[QB RANKINGS 1-20
Auction...............$4
Bye Week.............6
It wasn't until Griffen's fifth season that he was able to break into the starting lineup for the Vikings. Since then, he's done nothing to warrant being moved out of the gig. Griffen has posted 22.5 total sacks in his last two seasons (compared to 17.5 in the previous three campaigns). It also helps that he's been good for several pass deflections in his time as a starter. As an anchor in one of the NFL's emerging defenses, Griffen can be expected to continue his strong level of play and is worth a look at the very end of drafts.
Auction...............$4
Bye Week.............8
In his second season, Tuitt got the chance to be a full-time starter and took advantage with 6.5 sacks and 39 tackles. It wasn't enough for him to be considered a consistent fantasy producer, but it is a step toward the Notre Dame product becoming more of an IDP factor. With Cameron Heyward across the way, the Steelers are in the process of developing a pair of solid bookends. Tuitt won't be on a lot of draft boards this season, but if his progression continues the way it appears, he could be a solid value off the waiver wire.
Auction...............$3
Bye Week.............5
Bennett has never been the type of player that IDP owners could count on consistently. He's never posted big tackle numbers and 2015 was the first time in his eight NFL seasons that he's notched double-digit sacks. If you catch him on the right week, you might be able to avail yourself of a multi-sack game. But otherwise there's not much that will compel you to spend an end-of-draft pick on him. When the matchup is right, Bennett will be waiting on the waiver wire for you.
Auction...............$3
Bye Week.............10
After two very nice seasons in 2013 and 2014, Hughes couldn't keep the momentum going in 2015. The Bills lineman had posted back-to-back 10-sack seasons and saw that number cut in half last season. This season, Hughes will have the added burden of trying to rebound without Mario Williams attracting attention from the defensive end spot. A return to his pre-2013 numbers feels completely possible. That means he's probably not the defensive lineman your IDP roster is looking for in 2016.
Auction...............$3
Bye Week............5
Jordan might often be confused for the Dolphins tight end with the transposed name, but the Saints defensive end has been more consistently productive. However since a breakout 2012 season that saw him tally 54 fantasy points, Jordan hasn't approached the 50-point plateau again. That makes him a risky option for anyone looking for weekly production from their defensive line spot. If you're looking to play the matchups, Jordan is likely to be your guy ... depending on the week. Choose wisely. And make sure you're not going after a tight end. But if you're reading this, you probably know better.
Auction...............$2
Bye Week.............8
When it comes to defensive tackles, Suh is one of the more productive fantasy options around. The problem is that he isn't productive enough to earn a spot in your lineup very often. A move to Miami last season didn't do much to dampen the numbers he had posted during his five-year stay in Detroit. But the move didn't exactly make those numbers better, either. Look for things to stay status quo with Suh this season ... which means you probably aren't going to want to spend a draft pick on him.
Auction...............$2
Bye Week.............7
In his second NFL season, Lawrence showed that he had the makings of a legitimate pass rusher on a team desperately in need of one. That was the good news. The bad news is that we'll have to wait at least a month to see if Lawrence can build on this. The Boise State product is suspended for the first four games of the season after violating the league's performance enhancing drug policy. The upside for plenty of IDP leaguers is that the ban isn't likely to impact anyone's draft strategy. Lawrence was likely to be waiver wire fodder in plenty of leagues. This just seals it.
Auction...............$2
Bye Week.............8
For much of his eight-year career, Hayes has been a reserve with just 32 starts in 110 career games. But since he left the Titans to join the Rams, he's been much more effective at getting to the quarterback. He should have a chance to continue that trend as the presumptive starter in the wake of Chris Long's departure. The problem is that Hayes has never recorded more than seven sacks in a season. That's not exactly the type of production you want to pin your fantasy hopes on. If Hayes suddenly picks up his sack totals -- which seems unlikely entering his age-31 season -- then his value starts to climb. In the meantime, he'll be available for you on the waiver wire when the matchup is right.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............6
Last season was easily the worst of Joseph's six years in the league. While he upped his overall tackle total, Joseph's sack numbers were the lowest of his career. He does play in a solid defense, anchoring one of the NFL's better defensive lines. Alas, the life of a defensive tackle means that Joseph isn't exactly a fantasy football commodity. If he were able to become more of a statistical factor in stopping the run, Joseph could become more of a waiver wire darling. In the meantime, keep his name in your back pocket when the matchup is right.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............9
Geno Atkins ranks as one of the few defensive tackles that most IDP owners would consider spending a draft pick on. He's the rare interior defensive lineman that could post double-digit sack totals -- something he's accomplished twice in his six-year NFL career. With Carlos Dunlap applying pressure from the outside, it means Atkins usually doesn't draw quite as much attention from the opposition. He might be worth an end-of-draft flier. If not, he'll certainly be one of the first DL taken off the waiver wire.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............5
Jackson had arguably his best season in 2015 helping the Broncos to a Super Bowl championship. It also helped the veteran defensive tackle land a huge new contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The question is: will it help your IDP lineup? The answer? Probably not. Jackson will have a couple of nice games here and there, but it likely won't be enough to warrant giving him a full-time slot on your roster. Consider him a waiver wire option. Even then, consider wisely.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............5
Last season, Avril posted his best numbers since joining the Seahawks in 2013 -- and arguably the best totals of his career. But as someone who's never reached 40 tackles in a season and has just one double-digit sack year, there are more productive defensive ends that will be available in most leagues. Avril could be a nice fit in any given week depending on the matchup, but he won't be the type of player you want to rely on week-in and week-out.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............9
Ninkovich has been a steady presence for the Patriots defense since joining the team before the 2010 season. It's just that he hasn't exactly been the kind of stat monster you'd hope for as an IDP owner. That title previously belonged to Chandler Jones, who's now in Arizona. On paper, it's likely to go to free agent acquisition Chris Long. That leaves Ninkovich as the steady defensive player who won't offer a lot for your fantasy squad.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............11
The Falcons had high hopes for Beasley after selecting him with the eighth overall pick in 2015. Unfortunately those hopes were dampened when Beasley was diagnosed with a torn labrum. While the former Clemson star didn't use it as an excuse (he didn't mention it at all until the end of the season), it certainly impacted his peformance. With a full offseason to get healthy, there's renewed hope that Beasley can become the pass rusher he was expected to be. If that's the case, he could end up being quite a steal -- especially since you will likely be able to add him without spending a draft pick.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............5
Few things were as disappointing as Dante Fowler missing the entirety of the 2015 season. The third overall pick tore his ACL in the Jaguars' first offseason practice barely a week after the draft and never stepped foot on an NFL field. This year, Jaguars fans (and fantasy managers) look forward to adding Fowler to a defensive line that will also feature Sen'Derrick Marks and free agent addition Malik Jackson. It will be interesting to see how Fowler responds after the injury, but the good news is that he will have had more than a calendar year to recover. His talent and upside could make him worth a late round pick in plenty of leagues.
[QB RANKINGS 1-20
