IDP Sleepers: NFC East

Mo Brewington

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As preseason football continues and the NFL season inches closer, the opportunity for players to pick up momentum as sleepers increase as the media covers every inch and second of these training camps, joint practices and preseason games. We spend a lot of time focusing on the offensive sleepers of fantasy football but there are a large number of IDP leagues looking for the next Everson Griffin or Chris Borland.

We are going to go through the entire league, division-by-division and highlight IDP sleepers for each team. Some will be players who find themselves in new starting opportunities or currently in a rotation with another player but have the potential to stake claim sooner than later. Today we focus on the NFC East.

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Devon Kennard, OLB NYG

The definition of a sleeper, Kennard started just six of the 12 games he played for the 4-8 Giants in 2014. His 36 solo tackles and 4.5 sacks in that span went largely unnoticed. You won’t find him on many preseason rankings, or list of potential breakout defensive players. However, Kennard will again be a starter for the Giants, playing alongside Jon Beason and Jameel McClain. Should either struggle or suffer injuries, Kennard could find himself making the defensive calls for a unit in need of leadership and a major talent infusion. He has already caught the attention of the folks at Pro Football Focus, earning their 2015 “Secret Superstar” nomination for the Giants defense. Look for him at the end of your IDP draft and expect top-24 production (or better) with a handful of big games.

Anthony Hitchens, LB DAL

While the Cowboys await the return of troubled MIKE linebacker Rolando McClain, his spot on the first team defense is being manned by Hitchens. The second year defender filled in for Sean Lee on the outside in 2014, while Lee had another stint on Injured Reserve. Versatility will cement Hitchens’ roster spot. With both Lee and McClain having so much trouble staying on the field, his ability to start inside or out makes him a valuable reserve for Dallas and a very worthy pick-up in dynasty leagues. There’s even the possibility he could force his way into the starting lineup based on his play alone. His biggest competition for the reserve roll includes a very pedestrian Jasper Brinkley and an inexperienced rookie, Damien Wilson. Hitchens is a must pick-up for owners of Lee and McClain and a solid stash on taxi squads.

Benny Logan, NT PHI

An underrated player on an underrated unit, Logan provides a major push inside and anchors an Eagles front seven that allowed the fourth fewest yards per rushing attempt in 2015. It can be difficult to predict fantasy production from a “2-Gapping” 3-4 nose like Logan. His duty is to stand up interior lineman and defend against run plays to either side of his blocker, not to attack and make plays in the backfield. Still, Logan has evolved in his first two seasons from an undersized player (viewed as a misfit for the 3-4), to a name you’ll begin to hear mentioned among the best interior defensive lineman in the league. Playing alongside Fletcher Cox ensures Logan will see a minimal amount of double teams, freeing him up to make tackles for loss, and even a handful of sacks. He finished just outside the top 30 in fantasy scoring for defensive lineman in 2014. He should make a push for the top 24 this year, qualifying him as a must own in 12-team leagues.

Preston Smith, DE/OLB Redskins

The Redskins defense is the toughest group in this division to find a sleeper on. The good players are all pretty well known and the unknowns aren’t very good. The player who brings the most intrigue to the discussion is Preston Smith. A rookie from Mississippi State, Smith originally looked like the third wave in the pass rush rotation for the Skins, joining Trent Murphy and Ryan Kerrigan off the edge. With the departure of Brian Orakpo this off-season, Smith offered the Skins are more dynamic rusher than Trent Murphy, which almost guaranteed him a decent amount of playing time.

Then came the curveball broke.

Washington signed Junior Gallette, whom the Saints released for character reasons earlier this summer. The Gallette signing makes it much more difficult to foresee Smith getting enough snaps to post respectable numbers. The only caveat is Smith’s ability to line up at defensive end in a strict pass rushing assignment and post a half dozen or so sacks. The situation is reminiscent of the 2014 Eagles and their use of Marcus Smith, who found himself fourth on the depth chart behind Trent Cole, Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham. Barring a role as a situational pass rusher, I find it difficult to project Smith having much value in 2015. For dynasty purposes however, I love Smith’s potential as major cog in the Redskins defense over the next three plus seasons.

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mo brewington
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