This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
As we near the start of training camp, it's a great time to get an early look at some players who could be in line to outproduce expectations and become excellent values on draft day. Some of these players stand to benefit from a change in scenery while others appear on the verge of breaking out. Last week, we looked at defensive linemen, and this week we'll move to the outside linebackers.
Vinny Curry, Buccaneers
Back in 2014, Curry appeared to be a player on the rise, as he posted nine sacks, but he followed up that with just 9.5 sacks over the following three seasons. The main reason his totals fell so drastically was that he played for the Eagles, who had a very deep rotation of solid pass rushers, which limited his potential to pile up strong sack numbers. After being signed by the Bucs, he should be a full-time pass rusher, which immediately raises his value, but he'll also benefit by playing on a defense with Jason Pierre Paul, who'll likely be the primary focal point of opposing offenses. Although it's unlikely he becomes an elite IDP, he's a candidate to flirt with his previous career-high in sacks.
Matt Judon, Ravens
After playing in a part-time role as a rookie in 2016, Judon broke out last year when he nabbed eight sacks to go with 61 tackles. As always, the Ravens should continue to have a strong defense with playmakers at all three levels, and
As we near the start of training camp, it's a great time to get an early look at some players who could be in line to outproduce expectations and become excellent values on draft day. Some of these players stand to benefit from a change in scenery while others appear on the verge of breaking out. Last week, we looked at defensive linemen, and this week we'll move to the outside linebackers.
Vinny Curry, Buccaneers
Back in 2014, Curry appeared to be a player on the rise, as he posted nine sacks, but he followed up that with just 9.5 sacks over the following three seasons. The main reason his totals fell so drastically was that he played for the Eagles, who had a very deep rotation of solid pass rushers, which limited his potential to pile up strong sack numbers. After being signed by the Bucs, he should be a full-time pass rusher, which immediately raises his value, but he'll also benefit by playing on a defense with Jason Pierre Paul, who'll likely be the primary focal point of opposing offenses. Although it's unlikely he becomes an elite IDP, he's a candidate to flirt with his previous career-high in sacks.
Matt Judon, Ravens
After playing in a part-time role as a rookie in 2016, Judon broke out last year when he nabbed eight sacks to go with 61 tackles. As always, the Ravens should continue to have a strong defense with playmakers at all three levels, and it's unlikely that opponents will make Judon a priority to stop. Even if he matches last year's numbers, he'll be a solid IDP, and he has room for improvement, especially after he piled up six of his sacks over the last eight games of 2017.
Leonard Floyd, Bears
When Floyd was drafted in the first round in 2016, the concern was that he was undersized, and after missing 10 games over his two seasons, many fantasy owners will be nervous to draft him due to durability concerns. However, when Chicago selected him, their stated goal was to take a couple years to prepare his body to hold up at the required level, and if they were accurate in their assessment, this would be a great year to predict a breakout. In addition, he's been very productive while averaging just over half a sack and three tackles per game. He also showed signs of improvement last year, as he notched 4.5 sacks in the last six games he played before injuring his knee in Week 11.
T.J. Watt, Steelers
Although Watt set the Steelers rookie sack record with seven last year, fantasy owners were likely disappointed after he started the season with four sacks in six games before having a quiet end to the campaign. It seemed clear that he wore down over the course of the year, and he saw a slight decrease in his snaps down the stretch. Now he'll enter 2018 as a seasoned veteran, and he should be ready for the rigors of playing a full season, and the former first-round pick should be primed to put together a productive season as an emerging edge rusher.
Tahir Whitehead, Raiders
During his time with the Lions, Whitehead became a tackling machine, as he posted at least 110 stops in each of the last two campaigns. He'll be in a great spot as he moves to Oakland to play in a front-seven that features a pair of playmakers in Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin. While opponents have their hands full with the Oakland stars, Whitehead should find himself in position to improve upon the already solid numbers he put together in Detroit.
Anthony Barr, Vikings
Barr had a solid rookie season in 2014 when he posted four sacks to go along with 70 tackles. Although he's continued to post right around 70 tackles in each of the three seasons to follow, he's seen his sack numbers fall each year, and he had just a single sack last year. He'll benefit this year as the Vikings return their elite defensive players of a year ago while adding another stud in Sheldon Richardson. With opposing offenses likely to be overwhelmed by Minnesota's plethora of playmakers, Barr, who's averaged 975 snaps over the last two years, should see plenty of opportunities to significantly increase his sacks to go along with his typical steady tackle numbers.
Alex Anzalone, Saints
A shoulder injury suffered in Week 4 prematurely ended Anzalone's rookie season, as he seemed to be coming quickly into his own, posting a total of 12 tackles over the two games before getting hurt. He'll likely be overlooked in fantasy drafts, but playing on a team that's able to put up plenty of points, he should have little trouble picking up where he left off early in 2017. Those who are looking for an upside pick late in drafts should consider taking a flier on the former third-round draft choice.
Matt Longacre, Rams
In his first year playing for defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, Longacre had 5.5 sacks in 14 games. Despite his solid performance while playing just 378 snaps, he'll likely see a significant increase in snaps as the Rams starting left outside linebacker. Aside from the potential of more playing time, he'll likely find some clear lanes to the QB behind an unstoppable defensive line with new addition Ndamukong Suh to go along with Aaron Donald. In addition, the team added CBs Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters, who should improve the secondary to a level that allows the pass rush additional time to chase down QBs. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Longacre flirt with double-digit sacks based on his talent and situation.
