Oh my sweet baby rays, this has been an offseason for the ages. Or it may just be the new normal in the NFL. So many trades, so many contenders, so little time. You may wonder what some of the recent trades and free-agent signings mean for your IDP (Individual Defensive Player) rosters. While I hope to break down the impact of all of those moves eventually, I’d like to focus on some immediate moves you can make to bolster your team. It’s never too early to plan for next season.
Today, we will dive back into the IDP realm and consider which defensive linemen are true “Must-Have” players. If you’re curious about the other defensive positions, please see my previous articles on Must-Have Linebackers and Must-Have Defensive Backs. Now it’s time to talk about the big boys.
I’m not simply looking to break down the top-rated defensive linemen, like Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald, or Joey Bosa. The top of the IDP rankings is always in the realm of “Must-Have.” So instead, I’m going to point out a few names that I believe will outperform their current ECR (Expert Consensus Ranking), bringing unrealized value to your team.
These are my Must-Have Defensive Linemen.
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My top target is Danielle Hunter of the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings didn’t have the flashiest free agency, but they made a few moves that have made me hungry to get a hold of Hunter in my IDP leagues. Hunter is currently the DL6 in redraft and dynasty rankings, making him a somewhat expensive target. He’s not impossible to deal for, though.
Since joining the NFL in 2015, he’s been a monster for the Vikings, consistently wreaking havoc on opposing offenses. He’s had three seasons with 12.5 or more sacks and has spent the past three seasons with either 14.5 total sacks or playing at a 14.5 sack pace for the season (he only played in seven games in 2021). He sustained a torn pectoral injury in Week 8 of the 2021 season and sat out the rest of the year. He’ll be back at full strength by the start of the season and be primed for his best season yet.
The Vikings added Za’Darius Smith during free agency, pairing Danielle Hunter with an elite pass-rushing partner. In previous seasons, the Vikings have struggled to bring a second elite pass-rush option to pair with Hunter, but Smith makes the Vikings scary in 2022. I think, however, that Smith is not the player worth targeting in trades and drafts. Instead, it’s Hunter, who is only 27-years-old, has a high ceiling and will find himself experiencing fewer double-team blocking schemes than in previous years. The truth is that Hunter is worth dealing for because he can produce at a high level, regardless of who’s playing next to him.
I know, I know; I said I wouldn’t just talk about the top-ranked players at the position, but hear me out. Bosa is the DL8 in redraft rankings and DL3 in dynasty rankings, so his value is dependent on the type of league you’re playing in. My point is that his current redraft ranking is lower than it should be, and you should take advantage of that.
Bosa spent his 2021 season on a revival tour, finishing the season with 15 sacks on a 20.7 percent pass-rush win rate (hint: that’s pretty dang good). PFF (Pro Football Focus) ranked him as the sixth-best pass-rusher. He also finished with the third-highest total for generated pressures, behind Aaron Donald and Maxx Crosby. All of this came after he missed nearly all of the 2020 season with a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus.
He’ll continue his trend back toward the top of the DL leaderboard and prove his dynasty ranking is closer to his actual current value. The future is now for Nick Bosa. Deal for him before he becomes impossible to trade for. And if you’re in a redraft league, don’t let him fall to anyone else. He’s currently 42nd overall in IDP redraft rankings. I would take him in the mid-20s.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will begin the 2022 season with a new starting QB. That may be Mitchell Trubisky, Dwayne Haskins, or Mason Rudolph. Heck, it could even be someone else not yet on the roster. Regardless, Ben Roethlisberger is officially done in the NFL, and the Steelers will have to make do without him. So, who’s the leader of this team now? Easy. It’s the defense. Heyward, by default, might be the leader of that defense.
Cam Heyward is 32-years-old and has been in the league since 2011. He just had his best fantasy season in 2021. It goes to show that age is just a number — kind of. I wouldn’t recommend giving up the farm to get Heyward on your IDP roster, but I would wager that anyone who rosters him in dynasty leagues would be more than willing to part with him for a reasonable price. Heyward should still be an effective IDP weapon for this season and beyond. How effective? Well, he was the overall 18th best IDP player in 2021, finishing with 10 sacks, nine pass deflections, 53 tackles and 36 tackle assists. Those were career-highs in every category.
On top of a stellar statistical season, Heyward was also ranked the second-best interior defender by PFF, finishing just behind Aaron Donald. As the DL12 in redraft rankings, he can easily outperform his value and help bolster your lineup without forcing you to trade away important assets for flashy names. I anticipate his redraft value will drop as we get closer to the season. So often, we see young edge defenders quickly rise up the rankings when they get drafted, only to fall back to reality by Week 3. Heyward’s value makes him a desirable target for any intelligent IDP manager who isn’t distracted by the mirage of youth, so make the decision now to roster him before someone else does. There’s no excuse not to.
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Tim Metzler is a featured writer at FantasyPros, known for multiple article series’, including 5 Under 25, Expert Consensus Rantings, his in-season Running Diary, and his dynasty IDP rankings. For more from Tim, check out his archive and follow him @Timmy_The_Metz.
