Dynasty Sleeper: LB Krys Barnes, Arizona
Barnes has been a productive fantasy linebacker before (Green Bay, Arizona) and now gets a chance to fill in for Kyzir White as the "Green Dot" middle linebacker for the Cards. White's knee is still being evaluated, but it stands to reason that he'll be out for at least a game or two. Barnes filled in admirably for White after his departure last week (nine total tackles in 54 of 75 total snaps) and would be a solid play against the run-heavy Chargers this coming Monday Night. And if White misses additional time, the upcoming schedule for the Cards looks pretty favorable.
Dynasty Sleeper: LB Mohamoud Diabate, Cleveland
With Jordan Hicks sidelined again, it looked like Devin Bush would be the benefactor (as he was in Week 5), but Bush only got 55% of the snaps in Week 6, with Diabate getting 74%. Diabate ended up chipping in with four solos and three assists on the day. Not eye-popping numbers but this Cleveland team is pretty bad, making way for the defense to be on the field quite a bit. Hicks may be back soon, but it stands to reason this team ends up auditioning its younger players, including the second-year pro out of Utah.
Dynasty Sleeper: LB Claudin Cherelus, Carolina
Check on both Cherelus and Josey Jewell's status before jumping here, as Cherelus was backing up Jewell, who was out again in Week 6 and suffered a hamstring injury himself. If his injury is not severe and Jewell misses more time, Cherelus is one to watch. He hasn't been a big producer in Jewell's stead, but Trevin Wallace can't make all the tackles!
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Dynasty Sleeper: DL Azeez Ojulari, NY Giants
With Kayvon Thibodeaux sidelined, the Giants desperately needed some additional pass rush to support Brian Burns. Well, Ojulari came to play against the Bengals, logging a pair of sacks against Joe Burrow. He's a good short-term filler in a very shallow position while Thibodeaux is on injured reserve, as this Giants' defense is showing some signs of life, especially the front seven.
Dynasty Sleeper: DL Alim McNeill, Detroit
The biggest blow on the defensive side of the ball this past weekend happened to the Detroit Lions. As you all probably know, Aidan Hutchinson will be lost for the season with a broken leg. Ouch. The Lions weren't really getting much pass-rush from anyone else besides Hutchinson, so it'll be interesting to see what defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn does here. It may be that they force pressure from the interior of the line with guys like McNeill, who had a pair of sacks in the blowout win in Dallas. If you're in a league that breaks apart the two defensive line positions, McNeill may already be rostered. If not, grab him now as his production is likely to spike.
Dynasty Sleeper: DL Anfernee Jennings, New England
This may be wishful thinking, but I'm going to re-highlight Jennings here again, as I traded for him in one of my dynasty leagues and am bidding for him in another. He's consistently logging 3-4 solo stops each week and while he's not much of a sack artist, the tackles make for a decent floor for a position that is ultra-thin yet again this season. He's got a great matchup against the struggling Jaguar offense this coming week and continues to lead the Patriot outside rushers in snaps. The sacks may be coming.
Dynasty Sleeper: DB Johnathan Abram, New Orleans
The Saints have a bevy of injuries on the back end at safety, including most recently to the Honey Badger. Even with Mathieu healthy in Week 5, Abram got himself 14 fantasy points. Look for his snaps to remain pretty level even if Mathieu's injury isn't severe. Abram has been a fantasy stud at a couple of points in his career and could definitely be a high-floor, volume tackler for the Saints defense. The matchup against the Broncos on Thursday Night Football is not great, but if he gets another double-digit fantasy effort, it might be time to jump here.
Dynasty Sleeper: DB Rodney McLeod Jr., Cleveland
McLeod, like Abram, is a bit long in the tooth but has been a pretty good fantasy performer in the past. Also like Abram, McLeod may have a big opportunity to shine with injuries to fellow defensive backs. McLeod had a giant Week 6, logging eight solos and a pick-6. The pick-sixes won't be sustainable, but the tackles and pass breakups should be. Check the injury statuses of Juan Thornhill and Grant Delpit before committing too much FAAB here, though.
Dynasty Sleeper: DB Troy Hill, Carolina
While this this article is designed to help folks in dynasty leagues, I do sometimes highlight older players that could help in said leagues, which are usually pretty deep in terms of roster size. That said, Hill is an older vet that could potentially help teams looking to bolster their depth. In this case, if you're in a league that breaks apart the two defensive back positions, Hill could help at the corner spot, as he will probably be a high-volume tackler to wind the season down. As the starting slot corner for the Panthers, he's being challenged quite a bit, and as a result, he logged eight solos this past weekend. It's not a foregone conclusion that this will continue the next two weeks, as the Panthers face the Commanders and Broncos, but he's a name to keep a watch on or throw a buck at in free agency.