Dynasty IDP Waiver Wire: Week 18 – The 2023 Dynasty IDP All-Star Team

Happy New Year, dynasty IDP aficionados! Mondays in-season typically bring a fresh waiver wire, but it’s a new year, and very, very few of you have fantasy competitions to worry with in week 18. I also know it’s always a great day for IDP content, and with that, I bring you the 2023 Dynasty IDP All-Star Team.

It was cool to look back at the waiver wires that were, but more importantly I wanted to examine the dynasty value of the best the IDP waiver wire had to offer this season. I developed the team as a lineup, using the most common settings in leagues I participate in: two defensive ends, one defensive tackle, two linebackers, two safeties, two corners and two flex options.

Of course not all of these 2023 studs were ever available in some of your leagues, but they all appeared in this column at some point. Several are included in my top 150 rankings, so I encourage you to take a look at that list when making off-season roster decisions.

Edge Rushers

Jonathon Cooper, DEN

Cooper had what may be the quietest DE1 season in recent memory. The Denver edge room, of course, saw quite a few changes over the course of 2023, and when the season started you probably would have looked at the depth chart and listed Cooper behind Randy Gregory, Frank Clark, Baron Browning and Nik Bonitto. It was Cooper though who easily led the Bronco edge rushers in snaps played and production with eight-and-a-half sacks, 44 solo tackles, 26 assists, a fumble recovery and a touchdown in week four, and an interception in week 13. He finished the season as a low-end Edge1.

Cooper and Browning enter the final year of their rookie deals in 2024, and Bonitto is going into his third season. Given the amount of dead money Denver is looking at over the next couple of years (assuming Russell Wilson is designated a post-June 1 cut, something that seems like the most likely resolution to the Broncos’ quarterback soap opera), a big free agent splash at edge seems unlikely, and I’d wager these three are going to form an even three-way rotation in 2024. In the long term, Cooper could certainly turn himself into a desired commodity among 2025 free agents. He isn’t currently among the 49 edge rushers I have among my top 150 IDP assets though. I’d want to keep him rostered for 2024 – especially in 14- and 16-team leagues – as a low-end Edge2 or Edge3 option, but he holds little to no trade value.

Jonathan Greenard, HOU

Unlike Cooper, Greenard is among my top 150 (No. 52 overall as of this writing). An ankle injury cost him weeks 16 and 17 – crucial weeks for contenders – but he emerged as a force in his fourth season, setting himself up well entering free agency. While rookie Will Anderson Jr (rightfully?) got all the hype entering the season, Greenard’s 12.5 sacks easily paced the Texans, and his 36 solos and 16 assists provided a respectable tackle floor. I expect him to be one of the more sought-after edge rushers on the market given his pass rush production and solid play against the run. If he stays in Houston, he’s in a good spot playing opposite Anderson. And if he gets a great deal from another team, the buzz can create fantasy trade interest. Either way, I like Greenard as an Edge2 headed into his age-27 season.

Andrew Van Ginkel, MIA

I wasn’t sure what to make of Van Ginkel after a couple of weeks. His first four seasons showed him as a capable, albeit undersized, No. 3 edge. In week one though, he primarily served as an off-ball linebacker. He was back on the edge in week two after Jaelan Phillips suffered a back injury, and Van Ginkel was a money winner in weeks four, 13 and 16. He had just six sacks but was buoyed by awesome tackle numbers with 41 solos and 27 assists.

Entering his age 29 season with five seasons under his belt, Van Ginkel’s big year probably isn’t going to translate to a massive payday in free agency. And before week 17, I’d probably have considered him to be on the roster bubble in most leagues. As long as he returns to Miami, I think he’ll be worthy of streamer consideration given Phillips will be trying to return from a torn Achilles suffered in week 12, and Bradley Chubb faces an uphill battle to be ready for the season opener after reportedly tearing an ACL in week 17.

Interior Defensive Linemen

Justin Madubuike, BAL

Has any defensive player improved his financial outlook this season as much as Madubuike? After spending a couple of seasons learning the ropes and growing into a larger role, Madubuike emerged in 2022 with five-and-a-half sacks on 32 pressures (per Pro Football Focus) and 42 combined tackles. That was just a precursor to a breakout under new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, and Madubuike’s number of plays in the backfield exploded, going from nine quarterback hits and eight tackles for loss in 2022 to 32 quarterback hits and 12 tackles for loss in 2023.

Unless you’re in a defensive tackle-premium league, you’re looking for consistency and at least some production each week. For 11 consecutive weeks, from weeks four through 15, Madubuike registered at least half-a-sack, en route to 13 on the season. He’s about to land a huge new contract, and he’s an easy DT1 headed into 2024.

Off-Ball Linebackers

Blake Cashman, HOU

If you saw Cashman’s season coming, you have my respect and admiration. Like most IDP analysts, I expected rising sophomore Christian Harris to emerge as the top fantasy asset from a linebacker room that included veterans Denzel Perryman, Christian Kirksey and Cory Littleton, and rookie Henry To’oTo’o. Cashman looked like a special teams contributor – this was his primary role in 2022 – if he made the team at all.

Cashman emerged though (at least in most weeks) as a steadying presence from an inconsistent group that battled injuries (Perryman) and up-and-(mostly) down play (Harris, To’oTo’o) to tally 52 solos, 41 assists, a couple of sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. Cashman’s a free-agent-to-be, as is Perryman. Should Cashman return to Houston, it won’t be for big bucks, and I’d expect he’d open camp in a competition with Harris, To’oTo’o and one or two other off-balls for primary snaps. In short, I have little faith that Cashman will ever see another season like he saw in 2023.

Nate Landman, ATL

Like Cashman, Landman was way off the fantasy radar entering the season. The undrafted free agent played just 22 defensive snaps as a rookie in 2022, and opened the season as an unknown behind breakout candidate Troy Andersen and free agent addition Kaden Elliss. He got on the field temporarily after Andersen suffered a concussion in week two, and then went in for good once Andersen tore a pec in week three.

And Landman actually played well, and turned in LB3 numbers on the season. As a restricted free agent, Landman seems likely to return to Atlanta as the third linebacker behind Andersen and Elliss. I have a hard time seeing him retaining any value during the off-season.

Safeties

Reed Blankenship, PHI

Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus, MIN

Safety production is hard to predict season-over-season. In fact, it’s a bad bet to count on the S1s from one season repeating as S1s the next. So while Blankenship, Bynum and Metellus were all every-week starters in 2023, counting on it again in 2024 is a fool’s errand.

Minnesota safeties, in particular, would worry me, as they benefit a good deal from the unpredictable schemes employed by defensive coordinator Brian Flores, who should be a candidate to return to the head coaching ranks.

That’s not to say you should cut them loose prior to your rookie draft. All three are fine safeties, all are young, and all should be in line for full-time roles next season. Just be sure you’re several deep at the position as the season begins so you can stream or pivot quickly. If you can move any of them for better or promising assets at offensive or other defensive positions during the off-season, I recommend selling high.

Cornerbacks

DaRon Bland, DAL

Tyrique Stevenson, CHI

Corners, like safeties, are tough calls when trying to predict repeat performances. It’s rare I’ll carry over more than a couple of corners from one season to the next, even in leagues that require two corners in starting lineups. And Bland would be one corner I’d aggressively be looking to trade for any value, as he’s an obvious regression candidate coming off an incredible 2023 during which he returned five of his eight interceptions for touchdowns. He’s achieved some level of fame now, but he’ll enter 2024 behind Trevon Diggs, whose torn ACL in mid-September opened the door for a full-time role in 2024, and possibly Stephon Gilmore (he’s entering free agency) or another top corner.

The rookie Stevenson, on the other hand, could be a good carry-over candidate in leagues with taxi squads that are limited to rookies. The second-rounder steadily improved down the stretch. He seems locked in as a full-time corner for Chicago whether or not Jaylon Johnson returns in 2024.