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Which NFL rookie defensive players will be immediate playmakers? Mitch Blatt analyzes the incoming IDP rookie class and chooses his candidates for 2023 fantasy football sleepers.
A dozen defensive players were drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Can some of them help your IDP team this season?
Typically, cornerbacks are the most productive in their rookie seasons. Last year, we saw Sauce Gardner and Tariq Woolen make big impacts in IDP leagues, with Roger McCreary, Kader Kohou, and Marcus Jones also playing well for multiple weeks. Defensive linemen take longer to develop, but Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux both had stretches of elite play.
Who will be the big-time rookie IDPs in 2023? Let's take a look.
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Fantasy Football Rookie Cornerbacks
Emmanuel Forbes, WAS
A lanky ball-hawk, Emmanuel Forbes will make IDP managers jump for joy at all the big plays. He totaled 14 interceptions in three seasons playing in the SEC. Forbes also averaged a remarkable 27.9 yards per interception return, taking six of them to the house for touchdowns.
Devon Witherspoon, SEA
The first cornerback taken in the draft, Devon Witherspoon, slots in as the starter across from Tariq Woolen in Seattle. The Illinois product made five interceptions in his college career and three in his senior season. He also allowed zero touchdowns and limited opposing quarterbacks to a 34.9% completion rate when targeted.
Christian Gonzalez, NE
At 6' 2" and 201 pounds, Christian Gonzalez is on the larger side for a cornerback. He's a good tackler and plays well in both man and zone coverage. Gonzalez did make four picks his junior season after transferring to Oregon, but none in his first two years at Colorado. He will probably be better in tackle-heavy leagues than those that score interceptions heavily.
Joey Porter Jr., PIT
The son of Joey Porter Sr. excels at press-man coverage. According to PFF, Joey Porter Jr. only allowed a 50% completion rate his senior year and led the Power Five in forced incompletion rate. Porter Jr. made 11 pass defenses his senior season but recorded zero interceptions. In fact, he only made one interception in his college career. Porter Jr. is a better prospect in dynasty than in redraft leagues, as it may take him some time to transition into being a full-field, tackle-making DB at the NFL level.
Fantasy Football Rookie Safeties
These two safeties might not start immediately, but they could get more opportunities as the season goes on. They have value in dynasty leagues.
Brian Branch, DET
A lot of scouts loved this guy. Mock drafts had Brian Branch going in the first round. PFF graded him as a top-10 pick in their 2023 draft guide. Instead, he fell to the second round, where the Lions took him with pick No. 45. He played near the line of scrimmage in college, recording 3.0 sacks and 14.0 tackles for loss in his final year at Alabama. Branch only missed 2.2% of the tackles he attempted.
Ji'Ayir Brown, SF
The 49ers have a thing for playmaking safeties. They already have Talanoa Hufanga, who can be everywhere on the field and do anything. Now, they drafted Ji'Ayir Brown out of Penn State in the third round. Brown totaled 10 interceptions, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries in his two seasons as a starter.
Fantasy Football Rookie Defensive Linemen
Will Anderson Jr., HOU
Will Anderson Jr. will play outside linebacker in Houston, giving him the coveted LB/DL dual positional designation on Sleeper. In three seasons at Alabama, Anderson Jr. led all conferences in pressures twice and combined for 207 pressures in three seasons, 55 more than the next-best pass rusher. Anderson Jr. also made double-digit tackles in each of his final two seasons. He's the top rookie in sack-heavy leagues by far.
Jalen Carter, PHI
With his strength, the 6' 3", 300-pound Jalen Carter threw around offensive linemen at Georgia. He was highlighted as the best non-quarterback prospect in the NFL Draft before he was convicted of misdemeanor reckless driving charges and fell to the Eagles at No. 9. But he might be sharing snaps in a rotation his rookie year. Also, Carter plays DT and only made 6.0 sacks in two years at Georgia. So he won't put up the numbers you can get from an edge rusher.
Fantasy Football Rookie Linebackers
Jack Campbell, DET
Lions coach Dan Campbell loves this Iowa product for his kneecap-biting toughness. Jack Campbell made over 50 solo and 120 combined tackles in his two seasons as a starter. He also added two interceptions and one forced fumble each season. Off-ball linebackers rarely perform as IDP starters in their rookie seasons, but Campbell has the best chance of any rookie LB.
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