IDP Rookie Report Card: Week One

Mo Brewington Posted On September 20, 2015

peters
This is the DLF IDP Rookie Report Card for week one (and some of week two) of 2015. We’ll take a look at back a some of the noteworthy performances by the members of this year’s draft class and see how their performances grade out on a conventional “A through F” scale.

Marcus Peters, CB KC – A+

I’ll admit, I used to watch the Washington Huskies play last year in awe of Danny Shelton and Hau’oli Kikaha, but Peters never really impressed me. Well, with an extra week under his belt due to playing in this week’s Thursday night game, Peters is making me regret my avoidance of corners in IDP. He has five tackles and one interception in each of his first two games, returning one for a 55-yard touchdown. In week three, he’ll face Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Let’s see if he can keep his GPA up.

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Landon Collins, S NYG – B-

In what was a rough outing overall, Collins flashed the attributes which make him a great dynasty prospect on several occasions. He showed off his closing speed and at times looked very good around the goal line. There were moments where his limitations in coverage and inexperience cost the Giants, but for the most part they kept him in cover 2, and didn’t ask him to defend the deep zone all by himself. Overall, he’s a good player and will improve as the season goes on.

Carl Davis, DE BAL – A

The Ravens moved Davis up and down the line all day. He was primarily lined up in the base 3-4, but saw a handful of snaps as one of two down-lineman in their nickel alignment. When lined up against Broncos left guard Evan Mathis, Davis had his way all day long, frequently moving the All-Pro out of his path. When going against right guard Louis Vasquez, Davis didn’t fair quite as well, but still did some good things. It was a very encouraging showing for the rookie, who I recommend owning in all formats. He’s a disruptive player who’s strong at the point of attack, fires off the ball low and maintains his strength for four quarters. He will only improve as his repertoire of pass rush moves and strength increase.

Jaquiski Tartt, S SF – B+

In only 20 snaps, Tartt registered a sack, a hit on the quarterback and three total tackles. Depending on your scoring system, this was a decent day considering the limited playing time. Understanding that San Francisco was blowing out the Vikings for most of the contest (leading to a whacked out run/pass ratio which took the 49ers out of their base defense), this was a very encouraging game for Tartt owners. One hopes this leads to an expanded role as a “Big Nickel” for the rookie, with more usage as a blitzer and linebacker in extra DB sets.

Henry Anderson, DE IND- B+

The beneficiary of Art Jones being lost for year, Anderson stepped in and provided eight tackles in 51 snaps during Indy’s week one blowout loss to the Bills. The fact he plays the dreaded, 3-4 defensive end position should give IDP owners pause before they rush to the waiver wire and invest a ton to acquire Anderson. We’ll definitely need to see a few more performances like last Sunday before Anderson becomes a staple in IDP lineups.

Damien Swann, CB NO – C+

Targeted eight times in week one (allowing six receptions) led to Swann having a five tackle day against the Cardinals. This is the double-edged sword in IDP. Carson Palmer attacked the rookie DB and had success. This extra attention gave Swann the chance to make plays. Other quarterbacks will likely follow suit, leading to more tackles opportunities in the future. However, if Swann continues to give up receptions on 75% of his targets, the odds Rob Ryan allows him to play 39 snaps a game begin to shrink, along with his IDP value.

Kwon Alexander, LB TB – C

On the positive side, he played every down alongside Lavonte David and managed a sack in the process. He was also credited with a pass defended on his only recorded target. On the negative side, he missed as many tackles as he made with two. My biggest fear with Alexander is that he struggles and Lovie Smith inserts Bruce Carter in his place at middle linebacker. Overall, it was a bad day for the Bucs, with all the glory be showered on Marcus Mariota and the Titans.

Preston Smith, OLB WAS – C+

Depending on the website you use for stats, you see Smith credited with anywhere from zero to two tackles. He also managed a sack in his 12 snaps. The loss of Junior Gallette gave Smith a half a chance at seeing meaningful playing time this season, but he’ll remain the third wheel behind Ryan Kerrigan and Trent Murphy. For dynasty purposes, I really Like Smith’s potential as a pass rusher. Sadly, the best thing that could happen for his career would be a change of scheme to the 4-3, allowing him to play defensive end. Otherwise, it’s hard to envision him bumping Murphy anytime soon. Still, he should see more time as the season unfolds.

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