This article immediately highlights defensive players whose production was significantly better or worse than normally expected for the prior week of games. Note there is sometimes limited information available when this article is written, but I will try to give everyone an early look at players who are moving up or down in value among IDP circles. It isn’t easy to give waiver advice for IDPs since there is such a wide variety of lineups and scoring systems, but hopefully, the information provided can help inform your waiver, trade, and upcoming lineup decisions. I'm also going to try and group edge rushers together with the understanding that classification as a defensive end or linebacker will depend on your league setup/host. If you have any questions about specific players or situations, please email me or reach out via Twitter.
Email: rudnicki@footballguys.com
Twitter: @a_rudnicki
UPGRADES
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/EDGE RUSHERS
DE Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, HOU (5 solos, 2 sacks, 3 TFL, 2 QH on 54% of snaps)
The Texans got Jonathan Greenard back in their lineup the past two games, but they have stuck with Okoronkwo as a starter. He continues to make plays and has been a quality starter in five of the past seven weeks.
DE Carl Granderson, NO (5 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 3 TFL, 2 QH on 71% of snaps)
Marcus Davenport has been a huge disappointment in New Orleans this year, but Granderson has helped make up for it. He set a career-high with 50 snaps in a win over the Browns this week and has been a reliable fantasy option since Week 10.
DE Cameron Sample, CIN (3 solos, 3 asst, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH on 95% of snaps)
Sample filled in for the injured Sam Hubbard and saw an incredible 95% workload. He has played 50+ snaps in back-to-back games and could be in line for another heavy workload next week against the Bills.
DL Denico Autry, TEN (5 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 2 TFL, 2 QH, 2 PD, 1 FF on 64% of snaps)
Autry returned to the lineup this week for the first time since suffering a knee injury in week 11. He played a normal workload and looked great while collecting seven tackles with a sack and batting down several passes. He has quietly collected eight sacks in just 11 games played.
EDGE Danielle Hunter, MIN (5 solos, 2 asst, 2 sacks, 4 QH, 1 FF on 83% of snaps)
Hunter may not be back to his old form when he was one of the most dominant IDPs in the league, but he doesn’t seem too far off. Over his past two games, he has 12 combined tackles with 3.5 sacks and took advantage of some favorable matchups against the Colts and Giants.
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LINEBACKERS
LB Luke Masterson, LV (6 solos, 4 asst, 1 TFL on 84% of snaps)
With Jayon Brown and Divine Deablo on IR, the Raiders have started to rely more heavily on Masterson, an undrafted rookie. He played a season-high 84% workload this week and now has 11 solos and 10 assists over the past two games combined and a matchup coming up against the 49ers. Denzel Perryman also suffered an injury this week, which likely leaves Masterson as one of the few players left standing in a decimated linebacker group.
LB JaWhaun Bentley, NE (9 solos, 3 asst, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
Bentley has had some ups and downs since becoming a regular starter in New England, but he is heating up right now. Over the past three games, he has 18 solo tackles, 14 assists, and a sack with a key matchup coming up against Miami.
LB Devin Lloyd, JAX (6 solos, 3 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD on 69% of snaps)
Although Chad Muma played well before getting injured, it’s starting to look like Lloyd may have reclaimed his job. Both players were healthy enough to play this week, but Lloyd saw 69% of the snaps compared to 32% for Muma. Despite not playing a full-time role, Lloyd had a huge game with nine tackles plus his third interception of the year.
LB Jack Gibbens, TEN (4 solos, 3 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD on 72% of snaps)
The Titans started Zach Cunningham at inside linebacker this week, but he left early with an injury. That created an opening for the undrafted rookie Gibbens to see extensive playing time. He made the most of it and contributed 7 tackles plus an interception while playing alongside Monty Rice.
LB Robert Spillane, PIT (7 solos, 5 asst on 100% of snaps)
Myles Jack returned to the starting lineup this week but only saw a limited workload while Spillane played every snap for the second game in a row. He has struggled in coverage but continues to pile up tackles against the run and has 13 solos and 6 assists over the past two weeks.
LB Reggie Ragland, CLE (7 solos, 3 asst on 61% of snaps)
LB Tony Fields, CLE (6 solos, 3 asst on 78% of snaps)
The Browns signed Reggie Ragland off the Raiders practice squad on December 7 following a rash of injuries at the linebacker position. They made a surprise decision to start him this week, and he had a strong game with 10 tackles on just 33 snaps. Tony Fields also saw an increase in his playing time this week, pushing Deion Jones down to a limited role in passing situations.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
S Eric Rowe, MIA (6 solos, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QH, 1 PD on 80% of snaps)
Rowe sat out last week’s game against the Bills and was listed as questionable this week with a hamstring injury. He was healthy enough to play, however, and made an impact with 6 tackles plus a sack in a tough loss to the Packers.
S Adrian Amos, GB (9 solos, 2 asst on 100% of snaps)
Amos had a slow start to the season but has shown that he can be a productive tackler in the back of the Packers defense. He has averaged five solo tackles and two assists per game over his past 10 games, which makes him a very reliable option despite some limited big-play potential.
S Grant Delpit, CLE (5 solos, 2 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD on 100% of snaps)
The Browns clearly still have some work to do on both sides of the ball, but the former second-round pick has been highly productive all season. He’s a physical tackler who is still improving in coverage, but the tools are there for him to become a long-time fantasy starter.
CB Marcus Jones, NE (12 solos, 2 asst, 1 TFL, 1 FR, 1 INT, 1 PD, 1 TD on 90% of snaps)
Jones is proving to be one of the biggest late-season surprises this year. He scored an offensive touchdown against the Bills in week 13 and has become a versatile player who can contribute in all 3 phases of the game. This week, he caught a pass on offense, returned kicks, and collected 14 tackles plus a pick-six on defense.
CB Kader Kohou, MIA (5 solos, 1 INT, 2 PD on 97% of snaps)
Kohou has been a nice find for the Dolphins this year and put together a strong rookie season despite being undrafted. One of the biggest knocks against him so far has been a lack of big plays but he came through with the first interception of his career this week. He has 59 solo tackles on the season, and 18 of them have come in the past three games.
DOWNGRADES
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN/EDGE RUSHERS
DE Montez Sweat, WAS (0 tackles on 79% of snaps)
Sweat should probably see more favorable pass-rushing situations with the return of Chase Young, but he’s failed to make much of an impact on the stat sheets lately. Across his last three games, he has been credited with just one solo, three assists, and no sacks.
DE Marcus Davenport, NO (0 tackles on 37% of snaps)
The Saints seem certain to let Davenport walk in free agency this offseason following a lost season that has seen him collect just half a sack in 14 games played. Maybe a change of scenery will help him, but he was one of the biggest IDP busts of the year.
DE Trey Hendrickson, CIN (1 solo on 43% of snaps)
Hendrickson is playing through a broken wrist to try and help his team, but that doesn’t seem conducive to fantasy success. He’s disappeared of late with no sacks and just three tackles over his last four games played.
DT Kenny Clark, GB (1 asst on 80% of snaps)
Clark came into the season with top-10 hopes but has yet to find the type of consistency needed to become a reliable every-week option. He’s better than his stats indicate, but has only topped two solo tackles once since Week 3 and also has just one sack since then as well.
EDGE Chandler Jones, LV (1 solo, 2 asst on 43% of snaps)
Jones had been heating up for the Raiders lately but left the game early this week with an elbow injury that’s expected to put an end to his season.
EDGE Bud Dupree, TEN (1 QH on 43% of snaps)
Dupree has not made much of an impact since signing with the Titans, but has played a ton of snaps for them. He was held without a tackle for the second game in a row this week and left early with a chest injury that may leave his status in doubt for next week.
LINEBACKERS
LB Denzel Perryman, LV (2 solos, 2 asst, 1 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PD on 72% of snaps)
Perryman picked off his second pass of the season this week before suffering a dislocated shoulder. That appears likely to end his season, and the Raiders don’t really have a clear replacement lined up, given all the other injuries they’ve had.
LB Chad Muma, JAX (0 tackles on 32% of snaps)
Muma has played a limited role the past two weeks and may have trouble getting back into a 3-down role following the re-emergence of fellow rookie Devin Lloyd.
LB Myles Jack, PIT (0 tackles on 30% of snaps)
Jack was back in the starting lineup this week but only saw 30% of the snaps in a comeback win over the Raiders. It wasn’t clear if he was on a snap count or if he re-aggravated the injury, but he’s a risky choice for next week’s matchup against Baltimore.
LB Quay Walker, GB (1 asst, 1 PD on 96% of snaps)
Walker may wind up being the reason for a number of playoff teams getting eliminated this week. He had a full workload but somehow only managed to come up with one assisted tackle and pass deflection on his 48 snaps. It didn’t help that the Dolphins turned the ball over five times in the game and only generated 36 tackle opportunities as a result, but Walker just seemed to rarely be around the ball.
LB Zach Cunningham, TEN (1 asst, 1 PD on 22% of snaps)
This has been another wasted season for Cunningham as he missed most of it with injuries. He was recently activated from injured reserve and was back in the starting lineup, but left the game early with an aggravation of his elbow injury.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
S Jordan Poyer, BUF (1 solo on 92% of snaps)
Poyer made the Pro Bowl this year and has contributed to some strong performances by the Bills defense, but he hasn’t quite been himself of late. He’s likely playing injured and doesn’t quite look like the elite fantasy safety he has been in prior years with low tackle numbers and no big plays of late. The matchup with Cincinnati next week could get him more involved, but he’s also headed for free agency after this year and may have trouble landing the big contract he’s been hoping for.
CB Kendall Fuller, WAS (0 tackles on 100% of snaps)
Fuller played every snap this week but somehow managed to come out of the game with no tackles. That gives him just three solos and four assists over his last three games.
CB Jaycee Horn, CAR (5 solos, 1 asst on 65% of snaps)
Horn was starting to become more productive as a tackler and a reliable fantasy option of late. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken wrist in the game this week and was scheduled for surgery that should end his season early.