Plugging the Gaps: IDP Waiver Wire for Week 9

​Jerry Hughes, Outside Linebacker

I like to think of this column as the IDP Island of Misfit Toys: if there’s a stigma against an IDP fantasy position, we will likely recommend you pick up a player at that position. I love to debunk the outside linebacker position, therefore, just as much as defensive tackles, and Buffalo Bills edge rusher Jerry Hughes is my next reputation fixer-upper project.

Hughes plays a bundle of snaps for Buffalo -- 80% or more in all but one of their games this season -- so it may seem odd that he’s earned a paltry 7.0 fantasy points over his last three games. Still, his quarterback hit rate is 21st among linebackers (out of 120), and he had four sacks in his first four games this year. The only logical reason for his sacking slump seems to be that his last few opponents have been tough matchups: the San Francisco 49ers have the impossible-to-bring-down Colin Kaepernick under center, the Miami Dolphins’ line has jelled recently, and among the five sacks the New England Patriots gave up, Hughes just didn’t get in line fast enough.

This week is a prime matchup for him to get back on fantasy track, though: the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive line is still rough all around, and only by grace of their offensive design do they rank sixth-lowest in sack rate allowed. They do, however, allow the fourth-highest stuff rate to their opponents, meaning that Hughes should be able to approximate sack scoring fantasy totals with tackles for a loss.

Hughes is available in 97.6% of ESPN IDP leagues. We project him for 4.52 tackles, 0.46 sacks, 0.24 passes defended, and a total score of 6.50 fantasy points in Week 9.