Welcome back to IDP Bets!

For this season, the IDP Bets show will now become the IDP Bets article series. We’ll still have some occasional podcast episodes, such as our Season-Long IDP Bets Episode, which we published before the season started, with special guest @AdamIDP (Adam Marcum from The IDP Show).

We’ll also be putting on our usual end-of-the-season “Super Bowl Degenerate Round Table Podcast,” as is tradition. However, the normal week-to-week podcast episodes will now be in article format this season, as that gives us more flexibility to edit published content after it’s out but before kickoff if a price changes significantly or an injury derails a bet, etc.

Transparency

This section of the article will include both season-long and last week’s transparency regarding how the bets themselves ended up. We’ll include wins, losses, and any voided bets due to injury or other factors. Including these stats and being transparent about how these bets are going will help you decide whether to follow this advice.

Overall Thought Process & Notes:

When it comes to your bets for the new NFL season, friend of the show and well-known degenerate Scott Bogman (@Bogmansports on Twitter) said it best: “Your bets should be like a tree each season. You start skinny (fewer bets initially), and as you learn more about each team, their tendencies and patterns, your bets become fuller and fuller (you’re more comfortable making more of them each week), and it eventually ends up looking like a tree from the ground up.”

With that being said, we’ll eventually be including up to 5 bets each week as we learn more about each team and player this season. We’ll start small, but by the time the Super Bowl comes around, we’ll know exactly what we’re looking for and have had multiple months of real statistics and patterns we’ve observed that will help us make those bets and feel confident in them.

From my point of view, the bets themselves are far less important than the thought process behind them. I’ll explain in detail why each bet was selected and the supporting metrics and statistics that gave me confidence in those bets in the first place. Teaching a man to fish is always preferable to just handing him a fish.

These lines are taken from the Underdog platform for Week 1. We’ve seen that these same lines (or very close to them) will usually be available the morning of each game on more well-known betting sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings.

We’ll also have the “tackles allowed by position” charts available starting in Week 2. Those are also extremely helpful in identifying ideal bets for us to take advantage of.

Week 1 IDP Bets:

Read more

Happy New Year, and welcome to a new semester of DL Streaming 101 for the 2026 NFL season!

In future weeks, I’ll break down how things went for the week and season at the start of each article. Here is a quick refresher of how and why I do what I do for anyone new to the series (welcome!):

1. My ratings are based on a combination of player metrics and ratings as well as opponent ratings (described here).

2. This is my fifth year breaking down DTs and my third year focusing on DEs. I pride myself on transparency and, to be transparent, my DT calls tend to outperform my DE calls, but I have made some tweaks this offseason to try to improve the latter.

3. Each week, I’ll select 20-40 streaming options at DT or DE from the list of players rostered in less than 20% of IDP leagues. Roughly half of these options will be rostered in less than 10% of IDP leagues to help those of you in larger formats and/or leagues that use true five-position IDP. These will always be after most waivers have been run so they are true streamers!

4. I will continue to use ratings (and sort within groups) as I have done in the past:

   1. Ideal players are those whom I would start in virtually any format. (🎓🎓🎓🎓)

   2. Solid players are guys I would be comfortable playing in leagues with 16-24 starters at the position. (🎓🎓🎓)

   3. Solid (deeper) players are better plays for your leagues with best-ball elements or where there are 28+ starters at each position. (🎓🎓)

   4. Dart-throw players have significant red flags (usually due to usage) but also have increased potential to boom due to pass-rush ability and/or advantageous matchups. (🎓)

Week 1 will be our shortest list of the season due to our reliance on past data, but we still provide 20 names (with underlying metrics) below. Before getting you to the list, I want to highlight a few players that I will be starting this week for closer examination.

Featured DL Streamers

DT Vita Vea, TB (🎓🎓🎓)

Despite many people thinking of Vea as a pure space filler due to nose tackle stereotypes, the Buccaneers made Vea the sixth-highest-paid DT in the NFL this offseason (tied with Alim McNeil, whom I have already written far too much about over the years). Vea boasted a 77 pass rush grade in 2026 per PFF (9th best among qualified DTs) and routinely played over 70% of snaps. Vea is widely available because these grades have not always translated to production, but there is reason for optimism in 2026 (starting in Week 1).

For the season, a deeper look at Vea’s four sacks in 2025 (22nd most among DTs) reveals an unsustainably low pressure-to-sack ratio as he got near the QB on 51 occasions (7th most among DTs). For reference, Seattle’s Byron Murphy graded slightly lower (76.6 pass rush) had one fewer pressure (50) but more than double the sack output (9).

While this speaks toward positive season-long regression, the Week 1 matchup looks like a good place to start this improvement as the Buccaneers take on my beloved Bengals, who have struggled against nose tackles such as Travis Jones (17 fantasy points allowed in Week 13, 14.5 in Week 15) and were the 7th-best matchup for opposing DT from Weeks 13-17. Given the Bengals did not address the offensive line this offseason (other than to bring in Dexter Lawrence to practice against), this could be a solid opportunity for Vea to begin his 2026 campaign.

DT T’Vondre Sweat, NYJ (🎓🎓🎓)

Another very large DL (a full 20 lbs heavier than Vea) primed for big things in 2026 (and Week 1) is the new New York Jet T’Vondre Sweat. Sweat was acquired from the Titans this offseason for ED Jermaine Johnson. The metrics for Sweat are similar to those for Vea in the story above. Sweat posted a 74.1 pass rush grade and a 9:1 pressure-to-sack ratio. The biggest difference is that Sweat played roughly half as many snaps after missing 5+ games with injury, resulting in only 18 total pressures and 2 sacks.

Despite this limited number of snaps, Sweat is an example of why I don’t model pass rush ability alone but also use run defense as a secondary criterion. Sweat ranked 99th in snaps among DTs, but his 79.2 run defense grade was good for 4th overall, and his 34 combined tackles ranked 53rd. Sweat has a Week 1 revenge game against the Titans in what looks to be among the most competitive games on paper that the Jets are likely to have this season (Titans -1.5 as of this writing), making him a nice floor play with more sack upside than he will likely see in the near future.

DE Jacob Martin, TEN (🎓🎓)

Moving to the other side of this matchup, the final player I highlight this week is also a new addition to his team. Jacob (Jake on some platforms) Martin was the less splashy addition to the Titans' defensive line this offseason, a free-agent acquisition from the Commanders. Martin’s grades are good, not great, but two factors make him a viable Week 1 streaming play.

First, the Titans have two young edge rushers waiting in the wings: 2026 first-round pick Keldric Faulk and 2025 second-round pick Oluwafemi Oladejo. This bodes poorly for Martin’s playing time as the season progresses, as he is playing on a 2-year, 9 million dollar contract. For Week 1, he is likely to play some of his highest snap counts given his seniority and familiarity with new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s system, as the two overlapped in Indianapolis. The second reason for Week 1 optimism is the opposing New York Jets. While the Jets have a strong tandem of offensive tackles, they gave up DE points in bunches to some pedestrian rooms in 2026, including 32.6 fantasy points to DE in Week 16 (NO), 44.15 in Week 12 (BUF), and 68.4 in Week 5 (DAL). Martin is a high-risk play, but given he is rostered in less than 5% of IDP leagues (and is dual-desi on Sleeper), he is viable and available.

Full Week 1 DL Streamer List

Good luck, and if you have any questions about deep DL plays, my office is always open by replying to this article or reaching out on Twitter (@ProfessorIDP).

Be sure to subscribe to The IDP Show on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.

You can follow us on all our social media channels, including Twitter and Instagram.

Welcome back to the Cornerback Corner! From Week 2 onwards, you’ll see the “transparency” section of the article here. We’ll be tracking last week’s results by how many players matched or surpassed their projections (were correct, Yahoo/MFL) and how many did not (were wrong). We’ll also be tracking season-long transparency in this section of the article.

Please see any of last season’s Cornerback Corner articles for examples of what this will look like going forward.

• Please see THIS if you need a primer on cornerback streaming or what’s being discussed in this article (for new readers, a 20-minute audio podcast primer).

• Alignment & utilization metrics will be available starting in Week 2.

• The Week 1 edition of this article will utilize last season’s metrics and data, along with a healthy dose of “this is what should happen” and a bit of guesswork, as we’ll have no data from this season to work with as of yet.

• From Week 2 onwards, we’ll have our normal metrics and data to help inform our decisions. Personally, I’m leaning on players I KNOW will start and should play every snap for Week 1, and we can start using “smoke and mirrors” in Week 2 after we’ve seen some real data.

• The Week 1 article will be longer as I explain some of the thought process for new readers; we’ll be back to our usual 5-7,000 words starting in Week 2. And seriously, listen to the audio primer if this all reads like hieroglyphics.

• Last season, these teams used 11 personnel (3 WR sets) the least week to week (go from the bottom up on this list). Your opposing slot corners (Marcus Jones, JaQuan McMillian, Andru Phillips, etc) will likely see a significant reduction in playing time against these teams. Thank you to sumersports.com for the information.

Patriots at Seahawks

Outlook: The Wednesday night game kicking off the 2026/27 season is a Super Bowl rematch. We’ve got an early total of 44.5 points with Seattle favored by a field goal at home. We always like to see a small spread and a higher total (that’s Vegas telling us to expect a shootout and a back-and-forth affair), so we’re off to a good start here.

Seattle was the 9th overall passing offense (YPG) last season, while New England was 4th overall for this ranking. Both teams were among the middle of the pack for average wide receiver targets per game last season. Both teams were within the worst third of the league for 11 personnel usage last season (3 wide receiver sets), so Marcus Jones and whoever ends up playing nickel for Seattle may see fewer snaps than usual.

Beyond that hiccup, we’ve got a nice setup here for Devon Witherspoon, Christian Gonzalez, and the “known and relied upon” cornerback options on these two teams. I’m comfortable starting both teams’ corners in medium to deeper leagues in Week 1.

New England Patriots

Carlton Davis (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside cornerback slot role, and Davis has and should play close to every snap (barring injury or blowout rest).

Christian Gonzalez (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This was also an outside cornerback slot last season, and Gonzalez should play every snap barring injury or blowout rest.

Marcus Jones (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only. With Seattle playing the 29th most 11 personnel last season, Jones could see a reduction in snaps in Week 1 (we saw a very noticeable trend last year where opposing nickel corners were seeing much less playing time against teams that didn’t utilize much 11 personnel). This could be offset a bit if your league has return yards enabled and Jones keeps that additional role and value this season.

Check the note above that references 11 personnel to keep an eye on which teams are utilizing 11 personnel and which teams are not. Your opposing nickel corners will likely see a significant reduction in snaps if they’re going up against a team that does not utilize 11 personnel (3 wide receiver sets) much each week.

Seattle Seahawks

Devon Witherspoon (CB): IDEAL. Witherspoon has been able to thrive and remain productive even with fewer box/slot snaps since Emmanwori joined this defense last season. He’ll very likely be responsible for AJ Brown for a good amount of this game, and that should keep him very busy and guarantee some nice production in Week 1. This is an outside cornerback slot if last season’s trends hold.

Josh Jobe (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only; could be risky. This is very likely Josh Jobe’s role and responsibility, but we haven’t actually seen it yet (Tariq Woolen, Jobe, and others filled in this slot last season), and until we do, I won’t call it anything other than a decent start in deeper leagues. This is an outside corner slot.

Nick Emmanwori (S/CB): IDEAL. If your league of record has somehow designated Emmanwori as a cornerback, he becomes an automatic start/set and forget every week this season. He was among the most productive defensive backs in the league last year, and his utilization was almost perfect (he had tons of box/slot snaps). He’ll likely be designated as a safety in your league of record, though, unfortunately.

49ers at Rams

Outlook: We’ve got a massive 48.5-point early total for this NFC West showdown down under in Australia. Los Angeles is favored by a field goal at this neutral site. Once again, that looks good. Close games with a high implied total are what we want for the maximum amount of “plays run” by each offense (more plays offensively equals more defensive snaps for our opposing corners to produce from).

San Francisco was the 5th-best passing offense (YPG) last season, while Los Angeles was the best overall (1st) passing attack in the league last year. Los Angeles had the 4th most wide receiver targets last season, while San Francisco was within the worst third of the league for this ranking.

This is a picture-perfect matchup for our San Francisco corners, but it will be “medium to deeper leagues” for our Los Angeles corners in Week 1 based on this particular setup.

San Francisco 49ers

Deommodore Lenoir (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside corner slot, and Lenoir should play every snap barring injury or blowout rest.

Renardo Green (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside corner slot, and Green should play every snap barring injury or blowout rest.

Upton Stout (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes, could be IDEAL if his utilization is as good as many of us think it will be. But we haven’t seen that yet, so we’re playing it safe for Week 1. Stout will likely be the nickel and should have excellent utilization (lots of box/slot snaps). He should play around 60-80% of snaps.

Los Angeles Rams

Jaylen Watson (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This should be an outside cornerback slot, and Watson should play every snap barring injury or blowout rest.

Trent McDuffie (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside cornerback slot. McDuffie is talented enough to overcome some of these negative factors (49ers wide receiver targets ranking) and will play every snap barring injury or blowout rest.

Quentin Lake (S/CB): IDEAL, risky. If Lake has similar deployment and playing time to what we saw last season, he should be in for a huge day. We won’t know until we see it, though, and he’ll likely be a safety in your league of record. He should have plenty of box/slot snaps, but we won’t know for sure until Week 2. Lake played the majority of snaps in every game he participated in last season and was incredibly productive in 2025/26.

Bears at Panthers

Outlook: The early total for this battle in Carolina (Spent 150,000 on a football team, wait a minute, that’s not enough to buy a team, spent 150,000 on a tricked-out Porsche, wait Minnesota it snows too much) sits at 47.5 points with Chicago favored by a field goal on the road.

Chicago was a top-10 passing offense last season, while Carolina was in the bottom third of the league for this ranking. Chicago was in the top third of the league for wide receiver targets last season, while Carolina was in the middle of the pack.

This is a nice setup for our Carolina corners up against this stellar Ben Johnson offense, but it will be “deeper leagues only” for our Chicago corners against this “run first” Carolina offense that struggled to feed their wide receivers beyond McMillan last year.

Chicago Bears

Tyrique Stevenson (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside cornerback slot. Stevenson should play every snap barring injury or blowout rest, and we’ve seen him be productive before (plus he’ll probably be responsible for McMillan for a good portion of this game).

Jaylon Johnson (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only. This is an outside cornerback slot, and Johnson should play every snap barring injury or blowout rest.

Cam Lewis (S/CB): SIT. Between the bad matchup and us not having seen Lewis’ role yet for Chicago, this has risk written all over it. I’d just skip it unless you’re in a very deep league with fewer options overall.

Carolina Panthers

Jaycee Horn (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside cornerback slot. Horn should play every snap barring injury or blowout rest.

Mike Jackson (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside cornerback slot. Jackson should play every snap (just assume I’m adding “barring injury or blowout rest” going forward here). Jackson was extremely productive last season.

Chau Smith-Wade (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only. Smith-Wade should be the nickel, but his playing time and production have historically been poor. We need to see it before we believe it.

Bucs at Bengals

Outlook: The early total for this battle of pass-happy offenses sits at a massive 50.5 points with Cincy favored by a field goal at home. Cincy was a top-ten passing offense last season while Tampa Bay was in the middle of the pack (YPG).

Both teams were within the top-ten for wide receiver targets per game last year, and neither defense is the reincarnation of the 85’ Bears. This is a spectacular matchup for either cornerback corps. And for our Tampa Bay corners in particular, let’s take advantage of getting to go up against Joe Burrow and this excellent passing attack while he’s still healthy, since we all know that ship will sail.

This is an ideal matchup across the board (checks all the boxes we’re looking for) and one of my favorite games to stream corner from in Week 1.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Zyon McCollum (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside cornerback slot, and McCollum should play every snap.

Jacob Parrish (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. Parrish is listed as an outside corner in offseason depth charts, but we’ll see where he actually ends up as we head into Week 2. He should play every snap.

Keionte Scott (CB): SIT. Scott is listed as the nickel in a couple of depth charts, but we won’t know that for sure until we see it. I’d just skip it unless you’re desperate and in a much deeper league. Parrish and McCollum are far safer overall.

Cincinnati Bengals

Dax Hill (S/CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes, borderline IDEAL. Hill had excellent utilization last season and played every snap in most of the games he played. He is listed as an outside cornerback for this season, but we won’t know that for sure until Week 2.

DJ Turner (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside cornerback slot, and Turner should play every snap.

Jalen Davis (CB): SIT. Davis is listed as the nickel in offseason depth charts, but those are notoriously unreliable. Personally, I would skip this unless in a much deeper league.

We’ll know for Week 2. I don’t recommend guys without some background knowledge to confirm their role and playing time; none exists for Davis with the Bengals (he only played in parts of 2 games last year).

In Week 1 in particular, we have zero byes and all of our cornerback options available. If there’s a situation like Jalen Davis, Keionte Scott, or Cam Lewis, where it’s a newer/less experienced player on a new team, I’ll likely recommend you sit them in Week 1. If it’s a “known quantity” like Trent McDuffie, that’s a different story. We know he’s starting and will play every snap barring injury or blowout rest.

These “other guys,” I won’t be recommending until we see their actual role and playing time; I won’t be responsible for you getting a zero because I felt like shooting from the hip. We’ll know more heading into Week 2 and will be able to make informed start/sit calls on these “iffy” corners.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen offseason depth charts get it wrong heading into Week 1, and we start a corner who doesn’t end up actually playing or plays a different role (wide corner instead of nickel, etc) or has far less playing time than we thought he would.

There will be plenty of time to screw around and use “smoke and mirrors” this season, but Week 1 is not the time to play those games.

Saints at Lions

Outlook: The early total for this battle in Motor City sits at 49.5 with Detroit favored by a touchdown at home. The Lions were the 3rd-best passing offense in yards per game last season, while New Orleans was in the middle of the pack for this ranking last year.

Both teams were within the top ten for wide receiver targets per game last season. We can fire up our New Orleans corners in leagues of all sizes against one of the best overall offenses in the league, which is playing indoors (indoor games average more yards and points per game than outdoor games over the last 12 consecutive seasons) and at home.

And for our Detroit corners, we can fire them up in medium-to-deeper leagues against a solid New Orleans passing attack, but one that will be missing Jordyn Tyson to start the season and may need to rely more on their run game and tight-end targets than usual.

New Orleans Saints

Kool-Aid McKinstry (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside cornerback slot. McKinstry was a top-ten finisher in cornerback production in many leagues last season and should be plenty busy with St. Brown and Williams out there causing havoc in Week 1. He should play every snap.

Quincy Riley (CB): SIT. Not only is Riley questionable to even play in Week 1, but he also has Martin Emerson directly behind him on the depth chart, and Emerson has been a starter before (this feels iffy all around). I don’t work for the Saints, so I doubt they’ll let me know their defensive plans for Week 1, and I’d rather just see how this slot plays out before making any calls on it either way.

Jonas Sanker (S/CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is listed as the nickelback slot in offseason depth charts, but Sanker will likely be designated a safety in your league of merit. If he is a corner, fire away; his utilization should be very nice, and there’s a chance he ends up playing safety while designated a corner, which is always a cheat code for us (safety is generally more consistent and productive week to week than corner).

Detroit Lions

DJ Reed (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside corner slot. Reed has been very productive for us in the past and will probably be part of the “slow down Olave” plan in Week 1. He should play every snap.

Keith Abney (CB): SIT. Same reasoning as Riley above. We haven’t seen it yet; offseason depth charts are notoriously inaccurate, and it could just as easily be someone else.

Roger McCreary (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues, risky. McCreary has been a starter before, and a very productive one at that, but this is a new team for him, and we haven’t seen this setup before, so buyer beware. This should be the nickel slot.

Bills at Texans

Outlook: The early total for this battle in Houston is 44.5, with Buffalo favored by 1.5 points. Both teams were in the middle of the pack for passing yards per game last season. Houston was a top-ten team for wide receiver targets last season, while Buffalo ranked in the bottom third of the league in this category but addressed the issue in the offseason with the acquisition of DJ Moore.

We can fire up our Houston corners in medium-to-deeper leagues and hope to see a bunch of DJ Moore and Khalil Shakir targets. And as for our Buffalo corners, this is a pretty good matchup for them on paper, but the loss of Jayden Higgins to injury may cause us to temper expectations heading into Week 1.

Buffalo Bills

Christian Benford (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside corner slot, and Benford should play every snap. Benford was also very consistent last season and finished around Patrick Surtain in terms of overall production.

Maxwell Hairston (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside corner slot, and Hairston should play every snap.

Dee Alford (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes, RISKY. Alford (“Sweet Dee”) was excellent for us last season, but that was in Atlanta. New team, new role. He is listed as the nickel corner; Houston did play a ton of 11-personnel last season, and we’ve seen him excel in this role before. That’s all great, but we haven’t seen it yet in Buffalo, so buyer beware on this one.

Houston Texans

Kamari Lassiter (CB): IDEAL. This is an outside corner slot, and Lassiter should play every snap. Lassiter was the overall cornerback one in many formats last season and had an incredible year of production.

Derek Stingley (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside corner slot, and Stingley should play every snap.

Jalen Pitre (S/CB): IDEAL. This is a nickel corner slot, and if we get similar utilization this season, we’re in for another monster year of production. The only hiccup is he might be a safety in your league of merit; everything else looks excellent.

Ravens at Colts

Outlook: The early total for this battle in Indy is 47.5 points, with Baltimore favored by a field goal on the road. Indianapolis was a top-ten team in passing yards per game last season, while Baltimore ranked in the bottom third of the league in this category.

Indy was in the middle of the pack for wide receiver targets last season, while Baltimore was dead last in this category. We can fire up the Glizzy Gobbler and friends in our medium to deeper leagues, but it will be “deeper leagues only or sit” for our Colts corners in Week 1.

Baltimore Ravens

Marlon “Glizzy Gobbler” Humphrey (CB): IDEAL. This is an outside corner slot, and Humphrey will play every snap. Humphrey finished as the 12th-overall corner in production across many league formats last season. However, from weeks 9 through 18 last season, he smashed his projections and finished the season on a 9-game streak of incredible production. This incredible run of production began with him tweeting, “Should I do a glizzy taste test tour around the country one day? 50 states, 50 glizzies”. Since that point, he’s been the “Glizzy Gobbler,” and his insane run to finish out last season helped many people, myself included, secure fantasy titles in their leagues.

Nate Wiggins (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside corner slot, and Wiggins should play every snap.

Kyle Hamilton/Unknown (S/CB): IDEAL. The nickel slot currently lists Hamilton as the starter. That doesn’t help us at all. He’s a safety everywhere and unusable for our purposes. We’ll see how this actually shakes out and will have the real information ready for Week 2. Obviously, START Hamilton everywhere; he’s incredible.

Indianapolis Colts

Sauce Gardner (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only (matchup). This is an outside corner slot, and Gardner will play every snap.

Charvarius Ward (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only. This is an outside corner slot, and Ward should play every snap.

Justin Walley (CB): SIT. Not only does the matchup stink, but we’ve never seen this guy before, so we don’t know his actual role, utilization, or playing time. We’ll readjust in Week 2 after we’ve seen some real information.

Browns at Jaguars

Outlook: The early total for this likely defensive struggle is just 40.5 points, with Jacksonville favored by a touchdown on the road. Jacksonville was in the top-third of the league for passing yards per game last season, while Cleveland was the second-worst team across the league for this ranking.

Jacksonville was also a top-ten team for wide receiver targets per game last year, while Cleveland was, once again, second-worst across the league for this ranking in 2025/26. We can fire up our Cleveland corners in an ideal matchup, but for our Jacksonville corners, it will be “deeper leagues only” or, even better, just skip it/sit.

Cleveland Browns

Denzel Ward (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside corner slot, and Ward should play every snap.

Tyson Campbell (CB): IDEAL. This is an outside corner slot, and Campbell should play every snap. He finished as the cornerback four overall in many formats last season. The matchup is correct, we know he’ll play a ton, and he’s shown us incredible production in recent history; that’s the recipe for an IDEAL corner in Week 1.

Utilization metrics are the last piece of that “IDEAL” puzzle, and we’ll have that information from Week 2 onwards.

Myles Harden (CB): SOLID, medium to deep leagues, risky. Harden was the nickel last season as well but didn’t play much or produce much. The matchup is correct, but there are probably better options to choose from.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Travis Hunter (WR/CB): IDEAL. This is an outside corner slot, and (according to offseason reporting) Hunter should play a ton more at corner this season. His value comes from the offensive snaps he’ll also be seeing. If we get a handful of combined tackles but also add 3 or 4 catches for 20-40 yards each week, that’s an incredible floor to work with and the opportunity for some massive weeks if/when he scores a touchdown.

Montaric Brown (CB): SIT. This is an outside corner slot, and Brown should play every snap, but the matchup stinks, and he wasn’t super-productive last season. There are better options elsewhere.

Jourdan Lewis (CB): SOLID, much deeper leagues only. He played a similar nickel role last season and saw excellent utilization. The matchup stinks, though, so I wouldn’t do it unless in a much deeper league.

Falcons at Steelers

Outlook: The early total for this battle in the Steel City is 41.5 points, with Pittsburgh favored by a field goal at home. Both teams were in the middle of the pack for passing yards per game last season. Atlanta was in the middle of the pack for wide receiver targets last season, while Pittsburgh was the 3rd-worst team in the league for this ranking.

Pittsburgh addressed this issue in the offseason with the acquisition of Michael Pittman, but until we actually see an increase in wide receiver targets each week, we can’t take that as gospel.

In general, we can fire up both sets of corners in deeper leagues only. We discussed Pittsburgh’s horrendous wide receiver target tendencies; that’s the reasoning for our Atlanta corners. And Tua is now under center for Atlanta; he stinks to high heaven and is one good hit away from the retirement home since he refuses to wear the Guardian Cap, which caps the Steelers corners’ value in this matchup.

Atlanta Falcons

AJ Terrell (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only; this is an outside corner slot. Terrell should play every snap.

Mike Hughes (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only; this is an outside corner slot. Hughes should play every snap.

Billy Bowman (CB): SIT. Pittsburgh played the 2nd-fewest 11-personnel last season; Bowman is questionable to play in the first place, and this was “Sweet Dee” Alford’s slot last season (we don’t know if Bowman will have exactly the same role). We’ll readjust in Week 2.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Joey Porter Jr (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only. This is an outside corner slot. Porter Jr should play every snap. UPDATE: The Steelers unofficial depth chart now lists Porter Jr OR Asante Samuel Jr for this slot. SIT them both and we'll readjust in Week 2.

Jamel Dean (CB): SOLID, much deeper leagues only, risky. Dean came over from Tampa Bay, so we haven’t seen it yet. This should be an outside corner slot, and he should play every snap; that’s not set in stone until we see it, though.

Jalen Ramsey (S/CB): IDEAL. He had fantastic usage last season, has always been extremely productive, and his playing time has never fluctuated as much as that of other “nickel corners”. He may be designated as a safety in your league of merit. He should play every snap.

Jets at Titans

Outlook: The early total for this dumpster-fire likely defensive struggle sits at 39.5 points, with Tennessee favored by a field goal at home. If we actually get to 40 points in this one, I’ll be as shocked as I would be if I had digested Taco Bell successfully.

Both teams were in the “worst 3 teams” across the league for passing yards per game last season. Tennessee was in the middle of the pack for wide receiver targets last season, but Cam Ward only averaged 19 completions per game last year, with many of those completions to the tight end or running back position.

And New York was in the worst third of the league for wide receiver targets last year. I’m skipping this one myself, but we may have some decent “warm bodies” for much deeper leagues if needed.

New York Jets

Nahshon Wright (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only. This is an outside corner slot, and Wright should play every snap. He managed to parlay a fantastic season in Chicago into a new contract and a starting role in New York, but the matchup is hot garbage, and he’s questionable to even play in the first place. Buyer beware.

Brandon Stephens (CB): SIT. This is an outside corner slot, and he should play every snap. The matchup stinks though, so I’m not recommending it.

Jarvis Brownlee (CB): SIT. Brownlee came over from Tennessee, so we haven’t seen exactly what his role will be yet. Beyond that, the matchup stinks. Skip it, and we’ll readjust in Week 2.

Tennessee Titans

Cor’Dale Flott (CB): SIT. We haven’t seen Flott in this role yet; the matchup stinks, and there’s no need to chase this (especially in Week 1, where we actually have all 96 corners available to us for use).

Alontae Taylor (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside corner slot on paper. Taylor will play every snap. He’s been an incredibly productive corner for us for years, but the matchup stinks, which limits his upside in Week 1.

Marcus Harris (CB): SIT. Same reasoning as the other “sits” for this one. He should be the nickel according to offseason depth charts, and New York actually did run a ton of 11-personnel last season, but we’ll wait and see.

Cardinals at Chargers

Outlook: The early total for this likely shootout is 47.5 points, with Los Angeles favored by 9.5 points at home. Arizona was a top-ten team for passing yards per game last season, while Los Angeles was in the middle of the pack. Los Angeles had the second-most wide receiver targets last year, while Arizona was in the middle of the pack.

We can fire up our Arizona corners in an ideal matchup (leagues of all sizes), and “medium to deeper leagues” makes sense for our Los Angeles corners for this matchup.

Arizona Cardinals

Will Johnson (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside corner slot, and Johnson should play every snap.

Denzel Burke (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes, could be risky. This slot saw a ton of fluctuation last season, but we did see Burke start 8 games and be fairly productive. The matchup is correct, but the slot itself isn’t set in stone from my point of view, so it could be risky.

Garrett Williams (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This should be the nickel role, and Williams played around 70% of snaps each week last season if I’m recalling that correctly.

Los Angeles Chargers

Cam Hart (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside corner slot. Hart did start 6 games for Los Angeles last season, so this tracks, especially with the departure of many of the corners who were in the mix for a starting role last year.

Donte Jackson (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only, risky. This is an outside corner slot. We’ve seen Jackson as the starter in this slot before, but last season he had only 40 combined tackles across 15 starts and 17 games. There are better options elsewhere.

Tarheeb Still (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. Still is listed as the nickel, so we’re probably looking at 60-70% of snaps or so.

Dolphins at Raiders

Outlook: The early total for this battle at the Death Star sits at 39.5 points, with Vegas favored by a field goal at home. Both teams are rolling out new quarterbacks under center, and both teams were in the worst third of the league for passing yards per game last season.

Both teams were also in the bottom third of the league for wide receiver targets last season. I’m probably just skipping this one completely for my own cornerback streams, but we’ll list the relevant options here as is tradition.

Miami Dolphins

Jason Marshall (CB): SIT. Marshall started exactly one game in his career. I won’t be recommending him until I see more than that.

Juju Brents (CB): SOLID, much deeper leagues only. This is an outside corner slot. Brents has at least started games before, so the odds are good we can trust him to play many snaps and that we won't get “rug pulled” on this.

Chris Johnson (CB): SIT. We’ve never seen him before, and the matchup is questionable at best. We’ll readjust in Week 2.

Las Vegas Raiders

Eric Stokes (CB): SOLID, much deeper leagues only. This is an outside corner slot. Stokes has been a starter a couple of times throughout his career, so this tracks.

Darien Porter (CB): SOLID, much deeper leagues only. This is an outside corner slot. Porter did start 10 games last season, so this tracks.

Taron Johnson (CB): SOLID, much deeper leagues only. Taron has a long history of excellent production from the nickel slot, but the matchup stinks, and he’s on a new team (we can’t know his exact role for sure since I don’t work for the Raiders/they won’t tell me ahead of time).

Packers at Vikings

Outlook: The early total for this battle in Minnesota is 46.5 points, with Green Bay favored by just 1.5 points on the road. Green Bay was in the middle of the pack for passing yards per game last season. Minnesota was one of the worst teams in the league for this ranking, but has since upgraded from “Nine” and brought in Kyler, who can actually complete passes.

Both teams were in the middle of the pack for wide receiver targets last season. We can fire up both cornerback corps in medium-to-deeper leagues and hope for a shootout/back-and-forth affair that Vegas seems to think we’ll be getting.

Green Bay Packers

Keisean Nixon (CB): IDEAL. This is an outside corner slot. Nixon will play every snap. Nixon is one of our best “set and forget” cornerback options, period. He’ll likely be busy with Jefferson and Addison, and in a vacuum, it’s never a bad idea to trust Keisean Nixon.

Carrington Valentine (CB): SOLID, much deeper leagues only. This is an outside corner slot. Valentine will play every snap, but he only put up a couple of combined tackles per game last season and has never been very productive, good matchup or not.

Javon Bullard (S/CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. He may be designated as a safety in your league of merit.

Minnesota Vikings

Charles Demmings (CB): SIT. We haven’t seen any NFL snaps from Demmings yet, and it’s the Packers with a bunch of untrustworthy wide receivers, not the second-coming of the 99’ Rams. We can skip it for now, and we’ll readjust next week.

James Pierre (CB): SIT. This is the first time I’ve seen Pierre in Minnesota, and this matchup isn’t good enough to override my natural inclination in this situation, which is to wait and see some snaps first before making any calls on him either way.

Byron Murphy (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. Murphy is listed as the nickel, but I highly doubt he’ll see “nickel playing time” (60-80% of snaps). He should play every snap and has traditionally been a very productive corner in IDP.

Josh Metellus (S/CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. Metellus is listed as a cornerback in Yahoo but is really a starting safety for Minnesota. That's a cheat code for us and makes for a nice safe, solid option in Week 1.

Commanders at Eagles

Outlook: The early total for this NFC East showdown is 44.5 points, with Philly favored by 5.5 points at home. Both teams were in the bottom third of the league for passing yards per game last season. Both teams were in the middle of the pack for wide receiver targets last year.

We can fire up our normal options in medium to deeper leagues, and we’re looking good for this one.

Washington Commanders

Rasul Douglas (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues, risky. Douglas is a known quantity and has been a starter elsewhere in his career. This is an outside corner slot, and he should play every snap. We just haven’t seen it in Washington yet, so there’s some risk attached.

Mike Sainristil (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside corner slot on paper, but Sainristil showed good usage last season. He should play every snap.

Amik Robertson (CB): SIT. This is a corner that’s never really been a locked-in starter, and he’s on a new team. We’re unsure of the role and how much playing time we’ll be seeing, and the matchup isn’t good enough for us to risk it. We’ll readjust in Week 2.

Philadelphia Eagles

Cooper DeJean (CB): IDEAL. Despite his position being “nickel”, he never suffered the “nickel playing time” issues we commonly saw from others at that position. His utilization and alignment last season were also literally perfect. He finished as the overall No. 1 cornerback in IDP production across many league formats last season. He’s a “set and forget” option at corner for our IDP leagues.

Quinyon Mitchel (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside corner slot, and Mitchel should play every snap.

Tariq Woolen (CB): SIT. He’s listed as a starter and has been a starter before in Seattle, so this should be fine. We haven’t seen it yet, though, so I’m landing on the side of caution, and we’ll readjust in Week 2.

Cowboys at Giants

Outlook: The early total for this NFC East battle is 48.5 points, with Dallas favored by a field goal on the road. Dallas had the second-most passing yards per game last season, while New York was in the middle of the pack.

Dallas had the most wide receiver targets per game last year, while New York was in the middle of the pack once again. We can fire up our New York corners in an ideal matchup, but it will be “medium to deep leagues” for our Dallas corners in Week 1.

Dallas Cowboys

DaRon Bland (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues. This is an outside corner slot on paper, and Bland should play every snap. Bland set the pick-six record a couple of seasons ago and had nice utilization/alignment last year.

Cobie Durant (CB): SOLID, deeper leagues only, somewhat risky. Durant is a known quantity, but we haven’t seen his exact role or playing time in Dallas yet, so there’s some risk here. This is an outside corner slot, and he should play every snap.

Caleb Downs (S/CB): IDEAL. It’s highly unlikely that he’s designated as a corner in your league of merit, but he’s currently listed as the nickel on depth charts. If you can start him at corner, absolutely do that and leave him in that slot all season. He’ll be a safety just about everywhere, would be my guess, though.

New York Giants

Paulson Adebo (CB): IDEAL. This is an outside corner slot, and Adebo will play every snap. He is questionable, but if he can play, he’s an incredibly productive corner in a picture-perfect matchup. UPDATE: SIT. Deonte Banks is now listed over Adebo as the week 1 starter. SIT them both for now, and we'll see how this all plays out.

Greg Newsome (CB): SOLID, medium to deeper leagues, somewhat risky. This is an outside corner slot, and Newsome should play every snap. He’s been a starter before in Cleveland, but we haven’t seen it yet in New York, so there’s some risk here.

Andru Phillips (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes, borderline IDEAL. Phillips is listed as the nickel, which tracks from what we saw last season. Dallas does play a ton of 11-personnel, and Phillips’ utilization was very good last season.

Broncos at Chiefs

Outlook: The early total for this AFC West battle is 43.5 points, with Kansas City favored by a field goal at home. Denver was in the top third of the league for passing yards per game last season, while Kansas City was in the middle of the pack. Losing Mahomes transformed this once excellent passing attack into a shell of itself to finish out last season.

Denver was a top-ten team for wide receiver targets last season; Kansas City is in the middle of the pack for this ranking. Kansas City was in the top ten for wide receiver targets for much of last season until the Mahomes injury. We can fire up our cornerback options on either team in leagues of all sizes in this matchup, which is ideal across the board.

Denver Broncos

Patrick Surtain (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside corner slot, and Surtain will play every snap.

For the best IDP cornerback production, we want guys that are good enough to keep their job, but bad enough to get picked on a bit. Surtain’s real-world talent usually doesn’t translate well for IDP because of that talent. Opposing quarterbacks and offensive coordinators tend to try and avoid Mr. Surtain, and with good reason.

Riley Moss (CB): IDEAL. This is an outside corner slot, and Moss should play every snap. Moss finished last season in the top ten for IDP cornerback production in most league formats.

The “lesser of all evils” effect is something we talk about when it comes to cornerback streaming. If you’re the opposing quarterback and you drop back to pass, are you throwing to the guy who’s covered by Riley Moss or the guy covered by Patrick Surtain?

Whether it’s a conscious or subconscious decision, we’ve seen this trend play out over the years with players such as Surtain or even Daryl Revis back in his day. The “other corners” tend to be picked on when you have a corner as talented as Surtain on the field, and Moss has benefited from this quite a bit so far in his career.

Ja’Quan McMillian (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is a nickel slot. McMillian might see fewer snaps against a Chiefs team that ran 11-personnel the 21st most in the league last season, but otherwise he is locked and loaded.

Kansas City Chiefs

L’Jarius Sneed (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes. This is an outside corner slot, and Sneed should play every snap. He is questionable, but if he ends up active, he’s a good option for Week 1.

Mansoor Delane (CB): SOLID, leagues of all sizes, RISKY. This is an outside corner slot, and Delane should play every snap. However, rookie corners starting immediately and playing full snaps immediately is exceedingly rare. This could just as easily be Kristian Fulton (who is behind him on the depth chart) or some combination of Delane and Fulton or Delane and someone else. I don’t work for the Chiefs, so I doubt they’ll clue me in, which means there’s risk here, even though most offseason depth charts agree he’ll get the start.

Jadon Canady (CB): SIT. This is the nickel slot on paper, and another rookie getting the start according to offseason depth charts. Delane had first-round draft capital, while Canady was only a 4th-round pick, so I’m far less confident in this. I’m just going to wait and see, and we’ll readjust in Week 2.

Byes this week: None

My Favorite Matchups, Week 1:

• 49ers corners vs LAR

• Panthers corners vs CHI

• Bucs at Bengals, either side

• Cleveland corners vs JAX

• Cardinals corners vs LAC

• Giants corners vs DAL

• Broncos at Chiefs, either side (assuming Mahomes is playing/healthy)

Week 1 Corners at a Glance:

These are not in any particular order or ranking; they are just divided into the sections you see below. I typically identify the best matchups (see above) and then the best options within those matchups to find my favorite streaming options each week.

*If you see player/player, that means starter/direct replacement*

IDEAL (our best options):

• Devon Witherspoon, Nick Emmanwori

• Quentin Lake

• Kamari Lassiter, Jalen Pitre

• Marlon “Glizzy Gobbler” Humphrey, Kyle Hamilton

• Tyson Campbell, Travis Hunter

• Jalen Ramsey

• Keisean Nixon

• Cooper DeJean

• Caleb Downs

• Riley Moss

SOLID (matchup or playing time isn’t perfect, best in medium to deeper leagues):

• Carlton Davis, Christian Gonzalez, Marcus Jones, Josh Jobe

• Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Upton Stout, Jaylon Watson, Trent McDuffie

• Tyrique Stevenson, Jaylon Johnson, Jaycee Horn, Mike Jackson, Chau Smith-Wade

• Zyon McCollum, Jacob Parrish, Dax Hill, DJ Turner

• Koolaid McKinstry, Jonas Sanker, DJ Reed, Roger McCreary

• Christian Benford, Maxwell Hairston, Dee Alford, Derek Stingley

• Nate Wiggins, Sauce Gardner, Chavarious Ward

• Denzel Ward, Myles Harden, Jourdan Lewis

• AJ Terrell, Mike Hughes, Jamel Dean

• Nahshon Wright, Alontae Taylor

• Will Johnson, Denzel Burke, Garrett Williams, Cam Hart, Donte Jackson, Tarheeb Still

• Juju Brents, Eric Stokes, Darien Porter, Taron Johnson

• Carrington Valentine, Javon Bullard, Byron Murphy, Josh Metellus

• Rasul Douglas, Mike Sainristil, Quinyon Mitchell

• Daron Bland, Cobie Durant, Greg Newsome, Andru Phillips

• Patrick Surtain, JaQuan McMillian, L’Jarius Sneed, Mansoor Delane

TRAPS (sit these players):

• Cam Lewis

• Keionte Scott, Jalen Davis

• Quincy Riley, Keith Abney

• Justin Walley

• Montaric Brown

• Billy Bowman

• Brandon Stephens, Jarvis Brownlee, Cor’Dale Flott, Marcus Harris

• Jason Marshall, Chris Johnson

• Charles Demmings, James Pierre

• Amik Robertson, Tariq Woolen

• Paulson Adebo, Deonte Banks

• Jadon Canady

• Joey Porter Jr, Asante Samuel Jr

Reminder: these are only suggestions. Your lineup is your responsibility and yours alone. However, these are the same moves I’m making myself, so we sink or swim together. Remember to check for inactive players before kickoff to prevent any surprise zeroes.

For any questions/comments, to discuss specific cornerback streams, or to talk IDP in general, hit up my Twitter or email me at Johnysmack3141@yahoo.com.

Thank you for reading, and good luck this week! Go get those titles!

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You can follow us on all our social media channels, including Twitter and Instagram.

Week 1 is finally here, which means we get to see all of our beloved IDPs that we drafted take the field and (hopefully) deliver on the hopes and dreams we set for them.

Week 1 comes with a simple request from me: Don’t get cute.

There’s no need to take unnecessary risks with players that we’re hoping will have a great season, without knowing for sure what their roles might be. Let’s stick with what we know this week, and once we have more concrete information from Week 1, we can adjust. For now, we’ll play things safe and “start your studs” for the first matchups of the season.

Note: Each positional ranking includes an interactive table at the bottom of the article to help you find the players you might be looking for, and all updates heading into game day will be displayed there.

LINEBACKER

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The 2026 preseason is over, most fantasy drafts have taken place, and it’s officially time to gear up for Week 1. Before doing that, I want to give one more shoutout to some of my favorite draft targets from this offseason and hype them up to get them ready for a big season ahead.

These are the players that I ended up drafting the most across all formats this offseason, targeting “my guys” in as many places as possible with high hopes for the 2026 season.

LB Jacob Rodriguez, Miami Dolphins

This one is no secret. I love “The Rodfather”. Ever since putting together his prospect profile, which pulled in all of his career college data and spit out an elite score, I’ve been excited. Heading into the NFL Draft, there were only a couple of questions about his profile. One of which surrounded his athleticism, which he answered at the combine by delivering an elite 9.61 Relative Athletic Score (RAS). The other was where teams would value him in terms of draft capital, and the early second-round investment from Miami cleared everything up nicely.

With Rodriguez landing in Miami, the post-draft question of how he’d fit in with both Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson on the roster created enough of a value in rookie drafts, and eventually in 2026 drafts, that I’ve been scooping him up in as many places as possible. Knowing that it would only be a matter of time before Dodson’s starting spot would be up for grabs, an early second-round pick in rookie drafts got the job done every time. In redraft formats, grabbing him as soon as all the every-down linebackers began to dry up worked several times. With Dodson now out of the picture, Rodriguez sits as my LB13 for 2026, and that’s me trying to temper expectations for a first-year player.

All signs point to Rodriguez wearing the green dot now that Dodson (the former green dot) is out, and after Rodriguez trained in that role this offseason. This will allow him to play an every-down role from Day 1 and put that elite college profile to work, as he should be in weekly IDP starting lineups right out of the gate. Rodriguez’s profile and historical prospect score suggest that he should be a sure-thing for IDP, though we know that’s not always how these things work, and even if he doesn’t return top-12 value in Year 1, as long as he’s healthy, I feel good about his high-end projection for his rookie season. An elite profile, an ideal role, a high-end projection, and a fantastic mustache have me wanting/needing to bet on him in all formats this season.

LB Devin Lloyd, Carolina Panthers

Lloyd has never been a player I’ve been overly high on, but things can change quickly in fantasy football, and a change of scenery this year is just what was needed for me to get on board. After Lloyd spent the majority of his career playing Robin to Foyesade Oluokun’s Batman, he’s branched off on his own, headed to Bludhaven (Carolina), and ready to start his career as Nightwing. Apologies for the overly nerdy analogy, but Nightwing is an underrated character, and it fits perfectly with Lloyd’s 2026 outlook as he looks to lead this new-look Carolina defense.

Lloyd has never been the most efficient tackler, though inconsistent playing time on a defense that used him in arguably too many different ways likely played a big part in that. Without a consistent role or full-time snap share, Lloyd’s often been dependent on big plays to buoy his fantasy value for those trusting him in lineups, but now, he’s set to wear the green dot in Carolina in a more orthodox off-ball linebacker role that should help not only steady his production, but greatly increase it as well.

Under defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero last season, the Panthers were the league’s most zone-heavy defense, which typically provides a nice boost to tackle efficiency for the linebacker position, specifically, as highlighted here. Along with an every-down workload, this is exactly what we need to help Lloyd’s tackle production stabilize, on top of the potential to continue adding big plays to his stat sheet since he won’t be leaving the field. Lloyd’s ADP has steadily risen this offseason, though he’s still settled in as a comfortable LB2 in the majority of drafts. As someone who is treating him as an LB1 candidate in 2026, he’s ended up on nearly all of my rosters this season as a clear “my guy” who I’ve been happy to add to my squads.

ED Josh Hines-Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars

Hines-Allen is arguably the most underappreciated ED1 candidate in IDP, as fantasy managers have been let down for multiple seasons, and as one of those fantasy managers, I get it. We’re a resentful and capricious lot, and if you burn us, odds are we’re not going to forgive and forget so easily. And while I’ve avoided many players for that same reason, Hines-Allen just isn’t one of them. His underlying metrics and potential draw me in like a moth to a flame, but after two consecutive seasons of underdelivering in the sack column, I’ve grown an immunity to being burned just in time for an overdue positive regression season.

Hines-Allen showcased his ceiling with a 17.5-sack season in 2023, and there’s more than enough reason to believe that production is still within his range of outcomes heading into 2026. Hines-Allen finished behind only Aidan Hutchinson in Expected Sacks last season thanks to high-end pass-rush metrics and ideal playing time, which is everything we should be targeting at the position in IDP. Being drafted as a fringe ED1 in most drafts, Hines-Allen becomes the perfect target to pair with one of the more highly-drafted EDGEs for those looking to capitalize on the league-winning upside at the position.

Hines-Allen has hovered around a 70-75% snap share outside of his rookie year, which has allowed for solid baseline production as he’s been one of the more consistent run defenders at the position. With a solid tackling floor and elite upside, Hines-Allen has untapped potential as one of the top performers at the position. Betting on him to deliver on that potential at a reasonable price has allowed me to scoop him up as an ED2 after targeting one of the Tier 1 EDGEs a few rounds earlier in drafts.

ED George Karlaftis, Kansas City Chiefs

If I were to miss out on Hines-Allen as my ED2, Karlaftis would quickly become my next ideal target for that role, especially given the significant discount he comes with compared to most legitimate ED2 candidates. The price has gone up since I first started targeting “Furious George” earlier in the offseason, but he’s still being drafted well within my comfort zone as the current ED27 in our best-ball ADP. As my ED18 in the ranks, Karlaftis lands on my roster more often than not in drafts.

Much like with Hines-Allen, we’re betting on positive regression in the sack column to pay back our discount and potentially overdeliver while he’s at it. Karlaftis was a 95th percentile performer in Expected Sacks last season, meaning that he was more than deserving of a higher sack total than the six he ended the season with. Karlaftis is one of the greatest positive regression candidates at the position, and after delivering career marks across the board in his underlying pass-rush metrics, there’s reason to believe that his age-25 season will be his best yet.

Karlaftis is the obvious candidate to lead the Chiefs’ EDGE room in snaps this season, having averaged 79% of the team’s defensive snaps over the last three seasons — about as ideal a snap share as we should expect from the position. This will help Karlaftis deliver the strong production floor we’re looking for, avoid any boom-bust production, and give us confidence leaving him in lineups to meet that high ceiling. That’s the rare level of safety we can’t often get outside of the top-20 at the position, which has me personally excited about adding him to my teams.

S Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Bears

Claiming two rookie “my guys” is undeniably a little risky, but I think it also speaks to the quality of this 2026 rookie IDP class. I’m a big believer that many from this group will hit for IDP sooner rather than later, and Thieneman is beginning to look like a lock to be an IDP hit in Year 1. I know, it doesn’t really sound like I’m going out on a limb with this one considering he’s a first-round pick being drafted to arguably the league’s most safety-needy team this offseason, but still, the rookie’s 2026 potential at such an unstable position has me happy to invest.

We’re banking on an ideal role and the skills that made him a 97th-percentile prospect in my model translating immediately to the NFL. Step 1 in his translating to the next level is already locked in: a full-time starting role for the season. Step 2 would be how he’s deployed in that role, and based on the preseason, we’re looking at a very lucrative deployment that should translate into IDP value. Thieneman played 43% of his snaps in the box, and just 45% deep this preseason, operating as the team’s clear option to line up closer to the line of scrimmage while Cam Lewis/Xavier Woods played deep.

For Thieneman to deliver on his IDP S1 prospect, he’ll not only need to remain in that optimal role, but capitalize on that potential to separate himself from the pack. Thieneman’s usage and production in college suggest he’ll be able to do so, having operated as a mostly deep safety (58%) yet still delivering an elite 13.2% career tackle rate (97th percentile). Getting more optimal usage should only boost Thieneman’s potential to hit as a rookie, and while Caleb Downs gets a lot of the spotlight, and even A.J. Haulcy absorbing last year’s IDP S1 role, Thieneman has been a bit more discounted in non-best-ball drafts so far.

S Kevin Winston Jr., Tennessee Titans

I’ve ended up with a lot of Kevin Winston Jr. shares this offseason, so I kind of need this one to hit in order to feel good about myself betting on a safety. However, the potential for an elite deployment in Gus Bradley’s defense is too enticing to pass up, which is why I’ve rarely turned down the opportunity to draft him when it arises.

For those in need of more context, Bradley is the defensive coordinator for the Titans this season, and he comes with a long history of delivering top-tier IDP safeties thanks to his tendency to run a heavy single-high/Cover-3 based defense that allows one of his safeties to spend a ton of time up near the line of scrimmage. In recent years, that’s been Nick Cross (2024), Julian Blackmon (2023), Rodney McLeod (2022), and Johnathan Abram (2021) — all of whom delivered top-20 IDP finishes at their position, with the latest example being Cross finishing as the overall S3 (2024).

Winston will have to contend with Amani Hooker for this role, and the preseason didn’t exactly provide any clarity on which one would be getting that optimal deployment, but Winston still feels like the better choice here. We only got a taste of what Winston could be as an IDP last year as a rookie, though he showcased above-average tackle efficiency — which was also the case during his college career — and flashed strong IDP potential in his limited snaps in 2025. I prefer to target roles more than anything when it comes to IDP safeties, and Winston has the potential for one of the best roles in the league, which has made him a consistent target in my 2026 drafts.

CB Upton Stout, San Francisco 49ers

If I’m playing in CB-required formats, which I am more often than not, then Stout becomes a Tier 1 target at the position for a variety of reasons. As the primary slot defender for this 49ers’ defense, Stout comes with the prime alignment we’re looking for first and foremost, allowing him to line up closer to the action and increase his tackle rate above the norm for the position. On top of that improved tackle rate, Stout proved to separate himself from the pack even further last year as a tackler, leading the position in Tackles versus Expected and racking up production at an elite rate on just a 58% snap share.

Heading into Year 2 as Raheem Morris’ “STAR” defender, Stout’s snap share should increase closer to even 70%, which for a player as effective as Stout is more than enough to be a top weekly start in CB-required formats. Considering the volatile cornerback production we typically see week to week, Stout’s potential to start with a higher baseline thanks to his tackling ability should have IDP managers more than interested in him as a top option in CB-required formats. If Stout sees the expected bump in playing time and maintains his high-end tackling, he’ll be an easy CB1 candidate worth investing in near the top of the position.

CB Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars

League-winning upside is never guaranteed, and it rarely comes without risk. Whether we’re betting on improved roles, positive regression, a return to form, or ideal circumstances lining up perfectly. Oftentimes, we require more than one of these things for our true league-winners to hit, and Hunter is no different, but still, there are those afraid to take that swing, which, quite frankly, is fine with me. A wise man once said, “scared money don’t make money, ” and when we should be looking for those true league winners in our drafts, Hunter makes all too much sense as a potential game-breaker at the position.

The cornerback/defensive back production curve is typically low and flat for the large majority of the position, and in leagues where you can add any kind of offensive production to that, we’re looking at a significant spike away from the norm. Hunter is the only player with a CB/DB designation with this production in his range of outcomes, making him a heavy favorite to lead an incredibly volatile position in scoring. Hunter won’t be a full-time wide receiver, but he doesn’t need to be. The main thing to focus on is that he will be used as a wide receiver as well as at cornerback, as his coaching staff has repeatedly stated, which is why they traded up to draft him second overall in 2025.

As the fantasy football version of Dune’s “Lisan Al-Gaib,” Hunter comes from the offensive side of the ball to assimilate to the defensive side, uniting both, liberating the Fremen (us believers) from the oppressors and delivering us to the promised land of a fantasy football championship. Is the prophecy real? Will it come to fruition in 2026? Who knows. But I don’t want to be the one to stubbornly miss out on that potential if/when it does hit when a fantasy championship is on the line.

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With the NFL preseason officially wrapped, it’s time to dive into the key fantasy football takeaways we can use to better inform our 2026 season coming out of this third and final week.

Be sure to check out how this updated information affects our Depth Charts, Rankings, and Projections as we continue to make updates throughout the next few weeks heading into Week 1.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

• LINEBACKER

  • Mack Wilson, Jack Gibbens, and Cody Simon didn’t play in this game.

  • Owen Pappoe and Karson Sharar started at linebacker, with neither player likely to factor in for IDP this season barring multiple injuries at the top of the depth chart.

  • Wilson and Gibbens are the expected starters, with Wilson wearing the green dot and Gibbens likely to rotate off in certain situations, specifically, obvious passing downs.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Josh Sweat, Zaven Collins, Baron Browning, Walter Nolen, and the rest of the expected Cardinals’ DL starters didn’t play in this game.

  • IDP managers need not concern themselves with the likes of the starting DLs in this game, which includes BJ Ojulari and Jonah Williams.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Budda Baker, Andrew Wingard, and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson didn’t play in this game.

  • Baker and Wingard remain the clear expected starters at safety, with Wingard coming at a much lower price in drafts for those looking to grab a startable IDP safety at a deep discount.

ATLANTA FALCONS

• LINEBACKER

  • JD Bertrand was the lone Falcons linebacker that didn’t play in this game.

  • Divine Deablo is back healthy and got the start with the green dot in this game.

  • It was rookie Harold Perkins Jr. who got the first snap next to Deablo to start the game, though Kendal Daniels replaced him on the very next snap.

  • Perkins then played the two consecutive third-down plays to close out that first drive.

  • The rookie duo continued to rotate next to Deablo on the second drive, with Daniels playing the first two snaps before the rotation began.

  • Deablo’s day was done by the third defensive series, which saw Daniels take over the green dot again while Perkins and Christian Harris rotated in that second spot, which continued for three more defensive series before Daniels and Perkins were done for the day.

  • The main takeaway here is that Deablo will be the green dot as expected, but the LB2 role figures to be a pretty heavy rotation between the rookies, making either Daniels or Perkins deep-league targets only.

  • Daniels holds more upside as the next man up to wear the green dot, should anything happen to Deablo to cause him to miss time, but he’ll remain ranked just outside the top-50 IDP linebackers heading into Week 1.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Za’Darius Smith didn’t play in this game.

  • Samson Ebukam and Cameron Thomas started this game at EDGE, playing all available snaps through the first two drives of the game.

  • With Jalon Walker done for the year and James Pearce Jr. suspended for the first eight games, it looks like Ebukam and Thomas are set to begin the year and get decent volume for deeper IDP formats.

  • The Falcons acquired Gervon Dexter Sr. from Chicago, and he should factor into the starting interior rotation next to Brandon Dorlus.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Jessie Bates and Billy Bowman Jr. didn’t play in this game.

  • With Bowman’s status for Week 1 still up in the air as he’s battling back from a torn Achilles, rookie Avieon Terrell worked as the primary nickel defender.

  • Terrell could end up with a decent role for CB-required formats if Bowman Jr. isn’t ready for Week 1.

  • With Bowman Jr. seemingly avoiding the PUP list, he should be back relatively soon.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

• LINEBACKER

  • Roquan Smith, Trenton Simpson, and Teddye Buchanan didn’t play in this game.

  • Buchanan’s availability for Week 1 is still up in the air as he pushes to return from a torn ACL.

  • The fact that Buchanan is as close as he is bodes well for him getting back into non-shallow IDP lineups, but in the meantime, Simpson should work as a fill-in option in those same formats.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Trey Hendrickson, Tavius Robinson, Mike Green, Zion Young, and Nnamdi Madubuike didn’t play in this game.

  • Madubuike is recovering from a neck injury that also puts his Week 1 availability at risk, though he at least appears close.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks, and the Ravens’ starting corners didn’t play in this game.

BUFFALO BILLS

• LINEBACKER

  • The Bills didn’t play their starters in this game, which included Terrel Bernard and potentially Dorian Williams.

  • Williams was clearly behind rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr last week, but Elarms-Orr started this game while Williams had the day off with the starters.

  • Whether this was due to the team giving the rookie more planned reps, or if they’ve gone back to Williams as a starter, isn’t fully clear, but it’s at least a dent in the armor of Elarms-Orr as the preferred LB2 in Buffalo.

  • Williams has been unable to hold a starting role before, and considering the team’s uncertainty that they’ve shown this preseason, I’d still likely prefer Elarms-Orr in drafts, but for the early part of the year, we may have to see more Williams at first.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Greg Rousseau, Bradley Chubb, and Ed Oliver didn’t play in this game.

  • Rookie second-round pick T.J. Parker has put together a solid preseason in limited action.

  • He started this one, playing every snap of the first three drives before his day was done.

  • Parker delivered a 91.5 PFF pass-rush grade in this game, finishing the preseason with a very strong 87.4 pass-rush grade, four pressures, and a sack on 37 pass-rush snaps.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Cole Bishop, Dee Alford, and Christian Benford didn’t play in this game.

  • Geno Stone and Damar Hamlin were the starting safeties in this game as they are the most likely backups at this point, should they make the final roster.

  • Neither player needs to be rostered in IDP this year.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Devin Lloyd didn’t play in this game.

  • The Panthers signed free agent linebacker Bobby Okereke on Sunday, essentially solidifying that LB2 role, which was previously between Claudin Cherelus and Trevin Wallace.

  • Cherelus and Wallace started this game and played together through the first three drives.

  • Wallace did not make the Panthers’ 53-man roster.

  • The Bobby Okereke signing really helped solidify the pecking order amongst this Panthers’ LB corps.

  • Now that Okereke is with the team, we can target Okereke, likely in non-shallow formats to start.

  • It’s possible that Okereke doesn’t play an every-down role, as defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero has typically run more one-linebacker looks.

  • Ultimately, the LB2 role should remain steady now at the very least with Okereke in the mix, and he should get up over 80% of snaps at some point sooner rather than later.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Jaelan Phillips, Derrick Brown, Pat Jones, and Princely Umanmielen didn’t play in this game.

  • The team is likely settled on who the starting ED2 will be next to Phillips, and all signs have pointed toward Jones, at least to start the year.

  • Umanmielen remains a decent sleeper option with greater upside as a pass rusher if he continues to develop in Year 2.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Nick Scott and Trevon Moehrig didn’t play in this game.

  • The starting safeties are set with rookie Zakee Wheatley and second-year Lathan Ransom locked in as the backups to start the year, as they both played and started this game.

CHICAGO BEARS

• LINEBACKER

  • Devin Bush and D’Marco Jackson didn’t play in this game.

  • T.J. Edwards has been dealing with a calf injury in training camp, which has kept him from getting in valuable reps.

  • That’s likely what caused him to start this game, play 12 snaps (and rack up five total tackles) before his day was done.

  • Edwards and Bush are set to start the year with Jackson as the LB3.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Montez Sweat didn’t play in this game, and neither did Gervon Dexter, who the team traded to Atlanta on Sunday.

  • The Bears are not exactly strong on the defensive interior, so it was a bit peculiar to see them move on from one of their top options.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • After two games of Cam Lewis being treated as the starter ahead of Xavier Woods to replace Coby Bryant, that flipped this week.

  • Woods now appears to be the front-runner to start the season next to rookie Dillon Thieneman.

  • Thieneman played 12 snaps in this one, continuing to get the more ideal usage amongst the safety group.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

• LINEBACKER

  • Barrett Carter, Demetrius Knight Jr., and Oren Burks didn’t play in this game.

  • Shaka Heyward and Swayze Bowman were the starting linebackers in this game, as was the case last week.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • None of the Bengals expected starters on the defensive line appeared in this game.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Much like the other positions, the Bengals didn’t play any of their expected starters at defensive back in this one.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

• LINEBACKER

  • Carson Schwesinger and Quincy Williams didn’t play in this game.

  • Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Winston Reid, and Justin Jefferson started this game.

  • This was a positive development for Jefferson, specifically, who has been behind Nathaniel Watson in previous preseason games.

  • Not that Jefferson is likely to factor into 2026 IDP lineups, but it’s always encouraging to see a rookie move up the depth chart.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Jared Verse, Derek Barnett, Isaiah McGuire, Mike Hall, Mason Graham, and Maliek Collins didn’t play in this game.

  • The Browns were not risking any more injuries to potential starters after losing Alex Wright for the season, so it was Julian Okwara and Khordae Sydnor at EDGE in this game.

  • McGuire should get the nod to start in place of Wright this year, though Barnett and Hall should factor into the rotation.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • None of the expected starting DBs played in this game.

  • Rookie second-round pick Emmanuel McNeil-Warren started with the backups in this one.

  • This just further cements the plan that McNeil-Warren can remain on dynasty taxi squads until he takes over an every-down role from Ronnie Hickman, either later this year or next season.

DALLAS COWBOYS

• LINEBACKER

  • DeMarvion Overshown and Dee Winters didn’t play in this game.

  • Jaishawn Barham and Shemar James got the start, along with Marist Liufau, who operated as the LB3 on base downs.

  • Barham should make a push for the starting lineup; even if not ahead of Overshown or Winters, there’s room for him to get work on base downs and potentially earn a larger role as the season goes on.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • The Cowboys didn’t play any of their expected starters along the defensive line.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • We saw Caleb Downs in Preseason Week 1, but nothing since, as he, Malik Hooker, and Jalen Thompson didn’t play in this game.

  • Downs is locked in with the starters, though we’ll just monitor his exact deployment in Week 1 to see where he spends his non-slot snaps.

DENVER BRONCOS

• LINEBACKER

  • Alex Singleton, Justin Strnad, and Drew Sanders didn’t play in this game.

  • Karene Reid and Jordan Turner were the starting linebackers.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Nik Bonitto and Zach Allen didn’t suit up for this game.

  • Jonathon Cooper played the first eight defensive snaps of the game, really as the only expected starter to see the field in this one.

  • The team appeared to be bracing for a suspension for Cooper, and news came down on Sunday that he’s been placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List, as he awaits that suspension.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Talanoa Hufanga, Brandon Jones, Pat Surtain II, Riley Moss, and Ja’Quan McMillian didn’t play in this game.

  • Jahdae Barron started with the backups, getting work outside and in the slot, though he won’t be an IDP option barring an injury to one of the starting corners this season.

DETROIT LIONS

• LINEBACKER

  • Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Devin White, and Malcolm Rodriguez didn’t play in this game.

  • Barnes appears to be the LB2 from this bunch at the moment, with White likely to factor in on base downs as the LB3.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Aidan Hutchinson, D.J. Wonnum, and Alim McNeil didn’t play in this game.

  • Levi Onwuzirike did appear as a starter in this one, totaling 17 defensive snaps before his day was done.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph are both set to start the year on the PUP list, meaning that they’ll both miss the first four games of the regular season.

  • Avonte Maddox and Chuck Clark are set to be the fill-in options while the starters are out.

  • Maddox has been given more of the ideal IDP usage from this duo, and would be the preferred target of the two for now.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Zaire Franklin, Edgerrin Cooper, and Isaiah McDuffie didn’t play in this game.

  • 2024 third-round linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper got the start next to veteran Nick Niemann in this game.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Lukas Van Ness and Barryn Sorrell didn’t play in this game.

  • With Micah Parsons on the PUP list, Van Ness and Sorrell are the expected starters at EDGE for Week 1.

  • However, rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton started this game and looked great, delivering five pressures, which included a sack and a QB hit for an 80.7 pass-rush grade on 22 pass-rush attempts.

  • Dennis-Sutton remains one of the stronger rookie sleepers at the position this year, and if he continues to play as well as he did in this one, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him start next to Parsons later in the year.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, and the expected starting corners didn’t play in this game.

HOUSTON TEXANS

• LINEBACKER

  • Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o, Jake Hummel, E.J. Speed, Jake Hansen, and Wade Woodaz didn’t play in this game.

  • Unless Speed lands on injured reserve, it seems likely that those who didn’t dress for this one are the only linebackers to make the team, which leaves those who played in this one on the outside looking in.

  • Seventh-round rookie Aiden Fisher played every snap of this game and would likely need Speed to land on injured reserve to make the roster, if I had to guess.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Will Anderson Jr., Danielle Hunter, and Jadeveon Clowney didn’t play in this game.

  • None of the defensive linemen that played in this game, including Kayden McDonald, are likely to make an IDP impact in 2026.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Jalen Pitre, Calen Bullock, Kamari Ramsey, M.J. Stewart, and Reed Blankenship didn’t play in this game.

  • Blankenship was the lone safety from this group who played last week, which was a bit peculiar, and he's still worth monitoring heading into Week 1 to see if he lost any snaps, since we didn’t get any hints of that this week.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

• LINEBACKER

  • Jaylon Carlies and Akeem Davis-Gaither started this game at linebacker, marking the first appearance of Davis-Gaither this preseason.

  • Davis-Gaither was the lone linebacker to get the true “starter” treatment in this one as he only played the first drive (four defensive snaps).

  • The pairing of Carlies and Austin Ajiake played the next drive together in every-down roles once Davis-Gaither came out.

  • C.J. Allen and Bryce Boettcher rotated in as the second pairing on the third drive, similar to last week, when the team rotated the linebackers by pairing and drive.

  • Carlies and Ajiake came in the game after Allen and Boettcher’s long drive together to close out the first half.

  • Carlies’ day was done at the end of the first half.

  • Ajiake stayed in for a quick drive alongside Allen to open the second half, though his day was done shortly after while Allen and Boettcher played into the fourth quarter.

  • This is obviously a disastrous group to avoid right now, as the rotation will more than likely carry over into the regular season, at least to start.

  • Davis-Gaither is the safest bet in Week 1.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Laiatu Latu, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, and Arden Key played the first drive (four defensive snaps) before their days were done.

  • This is the expected starting group for Week 1 and the only real targets for IDP purposes.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • A.J. Haulcy didn’t play in this game.

  • Cam Bynum and Hunter Wohler were the starting safeties.

  • With Haulcy out, Wohler operated as his direct backup, which could be useful information should Haulcy continue to miss time as we reach Week 1.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

• LINEBACKER

  • Foyesade Oluokun, Branson Combs, and Ventrell Miller didn’t play in this game.

  • As we hoped for more clarity on the LB2 role, we unfortunately didn’t get that this week with Combs and Miller not playing.

  • It’s a toss-up at this point for who will start the year next to Oluokun, but if I had to pick one, it seems like Combs making up real ground in order to even compete for this spot is enough for me to take my swings on him first.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Several defensive tackles, including Davon Hamilton and Arik Armstead, didn’t play in this game.

  • With Ruke Orhororo playing in this one, it puts his starting potential at risk.

  • The Jaguars traded for the former second-round pick this offseason, and while it was looking like he was in line to start, it’s possible that he’ll be part of a rotation at best.

  • This is only relevant for deep DT-required formats, but they deserve some love as well.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Travis Hunter, Antonio Johnson, Eric Murray, Jourdan Lewis, and the rest of the expected starting corners didn’t play in this game.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

• LINEBACKER

  • Drue Tranquill didn’t play in this game.

  • Nick Bolton played the first drive (three defensive snaps) next to Jeffery Bassa (who played 21 total defensive snaps) in this one.

  • Tranquill has been a bit banged up, but doesn’t appear to be in danger of missing Week 1.

  • Bassa would serve as his direct backup, just in case, but is more likely to play the old Leo Chenal role in this defense.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • The Chiefs’ clear starters played the first drive of three defensive snaps together, including George Karlaftis and Chris Jones.

  • Felix Anudike-Uzomah also played with the starters but stuck in the game a bit longer, ultimately playing 18 total snaps.

  • Anudike-Uzomah still appears to be ahead of the rest of the options in Kansas City, including rookie R Mason Thomas and Ashton Gillotte (who didn’t play in this game).

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Chamarri Conner continues to miss time with injury, while Alohi Gilman also didn’t play in this game.

  • Christian Roland-Wallace moved to play as a starting safety with Gilman and Conner out after looking like the starting slot defender last week.

  • It’s possible that Roland-Wallace is still the starting slot, though with him playing safety in this game, it’s more difficult to say.

  • Instead, the other contender for that slot role was L’Jarius Sneed, who we saw for the first time this preseason, and he worked as the first-team nickel corner for the first two defensive drives ahead of Kader Kohou and Jadon Canady.

  • Sneed versus Roland-Wallace will be the battle to watch in Week 1, assuming both Conner and Gilman are back in the lineup, which should create a little more clarity on everyone’s roles.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker played 100% of snaps through the first two drives before their day was done.

  • With Dean wearing the green dot, we’ll ideally also see Walker play an every-down role, and so far this preseason, we don’t have reason to believe otherwise.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Maxx Crosby was the lone starter on defense that didn’t play in this game.

  • Kwity Paye and Malcolm Koonce got the start at EDGE with Adam Butler and Tonka Hemingway on the interior.

  • The Raiders are unlikely to provide any defensive tackle for IDP this season, though there should be value from the other starting EDGE spot.

  • Paye is likely to get a decent-sized workload along with Crosby, and while he doesn’t own the most encouraging underlying metrics, there should be plenty of volume there to allow him to produce in non-shallow IDP formats.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • The most interesting position battle on the team is at safety, between rookie second-round pick Treydan Stukes and Isaiah Pola-Mao.

  • Last week I noted that Stukes has a path to becoming a starter at either safety or in the slot, as he’s worked as Pola-Mao and Taron Johnson’s primary backup this preseason.

  • With reports of Stukes getting first-team reps at safety in practice in the week leading up to this game, I’m glad we got to see it in this one, as Stukes started at safety next to Jeremy Chinn.

  • Stukes stayed in the game beyond the first two defensive series with the starters, with Chinn getting replaced by Pola-Mao.

  • As a rookie in need of reps, as he’s likely going to be a starter, it’s not a big surprise to see him stay in a little longer.

  • The main thing here was that he played exclusively at safety with Pola-Mao in the game, suggesting the team was just looking to get him more reps.

  • Stukes will be getting a bump in the rankings over Pola-Mao with this latest development.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Denzel Perryman didn’t play in this game.

  • Daiyan Henley started this game alongside Del’Shawn Phillips.

  • Henley played every snap from the first two drives before his day was done.

  • Phillips swapped out for Troy Dye on the second series and then came back in once Henley’s day was done.

  • This Chargers’ LB2 role is likely to be one of the worst team LB2 roles to target, as there’s likely to be a rotation among those active on game day.

  • Junior Colson was cut on Sunday.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Khalil Mack didn’t play in this game.

  • Tuli Tuipulotu started along with Akheem Mesidor at EDGE.

  • Both players generated pressure on each of their first two drives.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Derwin James didn’t play in this game.

  • Second-year safety R.J. Mickens started as the third safety and got first work in the slot with James out.

  • Tony Jefferson and Elijah Molden played their usual starting safety roles, with Jefferson likely to be third in the order behind James and Molden.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

• LINEBACKER

  • The Rams haven’t played any of their starters or immediate backups in any of these preseason games, and this final one was no different.

  • Nate Landman, Omar Speights, and Shaun Dolac are at the top of the pecking order at linebacker.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Aaron Donald officially came out of retirement to re-join the Rams.

  • Donald offers significant upside for the DT position in IDP, and if he’s able to get back to form, which is hard to believe he won’t be close, then he’s worth taking a stab at in most formats.

  • He’s projected and ranked rather highly for me with news of his return.

  • Myles Garrett is dealing with knee soreness and still hasn’t practiced, which becomes more concerning the closer we get to Week 1.

  • Ideally, he’ll get in at least two practices before the first game, so we’ll continue to monitor.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • No Kamren Curl, Quentin Lake, Kamren Kinchens, or any of the expected starters in this one.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

• LINEBACKER

  • Jordyn Brooks and Jacob Rodriguez didn’t play in this game.

  • It was already interesting that Tyrel Dodson started this game with none of the other expected starters in the lineup and played the entire first half.

  • Then the news dropped on Sunday that Dodson had been released, and we can all fully embrace Rodriguez as a weekly starting option for IDP.

  • Rodriguez is projected to wear the green dot next to Brooks, with both players offering high-end IDP potential in 2026.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Chop Robinson, Josh Uche, and Zach Sieler didn’t play in this game.

  • Robert Beal Jr. and Max Llewllyn were the starters at EDGE with Keith Cooper Jr. and Matthew Butler on the interior.

  • We should only be interested in Robinson, Uche, and Sieler for IDP on this team.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Chris Johnson, Darrell Baker Jr., and Jason Marshall Jr. didn’t play in this game.

  • The starting corners look set for Miami, but the safety position still seems very much up in the air.

  • Michael Taaffe and Zayne Anderson started this game and played the first defensive series before they were done for the day.

  • With Dante Trader Jr. and Kyle Louis working as the clear second unit at safety, it seems like Taaffe and Anderson are now the safest bets to make from this Dolphins’ safety unit for those looking a little deeper at the position.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• LINEBACKER

  • Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson, and Ivan Pace Jr. didn’t play in this game.

  • Jake Golday got the start at linebacker with Jacob Roberts and Bangally Kamara.

  • Golday is clearly fourth in the pecking order at this point, and remains just a taxi squad stash during his rookie year.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • With the Vikings’ expected starting defensive line not playing in this game, which includes Jalen Redmond and Levi Drake Rodriguez, it was the rookies Caleb Banks and Domonique Orange that got the start in this game.

  • Both players played 18 defensive snaps, with Orange generating two pressures.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, and Jay Ward didn’t play in this game.

  • Jakobe Thomas and Jacob Thomas were the starting safeties and the clear backups behind Metellus and Jackson, with Ward likely to operate as Brian Flores’ third safety in the rotation.

  • Jacob Thomas got banged up in this game, though it seems he won’t be out long-term, which is good for his chances of making the team.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

• LINEBACKER

  • Robert Spillane, Christian Ellisss, and undrafted rookie Khalil Jacobs didn’t play in this game.

  • Jacobs has had a really nice preseason, earning strong marks from PFF (80.3 overall grade), and his absence did appear to indicate he’d make the final roster, which he did.

  • K.J. Britt and Namdi Obiazor got the start at linebacker, which doesn’t bode well for Chad Muma’s potential to make the roster, as he came in after those two.

  • Spillane is the clear option we want for IDP, followed by Elliss in deeper leagues as he’ll likely be a part-time option.

  • There’s no need to try and get ahead on the backups until final rosters are solidified since any of the other options behind Spillane and Elliss wouldn’t likely play an every-down role anyway.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Harold Landry, Christian Barmore, and Milton Williams didn’t play in this game.

  • Landry is currently injured and at risk of not being ready for Week 1, which opens up some opportunity for a volume-based production for as long as Landry is out.

  • Dre’Mont Jones is going to be the first option worth considering, though rookie second-round pick Gabe Jacas has got plenty of run as a starter this preseason.

  • Jacas hasn’t looked particularly impressive, but the team seems ready to give him a shot, and could potentially fall into some production if Landry is going to miss time.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • All of the expected starters for New England’s secondary sat this game out.

  • Dell Pettus and John Saunders Jr. were the starting safeties, while Charles Woods operated as the primary slot defender.

  • I only put this out there to identify potential waiver options in case of injury; otherwise we can just move on.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

• LINEBACKER

  • Kaden Elliss and Pete Werner didn’t play in this game.

  • No real surprises here as Elliss and Werner have been the obvious choices to start the year.

  • Danny Stutsman and Jaylan Ford started this game and are set to be the clear backups.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Chase Young, Carl Granderson, and Cameron Jordan didn’t play in this game.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • With Justin Reid, Jonas Sanker, and Julian Blackmon out for this one, it was backups at all positions for the Saints.

  • Jayden Price operated as the primary slot defender with Sanker not in the lineup.

NEW YORK GIANTS

• LINEBACKER

  • Tremaine Edmunds and Arvell Reese didn’t play in this game.

  • Micah McFadden and Jack Kelly got the start and look like the clear immediate backups to the starters right now, which is only relevant for in-season waiver purposes.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux, D.J. Reader, and Shelby Harris didn’t play in this game.

  • Those are your IDPs to know on this defensive line, with Reader and Harris only relevant in deeper DT-required formats.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Tyler Nubin’s role has been looking shaky this preseason, and his playing status in this one with most of the backups still isn’t the best sign, but he at least didn’t add any more red flags to his 2026 outlook.

  • Nubin started this game with Jason Pinnock and Ar’Darius Washington, who have been his primary competition for a starting role next to Jevon Holland.

  • Nubin and Pinnock played typical safety roles while Washington operated exclusively out of the slot.

  • All three players played only on the first drive in this game, with the team showing no clear preference for Pinnock or Nubin.

  • Washington is likely fourth at the position, given that he played in the slot, a role that belongs to Dru Phillips.

  • Nubin is still probably the front-runner, though this is still a situation worth monitoring as we enter Week 1 with the potential for a rotation.

NEW YORK JETS

• LINEBACKER

  • Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood didn’t play in this game.

  • Barring injury, those are the only two we need to care about for IDP purposes.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • David Bailey, Kingsley Enagbare, Will McDonald, David Onyemata, and Harrison Phillips didn’t play in this game.

  • Signs currently point toward Enagbare being the de facto starter next to Bailey at EDGE this season, and with McDonald and Joseph Ossai (who did play in this game) rotating in behind him.

  • T’Vondre Sweat played eight snaps in this game, which could mean he’s behind one of Onyemata or Phillips at the moment, but after the team traded for him this offseason, and with him not getting any preseason game reps to this point, I believe he’ll still be the top Jets DT to roster for IDP.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dane Belton, and Andre Cisco didn’t play in this game.

  • Fitzpatrick and Belton are primed to start the year as the Jets’ safeties.

  • Malachi Moore and Jarius Monroe started this game, with Moore seemingly having fallen way behind after a solid rookie season.

  • Moore is droppable in most IDP formats.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

• LINEBACKER

  • Zack Baun, Jihaad Campbell, and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. didn’t play in this game.

  • Smael Mondon Jr. and Chance Campbell were the starters for this game.

  • Mondon Jr. is likely a safe bet to make the roster as the team’s LB4.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • None of the expected starters at defensive line played in this one for the Eagles.

  • Arnold Ebiketie and A.J. Epenesa started at EDGE for the second consecutive week, and provide decent depth for this Philadelphia EDGE rotation, but nothing else.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Cooper DeJean and company didn’t appear in this game, as was the case last week as well.

  • Michael Carter II once again operated as the primary slot defender with DeJean not in the lineup.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, and Malik Harrison didn’t play in this game.

  • Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts started and played well into the fourth quarter.

  • Roberts and Harrison were released on Sunday.

  • Holcomb could factor into a rotation at linebacker if that’s the route the Steelers are going here, but he’s not worth rostering right now, barring any injuries.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Nick Herbig, Cam Heyward, Derrick Harmon, and Keeanu Benton didn’t play in this game.

  • Jack Sawyer was the lone IDP DL of interest who played in this game for the Steelers.

  • Sawyer played into the second half of this one, racking up three total pressures on 23 pass-rush attempts, earning an 80.4 pass-rush grade.

  • Sawyer is fourth in the EDGE rotation for Pittsburgh at the moment and would need multiple injuries ahead of him to factor into IDP lineups this season.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • DeShon Elliott, Jaquan Brisker, Rayshawn Jenkins, Jalen Ramsey, and Joey Porter Jr. didn’t play in this game.

  • With all of the starters sitting this one out, it’s safe to assume that Rayshawn Jenkins will make the roster and serve as one of Elliott or Brisker’s backups in case of injury.

  • Jenkins got good IDP usage this preseason, playing 45% of his snaps in the box, and could be a solid waiver option if an injury occurs to one of the starters this year.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Nick Martin, Garrett Wallow, and Luke Gifford didn’t play in this game.

  • Tatum Bethune and rookie Jaden Dugger got the start, playing most of this game.

  • Deion Jones also appeared in this game, though it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him not make the roster.

  • At this point, Bethune feels like he may be in danger of making the final roster, and while he was a fine waiver wire replacement for us IDPers in 2025, he’s a safe drop for anyone still holding out hope.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Nick Bosa, Osa Odighizuwa, Romello Height, and Mykel Williams didn’t play in this game.

  • With Williams on the PUP list for at least the first four games of the season, there’s a significant opportunity at EDGE next to Bosa.

  • It seems that Height, also if healthy, will get the first crack at that job, which could create some volume-based production for the rookie early in Year 1.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Ji’Ayir Brown, Malik Mustapha, Marques Sigle, Upton Stout, and the rest of the starters at cornerback didn’t play in this game.

  • Ashtyn Davis started this one alongside rookie UDFA Jalen Stroman at safety.

  • Davis’ likelihood of making the roster on cut-down day more than likely depends on Mustapha’s availability, as he’s been managing a hamstring injury.

  • If Mustapha isn’t good to go and needs to be placed on the PUP list, then Davis would likely make the team as a backup while Sigle would be the starter next to Brown.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

• LINEBACKER

  • Ernest Jones, Drake Thomas, and Tyrice Knight didn’t play in this game.

  • Patrick O’Connell and Power Echols were the starting linebackers, with Echols playing the entire game after O’Connell’s day was done after the first half.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • None of the expected defensive line starters for Seattle played in this game, which included Uchenna Nwosu, Derick Hall, DeMarcus Lawrence, Byron Murphy II, and Leonard Williams.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • The Seahawks didn’t play any of their expected defensive back starters in this one.

  • We continue to hope for progress for Nick Emmanwori, who underwent foot surgery this offseason, as he gets closer to returning to the lineup, ideally in time for Week 1.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Alex Anzalone, Christian Rozeboom, SirVocea Dennis, and Josiah Trotter didn’t play in this game.

  • We will have to continue waiting on clarity for how to treat Tampa’s LB2 for IDP to start this season, as we haven’t seen Rozeboom or Dennis all preseason.

  • It’s assumed that Rozeboom will get the first nod as a starter next to Anzalone in Week 1, but until we actually see the deployment from this group, it’s best to avoid the LB2 options here to start the year.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Yaya Diaby, Rueben Bain Jr., and the rest of the expected starting defensive line had this game off.

  • Diaby and Bain remain the clear top IDP options from the EDGE group, while Calijah Kancey and Vita Vea are playable in DT-required formats.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Antoine Winfield Jr., Tykee Smith, Jacob Parrish, and Zyon McCollum didn’t play in this game.

  • Keione Scott, who was used as the primary nickel defender with the starting defense last week, did not get to sit this game out.

  • Scott started the game, playing the first five defensive series, exclusively in the slot and when the opposing offense was in 11-personnel.

  • Scott came out of the game on his drives when the offense didn’t have three or more wide receivers on the field, which is typical nickel corner usage in the NFL.

  • The Jaguars used 11-personnel frequently in this game, so Scott saw strong playing time.

  • It’s worth noting that Scott appeared to get nicked up near the end of his day and was replaced by Damarion Williams for that one snap, before his day likely would have been done anyway.

  • Scott’s playing in this game could be the team giving the rookie more reps, or it could be seen as hope that Parrish can still get work in the slot as well as outside.

  • Scott should be rostered in CB-required formats for this season, though until we see the usage in Week 1, he should remain on benches.

TENNESSEE TITANS

• LINEBACKER

  • Cody Barton didn’t play in this game.

  • Cedric Gray started next to Anthony Hill Jr., which once again raises my eyebrows just a little that Gray didn’t get the rest treatment with the rest of the starters.

  • It’s just a little weird, after last week when he played with the backups again after Barton’s day was done, that this coaching staff doesn’t appear to be as sold on Gray as they are on Barton.

  • It’s not a huge deal, and ultimately Gray should be fine, but it’s something we should continue to monitor after the team spent a second-round pick on Anthony Hill Jr. this offseason.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Jermaine Johnson, Jeffery Simmons, and Keldric Faulk didn’t play in this game.

  • Jacob Martin was a starter at EDGE in this one, and appeared to be ahead of the first-round rookie in previous weeks, though it’s possible that will be more of a rotation to start the year.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Amani Hooker and Kevin Winston Jr. didn’t play in this game.

  • The main thing to monitor in Week 1 here will be which of the two gets the prime alignment in Gus Bradley’s defense.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Frankie Luvu, Sonny Styles, and Leo Chenal didn’t play in this game.

  • Unfortunately, after the news of a rotation with the green dot emerged last week, we didn’t actually get to see it in action this week and will have to wait until Week 1.

  • This likely makes Luvu, Styles, and Chenal all options to avoid in Week 1 lineups until we see their usage.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • None of the expected starters for Washington’s defensive line played in this game.

  • Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson are set to start Week 1 as the Commanders’ top EDGEs, though Dorance Armstrong should replace Chaisson in that spot once he serves his one-game suspension.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Nick Cross, Jeremy Reaves, and Quan Martin didn’t play in this game.

  • Following the release of Will Harris, Cross and Reaves are the expected starters at safety in Washington.

  • We’ve seen this depth chart solidify during the preseason, and while Cross will be the clear most rostered IDP, Reaves should have value in deeper leagues as well.

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0:00 The 2026 NFL season is upon us

2:18 Myles Garrett, o/u 15.75 sacks

4:07 Aidan Hutchinson, o/u 13.25 sacks

7:40 TJ Watt, o/u 11.25 sacks

8:55 Josh Hines-Allen, o/u 9.75 sacks

11:42 Nick Bosa, o/u 10.25 sacks

12:47 Will Anderson Jr., o/u 12.25 sacks

14:50 Chris Jones, o/u 7.75 sacks

15:36 Brian Burns, o/u 11.25 sacks

16:42 Dallas Turner, o/u 7.75 sacks

17:54 Abdul Carter, o/u 7.25 sacks

18:53 K’Lavon Chaisson, o/u 5.25 sacks

20:29 Derrick Brown, o/u 4.25 sacks

22:34 Defensive Rookie of the Year candidates

26:04 Adam’s favorite DROY pick

29:51 NFL sack leader candidates

34:42 NFL combined tackles leader candidates

42:17 Defensive Player of the Year candidates

46:28 Comeback Player of the Year candidates

47:27 Sneaky DPOY candidate (sorry, haters)

52:00 Super Bowl predictions

56:29 Wrap-up and looking ahead

Good luck with all your bets both for the season and for Week 1! Johny will be writing an IDP Bets article every week for S-Tier subscribers. Learn more about the perks of upgrading right here: https://www.theidpshow.com/p/the-idp-show-pricing-and-tiers-breakdown-2026

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A common barrier preventing fantasy football gamers from playing in IDP leagues is uncertainty about how to value defensive players relative to the offensive players they already know. Consider this a strategy guide for the optimal approach to drafting IDP leagues, with summarized reasoning and walkthroughs throughout a typical 30-round 2026 draft.

This walkthrough combines consensus average draft position (ADP) from FantasyPros with my own combined IDP rankings. This guide will highlight a path to building the ideal 2026 roster by leveraging the best values in the typical ADP and identifying the best ranges to target specific IDP positions.

Scoring is standard on offense and Big-3 Scoring for IDP.

Roster requirements are as follows:

Be sure to check out our 2026 IDP positional rankings:

DEFENSIVE BACKS | LINEBACKERS | DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

COMBINED IDP RANKINGS | 2026 IDP PROJECTIONS

Rounds 1 - 4

The first important thing to note when drafting a combined offense + IDP roster is that you still typically want to target offense early and often to get a starting lineup together there first, as the stars on offense will be the first to be drafted by the rest of your league. Fantasy drafters are typically more well-versed on the offensive side of the ball, though at the same time, their scoring and projections are often much more stable and trustworthy to bet on, regardless of league scoring.

Personally, I’m looking at running back and/or wide receiver first, to ensure I have at least a few true difference-makers at the top of my draft that I’ll be able to leave locked into lineups every week. When you have this many more positions to consider, an underrated aspect of team-building and management is having those locked-in starters that you don’t have to think about each week.

Through the first four rounds, there’s also typically still many quarterbacks and tight ends to wait on, so getting running back and wide receiver at the top is going to be the general consensus. And for IDP managers who want a true elite difference maker in the EDGE spot, it could make sense (dependent on scoring) to make the end of Round 4 the first real range to look at those elite players, but not mandatory by any means.

Ideal starting lineup through the first four rounds:

• QB: 0-1

• RB: 1-3

• WR: 1-3

• TE: 0-1

• ED: 0-1

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This page combines all defensive positions into one set of 2026 redraft IDP rankings, allowing you to compare linebackers, defensive linemen, and defensive backs through a single lens while identifying positional tiers and draft value pockets. Rankings and tiers will be updated throughout the offseason and preseason as depth charts evolve, injuries occur, and projected usage becomes clearer.

This page is just a full table of combined positional rankings, but to view detailed written analysis and tiers for each IDP position, be sure to check out the articles linked below.

Be sure to check out our 2026 IDP positional rankings:

DEFENSIVE BACKS | LINEBACKERS | DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Also, check out our 2026 IDP Projections

• Rankings are based on Big 3 Scoring settings, explained here.

• This list assumes true position designations (DT, EDGE, LB, CB, S) for players (e.g., outside linebackers are considered “edge defenders” to reflect real NFL value).

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Like the Million Dollar Man says, “Everyone has a price.” Yes, that’s true. If you were to offer me a certain sum of money, I’d change allegiances from my favorite football team. It might take a little less now than at earlier points in history.

These guys have a price, but at their current price, I’m heading to the Dollar Store to buy a similar product for less. I’m not paying a premium.

These are the IDPs I’m currently passing on at their current ADP.

LB CJ Allen, Indianapolis Colts

Whenever the term “rotation” enters the fantasy lexicon, it has me running for the hills. That’s what could be on the horizon for the Indianapolis Colts’ linebacker group.

Allen’s hamstring injury curbed his development and my enthusiasm for any hope for a full-time role. He’s already lost the opportunity at the green dot, and now a rotation has emerged among Akeem Davis-Gaither, Jaylon Carlies, Bryce Boettcher, and Allen.

Allen made his preseason debut in Week 2 of the preseason, and the PFF grades weren’t favorable, especially in coverage. Now, it was just 18 snaps, and he was solid against the run; there’s obvious room for improvement in coverage.

Now, all spots are open for a rotation, and I’m not buying Allen at cost as an LB2 in redraft.

LB Sonny Styles, Washington Commanders

I’m a fan of Styles’ traits and athleticism, and I love his potential role and usage in Washington’s defense. The draft capital will, more than likely, have him on the field immediately.

I don’t like where he’s being drafted. In MFL ADP, he’s being drafted as the LB4, and according to The IDP Show's best-ball ADP, he’s the LB11.

Both prices are too rich for my blood. I don’t have a strong feeling or conviction for these rookie LBs the way I did for Carson Schwesinger last season.

Styles is still adapting to the speed of the NFL, and there are linebackers within his range that I’d rather draft, including Jamien Sherwood, Quay Walker, and Nate Landman.

LB T.J. Edwards, Chicago Bears

Edwards is recovering from an injury suffered in the team’s wild card game, and while the news is good and he’s cleared, I think I’m off him as an IDP linebacker.

I do think he’s cleared, but he’s just getting back to practice and getting his footing under him. He’s entering his age-30 season, and this injury could be the potential start of his decline.

D’Marco Jackson has proven he can handle the green dot responsibilities and has graded as Chicago’s best defensive player through two preseason games. The All-22 confirms that, and he has a 20.6% tackle rate.

Edwards has been a dependable IDP linebacker over the last several seasons, recording 640 tackles over the last five seasons, but I’m not sure I want to be in on him when the floor collapses.

ED Brian Burns, New York Giants

Brian Burns just had a career year, and I’m not buying it going into 2026.

15 sacks will have him drafted like a locked-in DL1. He is, on the surface, but strip away the layers, and like Newman, you might have pure evil. Strip away the sack total (yes, I know — that’s the whole game in IDP) and look under the hood, and it’s ugly. Think Jerry’s two-faced date he took to George’s for Festivus. Look at it in a certain light.

His win rate got cut nearly in half: 14.5% in 2024 down to 7.3% in 2025. His true pass-set win rate, the metric that tells you how he’s winning one-on-one against the tackle, fell off a cliff too, from 18.2% to 9.1%. That’s not a guy improving. That’s a guy who got worse at rushing the passer and got paid for it anyway.

So how does a declining rusher post 15 sacks?

A 28.3% sack-to-pressure conversion rate. Easily a career high, nearly double his 2024 mark. He didn’t generate more pressure. He didn’t win more reps. He just finished a higher percentage of the pressures he already had. The box score is lying to you.

I’m not touching Burns as a premium 2026 pick. The name and the sack total will have him flying off the board early, but the tape says this was his worst season as a pass rusher in three years. I’ll draft guys like Nik Bonitto, Danielle Hunter, and Jared Verse.

ED Tuli Tuipulotu, Los Angeles Chargers

I like Tuli, I really do. I wish he wouldn’t have had such a big season. His numbers have him drafted as a top-10/15 edge, and I’m still not sure he’s there.

The volume looks good on paper. He’s out there for almost every passing snap (89.7% pass-rush rate) and turned that into 13 sacks and 75 total pressures. That’s real production. But volume isn’t the same thing as winning your rep, and his efficiency numbers still put him a tier below the guys actually populating the top of this position.

His pass rush win rate sits at 12.3%. His true pass-set win rate, meaning when it’s just him against the tackle with no help coming, is 17.8%. Compare that to the names going right around him:

• Myles Garrett 32.7%

• Will Anderson 32.6%

• Aidan Hutchinson at 27.0%

• Josh Hines-Allen at 30.9%.

Unlike Burns, who padded a down year with a career-high conversion rate, Tuli’s sack total tracks with real pressure created. The production is earned. The problem is that the underlying efficiency still isn’t elite, and that’s what ED16 pricing assumes.

The volume keeps him relevant and makes him a safer floor play than a lot of names in this range. I’ll take guys like Dallas Turner, Chop Robinson, and Jaelan Phillips.

ED Jonathan Greenard, Philadelphia Eagles

With Greenard, it’s not the production, but now the injury that has me fading him at his ADP.

Greenard is the ED21 right now and, on the surface, seems like a fair price.

He’s dealing with a pectoral injury that has caused him to miss most of training camp, and it seems the Eagles are a bit hush on his status for the beginning of the season. The messaging went from not being concerned to may not be ready for the start of the season. Like the street fight in Anchorman, that really got out of hand fast.

In a best ball format, I want ceiling potential every week, and I don’t want to risk a 0 from a premium pick. I’d rather take a linebacker like Quay Walker or Devin Lloyd. If I’m targeting edge rusher, I prefer someone like George Karlaftis, Zach Allen, or Chop Robinson (can you tell I like Chop?).

CB Travis Hunter, Jacksonville Jaguars

I guess I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with Hunter. Love his talent, hate how overvalued he is.

I’m sure Hunter is going to get some offensive snaps, but how many? If you’ve paid attention to the position tracker, Hunter is now down to 0 offensive snaps. I know it’s camp, but it’s not like their practices are being spied on.

If Hunter only gets a few WR snaps, I think his IDP ceiling is lowered significantly. All of a sudden, there are quite a few mouths to feed. Brian Thomas, Parker Washington (who has become the next coming of Jerry Rice), and Jakobi Meyers. He’s listed as the WR4 right now.

He’s the DB1, and while his ADP has risen slightly, I’m not paying that price for Hunter.

S Caleb Downs, Dallas Cowboys

Downs was the consensus top rookie DB in IDP. The keyword being ‘rookie’. He has yet to take an NFL snap and is being drafted as a top DB.

While I don’t think this usage will spill into the regular season, the last time we saw Downs in a game, he played his snaps deep. Now, I see from Cowboys beat writers that their base defense is 4 DBs and 5 DL. Once again, I don’t see that as the norm, but eyebrows are raised like The Rock’s.

Downs is being drafted as the DB6, ahead of known commodities like Budda Baker, Tre’von Moehrig, Chamarri Conner (who’s still being disrespected) and Xavier Watts.

Downs’ ADP is 88. You can get another favorite of mine, Kevin Winston, 50 spots later.

S Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Bears

I don’t mean to be picking on the rookies, but I think we have to. We have yet to see them in a game and how they’ll be used, but we’re spending premium picks on them.

Through two preseason games, the usage looks good. He’s being used around the line of scrimmage on 60% of the snaps. That’s a nice number.

In Week 1, it was 36%, and it then increased to 71% in Week 2. We’re dealing with small samples, but at least that gives us a good idea of how he’ll be deployed.

The last rookie to finish among the top-5 DBs in scoring was Jalen Pitre, and he exploded to a DB1 finish. Here’s the top rookie DB finishes over the last five seasons:

• Nick Emmanwori (DB28)

• Tyler Nubin (DB31)

• Tyrique Stevenson (DB32)

• Jalen Pitre (DB1)

• Pat Surtain (DB60)

Pitre is the outlier here. Once again, I’ll go with proven commodities, even given the variance in the DB position.

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The linebacker position typically serves as the backbone of IDP production, ensuring that fantasy managers can get solid floors on a weekly basis, with the potential to find true difference-makers. The position is filled with volume-driven producers, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, the true advantage lies in identifying high-end impact players who can deliver even more with their opportunities, which often separates a true LB1 candidate from the rest of the pack.

Utilizing these tiered rankings will be key to maximizing value throughout your 2026 IDP fantasy drafts this offseason, whether you’re in big-play, balanced, or tackle-heavy scoring formats.

Be sure to check out our 2026 IDP Projections:

2026 IDP Projections

Tier 1: LB1 Betting Favorites

Everyone is going to have their personal favorites for LB1 this season, and for me, the six linebackers in this first tier have the best shot of getting there, thanks to being proven elite tacklers at the position, and once again set for locked-in every-down roles in 2026.

Starting with the obvious names at the top, Jack Campbell and Carson Schwesinger, however you want to order them heading into this season, much like with the dynasty rankings, you can’t really go wrong. Both players put up dominant numbers in Tackles versus Expected in 2025, resulting in top-five IDP finishes for the position. Campbell finally got a full-time role this past season, and after showing the LB1 IDP potential of what he could be in small doses in previous seasons, he finally had the chance to deliver on that, with the expectation that he’ll continue to do so this season and beyond.

Schwesinger wasted no time in delivering on his IDP potential, immediately hitting the ground running as a rookie, finishing in the 94th percentile in Tackles versus Expected, LB5 for IDP, and the eventual Defensive Rookie of the Year. Heading into Year 2, expectations are significantly higher for Schwesinger, as evidenced by this ranking, but given his talent, IDP managers shouldn’t have any major concerns about him failing to return LB1 value.

Roquan Smith is the only linebacker to not finish below the 90th percentile in Tackles versus Expected every year since 2021. He is the poster boy for consistency at the linebacker position, and as safe a bet for an LB1 finish as you can find heading into 2026. Smith missed a couple of games in 2025, which kept him from reaching that LB1 mark, but, like every player, injuries are unavoidable. If we’re projecting an ideal world with no missed time, I’m not betting against Smith delivering top-12 production once again.

Speaking of an ideal world where players won’t miss time…getting a full season of Blake Cashman for IDP would be fantastic. Unfortunately, Cashman has missed a minimum of three games during the fantasy season in each of the past three years since he’s taken on a starting role. What’s frustrating about that missed time, specifically over the last two seasons in Minnesota, is that Cashman has been LB5 and LB6 in points per game in 2024 and 2025, respectively. I’m hitching my horse to a wagon with a wobbly wheel, but I have confidence that said wheel will keep us rolling for at least one more season.

Jordyn Brooks is nearly impossible to keep out of this tier after the 2025 season he just had, finishing as the overall LB1 for IDP by a comfortable margin, and dominating the Tackles versus Expected metric once again. Even with some expected regression in a new defensive scheme, and assuming he’s still on the team this season in the final year of his contract, it’s difficult to imagine anything less than a top-12 finish for the former first-round pick. Brooks will more than likely get drafted anywhere in this top-six linebacker range, and regardless of where you take him, he remains a strong bet to make heading into 2026.

Lastly, Nick Bolton is coming off a resurgent 2025 season where he seemingly returned to his Year 1 and Year 2 form, and after a couple of quieter seasons in a row, my confidence in Bolton as an LB1 has been renewed. This is, after all, a player who, outside of one year (2024), has finished no worse than 85th percentile in Tackles versus Expected, with two of those years resulting in 99th percentile marks, and last year finishing 93rd percentile. The evidence around Bolton as an elite tackler is strong, and it helped him finish as the overall LB6 in 2025. A similar outlook for 2026 is well within his range of possibilities.

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The defensive back position is the deepest in all of fantasy football, creating significant year-to-year instability in production, with big plays like interceptions often swaying results. Since interceptions are impossible to predict, it’s up to us as IDP managers to understand and target the production we know is more stable and predictable for IDP. This often means safeties that line up closer to the line of scrimmage and cornerbacks who get most of their work in the slot. If we can nail the base tackle production for these DBs and let the positive variance gods do their thing in allowing big plays to hit on top, that’s all the recipe we need to get a win at the position. These rankings/tiers are designed to help identify who these top targets are, in order to give us as many possible hits at the position without having to worry about spending too much to acquire them in drafts.

Utilizing these tiered rankings will be key to maximizing value throughout your 2026 IDP fantasy drafts this offseason, whether you’re in big-play, balanced, or tackle-heavy scoring formats.

Be sure to check out our 2026 IDP projections:

2026 IDP Projections

Tier 1: Travis Hunter & Friends

Most of these defensive backs will cost more than I’m typically comfortable paying in IDP drafts to acquire; however, I’ve also included some names who could deliver similarly, but won’t cost nearly as much in drafts.

There’s a legitimate argument for Travis Hunter to be in a tier of his own, and technically, he is, because of his unique deployment and cheat-code potential. But for leagues where he doesn’t have a cornerback designation, or isn’t scoring both offensive and defensive points, he’s not going to carry nearly as much value. Obviously, Hunter’s dual usage isn’t guaranteed, and the amount in which he is getting that usage week to week is likely to vary, but in fantasy football, where we should absolutely be targeting upside, capitalizing on production from both sides of the ball with one player that we can potentially plug into a DB starting slot is a risk worth taking. For those who don’t believe in the Lisan Al-Gaib of IDP, I get it, and you can just ignore this ranking and keep moving along. But for those who believe even a little, then don’t hesitate to treat him as your highly-drafted DB1 and let him take you to the promised land.

Kyle Hamilton and Nick Emmanwori are going to be drafted early in IDP drafts; there’s just no way around that. And if you want to acquire the top two best projections for elite safety production as tacklers with big-play ability, then you’re going to have to pay up to get them. The usage, efficiency, and big-play upside for Hamilton and Emmanwori are nearly identical as far as I’m concerned, so order them however you want. Just know the follies of investing too early at a position where others can produce similarly, and it might cost you passing up on more valuable IDPs/positions to be one of the first drafters to target a defensive back.

It’s worth noting that, as inconsistent as the DB position tends to be, Derwin James has regularly bucked that trend as one of the most effective high-end producers every single year. He’s finished no worse than S6 in each of the past five seasons, and he’s done so every year of his career when he’s played more than four games. Again, it’s a level of elite consistency that is truly unique for the position, and it’s why we should appreciate James for the IDP Hall of Famer that he is, and will be when his career is all said and done. He’s still going strong, though, and we can continue to bask in his greatness…as long as we’re willing to pay up for it.

Nick Cross has delivered elite production over the last two seasons, finishing as the overall S3 in 2024 and S1 in 2025, doing so under two different defensive coordinators. Now, heading into 2026, Cross joins a new team and will once again be expected to deliver elite production in a new defensive system. Luckily for Cross, this will be the third consecutive season that he should get one of the league’s more ideal IDP safety deployments within that system. Considering Cross has operated as at least a 90th percentile Tackles versus Expected scorer over the last two seasons, there’s reason to believe he can maintain his elite production stepping into another box-heavy role in Washington.

Budda Baker, Jeremy Chinn, and Quentin Lake are as close to consistent (after Derwin James) as there’s been at the position, with all three players proving to be highly effective when given the opportunity, outside of 2023, which was unkind to all three safeties. Over the past two seasons, and beyond for Baker and Chinn, they’ve been able to deliver top-20 IDP production for the position, either overall or in points per game. While that doesn’t sound like a high bar to set, when we’re looking at a position with such a weak year-to-year correlation in IDP scoring, these three names are about as safe as it gets.

Tykee Smith had a breakout year in 2025, finishing as the overall S2 thanks to elite tackling, evidenced by his 97th percentile finish in Tackles versus Expected, which came from his ideal deployment in Tampa Bay’s defense. Overtaking even Antoine Winfield Jr. as the preferred IDP option on the team, Smith’s projection for 2026 remains elite, and if he can continue to deliver similarly to his 2025, he’ll be a locked-in weekly option for the position.

Tre’von Moehrig has been a prime beneficiary of ideal usage over the past two years, moving from a true deep safety role during his first three years in the league, when he often produced well outside the top-24 at his position. Now, he’s been a top-10 IDP safety in each of the last two years since his massive shift in deployment. He’s a great example for those looking at how scheme can affect IDP production. Moehrig’s potential usage for 2026 isn’t really expected to change all that much, barring the team deciding Lathan Ransom would be best suited for that role — which is entirely possible, and something I’m secretly hoping for — but realistically, we should be expecting close to more of the same from Moehrig this season.

Cooper DeJean is a unique target heading into this season as his role in the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense is set to change dramatically. DeJean is now in line to play a starting safety role, as opposed to his previous nickel defender spot. DeJean will still play in the slot in nickel personnel, but instead of lining up outside in base packages, he’ll move to a more IDP-friendly safety role. This should help eliminate the less-than-ideal outside corner alignments and potentially boost DeJean’s production even further this year. Considering he’ll still likely be classified as CB on most fantasy platforms, DeJean’s positional value also increases enough to help him land in this first tier.

This year’s rookie safety class was highly touted, and for good reason, with three real candidates to make an immediate impact as soon as this season. Dillon Thieneman is a personal favorite to deliver high-end production as a rookie, stepping into a defense with an immediate need at the position, projecting for similar usage as Jaquan Brisker last season (~35% in the box), and if his college profile is any indication, he should be more than capable of delivering as a top-end IDP asset.

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The defensive line position tends to be one of the biggest difference-makers in IDP fantasy football, with sack production often separating the championship contenders from the rest of the field. Heading into the 2026 season, we’ll look to identify the elite pass rushers, the strong tackle floors, and the potential sleepers and breakout candidates who could end up being the best values in redraft leagues.

Utilizing these tiered rankings will be key to maximizing value throughout your 2026 IDP fantasy drafts this offseason, whether you’re in big-play, balanced, or tackle-heavy scoring formats.

Be sure to check out our 2026 IDP projections:

2026 IDP Projections

Tier 1: The Sinister Six

The elite edge defenders are very familiar faces to IDP managers, and regardless of which one you choose to join your squad, there’s plenty of reason to believe that they will continue to produce at that expected elite level. The players in this tier are unlikely to change or get shuffled, barring any major news this offseason, leaving Tier 1 untouched in these updates.

Myles Garrett is going to be the clear favorite to be drafted as IDP1 this season after breaking the NFL sack record in 2025 and pacing the rest of the competition in IDP scoring as a result. And after just getting traded to the Los Angeles Rams(!), it’s getting increasingly more difficult to argue his spot at the top of the ranks. Considering the elite pass rusher that Garrett has been for his entire NFL career, showing no real signs of slowing down, and now joining a better defensive line to create more disruption, with a better secondary to allow more time to get to the passer, and just a better overall team to get a shot to rush the passer more, another 20-plus-sack season is within his range of outcomes again. Originally, when I published these rankings while Garrett was still on the Browns, I had him as ED3, trying to be realistic about his outcome this year, but for all the reasons I laid out, joining the Rams makes him that much more dangerous as a pass rusher.

Aidan Hutchinson gets the nod as ED2 for me this year as a pass rusher still in his prime and now two years removed from a gruesome leg injury that cost him most of the 2024 season. In his first year back from injury in 2025, Hutchinson showed no noticeable signs of decline, earning top-five grades from PFF both overall (91.8) and as a pass rusher (92.1). This resulted in him leading his position in defensive snaps (1,005), finishing as a top-6 IDP, and regaining his place atop the Expected Sacks leaderboard for the year. Improved health and positive regression as a tackler alone should be enough to catapult Hutchinson into a top scorer for his position once again this year, and considering where he’s at in his career, there’s even room to grow in the sack column as well.

Much like with the dynasty rankings, Will Anderson Jr. and Hutchinson are neck and neck near the top, with very little separating the two. I’d have no quarrels about IDP managers choosing Anderson over Hutchinson, since I don’t think you can go wrong with either in this situation. Both are coming off ED1 seasons, are guaranteed high-end playing time, and have proven to be among the best pass rushers in the NFL, creating elite ceilings for both. Helping Anderson’s case is that he proved to be a better tackler than Hutchinson in 2025, earning a 97th percentile mark in Tackles versus Expected (+11.8), showing he could do more with his opportunities to create a potentially better production floor.

Nick Bosa drops from ED4 previously to the bottom of Tier 1 as he’s coming off a torn ACL, and while it seemed like he’d be ready to go for Week 1, there’s at least some question about his availability right now. Bosa was experiencing some tendinitis in his surgically repaired knee, which has kept him out of practice recently. It’s concerning enough that he drops a little in the ranks for me right now, but we know that when he is on the field he’s an elite producer for IDP, and one that is also due for positive regression in the sack column. If the concerns prove to be nothing, IDP managers should get a top-tier EDGE option with league-winning upside.

Speaking of elite producers, Maxx Crosby has been an IDP machine in recent years, delivering top-tier sack production and high-end tackle numbers. While he’s been a little more banged up as of late, you can all but guarantee that when he’s active on gameday, we’re looking at 95-plus percent of defensive snaps to work with. Even with a slight dip in pass-rushing metrics over the past two seasons, he’s still a top threat to get to the passer, and combined with unprecedented playing time for the position, he’ll be locked into this top tier for at least another season.

Lastly, T.J. Watt rounds out the rest of Tier 1, and much like Crosby, we have seen a dip in underlying pass-rush metrics for Watt over these past couple of seasons, most notably delivering just a 75.5 pass-rush grade in 2025, which ranked outside the top-25 at his position, and far from his norm. However, like Crosby, Watt hasn’t stopped delivering elite IDP production when he’s on the field. In 2025, despite missing three games, he averaged 14.3 points per game — good for ED6 in that regard. If Watt is healthy, he has just as high a ceiling as any player in this tier, and when we’re looking for that upside to win fantasy championships, Watt remains in the conversation for another year.

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With two full weeks of the NFL preseason officially wrapped, it’s time to dive into the key fantasy football takeaways we can use to better inform our 2026 season.

Be sure to check out how this updated information affects our Depth Charts, Rankings, and Projections as we continue to make updates throughout the next few weeks heading into Week 1.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

• LINEBACKER

  • Mack Wilson and Jack Gibbens didn’t play in this game, solidifying their spots at the top of the depth chart.

  • Cody Simon and Karson Sharar started this game, with Simon playing just the first two drives before his day was done.

  • Sharar stayed in the game for several more drives with Simon out of the game.

  • Simon can be safely avoided in redraft, and dynasty managers can either drop him for Gibbens if available, or another potential starter heading into 2026.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Josh Sweat, Zaven Collins, Walter Nolen, and Baron Browning didn’t play in this game.

  • There’s likely to be a three-man rotation at the EDGE position in Arizona this year, with Sweat leading the way once again.

  • If either one of Collins or Browning can separate from the other in terms of playing time, there should be some sleeper value to be targeted there in deeper leagues.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Budda Baker and Andrew Wingard didn’t play in this game.

  • Dadrion Taylor-Demerson’s starting/breakout potential appears to be toast at this point, barring an injury to one of the actual starters.

  • Wingard can still be had for free in the majority of IDP lineups, and should be targeted in deeper leagues.

ATLANTA FALCONS

• LINEBACKER

  • Divine Deablo didn’t play in this game.

  • Kendal Daniels got the start and the green dot again this week.

  • JD Bertrand started the game next to Daniels before getting banged up after just one snap, when he rotated off for Harold Perkins Jr. for the rest of the first drive.

  • Bertrand was able to return for the second drive and played every snap of that one next to Daniels.

  • The third drive saw Bertrand split time with Perkins next to Daniels.

  • Both Daniels and Perkins’ days were done after that third series.

  • The main thing to note here is that Christian Harris didn’t get into the game until the fourth defensive series when both Daniels and Perkins were done for the day, which should indicate that Harris is not going to be a starter come Week 1, which is that much better for Daniels’ chances of being named a starter next to Deablo.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Samson Ebukam, Brandon Dorlus, Za’Darius Smith, and Cameron Thomas didn’t play in this game.

  • Zach Harrison and Azeez Ojulari were the starting edge defenders in this game, and even with Jalon Walker’s injury and James Pearce’s suspension, aren’t likely to play IDP-relevant snaps early in the season.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Jessie Bates, Xavier Watts, Billy Bowman Jr., and the rest of the starting corners didn’t play in this game.

  • Sydney Brown and DeMarcco Hellams were the starting safeties, with Brown getting the starter’s “rest” treatment first in this one as he appears to be third on the depth chart now behind Bates and Watts.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

• LINEBACKER

  • Roquan Smith, Teddye Buchanan, and Trenton Simpson didn’t play in this game.

  • Dominic DeLuca and Jay Higgins were the starters at linebacker.

  • Buchanan is nearly fully recovered from a torn ACL suffered late last year, though if he’s unable to go in Week 1, then Simpson will be his replacement until he’s ready.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Trey Hendrickson, Nnamdi Madubuike, Calais Campbell, and Tavius Robinson didn’t play in this game.

  • This is the second week in a row where the starters were held out, including Robinson, while Mike Green and Zion Young got the start with the backups.

  • Robinson appears to be ahead of Green on the depth chart, though the 2025 second-round pick looked good in this one with two pressures and a sack on 13 pass-rush attempts.

  • With Robinson likely ahead of Green on the depth chart for now, it seems that the second-year breakout might have to wait until Year 3 before Green really becomes a viable starting IDP option.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks, and the starting cornerbacks sat this game out.

  • K’Von Wallace and Keondre Jackson were the starting safeties, though they’ll be of no interest for IDP barring a Hamilton or Starks injury.

BUFFALO BILLS

• LINEBACKER

  • Terrel Bernard didn’t play in this game.

  • Last week, the Bills rotated Kaleb Elarms-Orr and Dorian Williams alongside Bernard, as they appeared undecided about who should be the LB2 come Week 1.

  • This week felt much more decisive as Elarms-Orr started the game next to Keonta Jenkins, playing an every-down role through the first two drives before his day was done.

  • Dorian Williams only came on once Elarms-Orr’s day was over, playing next to Joe Andreesen through the rest of the first half.

  • Andreesen and Jenkins played in the second half after Williams was done.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Greg Rousseau, Bradley Chubb, Michael Hoecht, and Ed Oliver didn’t play in this game.

  • Rookie second-round pick T.J. Parker got the start on the edge in this game after a solid showing with the backups last week, which resulted in a sack.

  • Parker played the first half, 11 pass-rush snaps, and generated one pressure for a 72.3 PFF pass-rush grade.

  • He won’t likely be an IDP option as a rookie behind Rousseau and Chubb as the clear starters, but if he can work in on occasion and hone his skills, he has the potential to develop in time for his Year 3 or 4 season.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Cole Bishop, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Dee Alford didn’t play in this game.

  • Geno Stone and Damar Hamlin were the starting safeties in this game and are the expected backups to the starters Bishop and Gardner-Johnson to start the year.

  • Jordan Hancock worked as the primary slot defender with the starters, with Alford and Gardner-Johnson out of this one.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Devin Lloyd didn’t play in this game.

  • Claudin Cherelus and Trevin Wallace continue to battle for the LB2 role in this defense, as both players started this game through the first four defensive drives.

  • Cherelus operated as the lone every-down linebacker while Wallace did rotate off on one third-and-long.

  • Cherelus appears to be the favorite to start next to Lloyd Week 1, and should be added in non-shallow formats in place of Wallace were it makes sense.

  • Jackson Kuwatch and Isaiah Simmons operated as the next men up once Cherelus and Wallace were done for the day.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Jaelan Phillips, Derrick Brown, and Ter’Shawn Wharton didn’t play in this game.

  • Princely Umanmielen and Pat Jones II started this game.

  • Jones missed the first preseason game due to illness, while Umanmielen had a nice day, but he was able to get back in time for this one and potentially push for that second starting EDGE spot.

  • Jones and Umanmielen both played 13 defensive snaps each, with Jones even landing a sack in this one.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Tre’Von Moehrig and Nick Scott both started at safety, further solidifying Scott’s spot ahead of Lathan Ransom on the depth chart.

  • Jaycee Horn didn’t play in this game, so Chau Smith-Wade moved from his usual slot role among the starters to play exclusively outside in Horn’s absence.

CHICAGO BEARS

• LINEBACKER

  • T.J. Edwards, Noah Sewell, and Keyshaun Elliott didn’t play in this game.

  • D’Marco Jackson and Devin Bush were the starters, playing the entire first drive (14 snaps) before their day was done.

  • Jack Sanborn played only in base packages with the starters.

  • Edwards and Bush are set to lead the way this year, though Jackson should be monitored as the next man up should something happen to Edwards and/or Bush.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Austin Booker didn’t play in this game, though most of the starters did, so he could be managing an injury.

  • Montez Sweat played 10 of 14 snaps on the first drive with Dayo Odeyingbo as his running mate on the other side.

  • If Booker isn’t healthy, Odeyingbo could get a decent-sized workload that would make him relevant in non-shallow IDP formats.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Dillon Thieneman and Cam Lewis got the start for the second-straight week, solidifying their spots in the starting lineup.

  • Xavier Woods didn’t come into the game until Thieneman and Lewis were done for the day, as was the case last week.

  • Thieneman’s usage looked very encouraging for IDP as he lined up in the box for 50% of his 14 snaps, while also getting two more snaps on the edge and one in the slot, playing just four deep snaps (29%).

  • Fellow rookie Malik Muhammad continues to work as the primary starting nickel defender in place of the injured and injury-prone Kyler Gordon.

  • Gordon’s likelihood of getting healthy before Week 1 continues to drop, which should make Muhammad an enticing option in CB-required formats, considering his role in Dennis Allen’s defense.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

• LINEBACKER

  • Barrett Carter, Oren Burks, and Demetrius Knight Jr. didn’t play in this game.

  • Carter and Knight remain the expected starters heading into the year, with Carter set to wear the green dot once again.

  • After Burks as the LB3, the Bengals truly don’t have many options at linebacker with Swayze Bowman and Shaka Heyward starting this game.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • The entirety of the Bengals’ expected starters along the defensive line sat this game out, including Dexter Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Myles Murphy, and Shemar Stewart.

  • 2023 second-round pick Isaiah Foskey started this game and played every defensive snap, which is not something you typically see in a preseason game.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Bryan Cook, Jordan Battle, Kyle Dugger, and the projected starting corners all didn’t play in this game.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

• LINEBACKER

  • Carson Schwesinger and Quincy Williams didn’t play in this game.

  • Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Nathaniel Watson, and Winston Reid started this game at linebacker with the Browns leaning heavily into base personnel with all three linebackers playing every snap of the first drive together.

  • The second drive saw Watson come off the field, which allowed Mascarenas-Arnold to finish his day following that drive and look like the third linebacker behind Schwesinger and Williams.

  • Reid and Watson remained in the game much later.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Jared Verse, Isaiah McGuire, Alex Wright, Mason Graham, and Maliek Collins didn’t play in this game.

  • Wright didn’t play after he suffered a torn Achilles in one-on-one drills on Thursday, which will require season-ending surgery.

  • The Browns will look to McGuire and, potentially, newly signed Derek Barnett to support the pass rush alongside Verse.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman didn’t play in this game.

  • Emmanuel McNeil-Warren started next to Donovan McMillon at safety.

  • Dynasty managers will likely need to be patient with the emergence of McNeil-Warren for IDP, as Hickman is now in the final year of his contract and is set to at least start the season at safety next to Delpit.

DALLAS COWBOYS

• LINEBACKER

  • DeMarvion Overshown and Dee Winters didn’t play in this game, marking the second week in a row that we haven’t seen them in the preseason.

  • There have been reports of a rotation at linebacker in Dallas, though it appears that Overshown and Winters are at the head of that rotation, if it exists.

  • Rookie Jaishawn Barham made his debut in this game, getting the start next to Shemar James.

  • Barham played into the second quarter in a near-every-down role, as he did come off for a short stint on the third series, being replaced by Curtis Robinson and Justin Barron before coming back into the game.

  • Barham should be considered the favorite for the Cowboys’ third linebacker spot, and if there is a true rotation with any of the starters, then he would get more work than expected in his rookie year, though still not likely enough to be IDP-relevant.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Rashan Gary, Quinnen Williams, Von Miller, and Donovan Ezeiruaku didn’t play in this game.

  • Malachi Lawrence and James Houston got the start, with Lawrence just playing the first drive before his day was done.

  • Lawrence was able to generate pressure on that drive and could push for a move up the depth chart if he’s able to deliver on his first-round draft capital in Year 1.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Jalen Thompson, Caleb Downs, and Malik Hooker, as well as the expected starting cornerbacks, didn’t play in this game.

DENVER BRONCOS

• LINEBACKER

  • Drew Sanders didn’t play in this game.

  • Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad got the start once again, and as expected, are the primary options heading into Week 1.

  • Strnad came off the field for two defensive snaps on that first drive, as he continues to be a deep-league option only for IDP.

  • Karene Reid and Jordan Turner were the next pairing at linebacker ahead of Red Murdock and Taurean York.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Nik Bonitto, Zach Allen, and Jonathon Cooper got the start in this game, playing the first two drives with the rest of the starters.

  • Cooper isn’t quite a safe bet just yet for IDP, as he does hold the potential for suspension due to several off-field issues this offseason.

  • For as long as he’s not suspended, he’s at least a startable IDP option in non-shallow formats.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Ja’Quan McMillian was the starting nickel corner once again this week, though he was used sparingly with the starters.

  • The Broncos opted for a lot more five-man defensive fronts, which led to McMillian playing just 37% of the defensive snaps through the first two drives with the starters.

  • Jahdae Baron came on with the backups, playing both wide and in the slot, though the 2025 first-round pick does not appear likely to factor in as an IDP-relevant piece again this season.

DETROIT LIONS

• LINEBACKER

  • Jack Campbell, Jimmy Rolder, and Damone Clark didn’t play in this game.

  • Derrick Barnes and Devin White started with Malcolm Rodriguez coming on as the third linebacker in base packages.

  • Barnes played every snap of the first three drives of the game while White played the entire first half (four drives).

  • Each time Rodriguez rotated in with Barnes and White on the field, Barnes moved to the edge, his primary role last season alongside Campbell and Alex Anzalone.

  • While Barnes got the starter’s “rest” treatment first in this game, it’s looking like he’ll be the safer bet to start next to Campbell, though he’ll still likely get usage on the edge like last season, specifically when White comes on the field, as Rodriguez did in this one.

  • Rodriguez played into the second half alongside Trevor Nowaske, which should indicate that he is now behind White on the depth chart.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Aidan Hutchinson, Payton Turner, and Alim McNeil didn’t play in this game.

  • After both D.J. Wonnum and Derrick Moore sat out last week, they were the starters at EDGE this week.

  • Both players landed a sack in the first half, though Wonnum was given the starter’s “rest” treatment first, as he’s expected to get the most work after Hutchinson to start the year.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Kerby Joseph, Brian Branch, and Thomas Harper didn’t play in this game.

  • Chuck Clark and Avonte Maddox got the start, and after last week when Clark got the starter’s “rest” treatment over Harper while Joseph, Branch, and Maddox didn’t play, this week it was Maddox who got rested first before Clark.

  • With Branch and potentially Joseph as well expected to miss the start of the year, Maddox is looking like the first man up to replace one at safety, while Clark would be the second option should both starters miss time.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Zaire Franklin and Edgerrin Cooper started this game.

  • Both players played every snap of the first two drives of the game before their days were done.

  • We’ve yet to see an instance of Cooper (the non-green-dot linebacker) rotating off in certain packages, so all looks good for now, though it is just the preseason and we’re not out of the woods yet.

    • The concern is that defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has not used two full-time linebackers in any of his recent tenures with different teams.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Dani Dennis-Sutton and Javon Hargrave didn’t play in this game.

  • Lukas Van Ness is the only settled starter at EDGE with Micah Parsons sidelined for at least the first four games of the season.

  • Van Ness has failed to be an effective IDP through his first three seasons in the league, though he’ll likely see enough volume to be an option in deeper formats for now.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Javon Bullard didn’t play in this game.

  • Kamal Hadden started at outside corner and worked in the slot with Bullard not available.

  • Keisean Nixon and Brandon Cisse were the other starting corners, though Cisse only played the first drive while Nixon and Hadden remained in the game after that.

  • It’s looking like the Packers starting corners in Week 1 will be Nixon and Cisse with Bullard in the slot.

HOUSTON TEXANS

• LINEBACKER

  • Azeez Al-Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o, and E.J. Speed did not play in this game

  • As was the case in the first preseason game, fourth-round rookie Wade Woodaz started alongside Marte Mapu and Jake Hummel.

  • Woodaz managed an 80-yard pick-six off of Fernando Mendoza on that first drive, though it didn’t really change his standing for how the team planned to deploy him in this game.

  • The first drive saw Woodaz and Hummel as the every-down linebackers with Mapu rotating off in non-base personnel.

  • That rotation changed later in the game as Woodaz didn’t play on the second drive, which could have had more to do with him having to run the entire length of the field just minutes prior, as Hummel and Mapu worked as the every-down linebackers with Jamal Hill as the rotational base linebacker.

  • The Texans played a lot of Woodaz, Hill, and Aiden Fisher for the rest of the first half after Hummel and Mapu’s day was done at the conclusion of the first quarter, signifying that they got the starter's “rest” treatment first.

  • Woodaz even worked as the base personnel rotational third linebacker next to every-down linebackers Hill and Fisher in the second quarter.

  • For now, Jake Hummel may get the first nod as the team’s LB3 with Speed expected to miss significant time, but despite Woodaz’s great game, he hasn’t locked down that role himself just yet.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, Sheldon Rankins, and Tommy Togiai didn’t play in this game.

  • Newly-signed Jadeveon Clowney got the start in this one, alongside Dylan Horton with Logan Hall and Mario Edwards Jr. on the interior.

  • Clowney recorded two pressures on his 12 snaps and should be considered a lock for that third EDGE spot in this defense.

  • Rookie second-round pick Kayden McDonald came in on the second defensive drive of the game, playing 21 total snaps, and registering a sack.

  • McDonald will have to contend with Rankins and Togiai for playing time, so he’ll remain just a DT-required league stash for now.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Jalen Pitre, Calen Bullock, Kamari Ramsey, and M.J. Stewart didn’t play in this game.

  • Ramsey was the highest-graded rookie IDP in preseason Week 1, per PFF, though he didn’t suit up for this game, which was somewhat interesting considering that Reed Blankenship was active and played the first 11 defensive snaps of this game.

  • Blankenship played only about two-and-a-half drives in this game before his day was done.

  • It’s possible that Blankenship only played with the backups since the team was without four safeties in this game, and he didn’t play last week, so potentially just getting reps.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

• LINEBACKER

  • Akeem Davis-Gaither didn’t play in this game.

  • Jaylon Carlies and Austin Ajiake started this game at linebacker, though they rotated the first four drives by pairing with CJ Allen and Bryce Boettcher playing the second drive.

  • Allen and Boettcher ended up playing two consecutive drives on the fourth and fifth series, though that was likely because their drives tended to be shorter than Carlies/Ajiake’s drives in the first half.

  • Allen and Carlies started the second half together, though Allen played just the first three snaps of the third quarter before his day was done and he was replaced on that drive by Ajiake.

  • Boettcher and West Weeks were the next starters after Carlies and Ajiake were done for the day.

  • This linebacker corps is a hot mess at the moment, and we haven’t even seen how Davis-Gaither will factor in yet.

  • There could be a rotation to start the season, as has been the case in camp with Allen missing a large chunk of time due to injuries, which makes this group one to potentially wait on in drafts.

  • Davis-Gaither might be the safest bet early in the year, though as Allen gets healthy and acclimated to the defense, specifically the first-team defense, he should emerge as the LB1 there for IDP.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Laiatu Latu, DeForest Buckner, Arden Key, and Grover Stewart didn’t play in this game.

  • Michael Clemons and JT Tuimolaoau started this game on the edge, though there shouldn’t be much of an IDP expectation outside of Latu and Buckner.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • A.J. Haulcy, Cam Bynum, Justin Walley, Charvarius Ward, and Sauce Gardner all didn’t play in this game.

  • That’s the expected starting secondary, and it would have been nice to at least see a hint of how Lou Anaroumo plans on deploying his safeties, but it looks like we might have to wait until Week 1 for that.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

• LINEBACKER

  • Foyesade Oluokun and Jack Kiser didn’t play in this game.

  • Branson Combs and Ventrell Miller were the starting linebackers, with Combs wearing the green dot.

  • Miller came off the field on the first third down of the game, with Combs operating as the lone linebacker, in which he generated a pressure and forced an incompletion on the play.

  • Combs and Miller both played every down of the next series together before their days were done.

  • Jahlani Tavai and Amari Burney came into the game next.

  • It’s possible that Combs has surpassed Miller on the depth chart, though with Miller playing his usual role, and Combs operating as Oluokun’s direct replacement in this game, it’s also possible that Combs was just a placeholder while Miller got his usual/expected work.

  • Either way, both are worth rostering in deeper formats for now, and once we have clarity in Week 1 or earlier, the starter can be kept while the other is dropped.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, and Dennis Gardeck didn’t play in this game.

  • The Jaguars are incredibly thin at defensive end, as Gardeck isn’t a true starting option in that role should Hines-Allen or Walker miss time.

  • B.J. Green II and Danny Strigow were the starters in this one, though neither is IDP-relevant.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Travis Hunter, Antonio Johnson, Eric Murray, Jourdan Lewis, and the rest of the expected starting corners didn’t play in this game.

  • Hunter is the clear top option to roster for IDP (as long as your league registers him as a CB and allows offensive points), while the rest can be treated as usable DBs in non-shallow formats.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

• LINEBACKER

  • Drue Tranquill didn’t play in this game.

  • Jeffery Bassa joined Nick Bolton in the starting lineup, playing an every-down role together through the first two drives.

  • Bassa remained in the game after Bolton’s day was done.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • George Karlaftis, Chris Jones, and Felix Anudike-Uzomah started this game.

  • Anudike-Uzomah has reportedly been having a nice camp after missing all of last season, and as was the case last week, he appears to be the front-runner to start along with Karlaftis on the edge.

  • Anudike-Uzomah even had a very effective game as a pass rusher, earning a 90.6 PFF pass-rush grade to go along with five total pressures and a sack on 16 pass-rush attempts.

  • Anudike-Uzomah is looking like a potential sleeper option for the 2026 season if he can keep this job locked down.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Alohi Gilman and Chamarri Conner didn’t play in this game.

  • Christian Roland-Wallace appeared to get the nod ahead of Kader Kohou for the starting nickel role.

  • Roland-Wallace played between Nohl Williams and Mansoor Delane with the starters, and played an every-down role, splitting time in the slot and at safety.

  • Fourth-round rookie Jadon Canady also got in work in the slot ahead of Kohou’s first appearance, which should signify that the starting slot role is potentially out of Kohou’s reach for the early part of the year.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker didn’t play in this game.

  • Tommy Eichenberg and Cody Lindenberg started this game.

  • Eichenberg is looking like the clear LB3 in this defense, and potential next man up in case of injury, as he played just 17 snaps in this game compared to Lindenberg’s 40.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Maxx Crosby and Kwity Paye didn’t play in this game.

  • After playing the first drive last week, Paye sat this one out, which left Malcolm Koonce and Patrick Johnson as the starters for the Raiders at EDGE.

  • Not that there was any question about it, but it seems pretty clear that Paye will start the year next to Crosby and could be a fine volume-based play for non-shallow IDP formats.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Jeremy Chinn, Isaiah Pola-Mao, and Taron Johnson didn’t play in this game.

  • Rookie second-round pick Treydan Stukes started this game at safety alongside Tristin McCollum after Stukes played almost exclusively in the slot last week behind Taron Johnson.

  • Dalton Johnson rotated in as the nickel defender on the early drives while Stukes was lined up at safety.

  • Stukes played mostly safety in the first quarter, but exclusively in the slot in the second quarter when Dalton Johnson and McCollum played safety.

  • Stukes looks like he has multiple paths to snaps as a rookie, serving as the primary third safety/next man up and as Taron Johnson’s potential replacement at nickel if needed.

  • Stukes remains a taxi stash in dynasty, if you’re into holding DBs, but it’s encouraging to see multiple paths to playing time in Year 1.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Daiyan Henley and Denzel Perryman started this game after both sitting out last week.

  • Henley operated as the clear every-down linebacker while he was in the game, though Perryman rotated off the field for two snaps, being replaced by Troy Dye in obvious passing situations.

  • This would indicate that Perryman is really only going to be an option in deep IDP formats, while Dye is at least the next man up in case of injury.

  • Dye and Del’Shawn Phillips operated as the linebackers once Henley and Perryman were done for the day.

  • Junior Colson added another nail to his coffin, as he came in after Dye and Phillips, signifying that the coaching staff is not even toying with the idea of Colson as a starter.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Khalil Mack and Akheem Mesidor didn’t play in this game.

  • Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree started at EDGE, each playing the first drive (83%).

  • Mack and Mesidor are both expected to start ahead of Dupree, though it’s worth noting that Dupree found some success in this game, generating two pressures and an 89.3 PFF pass-rush grade.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Derwin James, Tarheeb Still, and Donte Jackson didn’t play in this game.

  • It’s possible that Jackson is pushing for a starting outside corner spot, as Cam Hart started this game but rotated out on the first drive in favor of Avery Smith.

  • It’s unclear whether Hart was banged up and needed a breather, or if the team isn’t sold on him as a starter.

  • Hart came back in and finished the first drive before his day was done.

  • Elijah Molden and Tony Jefferson were the starting safeties, with Jefferson playing an additional drive.

  • Nikko Reed got the first looks as the team’s nickel defender with James not playing.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

• LINEBACKER

  • Nate Landman, Omar Speights, and Shaun Dolac, among others, didn’t play in this game.

  • You’d be hard-pressed to find a name you recognize amongst this Rams’ preseason Week 2 lineup.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Myles Garrett, Byron Young, Kobie Turner, and many more potential starters didn’t play in this game.

  • There’s no chance that the Rams will play any IDP-relevant options in the final week of the preseason.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • You guessed it; none of the expected starters or even their immediate backups played in this game.

  • It would have been nice to see maybe one series with even some of the starters, but we should know by now that that’s not how the Rams do things.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

• LINEBACKER

  • Jordyn Brooks and Tyrel Dodson didn’t play in this game.

  • Jacob Rodriguez manned the green dot for the first drive only, before his day was done.

  • As expected, Dodson will start the year next to Brooks, though the expectation is that Rodriguez will eventually take over.

  • Kyle Louis got in some work on the first drive along with Ronnie Harrison as well, and ahead of Willie Gay Jr., which wasn’t the case last week.

  • Louis had some interesting usage this week, which you’ll see more of in the defensive back section for Miami.

  • Trey Moore suffered an injury after just two snaps and didn’t return to the game.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Chop Robinson, Zach Sieler, Josh Uche, and Clelin Ferrell didn’t play in this game.

  • David Ojabo and Max Llewellyn started at EDGE, though they didn’t show much in their opportunities, playing about half the game.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • As noted last week, rookie first-round cornerback Chris Johnson looks like he should have real IDP value as the team’s full-time starter.

  • Johnson once again split his snaps outside and in the slot with the starters, which should provide decent value in CB-required formats.

  • Dante Trader Jr. didn’t play last week and looked like his role as a locked-in starter was set; however, he was active this week and didn’t start the game as rookie Michael Taaffe and Zayne Anderson got the nod.

  • Taaffe wasn’t full-time with the starters, however, as rookie Kyle Louis got in plenty of work at safety and in the slot while he was on the field, playing 28% at safety and 56% in the slot on top of his linebacker work.

  • Trader, meanwhile, didn’t come into the game until late in the first quarter, working behind Anderson, Taaffe, and technically Louis as well.

  • We have seemingly reached the point where we can avoid the Miami safeties again until we get clarity on the position.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• LINEBACKER

  • Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson didn’t play in this game.

  • Ivan Pace started this game alongside rookie Jake Golday.

  • Pace played every down of the first two drives while Golday played into the second quarter before their days were done.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Dallas Turner, Andrew Van Ginkel, Jalen Redmond, and Levi Drake Rodriguez didn’t play in this game.

  • Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins and Chaz Chambliss got the start on the edge, though they shouldn’t be of interest for IDP this season, barring major injuries to Turner and/or Van Ginkel.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Josh Metellus, Theo Jackson, Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, and Jakobe Thomas didn’t play in this game.

  • Cornerback James Pierre was the lone expected starter who got work in this one, playing just the first two drives (seven snaps) before his day was done.

  • Rookie third-round pick Jakobe Thomas has a shot to be the third safety in Brian Flores’ defense following the departure of Harrison Smith and injury to Jamal Adams.

  • Flores has leaned into more three-safety looks in the past, so depending on the snap share and deployment, Thomas could end up being a valuable IDP in non-shallow formats.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

• LINEBACKER

  • Robert Spillane and Christian Elliss didn’t play in this game as the clear expected starters.

  • The backup linebacker spots appear to be up for grabs still as Chad Muma and Khalil Jacobs started this one, though Muma played late into this game in an every-down role.

  • Jacobs played until the end of the first half as a rotational piece, playing just nine snaps total as the Patriots stayed lean at linebacker through the first two quarters.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Harold Landry, Dre’Mont Jones, Milton Williams, and Christian Barmore didn’t play in this game.

  • Second-round rookie Gabe Jacas got the start for the second-straight week, playing a total of 37 defensive snaps, generating just one pressure on his 19 pass-rush attempts.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Kevin Byard, Craig Woodson, and Marcus Jones didn’t play in this game.

  • Dell Pettus started alongside John Saunders Jr., while Mike Brown didn’t come in until later.

  • Brown got the start last week, so it seems he’s fallen a bit on the depth chart.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

• LINEBACKER

  • Kaden Elliss, Pete Werner, and Danny Stutsman all sat this game out, as was the case last week as well.

  • Jaylan Ford and Isaiah Stalbird got the start again as they battle it out for roster spots.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Chase Young, Carl Granderson, Cam Jordan, and the projected interior defensive linemen didn’t play in this game.

  • Outside of the expected starting three EDGEs, the Saints don’t offer any enticing names for IDP purposes this season.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Justin Reid, Julian Blackmon, Jonas Sanker, and the starting corners didn’t play in this game.

  • This was the case last week as well, so it’ll likely be a guessing game heading into Week 1 just how much of a role Sanker will play in this defense as the starting STAR defender.

NEW YORK GIANTS

• LINEBACKER

  • Tremaine Edmunds didn’t play in this game.

  • Micah McFadden wore the green dot next to Arvell Reese.

  • Reese played every snap of the first two drives before his day was done.

  • McFadden played the rest of the first half next to Jack Kelly.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Abdul Carter, Brian Burns, and Kayvon Thibodeaux didn’t play in this game.

  • Chauncey Golston and Khalid Kareem were the starters at defensive end, though there’s not much room for them to see the field when all the starters are active.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Jevon Holland didn’t play in this game.

  • Last week was a bit of an odd one for the safety group, as Tyler Nubin’s role seemed somewhat undecided by the new coaching staff.

  • Nubin stayed on for a few more snaps after Ar’Darius Washington’s day was done last week, but this week, Nubin started alongside Jason Pinnock, who was the third man up in the rotation last week.

  • Washington didn’t come into the game until the third drive in place of Pinnock, and alongside Nubin again.

  • This began a rotation to finish out the first half: Pinnock and Washington, Nubin and Washington, and Pinnock and Washington on the final first-half drive.

  • Nubin is looking like a risky bet to make early at the safety position right now, and even though he’s still likely the favorite to start next to Holland, it’s difficult to ignore the coaching staff’s uncertainty that they’re showing by trying out all these guys for that role.

  • We’ll get one more week to see how this shakes out, but in the meantime, Nubin will drop a bit further in the rankings.

NEW YORK JETS

• LINEBACKER

  • Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood were the starters at linebacker, playing the first three defensive series together.

  • Davis left the game for one play on that third drive, potentially getting banged up, but came back in and finished the drive; otherwise, both players played every-down roles, with Davis wearing the green dot.

  • Sherwood remained in the game for one more series alongside Marcelino McCrary-Ball before his day was done.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Joseph Ossai and T’Vondre Sweat didn’t play in this game.

  • Kingsley Enagbare got the start at EDGE along with second-overall pick David Bailey.

  • It’s looking possible that Enagbare may be the more trusted option by the Jets’ coaching staff over Will McDonald, who didn’t enter the game until the third defensive series.

  • McDonald has typically been a pass-rush specialist, and with Ossai and Enagbare potentially offering more on early downs, this could be the team signaling to us that McDonald’s role will remain a limited one for IDP, making him a very boom-bust option.

  • Meanwhile, Bailey delivered a pressure and a sack on his five pass-rush attempts in this game and should be the top Jets’ defensive linemen drafted for IDP this year.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Minkah Fitzpatrick and Dane Belton were the starters at safety in this game, ahead of Andre Cisco and Malachi Moore.

  • Fitzpatrick’s day ended just short of the conclusion of the third drive, when he was replaced by Cisco, who promptly finished that drive with an interception on just his third defensive snap.

  • Belton finished out the third drive, playing an every-down role before ceding way to Cisco and Moore as the second-team defense.

  • Belton now appears to be the expected starter at safety, which is a positive for IDP, after he led the position in Tackles versus Expected last season.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

• LINEBACKER

  • Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell didn’t play in this game.

  • Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Smael Mondon Jr. got the start in their absence, as they appear to be the clear backups heading into Week 1.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Jonathan Greenard, Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and more all didn’t suit up for this one.

  • A.J. Epenesa and Arnold Ebiketie got a chance to start, though neither player generated anything from a pass-rush standpoint, and they’ll just be depth pieces for the Eagles this season.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Cooper DeJean, Andrew Mukuba, and Marcus Epps didn’t play in this game.

  • Michael Carter II operated as the primary nickel defender in DeJean’s absence.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson both started this game, playing all three first-half defensive drives with the starters.

  • Wilson came off the field on the lone third-and-long on that first drive against the Jets’ first-team offense.

  • Wilson did not come off the field on third-and-long on the second drive against the Jets’ second-team offense.

  • I don’t think we should be expecting Wilson to play an every-down role in the regular season, as obvious passing downs are one of the areas we should expect to see him lose snaps.

  • It’s unclear if there will be any other areas that Wilson loses snaps to other rotational linebackers, as that at least hasn’t been shown this preseason.

  • Wilson should be drafted more as an LB4, once all every-down linebackers come off the board.

  • Cole Holcomb and Carson Bruener played the first defensive series once Queen and Wilson were done for the day.

  • Elandon Roberts rotated with Bruener in the series after that alongside Holcomb.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward didn’t play in this game.

  • Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig were the starters on the edge, playing the first three drives with the starters.

  • Highsmith was limited to 14 of 19 possible snaps while Herbig played 18 snaps.

  • Herbig generated two pressures, and if Watt and/or Highsmith miss any time, he’ll be a priority waiver add once again this season.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Jaquan Brisker, Jalen Ramsey, and Joey Porter Jr. didn’t play in this game.

  • DeShon Elliott and Rayshawn Jenkins were the starting safeties through the first three defensive drives.

  • Elliott played primarily deep (74%) while Jenkins played just half of his defensive snaps from a deep alignment and 53% in the box, compared to Elliott’s 11% in the box.

  • We likely won’t know the true planned deployment of the starting safeties until Brisker and Elliott are on the field together, though it at least appears more likely that Brisker could get the more favorable role.

  • This isn’t ideal for Elliott, but he’s also been a top-tier performer in Tackles versus Expected for several seasons now, and is certainly capable of overcoming an unideal alignment to return strong IDP value.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw didn’t play in this game.

  • Nick Martin, Jaden Dugger, and Garret Wallow started this game at linebacker for the 49ers.

  • This trio played the entire first half together, with Dugger and Wallow playing every-down roles and Martin frequently rotating off in obvious passing situations.

  • Martin also stayed in the game into the second half while Dugger and Wallow’s days were done, likely solidifying their spots ahead of the 2025 third-round pick on the depth chart.

  • Martin played next to Tatum Bethune for most of the second half, which also further reinforces last week’s advice to drop Bethune, for those that have been holding him after his usefulness last year.

  • Adding to the mess, the 49ers traded for Deion Jones to add to the already crowded linebacker room on Sunday night.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • As was the case last week, Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams sat out this game.

  • After Romello Height and Ogbo Okoronkwo started the game at EDGE last week, this week it was Height and Sam Okuayinonu.

  • Okuayinonu didn’t play in last week’s game, so the coaching staff playing him over the established veteran Okoronkwo is interesting enough for this depth chart.

  • Outside of Bosa and Williams, it’s unlikely there will be any IDP value from the 49ers’ EDGEs, but for those super deep leagues, knowing the next man up could be important as both starters are currently not at 100% health.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Malik Mustapha was the lone expected starter at defensive back that didn’t play in this game.

  • Marques Sigle and Ja’Ayir Brown, who are battling for that second starting spot next to Mustapha, started this game, playing the first four drives of the game.

  • Upton Stout also played with the starters through the first four drives of the game, though he was only used on 50% of the defensive snaps against the Chargers’ 12-personnel-heavy offense.

  • While this usage is concerning for Stout’s expected snap increase in Year 2, it’s also worth noting that the 49ers played a much higher rate of base defense (three linebackers) than we’d expect from a regular-season defense, and could be a result of preseason “vanilla” defense tendencies from most teams.

  • If that usage somehow continues into the regular season, then Stout’s CB1 potential is pretty much dead, but more base defense is not a recipe for success and often just a result of the preseason more than anything.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

• LINEBACKER

  • Ernest Jones, Drake Thomas, and Tyrice Knight did not play in this game.

  • Chris Paul Jr. and Chazz Surratt started this game and played the entire first half together.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Leonard Williams, DeMarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, and Byron Murphy Jr. didn’t play in this game.

  • Jared Ivey and Brandon Pili started this game on the edge and, even in the case of injury to one of the starters, are unlikely to carry much IDP value.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Julian Love, Nick Emmanwori, and the Seahawks’ starting cornerbacks didn’t play in this game.

  • Second-round pick Bud Clark started in this game, suffering an injury that required him to get carted off after just one snap.

  • Unfortunately, it seems like the young safety out of TCU will likely miss his entire rookie year.

  • Clark was set to start the season as a backup to Ty Okada, with the potential to earn a starting role next season or even work as a nickel defender as needed in Year 1, but this will obviously delay his development at the next level.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Christian Rozeboom and SirVocea Dennis didn’t play in this game.

  • Alex Anzalone and Josiah Trotter were the starters, playing the first two drives together in every-down roles.

  • Anzalone wore the green dot, as is expected in-season, though it’s unclear who his top running mate will be as we’ve yet to see Trotter, Dennis, and Rozeboom together this preseason.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Rueben Bain Jr. made his NFL debut in this one, playing just six defensive snaps (first two drives).

  • Bain rushed the passer on just two of those snaps and was able to generate a pressure and a 90.4 PFF pass-rush grade.

  • It was also encouraging to see Calijah Kancey get in work coming off a season-ending injury last year.

  • Kancey also played just the first six defensive snaps of this game before his day was done.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Both Tykee Smith and Antoine Winfield Jr. started at safety, while Keionte Scott got the start in the slot, with Jacob Parrish and Zyon McCollum playing exclusively outside through the first two drives.

  • Scott played four of a possible six defensive snaps (67%) with the starters, which is typical nickel-defender usage and will likely keep his IDP value in check at times.

  • Meanwhile, Parrish’s IDP value takes a hit here as he’s moved exclusively outside, and no longer holds that prime usage to raise his production ceiling.

  • Winfield Jr. and Smith’s usage was decent for both players, though Smith did get the slightly better deployment, as was the case last year.

  • Smith played 50% of his snaps in the box and just one of six deep.

  • Winfield Jr. played 50% of his snaps deep.

TENNESSEE TITANS

• LINEBACKER

  • Cody Barton and Cedric Gray were the starting linebackers, as was the case last week and as is expected for Week 1.

  • James Williams joined Barton and Gray in base personnel with the starting defense, which was the case for 50% of the snaps through the first drive while Barton and Gray played every snap.

  • Williams did not play on the second drive with Barton and Gray, who once again played every snap.

  • Barton’s day was done at the end of the first quarter as he was then replaced by second-round rookie Anthony Hill Jr., who also wore the green dot next to Gray.

  • It’s a bit peculiar that Gray stayed in the game after all the other starters came out, especially when both Hill and Williams were available and also played, but it was only one additional drive, so I’m not panicking, but followers of my rankings know that I have my concerns with the situation, and this is just a little “sus” as the kids might say.

  • That being said, he’s a fringe LB1 heading into 2026 with no true rotation showing here in the preseason, but we’ll continue to monitor the situation.

  • Hill and Williams played into the second half together.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Jermaine Johnson, Jacob Martin, and even Jeffery Simmons all got work to start this game, playing the first three drives with the starters.

  • The Titans’ first-team defense struggled against the Seattle backups, so it wasn’t the most encouraging outing for this unit, but we’ll see if they can acclimate to the new defense relatively quickly once the season truly begins.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Kevin Winston Jr. and Amani Hooker started at safety again, playing the first three drives with the starters.

  • Winston’s usage this week was slightly more encouraging than last week as he played more in the box and closer to the line of scrimmage than Hooker.

  • This felt like a very basic preseason defense with a lot of base personnel used, and nothing too exotic for the safeties, so I’m not banking on this usage as a template for the regular season.

  • I still expect Winston to get the more ideal IDP usage and be a strong asset for lineups this season.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Frankie Luvu wore the green dot and started this game alongside Sonny Styles.

  • Luvu didn’t play last week, and he played only the first defensive series in this game, which lasted all of two snaps.

  • Luvu and Styles appear to be the locked-in starters at linebacker, as Leo Chenal came on for the second drive.

  • Styles played the entirety of the first quarter in an every-down role before his day was done.

  • Chenal played into the second quarter alongside Ale Kaho, though Chenal only played half of that drive before being replaced by Kain Medrano to end his day.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • K’Lavon Chaisson, Deatrich Wise, Dorance Armstrong, Drake Jackson, Daron Payne, Tim Settle, and Odafe Oweh all didn’t play in this game.

  • Javon Kinlaw was the only active defensive lineman in this one that got the true “starters” treatment, playing only the first drive (two snaps) before his day was done.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • As indicated last week, Nick Cross and Jeremy Reaves appear to be the starters at safety, with Reaves beating out Quan Martin and Will Harris for the role.

  • Cross is going to be the preferred option as he’ll likely line up closer to the line of scrimmage, while also coming with the pedigree of finishing as the overall S1 last season.

  • Reaves will be the much cheaper option for those in need, as he’s not even being drafted at the moment and will likely be free even in deeper leagues.

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Rankings Updated: 8/20/2026

Look, we get it: IDP fantasy football can be challenging. Not just in understanding the nuances of the game, but also in how to prioritize players on your roster and rank IDPs across various positions. That’s where a good set of rankings can help.

Adam and Jon have combined forces to merge their years of experience doing dynasty rankings to provide insight, different perspectives, and a consensus ranking to provide you with the most well-informed dynasty rankings in the league.

These rankings are based on Big 3 scoring settings, highlighted below.

These rankings also feed our IDP Trade Calculator, which you can access here.

Note on navigation: Use the arrow buttons to move between pages of the rankings. You can also sort by ranker (Adam, Jon) to view each ranker’s individual dynasty preference by clicking their name column.

Read more

We all know the terms: “Flag plants,” “My guys,” “dart throws.” We all have ‘em. They are the guys we’re doing our best not to leave out of our IDP drafts. They can be that elite edge rusher or that up-and-coming linebacker who just so happens to find himself with a full-time role.

Now, you can find my favorite IDPs in various corners of the Information Superhighway (yes, I’m dating myself with that term), but I have a few others that have popped up in my peripheral vision as if it were cleavage as I’m trying to enjoy my pasta primavera.

My guys. Flag plants. They’re all the same. Here are some IDP targets I’m trying my hardest to get onto my IDP rosters in 2026.

ED Dallas Turner, Minnesota Vikings

We saw the talent and traits out of Dallas Turner in 2025. Jonathan Greenard missed 5 games, allowing Turner to shine.

The pass rush metrics were impressive. He generated a 14.6% pressure rate and 12% win rate, but his metrics improved in true pass sets.

He generated an 18.2% pressure rate, and his win rate improved slightly to 14.3%. When his pass rush reps are isolated, he gets better. It’s not just empty production; his production is evenly distributed across all situations.

Turner gets through the TE and the tackle for the sack:

He produced a 0.87 pass rush get-off, and I’m hoping for a quick time to pressure in 2026, as he was slightly above edge rusher benchmarks at 3.18 seconds.

His pressure-to-sack conversion is sustainable, sitting right around 20%. I’m buying Turner and a potential double-digit sack season, and I want him wherever I can get him.

ED Jaelan Phillips, Carolina Panthers

Am I over-reacting after a preseason game? A bit. I had him as a top-20 DL/EDGE heading into the season, but just bumped him to my DL14; a borderline weekly DL1.

In a few snaps, he dominated Buffalo’s top offensive line, winning his true pass set reps and recording a sack (though it should have been shared with Princely Umanmielen), but had another hit on Josh Allen that should have been a sack.

Impressive get-off and quick hand usage:

Last season, Phillips posted an elite 25.1% win rate on true pass sets and a 20.5% pressure rate. His pressure-to-sack conversion was low at 6.6%. The box score shows a middle-of-the-road edge rusher, but the metrics are elite and screaming “buy me, now!!!”

I’m hoping he avoids the bad luck, like we saw against Buffalo, and converts more of his pressures into sacks.

ED Jalyx Hunt, Philadelphia Eagles

I think Hunt is entering the season as one of the starters on the edge, which will allow him to build off a successful 2025 season.

Hunt took on the snaps left by Josh Sweat and grew into the role, overtaking Nolan Smith as the premier pass rusher.

In true pass sets, Hunt produced a 14.9% win rate during the regular season, but a 19.5% pressure rate. Hunt also had 17 QB hits and was a few steps away from double-digit sacks. It’s encouraging that his win rate improved from 9.5% overall to 14.9% on true pass sets. He performs better when the rep gets tougher.

Jaelan Phillips is off to Carolina, and questions are surrounding Jonathan Greenard’s pectoral injury, which has the start of his regular season in doubt. I like Hunt as a DL3.

LB Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns

In one of the biggest shockers of the century, Carson Schwesinger makes an appearance here.

It’s worth noting he’s been dealing with an undisclosed injury throughout camp and hasn’t been at practices. He’s been at the facility, is working out, and is visible at practices. It doesn’t sound like anyone is too worried about his availability for Week 1.

Schwesinger earned DROY honors and looked like a top-six IDP linebacker from Week 1 on. A 16.3% tackle rate translated into 156 tackles, and he wasn’t just piling up empty volume. He also added the big plays with 11 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, and 2 picks.

He averaged 0.29 points per snap, finishing as the LB6 in most scoring formats. From Week 10 (post-bye) through the fantasy playoffs, he was the LB1 in most formats.

If I’ve got one complaint, it’s the solo-to-assist ratio. 0.75 in 2025 is lower than I’d like from a guy this instinctive. I think that number cleans up in 2026 as he gets more reps reading the play before contact, rather than just flowing to the ball and finishing what someone else started.

He’s a three-down linebacker with the green dot. He’s not leaving the field, and he already plays like a five-year vet who’s seen every look offenses can throw at him. I’m doing everything I can to walk out of my drafts with Schwesinger.

LB Cedric Gray, Tennessee Titans

The Titans went to their LB pool, added some Shock and Algaecide, and cleared up the foggy water.

I’m back on board with Gray as a top linebacker, as it appears he has a three-down role heading into the 2026 season. Questions arose with the drafting of Anthony Hill and the emergence of James Williams during camp.

In Week 1 of the preseason, Gray was in on 100% of the snaps with the first team alongside Cody Barton. Once his time was up, it was up. There was no rotation, and there seemed to be a clear delineation between the first and second team.

Gray played in 91% of the snaps last season, on his way to a huge breakout season, which resulted in 164 tackles (17.8% tackle rate). Gray also recorded 97 solos and a 1.4 solo-to-assist rate.

He’s not going to wear the dot, but Gus Bradley wants him on the field to be a “see ball, go get ball” linebacker.

Here’s Gray’s see ball mentality as he gets the TFL:

LB Kaleb Elarms-Orr, Buffalo Bills

He’s currently behind Dorian Williams on the Bills’ depth chart, but I'm betting it won’t last all season.

Jim Leonhard loves his rookie draft, and he was one of his picks. I think the staff is doing what they can to put him in a position to succeed on the field.

His preseason debut was met with mixed results. What was one of his strengths at TCU? His coverage was a bit of a liability, but that’s to be expected when adjusting to NFL defenses.

He held up against the run and was a dependable tackler, not missing on any attempts. He finished with a 13.6% tackle rate over 22 snaps. If we look at that over a full game, that’s a 9-tackle game including 6 solos.

Williams might have the leg up right now, but I think it’s his coverage once again that keeps him off the field, and I’m banking on KEO to have IDP value mid-season.

S Xavier Watts, Atlanta Falcons

I am encouraged that Kevin Stefanski chose to keep Jeff Ulbrich as his defensive coordinator. I am hoping Xavier Watts retains his role.

Watts had an impressive rookie year, and his usage alignment put him in position to post IDP numbers.

Watts alignment table:

Watts produced a 53% play-on-ball rate, which resulted in 5 INTs and 11 defended passes. Watts produced a 1.6 solo-to-assist rate, which resulted in 59 solos and 96 total, which led to an 8.8% tackle rate.

Most of Watt’s tackles came deep, but his tackle numbers were aided by the fact he played near the line of scrimmage, producing 22 tackles.

The defense is a mess up front, and I think he cleans up more tackles at the second-level, which could put him on pace for a 100-tackle season.

S Kevin Winston, Tennessee Titans

I liked the fact that Kevin Winston played 50% of his snaps near the line of scrimmage in Week 1 of the preseason. Pre-snap, Winston and Amani Hooker both lined up off the line, and rotated their responsibilities at the line.

Winston is noticeably quicker in both his reaction and speed to the ball.

Winston turned in a solid stretch of games from Weeks 11-15 when he had a three-down role. He played 147 total snaps in the box/slot and produced an 11.6% tackle rate.

If Winston maintains this line of scrimmage role, I’m liking his IDP upside in Gus Bradley’s defense.

S Tre’Von Moehrig, Carolina Panthers

The Panthers have some issues at linebacker behind Devin Lloyd (though I do like Jackson Kuwatch), so maybe the answer is Tre’Von Moehrig.

Moehrig is an enforcer across the middle, and his tackle production didn’t drop moving from Vegas to Carolina.

Moehrig produced a 10.4% tackle rate and a 1.7 solo-to-assist ratio while recording 0.21 fantasy points per snap. He had more of an impact around the line of scrimmage in 2025 with 14 TFLs. He had his line-of-scrimmage role in Carolina, with a 45% box rate and an overall 85% LOS rate.

One of Moehrig’s 3 TFLs against Miami:

His metrics and usage are a recipe for IDP goodness in 2026.

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With the first full week of the NFL preseason officially wrapped, it’s time to dive into the key fantasy football takeaways we can use to better inform our 2026 season.

Be sure to check out how this updated information affects our Depth Charts, Rankings, and Projections as we continue to make updates throughout the next few weeks heading into Week 1.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

• LINEBACKER

  • The Cardinals’ LB2 battle is one of real interest for IDP managers as Mack Wilson is the lone locked-in starter at the position.

  • Wilson played the entire first drive (10 defensive snaps) alongside Jack Gibbens, who now appears to be the favorite for that LB2 role.

  • Gibbens played just 70% of the defensive snaps on that first drive, indicating that the LB2 role in this defense will once again be more of a deep-league option.

  • Cody Simon came on for the second drive alongside Gibbens, who stayed in the game once Mack Wilson’s night was done.

  • Gibbens should be drafted ahead of Simon with this development.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Baron Browning didn’t play in this game, as he’s “day-to-day” with an injury.

  • Josh Sweat also didn’t appear in this one, so Zaven Collins started and played the first drive of the game (70%).

  • Collins remains a potential sleeper candidate for IDP if he can lock down that starting spot and continue to improve as a pass rusher, as he did last season.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Budda Baker didn’t play in this game.

  • Andrew Wingard and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson both started in this one, though it was Wingard who got the starter’s “rest” treatment first, playing just the first drive before his night was done.

  • Taylor-Demerson remained in the game and is clearly behind Wingard on the depth chart.

  • Wingard appears to be the favorite to replace the departed Jalen Thompson, while Taylor-Demerson will just have to wait a while longer before his IDP potential can be realized.

  • Wingard can be had for free in drafts right now.

ATLANTA FALCONS

• LINEBACKER

  • Divine Deablo continues to miss time with injury, so he didn’t play in this game.

  • Rookie fourth-round pick Kendal Daniels got the start in Deablo’s place and wore the green dot.

  • This was great intel for IDP managers in case Deablo misses more time or goes down during the season, as Daniels should be his immediate replacement in a full-time role.

  • Considering the team’s trust in him, it will be interesting to see whether the team also prefers him as a starter next to Deablo once he’s healthy, but we won’t know that for sure until Deablo is back in the lineup.

  • Christian Harris is the supposed LB2 in Atlanta at the moment, but his stock took a pretty big hit as he rotated heavily with rookie Harold Perkins Jr. next to Daniels throughout the first three drives of the game.

  • Harris and Perkins both remained in the game once Daniels’ night was done.

  • Based on this, I’d be avoiding Harris in most IDP formats, and likely prefer Daniels for the full-time role upside in those deeper leagues.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • With Jalon Walker done for the year and James Pearce Jr. suspended for the first eight games of the season, the Falcons EDGE group has room for a volume-heavy IDP option that we can utilize as depth in non-shallow formats.

  • Samson Ebukam and Cameron Thomas got the first nods to start this game, with Ebukam getting the starter’s “rest” treatment first.

  • Azeez Ojulari did rotate in on that first drive, though he played later into the game and appears to be behind Ebukam and Thomas at the moment.

  • Ebukam would be the preferred IDP option at this point for IDP managers looking for the next man up in Atlanta.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • None of Atlanta’s starting secondary played in this game.

  • Billy Bowman Jr. opened training camp on the PUP list, though there’s still some hope that he’ll be ready for Week 1.

  • Bowman is expected to be the team’s starting nickel defender, though if he doesn’t make it back in time for Week 1, Darnay Holmes got the first looks in that role in nickel, and could be a waiver wire target in deep CB-required formats in the meantime.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

• LINEBACKERS

  • Roquan Smith, Teddye Buchanan, and Trenton Simpson did not play in this game.

  • Jay Higgins got the start and the green dot, playing alongside Dominic DeLuca.

  • Higgins appeared in the first 15 snaps of this game, though he picked up an injury in the second quarter and did not return.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • The large majority of expected starters along the Ravens’ defensive line did not play in this game, including Trey Hendrickson.

  • The lone exception was second-year player Mike Green, who seemed to rotate drives into the second quarter of this game.

  • Rookie second-round pick from this year, Zion Young, also started this game alongside Green, and he, too, began to rotate drives in the first half.

  • Neither player was able to generate much, though Green had just three pass-rush attempts in this game compared to Young’s 16.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • None of the expected starting corners or safeties for the Ravens appeared in this game, including Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey.

  • The Ravens starting cornerbacks in this one were all from the 2025 draft class: T.J. Tampa, Keyon Martin, and Bilhal Kone.

    • I just thought that was kind of a fun fact.

BUFFALO BILLS

• LINEBACKER

  • Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams got the start in this game.

  • Williams and rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr have been battling for the LB2 role next to Bernard, and for now, Williams appears to have the leg up on the competition for now.

  • It’s still undecided, however, as Elarms-Orr played the second drive next to Bernard as the team rotated the two options through the first three drives.

  • The starters all played three full drives, which included Williams getting work next to Bernard on the third drive.

  • Williams stayed in for one more drive after Bernard was done for the day, playing alongside Keonta Jenkins on the fourth drive of the game before his day was done.

  • Unfortunately, Elarms-Orr came back in and played until the end of the third quarter, so Williams checks another box as the potential starter (for now).

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • The Bills played all of their defensive line starters, including Greg Rousseau, Bradley Chubb, and even Ed Oliver.

  • It was encouraging to see Oliver get out there for a preseason game after a torn ACL ended his strong start to the 2025 season.

  • Oliver looks ready to go for Week 1 and should be a fringe weekly starting option in DT-required formats.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Geno Stone and Damar Hamlin got the start at safety.

  • Cole Bishop did not play in this game, as he appears not to be 100% healthy either.

  • C.J. Gardner-Johnson did not play in this game as he continues to work his way back from a calf strain sustained early in training camp.

  • Hamlin’s work as a starting safety came only because both Bishop and Gardner-Johnson were held out of this one.

  • Stone also looks like an odd man out once Bishop and Gardner-Johnson are healthy, as he played with the backups in the latter stages of the first half.

  • Dee Alford got the first snaps in the slot for the Bills’ nickel defense, though it will be interesting to monitor whether or not Gardner-Johnson is able to take that role along with his safety snaps.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Devin Lloyd (green dot) and Claudin Cherelus started this game at linebacker.

  • Cherelus and Trevin Wallace have been in a battle for the team’s LB2 role next to Lloyd, though it appears that Cherelus is currently the front-runner to start.

  • Cherelus played all but one of the defensive snaps alongside Lloyd during the first two drives of the game, coming out on third-and-long.

  • Lloyd’s day was done after that third-and-long play, when he was replaced by Wallace.

  • Wallace looks to be firmly behind Cherelus at this point as he didn’t get on the field until Lloyd’s day was done.

  • Cherelus’ role is more than likely going to be a part-time one, making him an option in deep formats only.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Pat Jones II (illness) did not play in this game.

  • Jaelan Phillips and Princely Umanmielen started in this one, which is a nice boost to Umanmielen’s potential to win that ED2 spot if Jones is going to miss more time.

  • Umanmielen generated pressure on Josh Allen on that first drive, just missed wrapping him up and taking him down himself, though Phillips cleaned it up for a sack.

  • Umanmielen finished with a very solid 79.1 PFF pass-rush grade and three total pressures.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Tre’Von Moehrig and Nick Scott were the starting safeties, further solidifying what we saw from the Hall of Fame game, where Lathan Ransom is clearly viewed as a backup right now.

  • Scott should be the preferred IDP option in redraft formats over Ransom at this point.

  • Chau Smith-Wade appears to be the starting slot defender, with Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson playing on the outside.

CHICAGO BEARS

• LINEBACKER

  • T.J. Edwards did not play in this game.

  • D’Marco Jackson got the start with the green dot, alongside Devin Bush.

  • Bush is expected to be the locked-in starter alongside Edwards this season, though Jackson now at least appears to be the clear third IDP option from this group.

  • Jack Sanborn didn’t play the first drive of the game, entering the game on the second drive, along with Jackson and Bush, though not in an every-down role.

  • Sanborn looks to be the clear fourth option from this linebacker corps at the moment.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Montez Sweat didn’t play in this game.

  • The Bears are looking for a clear ED2 to start next to Sweat this season, and Austin Booker and Dayo Odeyingbo look like the two best contenders for that spot.

  • They both started at EDGE, with Booker playing just eight snaps while Odeyingbo played slightly longer (12 snaps).

  • Neither player recorded a pressure in this game.

  • The Bears also remain in trade rumors for another starting EDGE, which makes it slightly difficult to get overly invested in any of the non-Montez Sweat options.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Rookie first-round pick Dillon Thieneman started this game along with Cam Lewis.

  • Lewis appears to be the second starting option at safety now that Coby Bryant is likely done for the season.

  • Lewis will be more of a deep-league option while Thieneman should be the more enticing target in most IDP formats.

  • With Kyler Gordon also currently sidelined due to injury, rookie fourth-round pick out of Texas, Malik Muhammad, got the start in the slot.

  • Muhammad could have value in CB-required formats if Gordon continues to miss time (as is the norm for him), especially in Dennis Allen’s slot-friendly defense for IDP.

CINCINNATI BENGALS

• LINEBACKER

  • Barrett Carter and Demetrius Knight Jr. got the start in this game, playing all nine defensive snaps.

  • Last season, Knight came off the field in certain situations, which could still happen this season.

  • Carter continues to wear the green dot, and Knight’s every-down role this week doesn’t necessarily mean that’ll continue across a full regular season game.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Boye Mafe and Myles Murphy got the start at EDGE, with Murphy being the lone starter to generate a pressure.

  • Mafe is the safest IDP option to target from this Bengals’ EDGE group, and it appears that Murphy remains the second-best bet for now.

  • Rookie Cashius Howell got work once the starters came out and earned a respectable 75.8 PFF pass-rush grade and one pressure.

  • Shemar Stewart didn’t play in this game.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Bryan Cook didn’t play in this game.

  • Jordan Battle and Kyle Dugger started and played together on the first two drives.

  • Dugger stayed on for one more drive once Battle came out of the game.

  • Cook should be a clear starter here at safety with Battle set for the other spot.

  • The only question will be whether the coaching staff mixes in Dugger at times to limit Battle and some of the issues that plagued him last season.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

• LINEBACKER

  • Carson Schwesinger didn’t play in this game.

  • Quincy Williams started alongside Easton Mascarenas-Arnold and Winston Reid.

  • Reid rotated off the field from that group while Williams and Mascarenas-Arnold stayed on.

  • Williams’ day was done after the first drive while Reid and Mascarenas-Arnold stayed on beyond that.

  • Rookie Justin Jefferson appears to be buried on the depth chart at the moment, but that could change if one (or both) of Reid or Mascarenas-Arnold don’t make the team.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Jared Verse and Alex Wright played just three defensive snaps before their day was done.

  • Defensive tackle Mason Graham started and was able to deliver a QB hit on the first third down of the game to force an incompletion.

  • Graham was a workhorse in Year 1, though that didn’t translate to IDP.

  • He’ll look to turn that playing time into production this season and could be a value in DT-required formats.

  • The Browns are expected to sign and reunite with free EDGE Za’Darius Smith, which likely hurts Alex Wright’s sleeper potential, as he was set for a volume-heavy role this season, though that’s now in jeopardy.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman both started in this game.

  • They played only the first drive, with Hickman getting the more ideal usage for IDP closer to the line of scrimmage, though it’s an extremely small sample size (three snaps).

  • Rookie second-round pick Emmanuel McNeil-Warren came into the game on the second drive, playing 36 total snaps on the day with 36% coming in the box.

DALLAS COWBOYS

• LINEBACKER

  • DeMarvion Overshown, Dee Winters, and Jaishawn Barham were all held out of this game.

  • It seems these three will be the Cowboys’ starters come opening night, barring a big addition to the roster (Bobby Wagner, for instance).

  • Shemar James, Curtis Robinson, and Marist Liufau served as the direct replacements for the starting three.

  • Liufau played almost exclusively on the edge, which we can likely assume will be the case for Barham once he’s in the lineup as well.

  • This was something that Barham was no stranger to during his final year at Michigan, playing mostly as an EDGE (81%).

  • We don’t necessarily love this usage for our linebackers in IDP, so Barham will likely be a very deep-league-only option.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • News came Sunday that the Cowboys signed free agent Von Miller to add to their pass-rush rotation.

  • With Rashan Gary likely the lone clear starter heading into Week 1, this addition muddies the water even further for the likes of Donovan Ezeiruaku, Malachi Lawrence, and LT Overton.

  • Miller is well past his prime, but he’s bound to get enough work to limit the rest’s ceiling.

  • The rookies, Lawrence and Overton, got the start in this game while Ezeiruaku did not play.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Malik Hooker and Jalen Thompson did not play in this game.

  • Rookie first-round pick Caleb Downs did play in the first drive of this game, lining up almost exclusively as a deep safety.

  • It’s worth noting that Downs is expected to work more in the slot, but likely because Hooker and Thompson didn’t play, his usage was more a necessity than a plan.

  • It seems the only plan for Downs this week was to give him a taste of the action, as he only appeared for the first seven snaps of the game, which didn’t even make up the entire first defensive drive.

  • The Cowboys clearly had him on a pitch count to just give him a small taste of action, without being too risky.

DENVER BRONCOS

• LINEBACKER

  • Alex Singleton wore the green dot and played an every-down role through the first three drives of this game before his night was done.

  • Justin Strnad started alongside Singleton, though he came off the field on the third-and-long plays in the first two drives, which indicates that his usage from last season isn’t likely to change.

  • Strnad’s inefficiency as a tackler combined with a part-time role should keep his value limited to very deep leagues only.

  • There was talk of Jonah Elliss training at inside linebacker and getting work there this season, though that didn’t happen in this game.

  • Elliss appeared with the backups and played 20 defensive snaps, all of which were at EDGE, not even dropping into coverage on any of those passing downs.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Nik Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper both started in this game, with Cooper getting a little extra work.

  • Cooper could face suspension this season due to multiple arrests earlier this year.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Ja’Quan McMillian appears locked in as the team’s starting nickel defender, while 2025 first-round pick Jahdae Barron no longer appears to be a threat to that role.

  • Barron came on with the backups and played almost exclusively at outside corner.

  • McMillian should be the CB2 for IDP in Denver, behind Riley Moss.

  • Talanoa Hufanga and Brandon Jones started at safety, playing all three of the first defensive drives.

  • Jones stayed on for one more drive after Hufanga’s night was done.

DETROIT LIONS

• LINEBACKER

  • Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, and Malcolm Rodriguez all sat this one out.

  • Devin White started this game with the rest of the backups, including Joe Bachie.

  • As long as Barnes and Rodriguez are healthy, White mostly feels like depth for this Lions linebacker corps that saw long-time starter Alex Anzalone depart in free agency.

  • After Campbell, Barnes appears to be the safest option for IDP.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • The Lions really didn’t show much on the defensive line, with Derrick Moore, D.J. Wonnum, and Payton Turner all out for this game, and the best bets for the ED2 spot next to Aidan Hutchinson.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • With Brian Branch unlikely to start the season as he continues to recover from a torn Achilles, and with Kerby Joseph also still recovering from injury, Chuck Clark and Thomas Harper were the starting safeties.

  • Clark got the starter’s “rest” treatment first in this game while Harper stayed on and played the rest of the first half.

  • Clark would be worthy of an add in deeper IDP formats as the Branch replacement for now.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Zaire Franklin and Edgerrin Cooper played one drive as the starters, totaling three defensive snaps.

  • Franklin wore the green dot.

  • All we’re really looking for in this situation is whether or not Cooper comes off the field in certain looks, which would push him out of LB1 contention for IDP.

    • So far, so good, though.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Lukas Van Ness started in this one along with Barryn Sorrell.

  • Rookie Dani Dennis-Sutton didn’t suit up for this game, though he’s been discussed as a potential starter for Week 1 with Micah Parsons set to miss the first month or so of the season.

  • Dennis-Sutton was highlighted as a rookie sleeper for us back in May, and should get an early opportunity to showcase that ability alongside Van Ness early in 2026.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Javon Bullard didn’t suit up for this game, though he’s likely locked in as the team’s starting nickel defender.

  • Evan Williams and Xavier McKinney played the three “starters” snaps on the first drive before their nights were done, so nothing new there.

  • Keisean Nixon and rookie Brandon Cisse appear to be the favorites to start at outside corner, though that may be a position the coaching staff wants to take a longer look at, as both players played the entire second drive as well.

HOUSTON TEXANS

• LINEBACKERS

  • Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o both sat this game out, as they’re locked into the starting spots.

  • LB3 in Houston still appears up for grabs with E.J. Speed nursing an injury and rookie Wade Woodaz knocking on the door.

  • Woodaz is a fourth-round pick out of Clemson and started this game alongside Marte Mapu and Jake Hummel.

  • Woodaz didn’t perform particularly well in the PFF grades, finishing with just a 39.0 overall grade and 38.0 coverage grade.

  • It’s a very limited sample on 21 total snaps, and perhaps the silver lining here for Woodaz is that he got the starters' “rest” treatment ahead of both Hummel and Mapu, who stayed in the game for several more plays.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, and Jadeveon Clowney did not appear in this game.

  • The Texans’ highly-drafted rookie defensive tackle Kayden McDonald got work as a starter, playing 22 snaps in the first half, though nothing notable in the score sheet.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • No starters at DB for the Texans in this one, though fifth-round rookie Kamari Ramsey started and had himself a nice showing.

  • Ramsey played 27 defensive snaps, recorded an interception, and was one of the highest-graded players from this past weekend, according to PFF, with a 94.8 overall grade.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

• LINEBACKER

  • Akeem Davis-Gaither and CJ Allen did not play in this game.

  • Davis-Gaither does not appear to be injured, so his being held out of this one suggests confidence in his starting role ahead of rookie Bryce Boettcher, who has been impressing in camp.

  • Boettcher did start in this game alongside Austin Ajiake, playing well over 30 defensive snaps each.

  • Boettcher can always overtake Davis-Gaither for the LB2 role in this defense at any point, though he should only be considered a rookie stash for now, while Davis-Gaither holds some deep sleeper value late in drafts.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • None of the Colts’ expected starters along the defensive line played in this game, including Laiatu Latu, DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart, and Arden Key.

  • Last year’s second-round pick JT Tuimolau got the start in this one, which would indicate he’s still behind Key on the depth chart.

  • Tuimolau had 26 pass-rush opportunities in this game and failed to register a pressure.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Rookie A.J. Haulcy started this game alongside Jonathan Owens. Cam Bynum didn’t play.

  • Haulcy played the entire first quarter, while Owens went one drive more into the second quarter.

  • Haulcy’s usage wasn’t nearly as encouraging as we'd hoped, as he played 61% of his snaps from a deep alignment, which we’ll hope isn't his role come Week 1.

  • We won’t necessarily know for sure until Bynum is also in the lineup, but if Lou Anaroumo was going to use Haulcy more as his Nick Cross replacement, then it would at least be nice to see some favorable usage to indicate so.

  • When Haulcy did play in the box, he was often being used in man coverage, which is also slightly less ideal, so this first week is somewhat of a red flag that we’ll have to keep an eye on.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

• LINEBACKER

  • Foyesade Oluokun didn’t play in this game.

  • Ventrell Miller and Branson Combs got the start, along with Yasir Abdullah.

  • After the second defensive drive of the game, in which Miller and Combs played 100% of the snaps together, they began to rotate drives.

  • Combs got the first drive with Miller replaced by Jahlani Tavai.

  • Miller played the next drive into the second quarter with Tavai as his partner.

  • This rotation continued for almost the entire first half, with the exception being that Combs’ last defensive snap came with about 4:58 remaining in the second quarter, while Miller played two more drives to close out that first half.

  • This LB2 job very much seems to be an ongoing competition, though it is noteworthy that Combs got the starter’s “rest” treatment first in this one.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Josh Hines-Allen, Travon Walker, Arik Armstead, and Davon Hamilton didn’t play in this game.

  • Ruke Orhorhoro got the start and looked decent in his opportunities, registering a sack to go along with three total pressures.

  • It’s just the preseason, but the interior of this Jaguars defensive line could use some support, and if Orhorhoro can continue to impress on his new team, he may push for starting snaps and be relevant in deeper DT-required formats.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Paul Atreides Travis Hunter didn’t play in this game.

  • None of the expected starters in the defensive secondary were active for this one, leaving little to pay attention to in this one.

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

• LINEBACKER

  • Nick Bolton played in this game, though his running mate, Drue Tranquill, did not.

  • Bolton only played the first drive before his night was done, which lasted all of three defensive snaps.

  • Jeffery Bassa started in place of Tranquill, which seems to give him the edge as Leo Chenal’s “next man up” replacement in case Tranquill were to miss any more time.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Chris Jones played the first defensive snap of this game, and that was it for him.

  • George Karlaftis played all three snaps on that first defensive drive before his night was done as well.

  • The more interesting question for Kansas City’s defensive line is who the other starting EDGE will be, along with Karlaftis.

  • If this game was any indication, it appears that Felix Anudike-Uzomah is the front-runner for that spot.

  • Anudike-Uzomah missed all of last season due to injury, so it’s promising to see that the former first-rounder is back contending for a starting spot ahead of this year’s second-round pick R Mason Thomas, and last year’s third-round pick, Ashton Gillotte, who didn’t play in this one.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Kader Kohou, L’Jarius Sneed, and Chamarri Conner didn’t play in this game.

  • Those three are some of the more interesting names in Kansas City’s secondary, so it would have been nice to see some usage there from them, but instead it was Alohi Gilman and Jaden Hicks at safety, and Christian Roland-Wallace in the slot.

  • Gilman got the starter’s “rest” treatment first as he’s expected to start alongside Conner at safety.

  • Hicks and Roland-Wallace are likely only waiver options for IDP in case of injury at this point and not worth rostering until needed.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean started this game, playing every snap of the first drive.

  • Dean wore the green dot, as is expected for this season.

  • It’s an encouraging sign that both players played every-down roles, though with Dean wearing the dot, if a linebacker were to come off the field in certain packages, that would be Walker.

  • I’ll likely move Dean ahead of Walker for that small risk alone as the two were already pretty close.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Maxx Crosby didn’t play in this game.

  • Kwity Paye is expected to start along with Crosby come Week 1, and he played every snap of that first drive with the rest of the starters.

  • This included Malcolm Koonce, who should be the next man up if anything were to happen to Crosby and/or Paye.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Isaiah Pola-Mao versus rookie second-round pick Treydan Stukes is a potential battle worth monitoring, as Stukes did get some run with the first team in camp at times.

  • However, Pola-Mao got the start along with Jeremy Chinn, playing the entire first drive before his night was done.

  • Stukes played more of a slot-defender role, not with the first-team defense, which would indicate that he’s behind Taron Johnson for now.

  • There’s still some sorting to do with this secondary, but for now, Stukes is just a taxi squad stash while Pola-Mao is a deep-league safety option, and Taron Johnson should have value in CB-required formats again.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Daiyan Henley and Denzel Perryman did not play in this game.

  • Troy Dye and Del’Shawn Phillips started, playing the entire first drive together before their night was done.

  • Junior Colson entered the game on the second defensive drive alongside Marlowe Wax…yeah, you can probably see where this is going.

  • Colson has not had a great start to his NFL career, which has included missing a ton of time due to injury, but even with a healthy offseason and a weak linebacker depth chart, he still appears to be buried, with his former Michigan head coach doing him no favors.

  • Not to overreact to one preseason game, but Colson might be cooked at this point barring a miracle turnaround.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • With Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack sitting this one out, we got to see first-round EDGE Akheem Mesidor get the start.

  • Mesidor played nine total defensive snaps through the first two drives, and while he didn’t record a pressure, he was able to generate a solid 74.6 pass-rush grade on his five pass-rush snaps.

  • That likely came from a nice bull-rush win against the right tackle before the quarterback got the ball out, which nullified the pressure.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • The starting outside corners and safeties for the Chargers didn’t play in this game, including Derwin James and Elijah Molden.

  • It’s relatively safe to assume that the Chargers’ defensive back depth chart remains pretty much the same as last season.

LOS ANGELES RAMS

• LINEBACKER

  • I’ll be honest, I don’t know why I even bother including the Rams in this breakdown, as they don’t ever seem to play their starters in the preseason.

  • This was the case again, as Nate Landman, Omar Speights, Grant Stuard, and Shaun Dolac sat this one out.

  • There’s apparently some noise that Dolac got some first-team reps in place of Speights at camp, though for now, we’ll have to treat Speights as the front-runner until we see/hear official news otherwise.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Obviously, Myles Garrett and company didn’t play in this game.

  • The Rams brought in Aaron Donald for a second workout on Sunday, and the GOAT’s return is starting to look more and more likely.

  • If he’s still available on your waivers in DT-required leagues…hell, even in DL formats, make some room to stash him and hope that we get at least something resembling his past self.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • There were truly no noteworthy players in this game from the Rams’ secondary.

  • I wouldn’t expect to see them until Week 1, along with the rest of the starters.

MIAMI DOLPHINS

• LINEBACKER

  • Jordyn Brooks was not active for this game.

  • Tyrel Dodson wore the green dot and started alongside Willie Gay Jr., who were the starters at off-ball linebacker, playing every snap of the first drive with Trey Moore and Kyle Louis mixing in on base looks.

  • There was an intentional rotation with the dot as Jacob Rodriguez replaced Dodson on the second drive alongside Gay, with Moore and Louis continuing to work as the “SAM” linebacker in base.

  • This rotation continued for the five drives in the first half, with Dodson getting three drives and Rodriguez getting two.

  • Moore and Louis played into the second half.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Chop Robinson started in this game along with Josh Uche at EDGE.

  • If you need something to get excited about with Robinson and don’t care about small sample sizes, then know that PFF gave him an 87.2 pass-rush grade (4 total pass-rush snaps, one of which resulted in a pressure).

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Rookie first-round pick Chris Johnson is the favorite to play Miami’s slot defender role this season.

  • Johnson played an every-down role through the first three drives of this game, getting work in the slot (50%) and staying on the field in non-nickel situations, playing outside and in the box.

  • This is the ideal usage we’re looking for from our IDP cornerbacks, and Johnson is going to see a boost in my rankings as a result.

  • Dante Trader Jr. didn’t play this game as the team’s lone locked-in starting safety.

  • Zayne Anderson and rookie Michael Taaffe got the start with Anderson leaving the game first for the starter’s “rest” treatment.

  • Taaffe played later drives with Lonnie Johnson Jr. while Anderson was out of the game.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

• LINEBACKER

  • Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson started the game and played only the first drive.

  • Cashman and Wilson played every-down roles with the starters while Ivan Pace Jr. rotated in base personnel on that first drive.

  • Pace and rookie Jake Golday were the next off-ball linebackers up after Cashman and Wilson were done.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner started along with Jalen Redmond on the interior.

  • Van Ginkel played just three defensive snaps before his day was over. I’m not sure if he wasn’t feeling great, but wasn’t moving well, and his day at least appeared to end prematurely considering the rest of the starters finished that first drive.

  • Turner registered a sack to end the first defensive drive of the game.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Josh Metellus and Theo Jackson got the start at safety.

  • They played one drive with the starters before their days were done.

  • Jamal Adams entered on the second drive of the game, though he suffered an apparently serious right knee injury that saw him carted off the field.

  • Adams was looking like the potential third safety in Brian Flores’ defense, with decent IDP usage to boot, but he is now done for the year, unfortunately.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

• LINEBACKER

  • The Patriots sat all of their expected starters in this game, including expected LB2 Christian Elliss, who is currently dealing with an injury and missed some time in practice as well.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • With all the expected starters out for this game, rookie second-round pick Gabe Jacas got the start, playing 25 total defensive snaps.

  • 15 of Jacas’ snaps were spent rushing the passer, though he was unable to generate a pressure in this one.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • With Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson out of this game, Dell Pettus started alongside Mike Brown.

  • This is a relatively thin safety group for a potential Super Bowl contender, and they could use some added depth there.

  • However, in the event of injury to one of the starters, Pettus or Brown make the most sense as the next man up.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

• LINEBACKER

  • Kaden Elliss, Pete Werner, and Danny Stutsman didn’t suit up for this game.

  • Jaylan Ford was the green dot among the backups, playing alongside Isaiah Stalbird.

  • These are not names to be aware of barring significant injuries to all the starters.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Chase Young, Carl Granderson, and Cameron Jordan all sat this game out.

  • Undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan, Michael Heldman, got decent playing time in the first half (though not a starter), and was able to register two sacks to go along with four pressures and an 88.3 PFF pass-rush grade.

  • Heldman finished his college career with a strong season in 2025, earning a 92.9 pass-rush grade to go along with 12 sacks.

    • His plays popped this week against backups, so it’s nothing to get overly excited about, but I wanted to write about someone from this team, so there you have it.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Jonas Sanker didn’t play, which is unfortunate as we’re looking to monitor his usage as the new “star” defender in Brandon Staley’s defense.

  • Justin Reid and Julian Blackmon didn’t play either, so we won’t know exactly what Sanker’s usage will look like (aside from mostly slot) until all three are active together.

NEW YORK GIANTS

• LINEBACKER

  • Tremaine Edmunds didn’t play in this game.

  • Rookie top-five pick Arvell Reese got the start next to Micah McFadden, who wore the green dot.

  • Reese played 100% of the defensive snaps with McFadden through the first two drives, all at off-ball linebacker with no work on the EDGE.

  • Reese only played the first two drives while McFadden remained in the game for the rest of the second half alongside Jack Kelly.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux played in this game; Brian Burns did not.

  • Thibodeaux’s day was done after the first drive of the game.

  • Carter played two drives before his day was done.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Jevon Holland did not play in this game.

  • Tyler Nubin started along with Ar’Darius Washington at safety.

  • Nubin played much later into the game after Washington’s day was done, which would suggest that his job isn’t necessarily as safe as we’ve come to assume.

  • I’m not ready to swap Nubin for Washington in my ranks just yet, but this is at least enough to move Nubin down for now.

NEW YORK JETS

• LINEBACKER

  • Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood started this game, playing 100% of the snaps through the first two drives.

  • Davis wore the green dot, which would only hurt Sherwood’s value if the team decides they’re going to use more one-linebacker looks this year.

  • I wouldn’t expect Aaron Glenn to show many of those looks with his starters in the preseason, but it’ll still be worth monitoring going forward.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Rookie second-overall pick David Bailey and Will McDonald were the starters at EDGE through the first two drives, playing every snap.

  • Bailey helped generate one pressure while McDonald came away with a sack in their limited playing time this week.

  • Bailey would still be my preferred option of the two for IDP this season, though both players are likely to be more ED3 types for redraft this season.

  • Bailey more so due to it being his first year in the league and still developing, while McDonald is a lot more boom-bust for IDP with a limited tackle floor.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • As expected, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Andre Cisco were the starting safeties for the Jets.

  • Malachi Moore and Dane Belton played with the backups, which included Cisco for a stint.

  • Cisco played with Belton for a drive before his night ended and was replaced by Moore.

  • For now, it seems like Moore is fourth on the depth chart and Belton would be the next man up in case of injury to a starter.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

• LINEBACKER

  • Zack Baun didn’t play in this game.

  • Jihaad Campbell got the start in this one next to Jeremiah Trotter Jr. for the first two drives of the game, playing 100% of snaps.

  • Once Campbell left the game, Trotter stayed in with Smael Mondon Jr. replacing Campbell.

  • We know Campbell is in for a full-time starting role this season, so nothing really changes here; it’s just a matter of how much he’ll be used as a blitzer in Vic Fangio’s defense that could swing his IDP value in either direction.

  • Campbell had no blitz attempts in this game, playing a more typical off-ball linebacker role, which is typically better for tackle efficiency.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Jonathan Greenard, Nolan Smith, Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Moro Ojomo, and Jalyx Hunt all sat this one out.

  • That’s essentially all of the Eagles’ IDP-relevant defensive linemen, leaving Arnold Ebiketie and A.J. Epenesa as the starters in this one.

  • Both players have had moments of IDP relevancy in the past, though the Eagles’ depth chart is unlikely to allow them to crack any IDP lineups this season.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Cooper DeJean didn’t play in this game, which was the case for the rest of the Eagles’ starting secondary.

  • We’re ideally looking to see which of Marcus Epps and Andrew Mukuba will cede snaps so DeJean can get more looks at safety, as is expected.

  • It’s likely Epps that will draw the short straw if we have to bet, but it would still be good to get some clarity there before Week 1.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Patrick Queen and Payton Wilson got the start and played all 12 defensive snaps through the first two defensive drives of the game.

  • This is encouraging for Wilson’s potential to see an increased role in Year 3, with new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham taking over the defense.

  • I’m not going to get too excited just yet, however, as the Steelers have pulled the rug out from under us before, and we shouldn’t expect teams to show us their true intentions and rotations during the preseason.

  • Still, I’ll take encouraging usage over concerning usage any day of the week.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • T.J. Watt didn’t play in this game.

  • Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig started on the edge, though there wasn’t anything noteworthy from this duo on their 10 defensive snaps.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • DeShon Elliott, Jaquan Brisker, and Jalen Ramsey didn’t play in this one.

  • I’d personally like to see if we get any clear-cut usage in the box or around the line of scrimmage toward one of Elliott or Brisker’s favor, though I think it’ll be close between the two all season.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw sat out for this game.

  • Rookie Jaden Dugger and Garrett Wallow started the game in the team’s nickel defense with Nick Martin rotating on in base personnel.

  • Martin was getting reported as the team’s base-down linebacker, and that could still be possible even with this usage with the backups.

  • Martin could still be an NFL starter, though for IDP, it’ll likely be very limited snaps and irrelevant for most formats.

  • Tatum Bethune worked as Fred Warner’s direct backup last season, though he appears to have fallen down the depth chart, playing behind the likes of Dugger, Wallow, and Martin in this game and into the second half.

  • Bethune is a droppable piece for IDP managers in deeper leagues who have been holding out hope for his role to continue into 2026.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams are both nursing injuries, so it’s no surprise they didn’t suit up for this game.

  • Rookie Romello Height was banged up early in training camp but was able to start this game alongside veteran Ogbo Okoronkwo.

  • Height didn’t do much on his 18 total snaps, which included 13 pass-rush snaps.

  • Okoronkwo was able to pick up a sack, though that came in the third quarter.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Malik Mustapha continues to nurse an injury that’s kept him out of camp and this game.

  • Mustapha has IDP sleeper potential, but if he’s not healthy soon, he could lose his job to second-year player Marques Sigle.

  • Sigle started this game alongside Ashtyn Davis.

  • Ji’Ayir Brown is the other expected starter, though he didn’t play in this game either.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

• LINEBACKER

  • Ernest Jones and Drake Thomas did not play in this game.

  • Tyrice Knight and Patrick O’Connell got the start, playing the first 26 defensive snaps of the game together.

  • Knight and O’Connell are the clear backups right now in case anything were to happen to Jones or Thomas.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Leonard Williams, Uchenna Nwosu, Byron Murphy, Derick Hall, and DeMarcus Lawrence all sat this game out.

  • Without those five, it’s clear that Seattle’s defensive line depth is pretty sorely lacking, as Mike Morris and Jared Ivey were the starters in this game on the edge while Rylie Mills and Brandon Pili played inside.

  • Seattle will need their starters to stay healthy to defend their crown this year.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Newly-paid Devon Witherspoon didn’t play in this game. Neither did Nick Emmanwori or Julian Love.

  • Rookie second-round pick Bud Clark got the start and played 45 defensive snaps, playing more than three-quarters of his snaps as a deep safety (76%).

  • Clark didn’t really do much of note in this game — I actually don’t believe he even registered a tackle — though he should be in the running as a direct backup at safety in case something happens to Emmanwori or Love.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Alex Anzalone, Christian Rozeboom, and SirVocea Dennis all sat out this game.

  • Rookie second-round pick Josiah Trotter got the start alongside Nick Jackson, with Trotter wearing the green dot.

  • Both players played every snap of the first two defensive drives, though Jackson stayed in for a few more drives.

  • It seems that the choice for LB2 right now is between Rozeboom and Dennis, but it’s difficult to believe that Trotter doesn’t take over that spot sooner rather than later.

  • Trotter finished with an 82.4 PFF grade, for what it’s worth — the highest mark among the linebackers in Tampa this week.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Rookie first-round pick Rueben Bain Jr. didn’t play in this game.

  • Bain and Yaya Diaby, who also didn’t play, are locked into the starting spots at EDGE.

  • Anthony Nelson and David Walker appear to be next in line behind them, as they started this game ahead of the rest of the backups.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Jacob Parrish didn’t play in this game, which is unfortunate as we look to parse out whether he’ll still be playing in the slot along with his new outside corner duties.

  • It wouldn’t be unusual for that to be Parrish’s role, but Keionte Scott was drafted in the fourth round this year and has been getting plenty of work in the slot himself.

  • Scott played and started in this game, lining up for 26 of his 28 total snaps in the slot.

TENNESSEE TITANS

• LINEBACKER

  • Cody Barton and Cedric Gray were the clear starters in this game, playing every snap of the first three defensive drives together before ending their night.

  • This was encouraging data to get for Gray, in particular, who did not rotate off the field for either James Williams or Anthony Hill.

  • Not that many teams would show us those looks in the preseason, but it’s still a good sign either way.

  • Where most of my encouragement came from Gray’s potential usage going forward was that James Williams did enter the game on the third defensive drive, not at the cost of Gray’s playing time, but rather as a third linebacker on the field.

  • Williams was listed behind Mohamoud Diabate as the team’s LB3, though Diabate did not play in this game, dealing with an injury.

  • I am beginning to feel better about moving Gray up my rankings, and more usage like this, staying on the field for every snap, will only continue to push him up my ranks into LB1 territory.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Jermaine Johnson and rookie first-round pick Keldrick Faulk got the start in this game.

  • This was a positive sign for Faulk, who was previously listed behind Jacob Martin on the team’s first unofficial depth chart.

  • Martin didn’t appear in this game as he is “day-to-day” with an injury.

  • Faulk stayed in the game after Johnson departed for the day with the rest of the starters, like Jeffery Simmons.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Gus Bradley’s strong safety is the one to watch for this preseason, with my personal hopes weighted heavily in Kevin Winston Jr. over Amani Hooker.

  • With both players starting in this game, we got a potential taste of what’s to come, and I don’t necessarily like what I see for Winston’s ultimate IDP potential this year.

  • Winston and Hooker both played 26 defensive snaps, with Winston lining up in the box on just 38% of his snaps compared to Hooker’s 58% in the box.

  • It’s early, it’s preseason, and the sample size is small, but it’s the only real evidence we have right now that Hooker might be a better IDP option than originally expected, and the opposite could be the case for Winston.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

• LINEBACKER

  • Frankie Luvu didn’t play in this game. He’s familiar with Dan Quinn’s defense and got the rest treatment along with several other defensive starters (Odafe Oweh, Dorance Armstrong, Nick Cross, etc.)

  • Sonny Styles started alongside Leo Chenal, playing every snap of the first defensive drive.

  • Styles wore the green dot and played two snaps on the edge in goal-line looks. Chenal played one snap on the edge.

  • Without Luvu in the lineup, it’s difficult to tell exactly how this LB corps will be deployed, though it at least seems like Luvu’s role is safe and he is in contention to wear the dot.

• DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Most of the starters didn’t play in this game.

  • Jer’Zhan Newton did play and suffered a pec injury that will require surgery and end his season.

  • Javon Kinlaw and Daron Payne are the expected starters on the interior of Washington’s defensive line.

• DEFENSIVE BACK

  • Nick Cross and Jeremy Reaves didn’t play in this game

  • Will Harris and Quan Martin were the starters, with the rest of the backups, suggesting that Reaves is expected to start alongside Cross come Week 1.

As we enter the height of fantasy football draft season, I want to help IDP managers form the best possible strategy to dominate their fantasy football leagues and come away with a true league-winning result.

Utilizing the information laid out in Part 1, covering positional scarcity, we know that each IDP position has a production cliff before we start to see similar production from the remaining scorers, making those latter players more replaceable. What that data tells us is that we should find the players most likely to finish left of the cliff so the rest of our leaguemates have a lower chance of rostering comparable players. This is obviously easier said than done.

Helping make this strategy more viable is the information in Part 2 of our League-Winning Draft Strategies series, which should have helped us identify the high-risk players to avoid and those that wouldn’t qualify as our “must-draft” options heading into 2026.

With all of that crucial data and information in hand, Part 3 will finally focus on putting those strategies into action by identifying our potential 2026 league winners.

EDGE

Starting at the EDGE position, where peak production is highest in IDP (Big-3 Scoring), underlying and predictive metrics are most reliable and stable, and where our true league winners likely reside.

The EDGE cliff typically hovers just above 250 fantasy points, though slightly less is still an advantage over most positions. However, since we’ll mostly be competing with linebackers and other EDGEs here, the bar should be set high.

LEAGUE-WINNING EDGE QUALIFIERS:

• Each of the past EDGE defenders delivered double-digit sacks along with about 60 tackles (sacks included).

• To find those players, we’ll need to lean into our most stable and predictive metrics for future sacks: Expected Sacks, ideally above the 90th percentile at the position.

• We’ll also bank on higher than 75% snap shares for tackle production to fill out the rest of their fantasy points.

• Outside of 2023’s Khalil Mack, our past league-winners at the EDGE position were mostly drafted around the top-12 players at the position, and usually within the top-five.

• Knowing this, and understanding the strong retention rate at the position, highlighted in Part 1, we’ll narrow those top-12 options down to the best bets to deliver league-winning production in 2026.

• This means double-digit sacks, at least 60 total tackles (including sacks), and no clear red flags that could eliminate them from contention, as highlighted in Part 2.

Considering we’re looking within the top-12 in ADP, the candidates for this year’s league winner at EDGE are going to be the most obvious. However, we can still narrow it down by making sure these options meet our qualifiers so we don’t pass up on them.

For example, Brian Burns (ED5) just missed the cut in Expected Sacks, Danielle Hunter (ED8) missed on playing time (69.9%) combined with less-than-elite tackles (74th percentile), Nik Bonitto (ED9) missed on Expected Sacks and snap share (61.3%), and Nick Bosa’s (ED7) sample size from last year was too small to include.

• MYLES GARRETT, LOS ANGELES RAMS

  • Garrett just showcased his league-winning ability in 2025, breaking the NFL single-season sack record and becoming the only IDP to surpass 300 points last season.

  • Expecting that level of sack production from any player is a big ask, but with elite underlying metrics on a better defense, there’s arguably no better early bet in drafts this season.

• AIDAN HUTCHINSON, DETROIT LIONS

  • Hutchinson led the position in Expected Sacks last season thanks to elite playing time and underlying pass-rush metrics.

  • If Hutchinson gets positive regression in the sack column along with an improvement in his tackle numbers, he holds significant league-winning potential in 2026.

• WILL ANDERSON JR., HOUSTON TEXANS

  • Anderson is missing just one crucial qualifier in his playing time, though that can certainly fluctuate year to year.

  • It also helps that he owns a 97th percentile mark in Tackles versus Expected to overcome a lower snap share and still produce.

• MAXX CROSBY, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

  • Crosby qualified as a league-winner last season thanks to elite playing time and production.

  • If he’s healthy, he’ll get every opportunity to deliver that same level of elite production again in 2026.

• T.J. WATT, PITTSBURGH STEELERS

  • Watt is technically the only EDGE here with an Expected Sacks mark below the 90th percentile; however, he also missed time last season, which brought the number down.

  • He ranked in the 92nd percentile in Expected Sacks per game, and as a league winner twice over the past two seasons, that ED1 potential still clearly exists.

• JARED VERSE, CLEVELAND BROWNS

  • Verse has yet to deliver a double-digit sack season, but all of his underlying metrics point to a player more than capable of doing so.

  • He should continue to get high-end playing time and dominate at the line of scrimmage for true ED1 potential, even on a new team this coming season.

• ABDUL CARTER, NEW YORK GIANTS

  • Probably the biggest surprise name on this list as he’s entering just his second season, Carter’s metrics are all comparable to his peers in this range.

  • He’ll need to be much more fortunate in the sack column, but as the league’s top candidate for positive sack regression, the potential is absolutely there.

• JOSH HINES-ALLEN, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

  • Hines-Allen showcased league-winning ability in 2023, but since then has been unlucky in the sack column.

  • Similar to Abdul Carter, all Hines-Allen really needs is that positive regression to hit so he can get back to his league-winning ways.

LINEBACKER

Assuming that IDP managers are following the strategies laid out in this series, you’ll likely have taken multiple swings at the EDGE position early, through the top-24 players at the position, before moving onto the linebackers. With others in your league likely drafting linebackers in the meantime, odds are that we’ll have to find our picks outside the top-24 players in ADP, which works to our advantage as you’ll see shortly.

The peak of linebacker production is typically just over 250 points, not dissimilar to the EDGE position. With more players being drafted outside the top-12 who are capable of hitting those marks, we as drafters will have more opportunities to hit on those potential league-winners to pair with an EDGE (or two) of the same caliber.

LEAGUE-WINNING LINEBACKER QUALIFIERS:

• More than half of past “league-winning” linebackers were drafted outside the top-12 at the position, with most of those players being drafted well outside the top-24.

• Again, speaking to that flat, replaceable production at the position, this is what will give us our best shot at getting both a league-winning EDGE and LB on our roster, as opposed to drafting them the other way around.

• Our candidates will be above-average performers in Tackles versus Expected, projected for a 90%-plus snap share, and are being drafted outside the top-24 at the position.

By eliminating all players who didn’t check all three boxes, we came away with six clear options to target at the position for league-winning upside being drafted outside the top-24. There’s certainly potential that LBs typically drafted earlier than that will still be available as well.

There are obviously plenty more every-down linebackers who came in just below average in Tackles versus Expected last season and can easily bounce back in that regard, not unlike Devin White last year, Kaden Elliss in 2024, and Quincy Williams in 2023. However, to avoid including every linebacker going from 25-48 in ADP, we’ll keep the list of qualifiers strict.

Also, with two full-time rookies already on this list, if Jacob Rodriguez also locks down a full-time role before Week 1, he’d also qualify.

• ARVELL REESE, NEW YORK GIANTS

  • Reese is expected to play a full-time role in Year 1, and while he has no historic production to reference in the NFL, he still couldn’t be disqualified from this list.

  • Reese has the potential for sack production with more usage as a blitzer, increasing his ceiling even if he isn’t a high-end tackler as a rookie.

• CJ ALLEN, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

  • Allen is the current favorite to wear the green dot in Lou Anaroumo’s defense this season, locking the rookie into an every-down role.

  • Much like with Reese, we don’t have historical NFL data on Allen, but he’ll play a most-friendly IDP role right out the gate, giving him as good of a shot as any outside the top-24.

• ALEX SINGLETON, DENVER BRONCOS

  • Singleton’s elite tackling has always been his calling card, though with a quieter 2025 coming off a torn ACL, IDP managers appear to have lost faith in him a bit.

  • Singleton’s darkhorse LB1 candidacy was highlighted in detail here for those interested in even more reason to take advantage of this reasonable ADP.

• ROBERT SPILLANE, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

  • Spillane is coming off a quiet first season in New England after delivering a top-five IDP season in 2024.

  • Spillane still holds the potential to get back to this range with a locked-in every-down role and strong tackling ability.

• DEMARVION OVERSHOWN, DALLAS COWBOYS

  • Overshown’s career has been plagued by injuries to this point, but assuming health, there’s a big role for him to take over in 2026.

  • Overshown is looking like the favorite to wear the green dot, and if he’s able to produce anything like his 2024 season, he’ll be more than worth the value in this range.

• BARRETT CARTER, CINCINNATI BENGALS

  • Carter surprised everyone in 2025, emerging as an every-down linebacker as a rookie over veteran Logan Wilson and Demetrius Knight, who was drafted ahead of him.

  • Carter wasn’t without his issues as an NFL linebacker, but he still produced slightly above average as a tackler and should be in line to develop in the same role in Year 2.

SAFETY

As you attack these positions in order, and take as many swings as possible at EDGE and linebacker (including DTs in DT-required formats), it’s likely that safeties will be coming off the board as well. But, as mentioned in Part 1, do not panic. Remain patient at the position, and there will still be plenty of options waiting for you once you’ve addressed the more valuable positions first.

The peak at safety comes in well below EDGE and linebacker, and the production curve is flat enough that we should still have a great chance to find those league winners, even beyond the top-24 at the position. The peak is typically above 200 points with a clear cliff after that.

LEAGUE-WINNING SAFETY QUALIFIERS:

• 2025 didn’t produce any “league-winners” at the safety position, though we still have enough examples to pull from in previous years.

• As you can see, the ADP in which these past league winners were drafted came from various ranges, from top-five to essentially undrafted.

• As we fade the position, it’s unlikely that we’ll get a top-drafted player at the position to fall to us, so we’ll focus on those going outside the top-24, as that’s about the range in our ADP that full-time linebackers begin to dry up.

• There’s a chance that players typically drafted within the top-24 will be available, but we’ll keep things consistent by staying outside that range and to showcase the many options still available to you in a zero-DB strategy.

• We’re really just looking for safeties who are going to play full-time roles and can push for triple-digit tackles.

As is true with the linebacker position, there are still plenty of full-time players at the position who didn’t perform above expected as tacklers last season, though that can change on any given season. The point of highlighting only those that did is to bet on players that won’t be overly dependent on an ideal deployment and can still produce above-average tackle numbers.

On top of the wild variance in production at the position, there are significantly more options to choose from at safety (and cornerback, of course) than our more valued DL and LB positions.

• TYLER NUBIN, NEW YORK GIANTS

  • Nubin is a clear-cut starter in New York, should get ideal deployment, and in turn, be a great value as S25 in the ADP.

  • Nubin performed as a 96th percentile tackler in 2024 and was very unlucky in non-tackle production in 2025, meaning he’s due for positive regression there, and could hit big in 2026.

• JORDAN BATTLE, CINCINNATI BENGALS

  • Battle has performed as an elite tackler every year that he’s been in the league, even if he’s struggled to lock down an every-down role as an NFL safety.

  • That role is once again in question after a poor 2025, to the point where he may lose snaps in Cincinnati’s defense, which is a concern that keeps his ADP in check. If that doesn’t happen, then he’ll be a steal.

• DESHON ELLIOTT, PITTSBURGH STEELERS

  • Elliott’s IDP potential has been highlighted many times by yours truly this offseason, including as a hidden gem and a darkhorse S1.

  • Elliott’s elite tackling ability and return to health should equate to high-end IDP production, as has been the norm for him in recent years.

• BRANDON JONES, DENVER BRONCOS

  • Jones went from being a “bust” last year to a potential value this season as his ADP has fallen well below his 2025 S11 ADP.

  • Jones has consistently been an above-average to elite performer in Tackles versus Expected, and if he can return to form in 2026, he’ll be an easy pick at S34.

• MALIK MUSTAPHA, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

  • Mustapha was highlighted as a potential sleeper this season, backed by his high-end underlying tackling metrics in 2025.

  • Mustapha missed time last year, which hurt his value, but that lower IDP finish also created a nice bargain in his ADP this year.

• EVAN WILLIAMS, GREEN BAY PACKERS

  • Williams also made the sleeper list this season, so more detail on his potential in 2026 can be found in that article.

  • With Williams primed for an every-down role again, and showcasing strong tackle metrics, he’s an easy zero-DB candidate to target this season.

• BRYAN COOK, CINCINNATI BENGALS

  • Cook moves from Kansas City to Cincinnati this season, and given the Bengals’ desperate need for competent safety play, he should be locked into an every-down role.

  • Cook quietly delivered an efficient tackling season in 2025 while playing a primary deep role, creating encouragement that he can do so again in 2026 on a new defense.

• DANTE TRADER JR., MIAMI DOLPHINS

  • One more pick from the sleeper article, Trader Jr. is primed for a starting role for the first time in his NFL career given Miami’s lack of options at the position.

  • Trader flashed IDP potential last season, even scoring an 80th percentile mark in Tackles versus Expected.

• KAMREN KINCHENS, LOS ANGELES RAMS

  • Kinchens averaged just 75% of the team’s defensive snaps last year, as his role wasn’t that of a true every-down safety, though heading into Year 3, he’s shown enough that that should change.

  • Helping Kinchens’ value is that he’s performed in the 90th percentile or higher in Tackles versus Expected in each of his first two seasons, so a larger role could create a significant jump in production.

• NICK SCOTT, CAROLINA PANTHERS

  • While I’m still hopeful for Lathan Ransom to win the starting job, the early news out of Carolina is that Nick Scott will start alongside Tre’Von Moehrig again.

  • Scott delivered an elite 95th percentile score in Tackles versus Expected in this exact role last season, but was incredibly unlucky in the big-play department, which could positively regress this season.

• ANDREW WINGARD, ARIZONA CARDINALS

  • Another hopeful for me, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, appears to still be buried on the depth chart as the Cardinals look to be favoring Wingard for the vacated Jalen Thompson role.

  • Wingard has been a serviceable IDP in the past, typically performing above expected as a tackler, and appears set to deliver once again in 2026.

Conclusion

I won’t include defensive tackles in this, as the prime candidates are all being drafted within the top-12 at the position already. I also won’t include cornerbacks for the opposite reason, as there are way too many options to choose from, all capable of delivering CB1 production.

And with that, we’ll wrap up this brand new League-Winning IDP Draft Strategies series. I hope you found it helpful and can put these practices into action in time for your 2026 draft to bring home a championship.

For those who didn’t read the first two parts, they can be found here:

Part 1: Leveraging Positional Scarcity | Part 2: Avoiding Common Mistakes

Please check them out, as I think there is a lot of actionable information that can help any IDP manager heading into this season. Good luck in 2026!

Be sure to subscribe to The IDP Show on Apple, Spotify, or YouTube.

You can follow us on all our social media channels, including Twitter and Instagram.

As we enter the height of fantasy football draft season, I want to help IDP managers form the best possible strategy to dominate their fantasy football leagues and come away with a true league-winning result.

This first part of this draft strategy series covered how to leverage positional scarcity and stay ahead of the curve against the rest of your leaguemates. This second part of the series will focus on avoiding many of the crucial mistakes drafters have made in the past, so we can learn from them and avoid the same pitfalls in 2026.

Trust stability, avoid instability. Simple, right?

As noted at the top of Part 1 of this series, one of the biggest traps IDP managers tend to fall into is trusting the prior season’s fantasy production as their guiding light for who to trust in the coming year. The chart below highlights how much stable year-to-year fantasy production (Big-3 Scoring) tends to be at each position, as well as how IDP drafters tend to draft based on last season’s results. A perfect correlation is 1.00 with this data.

Understanding that there is significant variance in fantasy football, especially in IDP, is really the first step to setting yourself up for a grounded approach to your draft. We’re still going to gravitate toward past top performers, but introducing nuance into that thought process can help eliminate red-flag performers and provide an edge toward finding the next top performers.

It happens every season where new top scorers make up the majority of the highest scorers in IDP. Pulling data from 2022-2025, the chart below shows retention rates from year to year across those seasons at each position.

Building off Part 1 of this series, where I covered leveraging positional scarcity and targeting the EDGE position heavily as the first IDPs off the board, this retention rate chart should have you feeling even better about that strategy. Repeat scorers at defensive line are significantly more common than any other position in IDP, helping to reduce the risk and guesswork in finding the potential ED1. Of course, there are still those that don’t return their ADP value, and we’ll get into some of the non-injury-related reasons why shortly.

Harkening back to the year-to-year ADP correlation to previous seasons’ top performers, IDP managers are at least repeat-drafting the correct positions in the correct order. We’re still a little too trustworthy, but we’re on the right track. The main way to make up the difference will likely come from identifying why certain players didn’t repeat (injuries aside) and seeing if we can identify the archetypes to avoid in the future.

Positional red flags

Aside from injuries, each position tends to have its own unique reasons for why they can’t repeat their success from the previous season. Understanding those reasons and identifying any common denominators should help us avoid the players most likely to “bust” at the position and, alternatively, help us know which ones to trust.

LINEBACKER

Everyone’s favorite position in IDP, the linebacker player pool is deceptively deep and creates more annual variance than most fantasy managers realize, as highlighted in the charts above.

This next chart breakdown looks at the percentage of linebackers classified as misses (finishing 10 or more spots lower than their ADP) as well as the average number of picks in value that drafting and missing cost us in that range. This includes those that returned value or greatly outperformed their ADP as well as injury-related misses.

Fred Warner and T.J. Edwards were drafted as the LB4 and LB5, respectively, last season, though both players missed significant time due to injury, so they obviously couldn’t return their appropriate value, but this happened at every position. It will happen at every position every year, and it’s unavoidable, but we also don’t need to analyze what went wrong there.

Only one of the four players who were able to avoid being considered misses within the top-12 at linebacker actually improved on their ADP (Jamien Sherwood, LB12 > LB8). The rest (Zack Baun, Foyesade Oluokun, Kaden Elliss) can only be described as minimizing the damage done to those who invested highly in them. Herein lies the risk of trying to draft linebackers at their ceiling: for the most part, they’re much more likely to disappoint, which makes it increasingly risky to draft them in the top-12 when considering the flatter production curve highlighted in Part 1 of this series.

That flattened production curve also explains the minimal miss rate and lost value once we’re drafting LB25-36. This is where players like Jack Campbell, Bobby Wagner, Quay Walker, Germaine Pratt, and even Carson Schwesinger could be found last season. All of whom were among the projected full-time players at the position heading into the season and the perfect candidates to target later, when attacking the defensive line position early.

DEFENSIVE LINE (EDGE & DT)

Speaking of the defensive line position, and the EDGE position, in particular, we’ll focus on that position next to compare against linebacker, specifically, to further make a case as to why targeting high-end EDGEs is the preferred strategy.

Thanks to more stability at the position, the EDGE position is much more forgiving in terms of value lost and just “busts” overall. The biggest misses at the position (Nick Bosa and Trey Hendrickson) were a result of season-ending injuries, accounting for 21 missed games from those two alone. It’s also the only position that produced a legitimate “hit” (finishing 10 or more spots above ADP) within the top-12, as Brian Burns was drafted as the ED12 and finished as the overall ED2.

Not only is the risk minimized when drafting the top EDGEs, but by betting on talent and paying attention to the underlying metrics, we’re more likely to find the top overall scorer at the position from that top tier. Even when accounting for injuries and players that missed time, which caused them to lose value from their ADP, Nick Bosa, T.J. Watt, and Micah Parsons still produced at an ED1 rate in points per game before departing. This isn’t typically the case for the other positions.

Defensive tackle offers a similar level of reliability to the EDGE position from the top 12; however, beyond that, the penalty for missing becomes greater. For DT-required formats, this should further support the importance of locking down a top-tier player at the position as that player pool dries up quickly, lowering the floor and our potential hit rates due to limited ceilings beyond the elite players at the position.

DEFENSIVE BACK (SAFETY & CB)

As expected, the potential to break through any of the top 36 draft ranges at defensive back is typically higher than any other IDP position. However, one position is a greater offender than the other, so we’ll start there. The cornerback position.

IDP managers in general are not good at drafting cornerbacks, and it’s costing significant value in drafts. As highlighted at the very top of this article, a big reason for this is not recognizing that year-to-year fantasy production is wildly unstable for the position, leading them to just draft last year’s top performers and hope for more of the same. Unfortunately, this is the last position we should expect that outcome, and it's even more reason to fade the position until the final rounds of our drafts.

This also tells me that IDP managers are not as locked in when it comes to cornerback rankings, or just don’t care enough to pay attention to the position, knowing that if they miss, they can most likely stream the position off the waiver wire in-season. And that’s fine. The position is deep enough to stream comfortably in most formats, but at the same time, we shouldn’t spend up to draft a top-12 CB knowing there’s little to no payoff, even if you do manage to survive that risk.

The safety position is nearly just as risky to bet on, with high variance in yearly scoring and a massive player pool to pull from, all capable of outperforming their ADP.

The difference at safety from the CB position, though, is that the value loss isn’t nearly as detrimental to IDP managers who are willing to take the risk. Because the position performs so similarly across the top scorers, highlighted by the flatter production curve in Part 1 of this series, we’re not penalized as much by our misses. However, it also means that the payoff isn’t worth the investment, so much like the cornerback position, we can continue to be patient and wait until the latter rounds before drafting our starting safeties.

Learning from the “busts”

As noted in the previous section, not all of our top performers are going to repeat their success from the year prior, and in fact, most of them will not. To increase our odds of finding the ones who can and will repeat, we need to weed out the ones most likely to bust. Major injuries aside, I’ll highlight the most notable “misses” (players who finished 10 or more spots below their ADP) at each position, identify why they didn’t succeed, and then try to tie those archetypes to players being drafted highly this season, to avoid the same traps.

LINEBACKER

LB RED FLAG INDICATORS:

• AVERAGE - BELOW AVERAGE TACKLING

  • Zaire Franklin, Frankie Luvu, Lavonte David, Quincy Williams, and Azeez Al-Shaair all entered the 2025 season coming off below-expected tackling performances from the following year.

  • Unfortunately, none of them were able to overcome this trait/production in 2025, which put a significant dent in their ability to return the value for which they were drafted.

  • Ineffective tackling is often stickier year-to-year than overly efficient tackling, which should lower our expectations for those who underperformed the previous season.

• UNSTABLE BIG-PLAY PRODUCTION

  • Only Logan Wilson performed in a safer below-average (13.5%) range of big-play production from the previous season.

  • However, he lost his job, which cost him all of his IDP value. This wasn’t completely unexpected as the team drafted two rookie linebackers within the first four rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft.

  • Zaire Franklin, Roquan Smith, Frankie Luvu, Edgerrin Cooper, Lavonte David, and Quincy Williams all produced an above-average rate of big-play production in 2024, which was always going to put them in danger of negative regression in that regard heading into 2025.

  • Franklin, Smith, Luvu, Cooper, David, and Williams all regressed as expected, and even though they still delivered above-average production, combining that dip with low-end tackle efficiency sank their value enough to qualify as ADP misses.

• THE OUTLIERS

  • Daiyan Henley, Robert Spillane, and Terrel Bernard all performed as elite tacklers in 2024 but dropped off dramatically in 2025, which is bound to happen to some, and not always predictable.

  • For Spillane, he went from one of the more zone-heavy defenses in Las Vegas to a man-heavy unit in New England, so some drop-off should have been expected.

  • Henley and Bernard’s situation didn’t change all that much, so they’re the only ones who can really qualify as true outliers.

What we’re really looking for are linebackers with multiple red flags in tackle efficiency (represented by Tackles versus Expected) and big-play production. Sometimes this is really obvious, as was the case with Frankie Luvu and Quincy Williams. Others are more subtle, like with Lavonte David and Azeez Al-Shaair, but it pays to temper expectations for these types.

2026’s ADP RED FLAGS: LINEBACKER

Heading into this season, there are eight clear examples worth looking at being drafted among the top-24 linebackers according to our ADP.

• THE BIGGEST RISKS

  • Zack Baun and Edgerrin Cooper are being drafted highest among these potential red-flag players this year, and both are at the highest risk of not returning their ADP value.

    • Baun’s production profile and usage within Vic Fangio’s defense are now that of a boom-bust type option relative to the position, where he’ll need those big plays to overcome the low-end tackle production.

    • Considering his very high price tag, he’s a risk we should be avoiding at cost.

  • Cooper offers similar concerns, though a new defense where he’s not the one wearing the green dot puts him at risk of coming off the field more than we’d like from a top-15 LB as well.

    • Jonathan Gannon does not have a history of two every-down linebackers, and with Cooper not manning the dot, his production and snap risk should move him down the ranks.

• MILD CONCERN

  • Devin Lloyd and Kaden Elliss are both risks at their current ADP, but as highlighted here, their situations should improve significantly for better tackle production and help them overcome their concerns.

    • These are certainly more high-risk plays, but probably the only ones I’d truly feel comfortable with heading into 2026 considering their projections.

  • Both Nate Landman and Zaire Franklin are expected to be every-down linebackers in their defenses, and while coming in below average in Tackles versus Expected, they play in friendly enough defenses for tackles while coming at a reasonable price, so I'm not overly cautious on their 2026 value.

  • Daiyan Henley and Jihaad Campbell are both linebackers who should have better seasons in 2026, and their prices aren’t egregiously high, though I’d still feel more comfortable with them a little later in drafts, if possible.

EDGE DEFENDERS

Injuries have been by far the greatest killer for our highly-drafted EDGEs, with most “busts” missing three or more games. So, with a smaller group to pull from, I’ll dip into the non-injury-related misses from 2024 to add to this dataset as well. Defensive tackle misses were almost exclusively injury-related, so we’ll skip that position in this exercise.

EDGE RED FLAG INDICATORS:

• OVER-ACHIEVING IN THE SACK COLUMN

  • Will McDonald (2025), Josh Hines-Allen (2024), Montez Sweat (2024), and Matthew Judon (2024) all delivered more than 2.5 sacks over expected from their previous seasons, which is about the threshold where that production becomes difficult to maintain.

    • Making those sack totals even harder to maintain are below-average pass-rush metrics, specifically PFF pass-rush grade.

    • Only Josh Hines-Allen delivered a pass-rush grade above 75.0 in his over-achieving season, and with his sack totals coming so much higher than expected, he was still a strong regression candidate.

• JUMPING THE GUN ON EXPECTED DEVELOPMENT

  • In the case of Abdul Carter and Chop Robinson, both players were first-round picks that the IDP community was hopeful could deliver immediate production.

    • While Robinson showed promise in Year 1, IDP drafters chose to ignore the snap competition (Jaelan Phillips & Bradley Chubb) returning from injury that would limit his playing time and production in Year 2.

  • Carter is also a case of ignoring competition for snaps on a crowded New York Giants defensive line, but also being impatient with overall development, as Year 1 is rarely going to be overly productive, even for a highly-drafted EDGE.

For all defensive linemen, the concern in drafting them highly is going to come from repeatable sack/big-play production. For that production to repeat, we’ll want to see those underlying metrics be encouraging enough to suggest they can deliver again, as well as a little bit of luck, because even the best pass rushers aren’t immune to sack regression.

2026’s ADP RED FLAGS: EDGE

Heading into this season, there are five examples worth looking at being drafted among the top-24 EDGEs according to our ADP.

• THE BIGGEST RISKS

  • Brian Burns is a clear sack regression candidate coming off a career-high 16.5 sacks in 2025.

    • Burns is a very good IDP and NFL player, but with two clear red flag indicators in his sub-75.0 pass-rush grade and massive discrepancy in Sacks versus Expected, he’ll be the most hard-pressed EDGE to return his top-five ADP.

  • Andrew Van Ginkel has been the definition of an overachiever in the NFL and especially as an IDP in recent years.

    • 2026 is shaping up to be the year where Van Ginkel finally disappoints relative to his ADP.

    • He owns by far the lowest pass-rush grade (53rd) from those being drafted among the top-24 at his position, and outside of one season, that has been the norm for his career.

    • He’s more than due for significant regression, and after avoiding that for so long, don’t be surprised if this, his age-31 season, is the year he can’t deliver top-24 production.

  • Tuli Tuipulotu is another EDGE who is coming off a great season as an NFL player and IDP, delivering a career-high 13 total sacks.

    • Tuipulotu isn’t as big of a risk as Burns and Van Ginkel since he owns a reasonable ADP, but he is still primed for some regression.

    • He just barely misses the threshold for the pass-rush grade red flag, but more than anything, delivering the second-most sacks versus expected from this group is something to be aware of when it’s time to draft.

• MILD CONCERN

  • With Dallas Turner entering a crucial Year 3 development season and coming within 2.5 sacks of expected, he has some risk, but not nearly as much as others.

    • He’ll have to maintain a high-end snap volume this year, which is expected, and if he can take a leap in his pass-rushing development, also as expected, then he’ll be a fine pick in this range.

  • Montez Sweat’s bounce-back season in 2025 was very encouraging after being one of the red flags a year prior.

    • Sweat delivered better pass-rush metrics and is now being drafted at a reasonable enough price that he shouldn’t burn IDP managers too much with a slightly lower projection.

SAFETY

Defensive back IDP production is by far the most unstable each season, which naturally creates significant turnover among the top scorers and creates a higher “bust” rate.

The same is true at cornerback, though there’s the added bust potential of IDP managers drafting familiar elite NFL cornerbacks like Pat Surtain II, Derek Stingley, Sauce Gardner, and Christian Gonzalez who were all top-20 in ADP at the position last season, despite limited IDP potential.

SAFETY RED FLAG INDICATORS:

• DRAFTING BASED ON LAST YEAR’S FINISH

  • As highlighted at the very top of this article, IDP managers are inclined to draft based on last year’s production, though that is especially damaging at DB where production rarely repeats.

  • You’ll notice a lot of similarities in the chart above where each of these concerning safeties is being drafted close to where they finished in 2025.

• POOR SCHEME/USAGE

  • Josh Metellus, Brandon Jones, Jaquan Brisker, Kyle Dugger, and Malaki Starks all played well over a third of their defensive snaps from a deep alignment last season, most of which could have been predicted by the season prior or offseason news/changes.

    • For Metellus, specifically, his role change was a concern with Cam Bynum’s departure, leaving a hole at deep safety that he’d likely have to help fill, eliminating the elite usage we fell in love with him for in prior seasons.

    • Dugger’s role was clearly being reduced in training camp and the preseason with news of him not starting in New England anymore, and IDP managers who adjusted on that news avoided the penalty, but for those not locked in, it cost them.

• DRAFTING NAMES VERSUS PROJECTION

  • Sometimes familiarity creates comfort in our draft decisions, and this is especially true for those not following seasonal rankings or projections, as they’ll just take the player whose name they know best when things get tough.

    • Minkah Fitzpatrick is a well-known IDP commodity, though his production has declined in recent years; that hasn’t stopped drafters from expecting him to produce top-24 numbers.

    • Malaki Starks’ ADP should never have been this high, with his projected role in Baltimore always expected to be more of a deep safety with Kyle Hamilton there, though his first-round draft capital clearly had a lot of drafters feeling the rookie fever.

    • Jessie Bates is another example of a player who has overperformed in recent years, and he comes with strong NFL name value. His big-play production has boosted his IDP value, though once that predictably declined even slightly in 2025, he was unable to return to that top-five IDP value.

• NATURAL REGRESSION

  • Knowing the instability at the position, overperformers should almost always be avoided, whether it’s efficient big plays or tackles that boosted them up the year before.

    • Budda Baker was never going to deliver as many tackles as he did in 2024, and even with a relatively strong season in 2025, he was technically a “bust” at the position.

    • Brandon Jones also greatly overperformed as a tackler, finishing in the 98th percentile in Tackles versus Expected in 2024, but with added competition at his position in the form of Talanoa Hufanga, combined with natural regression, he too could not repeat as a top-12 IDP safety where he was being drafted.

    • Jaquan Brisker was incredibly efficient as a tackler in his limited 2024 sample, which had IDP managers expecting more of the same on a larger sample size in 2025, though he too failed to live up to those expectations.

It’s not always the IDP safety themselves that are at fault for not returning their expected ADP value, but almost entirely a result of the thin-margined positional scoring and heavy production variance. Knowing this should hammer home the point even more: don't draft safety early!

2026’s ADP RED FLAGS: SAFETY

While pretty much every top-12 safety in ADP can be highlighted here, I’ve picked out nine clear concerning players to be wary of being drafted among the top-24 SAFETIES according to our ADP.

• THE BIGGEST RISKS

  • Anytime we’re drafting a safety early, we’re likely to be disappointed with the return on investment. Again, it’s not necessarily the player’s fault, as they might be the best bets at the position, but the pool is just so massive and variance is so high that they need too much to go in their favor to return that value.

    • Nick Emmanwori is a significant risk as S1, not only as a player who has yet to play a full season, but also as a player who over-produced in the big-play department while only being slightly above average as a tackler.

    • For dynasty managers who have Emmanwori on your roster already, don’t worry about this as much, but for those paying the ultimate premium to draft him in redraft leagues, good luck getting that value back.

  • Kam Curl is another clear regression candidate heading into 2026 after greatly overperforming as a tackler in 2025.

    • Curl’s role requires him to play a higher rate of deep snaps than any other player on this list, and that role isn’t likely to shift dramatically this season.

    • Curl is set to regress as a tackler and potentially in the big-play department as well, which reduces his top-12 potential.

  • IDP managers haven’t seemed to learn from last season when Josh Metellus greatly underdelivered as an IDP.

    • His lower production came from a massive role shift that is only likely to hold in 2026 without Harrison Smith on the team.

    • Metellus already showed he couldn’t produce top-24 IDP production as he shifted from just a sub-10% deep role to a 40%-plus deep role, and should not be getting drafted as a top-12 safety this season.

• BIG-PLAY REGRESSORS

  • Interceptions and other non-tackle production are great when it happens, but betting on it to repeat from one year to the next sets you up for failure, especially without a strong tackle floor.

    • The Atlanta Falcons’ safeties, Xavier Watts and Jessie Bates, both delivered nicely for IDP in 2025, though they did so thanks to high-end big-play production.

    • Both players came in around the bottom quartile in tackles versus expected, getting ideal alignments and usage.

    • If that usage shifts unfavorably even slightly this season, on top of big-play regression, returning top-24 IDP production will be unlikely.

• USAGE RED FLAGS

  • Lastly, any time a safety is going to spend the majority of his snaps from a deep alignment, it puts their top-24 IDP potential at risk as tackle rate drops dramatically with that deployment.

    • Kam Curl, Antoine Winfield Jr., Talanoa Hufanga, and Xavier McKinney are all well-known IDP safeties at this point, which is also what keeps their ADP high.

    • However, all four players could be considered over-drafted when more than half of their defensive snaps come from a deep alignment.

    • It puts a lot of pressure on these players to over-produce to return top-24 production, since the average tackle rate from that alignment comes in below typical safety tackle rates.

    • Across a full season, those percentage drops per snap make a big difference, and one typically worth avoiding.

Conclusion

While this is one of the longer articles from this offseason, it also speaks to the number of annual mistakes we tend to make as fantasy drafters. There’s a lot to sort through, and a lot to learn to optimize our 2026 draft strategy.

1. Don’t blindly trust last year’s finishes.

• IDP production varies in year-to-year stability, so knowing which ones to trust and ignore is crucial. Underlying metrics for pass rushers, playing time for all, and alignment data for safeties are all our best guiding lights. Actual sacks and big-play production can be misleading.

2. Identify the red flags each year.

• Knowing which players check the most red-flag boxes will help us avoid those ADP traps. They’re there every year; we just have to know what to look for. Hopefully you’re more well-versed in finding them now after reading this piece.

3. Know which positions reward risk, and those that don’t.

• Betting on elite defensive linemen carries significantly more league-winning upside than any other position. Given the larger pool of comparable producers at every other position, staying left of the cliff at EDGE offers league-winning upside, and those players are almost all already being drafted highly.

As much as picking the right players is crucial to winning leagues, avoiding the wrong players is also a major key to unlocking a championship. Hopefully you’re now in a better spot to do the latter, because Part 3 will cover the former.

Stay tuned for the finale of this League-Winning IDP Draft Strategy series, where I’ll highlight players at each position with that true league-winning upside that we’ll want to target from their respective ranges and put this work into practice.

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