This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
It was a busy week across the NFL landscape, with the typical injuries but also the trade deadline. We've started to see some fallout of the early trades, and there will inevitably be more shifting of roles to take into account after Week 10. For now, let's review Week 9.
Risers
Tavius Robinson, DE 
Robinson has seen his defensive snap count rise progressively throughout the season, including logging 32 snaps in each of the last two weeks (44 percent). He's combined to record seven quarterback hits in those two contests, which has translated to 2.5 sacks. More impressive is that Robinson has lined up all over the defensive formation, opening the door for his playing time to continue to tick up across the second half of the campaign.
Tuli Tuipulotu, LB 
Joey Bosa is battling a hip injury, and his playing time reflects that he's not fully healthy as he has logged defensive snap rates of just 26 and 23 percent after returning from a three-game absence. Tuipulotu has been the beneficiary, and, like Robinson, he has emerged in recent weeks with impressive performances. Each of his 3.5 sacks has come in the last two games, and he's backed that with four quarterback hits. Given Bosa's history of injury and Tuipulotu's emergence, the team could opt to continue to divide snaps more evenly than name value suggests.
Anthony Walker, LB 
David Long has struggled in a starting role for most of the season and the Dolphins
It was a busy week across the NFL landscape, with the typical injuries but also the trade deadline. We've started to see some fallout of the early trades, and there will inevitably be more shifting of roles to take into account after Week 10. For now, let's review Week 9.
Risers
Tavius Robinson, DE
Robinson has seen his defensive snap count rise progressively throughout the season, including logging 32 snaps in each of the last two weeks (44 percent). He's combined to record seven quarterback hits in those two contests, which has translated to 2.5 sacks. More impressive is that Robinson has lined up all over the defensive formation, opening the door for his playing time to continue to tick up across the second half of the campaign.
Tuli Tuipulotu, LB
Joey Bosa is battling a hip injury, and his playing time reflects that he's not fully healthy as he has logged defensive snap rates of just 26 and 23 percent after returning from a three-game absence. Tuipulotu has been the beneficiary, and, like Robinson, he has emerged in recent weeks with impressive performances. Each of his 3.5 sacks has come in the last two games, and he's backed that with four quarterback hits. Given Bosa's history of injury and Tuipulotu's emergence, the team could opt to continue to divide snaps more evenly than name value suggests.
Anthony Walker, LB
David Long has struggled in a starting role for most of the season and the Dolphins appear to have decided to move on. He didn't play any defensive snaps in Week 9, which gave Walker the start and a 100 percent defensive snap rate. In his two starts this season, the other came in Week 4, Walker has combined to record 19 total stops and is the most obvious waiver wire addition of the week.
Jack Gibbens, LB 
Gibbens looked to be the short-term beneficiary of Ernest Jones being dealt to Seattle, and he took advantage by recording eight tackles. It was projected that Jerome Baker, part of the return for Jones, would take over as a starting inside linebacker when healthy. While Baker has not yet debuted with his new team, beat writer Terry McCormick has reported that Gibbens will keep his role. There's some risk that the team's plans change over time, but Gibbens is another player who is in line to perform very well for fantasy purposes.
Jonathon Cooper, LB 
Nik Bonitto, LB
Denver seems to have landed on its preferred combination at outside linebacker. The team dealt Baron Browning despite still being in the race for a playoff spot, opening the door for Bonitto to see more playing time. Bonitto has earned that chance, racking up 14 sacks across 24 games combined across the last two seasons. He's primarily a pass-rush specialist, though he has shown some improvement in the run game this season.
Cooper signed a fairly lucrative extension with Denver over the weekend. That won't change his role substantially, but it does give him some security moving forward.
Devon Key, S Key is a streaming option in Week 10 if P.J. Locke remains out with a thumb injury. Locke did not practice in any capacity prior to Denver's Week 9 game against Baltimore, suggesting he isn't all that close to a return. In Lock's absence, Key played 98 percent of snaps and recorded eight stops.
Kamren Kinchens, S 
Jaylen McCollough, S
McCollough is listed as a safety, but he played 39 snaps in the box in Week 9 and his usage is best described as him being a linebacker. That's an obvious boost to his value, and there's not an obvious end to his increased role given that Troy Reeder (hamstring) is on injured reserve. He recorded seven tackles and his fourth interception in Sunday's win against Seattle.
Kinchens is still a rotational player in the Rams' defense, but he was the hero in the win over Seattle by picking off two passes, one of which he returned for a touchdown. He's a watch list player for now but has flashed big time play-making ability.
Mike Brown, S
Brown is projected to fill in for Quandre Diggs, who has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a foot injury. We'll check back in on the box score after Week 10 to confirm the reports are accurate, but Brown is worth picking up in anticipation of his expanded role.
Fallers
David Long, LB
Jerome Baker, LB
We've talked a bit about Long and Baker during the "Riser" section, but both appear to be clear drops based on their usage and reports that have emerged in the last couple of days. Baker is the better player to take a "wait and see" approach on, because it's possible Tennessee has a change of heart and opts to find him a role.
Joshua Uche, DE 
Uche may not be complaining about his trade from New England to Kansas City as he went from one of the worst teams in the league to the best. However, he played a season-low 15 percent defensive snap rate in Week 9. The obvious thing to point out is that he wasn't familiar with the scheme and could see his role increase as the campaign progresses. On the other hand, he's going to face more competition once Mike Danna (pectoral) is able to retake the field.
