Football is back and we couldn’t be happier to help you on your journey to fantasy glory. With any new season, we first need to look at the new players from the college ranks that will have an impact this season. Below is the list of the most prominent defensive rookies with a discussion about their fantasy value.
Top IDP rookies for 2014
Ryan Shazier, Pit ILB
The former Ohio State Buckeye will slot next to Lawrence Timmons as the Steelers second middle linebacker in the 3-4 defense. Pittsburgh spent the No. 15 overall pick on the athletic linebacker who played and excelled on the weakside in college.
Shazier missed the first preseason game with a knee injury that isn’t serious according to head coach Mike Tomlin. The rookie should easily crack the starting lineup if healthy and fantasy owners should expect a good year as a No. 3 backer with the upside of a No. 2.
C.J. Mosley, Bal MLB
There has been a lot said about Mosley being the long-term replacement for Ray Lewis and the talk is true. The Ravens took him two picks after Shazier and he has been taking snaps with the first-team defense along with veteran Arthur Brown. It’s unclear as to who will be the starter come Week 1, but you can expect Mosley to earn the spot as an every down linebacker fairly quickly.
Fantasy owners will love the his relentless pursuit to the ball which made him a star on the stout Alabama defense. This kid is the real deal and will be a long-standing force in IDP leagues for the foreseeable future. For this season, Mosley is looking like a solid No. 2 backer if he’s the starter out of camp.
Khalil Mack, Oak SLB
Depending on how your league is set up, the 23-year-old rookie might make a lot of sense with his great pass-rushing ability. Mack is ridiculously athletic for his size at six-foot-three and 252 lbs., which is why the Raiders took him fifth overall out of Buffalo. He may not come from a ‘power’ conference in college, but don’t let that fog your perception on this talent.
There is huge upside with Mack already the starting strongside backer on an improving defense. He will have growing pains like all rookies, but there is potential for 10-plus sacks and a surprising amount of tackles. This guy will make big plays like he did in college where he broke the record for forced fumbles (16) and is tied for tackles for a loss (75).
Your league’s settings will dictate Mack’s fantasy value as he ranks as a No. 2 in league’s that heavily reward sacks and forced fumbles. Otherwise, in tackle-heavy formats, he ranks as a No. 3 or 4 in most leagues.
Calvin Pryor, NYJ FS
Head coach Rex Ryan must like what he is seeing out of the Jets’ first-round, No. 18 overall pick. The coach is reportedly planning to get Pryor reps with the first-team in this weekend’s preseason game against the Bengals, which is good news for his fantasy value. He had to sit out last week against the Colts because of a concussion he suffered a few weeks back.
The rookie out of Louisville is a big-time hitter that seemed to be all over the field making plays in college. Pryor can be a top-10 defensive back within the next few years if he becomes a surer tackler, with No. 2 or 3 DB value this year.
Aaron Donald, StL DT
Arguably the league’s most lethal pass rush got even better when the Rams selected Donald No. 13 overall out of Pittsburgh. An ideal situation would be Donald alongside Michael Brockers pushing up the middle with last year’s sack leader, Robert Quinn, and Chris Long rushing off the sides. St. Louis might not have their rookie starting right away, but it would be only a matter of time because you don’t spend that high of a pick to do otherwise.
In terms of ability, the 23-year-old lived in the backfield while at Pitt with 11 sacks and 28.5 tackles for a loss as a senior and unanimous All-American last year. We are talking about lots of Pro Bowls in the future and plenty of fantasy value with tackles, sacks and forced fumbles. He is a solid No. 2 defensive lineman in 2014.
Jadeveon Clowney, Hou OLB
The No. 1 overall pick landed in a 3-4 defense, which limits his fantasy value as an outside linebacker and not a defensive end. Nonetheless, Clowney still has value in leagues that largely compensate for sacks and forced fumbles. He is listed at six-foot-five and 266 lbs. and ran the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds.
Fantasy owners might be licking their chops knowing that J.J. Watt should be rushing the passer across from Clowney, but the rookie might need some time to adjust to the speed of the NFL. He will need to learn how to drop into coverage and that won’t come too easy. Expect some flashes of greatness throughout the season while tempering your overall expectations.
Telvin Smith, Jac WLB
Here’s a youngster flying under the radar with the chance at getting a lot of playing time on a defense thin with talent. Smith was apart of the Florida State team that won the National Championship last season and the Jags got him in the fifth round. There isn’t much hype around Smith, but the circumstances could make him an IDP find.
With Geno Hayes currently ahead on the depth chart, Smith should crack the starting rotation by mid-season. He is a good tackler with great closing speed who ran the 40-yard dash in 4.52 seconds at the combine.
Thanks for reading my list of top IDP rookies. Make sure to check out my 2014 IDP rankings as well.
