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In Week 16, Kenny Moore made two interceptions, Taron Johnson and Marlon Humphrey both had a pick-six, and Joseph Ossai, one of my waiver-wire picks, was one of four Bengals to make a sack against the Cleveland Browns.
In Week 17, I have more players who are sure to sack Browns QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson on my list of waiver wire adds and streamers.
Here are 13 linebackers, defensive linemen, safeties, and cornerbacks to add to your team for the championship game, and a couple to stash for next season if you are in a dynasty league.
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Waiver Wire Adds at Linebacker
Jamien Sherwood, LB, New York Jets
Rostered in 19% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Jamien Sherwood is the best linebacker available in most IDP leagues. He’s been an every-down linebacker for most of the season, and he’s the No. 4 leading tackler in the league with 90 solo tackles and over 140 combined tackles.
Sherwood has hit the double-digit tackle mark in five games and has made eight or more tackles in each of the past three. C.J. Mosley will probably miss the rest of the 2024 season and, at age 32, he is a potential cut candidate this offseason, giving Sherwood added value in dynasty leagues.
Darius Muasau, ILB, New York Giants
Rostered in >0% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
#Hawaii's Darius Muasau put together another career performance as the Giants rookie linebacker recorded 11 tackles, including one tackle for loss in New York's 34-7 loss to Atlanta on Sunday ▪️ The former Mililani, University of Hawaii, and UCLA standout now has 25 tackles in… pic.twitter.com/fJxAmbViMn
— Rob DeMello (@RobDeMelloKHON) December 22, 2024
Darius Muasau, a rookie from UCLA, has seen a large snap volume, playing over 50 snaps in each of the past three games. With Micah McFadden going down with a neck injury in Week 16, Muasau had to step up and made a career-high 11 tackles.
Neck injuries are usually serious, so McFadden could miss more games. The Giants’ other star linebacker Bobby Okereke (back) was put on the IR, which will end his season.
Marist Liufau, SLB, Dallas Cowboys
Rostered in 26% of Leagues
Rookie Marist Liufau, a Hawaii native, is a cousin of Puka Nacua and a hard-hitting linebacker. He started in Week 16 against Tampa Bay as Eric Kendricks (calf) and DeMarvion Overshown (knee) missed time. Overshown is out for the season following surgery. Kendricks might be back in Week 17, which could cause Liufau to see about 40 snaps instead of 60.
In 72 snaps (10 more than the Cowboys defense usually faces) against the Bucs, Liufau made seven tackles and forced a fumble. In each of the past three games, he has either forced a fumble or made a sack. With the season winding down, he's a good dynasty stash.
Dee Winters, SLB, San Francisco 49ers
Rostered in >0% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Dee Winters set a career-high with seven tackles in the Niners’ loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 16. He had to take over as a starter when Dre Greenlaw left with a calf injury in the first quarter. With Greenlaw’s fragility and the futility of the 49ers’ season, Greenlaw might end up missing the final two games.
Cedric Gray, LB, Tennessee Titans
Rostered in 2% of Sleeper IDP Leagues
Cedric Gray, a rookie from North Carolina, made his debut in Week 15 after missing most of the season with a shoulder injury. In Week 16, a wrist injury to Kenneth Murray threw him into the lineup, and he ended up making 11 tackles.
Gray played four years at UNC, leading the ACC in solo tackles in 2022 before he was selected by the Titans in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Waiver Wire Adds at Defensive Line
Zach Sieler, DE, Miami Dolphins
Rostered in 11% of Leagues
Miami #Dolphins DT Zach Sieler, who deserves to go to the Pro Bowl, with a quick message to Dolphins fans: pic.twitter.com/QlVSy1g3FD
— Brandon Liguori (@BrandonRLiguori) December 23, 2024
Zach Sieler has made at least one sack in five of the past six weeks, for a total of 6.5 since Week 11, and he has a favorable opportunity to increase that total in Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns. The Browns are allowing over four sacks per game, the most in the NFL.
Chop Robinson, EDGE, Miami Dolphins
Rostered in 7% of Leagues
Chop Robinson has made six sacks since Week 9, and he enjoys a favorable matchup in Week 17 against the most sack-prone team in the league, the Cleveland Browns. The Browns allow a sack on nearly 9.8% of passing plays, the third-highest total in the league, and they just allowed five sacks to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16.
Boye Mafe, EDGE, Seattle Seahawks
Rostered in 9% of Leagues
Boye Mafe’s production has not made the jump some had hoped for in his third year in the NFL. After making 9.0 sacks as a sophomore, he only has 6.0 sacks in 13 games this season. His tackle numbers, QB hits, and TFL are also trailing in 2023.
Still, Mafe is one of the top-30 edge rushers this season, according to PFF, and he has an enticing matchup in Week 17 against a Chicago Bears team that is giving up the second-most sacks per game of any team.
Carl Granderson, EDGE, New Orleans Saints
Rostered in 10% of Leagues
Carl Granderson has not been able to meet the career highs he set last season, but he’s still ranking in the top 12 for total pressures and in the top 20 for total sacks involved. Since many of his sacks have been half-sacks, he falls down the list in terms of NFL-tracked sacks.
Granderson has a good opportunity to get after Las Vegas quarterback Aidan O'Connell in Week 17. The Raiders are tied for allowing the third-most sacks per game. O'Connell, while young and playing poorly, has done a good job avoiding sacks, but the Raiders offensive line lets him get pressured a lot.
Zach Sieler and Chop Robinson are better streaming choices than Granderson if they are available.
Waiver Wire Adds at Defensive Back
Brandon Jones, S, Denver Broncos
Rostered in 14% of Leagues
Brandon Jones is one of the highest-scoring defensive backs available in almost 90% of leagues because of his tackling production. In the past 10 weeks, he has made 30 solo tackles, according to PFF, the third-most in the league. 62% of his tackles have come on passing plays.
In Week 17, Jones faces the Cincinnati Bengals, a team that throws more than 37.1 passes per game, the fourth-most in the league.
Byron Murphy Jr., CB, Minnesota Vikings
Rostered in 13% of Leagues
Byron Murphy Jr. is tied for third in the league with six interceptions. Against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16, Murphy made one pass defense but did not come up with a pick. However, his 10 tackles were a season-high.
In Week 17, he faces the Green Bay Packers. Packers QB Jordan Love threw 11 interceptions in the first 11 weeks of the season, but he has not thrown an interception in the past four games or had a turnover-worthy play in the past three.
Marlon Humphrey, CB, Baltimore Ravens
Rostered in 7% of Leagues
Marlon Humphrey, along with Byron Murphy, has made six interceptions this season. Against the Steelers last week, he picked off Russell Wilson and took it back for a touchdown in the Ravens’ win.
The Ravens go to Houston in Week 17 to face the Texans. Texans QB C.J. Stroud has thrown more than twice as many interceptions this season as he did last season. Since Week 10, he has thrown seven picks.
Taron Johnson, CB, Buffalo Bills
Rostered in 15% of Leagues
Taron Johnsons SECOND touchdown of the season#ProBowlVote X Taron Johnson pic.twitter.com/eBNJFJCZ5p
— BillsMuse (@BillsMusee) December 22, 2024
Since Week 14, Taron Johnson has 12 solo tackles, per PFF, the fourth-most of any cornerback. Against the Patriots, he only made three tackles, but he made up for it by recovering a fumble and returning it for a touchdown, his second defensive TD of the season.
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