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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Love the KEO shout out. I've been high on him since the draft.
I’m sure they were thinking rotation early on, it is a strategy that keeps guys fresh. But Gray said “nope, I’m going to play my way out of a rotation and into 3 down usage again.”