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Linebackers

Andrew Van Ginkel (MIA): Jaelen Phillips is a stud-in-the-making, but guessing he’s been scooped up for some time in just about all leagues. Van Ginkel, however, is likely available. The Dolphins have been rotating through a host of linebackers, and Van Ginkel has shown in the past he can produce when given regular snaps. Don’t go overspending in typical IDP scoring leagues, but in big-play leagues, he’s at least worth monitoring his snap counts. The Lions and Bears represent decent matchups here in Weeks 8 and 9, so if you’re struggling to find a third or fourth linebacker in a big-play league, give him some consideration.

Akeem Davis-Gaither (CIN): As if there was any doubt, Davis-Gaither is definitely the linebacker handcuff to Logan Wilson. Germaine Pratt will gobble up tackles, too, but there’s room for another Bengal linebacker to make plays. When Wilson is out, Davis-Gaither is a safe LB2. He’s just 25 years old and may still have DTS eligibility, depending on your league’s rules.

Sione Takitaki (CLE): The usage among Brown linebackers right now is… interesting. We all know the veteran tackle-gobbler Anthony Walker is out for the season, and is not signed past 2022. Deion Jones will eventually start getting more time in the middle, and Jacob Phillips is around too. But what about the outside spots? Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah gets most of the defensive snaps, but Takitaki gets his share, too. In larger leagues, all of these linebackers should be rostered. Determining who does what and when will likely be a challenge, but one may eventually start standing out to us fantasy owners. He’s likely not DTS-eligible, but if you have some bench space, he’s not a bad option in larger formats.

Defensive Linemen

Grover Stewart (DT - IND): Yowzers. This guy has 11 solos and six helpers in the past two weeks and even has a sack to boot. The big space-eater is a must-start in all leagues that start defensive tackles independently, especially against run-heavy teams (such as the Commanders this week). In fact, his next several matchups are all in his favor to continue to rack up tackles.