The 2024 NFL season is creeping ever closer, and the rookies we saw drafted in the 2024 NFL Draft will play for the first time as professionals. That means fantasy football managers will finally get to see whether their evaluations of the 257 drafted prospects and UDFAs are paying off.
While most of the rookies on offense are well-known to fans and analysts, the defensive side of things can be a little more clouded. Now that we have the offseason to shape depth charts and playing time, it’s easier to project Year 1 roles. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the top 30 IDP prospects that you should be targeting in your rookie drafts.
Who Are the Top 15 IDP Rookie Options?
1) Laiatu Latu, EDGE | Indianapolis Colts
2) Jared Verse, EDGE | Los Angeles Rams
3) Dallas Turner, EDGE | Minnesota Vikings
4) Junior Colson, LB | Los Angeles Chargers
5) Edgerrin Cooper, LB | Green Bay Packers
The way things have shaped out in 2024 makes the EDGE prospects the “prize” of this draft class.
You can make a case for taking Latu, Verse, and Turner in any particular order, and I would not argue too strongly. Personally, Latu’s game stands out to me as the one that will translate the quickest to the next level thanks to a more refined pass-rush arsenal. He could be a candidate for double-digit sacks as a rookie, especially following the season-ending injury to Samson Ebukam.
Verse is an extremely intriguing prospect. He only really started playing defensive end full-time when he went to college in 2019. He has an enticing three-down skill set, which makes him a mouth-watering prospect when combined with the high-sack upside. Verse looks set to be a Rams starter and can provide fantasy value both as a pass rusher and with his run defense.
Turner has a super high ceiling as well, as shown by his crazy athletic testing. He ran a 4.46-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, comparable to many WRs despite being 247 pounds. Turner’s pass-rush win rate is a red flag, though, and drops him to third among the EDGEs. His Year 1 role seems likely to be as a pass rush specialist more than a full-time player, which makes him my EDGE3 in the class.
The top five is rounded out by the two top linebackers. Neither got Day 1 capital but both have the potential to be three-down LBs in the NFL. They’re both likely to be starters sometime in their rookie year, with Colson a candidate to be the signal-caller in Jim Harbaugh’s defense eventually. An injury-plagued offseason has continued into camp though, and he’s unlikely to break camp with the ones.
Things are similar to Cooper. Though he’s at least been healthy, Quay Walker’s struggles in the NFL open a path to the MLB role. Linebackers who play every down are crucial for IDP leagues, and both LBs could be exactly that. The EDGE options are the more exciting play, but getting either of these two LBs could set you up for years to come.
6) Chop Robinson, EDGE | Miami Dolphins
7) Trevin Wallace, LB | Carolina Panthers
8) Byron Murphy II, DT | Seattle Seahawks
9) Payton Wilson, LB | Pittsburgh Steelers
10) Darius Robinson, EDGE | Arizona Cardinals
Among this group are two EDGE prospects named Robinson, but that’s where the similarities end.
Chop Robinson falls into the “freak” category, which brings an incredible upside. The Miami Dolphins’ depth chart has several moving pieces, with Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips both returning from injury. With Shaquill Barrett retiring, Chop has some potential to see decent snaps early while possibly losing some as the top guys get healthy.
Darius Robinson is a bigger player who profiles similarly to Cameron Jordan. He could start in Week 1 with the Cardinals but likely never has the same upside that Chop offers. With the camp injury to BJ Ojulari though, he’s got the upside to see a decent snap share as a rookie; so if you are looking for more Year 1 value, Darius Robinson is intriguing.
There are also two linebackers in this group, both talented but carrying playing time or health concerns. Wallace is behind Josey Jewell and Shaq Thompson for playing time in Carolina, as things stand. However, he’s only one injury away from an opportunity and could start in Year 2 or 3, as Thompson has an expiring contract following 2024.
Many saw Wilson as the top LB in this class, but injury concerns led to his fall down the board. Those concerns make longevity a concern when considering drafting Wilson, especially since he may have to wait for Year 2 or 3 to start in Pittsburgh. He’s been impressive in camp so far, but don’t bank on consistent Year 1 production.
Breaking up the EDGE and linebacker party is our first DT, Murphy. Drafting defensive tackles is always tough for IDP because consistency can be hard to find. He has a significant long-term upside and could be a real difference-maker at the DT position. Just make sure to exercise patience, as it usually takes a couple of years for true IDP relevance.
11) Marshawn Kneeland, EDGE | Dallas Cowboys
12) Tyler Nubin, S | New York Giants
13) Cedric Gray, LB | Tennessee Titans
14) Cole Bishop, S | Buffalo Bills
15) Johnny Newton, DT | Washington Commanders
The level really begins to drop off now as we look at more projects and fewer players with the potential for a Year 1 impact. Kneeland is a solid option, and the Cowboys’ depth chart is far from convincing following Sam Williams’ injury. If you want a deeper name with Year 1 potential (the 2024 Rams Byron Young), it’s Kneeland.
Gray could find himself with a chance to have a decent role as a rookie. However, Gray lacks the upside of the four players at the position above him, as he’ll likely come off the field in third-down passing situations. With two decent vets in front of him, he might still need injury help to get the role people want him to have, which is how the camp reports have it.
Next, let’s talk about the top two safeties, Nubin and Bishop. DBs are notoriously hard to project, so even if you miss these two and grab any of the next three on the list, they’ll all likely have some early utility.
Nubin was the top safety drafted despite underwhelming at the NFL Combine. In New York, he’ll see an immediate opportunity to replace Xavier McKinney and play full-time with approximately 60% of his snaps in the box/slot. This is big for Nubin’s IDP value, so hopefully he can seize that job, though the injury in camp is less than ideal.
With Bishop, it’s a tough one. The Bills lost both safeties, so which role he plays will impact his value. Bishop played a ton in the box in college, though, so that’s the role I’d anticipate for him. He’s probably a safer bet than Nubin, but Nubin has the ceiling on his side if both hit with box-heavy roles. With his camp injury, though, don’t expect much Year 1 help.
Finally, Newton is intriguing in Washington, but he’ll have to work his way into the rotation and could have a limited snap share as a rookie. When he does get consistent playing time, he has a high sack upside.
Which Other Rookie IDP Options Should You Consider?
16) Marist Liufau, LB | Dallas Cowboys
17) Chris Braswell, EDGE | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
18) Javon Bullard, S | Green Bay Packers
19) Mike Sainristil, CB | Washington Commanders
20) Tykee Smith, CB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
21) Braden Fiske, DT | Los Angeles Rams
22) Jonah Elliss, EDGE | Denver Broncos
23) Bralen Trice, EDGE | Atlanta Falcons
24) Ruke Orhorhoro, DT | Atlanta Falcons
25) Jaden Hicks, S | Kansas City Chiefs
26) Adisa Isaac, EDGE | Baltimore Ravens
27) Tyrice Knight, LB | Seattle Seahawks
28) Jordan Magee, LB | Washington Commanders
29) Cooper DeJean, CB | Philadelphia Eagles
30) Tommy Eichenberg, LB | Las Vegas Raiders
This is sort of a pick-your-poison group. Some of them will be hits in the long term, but it’s hard to expect much from any of them immediately.
Liufau likely takes a redshirt year, but the notes on his intelligence from Dallas are interesting for his 2025 role. All the remaining linebackers in this range are Day 3 picks, so they’ll need to prove themselves in training camp to get an opportunity. None seem primed to grab a strong Year 1 role, but the reports on Eichenberg are intriguing in Las Vegas.
Braswell has a high ceiling, went Round 2, and is one of my top guys in this tier for these reasons; Tampa Bay being limited at EDGE only helps his case.
Bullard is a strong value. I’m not sure how much box time he or McKinney will have in Green Bay, and he’s competing with Evan Williams for the second safety spot. He seems to have the leg up and the versatility like Brian Branch from Detroit to play S or CB.
DeJean is my NFL CB1 with his ball skills, but I’ll likely pass on him and take slot cornerbacks like Sainristil, who should be Washington’s starting nickel from Day 1. He’s my CB1 with his combination of a tackle floor with sack and interception upside. I’d also prefer Smith, whose tackling and ball skills are reminiscent of Branch from 2023.
Trice had good production, while Isaac, Elliss, and Fiske are all upside shots. It’ll likely take all of them at least a year to provide much IDP production with any real consistency.
