers him plenty of volume of opportunity to aid his average big-play ability.
Week 3 sees Green Bay take on the Detroit Lions, who are allowing running backs to get stuffed at a 12.8 percent rate; this stuff percentage allowed ranks 11th in the NFL. They’ve also allowed five sacks already this season for an 11th-highest sack percentage allowed. Daniels is always disruptive, rivalry games always get extra heated, and the Packers should come out swinging in Week 3.
Daniels is available in 97.3% of ESPN IDP leagues, and we project him for 2.98 tackles, 0.33 sacks, and a total score of 4.19 fantasy points in Week 3.
