All-22 Waiver Wire: Week 4
Defense
Byron Young, ED (LAR)
Nolan Smith and Byron Young were neck and neck at the NFL Combine but no one seemed to notice, except for one guy. The former Volunteer was the 78th overall selection by the LA Rams and the 14th Edge Rusher taken in the 2023 NFL Draft - fun fact - he wasn’t even the first player named “Byron Young” to come off the board. If you like a guy who plays with a chip on his shoulder, then you’ll love Byron Young. The Rams’ rookie claimed jersey number 0 as a reminder that he was given a 0 percent chance to make it in the league. The Rams are giving him plenty of burn. Young has averaged 55 snaps in each of his first three games and he’s paid immediate dividends; 3 sacks, 6 pressures, and a 74.7 PFF grade. Can we all agree to stop looking past Byron Young?
Reed Blankenship, S (PHI)
The rich get richer. When the Eagles shipped off Marcus Epps and entrusted the starting safety role to an undrafted player out of Middle Tennessee, the assumption was that the Eagles’ safety play would take a step back. Nope. Reed Blankenship is PFF’s 9th highest-rated and it’s only his second season. Blankenship was all over the field on Monday night; he plays aggressively near the line of scrimmage and changed the game with an interception in the second quarter. The Eagles may have yet another steal on their roster, so it might not be a bad idea to just collect more players from Philly.
Jack Gibbens, LB (TEN)
In 2022, Jack Gibbens signed with Tennessee as an undrafted free agent out of Minnesota. Gibbens played a limited role in his rookie season but he now fills the starting LB vacancy after David Long Jr.’s departure. In a starting role, Gibbens is PFF’s 5th highest-graded LB heading into week 4. The second-year LB has stacked together 3 nice games, posting PFF grades of 88.1, 69.4, and 72.1 in weeks 1-3 respectively. It’s extremely difficult to find consistent LB play but, so far, Gibbens has been as consistent as they come.
Offense
Wan’Dale Robinson, WR (NYG)
Take my Giants-related recommendations with a grain of salt - I’m a bit of a homer. I’ve seen Wan’dale Robinson available in a few leagues - he’s been hurt, the offense is pathetic, and Daniel Jones is inconsistent - I get it. If you’re needy at WR, however, Robinson could be an interesting addition. Robinson’s best game of his rookie season was also his last game of 2022 in which his 9 receptions and 100 yards receiving earned Robinson a 78.3 PFF grade - the third time he posted a PFF grade over 75 in 6 games. The second-year wideout looked good in his first action since tearing his ACL 305 days prior. On limited snaps, Robinson posted a 67.5 PFF grade against the 49ers. Wan’dale Robinson may need some time to get back to form but it may be best to get him while he’s cheap.
Ezra Cleveland, G (MIN)
Ezra Cleveland has been pretty consistent since entering the league in 2020, he’s continuously improved as a run-blocker but has struggled as a pass-blocker - until now. After 3 weeks, Cleveland ranks as PFF’s 10th-highest-graded pass-blocker among all qualifying Guards. Cleveland hasn’t graded below a 70 as a run-blocker since his rookie season and has yet to let up a sack in the 2023 campaign. If the Vikings’ 25-year-old Left Guard continues to stack balanced performances, he could finish as one of the league’s best interior offensive linemen. If you’ve got a roster spot open, Ezra Cleveland might be worth a few dollars.
