X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

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
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

2019 IDP Draft Sleepers

Justin Carter identifies some 2019 individual defensive players (IDP) to target in fantasy football drafts for 2019. These defensive linemen (DL), linebackers (LB), and defensive backs (DB) could be strong values.

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: Discover RotoBaller’s top Fantasy Football Sleepers to gain an edge in your drafts. Our free who to draft tool and expert picks spotlight undervalued players, breakout candidates, and late-round gems for all league formats.

 

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
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Stefon Diggs

Likely to Begin Camp Working on the Side
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Xavier Legette

Should be More Productive
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Cole Bishop

has Good Shot to Win a Starting Job
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Nate Wiggins

Ravens Think Nate Wiggins has Star Potential
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Kel'el Ware

Collects 21 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Cam Spencer

Contract Being Restructured
Drew Timme

Scores 30 Points in Summer League Loss to Wizards
Quinshon Judkins

More Details Emerge on Quinshon Judkins' Arrest
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Alexandre Sarr

Logs Impressive Outing in Summer League Action on Sunday
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Kaden Elliss

Could be Atlanta's Most Impactful Pass-Rusher
Kyle Filipowski

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss to Warriors
Darius Robinson

Ready to Make his Mark in 2025?
Jauan Jennings

Expected to Report for Training Camp
Trey Smith

the Only Player Still on the Franchise Tag
Cody Williams

Collects 22 Points in Summer League Loss on Sunday
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Jauan Jennings

Seeking New Deal or Trade From 49ers
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
A.J. Dillon

Not a Lock for a Roster Spot?
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Boston Celtics

Damian Lillard Drawing Interest from the Celtics
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals Select Liam Doyle with Fifth Overall Pick
Daniel Gafford

Agrees to Contract Extension with Dallas
Colorado Rockies

Rockies Select Ethan Holliday Fourth Overall
Seattle Mariners

Kade Anderson Selected Third Overall by Seattle
Ha-Seong Kim

X-rays on Ha-Seong Kim's Foot Come Back Negative
Los Angeles Angels

Tyler Bremner Selected Second Overall by Angels in 2025 MLB Draft
Washington Nationals

Nationals Select Eli Willits First Overall
Jake Meyers

to Miss More Than Three Weeks With Calf Injury
Cooper Flagg

Shut Down for Rest of Summer League
LeBron James

Hasn't Requested a Trade
Quinshon Judkins

Following Quinshon Judkins Arrest, NFL Declines Comment
Travis Hunter

Earning Praise in Jaguars Camp for Work Ethic
Memphis Grizzlies

Cole Anthony, Grizzlies Agree to Contract Buyout
Edward Cabrera

Hopeful to Avoid Injured List
Oneil Cruz

Absent on Sunday
Lars Nootbaar

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Jake Burger

Scratched on Sunday
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Julius Chestnut

Kalel Mullings Competing for RB3 Role
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
Kimani Vidal

Fighting for No. 3 Job
Cam Hart

Recovering From Shoulder Surgery
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
Quentin Johnston

Might Not Get Many Chances to Prove Himself
Tre Harris

Officially a Holdout
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Travis Etienne Jr.

Needs to Bounce Back in 2025
Wan'Dale Robinson

Wants More Downfield Opportunities this Season
Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
EDM

Isaac Howard Signs Three-Year, Entry-Level Contract With Oilers
Tallison Teixeira

Set For His First UFC Main Event
Derrick Lewis

Set To Headline UFC Nashville
Gabriel Bonfim

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Stephen Thompson

Returns At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
Nate Landwehr

Aims To Bounce Back
MMA

Austen Lane Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Vitor Petrino

Set For His Heavyweight Debut
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

Looking to Build on History at The Renaissance Club
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF