Edge Rusher Sleepers

Photo: USA Today Sports

There was a time when a fantasy player could find unknown players who were ready to explode. These unrecognized players were dubbed "sleepers" because the rest of your leaguemates were not yet awake to them.

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And we also got our fantasy stats out of the next day's newspaper. Yes, fantasy games used to be scored over a period of days.

Things change.

Today, the stats are instant, and everyone knows about everyone. As such, the definition of a sleeper has evolved. To be clear, we define sleepers as players who we think will perform better than most expect and be undervalued at their average draft position.

Our staff recently gathered to offer up their sleepers. Here they are.

Edge Rusher Sleepers from Kyle Bellefeuil

Dorance Armstrong, Washington

Armstrong followed his former defensive coordinator, Dan Quinn, to Washington, signing a three-year $33 million contract in free agency. Previously, Armstrong was a rotational pass rusher under Quinn in Dallas, holding a sub-50% snap share over his past two seasons, but did find success compiling 16 sacks over those two years. Given his lucrative contract and the state of the Washington edge unit, Armstrong is primed to start and see an uptick in volume–even a 60%+ snap share would be welcomed. There’s intrigue with Armstrong in his new home, and his DL72 ADP via The IDP Show feels like a bargain.

Preston Smith, Green Bay

Smith isn’t the flashy name among the Green Bay edge group, but he has been consistent and durable. Over his past three seasons, Smith has averaged 748 snaps, 48 tackles, 19 quarterback hits, and eight-and-a-half sacks per season. While those might not be eye-popping numbers, they are solid, considering you can land him as DL69 via The IDP Show ADP. Lukas Van Ness is a potential rising star, but I think he is a year away from fully supplanting Smith opposite of Rashan Gary.

Malcolm Koonce, Las Vegas

Koonce was a waiver-wire darling for those who made the move last year, finishing the season with a fury, compiling six sacks over his final four games. Koonce didn’t just flash in the box score; his onfield play was also impressive. Per Pro Football Focus, Koonce hit the mark with an 81.3 overall defensive grade, a 78.9 pass-rush grade, and a 15.1% pressure rate. Koonce is entering a pivotal contract year and will be looking to pick up where he left off last season for what looks to be a solid Raider defensive front. There is value to be had with his DL54 price tag via THe IDP Show ADP.

Edge Rusher Sleepers from Gary Davenport

Dorance Armstrong, Washington 

There weren’t many edge-rushers last year who were better at rushing the passer on a per-snap basis last year than Armstrong, who logged a sack every 59.5 snaps with the Dallas Cowboys. The year before, it was a sack every 68 snaps. There’s admittedly no guarantee that Armstrong can log a sack every 60-ish snaps in a larger role with the Commanders, but Washington thought enough of the 27-year-old to give him $11 million a season to be the team’s No. 1 edge-rusher. At his modest asking price, it’s absolutely worth rolling the dice he can.

Malcolm Koonce, Las Vegas

Koonce is the poster guy for why IDP analysts can’t have anything nice—it’s our job to tell people that a player who logged six sacks over the final month of the 2023 season (and was first among all defensive ends over that span) is being drafted outside the top-50 at his position in most IDP drafts. Is Koonce going to maintain the torrid pace of that month last year? Nope. Is it possible it was just a hot streak that won’t be repeated? Yep. But Koonce is in a contract year playing opposite an elite EDGE in Maxx Crosby. Taking minimal risk with the chance of a big payday is exactly the sort of player IDP managers should target late in drafts.

Byron Young, LA Rams

The Godfather may be beating the drum for Young just a tad—this is at least the fourth time this summer that I’ve mentioned the second-year pro here at FBG. There’s a reason for that—multiple ones, actually. Young had more tackles, sacks, and fantasy points in 2023 than Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson. He came to camp this year with an extra 10 pounds of muscle on his frame. And he’ll have an improved batterymate in 2024 in rookie Jared Verse. Anderson is being drafted as a DL1 in many leagues. Young is an afterthought. That makes very little sense.