• IDP Safety Values to Target According to Their ADP

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    Which safeties should you target late in drafts? Let's take a look at five players who I think are solid when you consider their current IDP Guys ADP.


    There are many ways to draft in your IDP fantasy football leagues and it's always good to experiment and try new things. The way I tend to navigate the safety position in my IDP drafts is I either grab one of the studs (Jamal Adams, Derwin James, Budda Baker, Jeremy Chinn) or I wait for safety values later in the draft.

    The safeties listed below are some I have been targeting if I end up waiting on the position. They have a good mix of consistency and/or upside for the position. If I can leave my drafts with a couple of players from this bunch, I'm generally pretty happy with how I'm sitting at the position. Without further ado, let's dive in!

    Safety Values

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    Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings

    IDP Guys ADP: DB26

    2020 Stats: 89 tackles (54 solos), 2 tackles for loss, 10 passes defended, 5 interceptions

    Since entering the league in 2012, Harrison Smith has been a force at safety. He kicked off his career with a 104 tackle season as a rookie and never looked back. While Smith never topped that 104 tackle number, he's been about as steady as they come averaging 83 tackles/season over his impressive nine-year career. To pair with those solid tackle numbers, Smith also has 28 career interceptions.

    Now 32 years old, IDP managers may feel his best days are behind him, causing his ADP to drop where it has. If this is the case, I'm buying all day. Getting Smith as the 26th defensive back off the board is excellent value in my opinion. He is reliable, having missed only one game over the past four seasons, and you can basically pencil him in for 80+ tackles. Drafting Smith as a DB26 is easy money.

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    Tracy Walker, Detroit Lions

    IDP Guys ADP: DB30

    2020 Stats: 87 tackles (64 solos), 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 4 passes defended

    After a breakout 2019 season where Walker produced 103 tackles (82 solos), the 2020 season didn’t go as many had hoped. While his final totals are solid, it was the inconsistent playing time during the middle of the season that was puzzling. I have no idea why Detroit’s staff decided to underutilize Walker the way they did for that stretch. Then again, not many things Matt Patricia did made any sense during his time there.

    Enter 2021. It’s a new day and a new regime in Detroit. Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn is planning to use Walker at free safety, which is a role that fits him well. While he may play deep a little more often than we may like at times, I still feel Walker will be plenty productive in Glenn’s scheme. The Detroit defense is going to need Walker to step up and he certainly has the game to do it.

    With a steady role and fresh start, Walker is a safety with upside and good value as DB30.

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    Chuck Clark, Baltimore Ravens

    IDP Guys ADP: DB33

    2020 Stats: 96 tackles (57 solos), 3 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 4 passes defended, 1 interception, 2 forced fumbles

    Safety Chuck Clark quietly had a fantastic 2020 season, compiling a career-high 96 tackles and playing in 100% of Baltimore’s defensive snaps. It’s also notable that Clark is one of the few safeties who wear the coveted green dot and calls the defensive plays. This just tells you how important Clark is to the Baltimore defense. 

    Coming off the board as DB33, Clark seems like a steal at his current price. He’ll once again be out there every snap and calling the plays. With his solid tackle floor and productive role, Clark should finish as a DB2 in most formats. The best part is, managers don’t have to pay that price at the moment in drafts to acquire him.

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    Taylor Rapp, Los Angeles Rams

    IDP Guys ADP: DB39

    2020 Stats: 44 tackles (32 solos), 1 tackle for loss, 3 passes defended, 1 interception

    Taylor Rapp had a fantastic rookie season in 2019 where he amassed an impressive 100 tackles (62 solos). I, like many, thought he would build off that in year two. Well, that didn’t exactly happen. Unfortunately, Rapp got hurt in training camp and struggled to pick up Brandon Staley’s new scheme being installed for the 2020 season.

    Rapp fell behind teammates Jordan Fuller and John Johnson causing him to lose snaps to open the season. To make matters worse, Rapp suffered a knee injury that limited his season to just nine games.

    Things are looking much more promising for the 2021 season. Rapp is healthy and by all reports has looked good in training camp. The coaching staff also reportedly likes the way he works up in the box. This bodes well for Rapp's tackle production as a versatile safety who can be used all over.

    The Rams have three talented safeties in Taylor Rapp, Jordan Fuller, and Terrell Burgess who all will be involved. They can all be used all over, but it sounds like they like Rapp’s work up near the line, which is promising. I love Rapp’s upside and bounce-back potential, so I'm all in at his current price of DB39.

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    Justin Reid, Houston Texans

    IDP Guys ADP: DB41

    2020 Stats: 83 tackles (62 solos), 6 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 4 passes defended

    Since being selected in the third round by Houston in 2018, Justin Reid has been a steady presence in the Texans' secondary. He’s put up consistent tackle numbers of 88 (2018), 78 (2019), and 83 (2020) to start his career.

    For 2021, Houston’s depleted defense is going to be counting on Reid to be one of its leaders this season. Reid and teammate Zach Cunningham are a few of the lone bright spots within the unit. The 2021 season is a big one for Reid as he is in the final year of his rookie deal. Reid will be looking to have a big year to provide him the opportunity to cash in this offseason.

    While the Texans may have a rough season on the horizon, Reid will have plenty to play for, no matter the circumstances. He’s already posted solid outings to start his career and this season could end up being his best yet — it's a contract year. Reid is a great safety target late in drafts, especially if you wait on the position. Coming off the board as a DB41, Reid is well worth the risk at that cost.


    THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ MY ARTICLE. I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT AND FOUND IT HELPFUL. YOU CAN FIND MORE OF MY WORK HERE AT IDPGUYS.ORG AND FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER @KBELLF54. I’M ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK YOU MAY HAVE, AND MY DMS ARE ALWAYS OPEN.

    Kyle Bellefeuil

    Long time football and Packer fan. I've been playing redraft since 2001 and Dynasty/IDP since 2010. You can find my writing here at IDP Guys and remember, defense wins championships!!
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