2022 IDP Rookie Review: Interior Defensive Linemen

If you thought 2021 offered little to get excited on the interior defensive line, 2022 would like a word. From the 2021 draft class I have the Patriots’ Christian Barmore among my top 150 IDP dynasty assets, but no one from last year’s draft makes the cut.

Still reading? Of course you are, because this is dynasty, and we like big leagues, big rosters and ample taxi squad spots to allow time for our rookie IDPs to grow up and become pros.

For this rookie review series, I started with the edge rushers. Still to come: linebackers, and finally safeties. We enjoyed a great rookie cornerback class in 2022, but corners simply don’t carry dynasty value from year-to-year, so I don’t pay them much mind when looking through a dynasty lens.

Before getting into the rankings and brief reviews, here’s where credit goes for the statistics:

quarterback hits, tackles for loss, and missed tackles are courtesy Pro Football Reference (PFR) – which uses Sportradar data.

pressures are from Pro Football Focus (PFF).

the “plays in the backfield“ score is quarterback hits plus tackles for loss, divided by snaps and multiplied by 100. (See the edge review for an explanation.) If you want to see how this plays out at the interior defensive lineman position in 2022, the top ten (500 snaps minimum) looks like this:

Quinnen Williams, NYJ (5.8)

J.J. Watt, ARI (5.28)

Chris Jones, KC (5.02)

Cameron Heyward, PIT (4.49)

Zach Allen, ARI (4.39)

Ed Oliver, BUF (4.36)

Daron Payne, WAS (4.19)

Jonathan Allen, WAS (4.12)

Dexter Lawrence, NYG (4.05)

DeForest Buckner, IND (3.78)

Examples of players in the bottom ten include nose tackles such as Miami’s Raekwon Davis (0.51), New England’s Davon Godchaux (0.91) and Denver’s Mike Purcell (0.95), as well as scrubs like Cleveland’s duo of Jordan Elliott (1.14) and Taven Bryan (1.25). These names shouldn’t surprise anyone.

Two final notes:

I’m assuming the readers of this particular article are in defensive tackle-required and premium scoring formats: that is, defensive tackles get some sort of premium over other positions for statistics such as tackles, tackles in the backfield, and/or sacks. I doubt any of these tackles have any value in leagues that just require general defensive linemen starters.

I’m using “true position“ designations, so 3-4 defensive ends and 4-3 defensive tackles are all considered interior defensive linemen in my book.

Tier One: Elite Assets

If you’re looking for a Jeffery Simmons, Quinnen Williams, Chris Jones, Jonathan Allen, DeForest Buckner or Aaron Donald-like tackle to emerge from this class, it’s simply not happening.

Tier Two: Current or Future Fantasy Starters

Sadly I’m not seeing anyone in this tier either. Looking at my rankings, I’m even taking interior options with weekly DT2 status like Zach Allen, Ed Oliver and Zach Sieler over anyone included in this class.

Tier Three: Worthy of a Roster Spot

There are enough reasons to like each of these defensive tackles that I’d deem them worthy of a roster spot in all-but-shallow league formats. In essence, I’d like to see how they improve with a full NFL off-season before making a dynasty determination. In ten-team leagues or 12-team leagues that lump defensive linemen together or require just one defensive tackle starter, they’re probably just waiver wire guys worth keeping an eye on.

1. Logan Hall, TB

Drafted: Second round, No. 33 overall pick (Houston)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 23

Stats to know:

played in all 17 games; 403 defensive snaps (36 percent)

17 pressures; two-and-a-half sacks; six quarterback hits; five tackles for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 2.73 (second among all rookie defensive linemen playing at least 400 defensive snaps)

seven solo tackles, five assists; zero missed tackles

Along with Vita Vea, Hall was one of Tampa Bay’s top two interior defenders, which was a bit of a surprise given he was sort of a tweener for a defensive tackle. His quickness benefited him a bit as a 4i/3-tech, and he should stick as one of Tampa Bay’s starting 3-4 ends considering contracts void for 30-somethings Akiem Hicks and William Gholston, and the Bucs don’t have cap room to make any meaningful moves following Tom Brady’s retirement. In short, Hall is in a good situation, and I like the player as a B-gap penetrator.

2. Devonte Wyatt, GB

Drafted: First round, No. 28 overall pick (Georgia)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 25

Stats to know:

played in 16 games; 224 defensive snaps (21.7 percent)

eight pressures; one-and-a-half sacks; three quarterback hits; zero tackles for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 1.34

eight solo tackles, seven assists; zero missed tackles

With Dean Lowry (482 defensive snaps) hitting free agency, you’d expect Wyatt’s opportunity to increase next season. The rookie didn’t set the NFL on fire by any means, but he showed nice ability at times and with first-round draft pedigree he’ll receive every opportunity to play a big role next to Kenny Clark. Wyatt finished the season on a high note, yes, and he had nowhere to go but up after limited usage for most of 2022.

Packers rookie Devonte Wyatt showing his quickness and wiggle winning inside with the rip move for a sack on SNF.

The first-round pick out of Georgia has really started to make an impact the last few weeks for Green Bay. pic.twitter.com/MxVLJntKbO

— Seven Rounds in Heaven (@7RoundsInHeaven) January 9, 2023

3. Demarvin Leal, PIT

Drafted: Third round, No. 84 overall pick (Texas A&M)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 23

Stats to know:

played in 11 games; 175 defensive snaps (16.4 percent)

three pressures; zero sacks; zero quarterback hits; one tackle for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 0.57

eight solo tackles, six assists; three missed tackles (17.6 percent missed tackle rate)

Leal is a strange case and probably should have been included in the edge review since he played 71 percent of his snaps either over or outside the offensive tackle. I kept him with the interior defenders because he was drafted as such, and quite frankly the edge recap was long enough as is! But where Leal ultimately ends up on Pittsburgh’s depth chart remains to be seen. Will the Steelers ask him to slim down a bit and play outside linebacker, where he showed well? Will he bulk up a bit so he can better handle snaps inside?

Ultimately I think Leal played more outside linebacker due to necessity, with T.J. Watt missing games with a torn pectoral muscle and pre-season acquisition Malik Reed disappointing. There’s better opportunity inside within the next couple of seasons with Cameron Heyward getting long in the tooth and Larry Ogunjobi entering free agency, and no current long-term answer at either primary inside spot. Should Leal refine his ability to play with leverage, his quickness will help him win against guards.

4. Jordan Davis, PHI

Drafted: First round, No. 13 overall pick (Georgia)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 23

Stats to know:

played in 13 games; 224 defensive snaps (20.3 percent)

eight pressures; zero sacks; zero quarterback hits; one tackle for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 0.45

eight solo tackles, 10 assists; zero missed tackles

Davis may very well end up being the best pro of this group – it actually would be a bit of a surprise if he isn’t – but seeing that translate to fantasy success is a stretch for a couple of reasons. One, he’s a big man who spends most of his time two-gapping over the center, or fighting double teams in the A gap. Two, Philadelphia believes in having lots of quality defensive line options and rotating frequently, limiting snaps and upside. Granted, Fletcher Cox (713 snaps), Javon Hargrave (712), Linval Joseph (189) and Ndamukong Suh (176) are all entering free agency or reaching void years in their contracts, but Philadelphia is simply not going to enter the 2023 season with Davis, Milton Williams and Marlon Tuipulotu (who outsnapped Davis in four fewer games) atop the depth chart.

5. Phidarian Mathis, WAS

Drafted: Second round, No. 47 overall pick (Alabama)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 25

Stats to know:

played in one game; three defensive snaps

We barely saw Mathis after he tore the meniscus in his left knee on his third professional snap in Washington’s opener. The injury and resulting surgery knocked him out for the season. Should Da’Ron Payne depart as a free agent, Mathis would slide into a great opportunity next to Jonathan Allen along the Commanders’ defensive line. Should Payne return on a new contract, Mathis’ value would take a big hit and knock him down into the watch list territory.

6. Perrion Winfrey, CLE

Drafted: Fourth round, No. 108 overall (Oklahoma)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 23

Stats to know:

played in 13 games; 342 defensive snaps (41 percent)

seven pressures; half-a-sack; two quarterback hits; one tackle for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 0.88

eight solo tackles, 14 assists; one missed tackle (4.3 percent missed tackle rate)

I really don’t know if Winfrey is up to the task of playing a primary role as an interior defensive lineman in Cleveland, but let’s face it: he can’t be much worse than Taven Bryan and Jordan Elliott – right? Right? If you’re still pondering the answer, I’ve no doubt that Jim Schwartz signed on as defensive coordinator with some assurance that investment will be made at defensive tackle via free agency. For starters in 2023, I’d expect a decent free agent signing to go along with some sort of Winfrey/Elliott rotation. Winfrey has the talent to overtake Elliott; if he can significantly distance himself from Elliott in the snap count column, Winfrey will be worth a roster spot.

Tier Four: Watch List

If you’re in a 14- or 16-team league, or a league with a lot of roster spots and/or oversized taxi squads, you could consider rostering tackles in this tier based on draft capital or brief flashes in their rookie seasons. Otherwise you’re better off using your roster spots on other positions.

7. Travis Jones, BAL

Drafted: Third round, No. 76 overall pick (Connecticut)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 23

Stats to know:

played in 15 games; 324 defensive snaps (29.6 percent)

five pressures; one sack; two quarterback hits; one tackle for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 0.93

14 solo tackles, ten assists; zero missed tackles

Jones showed he’s capable of carving out a nice role as a rotational or even starting nose tackle. That doesn’t make for much of a fantasy asset, even in defensive tackle-premium scoring formats. And with veteran nose Michael Pierce set to return to the field after sitting out most 2022 following late-September surgery to repair a torn bicep muscle, Jones is going to struggle to see enough snaps to be relevant for fantasy lineups.

8. Zachary Carter, CIN

Drafted: Third round, No. 95 overall pick (Florida)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 24

Stats to know:

played in 16 games; 396 defensive snaps (38.2 percent)

four pressures; half-a-sack; one quarterback hit; one tackle for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 0.51

ten solo tackles, 13 assists; two missed tackles (8 percent missed tackle rate)

Carter surprisingly saw nearly 400 defensive snaps on a Bengals defense that found itself light in talent up the middle when D.J. Reader missed several games with an injury. Carter wasn’t particularly effective as a three-technique, as evidenced by his miserable 0.51 plays in the backfield score.

9. Eyioma Uwazurike, DEN

Drafted: Fourth round, No. 116 overall pick (Iowa State)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 25

Stats to know:

played in eight games; 165 defensive snaps (14.4 percent)

four pressures; zero sacks; two quarterback hits; zero tackles for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 1.21

11 solo tackles, six assists; zero missed tackles

Amy lineman standing 6-foot-6, tipping 315 on the scale and sporting arms longer than 35 inches is going to grab my attention. Like a lot of tall linemen though, leverage is often an issue. Watch him here lined up on the left side at 5-tech. No bueno:

Foreman springs for a nice gain. Exceptional blocking across the board.

Bozeman works off the double, gets to the 2nd level.

Taylor Moton pancakes 96 Eyioma Uwazurike (6-6, 320). pic.twitter.com/uAM832IiKS

— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) December 6, 2022

Provided he can learn to play lower coming out of his stance, Uwazurike has a good bit of upside as 5-, 4- or 4i-tech, and upside lands him this high in these rookie review rankings. And he played OK from week 12 onward, averaging 23 snaps per game. Looking ahead, both Dre’Mont Jones and DeShawn Williams are entering free agency, meaning there’s opportunity for a similar workload as a sophomore should one leave town.

10. Kalia Davis, SF

Drafted: Sixth round, No. 220 overall (Central Florida)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 24

Davis has some long-term intrigue given San Francisco’s track record with drafting and developing defensive linemen, but it will be a long road to relevance given he’s played all of five football games over the past three seasons. After sitting out the 2020 COVID-19 season, Davis tore an ACL in October 2021. San Francisco placed Davis on its reserve/non-football injury list to begin his rookie year before giving him time on the scout team over the final weeks of the season. His calling card seems to be off-the-line quickness, so if Davis can avoid a setback and enjoy a strong off-season, there’s some deep league/big roster size appeal.

11. Matt Henningsen, DEN

Drafted: Sixth round, No. 206 overall pick (Wisconsin)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 24

Stats to know:

played in all 17 games; 229 defensive snaps (20 percent)

two pressures; one sack; one quarterback hit; two tackles for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 1.31

eight solo tackles, 13 assists; zero missed tackles

Henningsen actually made Bruce Feldman’s “freak list” at Wisconsin, where his academic prowess earned him the nickname “the Mad Scientist.” He’s an easy guy to root for, but ultimately Henningsen hasn’t been much of a presence in the backfield. He’s good enough to play a part as a rotational 3-4 defensive end and special teams contributor, I just don’t see enough upside to warrant a roster spot.

Tier Five: Not Worth Watching

There’s nothing to see here but I took a look just to be sure.

12. Kurt Hinish, HOU

Drafted: Undrafted (Notre Dame)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 24

Stats to know:

played in 15 games; 435 defensive snaps (37.1 percent)

nine pressures; one sack; two quarterback hits; six tackles for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 1.84

11 solo tackles, 12 assists; one missed tackle (4.2 percent missed tackle rate)

Hats off to Hinish for a nice rookie season after going undrafted. Let’s keep it real though: He was undrafted and there’s a new coaching staff in town. If he maintains his 2022 role as the third tackle on the depth chart, he’ll be doing well, and that’s not well enough for fantasy viability.

13. Neil Farrell, LV

Drafted: Fourth round, No. 126 overall (LSU)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 25

Stats to know:

played in nine games; 158 defensive snaps (14 percent)

one pressure; zero sacks; two quarterback hits; one tackle for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 1.9

three solo tackles, nine assists; one missed tackle (7.7 percent missed tackle rate)

It’s actually pretty sad that Farrell couldn’t get more run in 2022. Bilal Nichols, Andrew Billings and Jerry Tillery all out-snapped him easily, and Farrell didn’t do much with the chances he received.

14. John Ridgeway, WAS

Drafted: Fifth round, No. 178 overall (Arkansas)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 24

Stats to know:

played in 15 games; 280 defensive snaps (26.8 percent)

three pressures; zero sacks; zero quarterback hits; zero tackles for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 0

nine solo tackles, 15 assists; zero missed tackles

Ridgeway carved out a role as a space-eating rotational nose tackle on Washington’s defensive line after not making it through the pre-season with Dallas. Like Mathis, Ridgeway will need to see Payne walk in free agency if he’s to have any speckle of fantasy appeal in 2023, and even then it seems like a long shot considering his complete lack of plays in the backfield over 280 snaps.

15. Thomas Booker, HOU

Drafted: Fifth round, No. 150 overall (Stanford)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 23

Stats to know:

played in ten games; 206 defensive snaps (17.6 percent)

three pressures; half-a-sack; one quarterback hit; one tackle for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 0.97

11 solo tackles, four assists; one missed tackle (6.3 percent missed tackle rate)

Like Hinish, Booker is no longer playing for the coaching staff that drafted him. He was also beaten out for playing time on the interior by Hinish, an undrafted rookie. If you need a third strike, Booker can’t consistently dislodge himself from blockers once they have their mitts on him.

16. Matthew Butler, LV

Drafted: Fifth round, No. 175 overall (Tennessee)

Age prior to kickoff of 2023 season: 24

Stats to know:

played in six games; 56 defensive snaps (5 percent)

one pressure; half-a-sack; one quarterback hit; zero tackles for loss

“plays in the backfield“ score: 1.79

one solo tackle, four assists; zero missed tackles

Butler wasn’t the same level of prospect as his classmate/teammate Farrell, and Butler too struggled to see the field even with an uninspiring group of tackles playing ahead of him.