IDP Rookies To Watch For In 2021 – Part 2

Uncategorized Posted on  —by IDP+ Staff
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Another new NFL season brings more rookies into the league. That means there could be some IDP rookie sleepers out there for fantasy managers! Do you want one of them to help win your league?

Andre Cisco - S/DB - Jacksonville Jaguars

Safety was a need for quite a few teams during the 2021 NFL draft. It was attended to early and often throughout the entire process. In the third round, the Jacksonville Jaguars addressed their need by drafting Andre Cisco 65th overall! What will be Cisco's fantasy IDP outlook?

Cisco made a name for himself and garnered fantasy IDP attention while playing for Syracuse. His final college season ended early because of a knee injury. There were some questions about his coverage and whether he would be able to take the next step at the professional level.

Cisco may not get a starting spot right out of the gate. However, the Jaguars coaching staff does seem to have plenty of faith in him. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get the starting free safety position come game one. Cisco is a thumper who likes to make a big hit and make some impact plays! He totaled 13 interceptions in 24 games for Syracuse.

He has an eye for the ball and knows what to do with it. His upside could be tremendous for fantasy IDP managers. Cisco should hold a nice DB2-3 value in time!

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Payton Turner - DE/EDGE - New Orleans Saints

Many people were surprised to see the Saints select Payton Turner in the first round, 28th overall. Not many analysts even knew who he was. He was a player who climbed up draft boards late in the process. Don't let that fool you though, he's a massive man (6'6 and 270 pounds) who will show why he deserves respect in the NFL.

He has a massive wingspan, which he uses to his advantage in the trenches. Turner is also very athletic, check out some of his combine film if you don't want to take my word for it.

With the departure of Trey Hendrickson, the Saints now have an open starting defensive end spot. Of course,  Cameron Jordan has his starting spot locked down. This leaves the opposite side open for either Payton Turner or Marcus Davenport. The latter has been a bit of a disappointment for fantasy IDP managers and the Saints.

Unless Davenport suddenly erupts into IDP relevancy, Payton Turner should see some meaningful snaps in 2021! He could have a nice DL3-4 floor with upside if he wins a starting spot!

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Nick Bolton - LB - Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs have had issues with their linebacker position for a few seasons. The veterans on the team, Anthony Hitchens and Ben Niemann, haven't really been viable for IDP fantasy managers. Now they have an influx of young talent at the position.

Nick Bolton and Willie Gay Jr. are likely the future for the Chiefs in the middle of their defense. Both should legitimately have a shot at winning starting positions at some point in 2021, if not right out of the gate!

One thing we have learned is that rookies under Andy Reid need to prove themselves. Willie Gay Jr. had a lot of hype going into last season. Many analysts believed he would see plenty of snaps and rack up IDP points for managers who drafted him. We were wrong! Nick Bolton may be eased into the team's plans for 2021.

Willie Gay Jr. starts the year on IR. So Bolton could see some nice playing time while he's out. Be wary, but Nick Bolton could end up giving us LB2-3 floor this season!

Other Notable Rookies to Watch:

Defensive Line/EDGE

  1. Jaelan Phillips - Phillips has a legit shot at winning defensive rookie player of the year. I would consider rostering him in all formats!
  2. Kwity Paye - Paye will have to compete with some other defensive ends on the team. Like Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu. I believe he has a real shot at dominating snaps for the Colts in 2021.
  3. Azeez Ojulari - Ojulari was one of the top edge rushers in the 2021 NFL draft. He could end up being a steal for the Giants and IDP managers. Keep an eye on him in redraft!
  4. Joe Tryon - Tryon had a strong preseason and seems to have earned his way into Tampa Bay's rotation on their defensive line. He could be an excellent bye week fill-in!

Linebackers (Who Profile as Traditional ILBs)

  1. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah - With the loss of Jacob Phillips, "JOK" has been catapulted to a starting position in Cleveland. He needs to be rostered and even possibly started by managers!
  2. Baron Browning - Browning may not have a starting position in Denver right away. Although, by the end of the season, he could be the best linebacker to own on the team!
  3. Ernest Jones - He may not have a starting spot for the Rams at the start of the season. But, he could end up the main man for them towards the end of the season.

Defensive Backs

  1. Richie Grant - I didn't do a full blurb on Grant because he will obviously be a stand out in my opinion. He could easily end up as the top safety from this rookie class!
  2. Jevon Holland - Holland looks to have won a starting spot in Miami. He will likely be in a rotation but could end up being viable for IDP managers who drafted him on a weekly basis.
  3. Talanoa Hufanga - The 49ers seem to be very fond of him. I believe he could end up winning the starting spot next to Jaquiski Tartt. He should definitely be rostered and stashed!

Thank you for reading! You can read all my work on my IDP Guys Author Page. Follow me on Twitter at @ZMagsIDP — I always enjoy chatting about all types of fantasy football with the Twitterverse. Please subscribe to IDPGuys.org for all your fantasy football needs, and check out our customizable IDP scoring tool! Also, don’t forget to order the IDP Guys Rookie Magazines — both offense and IDP — for your league drafts. As always, Live Long and Prosper!

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