This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
As has been the case for skill-position players the last few weeks, defensive injuries continue to take a major toll on the IDP landscape. We'll do our best to look at playing time shifts around the league while projecting which will carry into the final two weeks of the regular season.
Be sure to consult our NFL injury report and the latest fantasy football news before setting your lineups. Also check out the Weekly Projections to see how this week's matchups shape up.
Risers
Jack Gibbens 
LB
Gibbens has played 100 percent of defensive snaps in each of the last two weeks with Robert Spillane dealing with an ankle injury. Spillane's timeline to return isn't clear, but he didn't practice at all leading up to the matchup against the Ravens. That suggests he may not be ready for Week 17, leaving Gibbens in line for a big role. He's an elite option in IDP leagues that heavily reward tackles, as he's racked up 19 stops combined in the last two weeks.
Troy Dye 
LB
Opportunity knocks among the Chargers' linebacker corps due to Denzel Perryman's two-game suspension. Dye looks to be the most logical to take over most of the vacated snaps. In two games earlier this season in which he logged 85 percent of defensive snaps, Dye combined to make 25 tackles.
LBDavis-Gaither is closing the season strong. Opportunity opened a few weeks ago in the Arizona linebacker corps after Mack Wilson landed on IR. Based on past usage, Owen Pappoe looked to have the inside track to playing time. Instead, Davis-Gaither has taken on a full-time role and responded with double-digit tackles in consecutive weeks.
Jay Ward 
S
Ward didn't have a big showing in the Vikings' Week 16 blowout win over the Giants, but he still logged a season-high 85 percent of defensive snaps and will likely be more involved in a far more difficult matchup in Week17 against the Lions. There are players with the potential for more upside, but Ward has the safety of a known role, giving him a solid floor.
Jack Sawyer 
LB
Alex Highsmith has stepped up in the absence of T.J. Watt, but the absence of Nick Herbig (hamstring) has further tested the Steelers' depth at edge rusher. Sawyer has been tabbed as the next man up and has logged snap rates of 54 and 88 percent of defensive snaps in the last two games. He logged a modest five tackles Sunday against the Lions, though he stepped up with peripheral contributions with one tackle for loss and two quarterback hits.
Taylor-Demerson returned from an injury of his own in Week 16 following a five-game absence. With Jalen Thompson (hamstring) out for his second consecutive game, Taylor-Demerson immediately played 97 percent of snaps and tallied 11 stops. Thompson has yet to practice since suffering the injury, casting doubt on his availability in Week 17 and potentially the final two games of the regular season.
LBCherelus has been an excellent replacement option anytime the Panthers have missed either of Christian Rozeboom or Trevin Wallace (shoulder) this season. He returned to more than a 70 percent snap rate in Week 16 and turned in seven stops. Wallace's status is unclear for Week 17, but Cherelus is a potential streamer to consider.
LBWilliams is buried on this list because Cedric Gray is likely to clear concussion protocol in time for Tennessee's Week 17 matchup against the Saints. However, he did manage nine tackles while playing 100 percent of snaps. If Gray misses again, Williams is an elite streaming option.
Fallers
LBJackson emerged as the preferred linebacker when the Chicago defense was shorthanded, but with both T.J. Edwards and Tremaine Edmunds back in the mix, there weren't enough defensive snaps to go around for Jackson to make an impact in Week 16. He played exclusively on special teams and can now be forgotten for fantasy IDP leagues.
LBRobinson went from a nearly every-down player to a healthy scratch for Monday's game against the Colts. Even with Tatum Bethune (ankle) back on the injury report, the arrival of Eric Kendricks means Robinson almost certainly won't return to a key role on defense.
SThe Dolphins' safety corps is something akin to the Texans' linebacker corps – though Houston has higher-quality players – in that it's seemingly a constant rotation of playing time that is difficult to project on a weekly basis. The absence of Minkah Fitzpatrick (calf), oddly, seemingly hurt Davis, who saw his snap rate decrease to around 75 percent. He also logged only two tackles and had several misplays in a blowout loss.
