• LB Jordan Hicks/Mohamoud Diabate, Cleveland Browns: Hicks, who missed this week’s game due to injury, is likely to play more snaps as the Browns’ lead linebacker given his experience. If Hicks misses more time, Mohamoud Diabate will step into a full-time role with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah also out of the lineup. It will be important to pay attention to the injury reports for this week to see if Hicks is likely to return or if we can trust Diabate in a lead role for Week 9.
• LB Christian Elliss, New England Patriots: Elliss has seemingly taken over the Patriots’ lead linebacker role after previously just playing on obvious passing downs. Elliss was able to overtake Jahlani Tavai on early downs as well and delivered a solid nine-tackle game, which included a sack. Elliss still only played 84% of New England’s defensive snaps, so he’ll be a deep-league option only for now.
• LB Pete Werner, New Orleans Saints: Werner returned to the Saints lineup after a three-game absence and led his team in total tackles, playing 99% of the Saints’ defensive snaps. Werner’s snap share may fluctuate a bit depending on the matchup, as will his production, but after likely being dropped in a lot of formats, he can be used as a fill-in where needed in non-shallow leagues.
• LB Jamien Sherwood, New York Jets: Previously a waiver target, Sherwood continued in his full-time role. He’ll just bump up the priority list with this new Mosley injury that kept him from playing in this game.
• S Richie Grant, Atlanta Falcons: Justin Simmons was dealing with a hamstring injury that caused him to miss Friday’s practice and this Week 8 game, which put Grant back in the spotlight as a potential IDP starter. Grant played every snap, mostly deep, and managed just four tackles. He can be useful in deeper leagues if Simmons misses more time.
• S Eddie Jackson, Baltimore Ravens: Jackson stepped into a full-time role with Marcus Williams’ benching and hit double-digit tackles (10) as a result. It’s unclear if Williams’ benching will be a permanent decision but for deeper leagues, Jackson becomes a speculative waiver add this week.
• S Demani Richardson, Carolina Panthers: With Nick Scott now on injured reserve, Richardson stepped in as a full-time safety and led the team with 11 total tackles. This was a prime matchup for safety tackle opportunities and Richardson made the most of it, but expect that production to vary based on his mostly deep alignment.
• S Devon Key, Denver Broncos: P.J. Locke missed this game with an injury, which allowed Key to step into a starting role in his place. Key can be an option in deeper formats where just being a starting safety carries value.
• S Javon Bullard, Green Bay Packers: Bullard would step back into a starting role (again) if Evan Williams misses time with his injury that kept him out of the second half of this game.
• DB Isaiah Oliver, New York Jets: Joining last week’s waiver target Jalen Mills, Isaiah Oliver also played a starting safety role for the Jets this week, as they are currently without Tony Adams, Chuck Clark and Ashtyn Davis.
• DT Devonte Wyatt, Green Bay Packers: Wyatt returned this week and while he didn’t play a huge role in his first game back, he remains an intriguing option in DT-required leagues as a former first-round pick who had three sacks in three games prior to his injury.
• EDGE Haason Reddick, New York Jets: Reddick returned this week after a very lengthy holdout and was seemingly eased back into action, playing 39% of New York’s defensive snaps. Reddick delivered strong pass-rush metrics and has some potential as a roster stash for a late-season run if/when he returns to a larger snap share, so be sure to check waiver wires for those rosters that have room to add him.

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