Linebackers
Luke Masterson (LVR): The Raiders’ linebacker corps has been decimated this season, and they’re down to an undrafted rookie out of Wake Forest to lead the way as the season winds down. Masterson is no slouch, though. He can make tackles. He has 11 solo stops and 10 assists in the past two contests. Figure he will be incredibly busy chasing Christian McCaffrey around next week and could figure into the starting rotation come 2023.
Reggie Ragland (CLE): Another linebacker corps that’s been beset by injury is the Browns’ corps. They peeled Ragland off the scrap heap to pair up with Deion Jones. He won’t stuff the stat sheet with pass breakups or big plays, but this two-down thumper will make tackles. He totaled 10 tackles in Week 16 against the Saints, his most since 2018. Prospects look good for him to approach that total again in Week 17 against the run-heavy Commanders. Since this piece is geared towards dynasty, I must admit his long-term prospects don’t look great. But if you’re in a deep league and need a third linebacker to plug in for your championship, you could do worse with this high-floor tackler.
Anthony Barr (DAL): Another recommendation that is really just for Week 17, but the matchup is just too juicy to ignore. Plus, there’s no one else stepping up to make tackles in the absence of Leighton Vander Esch. We thought Damone Clark would be the guy, but right now, it looks like the veteran Barr is the steady presence who will make some tackles. The matchup against the run-heavy Titans is fantastic, and Barr does have the chops to fill other stat categories.
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