IDP Fantasy Football Mock Draft: One-Man Mock for Individual Defensive Players

Odds are you’ve heard fantasy football analysts refer to their “home leagues” before, but many don’t know what that means. Home leagues are your oldest fantasy leagues with your best friends, or leagues that you join to bond with coworkers. They include all kinds of personalities and skill levels, and they will always have head-scratching picks from guys who think Brett Favre still plays. Some of these drafts will even involve someone getting drunk, drafting five tight ends, and dropping their pants to punctuate their final pick.

In these home leagues, you can expect the rankings to fly out the window after the first beer, as many of your friends pay a premium for their favorite players. When that’s the type of league you’re in, or if you play with a bunch of managers who draft differently than most analysts, it pays to think outside of the box in your draft preparations. That’s why I like to do my annual “One Man Mock with Multiple Personalities,” which is an attempt to help explain what might happen with your friends and why.

For this Multiple Personality mock, I will project your home league fantasy draft (including Individual Defensive Players) through 12 different personalities/teams. Some of these personalities will overlap, but each will be driven by fantasy biases and tendencies that most are familiar with. While these personalities will not always control and sometimes logic will need to find its way in, the personalities will inform many trends, reaches, and team builds overall.

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The IDP Mock Draft Personalities

For our purposes, the personalities/teams I will adopt are as follows….

1. The Steady Eddies- Steady Eddies will avoid injury risks unless the value is just too good, and they will value high-floor assets.
2. The Mavericks- The Mavericks aren’t afraid of injured players, and they don't pay much attention to roster needs. They draft “their guys” regardless of position or value.
3. The Hype Trains- These ‘hype’ oriented managers let hyperbole and camp buzz heavily influence their choices.
4. Zero RB 4 Life- Those who utilize the ‘Zero RB’ strategy will wait to draft a running back until Round 5 or later, preferring to load up on talent at other positions instead.
5. The Best Players Available- This team will traditionally draft the best player on their board, regardless of position.
6. Half-Back 2 Da Future- This team utilizes a heavy running back style of drafting.
7. The Basic B's- Basic drafters will usually draft based on ADP and popular opinions/rankings.
8. The Wild Cards- A Wild Card manager, like the Mavericks, will be unpredictable. They will often wait to fill big roster holes until it's too late and will ignore insurance policies.
9. Jack Reacher- Jack Reacher will reach our players… duh.
10. The Trend Setters- This team likes to start the runs on positions like QB and TE rather than be at their end. They value having the best player at a position, regardless of positional depth.
11. Voodoo Veterans- This team values established veterans and will target guys they’ve seen play in the league before. They will consider rookies, but they rather bet on a vet having a career season.
12. Chalk Blockers- This team will stick closely to their app’s ADP (average draft position) and rarely deviate from an app's recommendation for who to pick.

Fantasy Football League Rules

With that covered, it's also important for you to understand that we will be mocking/drafting in the most common and shallow IDP formats here. The league rules we will be using are as follows….

1. This league will start one DL position, one LB, and one DB.
2. Our IDP scoring for this mock consists of the following:
   1. 1.0 points per solo tackle
   2. ½-point for a half-tackle
   3. 3.0 points for sacks
   4. 2.0 points for safeties/PDs/FR
   5. 4.0 points for forced turnovers (i.e., INTs and FFs)
3. This will be a redraft format, not a dynasty.
4. This will be a non-Superflex draft, meaning only one starting QB for each team.

If you've made it through that explanation, we can finally get on to the fun stuff! So without further ado, let's get to the picks!

 

Rounds 1 and 2 - IDP Mock Draft

Round	Pick	Fantasy Team	Player	NFL Team	Pos.
1	1	Steady Eddies	Justin Jefferson	Vikings	WR
1	2	Mavericks	Ja’Marr Chase	Bengals	WR
1	3	The Hype Trains	Christian McCaffrey	49ers	RB
1	4	Zero RB 4 Life	Travis Kelce	Chiefs	TE
1	5	The Best Players Available	Bijan Robinson	Falcons	RB
1	6	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Austin Ekeler	Chargers	RB
1	7	The Basic B's	Cooper Kupp	Rams	WR
1	8	Wild Card	Tyreek Hill	Dolphins	WR
1	9	Jack Reacher	Saquon Barkley	Giants	RB
1	10	The Trend Setters	Patrick Mahomes	Chiefs	QB
1	11	Voodoo Veterans	Tony Pollard	Cowboys	RB
1	12	Chalk Blockers	CeeDee Lamb	Cowboys	WR
2	13	Chalk Blockers	Stefon Diggs	Bills	WR
2	14	Voodoo Veterans	Nick Chubb	Browns	RB
2	15	The Trend Setters	A.J. Brown	Eagles	WR
2	16	Jack Reacher	Jalen Hurts	Eagles	QB
2	17	Wild Card	Josh Allen	Bills	QB
2	18	The Basic B's	Davante Adams	Raiders	WR
2	19	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Derrick Henry	Titans	RB
2	20	The Best Players Available	Amon-Ra St. Brown	Lions	WR
2	21	Zero RB 4 Life	Garrett Wilson	Jets	WR
2	22	The Hype Trains	Jonathan Taylor	Colts	RB
2	23	Mavericks	Breece Hall	Jets	RB
2	24	Steady Eddies	Josh Jacobs	Raiders	RB

Throw ADP Out the Window?

Tony Pollard and Garrett Wilson are two players who are undervalued at their current cost. As of this writing, the ADP on Pollard (17^th overall) and Wilson (21^st) is low, as both could lead their positions in 2023. Derrick Henry is going ahead of Pollard and shouldn’t. Davante Adams is ahead of Wilson in most drafts and shouldn’t be either. I’ll always prefer being out on vets a year early, rather than a year late.

On the flip side, two players being overdrafted in this mock are Adams and Breece Hall. Adams’ quarterback (Jimmy Garoppolo) has played a full NFL season just once in his career, and Vegas’ backup passers are truly uninspiring. Adams can produce with anyone, but will he return on ADP if Brian Hoyer is his guy? Meanwhile, Hall is slowly being brought back from injury, and he now has competition from Dalvin Cook. Neither of those things has impacted Hall's redraft ADP yet, but they should.

The 2023 QB Rush:

Until this year, fantasy analysts have almost always agreed that non-Superflex leagues should wait on quarterbacks. That view has changed significantly this year for two reasons. One reason is injuries. Only eight passers played a full 17 games in 2022. The Jets, 49ers, and Dolphins alone fielded 11 quarterbacks last year. This rash of injuries left many fantasy managers reeling in 2022, and PTSD from those struggles has strongly influenced many QB opinions this season.

The second reason we see passers being elevated is what I call the “2022 Bottleneck.” By this, I am referring to the large gap between last year’s elite fantasy QBs and the lower tier of starters. For example, fantasy’s QB2 last season (Josh Allen) scored 97.6 more fantasy points than QB5 (Geno Smith). Fantasy’s QB4 (Joe Burrow) scored nearly four more points per game than QB10. This gap has inflated demand for elite passers, driving up the cost of Patrick Mahomes, Allen, and Jalen Hurts.

While people in home leagues have always drafted elite quarterbacks high, you now have analysts finally supporting those moves. Because of that, you should expect quarterbacks to go even higher in this year’s home drafts. That could force many managers to reach beyond their comfort zone to nab an Allen or Justin Fields in the second or fourth rounds, respectively. Meanwhile, more traditional drafters will continue waiting, stacking Tua Tagovailoa and Anthony Richardson later.

 

Rounds 3-5 - IDP Mock Draft

Round	Pick	Fantasy Team	Player	NFL Team	Pos.
3	25	Steady Eddies	Mark Andrews	Ravens	TE
3	26	Mavericks	Jaylen Waddle	Dolphins	WR
3	27	The Hype Trains	DeVonta Smith	Eagles	WR
3	28	Zero RB 4 Life	Chris Olave	Saints	WR
3	29	The Best Players Available	Tee Higgins	Bengals	WR
3	30	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Calvin Ridley	Jaguars	WR
3	31	The Basic B's	Rhamondre Stevenson	Patriots	RB
3	32	Wild Card	Travis Etienne	Jaguars	RB
3	33	Jack Reacher	Joe Mixon	Bengals	RB
3	34	The Trend Setters	Miles Sanders	Panthers	RB
3	35	Voodoo Veterans	Deebo Samuel	49ers	WR
3	36	Chalk Blockers	Lamar Jackson	Ravens	QB
4	37	Chalk Blockers	Najee Harris	Steelers	RB
4	38	Voodoo Veterans	Jerry Jeudy	Broncos	WR
4	39	The Trend Setters	T.J. Hockenson	Vikings	TE
4	40	Jack Reacher	DK Metcalf	Seahawks	WR
4	41	Wild Card	Jahmyr Gibbs	Lions	RB
4	42	The Basic B's	Joe Burrow	Bengals	QB
4	43	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Dameon Pierce	Texans	RB
4	44	The Best Players Available	Aaron Jones	Packers	RB
4	45	Zero RB 4 Life	Justin Fields	Bears	QB
4	46	The Hype Trains	Kyle Pitts	Falcons	TE
4	47	Mavericks	Drake London	Falcons	WR
4	48	Steady Eddies	Justin Herbert	Chargers	QB
5	49	Steady Eddies	Kenneth Walker	Seahawks	RB
5	50	Mavericks	Christian Watson	Packers	WR
5	51	The Hype Trains	D.J. Moore	Bears	WR
5	52	Zero RB 4 Life	Keenan Allen	Chargers	WR
5	53	The Best Players Available	J.K. Dobbins	Ravens	RB
5	54	Half-Back 2 Da Future	DeAndre Hopkins	Titans	WR
5	55	The Basic B's	Terry McLaurin	Commanders	WR
5	56	Wild Card	Chris Godwin	Buccaneers	WR
5	57	Jack Reacher	Marquise Brown	Cardinals	WR
5	58	The Trend Setters	Amari Cooper	Browns	WR
5	59	Voodoo Veterans	Alexander Mattison	Vikings	RB
5	60	Chalk Blockers	George Kittle	49ers	TE

The Rise of QBs Will Force Down Quality Talent:

All obvious WR1 candidates will be gone in the first 22 picks of most drafts. The tier behind that has some tremendous consolation options, though. Guys like Tee Higgins, Jaylen Waddle, and DeVonta Smith may not be the #1 options on their offenses, but they are fine top receivers for those chasing a Travis Kelce/Tony Pollard combo in the first two rounds. Drake London, Jerry Jeudy, and Marquise Brown are other quality options in the fourth and fifth rounds.

Meanwhile, this year is seeing better RB options fall to this range of picks than usual. Joe Mixon, Miles Sanders, and Travis Etienne all project as bell cow backs for their teams, and each should be available in the third. Meanwhile, J.K. Dobbins, Dameon Pierce, and Jahmyr Gibbs are usually available in the fourth or fifth. With highly drafted QBs forcing these premium players down boards, fantasy managers can afford to be fluid with their early picks instead of committing to one set strategy or position.

 

Rounds 6-9 - IDP Mock Draft

Round	Pick	Fantasy Team	Player	NFL Team	Pos.
6	61	Chalk Blockers	James Conner	Cardinals	RB
6	62	Voodoo Veterans	Diontae Johnson	Steelers	WR
6	63	The Trend Setters	Alvin Kamara	Saints	RB
6	64	Jack Reacher	Jaxon Smith-Njigba	Seahawks	WR
6	65	Wild Card	Darren Waller	Giants	TE
6	66	The Basic B's	Cam Akers	Rams	RB
6	67	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Trevor Lawrence	Jaguars	QB
6	68	The Best Players Available	Rachaad White	Buccaneers	RB
6	69	Zero RB 4 Life	James Cook	Bills	RB
6	70	The Hype Trains	Javonte Williams	Broncos	RB
6	71	Mavericks	D’Andre Swift	Eagles	RB
6	72	Steady Eddies	Isiah Pacheco	Chiefs	RB
7	73	Steady Eddies	Tyler Lockett	Seahawks	WR
7	74	Mavericks	Nick Bosa	49ers	DL
7	75	The Hype Trains	Jahan Dotson	Commanders	WR
7	76	Zero RB 4 Life	David Montgomery	Lions	RB
7	77	The Best Players Available	Dallas Goedert	Eagles	TE
7	78	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Dalvin Cook	Jets	RB
7	79	The Basic B's	Christian Kirk	Jaguars	WR
7	80	Wild Card	Jordan Addison	Vikings	WR
7	81	Jack Reacher	Micah Parsons	Cowboys	DL/LB
7	82	The Trend Setters	Derwin James	Chargers	DB
7	83	Voodoo Veterans	Pat Freiermuth	Steelers	TE
7	84	Chalk Blockers	Michael Pittman Jr.	Colts	WR
8	85	Chalk Blockers	Brandon Aiyuk	49ers	WR
8	86	Voodoo Veterans	Tua Tagovailoa	Dolphins	QB
8	87	The Trend Setters	George Pickens	Steelers	WR
8	88	Jack Reacher	Mike Williams	Chargers	WR
8	89	Wild Card	Mike Evans	Buccaneers	WR
8	90	The Basic B's	Evan Engram	Jaguars	TE
8	91	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Gabe Davis	Bills	WR
8	92	The Best Players Available	Deshaun Watson	Browns	QB
8	93	Zero RB 4 Life	Brian Robinson	Commanders	RB
8	94	The Hype Trains	Zay Flowers	Ravens	WR
8	95	Mavericks	Anthony Richardson	Colts	QB
8	96	Steady Eddies	A.J. Dillon	Packers	RB
9	97	Steady Eddies	Brandin Cooks	Cowboys	WR
9	98	Mavericks	Dalton Kincaid	Bills	TE
9	99	The Hype Trains	T.J. Watt	Steelers	DL/LB
9	100	Zero RB 4 Life	Treylon Burks	Titans	WR
9	101	The Best Players Available	Quentin Johnston	Chargers	WR
9	102	Half-Back 2 Da Future	David Njoku	Browns	TE
9	103	The Basic B's	Khalil Herbert	Bears	RB
9	104	Wild Card	Antonio Gibson	Commanders	RB
9	105	Jack Reacher	Zach Charbonnet	Seahawks	RB
9	106	The Trend Setters	Foyesade Oluokun	Jaguars	LB
9	107	Voodoo Veterans	De'Von Achane	Dolphins	RB
9	108	Chalk Blockers	Jamaal Williams	Saints	RB

To RB or Not to RB:

As I addressed above, several lead backs are available in the second tier of drafts. Some have established roles on good offenses, like Mixon and Etienne. Others should see elite volume on less effective units, like Najee Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. However, those guys will cost you a third-round pick or more. For a much cheaper price, Zero RB teams can get tremendous RB value in the sixth or seventh rounds instead.

Ideal Zero RB targets in this range include David Montgomery, Isiah Pacheco, James Conner, Rachaad White, and Alvin Kamara. Not all of those players will fall into this range in your drafts, but several will. For Zero RB teams willing to gamble on a true RB1 option, Javonte Williams is the ideal home run swing thanks to his elite talent, role in a Sean Payton offense, and a reportedly strong return from injury. Montgomery, Kamara, James Cook, and Conner are safer options, though.

Manage Expectations for Rookie WRs:

There was a time when rookie wide receivers were taboo in redraft leagues. They were largely considered late-round flyers and rarely produced elite statistics in their first year. Then a string of strong rookie performances (Odell Beckham Jr., Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Mike Evans, etc.) convinced people to take freshman receivers in the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds of redrafts. That trend shouldn’t continue in 2023, though.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jordan Addison, Quentin Johnston, and Zay Flowers are all fine dynasty options with breakout potential if injuries strike. However, none of these players had the elite college film or production that Chase or Jefferson did. Worse, only Flowers has a realistic chance of being the top wideout on his team in 2023. Where Jefferson and Chase merited going in the fifth or sixth round as rookies, the top rookie in this class (Flowers or JSN) belongs at the seven/eight turn.

Don’t Reach on Defenders in 2023:

Historically, this is the range where "casual" IDP managers will draft the top defenders in fantasy. There was a time when that kind of investment made sense because Darius Leonard (now Shaquille Leonard) and T.J. Watt were pacing their positions in fantasy points by a healthy margin. Unfortunately, those superstars are no longer the hands-down leaders at their positions, and no one has risen to match their formerly elite fantasy values.

Because the gap between fantasy's top LBs and DLs has largely closed, managers in shallow IDP formats can afford to wait to fill their defensive positions. That said, casual IDP leagues will always see someone reach for the top defenders so they can "win the position." Derwin James is the best bang for your buck if you’re a shallow league manager and want to “win” a defensive position. James has paced the thin DB market in PPG for two years straight and should continue to do so in 2023.

 

Rounds 10-13 - IDP Mock Draft

Round	Pick	Fantasy Team	Player	NFL Team	Pos.
10	109	Chalk Blockers	Rashaad Penny	Eagles	RB
10	110	Voodoo Veterans	Skyy Moore	Chiefs	WR
10	111	The Trend Setters	Myles Garrett	Browns	DL
10	112	Jack Reacher	Greg Dulcich	Broncos	TE
10	113	Wild Card	Roquan Smith	Ravens	LB
10	114	The Basic B’s	Nick Bolton	Chiefs	LB
10	115	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Jalen Pitre	Texans	DB
10	116	The Best Players Available	Michael Thomas	Saints	WR
10	117	Zero RB 4 Life	Elijah Moore	Browns	WR
10	118	The Hype Trains	Dak Prescott	Cowboys	QB
10	119	Mavericks	Samaje Perine	Broncos	RB
10	120	Steady Eddies	Romeo Doubs	Packers	WR
11	121	Steady Eddies	JuJu Smith-Schuster	Patriots	WR
11	122	Mavericks	Bobby Okereke	Giants	LB
11	123	The Hype Trains	Talanoa Hufanga	49ers	DB
11	124	Zero RB 4 Life	Dalton Schultz	Texans	TE
11	125	The Best Players Available	Kadarius Toney	Chiefs	WR
11	126	Half-Back 2 Da Future	T.J. Edwards	Bears	LB
11	127	The Basic B’s	Maxx Crosby	Raiders	DL
11	128	Wild Card	Kayvon Thibodeaux	Giants	DL
11	129	Jack Reacher	Josey Jewell	Broncos	LB
11	130	The Trend Setters	Jaylen Warren	Steelers	RB
11	131	Voodoo Veterans	Nico Collins	Texans	WR
11	132	Chalk Blockers	Courtland Sutton	Broncos	WR
12	133	Chalk Blockers	Rashod Bateman	Ravens	WR
12	134	Voodoo Veterans	Jameson Williams	Lions	WR
12	135	The Trend Setters	D.J. Chark	Panthers	WR
12	136	Jack Reacher	Tank Dell	Texans	WR
12	137	Wild Card	Kendre Miller	Saints	RB
12	138	The Basic B’s	Roschon Johnson	Bears	RB
12	139	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Rondale Moore	Cardinals	WR
12	140	The Best Players Available	Tyler Boyd	Bengals	WR
12	141	Zero RB 4 Life	Brian Burns	Panthers	DL
12	142	The Hype Trains	Tank Bigsby	Jaguars	RB
12	143	Mavericks	Odell Beckham Jr.	Ravens	WR
12	144	Steady Eddies	Adam Thielen	Panthers	WR
13	145	Steady Eddies	D’Onta Foreman	Bears	RB
13	146	Mavericks	Jonathan Mingo	Panthers	WR
13	147	The Hype Trains	Logan Wilson	Bengals	LB
13	148	Zero RB 4 Life	Jeff Wilson Jr.	Dolphins	RB
13	149	The Best Players Available	Darnell Mooney	Bears	WR
13	150	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Matthew Judon	Patriots	DL
13	151	The Basic B’s	Minkah Fitzpatrick	Steelers	DB
13	152	Wild Card	Jalin Hyatt	Giants	WR
13	153	Jack Reacher	Kyle Hamilton	Ravens	DB
13	154	The Trend Setters	Jakobi Meyers	Raiders	WR
13	155	Voodoo Veterans	Jaquan Brisker	Bears	DB
13	156	Chalk Blockers	Isaiah Hodgins	Giants	WR

Defender Central:

This range is where most defenders come off the board in your casual IDP drafts. This is the range where the offensive talent starts to dwindle. Thus, it is a fine time to nail down starters at the defensive end. You'll notice teams that couldn't afford to nab some of the better defenders in this range were in a tough spot because their early draft philosophy left them thin at RB or WR.

Jalen Pitre, Talanoa Hufanga, and Myles Garrett are all top-five players at their position who should be available in this range. They are good reasons to pass on taking Micah Parsons, T.J. Watt, or Derwin James too early. Each has the potential to lead their positions in points if all goes well.

One defender who could end up going higher than most expect is Kayvon Thibodeaux. The former Duck has name recognition as a Jadeveon Clowney-level talent in college, and Thibodeaux is having a great summer in New York. Do not be surprised if the Oregon product is one of the bigger breakouts in IDP. He could be drafted like he’s already broken through.

Cheap Insurance with Upside:

This year’s rookie class is particularly deep at RB, even if the superstar talent dried up when Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs went early in your draft. Players like Tank Bigsby and Roschon Johnson have had very good camps, meaning they could be usable insurance backs with RB2 upside if there’s an injury. Meanwhile, Jaylen Warren is routinely outperforming Najee Harris this preseason. It may be a matter of time before he takes the lead role. At his cost, Warren is a steal.

 

Rounds 14-16 - IDP Mock Draft

Round	Pick	Fantasy Team	Player	NFL Team	Pos.
14	157	Chalk Blockers	Jordyn Brooks	Seahawks	LB
14	158	Voodoo Veterans	Jaelan Phillips	Dolphins	DL/LB
14	159	The Trend Setters	Damien Harris	Bills	RB
14	160	Jack Reacher	Jerick McKinnon	Chiefs	RB
14	161	Wild Card	Jeremy Chinn	Panthers	DB
14	162	The Basic B's	Daniel Jones	Giants	QB
14	163	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Tyjae Spears	Titans	RB
14	164	The Best Players Available	Devin White	Buccaneers	LB
14	165	Zero RB 4 Life	Zaire Franklin	Colts	LB
14	166	The Hype Trains	Justyn Ross	Chiefs	WR
14	167	Mavericks	Jordan Poyer	Bills	DB
14	168	Steady Eddies	Haason Reddick	Eagles	DL/LB
15	169	Steady Eddies	Fred Warner	49ers	LB
15	170	Mavericks	Tyler Allgeier	Falcons	RB
15	171	The Hype Trains	Sam LaPorta	Lions	TE
15	172	Zero RB 4 Life	Budda Baker	Cardinals	DB
15	173	The Best Players Available	Harrison Smith	Vikings	DB
15	174	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Marvin Mims Jr.	Broncos	WR
15	175	The Basic B's	Rashid Shaheed	Saints	WR
15	176	Wild Card	Raheem Mostert	Dolphins	RB
15	177	Jack Reacher	Alec Pierce	Colts	WR
15	178	The Trend Setters	Elijah Mitchell	49ers	RB
15	179	Voodoo Veterans	C.J. Mosley	Jets	LB
15	180	Chalk Blockers	Aidan Hutchinson	Lions	DL
16	181	Chalk Blockers	L’Jarius Sneed	Chiefs	DB
16	182	Voodoo Veterans	Kenneth Gainwell	Eagles	RB
16	183	The Trend Setters	Aaron Rodgers	Jets	QB
16	184	Jack Reacher	Jayden Reed	Packers	WR
16	185	Wild Card	Puka Nakua	Rams	WR
16	186	The Basic B's	Ezekiel Elliott	Patriots	RB
16	187	Half-Back 2 Da Future	Rashee Rice	Chiefs	WR
16	188	The Best Players Available	Alex Highsmith	Steelers	DL/LB
16	189	Zero RB 4 Life	Allen Lazard	Jets	WR
16	190	The Hype Trains	Deuce Vaughn	Cowboys	RB
16	191	Mavericks	Evan Hull	Colts	RB
16	192	Steady Eddies	Grant Delpit	Browns	DB

IDP Bargains Available Late in Shallow Leagues:

Perhaps my favorite IDP breakout this year is Jaelan Phillips, who has been getting tons of buzz out of the Dolphins' camp. The former Hurricane was seventh in the NFL in both quarterback pressures and quarterback hits last season. He finished 11^th amongst all edge rushers in total tackles. If Phillips can turn more pressures into sacks, he should finish as a top-10 DL this season.

Another name that may jump out at you is Jordyn Brooks. The Texas Tech alum finished third in solo tackles last year and sixth in total takedowns. Brooks' stock is currently down because he is coming off a torn ACL, and Bobby Wagner is back in town. However, there is talk Brooks could be back for Week 1. His tackle totals were elite when Wagner was previously there. The injury is enough to scare me away from Brooks early, but he has tremendous upside as an IR stash or last-round pick.

Late-Round Flyers:

Some of the names in this range are better suited for dynasty. That said, guys like Deuce Vaughn, Justyn Ross, and Puka Nakua are getting significant preseason hype. They are all worth a late-round flyer if you have room to stash them on your bench. But they are likely to go higher than they should if you draft with guys who let training camp buzz drive their decisions. Ross, Vaughn, and Nakua all have outside shots of being fantasy relevant this year and could be good value if taken very late.

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