This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
Nine weeks down; nine to go. We're officially at the halfway point of the NFL regular season. There are typically about five or six weeks until fantasy playoffs commence, so teams need to be wise about who they're picking up and letting go. Read on to decipher some of the defensive players in whom we should be more or less confident moving forward.
RISING
Blake Martinez, LB 
Divine Deablo left Sunday's game early and was spotted with his arm in a cast following the game. It's unclear how severe his injury is, but we should know soon. If he's forced to miss any time, Martinez appears to be the No. 1 linebacker moving forward. After all, he played 91 percent of the defensive snaps in Week 9 and led the team with 11 tackles (eight solo).
Jack Sanborn, LB 
Sanborn has claimed a starting role after the Bears traded Roquan Smith to the Ravens. The undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin handled 88 percent of the defensive snaps in the Week 9 loss to the Dolphins, finishing second on the team with seven solo tackles. Nicholas Morrow is still a safer option going forward, but Sanborn should be a solid fill-in for the time being.
Javon Hargrave, DT 
Hargrave has been a complete stud over the last two games with 15 tackles (12 solo) and five sacks. He now has six sacks this season, which is 1.5 sacks shy of last year's career high in the category. Hargrave
Nine weeks down; nine to go. We're officially at the halfway point of the NFL regular season. There are typically about five or six weeks until fantasy playoffs commence, so teams need to be wise about who they're picking up and letting go. Read on to decipher some of the defensive players in whom we should be more or less confident moving forward.
RISING
Blake Martinez, LB
Divine Deablo left Sunday's game early and was spotted with his arm in a cast following the game. It's unclear how severe his injury is, but we should know soon. If he's forced to miss any time, Martinez appears to be the No. 1 linebacker moving forward. After all, he played 91 percent of the defensive snaps in Week 9 and led the team with 11 tackles (eight solo).
Jack Sanborn, LB
Sanborn has claimed a starting role after the Bears traded Roquan Smith to the Ravens. The undrafted rookie out of Wisconsin handled 88 percent of the defensive snaps in the Week 9 loss to the Dolphins, finishing second on the team with seven solo tackles. Nicholas Morrow is still a safer option going forward, but Sanborn should be a solid fill-in for the time being.
Javon Hargrave, DT
Hargrave has been a complete stud over the last two games with 15 tackles (12 solo) and five sacks. He now has six sacks this season, which is 1.5 sacks shy of last year's career high in the category. Hargrave will have an excellent chance to add to his total with a Week 10 matchup against the Commanders, whose quarterbacks have been sacked 29 times – the fourth-most in the league.
Josh Uche, LB 
Uche didn't do much through his first three years in college until he posted 8.5 sacks in his senior season, and it has taken him a while to get his footing in the pros. Through his first two years in the league, Uche posted just four sacks. However, the Michigan product matched that total with four sacks over the last two games, including three sacks in the Week 9 win over the Colts. He's finally hitting his stride, and he's worth keeping tabs on in deeper formats.
Elandon Roberts, LB 
Roberts has been the Dolphins more dependable tackler of late. He has posted at least seven tackles in four of the past five games, and he added 1.5 sacks in that stretch, too. Jerome Baker is still the better dynasty option, but Roberts should be a relatively stable option in deeper formats this year.
Jerry Hughes, DE 
Hughes recorded five tackles (four solo) and two sacks in Week 9, bringing his total to seven sacks through seven games, his highest number since the 2014 season. The veteran defensive end doesn't always carry a high tackle total, making him a risky option. However, the next two matchups against the Commanders and Giants – whose quarterbacks both rank top six in sacks – should provide a solid opportunity to produce. Hughes could be a solid bridge for a couple of weeks.
Derrick Barnes, LB 
Malcolm Rodriguez suffered an ugly elbow injury, and although he returned to the game briefly, he ultimately left again and finished with just a 26 percent snap share. Barnes stepped up and led the team with 12 tackles (11 solo). A physical defender, Barnes should hold down the fort until Rodriguez returns, and he'll be an appealing fantasy option until then.
Kader Kohou, CB
An undrafted rookie, Kohou has impressed in coverage and may have a future in the league. He had produced for fantasy purposes, too, as he posted 24 tackles (23 solo) over the past four games. He's playing nearly every snap right now, too, and he'll be a viable IDP option until he gets bumped out. It's worth noting that Kohou will immediately lose his starting job if Byron Jones (Achilles) returns this year.
FALLING
Denzel Perryman, LB
Martinez's upside relies somewhat on Deablo's health. Perryman's downside relies on the same factor. After all, Perryman played 75 percent of the defensive snaps compared to Martinez's 91 percent. Thus, once Deablo returns, Perryman could end up being the No. 3 linebacker, and his IDP value could vanish as a result. Perryman should be fine as long as Deablo is out, but there's reason to be concerned once Deablo is healthy.
Chris Jones, DE 
Jones needs to get to the quarterback for fantasy viability, as he hasn't produced more than three tackles in a game this year. The Week 10 matchup against the Jaguars is daunting, too, as the QB Trevor Lawrence has been sacked just 12 times this season – the second-fewest in the league. Jones will be a high-risk option this week.
