Sheldon Rankins

Sheldon Rankins

30-Year-Old Defensive TackleDT
Cincinnati Bengals
2024 Fantasy Outlook
When the Bengals signed DJ Reader away from the Houston Texans in 2020, it demonstrated a rare willingness to aggressively pursue defensive talent via the free agent market. Reader is now in Detroit, but the Bengals hope that they've struck gold with another former Texan in Rankins, who had 37 tackles and six sacks last season. The Bengals hope that Rankins, B.J. Hill and rookie Kris Jenkins can improve an interior defensive that was frequently exploited in 2023. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
#Subscriber-Only
IDP
$Signed a two-year, $24.5 million contract with the Bengals in March of 2024.
Ready for Sunday
DTCincinnati Bengals
October 11, 2024
Rankins (hamstring) has no injury designation ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Eagles.
ANALYSIS
Rankins upgraded to full participation in Friday's practice after logging limited sessions Wednesday and Thursday, so it appears he's moved past his hamstring injury. Expect the 30-year-old to start alongside B.J. Hill as part of the Bengals' top interior defensive line duo Sunday.
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Snap Distribution / Depth Chart
Snap Counts
Snap %
Cincinnati BengalsBengals 2024 DT Snap Distribution See more data like this | See last season's snap counts
#% of Team Snaps

28748%
16661%
23539%
16561%
21736%
12847%
14725%
00%
14424%
00%
8915%
156%
8815%
7929%
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2024 Sheldon Rankins Split Stats
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Measurables Review
How do Sheldon Rankins' measurables compare to other defensive tackles?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 2"
 
Weight
305 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
5.03 sec
 
Shuttle Time
4.59 sec
 
Cone Drill
7.44 sec
 
Vertical Jump
34.5 in
 
Broad Jump
118 in
 
Bench Press
28 reps
 
Hand Length
9.38 in
 
Arm Length
33.38 in
 
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
Rankins signed with the Texans during the offseason after his most productive season since 2018. The 29-year-old recorded a career-high 43 tackles, three sacks and added a forced fumble. He'll join another experienced tackle, Maliek Collins, to form the starting interior of Houston's 4-3 defense.
Rankins is a run-stuffing presence on the interior of the Jets' defensive line. He saw the field for 57 percent of New York's defensive snaps last season, totaling 32 tackles (15 solo) and three sacks in his first year with the team.
Rankins signed a two-year deal with the Jets in the offseason. The interior defensive lineman dominated to the tune of 40 tackles and 8.0 sacks with the Saints in 2018, but that season was a major outlier, as he's eclipsed 20 tackles and two sacks just one other time each over the course of his five-year career.
After his 2019 season was cut short due to an ankle injury, Rankins is expected to be at full health for the 2020 campaign. In 10 games last season, he managed just 10 tackles and two sacks and appeared limited due to a ruptured Achilles suffered the previous offseason. He started all 16 games in both the 2017 and 2018 seasons, and in 2018, he managed eight sacks and a forced fumble, displaying his on-field talents. Rankins should provide a boost to New Orlean's defensive front in 2020 if he can stay on the field.
Rankins fell short of earning a Pro-Bowl nod, but his 2018 season amounted to a breakout. Despite seeing the majority of his snaps at an interior-line spot, Rankins amassed career highs in tackles and sacks, both in raw totals (40 and eight) and on a per-game basis (2.5, 0.5). In recognition of Rankins' improved performance, the Saints exercised his $7.69 million fifth-year option this offseason, likely setting the stage for player and team to reach a long-term extension. With four-time Pro Bowler Cameron Jordan and up-and-coming 2018 first-round pick Marcus Davenport terrorizing opposing quarterbacks off the edge, Rankins shouldn't be subject to regular double teams. That offers hope that those 2018 numbers may be something Rankins can build on, rather than a one-year anomaly.
After registering four sacks and six quarterback hits during a promising but injury-shortened nine-game rookie season, Rankins recorded only two sacks, 26 tackles and nine quarterback hits in 16 starts a year ago. As a sophomore, however, Rankins was asked to split time between defensive tackle and defensive end for portions of the season, filling in for Alex Okafor (Achilles), who ended up on injured reserve. With Okafor's return to health and the Saints drafting Marcus Davenport in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, Rankins is expected to return to an every-down role on the interior of the line, where he can hopefully use his elite quickness to harass opposing quarterbacks and regain the form he flashed as a rookie.
Rankins was selected by the Saints with the 12th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft but missed the first seven games of the season after suffering a leg injury during training camp. When he finally took the field, the rookie proved to be a disruptive defensive force, notching 20 tackles (15 solo), four sacks, and one forced fumble in nine games. Although most defensive tackles have only limited fantasy appeal outside of deep, position-specific IDP leagues, Rankins flashed an innate ability to rush the passer that may give him some value even in more traditional IDP formats.
Rankins, one of the top defenders on a tough Louisville defense the last two years, was selected by the Saints with the 12th overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Though he lacks prototypical size for a defense tackle, Rankins is an explosive athlete who could start immediately alongside Nick Fairley on the Saints' retooled defensive line. Still, outside of position-specific IDP leagues, he likely has limited fantasy appeal in most formats.
More Fantasy News
Returns to practice
DTCincinnati Bengals
Hamstring
October 9, 2024
Rankins (hamstring) returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since getting hurt, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com reports.
ANALYSIS
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Officially inactive
DTCincinnati Bengals
Hamstring
October 6, 2024
Rankins (hamstring) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Ravens.
ANALYSIS
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Listed as doubtful
DTCincinnati Bengals
Hamstring
October 4, 2024
Rankins (hamstring) is doubtful for Sunday's game against the Bengals.
ANALYSIS
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Out again for Week 4
DTCincinnati Bengals
Hamstring
September 27, 2024
Rankins (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Panthers, Kelsey Conway of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
ANALYSIS
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Won't play Monday
DTCincinnati Bengals
Hamstring
September 21, 2024
Rankins (hamstring) has been ruled out for Monday's game against Washington after not practicing Saturday, Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Should be priority for Jets
DTNew York Jets
February 22, 2023
Rankins, a pending free agent, should be a high-priority re-signing for the Jets this offseason, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com suggests.
ANALYSIS
Cimini mentions the fact that Rankins plays a premium interior line position the Jets already are thin at, and he'll still be only 29 years old when next season begins. Additionally, the veteran played well against the run in 2022, as New York allowed just 3.8 yards per carry with him on the field and 4.1 without him.
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