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The 2022 season provides some real intrigue regarding potential value shifts for IDP players. Free agency has provided some excellent change of scenery for some players who have yet to blast onto the scene. There are also a group of youngsters who have yet to grab a hold of a spot in their team's starting lineup, though that could potentially change for 2022 with a strong camp and preseason. 2021 did provide breakout years for some young IDP players, though they are still not garnering the attention they deserve. Here we will cover all areas of players you can acquire cheap before their value spikes and they have a breakout year.
LB Nicholas Morrow, Chicago
2020 Stats: 78 tackles (62 solos), 8 tackles for a loss, 3 sacks, 9 passes defended, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, and 9 pressures. (missed all of 2021)
Nicholas Morrow has been a hot name recently in IDP circles. He missed the 2021 season, though he landed in a great spot for the 2022 season. He replaces Danny Trevathan as the starting inside linebacker next to Roquan Smith in the center of the Bears defense. While Trevathan manned the middle with Smith, he averaged 6.5 tackles per game. During Morrow's 2020 season, he showed vast improvement with a 74.1 tackle grade per Pro Football Focus, a 70.4 pass rush grade, and a 70.4 coverage grade. Morrow seems to have fully recovered from his foot injury and is added to a depleted depth chart outside Roquan Smith.
Talking about Smith, he has recently requested a trade from the Bears, showing a lack of interest in sticking around. If Smith is traded, Morrow will be thrust into the LB1 role on the Bears. During camp, he has been wearing the green dot, calling the plays on the defense. He is also tasked with playing the Darius Leonard role in Coach Eberflus's defense. I am not saying Morrow is as talented as Leonard, but it shows that he could be used in various ways, from dropping in coverage to blitzing the quarterback. No matter what, Morrow should have a strong 2022 and has yet to truly break out. Try and trade for him now, before his value blows up.
LB Jacob Phillips, Cleveland
2021 Stats: 17 tackles (13 solos), 2 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, 3 passes defended, and 1 pressure. (4 games, 1 start)
Phillips is more of an under-the-radar prospect than Morrow is. To start, Phillips only turns 24 years old during the 2022 season and has many years of football ahead of him. Phillips was a 3rd round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, 97th overall. That is strong draft capital for an inside linebacker. Phillips did make his way onto the field as a rookie, but only for the last four games of the season after he suffered a torn bicep. During his four games in 2021, he played at a high level.
He only played on 48% of the team's defensive snaps over those four games but showed his playmaking upside. he averaged over four tackles a game at that snap share. If you boost that up to a three-down, 100% snap role, that average jumps to about eight tackles per game. He started the final game of the 2021 season and played 85% of the defensive snaps in that game. He showed out with the added responsibilities, pumping out 9 tackles, two for a loss, one sack, two passes defended, and a QB hit. Phillips and Anthony Walker are currently listed as co-starters next to Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. The job is up for grabs, and Phillips has far more playmaking upside than Walker.
DE/EDGE, Josh Sweat, Philadelphia
2021 Stats: 45 tackles (19 solos), 7 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, 4 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, and 46 pressures.
Josh Sweat falls into the category of underappreciated. During the 2021 season, Sweat led the Eagles' edge rushers in snaps, sacks, and pressures. He set career highs in every major statistical category outside of tackles for a loss, which he fell just two shy of. Sweat graded out excellent per Pro Football Focus with a 76.1 overall defensive grade, a 76 pass rush grade, and a 71.4 coverage grade. Even after all the impressive 2021 season, Sweat holds a consensus ranking of DE34. That has him ranked lower than rookies Sam Williams and George Karlaftis, who have yet to lock down starting roles, as well as Christian Wilkins, Quinnen Williams, and Cameron Heyward, all of which are interior linemen.
I have Sweat ranked as the DE21, check out all of our rankings here at Footballguys.com. Sweat is still only 25 years old and has continually progressed yearly. Derek Barnett has been incredibly underwhelming over his career, and Brandon Graham is one step out the door at age 34. The Eagles did add Hasson Reddick this off-season which could potentially help Sweat convert on more of his 46 pressures, with more attention from the offensive line being forced to Reddick's side. Even with Reddick joining the group, Sweat could finish as a high-end DE2 and possibly fall into the DE1 territory.
S Grant Delpit, Cleveland
2021 Stats: 66 tackles (43 solos), 3 tackles for a loss, 1 sack, 3 passes defended, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and 3 pressures.
Grant Delpit was regarded as a first-round pick by many leading up to the 2020 NFL draft, and the Browns got a steal drafting him in the 2nd round. Delpit suffered an Achilles injury in 2020 and missed the entire season. In 2021, Delpit returned and played 15 games in 2021 with a clean bill of health and played well. His numbers did not necessarily jump out from a fantasy football perspective, though the intrigue is there. He split time between free safety (256 snaps) and in the box (238 snaps) while adding another 80 snaps in the slot.
Currently, Delpit is listed as the team's starting strong safety on the initial depth chart. The Browns predominantly play a Cover 3 or Quarters zone defense or at least did in 2021. These zone defenses have the strong safety playing the shallow zone in the middle of the field, closer to the line of scrimmage. Delpit could end up playing the bulk of his snaps in the sweet spot for IDP defensive backs...in the box. He is still just 24 years old and is currently ranked as the S35 in Footballguys consensus rankings. Delpit could likely be acquired for a late-round rookie pick but could give you S1 return.
Final Thoughts
All the IDP players listed above can be acquired for pennies on the dollar. Not one of these players is ranked higher than 35th at their respective positions. The goal is to acquire some of these players without giving up significant roster spots or draft capital and reaping the rewards once they officially break out. You need to stay ahead of the curve; hopefully, this helps. Thank you again for reading my articles here at footballguys.com.