IDP Sleepers 2025: Season-Defining Picks for EVERY League

 

You're Gonna Find a Fit for Your IDP Draft

I don’t want to oversell what you’re about to read, so I’ll merely say this …

You’re about to meet the greatest collection of IDP Sleepers I’ve ever put together. Quite possibly the greatest collection the internet has ever seen.

How Can We Get IDP Sleepers Right?

First, I need to tell you a secret: I struggle every year with exactly how to handle this article.

We’re talking IDP sleepers, so naturally I want to reach deep for guys who are going to smash low expectations and define your fantasy season. The problem with that approach, though, is the wide variety of IDP leagues.

That variety is not the problem, of course. That’s great. Your league should be able to play IDP in whatever way works for you. If we didn’t have shallow setups, we’d miss introducing a lot of folks to the format. And if we didn’t go deep in other places, then we’d lose folks seeking a bigger challenge.

The problem: A sleeper for one format might be an obvious starter in another league. Or he might never come close to relevance on the shallower end.

But I think I’ve finally found the solution.

2025 IDP Sleepers to Fit Your Format

I don’t want to leave any of you out, so I might have gone overboard this year.

Below you’ll find an IDP sleeper candidate for every NFL team. Yep, 32 guys with the potential to dramatically outperform their preseason expectations.

Of course, not every guy will hit. And not every guy will apply to your specific format. So I’ve divided them into levels, but even you deep-leaguers should find relevance in the first group. (Of course, you can also check out our IDP rankings.)

And with that, let’s end the preamble and get to the picks you came here for …

 

IDP Sleepers for Everyone

Cleveland Browns: LB Carson Schwesinger

Feel free to quibble with the “sleeper” designation on this one, but I think the market looks way too low on Cleveland’s second-round rookie.

Why do I say that? Because the FantasyPros “expert” consensus lists Schwesinger at just LB29. I’ve got him at No. 9 in my LB rankings (though effectively tied with three other guys).

Maybe I’m nuts. (We’ll find out once the season starts.) But I’m fired up for a LB the Browns drafted at the top of Round 2 off a monster final college season. Schwesinger hit college as a walk-on but started and earned first-team All-America status by his third year.

That season included:

• an FBS-leading 90 solo tackles
• 136 total stops
• 9 tackles for loss
• 4 sacks
• 3 passes defensed
• 2 INTs

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler says Schwesinger’s 7.5 solos per game were the most in FBS since 2020. Now that LB joins a corps that’s missing Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (neck recovery) and Jordan Hicks (retirement). And Cleveland’s offense threatens to put the D on the field a lot.

I’m fired up for Schwesinger’s scoring potential. And the market’s hesitation means you can draft the rookie significantly lower than where your Draft War Room will first suggest him.

Tennessee Titans: LB Cody Barton

Barton’s not nearly as exciting as Schwesinger (at least inside my brain), but he obviously beats the Browns rookie in proven NFL fantasy scoring.

Barton finished 29th among fantasy LBs last year despite not taking over a starting spot until Week 4, after Alex Singleton tore an ACL. Barton delivered LB25 points per game for Washington in 2023, despite losing four games and most of another to a midseason high-ankle sprain. And he topped out at LB18 for Seattle the year before that.

You might have noticed Barton spent those three consecutive seasons with different teams. And he’s got another new one this year. That’s because he’s not good enough at football to stick in one place. But he’s good enough to keep getting starting shots, and that’s clearly the plan in Tennessee.

The Titans dumped LB Kenneth Murray one-year into his contract and gave Barton $7 million a year on a three-year deal. So he has conned another mark, and that has landed him a three-down role that will once again present cross-category scoring opportunities.

Barton sits outside LB3 range in the “expert” consensus. He’ll have a hard time not beating that.

Atlanta Falcons: LB Divine Deablo

If you’re an IDP player who has been with us for a few years, then you might know that I keep wanting Troy Andersen to emerge as the breakout LB in Atlanta. But the current Falcons regime has showed us they don’t feel the same.

First they split playing time between Andersen and Nate Landman. And then they signed Deablo for $14 million over two years this offseason. The $8 million guarantee proves he’ll join Kaden Elliss as the full-timers, and that gives Deablo a chance to remind us of his upside.

A college WR-turned-safety, Deablo converted to LB with the Raiders after arriving as a third-round pick. He started eight games in 2022 (his second season) and ranked 27th in fantasy points per game, almost entirely on tackle production.

Deablo ceded playing time as the No. 2 to Robert Spillane the past two years. But the Atlanta contract says we should expect a playing-time boost for a team that has spent several years searching for answers at his spot -- especially because Elliss rushes the passer much more often than the typical off-ball LB.

You can draft Deablo in reserve territory and land a guy with upside into the top 24. You can hear more about Deablo and the next guy on this list in the video below ...

Dallas Cowboys: LB Jack Sanborn

Sanborn lacks the scoring proof of Barton, but he also hasn’t had the same chance to show us whether he’s good (or not). Sanborn looks like he’ll get that first real shot this year.

The former undrafted free agent landed with the Cowboys on an unassuming one-year, $1.5 million contract after three years with the Bears. Notably, those years all came under HC Matt Eberflus, who’s now the DC in Dallas. Sanborn has called that a key factor in his decision to sign with the Cowboys.

That decision presents opportunity as well. Dallas also signed Kenneth Murray, who washed out after just one year (of a two-year deal) with the Titans. That followed the Chargers not offering a second contract to the former first-round pick.

Sanborn has already seen green-dot duties (relaying defensive play calls in the huddle), while Murray has already lost practice time to injury.

We’re still learning what to expect statistically from Sanborn in the pros. But he spent three years starting at Wisconsin, and his cross-category scoring included:

• 80+ total tackles in each of his two non-COVID seasons
• 29 total tackles for loss
• 11.5 sacks
• 4 career INTs

That plus a starting gig makes him well worth chasing in LB4 range of your draft.

Los Angeles Rams: S Kamren Kinchens

Let’s interrupt this LB party with a DB sleeper who flashed more than he probably should have as a 2024 rookie.

Kinchens delivered three games of double-digit fantasy scoring for last year’s Rams, despite cracking 60% in snap share just six times. Three of those came over the final three weeks, with two more joining in the playoffs.

Kinchens’ fantasy flashes in season, though, came primarily thanks to INTs. He snagged four of those in his limited role, which lined up with his college days. The former Miami DB led his conference in INTs each of his final two seasons. With last year’s Rams, he ranked fourth in solo tackles per snap among 21 guys who played at least 100 snaps.

More playing time should mean steadier tackle production, which can lay the floor for that big-play upside. Draft Kinchens in low DB2 to DB3 range and enjoy the profit.

Seattle Seahawks: S Nick Emmanwori

That was fun, so let’s roll with another DB that I’ve addressed every time I get the chance.

Emmanwori followed an impressive three-year run at South Carolina -- twice leading the team in tackles, totaling 6 INTs, returning two of them for TDs -- with an electric Scouting Combine workout. Let’s pause to take that in again before moving on …

Seattle grabbed Emmanwori in Round 2, despite returning both starting safeties from last year: Julian Love and Coby Bryant. That casts some uncertainty on his immediate role, but the Seahawks started the rookie in the preseason opener. And it certainly sounds like they have plans.

“Emmanwori has been among the Seahawks’ most impressive performers at training camp,” writes Justin Melo of Seahawks Wire. “Emmanwori didn’t make any splash plays, but the expectation is they’ll arrive in bunches this season.”

Sometimes you draft a player because you’re excited about the role. Sometimes you target the player and just wait to see how it happens. Stash Emmanwori so we can watch the show together.

Arizona Cardinals: LB Akeem Davis-Gaither

Now back to your regularly scheduled LBs, and another veteran who’s finally getting elevated opportunity.

Davis-Gaither spent his first five seasons as the No. 3 LB in Cincinnati, logging just 11 starts over that span. Seven of those came last season, including the final six games after Logan Wilson went down. That six-game span found ADG tallying:

• 9.7 total tackles per game
• 5.2 solos per game
• 2 tackles for loss
• 2 passes defensed
• 1 forced fumble
• 1 fumble recovery

His fantasy-scoring average over that span would have landed Davis-Gaither among the top 15 LBs for the season. 

Arizona was impressed enough to sign him for $10 million over two years and leave incumbent Kyzir White flapping on the open market. His primary competition for playing time and tackles will be Mack Wilson, who has seen three NFL teams play him less than full time across six seasons.

Davis-Gaither likely will go undrafted in many IDP leagues, but there’s upside at least into the top 24. Stash him late or watch him on waivers. 

Carolina Panthers: LB Trevin Wallace

Score one for de facto opportunity over player excitement here.

To be fair, Wallace arrived as a third-round pick just last year after starting two of his three seasons at Kentucky. He delivered fine production there, including 10 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, and 3 INTs over those two campaigns.

But the biggest reason to like him this year is because Carolina sports no better answer for the lead LB role after Josey Jewell’s lingering concussion symptoms required him to step away this offseason.

The Panthers signed Christian Rozeboom in free agency, and he’s expected to start as well. But Rozeboom offered forgettable returns over his first six seasons and got just a one-year, $2.5 million contract on the open market.

So expect Wallace to lead playing time and fantasy scoring here. 

Cincinnati Bengals: LB Demetrius Knight Jr.

I remain unexcited about Knight’s long-term prospects after he delivered scant college production before his age-23 season. But that matters less for his immediate impact than his current situation.

Cincinnati:

• Drafted Knight in Round 2
• And then released Germaine Pratt

That all but hands Knight a starting job that helped Pratt score inside the top 30 each of the past two years.

So Knight -- who did at least put up solid numbers his final two college seasons -- inherits upside into that range, as long as he proves capable of taking on full playing time. He’s stashable while we await that confirmation.

Bonus Bengal: Edge Joseph Ossai

I gotta be honest. This is the guy I really wanted to select for this spot. Why didn't I? Two key reasons:

1. I'm trying to make this as useful as possible for you IDP players.
2. I'm not sure how much the Bengals want to put Ossai on the field.

They re-signed the 25-year-old rather than let him leave via unrestricted free agency, but only for one year at $6.5 million. That indicates Ossai wasn't finding a great market and wants to reset ahead of the 2026 offseason.

But Cincinnati also has Trey Hendrickson, 2023 first-rounder Myles Murphy, and 2025 first-rounder Shemar Stewart.

I'm betting on Ossai to prove more effective than Stewart and Murphy going forward. And he finally started to show his upside with 5 sacks and 10 QB hits over the final seven games last year.

But if he's effective while playing less than 50% of the snaps, then he's probably not cracking IDP lineups.

Add Ossai to your Deep Sleepers list.

Washington Commanders: S Quan Martin

Washington spent the past two years figuring out the position for this former second-round pick. Martin saw limited playing time as a rookie, primarily running from the slot. Last year found him settling in as a starting safety, still moving around a bit but primarily lining up deep.

This year could be time to deliver on his promise.

“Safety Quan Martin has breakout potential, or at least the staff feels that way,” Ben Standig wrote for The Athletic in June.

Martin arrived as an impressive, versatile athlete, but with the known question about where best to deploy him.

“Versatile cornerback/safety prospect with the size and physical talent to play nickel back or align as a deep safety,” NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein wrote in his 2023 prospect profile. “Martin’s speed and explosiveness at the NFL Scouting Combine was eye-catching, but he needs to play consistently to that speed on the field.”

Washington let S Jeremy Chinn walk after last year, shedding a guy who played all over the formation. Perhaps that leaves more room for Martin to move around this year. Lining up closer to the ball more often would help his fantasy-scoring potential.

Even in the same role, though, there’s at least big-play upside.

Denver Broncos: CB Riley Moss

I’m not sure why this guy sits 71st among DBs in the “expert” consensus. Moss tied for 23rd in fantasy points per game (depending on your format) last year, his second in the league and first as a starter.

The biggest thing working the favor of this former third-round pick? Probably playing across from Pat Surtain II. According to PFF, Moss tied for the ninth-most targets faced in coverage last year, despite missing three games. Surtain, meanwhile, tied for 71st.

Translation: Opponents want to avoid the league’s top cover man (arguably?), and that means they have to target someone else in coverage.

Moss allowed 11.4 yards per catch to Surtain’s 9.9 and a 95.1 passer rating to Surtain’s 74.5.

Expect that targeting to continue, and that means opportunities to score fantasy points.

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Not for Everyone, But Maybe for You

These players still face opportunity and present upside. I’m just not sure how high their ceilings actually go. If you play in a format that makes the 45th player at a position relevant, then these guys will be worth tracking.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LB SirVocea Dennis

Here’s a real sneaky one, because Dennis has zero starts and just 35 total tackles through two NFL seasons. Yet he has apparently displayed such strong coverage skills in practice that HC Todd Bowles reportedly says Bucs QBs have started avoiding him in practice.

“Tampa Bay is counting heavily on SirVocea Dennis staying healthy in 2025,” writes Bailey Adams of Pewter Report. “He was arguably the team’s best linebacker over the first four games last year. Now it’s time for the third-year linebacker to step into a starting role and be the player he has shown signs of being on the practice fields.”

Dennis’ 2024 season ended with a Week 4 shoulder injury, but it sounds like he’s headed for a full-time role in 2025. His three starting seasons at Pitt showed promise, including 10+ tackles for loss in each. The coverage numbers didn’t show up there, but Tampa clearly expects those to come.

I’m starting Dennis in this range, but there’s a chance this looks way too low by the end of the year.

Pittsburgh Steelers: LB Payton Wilson

Here’s a personal favorite of mine. Wilson delivered awesome college production, culminating in his 2023 sweep of the Butkus Award (top LB) and Bednarik Award (top defensive player). He backed that up with a 99th-percentile 40 time and 98th-percentile speed score at the Combine.

Wilson slipped to Round 3 of the draft, though, because he suffered two ACL tears. That created both a health question and an age issue. (He’s already 25 heading into his second year.)

But we’re not talking long-term outlook here. We’re focused on 2025. And Wilson stands to benefit from the team letting Elandon Roberts walk. Cole Holcomb remains but is no lock to make the regular-season roster thanks to the 2023 knee injury that also cost him last season. And even lead LB Patrick Queen ranked just 68th among 92 qualifying LBs in Pro Football Focus grade last year, his first with the team.

Las Vegas Raiders: LB Devin White

Germaine Pratt’s the best bet for playing time and production among Vegas’ new top LB trio. He finished 10th and 27th among LBs in fantasy points (depending on your format) over his final two Cincinnati seasons. But he’s also likely to go earlier than his new teammates.

White proved toward the end of his Tampa Bay run that he’s not nearly as good as his early-career stats suggested. He confirmed that by barely seeing the field last year across stops with the Eagles and Texans. But Raiders HC Pete Carroll ain’t hearin’ all that.

“He’s back,” Carroll said at the end of July. “He was on top of the world a few years ago, and then things just didn’t work out for one reason or another. He’s back in action now. He came up to me and said, ‘I’m all in now.’ And he was dead serious in how he said it.”

The Raiders still need to sort out playing time among White, Pratt, and Elandon Roberts. And it’s quite possible we won’t want White. But if he’s getting full playing time, he’ll probably deliver numbers. And White’s probably going undrafted in most places even if he lands a Week 1 spot.

Let’s keep watching this situation.

San Francisco 49ers: LB Dee Winters

The Niners made a last-minute push to keep Dre Greelaw from leaving for Denver, but it didn’t work. And Winters looks like the replacement. Let’s start with the upside on him …

“I’ve seen a lot of growth, honestly,” teammate Fred Warner said. “I’ve seen a guy who’s ready to take that next step. You know, Dee has flashed in a big way through his first two seasons. And I think Year 3 is that year where it’s like, ‘Man, I know the system. I know what I needed to do in the offseason. And now it’s time for me to take control and really put it on tape.’ I’m excited for Dee, really.”

Winters closed out college with a strong final season that included 15 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and an INT he returned for a TD. Then he rocked a sub-4.5 time in the 40.

He has now had two years in the system, and primary competition Nick Martin -- a 2025 third-round pick -- showed poorly in the preseason opener. That included three missed tackles on a single series.

“He ran around, got a lot of playing time,” Shanahan said of Martin. “He had a couple of misses, especially on a big third down on a shallow cross across the field. (He) got his eyes a little too nosy with the running back. I like how Nick’s been going, but I think there’s a lot (on Saturday’s) tape he can get better from.”

Sounds like a guy with potential … and plenty of work to do.

New York Giants: LB Micah McFadden

McFadden has showed modest upside the past two years, cracking the position’s top 50 in scoring average in 2023 and then the top 4 last season.

He runs primarily on tackle efficiency, topping 100 total stops each of the past two years despite seeing snap shares of just 68.6% and 74.9%. McFadden’s 20 tackles for loss over that span backs up the talent.

The downside? Even after Bobby Okereke went down last season, Giants coaches didn’t boost his playing time. McFadden played 100% just twice and didn’t exceed 80.6% in any other game.

He can be a solid LB4 from a price likely to be much lower.

Kansas City Chiefs: DB Chamarri Conner

Conner flashed for a few usable fantasy weeks last year but never nailed down a solid role. Perhaps that continues this year, but he appears headed for a more stable start.

The Chiefs list Conner as a starting safety, in a secondary that let Justin Reid walk in free agency. That sets a base for Conner, and the preseason opener found him moving between that spot and nickel CB.

That would be an ideal scenario for Conner’s scoring potential. And that starting point makes him worth a look at the end of deeper IDP drafts. If anything changes, he’ll be easy to move off.

Jacksonville Jaguars: CB Tyson Campbell

Campbell lost six and five games to injuries the past two years. That makes it easy to forget he’s good at football. The Jaguars think so, at least, having signed him to a four-year, $76.5 million extension ahead of last season.

Last time we got a healthy Campbell, he finished inside the top 24 among fantasy DBs in 2022. Campbell fared best in passes defensed, racking up 15 of them. Only four DBs tallied more.

Campbell hasn’t accomplished enough in the league that we should expect Jacksonville opponents to avoid him. His offense, meanwhile, might be ready to pressure opponents into more throwing. The Jaguars have ranked 25th or lower in pass attempts faced each of the past three years.

Los Angeles Chargers: Edge Tuli Tuipulotu

The Chargers let Edge Joey Bosa walk this offseason, freeing up snaps for this young guy who has already appeared in all 34 games since he entered the league.

Tuipulotu entered the league short of his 21st birthday, but he tied for 50th league wide in total QB hits over his first two seasons and 45th in sacks. Now he heads into his age-23 season, still several years short of the historical peak for the position (based on our player-aging research).

Tulipulotu showed us the upside in his final college season, when he led all of FBS in sacks (13.5) and his conference in tackles for loss (22).

Baltimore Ravens: LB Trenton Simpson

Simpson got a shot at starting last year but played his way out of the lineup by the end of the year, scuffling in all areas. Baltimore made no meaningful attempt to replace him, though, allowing LB Malik Harrison to leave in free agency, signing only low-level free agent Jake Hummel, and waiting until Round 4 to draft LB Teddye Buchanan.

Perhaps one of those guys challenges Simpson for the job, or even fills in after Simpson disappoints again. But the third-year guy is getting the first shot, and teammate Roquan Smith says Simpson’s showing growth.

“Yes, I think Trenton has taken a big step mentally [and] physically,” Smith said ahead of training camp. “He’s matured a lot. I know he’s going to take that big step, and I’m excited to see him prove to himself, play in and play out, game in and game out.”

Simpson brings elite speed for the position (4.43-second 40 time, 97th percentile) at good enough size (6’2, 235). However, he converted that into merely OK production across three years at Clemson.

Consider Simpson and stash-and-watch player for 2025. And keep Buchanan -- a high-level athlete with better college production -- in mind if Simpson falters again.

Indianapolis Colts: LB Cameron McGrone

Jaylon Carlies was the assumed heir after Indy let E.J. Speed leave for a modest one-year deal as a Houston backup. But McGrone led the initial depth chart at weak-side LB, next to Zaire Franklin.

“A few other players have been rotating in with McGrone, but there does appear to be something about the young player’s game that intrigues [DC] Lou Anarumo and his defensive staff,” SI.com’s Zach Hicks wrote early in camp.

McGrone hasn’t started a game since hitting the league as a fifth-round pick in 2021, and even his college record included just one healthy, starting season, with decent production. But there’s enough speed to make him interesting, and the opportunity is clear.

Speed delivered a top-10 scoring average in the spot last year. And Bobby Okereke posted a pair of top-15 seasons before that.

Anarumo comes from Cincinnati, where he made both Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt useful to fantasy managers over the past two years.

Houston Texans: LB Christian Harris

HC DeMeco Ryans arrived in 2023, Harris’ second season, and the LB enjoyed a mini breakout over the second half. Harris jumped to full-time play in Week 10 after hovering primarily in the 60-70% range through nine weeks. His fantasy points per game more than doubled (depending on your format):

• Through Week 9: 4.2 
• Week 10 through playoffs: 8.7

That latter mark would have ranked top 10 for the season.

“The sky’s the limit for Christian,” Ryans said the following February. “Christian is one of the fastest linebackers that I’ve had a chance to work with. A very explosive, instinctive player, so I’m excited.”

Unfortunately, a calf injury basically wiped out Harris’ 2024 season. That same issue dogged him through this offseason and delayed his start to training camp. That might be enough to knock Harris down the depth chart. But his recent return to the field at least gives us a chance to see where he stands.

New York Jets: S Andre Cisco

Cisco didn’t impress the Jaguars enough through his first four seasons to land a second contract with the team that drafted him in Round 3. But he did land another starting shot with the Jets.

Cisco just posted his worst season as a pro, according to both PFF grades and Jacksonville’s actions. The Jags cut into his late-season playing time before letting him walk.

The safety showed some promise before that, though, especially in the form of 7 INTs and 15 passes defensed across his first two full starting seasons.

His Jets Era finds him working under former new HC Aaron Glenn -- a longtime NFL DB and then DC -- as well as experienced DC Steve Wilks (17 years of NFL coaching) and DBs coach Chris Harris (12 years). Cisco should also benefit from a shallow Jets depth chart, boosting his role safety.

Buffalo Bills: S Cole Bishop

Bishop closes out this section almost solely because there’s opportunity. The Bills seem to want the 2024 second-round pick to win the job next to Taylor Rapp. But his body’s not cooperating.

Bishop has missed significant camp time with a quad injury, and HC Sean McDermott has revealed some frustration.

“Cole’s the one who’s missed quite a bit of time -- again, just like last year,” he said, discussing the importance of “continuity” between Bishop and Rapp. “So it remains to be seen what he’s truly able to do and do for us. … We’re getting short on time.”

Rapp’s the better bet for playing time and fantasy production. But Bishop’s the unknown, both positively and negatively. He made plays both in coverage (3 INTs, 12 passes defensed) and coming forward (22 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks) across three years at Utah.

If Bishop can get right ahead of Week 1, there’s upside.

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Now Let’s Dig for the Deep IDP Sleepers

These are guys that most of you can comfortably ignore for 2025. But if you play in a deep league, you’ll want to at least get familiar with these names (and perhaps stash one or two).

Chicago Bears: Edge Dayo Odeyingbo

I’m starting with Odeyingbo because he sports the clearest path to opportunity among this group. The Bears signed him for $16 million a year in free agency, guaranteeing $32 million of the contract’s $48 million total. They clearly believe they’ve snagged an ascending, young pass rusher about to hit his prime.

Odeyingbo’s no lock to deliver meaningful numbers. But he is coming off a career high in pressure rate (10%) after increasing his pass-rushing chances each of the past three years.

Fantasy drafters aren’t likely to jump on a guy with just 16.5 sacks through four seasons. So you can stash him on a deep roster and see what happens.

Green Bay Packers: DE Lukas Van Ness

This guy excited me as a prospect back in 2023. He played just two seasons at Iowa -- after redshirting in 2020 -- but made them count. Van Ness earned freshman All-America honors in 2021 and then led the Hawkeyes in sacks and tackles for loss in 2022.

He backed that up with a 90th-percentile 40 time and 80th-percentile 3-cone drill, and that’s vs. the edge group (rather than DL). Van Ness also rates high-end in size there (272 pounds at nearly 6’5). 

The Packers drafted him 13th overall, but Van Ness has seen limited playing time and gone quiet statistically since (7 total sacks). So what gives?

“Matt LaFleur suggests Lukas Van Ness has been held back a bit by a desire for perfection,” LockedOn Packers’ Peter Bukowski tweeted on Aug. 5. “‘This is an imperfect game and sometimes you just gotta go.’ Said he’s doing a better job of that this year.”

Green Bay DT Kenny Clark agrees: “I think he’s finding his fastball. Playing the run well too. I’m excited about what Lukas is going to do this year.”

New England Patriots: DT Christian Barmore

Barmore has already proved himself both in performance and production. That’s why the Patriots are paying him more than $20 million a year. And the fantasy upside revealed itself in an 8.5-sack 2023 that found him ranking seventh among DTs in fantasy points per game (depending on your format).

So what happened last year? Blood clots. Serious situation, no doubt. But also not the type of issue where we need to worry about his weekly performance this year. If he’s good to go, then we should assume the 26-year-old is back near peak use and ability -- and perhaps not even yet at that peak.

Barmore’s a nice late bet to make in a league that requires you to start at least one DT.

Philadelphia Eagles: Edge Jalyx Hunt

The Eagles let last year’s sack leader, Josh Sweat, leave for a large free-agent contract in Arizona. Money played into that decision, of course, as did Edge Nolan Smith’s emergence as a regular pass-rushing force last year. But this 2024 third-round pick is also ascending.

Hunt was expected to need development time after arriving from FCS-level Houston Christian. But he worked his way into a key rotational role by the second half of his rookie year, cracking 50% snap share in three of the final nine games, including the playoffs.

Hunt’s already working ahead of veteran offseason additions Azeez Ojulari, Josh Uche, and Ogbo Okoronkwo. And here’s what LT Jordan Mailata said about going up against Hunt in practice:

DC Vic Fangio reined in that hype during the same media session, but conceded: “Jalyx to me, the last third of the season into the playoffs played a lot for us and played good. We have high expectations for them.”

Detroit Lions: DT Tyleik Williams

Let’s follow that DT with a younger option. Detroit selected Williams late in Round 1, and they’re gonna need him right away. DT Alim McNeill’s coming off a December ACL tear that’s expected to at least limit his early availability. And DT Levi Onwuzurike will miss the year after suffering his own ACL tear.

Assuming Williams does open the year as a starter, he should benefit from lining up between Edge Aidan Hutchinson and imported DT D.J. Reader (two-year, $22 million contract).

We don’t know yet, of course, what Williams offers on the stat front. He didn’t stand out statistically at Ohio State but did show flashes. Williams delivered a pressure on 18.4% of his pass rushes as a 2021 freshman in a limited role. But that rate dipped over his ensuing three years. And he finished his college career rating top-shelf in run D but career-worst in pass rushing, according to PFF grades.

Perhaps Williams winds up a limited numbers guy, which tends to be the case for dudes in the 330-pound range. But he’s at least worth watching for deeper leagues.

Minnesota Vikings: S Theo Jackson

Jackson started zero games and played just 222 total snaps over his first three years with the Vikings. But the team extended him this spring for $12.6 million over two years ahead of restricted free agency.

That plus Camryn Bynum leaving for Indianapolis clearly indicates that Minnesota wants Jackson to assume the third safety role, joining Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus.

What’s that mean on the numbers front? We’ll see. But Jackson closed out his five-year college career with a nice final stat line:

• 78 tackles (fourth on the team at Tennessee)
• 9 tackles for loss
• 1.5 sacks
• 12 passes defensed
• 1 INT, which he returned for a TD

Jackson’s playing time would come in a secondary that has produced meaningful fantasy output for Smith, Metellus, and Bynum in recent seasons.

We’ll see about his snap share as the third safety, and Jackson’s stat upside might be limited if he plays almost exclusively deep like Bynum did last year. But the situation and team commitment make him at least worth tracking.

New Orleans Saints: LB Danny Stutsman

Let’s close this out with a favorite of my pal Shane’s …

Stutsman lingered until Round 4 of the NFL Draft, but that landed him in a nice New Orleans situation. The Saints return Demario Davis and Pete Werner as the top two LBs. But Davis turned 36 in January, and Werner’s playing time declined a bit last year (82.7%) after peaking in 2023 (87.7%).

That’s two potential paths to playing time if Davis shows decline or Werner just gets overtaken. And Stutsman has reportedly already been impressing.

“I’ve been very pleased with how he’s handled himself,” LBs coach Peter Sirmon said in early August. “We’re getting him some reps, we’re getting him a lot of opportunities, so we’re trying to force feed that experience.”

Force-feeding experience sounds good. That sounds like a player coaches want to get involved as soon as possible. And that’s the only hurdle for Stutsman.

Once he gets a worthwhile role, he’ll have a chance to display the ability that produced 338 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, 7 sacks, and 8 passes defensed across his three starting seasons at Oklahoma.

At the very least, you should be trying to stash Stutsman (and his 4.52 speed) on your dynasty roster.

Miami Dolphins: *Shrug emoji*

This is the toughest defense for me to pick from ...

I opened with Mike Hilton, the supposed nickel CB. But Miami dumped him this week as part of the cutdown to the 53-man regular-season roster.

LB Tyrel Dodson could qualify, but the "expert" consensus already has him 33rd among LBs. I think that's appropriate ... and maybe even a little high.

The edge guys? There's talent. But Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are coming off serious injury recoveries -- neither for the first time in his career. Chop Robinson? I think he likely tops out as a part-time player and better for real-life purposes than fantasy.

S Ashtyn Davis? Maybe. But injury has cost him a lot of the summer. We'll see whether Miami shops for a replacement there, with multiple veteran free agents remaining and the Patriots reportedly shopping Kyle Dugger.

My guess is some Dolphins DB scores more fantasy points than expected. But I'm not ready to force any pick here just for the sake of my own silly exercise.

(Besides, I gave you an extra Bengal to get to 32 overall.)

 

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