Adrian Phillips

Phillips, who finished the 2021 regular season with 92 tackles and four interceptions (including a 26-yard pick-six) in 17 games, signed a three-year extension with the Patriots late in the season, keeping the 30-year-old in the fold through 2024. He'll reprise his key role in New England's secondary this coming season alongside fellow key safeties Kyle Dugger and Devin McCourty. It's a playing context which should continue to yield fantasy relevance for Phillips in his third season with the team.

Few DBs pile up tackles at the rate of Phillips, so he offers DB1 upside even though he's unlikely to ever approach 1,000 snaps in a season. Playing like a safety-linebacker hybrid last year, Phillips led the Patriots with 109 tackles — including a team-leading seven tackles for loss — on just 747 snaps. Phillips' particular safety position appears rover-like and distinct from the more traditional safety role played by Kyle Duggar, or the center-fielder role played by Devin McCourty, so there's a way for all three to coexist. Phillips is a fine bet to lead the Patriots in tackles again.

Phillips put together easily his best season as a pro in 2017, operating as the team’s box safety in Gus Bradley’s exotic 3-4 defense. The fifth-year pro is expected to compete with 2018 first-round pick Derwin James for the starting free safety job.

Phillips is a safety with quite a few guys ahead of him on the depth chart. He is not expected to see much playing time in 2015.