idp free agents – Syndication Server

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 18

Check your waiver wire for these IDP one-week plays.

We have reached the NFL regular-season finale. If you’re going of all the marbles this week, let’s help put them in the right places.

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 Travon Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars

The 2022 No. 1 overall pick was considered a bit of a project when he was drafted, but he has taken a significant step forward in Year 2 going from 3.5 sacks to nine. He also is on fire with four sacks in the last three games. The cherry on top? He faces the Tennessee Titans in Week 18, who have allowed the most fantasy points to D-linemen over the last five weeks. Whether he serves as a DL/EDGE/LB, he’s a strong play in Week 18.

DT Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams

We have another nose tackle this week, and for good reason, the third-round rookie has 3.5 sacks the last two weeks. He’ll face the San Francisco 49ers this week. The Niners aren’t a good matchup at face value, but they’re expected to rest some starters. Only four defensive tackles have more than his nine sacks on the season.

Linebackers

LB Sione Takitaki, Cleveland Browns

The BYU product typically hovers on the fringe of a pickup. He’ll deliver some weeks and disappear the next. What he did in Week 17 was deliver in a big way with 17 tackles. He’ll have a midrange matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals to pile on.

LB Devin Bush, Seattle Seahawks

Another outstanding stat line in Week 17 came from Bush, who had 17 total tackles. Albeit, 12 of them were assisted tackles, so his point total may not have been as high in some leagues. He had six tackles in Week 16 as well, so he’s on a hot streak. He’ll have a midrange matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18.

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LB Deion Jones, Carolina Panthers

A former fantasy stud with the Atlanta Falcons, Jones had his best performance of the season with seven tackles and a sack in Week 17. He has a tough matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he’s playing for a contract for next season and looks to be motivated.

Defensive backs

FS Donovan Wilson, Dallas Cowboys

It’s not a great matchup against the Washington Commanders in Week 18 as they’ve allowed the fewest points to the position the last five weeks. However, Wilson has been on fire, totaling 11-plus tackles in the last two weeks and five-plus in six straight games.

SS Jordan Battle, Cincinnati Bengals

Battle has lived up to his name with at least seven tackles over the last three games. He has seven stops in six of the last seven games as well. He just doesn’t add much outside of that category. He has a chance to finish strong against a top-five matchup the last five weeks in the Cleveland Browns.

SS Nick Cross, Indianapolis Colts

Freshly thrust into the starting lineup, Cross finished Week 17 with nine tackles. He added six in the previous week as well. He has a chance to go for the trifecta against the Houston Texans in the season finale. The Texans are a solid matchup for opposing DBs the last five weeks.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 17

Check your waiver wire for these IDP options ahead of Week 17.

Two weeks left in the season, and whether you’re in the fantasy playoffs or a season-long grind, there are important decisions to make on the defensive side of the ball.

Defensive linemen

DE Malcolm Koonce, Las Vegas Raiders

DE Maxx Crosby is drawing all the attention on the other side, and he hasn’t had a sack in the last two games. Koonce has five! He had two forced fumbles two weeks ago and six tackles last week. He faces the Indianapolis Colts this week, who have allowed the sixth-most points to the position the last five weeks. Put him atop your wish list.

DT Christian Barmore, New England Patriots

The 315-pound tackle has been feasting on quarterbacks the last two weeks. He has 12 tackles, four sacks, and a forced fumble combined in the last two games. He has a “meh” matchup against the Buffalo Bills this week, but it’s hard to ignore what he has done of late.

Linebackers

LB Shaquille Leonard, Philadelphia Eagles

He may have been picked up and stashed when he signed with the Eagles, but it took a few weeks for him to get acclimated. He showed he still has some fantasy prowess left in the tank with seven tackles and a sack in Week 16. He has a midrange matchup against the Arizona Cardinals this week and is at least a flex candidate.

LB Duke Riley, Miami Dolphins

Riley has been steady at the position the last four weeks. He broke out with eight tackles in Week 13 and has delivered five tackles in three straight games. He sprinkled in a half-sack and a pass defense, but you’re not looking for elite counting numbers here. He provides a high floor, though.

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LB Myles Jack, Pittsburgh Steelers

He went back to the practice squad after a solid Week 16 game, so this may be a fringe candidate. However, he delivered six tackles and a sack in his first action of 2023. The Seattle Seahawks are the toughest matchup against LBs in Week 17, but he’s a good depth piece if you’re still playing come Week 18.

Defensive backs

SS D’Anthony Bell, Cleveland Browns

Bell has settled in as the starter and produced the last three weeks. In Week 16, he had six tackles, a forced fumble, and two pass defenses. Bell had five tackles and an INT in Week 15. So the production continues to increase, and he has a midrange matchup against the New York Jets.

CB Desmond King, Houston Texans

After 11 tackles in Week 16, King has at least 10 tackles in three of the last four weeks. He had a one-tackle game in there, too, and those are the ebbs and flows you deal with when using corners. He’ll have a midrange matchup against the Tennessee Titans this week.

S Jartavius Martin, Washington Commanders

Martin had his worst game in Week 16 over the last three weeks. He secured only six tackles. That shows how good he was in the two previous games with 10 tackles and a sack and seven tackles. There’s a midrange matchup against the San Francisco 49ers for him this week to build on his binge.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 16

Check your waiver wire for these IDP options ahead of Week 16.

The fantasy football playoffs are underway, or if you’re in a full-season league, these last three weeks will decide it all. Rosters are mostly set, but injuries occur. We’re here to provide options if the bad bounce comes your way.

Defensive linemen

DT Zach Sieler, Miami Dolphins

It’s not often we recommend 300-pound tackles, but Sieler has played at the level of his size. He has sacks in three of four games and had a fumble recovery and a pass defense to go with his sack in Week 15. He also had four tackles each in Week 13 and 14.

DE Tanoh Kpassagnon, New Orleans Saints

The 29-year-old has been off the fantasy radar all season, but he certainly busted the door open in Week 15. He had six tackles and three sacks against the New York Giants. The Saints had a couple of injuries on the ends to open up the playing time for Kpassagnon, and you’ll need to monitor that. But how can you sit a guy after three sacks and four QB hits?

Linebackers

LB Khaleke Hudson, Washington Commanders

One way to come out of a late-season bye week is with … 14 tackles! He had 22 on the season before that game. The job on the weak side is his, and ebbs and flows should be expected. However, when you can acquire a player who delivers 14 tackles in a game this late in the season – it can be a game-changer.

LB Christian Rozeboom, Los Angeles Rams

Rozeboom had a solid first half of the season, and he kind of went in the tank after the Week 10 bye. He had just two tackles in each of the Week 13 and 14 games. He had five tackles and a pass defense in Week 15. With the New Orleans Saints and New York Giants on the docket the next two weeks, he’s worth the speculative grab.

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LB Mack Wilson, New England Patriots

At least one “Mac”k has worked out this season for New England. Wilson has sacks in two straight games. He’s not going to wow you with tackles as he has four, three and two the last three weeks. However, Wilson had three straight games with a pass defense before Week 15, and he’ll sprinkle a little in those three categories.

Defensive backs

SS Brandon Jones, Miami Dolphins

Injuries in the secondary gave Jones another window, and he has taken advantage. He had seven tackles, a forced fumble and a pass defense in Week 14. Last week, Jones had five tackles, two INTs, and two pass defenses. He has a potential shootout against the Dallas Cowboys this week.

SS Ifeatu Melifonwu, Detroit Lions

The 2021 third-round pick wowed the judges with nine tackles, a forced fumble a sack, and two pass defenses last week. He has a good matchup against the Minnesota Vikings this week and then plays a pass-heavy Cowboys team in Week 17.

SS Andrew Wingard, Jacksonville Jaguars

The veteran Wingard has a stretch every season it seems where he stands out on the fringe. Eleven tackles in Week 15 will definitely put you over the edge. He had a seven-tackle game earlier this season, but this one was by far his biggest. So temper expectations, but Wingard has a solid floor.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 15

Check your waiver wire for these IDP options ahead of Week 15.

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!

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.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 14

Check your waiver wire for these IDP options ahead of Week 14.

It’s Week 14, and two teams are on vacation in the final week we have byes this season. Whether you’re in the fantasy playoffs or a season-long league, crunch time is upon us.

Defensive linemen

DE Kwity Paye, Indianapolis Colts

Last week, we highlighted another Colts DE, Samson Ebukam, who has two sacks in each of the last two games. Well, Paye had six tackles, two forced fumbles and two sacks last week. He also has sacks in consecutive games. The Colts play the hapless Cincinnati Bengals this week, and both players could go off.

DE Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans

The No. 2 overall pick showed flashes earlier in the season, but he really didn’t produce consistently. He has sacks in three of the last five games, and he has nine tackles in the last two games combined. Anderson will have peaks and valleys, but he looks to have his feet under him and is finishing his rookie season strong.

Linebackers

LB Mykal Walker, Pittsburgh Steelers

Starters Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander landed on IR, which gave Walker a chance to shine. And shine he did in Week 13 with 10 tackles, which led the team. He had five tackles last week and has played in only three games this season, which could keep him flying under the radar. Take notice.

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LB J.J. Russell, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs’ linebacker corps has been decimated with injuries, which thrust the 25-year-old Russell into action. He responded with seven tackles and a sack last week. He’ll need those injuries to remain an issue to keep his playing time, but he’s worth the speculative grab.

LB Jack Cochrane, Kansas City Chiefs

Sticking with the filling-in-for-injury theme, Cochrane took over when Drue Tranquill was concussed in Week 13. The second-year man from South Dakota finished the game with seven tackles. The hit Tranquill took to the head looked ugly, if he’s out this week, Cochrane is worth the plug-and-play.

Defensive backs

SS P.J. Locke, Denver Broncos

The fourth-year man took over when S Kareem Jackson was suspended four games. Locke has had two huge games in a row. Two weeks ago, he had seven tackles, a forced fumble, a sack, and a pass defense. Last week, he had eight tackles and a sack.

FS Tashaun Gipson, San Francisco 49ers

The Niners haven’t missed much of a beat when S Talanoa Hufanga went down for the year when Gipson stepped up. He had five tackles each of the last two weeks, and he added a sack two weeks ago. His ceiling is pretty low, but he has a relatively safe floor as well.

S John Johnson III, Los Angeles Rams

The former fantasy stud is back where his fantasy prime took place, and he has put together three solid games in a row. Johnson tallied three tackles and a pass defense in Week 11, four tackles plus two pass defenses in Week 12, and six tackles, an INT and two pass defenses last week. Those are too solid of weeks to gloss over.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 13

Check your waiver wire for these IDP options ahead of Week 13.

The weeks are dwindling, but we hope the W’s are piling up as the fantasy playoffs come into focus. We have six teams on a bye this week, and it will be a crucial one to nail your waiver claims and pounce on those guys who probably shouldn’t have been dropped.

Defensive linemen

DE Samson Ebukam, Indianapolis Colts

The seventh-year pro has been useful at times in fantasy. He had a stretch early in the year with a sack in four of five games and sprinkled in some four-tackle games as well. He came out of the bye week with four tackles, a forced fumble and two sacks. He has the Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals to terrorize the next two weeks.

DE BJ Ojulari, Arizona Cardinals

The second-round pick is starting to cause some havoc. Here are his last five game logs: two tackles, one sack; four tackles; eight tackles, two sacks; one tackle, one sack; and five tackles. He’s getting it done in different ways. He has the Pittsburgh Steelers this week before his bye in Week 14, so it may be a short-term pickup.

Linebackers

LB Krys Barnes, Arizona Cardinals

When healthy, this guy makes a difference. The problem is keeping him healthy. He had two, seven-tackle games early in the year and was injured. He returned two weeks ago with three tackles, an INT and two pass defenses and had seven tackles last week.

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LB Sione Takitaki, Cleveland Browns

The fifth-year pro is on the fringe but has a couple of notable performances recently. Takitaki had five tackles and a pass defense two weeks ago and six tackles last week. The Browns have a few injuries in their linebacking corps, and he looks poised to take advantage.

LB Anfernee Jennings, New England Patriots

The 2020 third-round pick has posted three solid games in a row. He had four tackles three weeks ago, seen tackles two weeks ago and broke off four tackles and 1.5 sacks last week. He’s a fit in deeper leagues if you’re covering a bye.

Defensive backs

S Trenton Thompson, Pittsburgh Steelers

This one may hinge on the health of Minkah Fitzpatrick, but the former UDFA has played well the last two weeks. He had six tackles and two pass defenses in Week 11 and five tackles, an INT and a pass defense in Week 12. He may get a longer look down the stretch.

FS Tyrann Mathieu, New Orleans Saints

We featured the “Honey Badger” a couple of weeks ago, and he just keeps performing. He came out of the bye week with four tackles, two INTs and two pass defenses. He had eight tackles in the game before his bye week. If you didn’t bite then, you should now.

CB DaRon Bland, Dallas Cowboys

Throw out the pick-six record, and when you focus on the more realistic counting numbers, he has been great. He has a pass defense in eight straight games and an INT in three straight. He had 10 tackles last week and at least four in three straight and four of five.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 12

Check your waiver wire for these IDP options ahead of Week 12.

How is it Week 12 already? This season has blown by, and we hope you’re doing the same to the competition. We have a few more weeks of byes to cover, and it’s important to nail those sleepers on the wire.

Defensive linemen

EDGE Baron Browning, Denver Broncos

The 2021 third-round pick will have some peaks and valleys, but those peaks have been on point of late. In Week 8, he had four tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. Browning had a quiet, three-tackle game in Week 10 and had three tackles, a sack and a forced fumble in Week 11. He has the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans the next two weeks to keep feasting.

EDGE Odafe Oweh, Baltimore Ravens

The EDGE rusher has reached the quarterback three weeks in a row and in four of five games. His value will hinge largely on sacks, because he has 13 tackles over the last five games. If your league incentivizes sacks, he’s a good target.

Linebackers

LB Ernest Jones, Los Angeles Rams

He missed a game due to injury and then had a bye week, so Jones could be floating on waivers in shallow or less competitive formats. He shouldn’t be there after 12 tackles and a half-sack in Week 11. He has five 10-tackle games on the season and will provide some upside.

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LB Damone Clark, Dallas Cowboys

Clark was highly effective early in the season with three eight-plus tackle games in the stretch of a month. He has been a little shaky since, but he has six tackles in three of four games.

Defensive backs

SS Quentin Lake, Los Angeles Rams

He’s dealing with a sore hamstring, so keep an eye on his status this week. Lake had a season-high eight tackles last week and has at least six stops in three of four games. He won’t offer much elsewhere, but the tackle numbers are encouraging.

SS Jordan Battle, Denver Broncos

Battle’s role has increased … as such, his production did as well. He delivered 12 tackles last week. There’s no telling if that was a blip or the start of something, because he didn’t have more than three in any previous game this season.

SS DeAndre Houston-Carson, Houston Texans

Houston-Carson had a statement game two weeks ago with seven tackles and an INT. He followed it up last week with five tackles and a pass defense. He has the Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos and New York Jets coming up to get it rolling.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 11

Check your waiver wire for these IDP options ahead of Week 11.

Things are getting hot and heavy in Week 11. Four teams are coming off a bye and as many teams are idle. The deeper we get, the more important it is to nail those sleepers on waivers.

Defensive linemen

DE Malcolm Koonce, Las Vegas Raiders

The 2021 third-round pick has reached the quarterback in two straight weeks. He had four tackles in Week 9 and two tackles and a forced fumble in Week 10 to go with the solo sacks in each game. Rushing opposite of Maxx Crosby is clearly opening things up for him, and Koonce is taking advantage.

DE Dorance Armstrong, Dallas Cowboys

The sixth-year man has at least a half-sack in three straight games. He has only seven tackles in that stretch, so Armstrong will be more useful in a deeper league or one that awards more points for sacks. He has the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders to wreak havoc in the backfield on the next two weeks.

Linebackers

LB Harold Landry, Tennessee Titans

Over the last four games, Landry has three boomers and one bust. He had five tackles and a sack in Week 6, five tackles and two sacks in Week 8, a single assisted tackle in Week 9 and nine tackles and a sack last week. Buyer beware, and he’ll be more valuable in leagues that designate EDGE rushers, but the production is there.

LB Jamien Sherwood, New York Jets

Sherwood had a breakout game in Week 10 with seven tackles, a forced fumble and a pass defense. He had a seven-tackle game earlier in the year, but he really hasn’t done much, and there’s a risk that this game was a fluke. At this point in the season, though, you take that chance.

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LB Christian Harris, Houston Texans

Harris has had five tackles in each of the last two weeks, which is so-so. But the league suspended starting LB Denzel Perryman three games for personal foul violations. That should bump up Harris’ playing time even more, and he’s worth the pickup.

Defensive backs

SS Jordan Whitehead, New York Jets

Whitehead has returned to fantasy relevance the last three weeks. He opened the season with three big weeks and went into the tank for about a month. He had eight tackles and a deflection in Week 8, four tackles and a pass defensed in Week 9 and nine tackles, an INT and PD in Week 10.

FS Percy Butler, Washington Commanders

The second-year man had his best game as a pro last week with nine tackles and a pass defense. Over the last three weeks, he has 19 tackles and three pass defenses. Give him a look in case this is more coming of age than a blip on the map.

FS Tyrann Mathieu, New Orleans Saints

He’s on a bye this week, so keep him on your watch list or give him a look in deeper leagues. But the Honey Badger is playing his best football of the year. He had six tackles and a PD in Week 9 and eight tackles in Week 10. He has the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams coming up, and he could stuff the stat sheet with tackles and picks.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 10

Check your waiver wire for these IDP options ahead of Week 10.

We have reached double digits in Week 10. For some, the fantasy playoffs are mere weeks away, and every roster spot becomes increasingly important.

Defensive linemen

DE Za’Darius Smith, Cleveland Browns

Rushing on the edge opposite of Myles Garrett – what a fruitful position that would be! Well, that’s where the 31-year-old Smith is lining up. He has sacks in two of the last three games, but the middle game, he had just a single assisted tackle. So Smith will have peaks and valleys, but you have to love the potential opposite of Garrett.

DE Bryce Huff, New York Jets

He has sacks in four straight games and five total sacks during the stretch. Huff played only 48 percent of the snaps in Week 9, though, and that’s where the potential problem prevents itself. With this kind of production, though, you can’t ignore it over a four-game stretch.

Linebackers

LB Tyrel Dodson, Buffalo Bills

The 25-year-old had a season-high 10 tackles in Week 9. Before that, he had five and seven tackles the previous two weeks. He has the Denver Broncos and New York Jets the next two weeks, and he could continue his hot stretch against those lesser foes.

LB Kyle Van Noy, Baltimore Ravens

This one is strictly an option for leagues that reward sacks more than others. Van Noy has just eight tackles over the last four games. He also has five sacks during that stretch. He has a solid matchup against the Cleveland Browns in Week 10.

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LB Zach Cunningham, Philadelphia Eagles

He’s on a bye this week, so keep that in mind when weighing this option. He had his second 10-tackle game of the season in Week 9 with LB Nakobe Dean (foot) suffering another injury. Cunningham made five tackles and two pass defenses two weeks ago, so he’s starting to leave bread crumbs of a viable fantasy option. This late in the game, it’s hard to find 10-tackle guys. Keep him in mind if you have the roster space and Dean isn’t available post-bye.

Defensive backs

CB Kenny Moore II, Indianapolis Colts

Moore is one of the highest-scoring DBs in fantasy over the last three weeks. He tallied 27 tackles and 1.5 sacks in the last three games, including two interceptions returned for touchdowns and two PDs in Week 9 alone. Obviously, you can’t count on the TDs, but his other counting numbers have been great.

SS Keanu Neal, Pittsburgh Steelers

FS Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) is likely out again this week, which will put more pressure on Neal on the strong side. He has had seven tackles in two straight games and seems to be thriving without Fitzpatrick. He has the Green Bay Packers and Cleveland Browns the next two weeks to prove it.

FS Jonathan Owens, Green Bay Packers

Owens took over when Darnell Savage went on IR a couple of weeks ago. It took two games, but he had his breakout with eight tackles, a forced fumble, and a sack in Week 9. He’ll have some run over the next few weeks to build on it with Savage out.

Fantasy football IDP free-agent report: Week 9

Check your waiver wire for these IDP options ahead of Week 8.

Tuesday is the NFL trade deadline, and we’ve already have one spot on the defense open up. Bye weeks resume in Week 9, and the roster crunch will begin to apply pressure as we charge toward the stretch run.

Defensive linemen

DE George Karlaftis, Kansas City Chiefs

The 2022 first-round pick is coming of age in his second season. He has tied his rookie season total with six sacks in half the games, and he has four sacks in the last three games. Karlaftis had seven tackles, a forced fumble, and 2 1/2 sacks last week against the Denver Broncos.

DE James Smith-Williams, Washington Commanders

The Commanders traded DE Montez Sweat to Chicago and are working to trade DE Chase Young. This will open a spot for Smith-Williams to slide in and start. He had three sacks in 14 games of limited action last year, and is probably an option only in deeper leagues, but he did have three tackles two games ago against the New York Giants.

Linebackers

LB David Mayo, Washington Commanders

The 30-year-old veteran opened eyes with 11 tackles in Week 7. He followed it up with nine tackles against the Philadelphia Eagles last week. Mayo doesn’t have much competition at middle linebacker, though, they could opt to go younger later. For now, he’s a banger of a pickup.

LB Leo Chenal, Kansas City Chiefs

With Nick Bolton on IR, the 2022 third-round pick delivered 10 tackles and a sack in Week 8. He has the Miami Dolphins before a bye week, which means Chenal may be a one-week flier if you don’t have room to roster him through the off-week. However, he’s worth the pickup for the potential.

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LB Nakobe Dean, Philadelphia Eagles

Dean was hurt in Week 1 and missed a month with a foot injury. Upon returning, he didn’t do much with four tackles and three tackles. And then Week 8 happened, and Dean had 12 tackles. Weeks like those are probably not going to be the norm, but he is in the middle of a talented defense and is a flex consideration.

Defensive backs

FS Quandre Diggs, Seattle Seahawks

The 31-year-old safety is one that fantasy owners are familiar with as he’s usually on the periphery of a pickup or a one-week play. Three weeks ago, he had eight tackles and fell back to three tackles and a pass defense in Week 7. Diggs delivered nine tackles last week, so expect peaks and valleys.

FS Juan Thornhill, Cleveland Browns

Thornhill, a 27-year-old second-round pick in 2019, has delivered 32 tackles in six games this season. He had seven, five, seven and seven tackles in the last four weeks. There’s nothing glamorous about it, but a seven-tackle player is hard to find on waivers.

CB Jamel Dean, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

A cornerback pops up in this week’s list, and he’s performing like a safety. He had 10 tackles and a fumble recovery two weeks ago and delivered eight tackles and two pass defenses last week. Dean has a soft part of the schedule coming up with the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans, so he may have a nice window here.