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2016 Rookie Draft IDP Rankings

It’s pretty easy to figure out how offensive guys fit in with their new teams.

Draft Sterling Shepard in Round 2, and you have a new WR -- probably a guy you plan to run from the slot quite a bit.

Draft TE Tyler Higbee in Round 4, and you’ll throw the guy some passes at some point. Maybe he’ll block on occasion, but who really cares about that part here in fantasy land.

Pick a QB in Round 1 … and he’s gonna play QB.

But defense presents a bigger challenge. Is your new edge guy an OLB or a DE? Will you be trying that athletic, raw DB at corner or safety? Will that OLB you drafted in Round 4 rush the QB or shift inside in your 3-4 scheme? And how many downs will he play?

I spent the past week seeking out as many answers as I could to questions such as those, so it’s finally time to unleash the IDP portion of our 2016 rookie draft rankings for dynasty leagues.

Corners (9-10) and DTs (8) made up so much of the NFL Draft’s 1st 2 rounds, that you’ll find plenty of Day 3 picks in dynasty drafting range. That, of course, only adds to the uncertainty surrounding each player -- once you get past the 1st few on this list.

With that in mind, treat the rankings more like educated guesses and position tiers than a stone-etched decree on who to draft. Your league’s particular settings and perhaps your roster’s needs should also factor into your draft decisions.

1. Joey Bosa, DE, Chargers

We expected a OLB designation after the Chargers picked him, but the team lists Bosa at DE. That adds fantasy football value to a player Pro Football Focus graded tops in the nation in both pass-rushing and run-defense among edge players.

2. DeForest Buckner, DE, 49ers

Along with grading him the top pass-rusher among interior linemen last year, PFF also counted more snaps played than anyone else at the position. Buckner will stay on the field for all situations and can produce sacks as well as tackles. He drew multiple Calais Campbell comparisons during draft season and finished his career with a 10.5-sack senior season (plus 30 tackles for loss over his final 2 years.

3. Myles Jack, LB, Jaguars

Let Jacksonville -- and all the teams who chose to pass -- worry about Jack’s knee long term. Our only concern is exactly where he’ll land in a Jaguars D with Telvin Smith locked in on the weak side. That said, if your dynasty league doesn’t score sacks particularly well or plays few DL slots, you can draft this versatile LB as the top defender. Von Miller and Anthony Barr have showed us that we shouldn’t underrate strong-side LBs anymore -- if that’s even where Jack winds up. The Jags say they don’t even know where he’ll ultimately land. With Paul Posluszny turning 32 in October and signed just through 2017, MLB could be a possibility.

4. Jaylon Smith, LB, Cowboys

Dallas’ team doctor did Smith’s knee surgery and apparently convinced the front office that the star LB will be OK in time. That makes him worth a shot here in a class short on top-shelf LB prospects. We’d bet on a healthy Smith taking over the weak side in Dallas soon. Sean Lee’s heading into his age-30 season, can play MLB and has 2 cut-able years on the end of a contract that goes through 2019.

5. Reggie Ragland, ILB, Bills

Will he play on passing downs? Well, HC Rex Ryan says Ragland’s cover skills are “a lot better than he’s given credit for.” GM Doug Whaley says the team would have taken Ragland in Round 1 if DE Shaq Lawson hadn’t make it to them. Instead they traded up to secure him in Round 2. Sure seems like the Bills believe Ragland’s a 3-down LB.

6. Shaq Lawson, DE, Bills

Lawson should step into Mario Williams’ vacated left DE slot right away. Lawson finished college with a 12.5-sack junior year and a nation-leading 24.5 tackles for loss.

7. Darron Lee, ILB, Jets

PFF graded Lee as a terrible pass-coverage LB in college and just OK vs. the run. That’s enough to give us some caution about the speedster’s long-term IDP outlook. Of course, the Jets -- led by defensive-minded HC Todd Bowles -- obviously believed in Lee enough to take him in Round 1. You also don’t need to be a top real-life LB to deliver fantasy numbers.

8. Noah Spence, DE, Buccaneers

Many considered Spence the best pure pass-rusher in the draft, with the drug use that got him booted from Ohio State knocking him down some boards. Spence should find playing time right away in Tampa and might fight for a 2016 starting job. He delivered 7.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss as a Buckeyes sophomore in 2013 before finishing his career with 11.5 sacks and 22.5 TFLs last year at Eastern Kentucky.

9. Deion Jones, ILB, Falcons

Jones posted the 4th-fastest 40-yard dash among LBs at the Scouting Combine. Mike Mayock called him a “hybrid linebacker-safety” after a senior year that included 5 sacks and 2 INTs. Jones spent just 1 season starting at LSU but could compete for a starting spot right away in a Falcons D with little at ILB.

10. Nick Vigil, LB, Bengals

Vigil appears to be blocked from a lineup spot right now, with Vontaze Burfict and Rey Maualuga signed through 2017 and Karlos Dansby arriving this offseason. But the contracts don’t guarantee that any of those veterans will be on the roster in 2017. New LBs coach Jim Haslett has compared Vigil to Luke Kuechly athletically. And the tackle machine -- 282 total stops, including 31.5 for losses and 12 sacks over 2 starting years at Utah State -- reportedly impressed right away in post-draft workouts.

11. Leonard Floyd, OLB, Bears

Chicago jumped up in front of the Giants to secure this versatile LB. Floyd didn’t post big sack numbers in college while playing all over the place, including a lot of coverage. He’ll need to add bulk to challenge the edge regularly, but his speed will be a problem for OTs. He loses appeal if your league devalues sacks.

12. Su’a Cravens, S, Washington

Another in the new LB/S hyprid class. Washington surprised some by listing Cravens as a safety, while he honored the late Sean Taylor by starting with his number. Dashon Goldson posted nice fantasy numbers last year in the role this superior player will fill right away. There should be a high tackle ceiling here behind a shaky D, which separates Cravens from the rest of the safeties at a low-value position in this class. He also displayed ability as both a pass-rusher (10.5 sacks over the past 2 seasons) and coverage guy (9 career INTs).

13. Sheldon Rankins, DE, Saints

PFF graded Rankins 2nd-highest among interior linemen over the past 2 seasons, behind only DeForest Buckner. Rankins’ 26.5 tackles for loss and 14 sacks over those 2 years show that he can convert that talent to numbers.

14. Blake Martinez, ILB, Packers

Martinez led the Pac-12 in tackles and ranked 5th in the nation in 2015. PFF also graded him out tops in coverage among ILBs for the season. That’s a 3-down profile in a guy Stanford coaches even matched up against WRs at times. His position -- and Green Bay’s weakness inside -- has us drafting Martinez well ahead of new teammate Kyler Fackrell, who’s apparently pegged for OLB.

15. Emmanuel Ogbah, OLB, Browns

Some question Ogbah’s athleticism, but he delivered 22.5 sacks over the past 2 seasons among 29.5 total tackles for loss. He should push for starting action right away, with former 1st-round OLB Barkevious Mingo a bust.

16. Kevin Dodd, OLB, Titans

An athletic 1-year DE starter at Clemson, Dodd will shift to OLB with the Titans under new DC Dick LeBeau. He delivered stats nearly identical to Shaq Lawson’s last season -- 12.5 sacks, 24 tackles for loss -- after playing behind Vic Beasley the previous 2 years. Dodd should start out in a rotation with aging vets Brian Orakpo and Derrick Morgan.

17. B.J. Goodson, LB, Giants

Goodson beats the next 2 LBs on this list because of opportunity. The Giants signed Keenan Robinson away from Washington to likely start in the middle, but he’s on just a 1-year deal. And no Giants LB started more than 11 games last year. Goodson spent just 1 full season starting for Clemson, but he delivered a terrific stat line: 108 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups and 2 INTs.

18. Joe Schobert, LB, Browns

Schobert’s athleticism makes him worth a shot even before we know just how he’ll fit into the Cleveland defense. (Perhaps it doesn’t apply directly to football, but check out his dunk video here.) He said after getting drafted that he’ll play both inside and outside after doing most of his college work on the edge. PFF credited Schobert with the top pass-rushing productivity score among 3-4 OLBs last season. He also led all LBs with a 36 on the Wonderlic test at the Scouting Combine.

19. Joshua Perry, ILB, Chargers

San Diego looks crowded at ILB now after adding Perry and Jatavis Brown to incumbents Denzel Perryman and Manti Te’o. Te’o can’t stay healthy, though, and is heading into the final year of his contract. Perry combines good enough speed (4.68-second 40) with terrific size (6’4, 254 pounds) and looks plenty athletic when he plays. We’ll see how the Chargers sort out the position. But at this point, betting on ability makes sense.

20. Carl Nassib, DE, Browns

Nassib led all 4-3 DEs in pass-rushing productivity last year, according to PFF. That produced a nation-leading 15.5 sacks, plus 6 forced fumbles. Nassib will play 3-4 DE in Cleveland, but the Browns figure to send him attacking the edge in passing situations regardless of his specific designation. Carrying a DL tag rather than shifting to OLB anywhere helps his fantasy value.

21. Karl Joseph, S, Raiders

Joseph and the next 2-3 safeties on this list belong higher based on talent and likelihood of starting, but this is an easy position at which to find dynasty options. If you need a safety -- or DB in general -- Joseph’s combo of big hitting and ball skills make him the top option, wherever such a move makes sense for you. He snagged 5 INTs over just 4 games in 2015 before suffering an ACL tear.

22. Keanu Neal, S, Falcons

About a month before the draft, The Falcoholic blog posited, “If you were to draw up the prototypical strong safety for Dan Quinn’s scheme, Florida’s Keanu Neal would be your finished product.” The 1st round made it a reality, and now he should step immediately into the spot where William Moore delivered solid fantasy production … on the occasions where he could stay healthy.

23. Antonio Morrison, LB, Colts

NFL.com says that Morrison “plays faster than his stopwatch times” while comparing him with Chargers LB Denzel Perryman -- a 2nd-round pick in 2015. Morrison faces immediate opportunity, with Jerrell Freeman gone to Chicago. D’Qwell Jackson will turn 33 in September and is signed through just 2017.

24. Tyler Matakevich, ILB, Steelers

This high-motor LB topped 100 tackles in each of his 4 seasons at Temple, including 137 as a sophomore and 138 as a senior. Matakevich added 15.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and 5 INTs to a stellar 2015 stat line. Ryan Shazier and Lawrence Timmons block him from the lineup immediately, but stashing him late in your draft could deliver an upside tackle collector in a couple of years.

25. Darian Thompson, S, Giants
26. Vonn Bell, S, Saints

These 2 are basically a toss-up. Bell’s the bigger talent, which is why he went a round earlier in the NFL Draft. But Thompson spent 4 years starting at Boise State and snared 17 career INTs, including 11 over just the past 2 seasons. Combine that with the chance to compete for an immediate starting job with the Giants, and we’d lean his way over Bell in your rookie draft.

27. Bronson Kaufusi, DE, Ravens
28. Kamalei Correa, OLB, Ravens
29. Kentrell Brothers, LB, Vikings
30. Scooby Wright, ILB, Browns
31. Robert Nkemdiche, DL, Cardinals
32. Jonathan Bullard, DE, Bears
33. Jalen Ramsey, DB, Jaguars
34. Shilique Calhoun, OLB, Raiders
35. T.J. Green, S, Colts
36. Kyler Fackrell, ILB, Packers
37. Jordan Jenkins, OLB, Jets
38. Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Jaguars
39. Nick Kwiatkoski, ILB, Bears
40. Charles Tapper, DE, Cowboys
41. Jeremy Cash, OLB, Panthers
42. Jatavis Brown, ILB, Chargers
43. Ronald Blair, DE, 49ers
44. Justin Simmons, S, Broncos
45. Xavien Howard, CB, Dolphins
46. Matt Judon, OLB, Ravens
47. William Jackson III, CB, Bengals
48. Vernon Hargreaves, CB, Buccaneers
49. Dominique Alexander, ILB, Browns
50. Travis Feeney, OLB, Steelers

Matt Schauf, Editor

Matt has earned two Fantasy Pros accuracy awards for IDP rankings and won thousands of dollars as a player across best ball, dynasty, and high-stakes fantasy formats. He has been creating fantasy football content for more than 20 years, with work featured by Sporting News, Rotoworld, Athlon, Sirius XM, and others. He's been with Draft Sharks since 2011.