Melvin Ingram

Ingram is already 31 years old, which invites reasonable concern of physical decline, but his production from last year implies he has a bit more wind in his sails. His 48 tackles and seven sacks from last year were accumulated in just 677 snaps over 13 games. That production would project to roughly 60 tackles and nine sacks over 16 games, so perhaps that sort of production would be a reasonable expectation if Ingram plays a full season in 2020.

Ingram might be a better real-life defensive end than a fantasy one, as the value of his conditioning and versatility is easy to miss in the box score. But Ingram is a strong DL2 anyway, exceeding 60 tackles and reaching double-digit sacks two of the last four years.He reliably contributes about 900 snaps and offers the Chargers defensive line-linebacker interchangeability, ensuring a constant presence on the field. He's a good candidate for a bounce-back season following a disappointing 2018 when his tackle and sack production dipped below his past averages.

Ingram has been a strong defender for years, but this may be the first where his mainstream IDP classification is on the defensive line rather than at linebacker. The confusion is understandable – Ingram runs like a linebacker, and his tasks sometimes interchange between the positions. It's in any case a boon for his IDP value, and it makes him an instant DL1 prospect given his reliable ability to post double-digit sacks and 60-plus tackles.

Ingram was given the franchise tag during the offseason, signaling the Chargers interest in keeping one of their star pass rushers off the open market. While the linebacker finished the 2016 season with less sacks (eight) than his breakout 2015 campaign (10.5), the 28-year-old showed plenty of promise, combining with Joey Bosa to form one of the more dynamic pass-rushing tandems in the NFL.

Ingram finally lived up to his first-round potential last year, recording 10.5 sacks to go along with 65 tackles and three forced fumbles in a breakout season. Now firmly situated on an emerging defense, Ingram could be poised for even better production in 2016.

The Chargers are counting on Ingram to break out in his fourth season in the league. Injuries have limited him to just 13 games over the last two seasons, but he is healthy heading into 2015. He had four sacks in just nine games last year and could be set for a big year.

Much was expected from Ingram in his second year as a pro last season, but a torn ACL ruined his plans. He was able to come back from the injury well ahead of schedule and played in four games, but only managed to log eight tackles and one sack. As 2014 approaches, he looks primed to have a big year and should help the Chargers mostly pedestrian pass rush.

Ingram was set to have a break out season in 2013, but a torn ACL during an OTA session will most likely cost him the entire year.

Many experts feel that the Chargers got a steal when Ingram fell to them in the late first round of the 2012 draft, and he is expected to immediately put a charge into San Diego's pass rush. He will play primarily at the outside linebacker spot, but early indications are that he will line up at a number of different positions throughout the season in an attempt to maximize his potential for getting after opposing quarterbacks.