It’s Week 15, and we have four games left in the regular season. Bye weeks are done, and your roster should be set except for maybe a spot or two. Whether you’re in the fantasy football playoffs or a season-long league, let’s do this!
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
DE Charles Omenihu, Kansas City Chiefs
He has had two identical weeks in a row with three tackles and a sack. He has played 67, 69 and 56% of the snaps the last three weeks, so there is some volatility if Omenihu is not recording sacks. But at this point in the season, you look for upside, and he has it right now.
EDGE Arden Key, Tennessee Titans
Key has at least a half-sack in three straight games. His fantasy viability hinges on his ability to reach the quarterback, though. His tackle numbers the last three weeks are two, one, and two. So if your league incentivizes sacks, Key is a fringe option to target.
Linebackers
LB Andre Smith, Atlanta Falcons
This one will heavily depend on the status of Nate Landman (knee), who missed Week 14. Smith stepped in and posted eight tackles and a forced fumble. If Landman is out again, Smith would be a great play against the Carolina Panthers this week.
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LB Nicholas Morrow, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles made a splash picking up former All-Pro Shaquille Leonard, but Morrow continues to ball out. He had six tackles and two pass defenses last week and has 12, eight, and six tackles the last three weeks. Leonard is still being acclimated, and Morrow should continue to shine.
LB Duke Riley, Miami Dolphins
Riley stepped in for the injured Jerome Baker and played a whopping 71 snaps in Week 14. He finished with five tackles in Week 14, but he had eight tackles and a forced fumble the week prior. The jury is still out on what Riley can contribute, but he’s worth taking a flyer on.
Defensive backs
FS Darnell Savage, Green Bay Packers
Savage played 95% of the defensive snaps in Week 14 and delivered seven tackles. He returned from injury the week before and had four tackles in 91% of the snaps. Savage vastly overshadowed Jonathan Owens, who had just two tackles last week. The Packers face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears to close out the year.
FS Mike Edwards, Kansas City Chiefs
Edwards stood out with 11 tackles in Week 14. The six tackles he had in Week 13 were a season high. So while there isn’t a big floor there, the ceiling has risen the last two weeks.
SS Jordan Howden, New Orleans Saints
Howden said, “How you doin’?” in Week 14 with 10 tackles, a forced fumble, a sack and a pass defense. He had two four-tackle games and an eight-stop game this season but really hasn’t done much consistently. The banner performance last week was enough to take notice, though.