This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
RISING
Micah Kiser, LB 
Alexander Johnson left Sunday's loss to the Raiders with a chest injury, and he'll undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury. Kiser entered the game in Johnson's place and finished with three tackles. With a quick turnaround for a Thursday night game against the Browns, there's a good chance Johnson misses at least one game. Last season, Kiser piled up 77 tackles (44 solo) over just nine games with the Rams.
Jamin Davis, LB 
It took a while for Washington to trust its rookie first-round pick, but Jon Bostic's pectoral injury has opened the door for Davis, who led the team with 11 tackles (five solo) in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs. Davis was an intriguing prospect with a 4.48 40-yard dash and a 42-inch vertical. He has the athleticism to not only hold down the starting job but also raise his ceiling further.
Owusu-Koramoah was expected to be a first-round linebacker, but he fell to the 52nd pick due to a heart problem that surfaced toward the end of the draft process. His snap count has been rising over the past few weeks and is now in the starter range, recording 91 and 85 percent snap shares over the last two weeks, respectively. After posting a season-high eight tackles in Week 6 against the Cardinals, Owusu-Koramoah is worth an add in deeper leagues.
Shaquil Barrett, LB 
Barrett is averaging just four
RISING
Micah Kiser, LB
Alexander Johnson left Sunday's loss to the Raiders with a chest injury, and he'll undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury. Kiser entered the game in Johnson's place and finished with three tackles. With a quick turnaround for a Thursday night game against the Browns, there's a good chance Johnson misses at least one game. Last season, Kiser piled up 77 tackles (44 solo) over just nine games with the Rams.
Jamin Davis, LB
It took a while for Washington to trust its rookie first-round pick, but Jon Bostic's pectoral injury has opened the door for Davis, who led the team with 11 tackles (five solo) in Sunday's loss to the Chiefs. Davis was an intriguing prospect with a 4.48 40-yard dash and a 42-inch vertical. He has the athleticism to not only hold down the starting job but also raise his ceiling further.
Owusu-Koramoah was expected to be a first-round linebacker, but he fell to the 52nd pick due to a heart problem that surfaced toward the end of the draft process. His snap count has been rising over the past few weeks and is now in the starter range, recording 91 and 85 percent snap shares over the last two weeks, respectively. After posting a season-high eight tackles in Week 6 against the Cardinals, Owusu-Koramoah is worth an add in deeper leagues.
Shaquil Barrett, LB
Barrett is averaging just four tackles per game, so he's a risky play regardless of the matchup. However, Week 7 is intriguing. Bears QB Justin Fields has been sacked on a league-high 14.9 percent of his dropbacks, and head coach Matt Nagy has struggled to formulate a plan to protect the rookie. Fields' raw talent probably isn't enough to evade Barrett, who has a team-high four sacks this year. With six teams on bye this week, Barrett is a high-upside replacement.
Nick Bolton, LB 
Bolton finished second among Chiefs linebackers with a 63 percent snap share, and he managed to lead the team with nine tackles. If he keeps settling in, the rookie second-round pick should hold onto the starting role. The Week 7 matchup against the Titans provides high upside for Bolton, as Titans RB Derrick Henry has averaged 31.3 carries over the last four games (before Monday Night Football). Bolton has a strong opportunity to pile up the tackles in that pivotal AFC clash.
Kwity Paye, DE 
Paye posted eight total tackles through his first two NFL games before his third appearance was cut short after just seven defensive snaps Week 3 due to a hamstring injury. In his return to action Sunday versus the Texans, Paye recorded one solo tackle and an athletic interception. The rookie should handle roughly 70 percent of the snaps moving forward, and he's expected to execute on the pass rush sooner than later. He's an intriguing add in deeper leagues with a specific DL spot, especially against 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 7.
FALLING
Zach Cunningham, LB 
The Bill O'Brien Regime signed Cunningham to a four-year, $58 million contract in August of 2020, and he subsequently posted a career-high 164 tackles last season. However, he missed Week 4 while on the COVID-19 list and hasn't regained his form, registering 46 total snaps over the last two games while Kamu Grugier-Hill and Christian Kirksey have been playing nearly every snap. Cunningham's contract could get him back into a full-time role at some point, but you can't start him until that role's certain. With that said, pick up Grugier-Hill. Houston's opponents will have a lot of leads to defend.
Khalil Mack, LB 
Mack has six sacks in six games, but he did seem a bit limited in Week 6 coming off a foot injury. It's unclear if he'll be 100 percent in Week 7. The matchup is unappealing regardless, as QB Tom Brady has been sacked on just 3.3 percent of dropbacks this season -- the fourth-best rate in the league. Mack has a low floor unless he gets to the QB.
Kyzir White, LB 
White has been mediocre with Kenneth Murray (ankle) out of the lineup, averaging 5.7 tackles per game over the last three weeks. Murray is eligible to return Week 8 against the Patriots (after the Chargers' Week 7 bye). It's unclear whether White or Drue Tranquill (chest) will retain the other inside linebacker job once Murray is back, though White will end up in the role if Tranquill isn't healthy. Still, considering White's ceiling hasn't impressed even when he has had the opportunity, he's expendable if you need to clear a roster spot with a whopping six teams on bye.
