This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
RISING
Josh Bynes, LB 
Bynes was already taking over the starting role before Malik Harrison (calf) landed on the nonfootball injury list, and he finally enjoyed a breakout performance with a team-high 11 tackles (eight solo) and a pass breakup in Sunday's overtime win versus the Vikings. Harrison will miss at least two more games, and Bynes will have an appealing matchup Thursday night against the Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa (finger) is highly questionable, meaning checkdown-maestro Jacoby Brissett could be under center.
Camryn Bynum, S 
Do you need a one-game replacement for Harrison Smith? Or will one of your safeties be on bye in Week 10? Bynum looks like your guy. With Smith on the COVID-19 list Sunday, Bynum posted 12 tackles (nine solo), a pass breakup and an interception. Smith isn't vaccinated and will miss Week 10 as long as his test isn't ruled a false positive. A rookie fourth-round pick, Bynum will likely get a chance to prove his performance wasn't a fluke.
Jayon Brown, LB 
Brown had a rocky start to the season with injuries, but he was activated from IR on Saturday and led the team with seven solo tackles while playing 71 percent of the defensive snaps during Sunday's 28-16 win over the Rams. The fifth-year linebacker averaged 7.5 stops per game over the previous two seasons, so he can keep this up over the long term. It's worth noting that Rashaan Evans (ankle) was inactive, and David Long likely won't lose
RISING
Josh Bynes, LB
Bynes was already taking over the starting role before Malik Harrison (calf) landed on the nonfootball injury list, and he finally enjoyed a breakout performance with a team-high 11 tackles (eight solo) and a pass breakup in Sunday's overtime win versus the Vikings. Harrison will miss at least two more games, and Bynes will have an appealing matchup Thursday night against the Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa (finger) is highly questionable, meaning checkdown-maestro Jacoby Brissett could be under center.
Camryn Bynum, S
Do you need a one-game replacement for Harrison Smith? Or will one of your safeties be on bye in Week 10? Bynum looks like your guy. With Smith on the COVID-19 list Sunday, Bynum posted 12 tackles (nine solo), a pass breakup and an interception. Smith isn't vaccinated and will miss Week 10 as long as his test isn't ruled a false positive. A rookie fourth-round pick, Bynum will likely get a chance to prove his performance wasn't a fluke.
Jayon Brown, LB
Brown had a rocky start to the season with injuries, but he was activated from IR on Saturday and led the team with seven solo tackles while playing 71 percent of the defensive snaps during Sunday's 28-16 win over the Rams. The fifth-year linebacker averaged 7.5 stops per game over the previous two seasons, so he can keep this up over the long term. It's worth noting that Rashaan Evans (ankle) was inactive, and David Long likely won't lose his role on defense. However, Long suffered an injury late in Sunday's game, and his potential absence would boost Brown up the IDP rankings.
Davion Taylor, LB 
The Eagles have essentially turned over their linebacker corps to T.J. Edwards and Davion Taylor despite the statistically strong start from Alex Singleton and Eric Wilson. Taylor posted seven tackles in his second start of the season Sunday while Edwards racked up 12 stops. Edwards -- who made the Rising column last week -- should be the top priority, but there's space for both players to rack up numbers in this defense, as Singleton and Wilson combined for 121 tackles through the first seven weeks before the change of guard.
Matthew Judon, LB 
Judon is averaging four tackles and a sack per game this year, and his nine sacks are just 0.5 short of a career high. He has a good chance to reach that mark in Week 10 against the Browns. QB Baker Mayfield has been sacked on 9.7 percent of dropbacks this year (second-highest rate in the league). You're aiming for upside when you roll out Judon this week.
Micah Parsons, LB 
Parsons put up a few underwhelming stat lines when he was exclusively on the edge, but the Cowboys have fully unlocked the rookie first-round pick recently. He has now posted back-to-back, double-digit tackling efforts, and he has five sacks through eight games. Parsons is a monster athlete with quick instincts, and his ability to move around the formation confuses offenses and raises his fantasy ceiling.
FALLING
Neville Hewitt, LB 
Hewitt started at middle linebacker for the Texans and led the team with 10 tackles (six solo). However, he finished with a 37 percent snap share, far behind Kamu Grugier-Hill (96 percent) and even Zach Cunningham (100 percent), who was seemingly in the doghouse before. Hewitt put together a solid performance with Christian Kirksey (hand) on injured reserve, but his stat line isn't sustainable until he starts playing more snaps.
Jamin Davis, LB 
Davis is a top-tier athlete who is still getting his footing at the top level, and he has played at least 80 percent of the defensive snaps in the last two games. In that stretch, he managed to post just seven stops. The rookie first-round pick draws a shaky matchup in Week 10 against the Buccaneers, who rank 30th in the league with 21.1 rushing attempts through eight games.
Nick Bosa, DE 
With seven sacks through eight games, Bosa is top-10 in the category and will likely reach double digits for the first time in his career. The Monday Night Football game against the Rams in Week 10 is concerning for Bosa's fantasy value, though. Matthew Stafford has been sacked on a league-best 2.5 percent of his dropbacks, and Bosa doesn't post enough tackles to make up for the deficit if he can't get to the QB.
