Expert Rankings

John Norton on May 25: His production took a big leap last season and the news scheme is a great fit for Smith's skillset.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: Leonard's growing injury history is a real concern--one exacerbated by yet another surgery this offseason. But if he's healthy, Leonard also has a fantasy ceiling that no other off-ball linebacker can match. That ceiling is leading the league in tackles. Leading every linebacker in takeaways. And leading every off-ball linebacker in sacks. Will he do all that? Probably not. But the fact the possibility even exists is enough to make him the guy if you want to be the IDP manager who pops the seal on drafting defense.

John Norton on May 25: He is still on the elite first tier at LB but the nagging ankle injuries have kept him from being on a tier of his own over the last two seasons.

John Norton on May 25: Wagner goes from one great situation to one of the few in the league that might be even better. He may not get the gaudy assist totals but triple-digit solo tackles are a realistic probability.

John Norton on May 25: The potential is there for White to be the top LB again, as he was in 2020, but last year's considerable production slide has me concerned, mostly because I can't put a finger on why it happened.

John Norton on May 25: There is no weakness to his game, on the field or in the box scores.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: My top DL, yet I'm the lowest on him for overall IDP redraft. FBG scoring doesn't account for TFLs, and I'm not significantly factoring in scarcity. It's generally a league-specific condition.

John Norton on May 25: Positional designation is important in many leagues. He's on a tier of his own among defensive tackles and part of the elite tier as a defensive end.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Insane outlier coverage statistics turbocharged Brooks's production on a lousy defense that got the coordinator fired. Will Barton call plays and watch Brooks leave the field for dime sets?

John Norton on May 25: With Bobby Wagner gone, the stage, and all the production that goes with it, belong to Brooks.

John Norton on May 25: Solid and dependable DL1

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Just 84 tackles in 2021. Can't bank on double-digit sacks from a player that rushes less than a third of the time.

John Norton on May 25: Parsons has top-5 potential but I'm a little unsure about how he will fit into the scheme this year. If he is full-time at MLB, I like him even more. If he keeps lining up on the outside often, there could be some issues with week to week consistency.

John Norton on May 25: Mosley had a great 2021, finishing as the LB6 in our default scoring. He still has plenty of tread on the tires and is in a great situation to be just as productive this year.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Played shockingly well. Scheme spills opportunities to him. Got paid like he can repeat his heroics...

John Norton on May 25: I expect Quay Walker will take a bite out of Campbell's numbers.

John Norton on May 25: What he gives up in tackle numbers, he makes up for in the big play columns. I'm just not sure he can repeat last year's totals.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: Prior to last year's ACL tear, Martinez was the definition of a tackle machine. Four straight years from 2017-2020, Martinez eclipsed 140 total tackles. Three times over that span, Martinez topped 90 solos. And all four seasons, Martinez was a top-10 IDP option. He isn't much of a big-play threat, but in tackle-heavy scoring systems Martinez is going to pile up points again in 2022. The difference this year is you can get that production at a discount.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: ACL tear was early in 2021. Martinez should resume 150-tackle role as sole full-time ILB.

John Norton on May 25: Expect top-12 production if he's fully recovered from last year's knee injury.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: I'm just not one to spend an early pick on a DB. You'll never run out of them in-season.

John Norton on May 25: He's not alone on the first tier of defensive backs this year, but James is clearly at the top of it.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Situation and opportunity look similar to last year despite the change of scenery.

John Norton on May 25: There is always some risk when a player changes teams but Oluokun was LB1 last year and Jacksonville has been a goldmine for LB production in the past.

John Norton on May 25: Rising star that should produce even better in his second season as a three-down MLB.

John Norton on May 25: Another player who's value is dependent on positional designation. where he's a defensive end, Bosa is a stud. In balanced scoring leagues that call him an OLB, he's far from it.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 8: I worry his high tackle numbers won't carry over from Mike Zimmer to Ed Donatell's defense.

John Norton on May 25: A rash of recent injuries and a shift to outside linebacker dampen my expectations for Hunter

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: I like good linebackers that stay on the field.

John Norton on May 25: Not the high end IDP start he once was, but there is much to be said for great consistency.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Set a career-high tackle total on the league's worst run defense. I don't expect that to repeat in 2022.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: There was a time when Kendricks was thought to have a glass ceiling as a LB2 due to the quality of the defense and low snaps counts...

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: Fantasy managers who gambled on Jordan last year after a down 2020 were rewarded handsomely--59 total tackles and 12.5 sacks. Yet the 33-year-old is still available in many drafts as a low-end IDP DL1. That age is a concern cannot be disputed--Father Time is undefeated. But Jordan has at least 50 stops and/or 12 sacks in four of the past five seasons. For IDP managers who focus their early attention at linebacker and then circle back at the back end of the top-12 defensive linemen, Jordan is an excellent target.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Jordan's numbers rebounded nicely from 2020 to 2021, but I think he's gradually slowing down going into his age-33 season. Look for sophomore Payton Turner to earn more time at DE in 2022.

John Norton on May 25: Soon to be 33 years old but still playing at a high level.

John Norton on May 25: Another guy whose value will depend greatly on positional designation.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: For years, Poyer was the poster dude for undervalued defensive backs. But after over 100 total tackles in three of the past four years (and five picks last year when he failed to hit that mark), the secret's most assuredly out now. There are defensive backs with higher fantasy ceilings, but good luck finding another one with four straight top-12 finishes at his position. Poyer won't be the first defensive back selected in most IDP drafts, but if you're going to invest in a high-end one, he's the wisest target.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Poyer masked a drop in tackle numbers with big plays in 2021. The Bills' evolution to more disguised coverages lends Poyer to the box less frequently.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Will new defensive coordinator Ed Donatell allow Smith to Rove like Mike Zimmer did, or will Smith fit into the frequent two-high structure like Justin Simmons does?

John Norton on May 25: Last year's move to strong safety was huge for Smith in IDP terms.

John Norton on May 26: High floor but needs some guys to step up around him and keep opponents honest.

John Norton on May 25: I'm not sure what everyone else is missing here. Hubbard was the number five defensive end through week 13 last year, before he was banged up. He finished the regular season a little gimpy so the overall totals slipped but, when healthy, it's hard to find a more consistent defensive end.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: All Tank does is finish top 10 PPG in most formats year in and year out. I give little heed to the notion "injury-prone."

John Norton on May 25: Dependable and productive three-down end, coming back from from an injury.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: At 5'9" and just a hair over 200 pounds, Winfield doesn't look like a box safety. But much like his father, big hits come in small packages. Winfield's first two seasons are essentially his floor--90-ish tackles, a handful of big plays and top-20 fantasy numbers. But with Todd Bowles now the head coach in Tampa, it's not at all hard to imagine Winfield being deployed a lot more aggressively. The biggest issue with Winfield is his asking price--but the breakout potential is absolutely there.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: I like the player but the name brand ensures I won't draft him.

John Norton on Aug 6: I was high on Burns going into last year. He started strong, as expected, but fell flat on his face after week nine, totaling a combined 9-7-3 over the final eight games, including a pair of goose eggs. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: I draft for sacks at DL. I'll cobble tackles together later if I need them. Burns has a high ceiling.

John Norton on Aug 6: The team plans to use him at their "Star" position which means he will move all over the place. That could mean a lot of big plays but it also means he may not make a ton of tackles every week.

John Norton on May 25: This year's version of Logan Wilson. Going from a part time job as a rookie to the three-down centerpiece in year two. Bolton put up big numbers in the games he played full time last year.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Arizona is just the latest defense to switch from a clear high/low split to more interchangeable players. That tamps down the ceiling of each.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: I like the player but the name brand ensures I won't draft him.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Arizona let him go with no Plan B at EDGE. I think he's slowing down and will suffer without the aggressive Vance Joseph calling the defense.

John Norton on May 25: Tackle numbers need to catch up with the sack totals a little.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: I fully expected to be among the highest on McKinney. Yet here we are! The margins between ranks at DB just aren't that large.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: I think he's taking over for Cam Jordan as the force on this DL.

John Norton on May 26: Nine sacks in eleven games last year. If only he can stay healthy...

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Long won the lead LB job in Tennessee last year and returned from injury to it even after Cunningham's arrival in 2021.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: The Steelers can't possibly want their free safety leading the team in tackles again.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: It's hard to rank a guy who swings from 2 to 18 sacks year to year and then declares he wants out.

John Norton on May 25: Chicago is running a 4-3 now, so Quinn is a defensive end again.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Dolphins' lead LB blitzes frequently, is a bit better option in big-play scoring formats.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: Dugger is exactly the type of defensive back that IDP managers should target. There isn't a ranker here (as this is written) that has the third-year pro slotted outside the top-12, but he'll be available well past that. Drafters are afraid of the safety logjam in Beantown--one presumed worse after the Pats signed Jabrill Peppers. Devin McCourty admittedly isn't going anywhere. But Peppers isn't a threat to Phillips' role as a hybrid LB/S or Dugger's as the box safety. Dugger had as many tackles as Phillips last year in 150 fewer snaps. That pendulum is going to keep swinging in 2022, and the pride of Lenoir-Rhyne (Go Bears!) is going to hit triple-digits in tackles. Book it.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: I love Dugger, but there are too many mouths to feed at safety with Phillips, McCourty, and now Peppers in Foxboro.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Williams returns to a more conventional 3-4 and probably turns back into a pumpkin.

John Norton on May 25: Having everyone around him healthy will make a big difference.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: Young's potential and athleticism are unquestionable. But the cold, hard reality is that he wasn't particularly productive last year before he tore his ACL. Now, we have a player coming off a down year and a significant injury whose Week 1 status is very much in doubt. Even if you believe in Young's long-term prospects as an elite IDP option on the defensive line, paying retail to acquire his services in the short-term just isn't an investment likely to pay off.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Which Washington football team will show up in 2022? Will Young be ready to go after knee surgery?

John Norton on May 25: Love the potential but so far his career has been more expectation than production, and he's coming off a major injury.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: Thompson was already a value after leading the Cardinals with 121 tackles in 2021. Now there are reports from camp that he has been wearing the helmet communicator and making play calls. Thompson is exactly the sort of target IDP managers should look for in the secondary--top-five upside with a DB2 price tag.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Arizona is just the latest defense to switch from a clear high/low split to more interchangeable players. That tamps down the ceiling of each.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: Owusu-Koramoah was nothing to write home about as rookie, but IDP managers need to look past those pedestrian stats in an injury-marred season. They need to look at the athleticism, range and versatility he displayed at Notre Dame. Look at how those talents fit in a Browns defense that plays in subpackages pretty much all the time. And look to the future. Owusu-Koramoah is being drafted a lot closer to his IDP floor than his ceiling.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: The rookie's play and utilization by the team was strong. Expect JOK to be the Browns' only full-time LB.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Kareem Jackson doesn't have much left in the tank. Simmons will have to play deep more in 2022.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Abram would be higher in my ranks if I didn't fear he'd lose snaps under coordinator Patrick Graham like Jabrill Peppers did in New York.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Panthers' only full-time LB.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: If you believe that Perryman's 102 solos and top-12 fantasy numbers last year were a fluke and he's the guy who couldn't stay healthy and fell out of favor with the Chargers, fade him. You won't be alone. But if you even halfway think he can duplicate last year and 2021 was a 'lightbulb' season, then all those people fading him present you an opportunity for value. To date there's been nothing said or written that would indicate Perryman's role is in jeopardy, despite the addition of Jayon Brown. In fact, he's being talked up as a defensive leader in Las Vegas. There's top-10 upside here with a price-tag outside the top-25 as often as not.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 16: Has always been a stat-monster on a per-snap basis. Played almost full-time for a coordinator he knows in a pinch as a late roster addition in Vegas in 2021. Even that coordinator (Gus Bradley) deployed him part-time for 4 years prior to 2021 (as a Charger). I expect him to revert to part-time in 2022.

John Norton on May 25: The move to Las Vegas kickstarted Perryman's career. He was one of five linebackers to reach triple-digits in solo tackles and had 152 combined tackles and assists. Hard to argue with that kind of production.

John Norton on May 26: Stepped up big in his third year but I need to see him do it twice before I become a believer.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Everyone's sure Dean will overtake Edwards or White to start. Meanwhile, I'll rank the players that just got paid. The juicy top-10 tackle efficiencies Eagles' LBs put up last year make them quite attractive.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: Hutchinson is pretty easily the top rookie defensive linemen of 2022--he's about as technically proficient as you can ask a pass-rusher to be entering the pros. If there's a rub, it's lack of ceiling. He's not Myles Garrett, and probably won't ever be. Best case, he's Joey Bosa and a mid-range DL1. But his floor will probably keep him inside the top-20, and especially in dynasties there's value to be had in that.

John Norton on May 26: High upside but most pass rushers take a year or two to really get going.

John Norton on May 26: If they put him back at tackle and leave him there, I'll move him up several slots. He's simply not an edge defender.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Jones will either reprise his role as a low-end fantasy LB1 or find himself off the team before the season starts. This drafter will always be content to lock in 10 points per game rather than gamble for 12.

John Norton on May 26: Would like to see better tackle totals from him.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Big Q's playing time and interchangeability with Sheldon Rankins were such disappointments in 2021.

John Norton on May 26: Could get a boost from an improved supporting cast.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: One of the few bright spots in Houston in 2021 just needs to play more to be a solid fantasy option.

John Norton on May 26: Many don't realize that Greenard was a top-10 DE before the foot injury last year.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Paid to return as Texans' defensive signal-caller...

John Norton on May 25: Excellent tackle production spells good week-to-week consistency. Could use a few more sacks though.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: The second LB in defensive coordinator Joe Barry's Washington defenses played 50-90% of snaps per game. Walker might be a match-up dependent LB3 late in the season and force his way into injury-depleted fantasy line-ups.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: Rousseau's sack numbers weren't great as a rookie, but it's not news for a first-year pass-rusher to take a while to acclimate to the NFL. What Rousseau did do is log 50 stops (and 42 solos) despite playing just 49 percent of the Bills' snaps in 2021. A bump in snaps is coming after Mario Addison and Jerry Hughes left Buffalo in the offseason. If Rousseau can come close to that per-snap tackle production and goose his sack numbers a bit, then a breakout is coming.

John Norton on May 25: I envision a breakout in his second season

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Inexperienced, high-upside rookie looked like he'd been playing football all his life last year. New teammates Ngakoue and Gilmore should help Paye finish. Boom/bust pick, perhaps.

John Norton on May 26: Simply not impressed so far.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Looks like the lead LB in LA...

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Swing for the fences when drafting DBs. Don't settle for players that will get you 8 points when 6-pointers are free on the waiver wire every week.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: For most of the pre-draft process, Dean was the No. 1 off-ball linebacker prospect. But then he fell to the third round of the 2022 draft, and now he's undersized and brittle. The size narrative busts pretty easily--Kyzir White (who the Eagles brought in in free agency) weighs about 15 pounds less than Dean. Player and team have both said he's 100 percent healthy, and Dean has been a full participant in workouts, where he's worked at both WILL and MIKE. He'll be starting in one of those spots by Week 1, because he's just more talented than White or T.J. Edwards. Get the discount while you can.

John Norton on Aug 6: I see top-25 potential but I'm not confident enough to rank him that high. At least not until I'm sure he will be at strong safety.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Whitehead will play alongside a 5'-8" 185-lb. safety and behind a LB with a career 16.4% missed-tackle rate.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 16: Didn't play even 3/4 of snaps for Tennessee in a game in 2021.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: All this guy does is collect 9 sacks every year.

John Norton on May 26: If he can stay healthy, Clowney is capable of 50 combined tackles and 9-10 sacks, but there is risk.

John Norton on May 25: So much depends on his positional designation. Reddick is among the top-5 as a defensive end. If listed as a linebacker, his value plummets.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Looks set to assume Wagner's vacated MLB role. 42 tackles on 276 snaps in 5 career starts.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: I think Dean Pees brought Evans in to play. Almost certainly no more than 85%, but this is a defense that could once again struggle to get off the field in 2022.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: Grugier-Hill quietly tallied a team-leading 108 total tackles last year and posted top-20 IDP numbers in most scoring systems in terms of points per game. After being re-upped by Houston in the offseason, he's got LB3 upside that will be available late in many drafts. Stats matter more than names.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Looks locked in as Broncos' lead LB.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: League leader in blitzes among DBs in 2021. Slowly put Eric Rowe behind him on the depth chart. Dolphins show a clear high/low split between Holland and Jones that often lends Jones to the box.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Not a big factor in run defense but always a threat for a QB sack. Solid DL2 platoon mate on a fantasy squad.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Locked into a starting role alongside Eddie Jackson and should be the preferred box safety in Chicago.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Best missed-tackle rate among rookie LBs in 2021. I think he starts and plays full-time while Perryman goes back to being a two-down thumper.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Ronnie Harrison is back in Cleveland as the sub-package safety only. It's Delpit's time to shine.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Everyone's sure Dean will overtake Edwards or White to start. Meanwhile, I'll rank the players that just got paid. The juicy top-10 tackle efficiencies Eagles' LBs put up last year make them quite attractive.

Gary Davenport on Jul 29: Is Alex Singleton an especially good NFL linebacker? Nope. If he was he wouldn't have fallen out of favor in Philadelphia. But what he WAS with the Eagles was a stat-padding machine--Singleton was a top-15 IDP option in 2021 in just 720 snaps, and well within the top-10 when he was, you know, playing. Is it guaranteed that Singleton will beat out Josey Jewell or Jonas Griffith to earn a starting gig? Maybe not. But Jewell and Griffith aren't worldbeaters, and given what Singleton has shown he can do when the snaps are there he's exactly the kind of dart IDP managers should throw late.

John Norton on May 27: Injury aside, Lawson is an excellent pass rusher but comes up light in run support and tackle production.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Underdeveloped prospect out of Florida State who gets better every year. Big talent infusion on defense should help him get home in 2022.

John Norton on May 25: The ability is there. He just needs a role to match it.

John Norton on May 27: 34 years old and coming off a major injury. I need to see him play before moving Graham up to more than a DL3.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 16: Did KC draft Chenal because they're worried about Gay?

John Norton on May 25: The Lions added Hutchinson at the top of the first, Paschal at the top of the third, and they have Romeo Okwara coming back from injury. It could be a crowded room.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: It's rare that a rookie pass rusher lands in such a good situation and opportunity.

John Norton on May 25: High upside rookie in an aggressive scheme that will let him get after the passer.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 4: Tartt's late arrival in Philly will throw some of his scent, but the Eagles have needed a safety to play alongside Harris, a more accomplished deep man, for over a year now.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 5: This moderately priced UFA has landed in a featured role and will get snaps at DE in hybrid fronts. Tackles and a few sacks should ensue.

Tripp Brebner III on Jul 16: Looks to be the part-time MIKE in Charlotte replacing Jermaine Carter.

John Norton on May 27: Now that he's fully recovered from the injury he suffered in his final year of college, we will see if the Colts got the deal they believed the got when he slid. The aggressive, 1-gap scheme is a big plus.