This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
RISING
Nick Kwiatkoski, MLB, LV
There were rumblings at the beginning of training camp that Kwiatkoski could lose his starting job. However, he's expected to retain his role at middle linebacker after Tanner Muse was cut Sunday. Kwiatkoski is a sure tackler and an iffy pass defender, and the former offers plenty of fantasy utility. Through just 12 games last season, he rang up a career-high 81 tackles (53 solo), four pass breakups and an interception.
Christian Kirksey, MLB, HOU
Kirksey's main struggle is staying healthy, as he has played just 20 games over the last three seasons. When he's 100 percent, the 29-year-old is a run-stuffing machine, evidenced by his 77 tackles (46 solo) over 548 snaps through 11 games with the Packers last year. Now, Kirksey is locked into the starting middle linebacker role in Houston. Game scripts should play in his favor, with most opponents running the ball to defend their leads against the Texans' hapless offense.
Troy Reeder, ILB, LA
Reeder dominated after stepping into a starting role last season following Micah Kiser's knee injury, racking up 60 tackles (38 solo) and two pass breakups over the final six games. After proving it wasn't a fluke during training camp and the preseason, Reeder won the starting job heading into 2021, and Kiser was cut from the team. Kenny Young is also expected to start at inside linebacker. There's room for both players to reach 100 tackles.
C.J. Mosley, MLB, NYJ
Injuries
RISING
Nick Kwiatkoski, MLB, LV
There were rumblings at the beginning of training camp that Kwiatkoski could lose his starting job. However, he's expected to retain his role at middle linebacker after Tanner Muse was cut Sunday. Kwiatkoski is a sure tackler and an iffy pass defender, and the former offers plenty of fantasy utility. Through just 12 games last season, he rang up a career-high 81 tackles (53 solo), four pass breakups and an interception.
Christian Kirksey, MLB, HOU
Kirksey's main struggle is staying healthy, as he has played just 20 games over the last three seasons. When he's 100 percent, the 29-year-old is a run-stuffing machine, evidenced by his 77 tackles (46 solo) over 548 snaps through 11 games with the Packers last year. Now, Kirksey is locked into the starting middle linebacker role in Houston. Game scripts should play in his favor, with most opponents running the ball to defend their leads against the Texans' hapless offense.
Troy Reeder, ILB, LA
Reeder dominated after stepping into a starting role last season following Micah Kiser's knee injury, racking up 60 tackles (38 solo) and two pass breakups over the final six games. After proving it wasn't a fluke during training camp and the preseason, Reeder won the starting job heading into 2021, and Kiser was cut from the team. Kenny Young is also expected to start at inside linebacker. There's room for both players to reach 100 tackles.
C.J. Mosley, MLB, NYJ
Injuries limited Mosley to just two games in 2019, and he opted out of the 2020 season due to the pandemic. Back in his Baltimore days, Mosley was an explosive, high-motor linebacker who averaged 115.8 tackles per season. At 29 years old, Mosley has plenty of good days ahead as the unequivocal top dog in New York's linebacker corps.
Dalvin Tomlinson, DT, MIN
Tomlinson makes his living by stopping the run, but he has 3.5 sacks in addition to 49 tackles in each of the last two seasons, anyway. The 2017 second-round pick earned a two-year, $22 million contract this offseason as a result. He gets a juicy matchup right out of the gate, as the Bengals may opt for a run-heavy gameplan to help QB Joe Burrow get back into the swing of things after an injury. However, they'll still need to throw, and their shaky interior offensive line may not hold up against a threat like Tomlinson.
FALLING
DeMarcus Lawrence, DE, DAL
Lawrence's pass rush has taken a hit over the last two seasons with just 11.5 sacks combined in 2019 and 2020, after he finished with double digits in the previous two campaigns. He may get off to a slow start in that department once again, as Buccaneers QB Tom Brady was sacked on just 3.3 percent of dropbacks last year (third). Lawrence still has a steady floor with tackles alone, but his upside is capped for the season opener.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, CLE
Owusu-Koramoah has missed time in training camp due to COVID-19 protocol and a weight room injury, but the rookie second-round pick has the talent to eventually take over the starting job if he doesn't take it outright in Week 1. However, fantasy managers should exercise patience with the Notre Dame product. He'll likely start off in a rotational role at best, and, last season the Chiefs ran the ball 25.2 times per game, ranking 23rd in the league.
Kamren Curl, FS, WAS
A seventh-round pick in 2020, Curl surprised as a viable starter after Landon Collins went down with a torn Achilles, racking up 88 tackles (63 solo), two sacks, four pass breakups and three interceptions. He was considered a strong IDP option for 2021 before Washington's signing of Bobby McCain -- who started for Miami last year -- muddied the waters. Curl is talented enough to emerge as the starter anyway, but the uncertainty is enough to fade him in Week 1 nonetheless.
Cameron Jordan, DE, NO
Jordan took a significant step back last year by posting just 7.5 sacks, his lowest total since 2016. The 32-year-old piled up plenty of tackles (51), but his upside stems from his ability to get to the quarterback. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers was sacked just 20 times last season, and the Packers should have a nifty plan drawn up to keep him upright without All-Pro LT David Bakhtiari.
