Five IDP Rookies I’m Acquiring

Dwight Peebles Posted On August 18, 2019

Defensive rookies often don’t have a strong IDP output in their first season. Schemes and coaching staff in the NFL are often a lot to take in. Rookies don’t generally make the impact right off like a Saquon Barkley or Baker Mayfield but there is always an outlier – like Darius Leonard – who will absolutely light the IDP world on fire.

Below are several rookies I like a lot and am targeting in the leagues I am in. I didn’t list Devin White, Nick Bosa, or Johnathan Abram – they are the top for each position in my opinion and likely have the cost accompanied by being the top option. Several of these players are in great situations, talented and will push veterans out of their spots, or they are simply players I really like and think they will make an impact.

Devin Bush, LB PIT

The insanely quick ex-Wolverine linebacker lands in a perfect situation – the linebacking corps in the Steel City has struggled a little since the Ryan Shazier injury. Vince Williams is the leader, and veteran who can make plays. But he is limited by instincts and range – he is a solid LB2 in the NFL and LB3 as far as fantasy IDP.

T.J. Watt is a wrecking ball at the outside linebacker position and creates mad havoc as a pass-rusher. They did sign Mark Barron, a player who at times in Los Angeles played the middle but was a safety-linebacker hybrid. There is a need for a rangy linebacker who can cover and always stay at home and make reads to stop runs in the gaps created by Stephon Tuitt and Casey Heyward.

The opportunity is there and I expect Bush to steal a huge snap share in his rookie season. He will line up all three downs. His speed and instincts in coverage need some refinement but he will get the opportunity. Bush has great discipline and is a physical tackler, he has an understanding of the game and diagnoses plays well. He will line up in the middle and lead the Steelers defense early. Bush has low-end LB1 potential in IDP leagues and should ring up close to 100 stops in his first season and be a mainstay for Pittsburgh for many years.

Ed Oliver, DT BUF

This may seem obvious but the impact Oliver is going to have is far more than the price he can be obtained for right now. In defensive tackle premium leagues, his value is higher, yet I am targetting him in leagues without the premium on position.

The landing spot is one of the best for him – the Bills have a strong defense with talent all over. They create pressure and have a strong secondary with one of the best pair of cornerbacks to blanket wide receivers. He will be vying with Jordan Phillips and Star Lotulelei for snaps in the middle but Oliver is the most talented by quite a bit.

Oliver has the upside to make an impact a la Aaron Donald, a player who can generate ten plus sacks from the middle and chip in 50 tackles in run defense as well. Oliver didn’t play much in 2018 and was constantly double and triple-teamed his entire collegiate career. He still averaged 64 tackles and 17 tackles for a loss over three years while fighting through half of his opponent’s offensive lines each play by himself.

Oliver seems to be going as the fifth or sixth defensive rookie picked and he has the potential to be the top rookie in the class and defensive stud for the next decade.

Germaine Pratt, LB CIN

The former North Carolina State Wolfpack landed on a team in desperate need of linebacker, amongst other things, and Pratt will get a chance to play early and often. Nick Vigil has the Sam linebacker spot locked down and Preston Brown will likely cover the middle. The Will role is Jordan Evans‘ and is the spot that seems to fit Pratt’s game best.

The linebacking corps as a whole has been a sore spot defensively since Vontaze Burfict stopped tackling everything legally and went off the deep end. Pratt could slide in from time to time at all three spots and earn a good share of snaps his rookie season.

He is a converted safety and it shows from his college tape – he is rangy and covers well yet still learning the ins and outs of the linebacker position though. Pratt tends to react more than anticipate and his instincts need honing. He loves to hit and the ability to cover will keep him on the field. I expect a solid rookie season in which he will contribute as an LB3 for your fantasy squad, with the possibility of more production likely.

Quinnen Williams, DT NYJ

Williams is my favorite offensive or defensive players in this class. I love watching him play and I feel like he isn’t getting any IDP love. Landing on the Jets with Henry Anderson, Steve McLendon, and Leonard Williams will allow him to rotate in which established veterans but I see him quickly earning more snaps and being an IDP asset.

His teammates are referring to him as ‘Big Baby’ because of his boyish looks and sense of humor but Williams is a superstar in the making. His first step explosion and power are NFL-caliber already and he is intelligent, reading run plays as they develop and knowing when to push after the quarterback.

I think I am higher on him than anyone else in the IDP community – I believe he is going to create an impact right away and be able to be started soon. Williams and Oliver are going to be mainstays at the DT1- level production for many years.

Juan Thornhill, S KC

Thornhill was one of my favorite safeties in the draft and ended up in a good spot with Kansas City. They have some talent at safety after signing Tyrann Mathieu, as well as incumbents Daniel Sorenson and Armani Watts – I am not a huge fan of Sorenson and see his snaps declining rapidly with Thornhill in the mix. I thought Watts might step up but I see him now as more of a rotational helper and someone who can help in the free and strong safety spots at times.

Mathieu is the star and will likely keep the hybrid role he has played thus far in the NFL, I see Thornhill filling in more at the strong safety spot but able to drop back in coverage. His skillset favors strong safety responsibilities, and he attacks plays ferociously and in a thumping tackler as well. In coverage, he doesn’t have the quickness to cover backs and slot receivers but would cover bigger receivers and tight ends more suitably.

Thornhill and Mathieu are both versatile pieces and I project Thornhill to take over more of the enforcement role in the Kansas City secondary, leading to a safe floor due to tackles and a DB2-level production.