Plugging the Gaps: IDP Waiver Wire for Week 1

​Mike Adams, Strong Safety

This game between the Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions holds another lesson to target when streaming defensive backs in IDP leagues: target shootouts. With how lacking these front-sevens and running games are, there is going to be plenty of downfield throwing in this Week 1 matchup. The Colts lost inside linebacking stalwart Jerrell Freeman to free agency this offseason, and are dealing with a number of injuries along the defensive line and cornerbacks this week.

That means plenty of tackle chances will get into the third level of the defense, where safety Mike Adams can clean them up. This Lions’ offense runs through quarterback Matthew Stafford – for better or for worse – so there should be plenty of defensive plays in the secondary for Indianapolis this game.

Add in that Mike Adams is no slouch on his own, and this becomes particularly enticing for IDP players. In 2015, he finished as the 13th-highest scoring defensive back in fantasy, all while missing three games. Adams has picked off five passes each of his two seasons in Indy, to boot, so with the sometimes-erratic Stafford as his opponent, that could be a sneaky value as well.

Adams is available in 85.1% of ESPN IDP leagues, and we project him for 5.71 tackles, 0.28 interceptions, 0.48 passes defended, and a total score of 7.97 fantasy points in Week 1.