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It's only two weeks into the season, and already entire teams are being decimated by injuries.
IDP stars like Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Derrick Brown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr., or Bills linebacker Matt Milano haven't even seen the field yet.
In Week 2, a slew of injuries hit, including Jets' edge Jermaine Johnson tearing his Achilles, Patriots' LB Ja'Whaun Bentley tearing his pectoral, Raiders' LB Divine Deablo hurting his hip, and Bills' MLB Terrel Bernard straining his pec. Who are you going to get to replace them?
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
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Waiver Wire Pickups at Linebacker
Tyrel Dodson, LB, Seahawks
Rostered in 52% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Take him before his roster rate gets any higher. He has played every down in the Seahawks' first two games, making 18 tackles and forcing a fumble. An injury to his teammate, LB Jerome Baker won't boost his volume, but it does assure that there's no threat of him ever coming off the field.
Jahlani Tavai, LB, Patriots
Rostered in 7% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Tavai, who was the Patriots' second-leading tackler last season, led all linebackers in snaps after Ja'Whaun Bentley went down with a torn pectoral that will probably keep him out for the rest of the season. That puts Tavai, who got a new deal this offseason, as the assumed every-down linebacker.
Jamien Sherwood, LB, Jets
Rostered in 5% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Sherwood took over as the Jets' LB1 when C.J. Mosley left the field on a cart with a foot injury. Sherwood, a 2021 fifth-round draft pick out of Auburn, made nine tackles and achieved an 82.7 PFF grade.
He has played well, scoring PFF grades in the high 70s, in the past two seasons. If Mosley misses extended time, Sherwood could be one of those late-round linebackers who ends up becoming a high-volume tackler later in his career.
Waiver Wire Pickups at Defensive Line
Derrick Barnes, EDGE, Lions
Rostered in 19% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
While he has yet to make a sack, Barnes has earned a favorable pass rush grade from PFF, and he has a high tackle floor.
Volume is key in fantasy football. Barnes has been on the field for 109 snaps, including 28 pass rush snaps. That's more total snaps than most defensive ends and more pass rush snaps than most linebackers. (Barnes is listed as a "LB/DL" on Sleeper.)
Count on Barnes for three to six tackles per game with the possibility of a sack.
Zach Allen, DT, Denver Broncos
Rostered in 19% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Zach Allen is leading all defensive linemen in snaps, with 126, and he is tied with Chris Jones for the fourth-most pressures. While only one of his pressures has resulted in a sack, it is only a matter of time before he starts putting the quarterback on the ground with the ball still in his hand.
Will McDonald IV, DE, Jets
Rostered in 3% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
The Jets were already missing Haasan Reddick (holdout) since the beginning of the season. Now Jermaine Johnson tore his Achilles in Week 2, so Will McDonald will have to play an even bigger role.
McDonald was already critical in the Jets' win over the Titans. He was credited with three sacks and a forced fumble. Granted, the sack and fumble were entirely Will Levis's fault. Levis tripped over an offensive lineman and made an erratic shovel pass in the red zone.
PFF only attributed one sack to McDonald, and he's grading at 41.5 this season. Since being drafted No. 15 in 2023, he has had a 13.1% pressure rate on pass rushes, which is low. But he will surely get the opportunities to make plays.
Waiver Wire Pickups at Cornerback and Safety
Alontae Taylor, CB, Saints
Rostered in 21% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Taylor has been an under-the-radar fantasy playmaker for a couple of years. Last season, in his sophomore year, he made 75 tackles, a sack, and two interceptions.
In Week 1, he burst onto the scene by making three sacks on five pass rushes. Of course, that kind of production can't sustain itself; IDP managers had to settle for just nine tackles and no sacks in Week 2.
Bryan Cook, S, Chiefs
Rostered in 7% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Cook was a role player in the Chiefs' secondary in his first two seasons, but now he has emerged as an every-down starter. Cook has played 144 snaps, tied with Jordan Whitehead for fourth-most amongst defensive backs, and he has made 11 tackles.
Jamel Dean, CB, Buccaneers
Rostered in 5% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Dean has played 100% of Tampa Bay's snaps in each of the first two weeks, making a total of 15 tackles, including five tackles this past week in a win over the Lions.
Ronald Darby, CB, Jaguars
Rostered in 4% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Darby has jumped around the league in his ten-year career, having played for five teams in the past six years. Now it looks like he's found a situation where he can see significant opportunities. He played 99% of the Jags' snaps in Week 1 and 83% in Week 2.
While his playing time might fluctuate week-to-week depending on injuries and matchups, he's a first-teamer who is one of Jacksonville's best cover corners.
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