Welcome to the fantasy football’s Top 26 dynasty IDP targets under 26 in 2020. This series of articles is intended to help those fantasy football owners looking to revamp or start a dynasty roster. So why 26 under 26? Because our focus is on a group of fantasy football defensive players that are no older than 25. And have shown to be long term potential IDP assets at the highest level. The kind players we want to have on our rosters as they hit their prime years. And hopefully helping us earn a few titles as the seasons roll by.
Dynasty IDP Targets Ranking Ground Rules
Ranking fantasy football players can vary in opinions. So we will lay out the ground rules on how those IDP hairs were split between these players. Starting with the following things taken under consideration. And making this statement now.
No matter how, when. or why it’s an opinion. And the same can be said on who the players are that are chosen to be in the rankings.
So with that being said, my credentials in IDP knowledge runs around fifteen years now. And much of that time is not just spent on fantasy football data. It also includes researching and keeping up on the latest reports and news. And although “numbers” have to be used to rank. I find that those IDP hairs are so thin to split that normally I’d soon have any player within a difference of ten from any given rank.
The point here is we’ll list the considerations taken into these rankings. And my personal opinions are just that. Because all of the 26 and likely a few that didn’t make my list, boils down to my personal preferences.
Now on to our Top 26 Dynasty IDP Targets under 26 years old for 2020.
Considered
Player statistics
Team situation
Surrounding Talent
Player potential
Consistency Margin Of Error
Preferences
2020’s Fantasy Football Top Dynasty IDP Targets: #5
Chicago Bears Linebacker Roquan Smith
Position: MILB/WILB – Height/Weight: 6-o, 230lb – Age As Of Jan.1, 2020: 22
Salary / Contract
2019 Gridiron Ratings
Overall
61*
Rank NA*
Performance
49*
Rank NA*
Opportunity
89*
Rank 6th (tied)*
Availability
74*
Injured*
Solo
78*
Rank 21st*
Note* The overall and performance ratings were not ranked because Smith only played 67% of the snaps available. This is reflected in his availability rating because he missed time early for “personal reasons” and then ended the season on injured reserves (torn pectoral muscle). We did, however, rank his opportunity and solo ratings. Simply to show that despite the other rankings affected by time missed, he still did perform when he was on the field. And to help demonstrate this, we will add a comparison with a well know linebacker in Tremaine Edmunds of Buffalo. For those familiar with performing IDP players in fantasy football. And noting just the slight difference in performance versus the availability and solo ratings.
Combine
40 Yard Dash 4.51 SECONDS
Bench Press
DNP REP
Vertical Jump
DNP INCHESBroad Jump DNP INCHES3 Cone Drill DNP SECONDS
20 Yd Shuttle
DNP SECONDS
College Credentials
Roquan Smith was the second-ranked linebacker in the nation coming out of Macon County High School in Montezuma, Georgia. And after being named the Class AA Defensive Player of the Year, by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as a senior, he committed to UCLA. But then Smith changed his mind and decided to stay in-state and attended the University of Georgia. Whereas a 2015 freshman Bulldog, he was a reserve linebacker recording twenty combined tackles. Then as a sophomore in 2016 and a key team linebacker, he started ten of thirteen contests, recording 95 combined tackles, leading the Bulldogs on the season.
Smith continued his development and led the team again in 2017 with 137 tackles, fourteen for loss, and seven sacks as a junior. And it was especially noted he recorded 76 tackles, 13 for loss, 6 sacks, and two fumble recoveries over the last seven contests. And Smith went on to earn several nominations for national defensive player awards that year. With the highlight of being named the Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker in the country. Some of the other notable honors were being named a first-team All-America, a first-team All-SEC, and the SEC Defensive Player of the Year award winner. And it didn’t stop there, Smith topped it all off and was the 2018 Rose Bowl Defensive MVP of the game. And he promptly went on and declared for the NFL, skipping his senior year of college.
NFL Recap
Entering the 2018 NFL draft, Roqaun Smith was considered the overall best inside linebacker prospect by NFL experts. And that wasn’t hampered after he decided not to participate in the combine’s bench press and then proceeded to injure his calf in his first 40-yard dash attempt. As a result, he did not perform in any positional work or drills deciding as well not to partake in Georga’s pro-day.
The complications did not end there for Smith’s transition into the NFL either. Because after the Bears selected him eighth overall, he held out signing his rookie contract. And it wasn’t until August the dispute was settled, and Smith reported to the Bears camp. We’ll mention on Smith’s behalf he was not being greedy about the money they offered. The dispute was over language in the contract whether the guaranteed money would be reclaimed if he was suspended due to the NFL’s new rule about leading with the helmet. And after getting up to speed, Smith started fourteen contests and recorded 121 combined tackles, eight for a loss, and five sacks on the year.
Entering 2019 anticipations were high, but after the start of the season, the “personal reasons” mentioned in the Gridiron Rating notes came into play. And without doubling this article, those details available can be seen HERE. After the drama ended, Smith returned to the field until he tore his pectoral muscle in week fourteen contest versus the Cowboys. That injury sent him to the injured reserves and he finished the season with 10 combined tackles, five for a loss, and two sacks.
Fantasy Football Dynasty IDP Targets Summary
Despite some of the ups and downs of owning Smith as an IDP player, he still has offered great production upside. And in those contests he has been healthy and capable he does get the job done. The only stat lacking is the same one a lot of the younger players in these dynasty IDP targets, which is game-changing type plays. And over two years, those numbers are not terrible, but they do leave us fantasy football owners wanting more.
Otherwise, his tackle numbers have been solid, and for the most part, he stands out week to week. While on average, Smith records around 7.5 combined tackles per contest and owns a decent career solo to assisted tackle ratio. That stat did dip in 2019 and in the 28 games he has started, he only had eight combined tackles or more, for fourteen of those. But he has had only four contests that could be considered real disappointments with four or less combined tackles recorded.
It is this Writer’s Opinion
It’s this writer’s opinion that Smith is a double-edged sword as a top-five dynasty IDP target. But that his talent will come through and I’m going to admit, the more I dug, and the more I typed, the less confidence I felt at first. But in the end, and after reexamining, I did decide that based on what I know we’ll give him the benefit of doubt.
Smith’s late start in 2018, troubles and injury in 2019, isn’t glaring enough to overlook the talent he has. And the situation he is entering into this season is just another positive. The Bears were not good in 2019, we know this and assuming they’ll be about the same in 2020 works in Smith’s favor. As well as the idea that Danny Trevathan won’t likely be starting next to him because he is currently a free agent. And even if Trevathan would return, that won’t change anything, because Smith already has shown he is the main cog of the interior defense. It’s now short and sweet here, all indications on paper set up Smith for the future as a dynasty IDP target and a good one for the sake of the conversation.
As long as he can break out in his notorious third year and be on the field for the whole season, he’ll prove that long term he is worth this call. Smith is an outstanding talent with above-average skills as a linebacker. And any risk versus reward in owning him in a dynasty league, or redraft for that matter, is well worth its upside. The potential of having a top ten and possibly top five producing IDP player like him over the next five years can’t be ignored, so acquire him accordingly.
Top 26 Dynasty IDP Targets To “Click On” And…
- …
- …
- …
- …
- …TBD
- Zach Cunningham
- Joey Bosa
- Budda Baker
- Jaylon Smith
- Nick Bosa
- Jamal Adams
- Devin Bush
- Devin White
- Leighton Vander Esch
- Jayon Brown
- John Johnson
- Myles Garrett
- Derwin James
- Deforest Buckner
- Tremaine Edmunds
- Fred Warner
- Bradley Chubb
- Deion Jones
- Tracy Walker
- Shaq Thompson
- Kenny Clark
Thank you for joining me as we rank the top 26 under 26 fantasy football dynasty IDP targets for 2020.
Gary VanDyke
“The IDP Tipster”
Would you like directly have access to Gary VanDyke and his fantasy Football IDP “takes” or interact? You can find him here @TheIDPTipster via Twitter. His most active account. Or chat with us using our member’s chat on site. We look forward to hearing from you.
