We move along to Week 12, and six teams are on a bye this week. This is one of the final weeks to take advantage of roster crunches as we make our way toward the fantasy playoffs.
Each week, we’ll highlight diamonds in the rough or some players that just need to be rostered in more leagues on the defensive side of the ball. Keep in mind your scoring system and roster restraints when heading to the waiver wire to grab these IDPs.
Defensive linemen
EDGE Nik Bonitto, Denver Broncos
This dude has wreaked havoc on opposing backfields for weeks. Regardless of whether he has DE or LB eligibility, he needs to be picked up. He has sacks in eight of nine games. Last week, he had seven tackles and two sacks, and he’ll be getting after the Las Vegas Raiders this week.
DE Kwity Paye, Indianapolis Colts
I swear, every year, we have a sighting of this 26-year-old defensive end. But it’s warranted. He has sacks in three straight games. He logged seven tackles, a forced fumble, and two sacks last week. Paye will have a meeting with the Detroit Lions and New England Patriots before his Week 14 bye, so this may be an abbreviated stay on your roster.
Linebackers
LB Devin Bush, Cleveland Browns
The 2019 first-round pick has been pretty invisible much of the season. However, he had eight tackles and a sack in Week 9 before his bye week. He came out of that bye week with eight more tackles. Scoop him up.
LB Omar Speights, Los Angeles Rams
The 23-year-old undrafted rookie busted out with eight tackles in Week 10. He followed it up with six in Week 11. It’s time to start taking him seriously as he’s firmly entrenched at RILB.
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LB Jerome Baker, Tennessee Titans
Baker stepped in for the injured Jack Gibbens and delivered eight tackles in Week 11. He was in and out of the lineup with Seattle earlier this season, but he posted a couple of seven-tackle games. Gibbens is out for the year, so give Baker a spin.
Defensive backs
CB Nazeeh Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs
The former seventh-round pick made his presence known in Week 10 with 10 tackles and a sack. He came back in Week 11 with eight tackles. He’ll face two dumpster fire teams in the next two weeks in Carolina and Las Vegas to potentially pick one off.
FS Ar’Darius Washington, Baltimore Ravens
What did you do in Week 11, Ar’Darius? Oh, you know, just racked up 11 tackles! He’s running as the starting free safety now and played every defensive snap last week.
S Kamren Kinchens, Los Angeles Rams
The third-round pick is more of a boom-or-bust type, because he’s playing nickel back behind starters Kamren Curl and Quentin Lake. He has two big games in the last three weeks. He had three tackles and two INTs in Week 9, including one he took to the house. He didn’t do much in Week 10 and managed eight tackles, a forced fumble, and another INT last week.