Linebackers
Markus Golden (NYG): Golden was a nice prospect for Arizona for a couple of years and never really lived up to the hype. Now that he’s getting regular snaps for a talent-starved Giants defense, he’s starting to shine a bit. He blends solid tackling ability (6 solos last week) with the ability to get to the opposing QB (6 sacks on the season). He’s 28, so we’re not endorsing him as a grab-and-stash; rather, he’s a guy you can play right now.
Vince Biegel (MIA): Speaking of talent-starved, the Dolphins don’t really have much on defense either. Since coming over in the Kiko Alonso trade, Biegel has seen a good number of snaps, and in the past two weeks, his production has risen. The ex-Wisconsin Badger has been racking up tackles and even has a pair of sacks on the season. He could be a cheap LB3 for the remainder of the season and into future seasons as well.
Nathan Gerry (PHI): We had Gerry listed here a couple of weeks ago and he could be gone in bigger leagues, but giving him another endorsement since he’s put up double digits in every game for a month. Nigel Bradham’s absence has given Gerry a solid spot, but now that Zach Brown is gone, even with Bradham’s return Gerry could put up solid production.
Defensive Linemen
Olivier Vernon (DE – CLE): Hard to imagine, but Vernon is actually on some smaller/shallower leagues’ free-agent list. Trust me, I looked. Hard to imagine, also, that he’s just 29 and likely has a few more good years in him playing opposite the terror that is Myles Garrett. Vernon’s really picked it up in his past two games, racking up 10 solos. The Browns’ bye has passed, so Vernon could conceivably be a low-end DL2 moving forward.
Jeffrey Simmons (DT – TEN): He’s likely gone in leagues that split apart DT and DE, but is likely available in formats that combine them. His debut was solid: 4 solos, 2 assists, and a sack. If he is somehow available in leagues that start DT, he is a must-add. All other leagues, wait and see how frequent the sacks come before adding.
Ben Banogu (DE – IND): Bit of a deeper dive here, as admittedly, his snap counts have been rather low, but really like his athletic profile and pedigree. Jabaal Sheard is by far the Colts’ top defensive end, but the battle for the other side has been pretty even. I like Banogu’s chances at an increased snap count percentage in 2020.
Defensive Backs
Roderic Teamer (S – SDC): We’ve featured Teamer and other Charger DBs here previously, but now it’s cemented: Teamer is the guy to own. Heck, Teamer could continue to put up points even with Derwin James back patrolling the backfield. Teamer’s filling up the box score and has fabulous matchups over the next three weeks.
Marquise Blair (S – SEA): Blair’s value is directly driven off the health of Bradley McDougald. If McDougald is out, Blair is a box score filler. McDougald is a free agent in 2021 and Blair could be a much cheaper option come that time. Add and stash.
Taylor Rapp (S – LAR): This is a “rest of season” recommendation, as John Johnson’s shoulder injury has landed him on IR. Rapp will fill in and has actually put up solid numbers as the third safety for the Rams. Heck, with Eric Weddle being 34, Rapp could put up starter-level stats sooner rather than later.