Six Cheap IDP Targets
As we enter an NFL dead zone for the next month between OTAs and training camp, now is a good time to take a look at some defensive players who are a bit of a gamble but could pay off in a big way in 2016. Some players are fighting for starting gigs because of veterans moving on or retiring this off-season or are simply rookies trying to lock down a role on defense. I’m going to share a few players I’m trying to acquire cheaply or will be monitoring heavily through the preseason.
Todd Davis, ILB DEN
Todd Davis has been picking up some IDP steam throughout the off-season after Danny Trevathan signed with the Chicago Bears and the Broncos passed on inside linebackers during the NFL Draft. Davis is a 6’1”, 230 pound, third-year linebacker who has spent the last year and a half in the Broncos system after being claimed off waivers from the Saints during his rookie season.
So far, he his penciled in as the starting inside linebacker next to Brandon Marshall and has drawn positive reviews from defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who compared his on-field intensity to former NFL linebacker Chris Spielman. Davis’ main competition will come from Corey Nelson and Zaire Anderson, neither of which offer any more experience than Davis. He should get the first crack to replace Trevathan and his 109 tackles from last year. He’s going to have to prove he can hang in the NFL passing game to get passing down work. His value will take a bit of a hit if he is only a two down linebacker but OTA reports have been positive. He’s a high upside pick who still has a manageable price tag.
Manti Te’o, ILB SDC
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Seriously. I know the guy has been the butt of jokes ever since the whole “fake girlfriend” mess and he hasn’t lit the NFL on fire since entering the league, but this year should be different. The Chargers team defense has been a bit of a mess since his rookie year and perhaps he was trying too hard. One of the bigger issues, Donald Butler, was lining up next to him for most of that time and has since been released.
Te’o was never going to be Ray Lewis or Patrick Willis but has the skill level to be an effective NFL linebacker. He reminds me a lot of former Colts linebacker Gary Brackett. Brackett was an undrafted free agent who fought into the starting lineup in year three and Te’o was the 38th selection in the 2013 draft who has struggled through his first three seasons but has been praised for his leadership and work ethic.
The linebacker to own in San Diego is clearly Denzel Perryman but Te’o may actually be on waivers in your league and cost you literally nothing. Once the Chargers replace Butler with Perryman, Te’o’s IDP effectiveness actually improved and was a legitimate LB3 option. I believe he’ll maintain LB3 value in 2016 and I am not worried about rookie Josh Perry taking his job.
Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham, DE PHI
This has as much to do with their individual talents as it does with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s “Wide-9” defense. Both players were miscast in former coordinator Billy Davis’ 3-4 defense and weren’t IDP assets. In Schwartz’s system they’ll be asked to attack the quarterback. Schwartz has already called out Curry as a player he can’t wait to “take the handcuffs off of”. They have to believe in him after handing him a five year, $47.25 million contract after NEVER starting an NFL game. He should be a double digit sack guy starting this year.
Graham, who signed his big contract prior to last season, will transition back to a 4-3 defensive end and is currently running behind Connor Barwin in OTAs, but in a worst case scenario he’ll be in a rotation at defensive end. Defensive line rotations are pretty common in Schwartz’s wide-9 scheme. He believes fast and fresh bodies are key to getting to bringing down the quarterback. Graham has always been a bit of an IDP tease, often hyped as a breakout candidate who has failed to live up to expectations, but this time he is playing in a scheme fit for his skills. He’s coming off a career high 6.5 sacks as a 3-4 outside linebacker in 2015 and should set another career high as a 4-3 defensive end in 2016.
Tahir Whitehead, MLB DET
We may be too late on Whitehead since Rotoworld ran a blurb on him on June 24th stating Tim Twentman of DetroitLions.com thinks Whitehead will surpass 100 tackles this season. Once something like that happens a player’s price tag usually sees a significant bump. Whitehead will replace Stephen Tulloch as the team’s starting middle linebacker and should have a three down role. Note that Tulloch is still technically on the roster but has been excused from team activities while waiting for his eventual release.
Whitehead showed he can handle the gig in 2014 when he stepped in for an injured Tulloch and again when he took over as the starter in week ten of last season. He doesn’t have LB2 upside with DeAndre Levy tackling everything that moves when healthy, but should be a dependable LB3 or IDP flex play.
Devin Taylor, DE DET
Like Whitehead, Taylor had a Rotoworld blurb post on June 24th as well. This time, Tim Twentyman said he sees Taylor as “a candidate for double digit sacks this season”. This isn’t exactly going out on a limb after he registered seven in 2015 in a rotation with Jason Jones, who signed with the Dolphins this off-season. I’ve always been intrigued by Taylor who is 6’7” and 275 pounds. Now he finds himself locked into a starting job on a defensive line with an elite defensive end in Ziggy Ansah and Haloti Ngata, who is looking to prove he’s still and elite option on the inside. I don’t necessarily buy into the whole “players perform better in contract years” theory but it can be noted he is playing in the final year of his rookie deal.
Follow me on Twitter @OlingerIDP.
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- Dynasty IDP Waiver Wire: Week Seven - October 24, 2018
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- Dynasty IDP Waiver Wire: Week Five - October 10, 2018
