Plugging the Gaps: IDP Waiver Wire for Week 6

Kevin Minter, Linebacker

I’ve long held an IDP crush for this player, and it’s great to see him finally rising to the opportunity presented to him. Kevin Minter has always had the physical presence to anchor the center of a defense, but he’s been shoddy on reading the plays as they develop and hasn’t translated his athleticism from blitzing to coverage. Now, however, he’s becoming the complete package and has played on 88.0% of the Arizona Cardinals’ 2015 defensive snaps, just a year after he played only 29.5%. That’s translated to 30 total tackles, one pass defensed, and seven stuffs through five games.

In his game against the Pittsburgh Steelers this week, Minter has a prime matchup to take advantage of. In the last three games the Steelers have played, inside linebackers have averaged just over 10 points per week while having to tackle Le'Veon Bell. The Steelers have the 12th run-heaviest play-calling ratio in the NFL this season, have allowed the 12th-highest stuff percentage, and the sixth-highest sack percentage. The stars are aligning for a bonanza for Minter. Grab him now.

Minter is available in 96.1% of ESPN IDP leagues, and we project him for around 6.0 tackles, a good chance for a pass defensed, and a total score of 6.40 balanced fantasy points in Week 6.