Offseason IDP Targets for Dynasty Leagues

It's the dynasty offseason and you know what that means... it's TRADE SZN! If you're looking to sell, don't skip the flip side: here are some IDPs you could look to add.

The offseason is the time when most dynasty teams look to improve. The NFL draft is an exciting time for the fan bases of every team, but it’s also an exciting time for your fantasy football team. Do not get me wrong: I love the draft. LOVE it.

But how much can your team really improve with a handful of picks? Especially when you consider that the success rate on those picks is maybe 50%, the odds of improving your team strictly through the rookie draft are not in your favor, my friend.

The real chance for teams to improve and make up ground on your leaguemates is through your league’s free agency or off-season window. Many leagues open up waivers during this time. Selling high on players, especially defensive players, is crucial during this window. There is so much turnover on the defensive side of the ball it is almost maddening at times. With the draft, free agency, defensive scheme changes, and new coordinators, the IDP stock market is more volatile than crypto.

Outside of a few elite-level players, the top 12 at each position change drastically from year to year. So, being active and cashing out on certain players is in your best interest since it’s almost certain their fantasy finish in 2022 will be different. On the flip side, if you’re selling certain players, who should you be buying? That’s what we’re going to cover in this article. The following players fit into a few categories:

• Players whose role can expand next season due to teammates moving on in free agency or retiring.

• Players coming off down or injured seasons, meaning managers may have dropped them or would be willing to part with them for next to nothing. Flipping another manager a 4th or 5th round pick for some of these players now is the perfect time to capitalize on their stocks being down.

• Players whose managers may just be out of roster space and would rather stash an offensive piece over carrying a fourth or fifth defensive lineman or safety.

Are these names every manager would consider rostering at this time? No, but they can be attained for little (or no) capital, and if just a few of them hit, your team can go from pretender to contender pretty quick. As we go, here’s a guide for each player:

Player Name | Team | Years of Experience | 2021 Stats (Big 3 Scoring) | Percent rostered

Rationale for acquiring:

One final note: It is important that you understand your league’s scoring so that you can make the most informed trades that you can. It takes very little time or effort to go and look back at your league’s scoring to see just what I’m talking about here.

Alright, let’s get to the targets!          

Defensive Lineman

Jonathon Greenard | Houston Texans | 1 year | 156.8 points | <25%

Greenard busted onto the scene this season and provided a spark to a very decimated Texans defense. From Weeks 5 through 14, he was an IDP stud and an easy weekly starter. After getting banged up in Week 14 against Seattle, he was inactive or failed to really do too much the rest of that season, leaving a very bad taste in the mouths of some of his managers. Playing on a team with little draft capital, Greenard looks locked in to be a starter. Greenard’s 156.8 points this season have him ranked as a DL4. What’s really exciting is those points came in 100-200 fewer snaps than those who scored similarly to him. To me, that shows his massive upside.

Sebastian Joseph-Day | Los Angeles Rams | 3 years | 75.8 points | <7%

Joseph-Day’s 75.8 points this season won’t really raise your eyebrows, but when you consider those points came in less than 6 games, it becomes more impressive. With so much cap space spent and draft picks traded in the Rams’ Super Bowl-or-bust season; SJD is all but certain to be an important piece next season. Anytime you have Aaron Donald commanding double and triple teams, it makes your job much easier.

Marcus Davenport | New Orleans Saints | 3 years | 145.6 points | <21%

Similar to Greenard’s season, Davenport scored his points while playing a reduced number of snaps in comparison to those that scored similarly to him. Davenport has been on fire when he has played, making big splash plays on almost a weekly basis. New Orleans, in the post-Drew Brees era, has become a formidable defense. Perhaps next season the Saints, and Davenport, take another step in that direction.

DJ Wonnum | Minnesota Vikings | 1 year | 137.5 points | <4%

Wonnum has been a popular name in IDP circles the last few weeks for his play and opportunity going forward. Following Week 7, Wonnum has played more than 50% of the team’s defensive snaps and has rewarded his fantasy managers with some fabulous weeks. If Danielle Hunter returns next season, it will take a lot of pressure off Wonnum to continue to grow and make plays. But if he does not, Wonnum will benefit with a huge increase in snaps. Either way, a win/win for Wonnum.

Joe Tryon-Shoyinka | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 year | 89 points | <4%

If you have super deep rosters and like living dangerously, you may consider looking at acquiring Tryon-Shoyinka. Since being drafted at the end of the first round in last April’s NFL Draft, Tryon-Shoyinka has been learning to play DL from guys like Shaq Barret and Jason Pierre-Paul, not a bad classroom to learn in. Another thing to consider is Tryon-Shoyinka only played the position one year at Miami before being drafted, he has a great deal of upside and opportunity going forward.

Defensive Backs & Safeties

Jayron Kearse | Dallas Cowboys | 5 years | 212.7 points | <25%

The Dallas Cowboys secondary had many question marks coming into the season, chief among them: Who would play safety?  Would it be Keanu Neal, Donovan Wilson, or Damonte Kazee? As it turned out, the answer was “none of the above.” Jayron Kearse took over Week 1 and did not look back on his way to a top 12 scoring season at the position. Somehow, Kearse is available in many leagues.

Xavier Woods | Minnesota Vikings | 4 years | 195.2 points | <27%

Woods, like Kearse, is clearly disrespected since his percentage of being rostered is so low. And, just like Kearse, Woods came out of nowhere to put up amazing numbers from a player who was not on anyone’s radar to start the season. Woods played a high number of snaps this season, and with the QB situation in flux this offseason, the entire Vikings defense could be on the field a great deal next season.  

Antoine Winfield Jr. | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 2 years | 159.6 points | <42%

With Winfield Jr. being one of the most rostered guys, you might wonder why I’m encouraging targeting him. The answer is three-fold. One, draft capital (2nd round pick). Two, DNA (his dad was a beast in his own right). Three, increasing snap count and production (scoring like a new player once he returned from injury in Week 7). When you combine all of those things, you have the makings of a truly emerging beast at the position. This time next season, you could be looking at a top 3 player at the safety position. Your window to acquire might be closing rather quickly.

Donte Jackson | Carolina Panthers | 3 years | 137.9 points | <5%

Donte Jackson was absolutely balling out to start the season playing opposite of rookie first-round pick Jaycee Horn. When both guys went down, it became open season for wide receivers when they played the Panthers. With both expected to be fully healthy to start the season, Jackson looks to continue to regain his form. Jackson is especially appealing to managers in leagues that require cornerbacks.  

Richie Grant | Atlanta Falcons | 1 year | 60.7 points | <2%

Grant is on this list for no other reason than his college tape and draft capital. Grant was considered by many to be the consensus #1 safety coming out this past April. At 6 foot, 200 pounds, Grant looks the part of an NFL safety. I expect him to take a huge step forward after having a full NFL offseason to get the mental part of the game under control. Managers who drafted Grant may be looking to unload him for much less than they initially drafted him for, as he may be clogging their rosters.

Linebackers

Jordan Hicks | Arizona Cardinals | 6 years | 210.8 points | <67%

Jordan Hicks had a tremendous season. All he did was go out and hold off two highly drafted linebackers in Zaven Collins and Isiah Simmons that were both coming for his job. The Cardinals allowed Hicks to seek a trade before the season started but he was not able to find a new home. I expect Hicks to land somewhere this offseason and continue to dominate on the field. Detroit would be an ideal home. I see him being a Dan Campbell type of guy. I’d be offering the Hicks manager a 4th (maybe a 3rd) for him after he had a few down weeks to end the 2021 season.

Mykal Walker | Atlanta Falcons | 2 years | 67 points | <1%

Mykal Walker is oozing with talent and is just waiting to get his chance to get a full complement of snaps. His chance may be coming if Foye Oluokun moves on this offseason in free agency—and that’s the reason he’s on this list. When Walker filled in for Deion Jones this season in Week 12, he did not disappoint, racking up 11 combine tackles. Walker has been very productive even given his limited snaps. It will be very challenging for the coaching staff not to give him a larger role next season.

AJ Johnson | Denver Broncos | 4 years | 71.9 points | <7%

AJ Johnson will be coming off a torn pectoral muscle and there is a positive outlook regarding him bouncing back. The Denver Broncos linebacker room may have been the most injury-plagued unit in the entire league. Every week was a new rotation of players this season for the Broncos. AJ Johnson is a very solid player and a perfect fit for a team that is looking for an above-average LB2/3 with upside. It is very possible that Johnson is on your waivers, or can be had for a 4th round pick.

Kenneth Murray | Los Angeles Chargers | 2 years | 33 points | <11%

Talk about someone having the sophomore slump! Maybe Kenneth Murray regrets changing his number this season because he totally looked like a different player from his phenomenal rookie season. Murray was passed up for guys like Kyzir White and Drue Tranquill during the season for playing time. Being placed on the COVID list did not help matters this season, as well. Murray has too much talent not to bounce back and be productive once again. Offering a 3rd round pick (maybe even start with a 4th) to a frustrated manager might just be the ticket.

Davion Taylor | Philadelphia Eagles | 2 years | 52.3 points | <2%

TJ Edwards | Philadelphia Eagles | 3 years | 185.7 points | <27%

When you look at the Eagles linebackers, you see Alex Singleton lighting up the stat sheet week in and week out. There are two reasons for that. One, he is available, and two, he is being targeted by opposing offensive coordinators because he is a liability on defense. With TJ Edwards securing the other linebacker spot this season, it was Edward and Taylor pushing Singleton to the sidelines. It was only after Taylor suffered a knee injury in Week 11 that allowed Singleton back on the field. Taylor should be back from his knee procedure well ahead of time for camp to start. Look to acquire him now while the cost is at a dip. Edwards is just going to be a beast and someone that has the makings of an LB1 for many seasons to come.

Dre Greenlaw | San Francisco 49ers | 3 years | 29.2 points | <6%

We all have our guys—the ones we always want to be right about. Dre Greenlaw is that guy for me. Greenlaw is a very savvy player, he’s always around the ball, and is much cheaper to acquire than his running mate, Fred Warner. Let someone else reach for Warner when Greenlaw is just as productive and can be had rounds later.

This season, Greenlaw started and ended the season just like the entire 49ers organization wanted him to. Unfortunately, Greenlaw battled a nagging groin injury all season that he just could not get over. A full offseason removed, Greenlaw will prove to be an amazing offseason get for you and your team. I know one manager, @IDPBob, who you will not have to compete with for him!

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Well kids, there you have it. A first look at some guys to look at possibly adding to your squad this offseason. There are countless other names that are out there, and as the offseason fully gets underway, I will continue to update you and keep your fantasy team ahead of the competition. Be sure to follow the boys at The IDP Show and me on Twitter at @Boobam131 for all your Pop-Tart and IDP info!

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Photo attribution:

Image by mohamed_hassan from Pixabay