Today, we continue our Risers and Fallers series by looking at the other side of the ball on defense. Let us look at who are the Dynasty Risers at Defensive Back heading into the 2022 fantasy football season!
Defensive back has slowly become my favorite IDP position over the years just due to the versatility these players are asked to display on the football field. You have DBs who play strictly as coverage cornerbacks, safeties who play the role of high tackle-volume linebackers, and everything in between. They’ve become the Swiss Army Knives of defensive positions.
Waxing poetic over the defensive back position notwithstanding, ANY position’s value in IDP is 100% determined by the scoring setting. As we discussed last week we’ve implemented a BRAND NEW IDP scoring setting here at Fantasy In Frames. HOWEVER, someone on Twitter brought it to my attention that our scoring setting includes metrics that are only found on the Sleeper App. As a result, I decided to create a second setting that people can use for ESPN fantasy as well:
Both of these settings will help bring balance in terms of fantasy point output amongst all three IDP positional categories as well as their counterparts collectively on offense.
With all that said, let us get down to what you are all here for, the Dynasty Risers at Defensive Back.
Below are four players listed: two whose dynasty value has definitely risen after the 2021 season and two that have the potential to rise heading into 2022!
Those who have risen……
Jalen Thompson
Averaging out as the DB7 using both our Sleeper (DB10) and ESPN (DB3) modified scoring settings, Thompson was second among all defensive backs in total tackles with 121. In fact, across all IDP positions, he was ranked 20th overall in total tackles. To give you a sense of how that compares to players on offense, Thompsons’ fantasy output in half PPR scoring was comparable to offensive players such as Cordarrelle Patterson & Tyler Lockett using our Sleeper league settings and D.K Metcalf and Keenan Allen using our ESPN league settings.
His total tackle rate of 12.3 % and solo tackle rate of 8% were right up there with some of the best in the NFL among DBs. Playing a majority of snaps at strong safety for the season certainly helped with his tackle upside as strong safeties are typically used as the 3rd linebacker in nickel packages.
According to PFF, Thompson ranked 12th in defensive stop % and tied as the DB5 in defensive stops when playing against the run. With Budda Baker relegated to playing more Free Safety in this Cardinals’ defensive scheme, Thompson’s IDP value should hold steady going into next year and he is definitely worth a late 1st round/high 2nd round pick in IDP dynasty drafts.
Tracy Walker
Lions reached agreement with their safety Tracy Walker on a three-year, $25 million deal that includes $17 million guaranteed, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2022
As I mentioned last year, which you can read here, I stated the following regarding Tracy Walker:
I would recommend fielding offers for him while his market value has taken a hit after this past fantasy season. If he can stay healthy he could return DB1 dividends in 2021 and beyond.
He may not have gotten you DB1 production in terms of PPG in 2021, but he did get you DB2 production with an average of 12.1 PPG using our Sleeper and ESPN modified scoring settings. 12.1 PPG is comparable to players on offense such as CeeDee Lamb, D.K. Metcalf, and D.J. Moore.
Now, am I going to sit here and say he’s a mind-blowingly good defensive player? No. When playing in man coverage, Walker allowed an NFL passer rating of 104.9 which is no bueno. He had an overall missed tackle rate of 12.2%, according to PFF which surpassed his solo tackle rate of 8.5%.
Where Walker excelled at was when he played in coverage, evidenced by his NFL passer rating allowed of 89.0 and a coverage missed tackle rate of just 4%. He, also, played well against the run. Among all safeties in the NFL, Walker was the DB4 in tackles made when playing against the run despite his 15.9 missed tackle rate.
Efficiency is not Walker’s game in real football, but in terms of IDP as long as he’s getting the volume on the field to make plays against the run and has the ability to break up passes and make tackles in coverage effectively, Walker’s IDP fantasy value going forward is a stable as it comes. Add on his brand new contract that he signed today, Walker should be definitely bumped up in your dynasty rankings heading into next season.
Those who could rise……
Kyle Dugger
Finishing at the DB20 in PPG average on Sleeper and ESPN with an average of around 12 PPG between both platforms, Dugger ranked 1st among all defensive backs in run stopping percentage and 2nd overall in run stops. He was, also, the DB24 in total tackles with a solo tackle rate of 9.53% and a total tackle rate of 12.5%. Playing his first full season at strong safety, Dugger put the AFC East and the league on notice that he is a tackling machine to be reckoned with.
Kyle Dugger vs a 330 lb OL pic.twitter.com/MF6urfbnTO
— Brett (@TheBg_12) June 16, 2021
As Dugger goes so will this Patriots defense. As a young cornerstone on this team, Dugger not only has tremendous upside from a real football perspective but his IDP value should rise even more heading into and during next season as his name value and performance draw more attention.
AJ Terrell
A.J. Terrell — PFF’s highest-graded CB — with the interception ????
— PFF (@PFF) January 2, 2022
pic.twitter.com/95ZlNfDUtQ
The DB24 in PPG using Sleeper scoring and the DB29 in PPG using ESPN scoring with a cumulative average score of 11.5, Terrell finished as the DB8 overall on defense according to PFF. Tied for 6th among DBs in passes defended with 16, Terrell was rated as a Top 20 DB in man coverage and the DB8 when playing in zone. With 81 total tackles on the season, Terrell made a name for himself down in Atlanta in just his second year. Excelling in man coverage with a missed tackle rate of just 6.3%, as long the Falcons find themselves on defense more often than not he should continue to see his fair share of opportunities to make plays. The ONLY concern with using a cornerback in your IDP spot, a really GOOD cornerback, is the risk of opposing offenses shying away from him in the passing game. It is for that reason I have him listed as a “could rise”.
Now, if in training camp we hear he’s being moved all over the field lining up at various positions in coverage, THEN you better believe his dynasty value will shoot through the roof!
