This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
RISING
Sheldon Richardson, (3-4) DE, NYJ
Richardson returns for the Jets this week after serving a one-game suspension due to violating the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy. Even in his first game back, Richardson should provide solid DL2 utility against the Bills on Thursday. Richardson totaled 35 tackles and five sacks on just 618 snaps last year, and if he pushes for about 55 snaps per game in 2016, that rate of production would project to roughly 47 tackles and seven sacks. Richardson displayed a higher tackle frequency in the two years prior, however, so something in the range of 65 tackles and seven sacks in 15 games appears more likely.
Sio Moore, (3-4) ILB, IND
Moore's role seems somewhat capped – the Colts gave a combined 27 snaps to Adam Morrison and Josh McNary – but Moore generally operated as a three-down linebacker for the Colts against Detroit on Sunday. He logged 47 snaps, which was just four fewer than clear-lead linebacker D'Qwell Jackson's total. He had a big game in the uptempo showdown, finishing with 13 tackles (10 solo) after finishing the entire 2015 season with the same number. Moore has flashed major IDP upside, most notably his 2014 season when he finished with 90 tackles and three sacks in 11 games, so he could keep it going if he stays healthy.
Deion Jones, OLB, ATL
Jones is a rookie who's built more conventionally like a safety than a linebacker at just 6-foot-1, 222, but
RISING
Sheldon Richardson, (3-4) DE, NYJ
Richardson returns for the Jets this week after serving a one-game suspension due to violating the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy. Even in his first game back, Richardson should provide solid DL2 utility against the Bills on Thursday. Richardson totaled 35 tackles and five sacks on just 618 snaps last year, and if he pushes for about 55 snaps per game in 2016, that rate of production would project to roughly 47 tackles and seven sacks. Richardson displayed a higher tackle frequency in the two years prior, however, so something in the range of 65 tackles and seven sacks in 15 games appears more likely.
Sio Moore, (3-4) ILB, IND
Moore's role seems somewhat capped – the Colts gave a combined 27 snaps to Adam Morrison and Josh McNary – but Moore generally operated as a three-down linebacker for the Colts against Detroit on Sunday. He logged 47 snaps, which was just four fewer than clear-lead linebacker D'Qwell Jackson's total. He had a big game in the uptempo showdown, finishing with 13 tackles (10 solo) after finishing the entire 2015 season with the same number. Moore has flashed major IDP upside, most notably his 2014 season when he finished with 90 tackles and three sacks in 11 games, so he could keep it going if he stays healthy.
Deion Jones, OLB, ATL
Jones is a rookie who's built more conventionally like a safety than a linebacker at just 6-foot-1, 222, but the Falcons showed no aversion to throwing Jones into the fire against the Buccaneers on Sunday, giving him 54 snaps at outside linebacker. Jones' final tally of six tackles doesn't stand out at a glance, but the second-round pick out of LSU has a realistic chance to see his numbers rise as long as he maintains his current workload. Jones was a dominant playmaker for the Tigers in 2015, finishing his 12-game season with 100 tackles (13.5 for a loss), five sacks and two interceptions. He has quiet upside.
Max Bullough, (3-4) ILB, HOU
Brian Cushing (MCL tear) is expected to miss around six weeks, opening up a starting spot and a potential three-down role in the Houston defense until Cushing's return. Bullough gets the first crack at the opportunity, and in the short term that makes him worth a look as an LB2 or LB3 in many IDP formats. Playing 28 snaps against the Bears on Sunday, Bullough finished with five solo tackles. He was very productive at Michigan State, but perceived athletic limitations pushed him to the sixth round after starting three seasons for the Spartans.
Paul Posluszny, MLB, JAC
Posluszny's anticipated decline might yet occur in 2016, but it certainly didn't happen against the Packers on Sunday. His final total of five tackles certainly doesn't stand out, but more noteworthy is the fact that Posluszny played each of Jacksonville's 64 defensive snaps. It was presumed that rookie second-round pick Myles Jack would have stolen some of those, but Jack didn't play a single defensive snap – Dan Skuta actually played ahead of him by logging 19 snaps in the 4-3. Jack will almost certainly get on the field in the upcoming weeks, and eventually those snaps likely will be at Posluszny's expense, but until that day Posluszny has top-shelf LB1 upside.
FALLING
Denzel Perryman, (3-4) ILB, SD
It's probably too soon to cut bait, but Perryman's Week 1 was disturbing. The 2015 second-round pick was expected to take over a three-down role after a strong rookie season and with Donald Butler no longer around, but the Chargers only let him play in 3-4 formations against the Chiefs on Sunday. Jatavis Brown and Tourek Williams stole snaps from Perryman off the bench, leaving Perryman with just 32 snaps while mediocre fellow inside linebacker Manti Te'o led the team with 70. It's possible that Perryman saw a lower play count than usual due to the Chargers getting a big early lead, causing Kansas City to go pass-heavy, but that's a tiny workload for a player who had 62 tackles and two sacks in nine starts as a rookie last year.
Stephone Anthony, OLB, NO
Like Perryman, Anthony is a second-year player with high expectations who played a strangely low snap count in Week 1. Anthony started against the Raiders but played just 13 snaps, making one tackle. It's possible that Anthony's leg injury in training camp left him with a minimal role in Week 1, but he was expected to be healthy going into Sunday. Craig Robertson and Michael Mauti took snaps at Anthony's expense, which just doesn't seem sustainable given that Anthony started 16 games as a first-round pick last year. Still, in the meantime he's a scary IDP consideration, because his role is totally up in the air.
Mychal Kendricks, OLB, PHI
Chip Kelly is no longer around, and the Doug Pederson regime evidently isn't as fond of Kendricks as Kelly's was. The Eagles played almost exclusively in nickel formation Sunday, giving 51 snaps to each of Jordan Hicks and Nigel Bradham, leaving Kendricks with just 19. Kendricks didn't post a single stat in his abbreviated showing, taking him off the IDP radar for now. The best thing for his IDP value would be a trade.
Gerald Hodges, (3-4) ILB, SF
Hodges is a former Penn State standout with good athleticism and reasonable production in his NFL career, so when the 49ers traded for him last year it was presumed that he'd get a shot at a three-down role in the San Francisco defense by the time 2016 arrived. Unfortunately for Hodges, the arrival of 2016 brought Ray-Ray Armstrong with it, and against the Rams on Monday the 49ers split snaps between the two linebackers – Hodges working as the starter but Armstrong stepping in for 42 snaps while Hodges just played 19. Hodges totaled just two tackles while Armstrong finished with four and an interception. Hodges is off the IDP radar for the time being.
Ryan Shazier, (3-4) ILB, PIT
Shazier is an incomparably athletic and always productive linebacker, so the only thing that can stop him is injury. Unfortunately for Shazier and the Steelers, injuries have stopped him quite often since he was selected 15th overall in the 2014 draft. The latest anecdote was the knee injury Shazier suffered against Washington on Monday, casting a cloud over what should have been a dominant performance. With the injury limiting him to 44 snaps, Shazier still finished with six tackles, an interception and a forced fumble. He's questionable for the Week 2 matchup with Cincinnati, meaning he might miss the 12th of his first 34 career NFL games. His upside still makes him worth holding on to in leagues where owners can spare the bench spot, however.
