We are digging very deep today. Erik Walden is a former Green Bay Packers washout who just couldn’t make it as a 3-4 defensive end, so I’m quite familiar with the old iteration of him. As a 3-4 outside linebacker, however, I’m a bit surprised to see how much value he’s added to this Indianapolis Colts defense. Over the past two years in Indy, Walden has been a revelation for a defense that couldn’t find a pass rush: he’s accrued 82 total tackles, 9 sacks, and 7 stuffs in 30 games between 2013 and 2014. This season, he’s on pace for 55 total tackles, just 2.5 sacks, but a whopping 14 stuffs. He’s become a key player quickly.

In Week 8, he’ll get to pin his ears back against the Carolina Panthers’ fairly mediocre offensive line; they are tied for 15th in highest sack percentage allowed. They are strong road graders, however, and are allowing just the eighth-lowest stuff percentage in the league. Don’t expect a huge upside game from Walden, but there will be running back tackle chances galore, as the Panthers have the heaviest ratio of running play calls to passes in the NFL.

Walden is available in 100.0% of ESPN IDP leagues. We project him for around 6.0 tackles, a chance for a sack, a chance for a pass defensed, and a total score of 6.48 balanced fantasy points in Week 8.