As the season progresses it is hard to find those diamonds in the rough or that guy that no one has heard of. This week we are going to examine the plethora of injuries across the league and who the most likely successor is to that starting job as well as highlight some prime matchups as well as surprising performers to this point. This article will also highlight a few long-term and speculative players that could see their value rise over the course of the season.
Last Week
Kevin Minter LB (TB): 2 solos, 1 assist, 1 pass defended
It was a very slow day for Minter. He played 91% of defensive snaps but just did seem to be in the pile when tackles were going on. Minter is not a full-time starter going forward unless he shows the ability for more tackles.
Quincy Williams LB (JAX): 4 solos, 4 assists
It was not the double-digit tackle day we were hoping for from Williams. The Jacksonville defense had their way with Tennessee, and it was a dominating performance from start to finish. Williams should continue to get better and have plenty of opportunity after playing 99% of snaps this week.
Shaquil Barrett LB (TB): 6 solos, 4 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
Vying for defensive player of the week again, Barrett put on another clinic for how to get to the quarterback. He leads the league in sacks and threw in 2 forced fumbles for good measure this week.
Stephon Tuitt DT (PIT): 6 solos, 1 assist, 1 sack
The Steelers struggled to get anything going on offense but had a good showing on defense. Tuitt plugged the gap up the middle with 6 solos and registered a sack. It was a great week for the Pittsburgh tackle.
Benson Mayowa DE (OAK): 1 solo
The Raiders seem to have reverted on Mayowa. Despite his high level of production with very few snaps, they have not increased his role in the defense. Mayowa saw the fewest defensive snaps so far this year with just 16 and only had a single solo tackle to show for it. The Raiders were steamrolled by the Vikings and it would not have mattered if Mayowa played more or not.
Robert Quinn DE (DAL): 3 solos, 1 sack
Dallas did not put any restrictions on Quinn in his first game and he saw over 60% of defensive snaps against a very weak Miami team. He rewarded them with a sack and should be a solid play at DE for the rest of the season. With games against the Giants and Redskins left this season, Quinn has a great chance for more sacks.
Terrell Edmunds S (PIT): 7 solos, 3 assists
It was not the end result the Steelers wanted, but Edmunds ended up with double-digit tackles and continues to be a big part of the defense. He also registered 2 quarterback hits and showed the Steelers are not afraid to use him in blitz packages.
Darnell Savage S (GB): 4 solos, 1 assist, 1 pass defended, 1 interception
The Packers have found a defense this season and Savage is leading the charge in the secondary. He is making big plays all over the field an is a safe start for the rest of the season. His interception helped to seal the win for the Packers this week and he was not afraid to come up and stop the run.
Tre Boston S (CAR): 4 solos, 1 assist, 1 pass defended
It was not the big homecoming we were hoping for, but Boston put up respectable numbers against his former team. The Carolina defense as a whole kept Kyler Murray in check and they walked away with the victory. Boston was a good story spot start last week and not an every-week starter.
On to Week 4!
Linebackers
Mack Wilson LB (CLE):
With Christian Kirkley going down with an injury and being out for the rest of the season, the Browns will turn to Wilson to fill that spot. The 5th round selection will play next to Joe Schobert for the rest of the season and saw 100% of defensive snaps against the Rams last week. His 3 solos and 2 assists may not have been the best last week, but he will see plenty of opportunity for the rest of the season.
Ryan Connelly LB (NYG):
There is a chance that Alec Ogletree will miss some time after suffering an ankle injury last week. Connelly is projected to slide into his spot and could be a great start against a Redskins team that has struggled to stop anyone so far this season. As the week goes on, watch the injury report to see if Ogletree is ruled out this weekend.
Anthony Walker LB (IND):
The biggest surprise of last season was how well Darius Leonard played for the Colts. Now that he is injured it is Walker stepping up behind him and producing. With 11 solos and 3 assists last week, Walker has shown the ability to produce. The Colts take on a Raiders team that was manhandled by the Vikings last week and Walker has another chance at double-digit tackles this week.
Defensive Line
Josh Allen DE (JAX):
The Jaguars defense finally stepped up win week 3 and Allen played a big part in that. Allen has averaged 55 defensive snaps per game and is coming off a big game where he had 4 tackles, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble. He also has a great matchup this week against a Broncos team that allowed 6 sacks last week.
Vic Beasley Jr DE (ATL):
It is not often we see a sleeper that could be useful for multiple weeks, but Beasley fits that bill. With matchups against the Titans, Texans, and Cardinals in the next 3 weeks, Beasley has a chance to add to his 1.5 sack total. The Titans allowed 9 sacks last week, the Texans have allowed 12 on the year, and the Cardinals gave up 8 sacks last week. He should be widely available and cheap for a nice multi-week run.
Brian Burns DE (CAR):
It was a banner day for the Carolina defense in regard to sacks last week. They racked up 8 against the Cardinals and made plays all over the field. Burns has recorded a sack in each of his last 2 games and has seen his defensive snap percentage increase each week from 57 to 66, to 77%. Burns also has a great stretch of games coming up against the Texans, Jaguars, and Buccaneers.
Defensive Back
Tre Flowers CB (SEA):
Opposing secondaries are having a field day against the Cardinals with their pass heavy offense and high volume of plays. Opposing corners are averaging 4 solos per game against them and that makes Flowers a great streaming option this week. Flowers has had games with 9 solos and 4 solos in recent weeks and should fall somewhere around 5-7 this week.
Kemal Ishmael S (ATL):
Keanu Neal went down for the Falcons last week and Ishmael was put in to replace him. It may not be the long term answer they are looking for and they may explore bringing someone in from the outside, but Ishmael performed well in a fill-in role. He finished with 6 solo tackles and one for a loss. Ishmael will get his shot again this week to prove his worth to the Falcons.
Khari Willis S (IND):
An injury to Malik Hooker is opening up playing time for Willis. He has seen his defensive snap percentage jump each week and will now see an even more expansive role in the defense going forward. Willis has come up and made 10 tackles in run support so far this season on limited snaps and will have a great opportunity this week against Seattle. Look for a big jump from Willis while filling in for the injured Hooker.