X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

2019 IDP Draft Sleepers

I've been playing in IDP leagues for the last couple of years, but I've never ventured into the world of writing about IDP leagues. But one goal I have as a fantasy analyst is to expand my horizon a little each year, and this year that goal is to write some about IDP leagues.

To start, let's look at everyone's favorite fantasy football subject: sleepers.

Below, you'll find my IDP draft sleepers for this year, separated by position. These are all players who are outside the top-35 in the Fantrax IDP positional rankings. Also, no rookies are listed, because they'll be in a later piece.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!

 

Defensive Line Sleepers

Yannick Ngakoue - DE, Jacksonville Jaguars

Ngakoue was holding out at the start of camp, but he's reported to the Jaguars now and will be on the field this season.

It's hard to get a great read on what to expect from him this year, because his past two seasons have been wildly different. In 2017, Ngakoue was a machine. He led the NFL with six forced fumbles and he collected 12 sacks on his way to his first Pro Bowl appearance. The second-year defensive end was looking like a future star in this league.

Then last season, Ngakoue took a little step back. He didn't force any fumbles last year and had 9.5 sacks. That loss of production coupled with the fact that he isn't a high-volume tackler made for a season that wasn't super rewarding to IDP owners. But in a contract year, I'm betting on Ngakoue at his current price to play a lot more like he did in 2017. You don't have 10 forced fumbles in your first two years and then just stop collecting them. Those 2017 FF numbers were an aberration, and we'll see positive regression closer to his previous numbers.

Linval Joseph - DT, Minnesota Vikings

Linval Joseph has somehow been around a lot longer than I remember him being around. He'll turn 31 in October, but he's still just as much of a consistent defender as he has been.

Like with Ngakoue, Joseph had decreased sack numbers last year. Unlike with Ngakoue, there's not a huge amount of evidence to suggest that someone at Joseph's age is going to be able to bounce back.

One issue with Joseph's production last year was a reduction in snaps as the season went along. In three of Minnesota's first four games, Joseph was on the field for 80 percent of defensive snaps. He never reached the 80 percent mark again, and fell as low 40 percent in Week 16.

But the two defensive tackles who were playing late in the year -- Sheldon Richardson and Tom Johnson -- aren't on this roster this season. The team brought back Shamar Stephen, but he had a similar trend of decreased snaps last year with Seattle. Joseph is the best option to be the main defensive tackle for the Vikings.

Vita Vea - DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

This one is geared a little more towards dynasty players.

Vea's rookie campaign just wasn't it. He had three sacks and 28 tackles in 13 games, and while three sacks from a nose tackle is fine, you want the actual tackle number to be higher. Now, a knee injury is going to cause him to potentially miss the beginning of this season. Vea's value is probably as low as it'll ever be right now, but we're just a year removed from him being billed as the exact kind of nose tackle an NFL team would want and getting picked in the first round. Bet on his talent, especially if you can do so for very, very cheap.

 

Linebacker Sleepers

T.J. Watt - OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Watt was overhyped early in his career because of his last name being Watt, but his fantasy value has corrected itself over time to the point where Fantrax has him ranked 38th at the position. I don't have too much of an argument with that ranking, even if he finished as a top-20 linebacker in the scoring settings we use in our staff IDP league.

Watt's value is down in large part because of some numbers from last year that don't feel sustainable. Six forced fumbles? 13 sacks? Both of those numbers will likely come down a little. But I don't think they come down so far that he finishes closer to 40th at linebacker than he does 20th, so I'm definitely targeting him before where he's ranked. (I mean, I would be if all my IDP leagues weren't dynasty leagues, but...you get the point.)

Benardrick McKinney - ILB, Houston Texans

Three straight seasons of at least 95 combined tackles. Over that span, he's ranked 20th, 49th, and 61st in the NFL in solo tackles. That's...not all that great, obviously, but he's the main middle linebacker for a defense that has secondary issues, so he'll be on the field a lot this year and will have plenty of chances to build on his tackle numbers. McKinney's ranking as the 43rd linebacker just feels a little low, especially with teammate Zach Cunningham projected in the top-20. Both will benefit from some lackluster depth the team has at the position and will see a bunch of snaps.

Chandler Jones - OLB, Arizona Cardinals

Jones led the NFL in sacks and tackles for a loss in 2017. Last year, he didn't quite reach those heights, dropping from 17 to 13 sacks and from 28 to 13 tackles for a loss.

Still, in the five years where he's played 16 games, Jones has always gotten double-digit sacks. He's never really been a guy who piles up the tackles, though, so you need him to play at his current level or better to get the kind of production you need from him. I'm willing to bet Jones still has a few years of strong pass-rushing production left in him.

 

Defensive Back Sleepers

D.J. Swearinger - S, Arizona Cardinals

Sticking with Arizona, Swearinger comes over to try filling one of Arizona's safety roles.

Look, the NFL history of D.J. Swearinger is complicated. He's had trouble sticking at every stop and has garnered a pretty bad reputation. I get that. But Swearinger is still a very talented player. He had four interceptions and three forced fumbles last season, and he's shown that he's capable of collecting 70-plus tackles in a season. Barring some meltdown with Arizona, Swearinger will be on the field a lot, and I can see him outperforming his current ranking.

Jabrill Peppers - S ,New York Giants

I'm embarrassed to admit how high I drafted Peppers in a dynasty start-up during his rookie year, but let's just say he was one of the first defensive backs off the board. I was all in on the Peppers hype.

His two years in Cleveland were unspectacular, but he has a chance to revamp things after going to the Giants in the Odell Beckham Jr. trade. In Peppers, New York got a strong, run-stopping safety who can usually hold up in zone coverage. Peppers will be at his best when he has a chance to play the run, where he can get himself a lot of tackles. He won't be a high interception guy, but I can see him increasing his usual number from one to three or four. Peppers can be one of the better linebacker/safety hybrid-style guys in the league.

Kendall Fuller - CB, Kansas City Chiefs

Finally, we close with a player in one of the NFL's worst defenses last year.

Fuller was supposed to break out last year in a full-time role with Kansas City. Instead, he recorded two fewer picks and just two more pass defenses than he did in a more limited role with Washington the year before.

This year, Kansas City has a new defensive coordinator in Steve Spagnuolo and Fuller should take a step forward. He was second among corners in solo tackles last year, largely because he was first among them in catches allowed. So, worst-case scenario: Fuller keeps getting a ton of tackles. But best case is he looks more like the guy who was PFF's second-highest coverage grade in 2017. I'm fairly willing to bet that changes to the Chiefs' defensive scheme will help enable Fuller to get closer to that level, which should help him reach a new career-high in interceptions.

More Fantasy Football Analysis


Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nick Senzel5 hours ago

Expected To Miss 3-4 Weeks
Jon Gray5 hours ago

To Start On Sunday
Justin Steele5 hours ago

Likely To Go On Injured List
Anfernee Simons7 hours ago

Out Against The Heat
Max Kepler7 hours ago

X-Rays Come Back Negative On Max Kepler
Keldon Johnson7 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Justin Steele7 hours ago

Has Left-Hamstring Tightness
Matisse Thybulle7 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Davis Bertans7 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Friday
Jusuf Nurkic8 hours ago

Questionable Against Oklahoma City
Dario Saric8 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Noah Clowney8 hours ago

Probable For Nets Friday
Jonathan Kuminga8 hours ago

Questionable For Warriors Friday
Jerami Grant8 hours ago

Considered Doubtful For Friday
Dennis Smith8 hours ago

Jr. Probable For Friday
Lauri Markkanen8 hours ago

Questionable Against Houston
Toumani Camara8 hours ago

Will Not Play Friday
Justin Steele8 hours ago

Exits Thursday's Start
Richaun Holmes8 hours ago

Out Versus Pistons
Cameron Johnson8 hours ago

Out Against Chicago On Friday
Luka Doncic8 hours ago

On The Injury Report For Friday
David Bednar8 hours ago

Still Dealing With Lat Injury
Deandre Ayton9 hours ago

Is Questionable For Friday
Rudy Gobert9 hours ago

Might Miss Friday's Game
Tyus Jones9 hours ago

Unavailable For Friday
Zeke Nnaji9 hours ago

Ruled Out Against Minnesota
Jaden Ivey9 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
Rhys McKee9 hours ago

Searching For First UFC Win
Anthony Edwards9 hours ago

Uncertain For Friday Night
Chidi Njokuani9 hours ago

Drops Back Down To Welterweight At UFC Atlantic City
Kyle Nelson9 hours ago

An Underdog Again At UFC Atlantic City
Bill Algeo9 hours ago

Eyes Sixth UFC Win
Joaquin Buckley9 hours ago

Gets Ranked Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Vicente Luque9 hours ago

Gets Short-Notice Opponent At UFC Atlantic City
Eduardo Rodriguez10 hours ago

Could Throw Off Mound In 5-7 Days
Max Kepler10 hours ago

Leaves On Opening Day With Injury
Nick Senzel10 hours ago

Suffers Broken Thumb
Jason Foley10 hours ago

Earns The Save For Tigers
Tarik Skubal11 hours ago

Tosses Six Scoreless Innings On Opening Day
Corbin Burnes11 hours ago

Pitches A Gem On Opening Day
Royce Lewis12 hours ago

Exits With Quad Injury
Max Scherzer13 hours ago

Throws Bullpen Session
Clayton Kershaw13 hours ago

"Ahead Of Things" Timetable-Wise
Walker Buehler13 hours ago

Ahead Of Schedule
Corey Seager14 hours ago

Active On Opening Day
Oneil Cruz14 hours ago

Batting Sixth On Opening Day
Bryan Reynolds16 hours ago

In Opening Day Lineup
Jordan Romano17 hours ago

Not Expected To Be Out Long
Aaron Ekblad18 hours ago

Returning To Panthers Lineup Thursday
Nikita Kucherov18 hours ago

Establishes New Career High With 42nd Goal
Shane Pinto18 hours ago

Collects Career-High Four Points
Valeri Nichushkin19 hours ago

Nursing A Lower-Body Injury
Samuel Girard19 hours ago

Battling An Illness
J.K. Dobbins19 hours ago

Visiting With Chargers On Thursday
Oskar Sundqvist19 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Season With Torn ACL
Ethan Bear19 hours ago

Enters Player Assistance Program
Mark Hubbard1 day ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson2 days ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Akshay Bhatia2 days ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen2 days ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers2 days ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers2 days ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers2 days ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers2 days ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
Jayden Daniels2 days ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
Tank Bigsby2 days ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Josh Reynolds2 days ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Doug Ghim2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA2 days ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry2 days ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox2 days ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak2 days ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan2 days ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg2 days ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn2 days ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby2 days ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin2 days ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord2 days ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala2 days ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark2 days ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler2 days ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Sam Ryder2 days ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen2 days ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin2 days ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Taylor Moore2 days ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson2 days ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery2 days ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Amon-Ra St. Brown2 days ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff2 days ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins2 days ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams2 days ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield3 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR3 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras3 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen3 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb3 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
D'Andre Swift3 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson3 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell3 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans3 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott3 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley3 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs3 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad3 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson3 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Pittsburgh Steelers3 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson3 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Amanda Ribas4 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas4 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan4 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson4 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla4 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo4 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron4 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher4 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley4 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr4 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain4 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo5 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal5 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman5 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott5 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa5 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams5 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin5 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala5 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen5 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland5 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron5 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs5 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 

2024 NFL Draft: Bold Predictions and Potential Surprises for Round 1

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we're digging into what might transpire on draft night. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones previews the 2024 NFL Draft and makes some BOLD Predictions about possible surprises and potential landing spots for the first round of the draft. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller!... Read More


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Early Look At Wide Receivers In 2024 Fantasy Football Drafts

The upcoming NFL Draft is less than a month away. While everyone is excited for the NFL Draft, fantasy players are looking forward to the regular season. While we won’t have meaningful NFL football for months, it’s never too early to prepare for your fantasy football drafts. Last year, the fantasy football world saw multiple... Read More


Spencer Rattler, College Football Transfers

Underrated Rookie Draft Targets - Early 2024 Sleepers for Dynasty Fantasy Football

We are a month out from the NFL Draft, meaning if you are here, you are probably looking for draft content and reading up on prospects. You probably have all of the information you need on stud prospects like Caleb Williams and Marvin Harrison Jr. That’s not what you’re here for.  Rookie draft season for... Read More


Breece Hall - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part II

The NFL's offseason, including trades and free agency, can strongly impact a player's fantasy football value. This effect can be positive or negative. For this series, we're focusing on fantasy football players who have seen their fantasy value increase. This can occur via a player's direct movement, such as a trade or signing with a... Read More


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 1: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2024)

It's finally here: the UFL season is set to kick off with two games on Saturday, March 30 and two games on Sunday, March 31. Saturday's games will be broadcast on Fox Sports while Sunday's matchups will be on ESPN. The most anticipated Week 1 matchup pits the 2023 USFL champion Birmingham Stallions against the... Read More


Jared Goff - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Will the Lions Extend Jared Goff's Contract This Offseason? 2024 NFL Outlook

Jared Goff's career in Los Angeles didn't take off like many expected after his appearance in Super Bowl LIII, and he was traded to the Lions for Matthew Stafford. Goff's first season in the Motor City was terrible, but he has completely turned things around over the last two seasons. In 2022, he almost led... Read More


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2024 NFL Free-Agency Winners and the Fantasy Football Impact - Part I

Free agency symbolizes the start of a new NFL season. It's the first opportunity for NFL clubs to start addressing their weaknesses and considerably impacts how the upcoming season plays out. Just as free agency can improve or worsen a team's outlook, a player's fantasy football value is also impacted. Free agency marks the real... Read More


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, WR, NFL Draft Sleepers

Coach Knows Ball: Malik Nabers 2024 NFL Draft Film Breakdown of LSU WR

Welcome to Coach Knows Ball, an NFL Draft series analyzing the top prospects in the 2024 class. I'm a college football coach with nine years of NCAA experience and have been scouting NFL Draft prospects for over 15 years. This series will give a deep dive into the film of some of the top players... Read More


Avoid These Running Backs in 2024: Fantasy Football Outlook

Football never sleeps at RotoBaller! The staff is already looking ahead to the 2024 season to help our readers get the jump on their competition. RotoBaller analyst LaQuan Jones discusses five Running Backs that you should AVOID in 2024 fantasy football drafts. Win MORE in 2024 with RotoBaller! Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio... Read More


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers, NCAA College Football, Prospects

Brock Bowers 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Georgia TE Be Selected?

Georgia tight end Brock Bowers was arguably the top tight end in college football over the past few years. Bowers was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slightly slipped in 2022 as defenses started to game plan for the star tight end. Bowers had... Read More


Xavier Worthy 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update – When Will the Texas WR Be Selected?

Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy has been one of the top pass-catchers in college football over the past few years. The explosive receiver was outstanding his freshman year, totaling 62 receptions for 981 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production slipped in 2022. Worthy had 60 receptions for 760 receiving yards and nine touchdowns... Read More


Blake Corum - Fantasy Football Rankings, College FB, RB, NFL Draft Sleepers

Blake Corum 2024 NFL Draft Stock Update - When Will the Michigan RB Be Selected?

Former Michigan running back Blake Corum is one of the most popular prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. The 23-year-old is fresh off a College Football National Championship victory and a 2023 campaign consisting of over 1,300 yards from scrimmage. However, given the devaluation of the running back position and Corum not being an... Read More


Brandon Aiyuk - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News

Will The 49ers Trade Brandon Aiyuk?

Brandon Aiyuk had a career year last season, finishing seventh in the league in receiving yards (1342), second in yards per catch (17.9), and catching seven touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named to the Second-team All-Pro. However, despite many expecting them to do so, the 49ers failed to win Super Bowl LVIII and now... Read More