Isaiah Simmons
LB - New York Giants
Week 17 Outlook
52°Availability
Isaiah Simmons returned to practice on Friday.
Fantasy Impact
Simmons was away from the team on Thursday due to personal reasons. He is expected to be good to go for Sunday's game against the Browns.
Giants coach Brian Daboll said Isaiah Simmons is not at the facility due to a personal matter.
Fantasy Impact
It does not appear to be related to an injury. The status of Simmons will be worth monitoring on Friday.
Isaiah Simmons was traded to the Giants for a 2024 seventh-round pick.
Fantasy Impact
The 25-year-old never really got off the ground in Arizona, but in Wink Martindale’s defense, there’s a chance he puts the league on notice. Simmons getting traded to the Giants helps their defense and gives them a huge advantage. Simmons is a Swiss Army knife. He played essentially every position on defense in college and hoped it would transfer to the NFL. Wink Martindale will likely use Simmons all over the field and attempt to utilize his athleticism in his aggressive style of defense.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, DB Isaiah Simmons will not get his fifth-year option exercised by the Arizona Cardinals, setting him up for a contract year.
Fantasy Impact
The Cardinals re-staffed over the offseason, meaning Simmons is not part of the regime that originally drafted him. He hasn't quite lived up to expectations, though he did have his best year in 2022. If Simmons proves he can play in the new defensive scheme, he could cash in a year sooner.
According to Johnny Venerable, Isaiah Simmons has been "practicing with the defensive backs, not the linebackers" during training camp.
Fantasy Impact
Isaiah Simmons' allure when he was coming into the NFL was his ability to play multiple positions on the defensive side of the ball. In his first two seasons, the Cardinals utilized his versatility, but were still set on Simmons' primary position being linebacker. Based off of his size, athleticism, and play-style, Simmons best profiles as an in the box safety that is able to cover the best of the best tight ends in the league. Johnny Venerable reported that Simmons opened up Saturday's practice playing as a safety and slot corner, even covering DeAndre Hopkins at times. The former eighth overall pick should shine this season with the coaching staff now putting him in positions where he most naturally fits.
