IDP Dynasty Update: Players on the Rise

Bobby combs through Adam's dynasty rankings to find intriguing players within the top 50, then plays buy/sell/hold at DL, LB, and DB.

In dynasty fantasy football, January is a good time to evaluate your roster, determine your weaknesses, and figure out what to do with your existing assets. When you’re going through this process, it’s important to have a lay of the land. Where do IDPs across positions and teams stack up against one another?

That’s where we can help. Adam’s IDP dynasty rankings are loaded with all the information you need to make sound decisions with your favorite defensive players this offseason. Those rankings are available for paid supporters, so for just $5 a month, you can access the most comprehensive IDP rankings on the planet.

I went through Adam’s rankings and pulled out some of the most notable names to crack his top 50. I’ll discuss them below—and play a little buy/sell/hold.

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Maxx Crosby: EDGE3

Given his age of 25.4, his contract with the Raiders, his extremely high snap percentage, and his constantly high IDP output, Maxx “Triple X” Crosby could easily be too low on this list. That’s not to mention what makes Jon Macri salivate the most over Crosby: his ridiculous PFF grade of 90.1 for 2022. Sure, it’s possible (even likely) that Crosby comes back to Earth after finishing 2022 as the overall #1 IDP.

But fade him at your own peril. I don’t think we’ve seen Crosby’s peak yet.

Kayvon Thibodeaux: EDGE7

Yes, it’s true that Adam has heart eyes for Kayvon Thibodeaux, but those heart eyes are justified. Thibodeaux averaged 11 PPG in 2022, he’s just 22.1 years old, and he’s paired with an ascending coaching staff in New York. If you watched him play, you saw the flashes of what he can do. Not to mention he has another rising star, Azeez Ojulari (Adam’s EDGE14) opposite him. Thibodeaux’s stock is on the rise. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him ranked even higher when we do this update in 2024.

Nick Bolton: LB2

How high would you rank Nick Bolton? Adam has him as LB2 and that’s still too low for me—Bolton is my LB1. At just 22.9 years old, Bolton averaged 16 PPG in 2022, earned a 75.7 PFF grade, and most importantly, won the trust of Steve Spagnolo. Is Bolton a good sell? Like most high-scoring linebackers, yes. (Bolton was LB4 in 2022 by Big 3 scoring.) But if I’m trading Bolton, it will be with tear-filled eyes.

Chase Young: EDGE13

Managing Chase Young has been like riding a roller coaster. The highs can pin you to your seat and give you the feeling of being weightless as you float through the air. The lows are like holding your friends’ phones while they ride because you weren’t tall enough to join them. But, if you stuck with Young this long, I think it’s worth it to hold out for the highs once again. Adam’s ranking of EDGE13 reflects Young’s potential while also acknowledging that you can’t rely on him. He earned a 78.4 overall defensive grade from PFF during his limited action in 2022.

If you can still buy low on Young, I’d take the shot.

Jordyn Brooks: LB13

If you’re reading this and roster Jordyn Brooks, it might be too late.

With a PFF grade of 58.4 in 2021 and 52.8 in 2022, Brooks is not trending in a positive direction with his quality of play. Sure, the 13.8 PPG probably looked good in your lineup this year, but I’m starting to get a bad feeling about his outlook. If the tea leaves of PFF have taught us anything, it’s to worry about players with similar grades. Remember Zach Cunningham? Remember Jaylon Smith? These once-celebrated LBs are now afterthoughts who’ve bounced around the league. That said, what can you get for Brooks now that he’s coming off a late-season ACL surgery? You might be stuck holding him unless you find a manager optimistic about him long-term.

Jaquan Brisker: S2

Is it hot in here or is it just me? Did you get a chance to watch Jaquan Brisker play football this season? He was a menace in the Chicago secondary. Brisker earned a 67.8 PFF grade and averaged 12.1 PPG on just 87% of snaps. Yes, the Bears are rebuilding, but they’ve found something in Brisker. He’s a building block for Chicago and for your dynasty roster for years to come, which is why he’s DB2 behind only King Derwin.

Buy/Sell/Hold

Myles Garrett (EDGE4), T.J. Watt (EGDE9), Joey Bosa (EDGE11)

Buy: Bosa is probably the cheapest after missing most of the 2022 season.

Sell: With new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz coming to town, I’m worried that Garrett could end up playing fewer snaps as part of a rotation. He’s a good sell.

Hold: You’re not going to get a fair price for Watt after a lackluster 2022 campaign.

Buy/Sell/Hold

Roquan Smith (LB1), Nick Bolton (LB2), Devin White (LB3)

Buy: What kind of ceiling could we see for the newly-paid Smith in Baltimore? If 2022 was any indication, his best days might be ahead of him. I’m intrigued.

Sell: Yes, I’m crying as I type this. I don’t doubt Bolton’s production or his ability to perform just as well in 2023 and beyond. But his value is at a peak right now.

Hold: White’s role could change in 2023 depending on where Lavonte David ends up. If you’ve trusted “DW” for this long, I wouldn’t cash out unless I got a strong offer.

Buy/Sell/Hold

Antoine Winfield Jr. (S5), Talanoa Hufunga (S6), Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (S7)

Buy: Gardern-Johnson’s injury—a lacerated kidney—doesn’t concern me long-term, as he’s already back and playing for the Eagles in the playoffs. With that team set up for years to come, the highs we saw from CGJ in 2022 should continue in 2023.

Sell: I’m not sure what to make of Hufunga. The alignment wasn’t great for IDP purposes, and while he’s a playmaker, he faded down the back half of the season. I’m happy to sell “Polamula 2.0” to someone who’s more fired up about him.

Hold: Don’t get it twisted: Winfield Jr. was injured in 2022. He’s still a baller.

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