Anthony Barr

Barr almost departed for the Jets last offseason before ultimately returning to the Vikings on a five-year, $67.5 million deal, and he set a career high with 79 tackles (54 solo) in 14 games. The 28-year-old also tallied 1.5 sacks, one interception and one forced fumble, but there's nothing in his stats that puts him on the map as an IDP option. Barr's real-life value to Minnesota's defense far outweighs any production for fantasy purposes.

Barr allegedly agreed to a five-year, $67.5 million deal with the Jets during the offseason's legal tampering period, but ultimately reneged on the offer, choosing to return to the Vikings for what is expected to be a similar contract with more guaranteed money. That type of contract would seem to suggest Barr will be a focal point of the team's defense moving forward, but it's worth pointing out the 27-year-old has never recorded more than 75 tackles or four sacks in any of his five professional seasons. Based solely on his unique blend of athleticism and intimidating frame (6-5, 255 pounds), Barr is certainly capable of factoring in more defensively, but with a bevy of talented pass rushers such as Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter already set in their roles, it's hard to envision just where the off-ball linebacker will play a role prominent enough to warrant such a large contract.

The pass-rushing potential Barr displayed as a rookie hasn't been realized, and the 2014 first-rounder has lost a lot of his IDP luster after finishing that inaugural year on pace to notch 90 tackles and six sacks. However, he's proved to be an elite run-stopping linebacker and is a big reason why the Vikings allowed just 83.6 rushing yards per game in 2017. Moreover, he hasn't missed a game in two seasons and has consistently hovered around 70 tackles each year he's played. While he should be in for another campaign of solid numbers, Barr isn't worth reaching for in most formats.

The 2014 first-rounder took a step back during his third year in the league last season, notching a career low in solo tackles with just 37, 18 fewer than he racked up as a rookie. Barr also posted career lows in sacks (two) and forced fumbles (one), so the only way is up for him in 2017. His production among an inexperienced linebacking crew will be key for the core of the Vikings defense, which has the potential to be one of the league's best once again.

Barr is a former edge rusher who Vikings coach Mike Zimmer took on as a conversion project to 4-3 outside linebacker with the ninth overall pick in 2014. The experiment has been promising so far, and there's reason to hope for a breakout in Barr's third season. Barr has 138 tackles (109 solo) and 7.5 sacks in 26 career games, and his background as a highly athletic, successful college pass rusher gives reason to think he could push for the 80-tackle, 10-sack mark during his best years.

Barr was a candidate for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year before missing the final two games with a knee injury. He proved a disruptive force in the passing game, and collected 70 tackles, four sacks and three fumble recoveries in 12 games. Assuming he remains healthy Barr should continues as a cornerstone of an improving Minnesota defense in 2015.

Barr, the ninth overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft, will start at strong-side linebacker. Barr ran a 4.66 40-yard dash at the combine, which is a strong time for a 6-5, 255 player. He has plenty of on-paper upside to develop, given that he has just two years of defensive experience at UCLA -- he was mostly a failed tight end experiment before that -- and he proved to be a natural edge rusher by piling up 23 sacks and 41 tackles for loss in his first 27 games at the position. Barr will be used as a linebacker in early downs and as a defensive end on passing downs to maximize him as a speed edge rusher. It may take him some time to develop, but he's a rookie IDP to watch for sack potential.