4 Breakout Defensive Linemen to Target in IDP Leagues in 2024

Aug 14, 2024

Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK

What constitutes a breakout? Can you break out again if you've already broken out previously? I'm not sure what the rules are.

For this exercise, I think what serves you, the audience, best is a look at defensive linemen who I believe are currently undervalued based on ADP, who I expect to outperform their previous best season. Some guys are younger, and some a little older, but the goal is to find value your league mates might not see.

More IDP rankings & Tier Breakdowns: Linebackers | Defensive Linemen | Defensive Backs | IDP Primer | Camp Battles To Watch

Opportunity is the golden goose of all fantasy scoring, whether it's offensive only or IDP. In IDP leagues, regardless of your league's scoring format, top-tier defensive linemen are the most bankable commodity in the game. Defensive linemen are unique because their value is often tied to their skill level. We can't forget about opportunity, but at the end of the day, when the player is on the field, it comes down to his ability to beat the player or players in front of them.

Breakout Defensive Linemen

Jalen Carter

This is the layup of all 2024 IDP breakouts. Jalen Carter was awesome on a play-by-play basis during his rookie campaign, but the Eagles brought him in slowly and leaned on their defensive line depth, rotating Carter in for just 51% of the snaps on the season. That led to a mediocre fantasy output, which should change drastically this season.

Veteran Fletcher Cox was at the head of the defensive tackle rotation for Philadelphia last season, playing on about 75% of the week's snaps when he was healthy. On the season, Cox accounted for 66% of the snaps, and his offseason retirement opens up a clear path for Carter to step into more work in his second year.

New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has shown a willingness to lean on his top talents, backed up by Christian Wilkins' 81% snap share in Miami last season. Among defensive linemen, Carter ranked 35th in pass rush snaps but 15th in total pressures. His 25.3% pass rush win rate on true passing sets ranked third at the position, trailing only Dexter Lawrence and Aaron Donald. It'd be surprising to see Carter not push for a 75% snap share this season, which should easily lead him to double-digit sacks.