Plugging the Gaps: IDP Waiver Wire for Week 4
William Gholston, Defensive End
Everyone has flaws. That’s inescapable. What makes for a good relationship is being aware of and being able to accept those flaws because they make your significant other truly who they are. This week, we need to apply that kind of logic to Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end William Gholston. Much like the Saints, the Bucs come into Week 4 struggling to get to the quarterback, due to injuries to top pass-rusher Robert Ayers and Noah Spence's rookie rawness. Gholston is not a high-upside pass-rusher, as his season-high in sacks was three in 2015 and he has no quarterback hits to-date in 2016, but he should earn a fine tackle base on a weekly basis. His 7.14 percent tackle rate ranks 39th among the 120 defensive linemen playing at least 30 snaps per game this year.
In Week 4, that trend should continue. Even under unheralded passer Trevor Siemian, the Denver Broncos’ passing attack has not been slowed. What helps him is that the Broncos offensive line is protecting their quarterback well, allowing just the 12th-lowest sack percentage in the league. This doesn’t bode well for a big-play day for Gholston, though the Broncos’ 20 hurries allowed (third-most) could indicate some regression coming for opposing pass-rushers. What should happen, however, is that the Broncos get ahead of the lackluster Bucs’ defense and use running back C.J. Anderson to salt away the game with the run, giving Gholston -- primarily a run stopper -- plenty of tackle chances.
Gholston is available in 97.4% of ESPN IDP leagues, and we project him for 4.16 tackles, 0.15 sacks, and a total score of 4.77 fantasy points in Week 4.
