It was unfortunately a very heavy week of injuries in the NFL in Week 12, leading to a lot of murky situations heading into a busy Week 13 in which every team will play. This article will try to dissect all the information and identify the top fantasy IDP risers and fallers from last week's action.
Risers
LBChicago is among the toughest teams to predict due to its current injury situation. Tremaine Edmunds (groin) is out until late in the regular season, and T.J. Edwards (hand) has had an injury-plagued season. Those (potentially) ongoing absences open the door for increased production from another member of the linebacker corps, and Jackson seems to be in the best position. He wore the green dot in Sunday's win over Pittsburgh, played 100 percent of defensive snaps and logged 15 tackles. Jackson looks to have short-term streaming appeal at a minimum.
LBThompson has the potential to be the top fantasy IDP addition of the week. Terrel Bernard suffered what appears to be a serious elbow injury, and the Bills' coaching staff has openly noted that he is a candidate to be placed on IR. Thompson has consistently operated as Buffalo's top reserve linebacker this season, earning increased snap rates in the absence of Matt Milano earlier in the season. Across two games as a near full-time player in Weeks 6 and 8, Thompson combined to record 14 tackles.
LBMcDuffie has put up solid numbers in a reserve linebacker role for the Packers' this season, so it's no surprise that he has excelled with Quay Walker sidelined for the last six quarters of football due to a neck injury. Walker has returned to limited practice to begin the week, so he could return for a pivotal NFC North matchup against the Lions on Thanksgiving. That would ding McDuffie's fantasy IDP value, but he has to be mentioned for his strong performances for the last two weeks.
Zaire Barnes 
LB
The Giants have dealt with a lot of injuries to their linebacker corps this season, which continued in Week 12. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, already filling in for Micah McFadden (foot) and Darius Muasau (ankle), suffered a neck injury in the team's overtime loss to the Lions. Barnes earned defensive snaps over Neville Hewitt, and he could be in line to retain that increased role against the Patriots on Monday night.
Krys Barnes LB
The Panthers are yet another depleted defense among both their linebacker corps and secondary. Barnes is currently on the team's practice squad but he was on the field for 99 percent of defensive snaps and recorded 10 tackles in Monday's loss to the 49ers. He'll almost certainly be elevated once again for Week 13 and could be in for another prominent role if Trevin Wallace (shoulder) and/or Christian Rozeboom (hip) are unable to return.
Jaylen Reed 
CB/S
Reed may not have fantasy IDP value going forward, but he was launched into a significant role in the absence of Jalen Pitre (concussion) in Thursday's win over the Bills. Reed, a sixth-round rookie, played all over the formation, logging significant snaps in the box, at free safety and in the slot. The end result was a team-leading 12 tackles, providing even more depth to an impressive Houston defense. Reed had played only one defensive snap in five games entering Week 12 action, but he is a name to at least keep track of.
SAndrew Mukuba is set to be sidelined for the foreseeable future after suffering a fractured ankle that will require surgery. That sets up Brown, who logged a season-high 35 percent defensive snap rate after Mukuba's departure, to start at free safety for the Eagles for the next several weeks.
Fallers
Christian Elliss/Jack Gibbens 
LB
Elliss returned from a two-game absence to face the Bengals, and the Patriots immediately returned to a split in snaps between him and Gibbens. That will leave both players with minimal fantasy value moving forward, a disappointing development after Gibbens logged 16 combined tackles in the two matchups that Elliss missed.
LBThere was rightfully a lot of enthusiasm for Robinson to take over the starting inside linebacker role for the injured Tatum Bethune (ankle). Robinson was on the field for every defensive snap, yet he was still credited with a disappointing three tackles. He deserves the benefit of the doubt for this week because Carolina had very limited possession and ran only 46 plays, limiting all of the 49ers' defenders' opportunity. Things may not get much better against the Browns in Week 13, however.
Nakobe Dean cracked the 80 percent defensive snap threshold for the first time this season in Week 12, which is great news for his managers. However, Campbell's role continues to slip, as he was on the field for a season-low 11 defensive snaps (16 percent). He remains a very strong dynasty/keeper option, but Campbell's redraft appeal has disappeared.
