Linebackers
Jack Sanborn/Joe Thomas/A.J. Klein (CHI): Not exactly sure what to make of the Roquan Smith trade fallout just yet. Right now, Klein is penciled in as the weak-side starter, with Thomas and Sanborn as the next in line there. Klein is 31 and well-traveled, so he may hold down the fort for a game or two. Thomas is also 31, so there is not much upside there. Sanborn is the name to watch for future seasons.
Anthony Nelson (TBB): Joe Tryon-Shoyinka will likely be the main beneficiary of losing Shaquil Barrett for the season, but Nelson stands to get a bump-up, too. Nelson is giant (6-foot-7 and 270 pounds) but can move a bit. Look at the snap counts over the next week or two to see if he’s worth grabbing in big-play formats.
Tomon Fox (NYG): The Giants definitely have some depth at outside linebacker, but Fox is worth a look in deeper leagues. With some extended playing time last week, Fox logged a career-best six solos. He’s a bit beefy to be a regular tackler, but in deeper formats, he’s worth stashing on your taxi squad.
Defensive Linemen
Zach Sieler (DE - MIA): With Bradley Chubb now patrolling one edge, guys like Sieler (who’ve been on my watchlist before) will have even more room to operate. He had a great Week 8 against the Lions, totaling three solos, a sack, and even batting down a couple of balls. Those in big-play formats take notice.
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Zachary Carter (DE - CIN): Carter has had a couple of decent games in a row tackle-wise, tallying a total of six solos and four helpers in those games. No other stat-sheet-stuffing, but the potential is there, especially with Trey Hendrickson nursing a bum shoulder/back. A situation to monitor.
Derrick Brown (DT – CAR): This guy should be rostered in leagues that start end and tackle independently, but even in leagues where they’re combined, you should look to add the big ex-Auburn Tiger. He’s still just in his third year and 24 years old. Not only does he rack up tackles, but he bats balls down effectively and gets to the quarterback every now and then.
Defensive Backs
Myles Hartsfield (S – CAR): At least for now, he is the best the Panthers have with Jeremy Chinn shelved. Hartsfield is a combo corner/safety that has some decent ball skills. For now, he’s tackling with volume and can be counted on in most game scripts.
Cameron Dantzler (CB –MIN): There’ve been a couple of outings (at Eagles, at Dolphins) where you would have thought he would have put up both tackle and pass defense stats but failed to reach double digits in each of those contests. In every other game, though, he’s been pretty solid. Opposing quarterbacks have been picking on him, and he’s been producing from a fantasy standpoint as a result.
Rasual Douglas (CB – GBP): Douglas was a tackle and pass-breakup machine in the second part of 2021-22, and it looks like he may be trending in that direction this season too. Get him into all lineups where you start corner independently of defensive back, and even give him consideration in regular formats.