2025 IDP Dynasty Faller: Quay Walker
2025 IDP Dynasty Faller: Quay Walker. Linebackers are the cornerstone of IDP teams, with an elite one keeping a team competitive through thick and thin. First-round LBs hope to translate to IDP success, but what do we do when that hasn’t been the case? The Packers’ Quay Walker has had elite flashes, but has not become what we hoped. Do the underlying metrics show hope, or is he destined to fall off?
Welcome to the next installment of the 2025 IDP Dynasty Risers/Fallers series! This installment surrounds Green Bay’s much-maligned LB, Quay Walker. You can view the rest of the series here, where our team dives into a plethora of fascinating profiles! For my risers and fallers, I will provide background on what the player has done, outline underlying metrics and analytics (with some comparisons where applicable), discuss the competition and situation in their position group, and wrap up with what they could be in 2025 and beyond.
A note on metrics and statistics: fantasy finishes (I will use PPG for historical finishes) and current rankings are pulled from the FantasyPros and fantasydata databases, while advanced stats such as Pass-rush-win-rate (PRWR) and Average Depth of Tackle (AVDT) are taken from PFF’s database.
Background:
Walker has flashed moments of brilliance, but has not delivered on his top-25 pick billing. He has also been underwhelming for fantasy, never cracking the top-20 true LBs. Inconsistency has been the biggest issue for Walker for both on-field and fantasy performance. In 2024, Walker had career lows in games played, tackles, QB Hits, and PBUs. With the inconsistency and lack of composure (see multiple ejections), the Packers declined his 5th-year option this spring. This leads us to believe that his time in Green Bay is nearing an end.
Analytics:
We mentioned that Walker had been underwhelming on the field, as evidenced by average (at best) metrics in 2024. He finished outside of the top-32 LBs in all of Run-defense grade, run-stop %, and AVDT (94 qualifying LBs). His coverage grade dropped as well, falling to a career-low 50.6 (78/109 qualifying LBs). Injuries may have contributed to these regressions; however, the numbers are remarkably similar to those of depth linebackers Isaiah McDuffie and Eric Wilson, which is not a good sign for Walker. Even as a pass-rusher, the athletic LB saw regression to the middle-of-the-pack amongst off-ball LBs. Walker is still an elite-level tackler, with the 13th-best tackle grade and 18th-best missed-tackle% % (120 sample-LBs). When Walker gets to the ball carrier, it’s “lights out.” However, he has struggled to do so consistently, whether in coverage or against the run.
Competition:
This is the biggest concern for Walker’s Dynasty and 2025 outlooks alike. Edgerrin Cooper broke out over the back half of 2024 and is already a borderline top-10 LB. Cooper’s emergence and profile (top-50 pick with just as freaky athleticism as Walker) will have him on the field as the team’s top LB. Isaiah McDuffie is far from a world-beater, but has proven competence and steadiness in a defense that has been sorely missing it. If Walker steps out of line at all, the Packers have shown more than willingness to let McDuffie see a plurality of snaps. 2024 day-two pick Ty’Ron Hopper is also in the room and flashed early in his rookie year. The room is too crowded for Walker to continue being a “trigger-happy fly boy”, and if the antics/regression continue, Vice Admiral Holdo DC Jeff Haffley will bench him.
Dynasty Outlook:
The article to this point has been fairly critical of Walker. I will admit that this is essentially a case of recency bias, following a catastrophic 2024. His talent and raw athletic ability clearly remain, but he has not refined his game significantly in the three seasons. The struggles with his game are real, as evidenced by his grading as a below-average linebacker in 2025. His ranking of LB9 is incredibly aggressive with everything outlined here, so he is a clear “faller”. Walker feels closer to Devin Lloyd at this point, who is in the middle of tier 4. LB is a difficult position, so the talent is worth a shot on, but he cannot be relied on as your team’s LB1.