The NFC North is filled with all kinds of different IDP outlooks. Rookies are entering the field and veterans have moved on from the field. Here are the players and their IDP Outlooks to watch and then some of the eventual winners to have on your dynasty IDP rosters.
Chicago Bears IDP Outlook
Defensive Line/Edge
The returning players of significance in my IDP outlook include Trevis Gipson and Justin Jones.
Gipson will be returning for his fourth year after being drafted in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL Draft out of Tulsa. He is starting to really put it together as he has posted a combined 70 tackles (40 solo), 11 tackles for a loss, 18 QB hits, 10 sacks, 5 passes defended, 5 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Gipson is possibly on your waiver wire and you should add him now to your roster. He will have a breakout year in 2023.
Jones is a defensive tackle that was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. After playing his first four years with the Chargers, Jones signed with the Bears last year. He set career highs in all categories in his first year with the Bears. Jones produced 52 tackles (28 solo), 12 tackles for a loss, 7 QB hits, 3 sacks, 4 passes defended, and 1 fumble recovery. For those of you in DT required leagues, he is a must roster. Tackles produced at the DT position is a premium and Jones was top 18 in the NFL.
The Bears have three draft picks and an undrafted college free agent competing for DL roster spots.
The newcomers to the Bears DE/Edge group include Gervon Dexter, Zacch Pickens, DeMarcus Walker, and Yannick Ngakoue.
Dexter is a rookie that was selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Florida. He was a tackling machine that did not produce much pressure on the QB. His last two years at Florida had Dexter post a combined 105 tackles (43 solo), but only 8.5 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, and just 1 pass defended with an interception. He is someone you will want to watch, but not roster yet.
Pickens was selected in the third round of this past NFL Draft. He also was more of a tackler than a guy that gets pressure on the QB. Over his last 3 years at South Carolina, Pickens averaged 38 tackles (20 solo), 4 tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, and a pass defended per season. Wait on rostering Pickens also.
The Bears bring in two veteran free agents.
Walker was signed to a three-year deal worth $21 million. That says he will be getting play time and is expected to produce. Over the last couple of years, Walker has averaged 32 tackles (22 solo), 7 tackles for a loss, 12 QB hits, and 4.5 sacks on less than half of the defensive snaps in 21 of his 30 games played. I see a year where Walker has an impact in the league with the majority of the snaps.
Ngakoue just signed a one-year deal with the Bears for $10.5 million. He is an Edge rusher and not much of a tackler. He needs sacks to score for you, which makes him a boom-or-bust candidate for your roster. Other than one game, he played 65% or more of the defensive snaps with the Indianapolis Colts last year. Ngakoue was not a dominating player and has been a letdown for most of his career. The Bears will be his fifth team in the last four years. His stats for last year with the Colts included just 29 tackles (18 solo), 8 tackles for a loss, 16 QB hits, 9.5 sacks, zero passes defended, and 1 forced fumble. Stay away.
Linebackers
The returning player of significance in my IDP outlook is Jack Sanborn.
Sanborn was an IDP darling for the second half of his 2022 rookie season. The undrafted college free agent out of Wisconsin started six games between weeks 9-15. His stats were outstanding with 59 tackles (48 solo), 5 tackles for a loss, 3 QB hits, 2 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. Injuries were the reason for playtime last year, and I believe injuries will be the only path to playtime for Sanborn this year also. He would be an excellent stash if you have one of the Bears’ starting LBs rostered.
The Bears make linebackers their priority in free agency.
The newcomers to the Bears linebacker group include Tremaine Edmunds, T.J. Edwards, and Noah Sewell.
Edmunds signed a four-year, $72 million contract. He will be a starter from day one. He has produced over 100 tackles in each of his first five years. Edmunds has only missed eight games in his five years. He will continue his triple-digit tackles and needs to be rostered if you get an opportunity to obtain him.
Edwards is the other big LB signing as the Bears signed him to a three-year, $19.5 million contract. I would actually roster Edwards before Edmunds on my roster. The production speaks for itself. Edwards was the seventh-ranked scoring LB while Edmunds was 36th. He out-tackled Edmunds 159 to 102. Edwards will be a top 10 LB again in 2023. Do not look at the contract dollars when deciding who to roster.
Sewell is the rookie entry after being drafted in the fifth round out of Oregon. In his three-year collegiate career, Sewell posted 218 tackles (105 solo), 20.5 tackles for a loss, 7.5 sacks, 9 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. He will see the field if there are two players out with injuries. He may be the future, but not for at least two years.
Defensive Backs
The returning players of significance in my IDP outlook include Jaquan Brisker, Eddie Jackson, and Kyler Gordon.
Brisker played and started in 15 games as a rookie. The second-round pick out of Penn State delivered an incredible 104 tackles (73 solo), 5 tackles for a loss, 4 QB hits, 4 sacks, 2 passes defended, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He will be a top 10 safety for years to come. He will only get more expensive as the years go by.
Jackson is the stabilizing force in the Bears’ defensive backfield. He is going into his seventh year as a Bear after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Jackson has been a starter in every game he has played for the Bears. He averages over 70 tackles per year. He would make a very nice third safety on your team. You could probably get him in the last rounds of any draft.
50% of 2022 defensive backfield starters for the Bears were rookies.
Gordon was the other defensive back drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Bears. The second-round pick out of Washington started all 14 games that he played in. He posted 71 tackles (55 solo), 2 tackles for a loss, 6 passes defended, 3 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Gordon would be a player to target in CB-required leagues.
The newcomer to the Bears’ defensive backfield group is Tyrique Stevenson.
Stevenson is the rookie for 2023 that was drafted in the second round out of Miami. He should start right away. I love playing rookie CBs in any of my IDP leagues. QBs like to test them early and often. He is not afraid of contact at all, witnessed by his 68 tackles in his final two years at Miami. If you are in a CB-required league, always look for rookie CBs that are playing as they will score for your squad.
Green Bay Packers IDP Outlook
Defensive Line/Edge
The returning players of significance in my IDP outlook include Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, and Kenny Clark.
Gary had gotten better every season since being drafted in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Michigan. He was on pace to set new career highs in all categories until he suffered a torn ACL halfway through the week nine game. Gary was on pace for 64 tackles (42 solo), 14 tackles for a loss, 24 QB hits, and 12 sacks. He was placed on the PUP list to start training camp, but has already been activated and is set to be a top-producing Edge player in 2023. His stock is down, so buy him now.
Smith is coming into his ninth season. He spent his first four years with the Washington club and has now spent the last four seasons with the Packers. Smith set a career-high in tackles last season with 59 tackles (38 solo). He also added 8.5 sacks which was his third-best season. All three of his best sack years have been with the Packers. Smith is a solid bye-week replacement.
Clark is a top target in DT-required leagues. He is consistent in all aspects of his game. Take away his rookie season, and Clark has averaged over 50 tackles and 4 sacks in each year over the past 6 seasons. He is a top 20 performer week in and week out. You can do worse.
A first-round Edge player was added to Packers room for 2023.
The newcomer to the Packers’ defensive line/edge room is rookie Lukas Van Ness.
The Packers used the 13th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to select edge rusher, Van Ness. He played two seasons with Iowa State and was a force. Van Ness produced a combined 71 tackles (34 solo), 19.5 tackles for a loss, 13.5 sacks, and a pass defended. He will be in the rotation from the start. His stats show he is not just a pass rusher. He can tackle the ball carrier also.
Linebacker
The returning players of significance in my IDP outlook include De’Vondre Campbell and Quay Walker.
Campbell will be entering his eighth year in the league. This will be his third year with the Packers after spending four years with the Atlanta Falcons and one year with the Arizona Cardinals. Campbell was on his way to his second straight 120+ tackle last season until he missed four games due to a knee strain in Week 8. He still produced 96 tackles (56 solo), 6 tackles for a loss, 1 QB hit, 3 passes defended, and 2 interceptions of which 1 was returned for a touchdown.
Walker was the Packers’ first-round pick last year. He earned his spot in the lineup from the start and recorded 121 tackles (75 solo), 5 tackles for a loss, 4 QB hits, 1.5 sacks, 7 passes defended, 3 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Walker will only be better in 2023. He will move from 26th in scoring to the top 15 in scoring for this year. Walker’s price does reflect this too as he is a hot player to own. Do not overpay. I would be tempted to stay away because of the price.
Defensive Back
The returning players of significance in my IDP outlook include Darnell Savage Jr. and Jaire Alexander.
Savage Jr. is a former first-round pick from the 2019 NFL Draft. He has not lived up to expectations and is usually on your league’s waiver wire. He should stay there. His best year in the league was 2020 where he had 75 tackles (56 solo), 12 passes defended, and 4 interceptions. In comparison, this past season, Savage posted 58 tackles (43 solo), 5 passes defended, and 1 interception. He played in one more game last year too.
Alexander is one of the best CBs in the league. He usually doesn’t get tested very often, but when he does, he gets points for your squad. He ranks in the mid-CB2 range in scoring. In 2022 Alexander produce 56 tackles (43 solo), 14 passes defended, and 5 interceptions. In CB-required leagues, Alexander deserves a spot on your roster and will produce as a weekly starter.
Packers sign a breakout safety.
The newcomer to the Packers’ defensive backfield room is Jonathan Owens.
Owens was an undrafted college free agent in 2019 with the Houston Texans. He did not play any snaps in 2019 or 2020. In 2021, Owens started two games while playing in seven. 2022 brought the breakout season that landed him the one-year, $1 million contract with the Packers. Owens earned the starting job from week one and played every game. He produced a very nice 125 tackles (84 solo), a sack, and 4 passes defended. The Packers needed a safety that could make tackles and Owens is that guy.
Minnesota Vikings IDP Outlook
Defensive Line/Edge
The returning players of significance in my IDP outlook include Danielle Hunter and Harrison Phillips.
Hunter is an all-everything defensive lineman/edge. He tackles, he sacks, he bats passes, causes fumbles, and recovers fumbles. Hunter is very consistent in all aspects of his game. In his last 3 seasons of at least 16 games, he has produced 65, 70, and 72 tackles. Hunter has 10.5, 14.5, and 14.5 sacks in those seasons. He was selected to the AP All-Pro and NFL Pro Bowl teams. He is a stud that needs to find his place on your roster.
Phillips is returning for his second year on the Vikings after four years with the Buffalo Bills. He played a majority of the defensive snaps in all games but two last year. He had at least three tackles in 10 of those games. That is what you want from your DT. Phillips had eight games with four or more tackles and three games with six or more. His totals on the season were a surprising 59 tackles (28 solo), 3 tackles for a loss, 6 QB hits, 1.5 sacks, 1 pass defended, and 1 fumble recovery. Good enough for a DT2 ranking and a spot on your DT-required leagues.
Vikings sign Edge help from the New Orleans Saints
The newcomer to the Vikings’ defensive line/edge room is Marcus Davenport.
Davenport is a former first-round pick of the Saints. He has been a huge disappointment. In his five years, Davenport has yet to play a complete year. He has four years of six sacks or less. Davenport has never hit the 40-tackle mark in a season. The Vikings are so starved for edge help that they signed him to a one-year $13 million contract. And Saquon Barkley can’t get more than $11 million? If you place Davenport on your roster, you will be extremely disappointed.
Linebacker
The returning players of significance in my IDP outlook include Jordan Hicks and Brian Asamoah.
Hicks is entering his ninth year after being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. After playing his first four years with the Eagles, he moved on to the Arizona Cardinals for the next three seasons. Hicks signed with the Vikings last year to a two-year $10 million contract. At 30 years old, Hicks had the second-best season of his career. He posted 129 tackles (86 solo), 2 tackles for a loss, 4 QB hits, 3 sacks, 10 passes defended, 1 interception, and a forced fumble. Expect similar production in 2023. It will place him in the top 15 in scoring.
Asamoah is projected to be the other starter for the Vikings. He was a third-round pick last year out of Oklahoma. His last two years at Oklahoma saw Asamoah post 146 tackles combined. Asamoah started to see more snaps in a three-game stretch at the end of the Vikings’ regular season. He played 74 defensive snaps in those 3 games and produced 14 tackles (9 solo), a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. The talent is there, but will he produce? Hicks will dominate, but Asamoah will be a fine LB3. I’m not buying the Ivan Pace hype that some are posting.
Defensive Back
The returning players of significance in my IDP outlook include Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum, and Lewis Cine.
Smith is and has been one of the leaders on the Vikings’ defense for 11 years. He will be 34 years old for the 2023 season. Smith is starting to slow down a little bit. He tied a career-high with five interceptions last year, but his 85 tackles were the sixth-best in his career. His career-best of 114 tackles happened in 2021. Smith played nearly all the defensive snaps in 2022 but did miss three games due to a concussion and a neck issue. 34 years old with a neck issue is not a good combination. Slide him down on your rankings a bit.
Bynum was a fourth-round pick in 2021 out of California. He was drafted as a cornerback where he played all four years at California. The Vikings had some issues in their defensive backfield in 2021 and switched Bynum to safety out of necessity. He started three games, but one of them had Bynum only play six defensive snaps. the other 2 games combined had him post 18 tackles, a sack, and a pass defended. He showed enough to start all 17 games in 2022.
Bynum played 100% of the Vikings’ defensive snaps in 2022.
He posted a very solid 81 tackles (49 solo), 6 passes defended, 2 interceptions, and 2 fumble recoveries. Will he keep his position with the 2022 first-round pick out of Georgia returning after missing a majority of his rookie season?
Cine will be competing for a starting spot in the Vikings’ defensive backfield. He missed most of his rookie campaign with a broken leg suffered in his third game. The compound fracture was brutal. Cine had only played two defensive snaps up until that point as he mainly played special teams. He has the talent to be a very impactful fantasy football safety. I think you might have to wait one more year.
Detroit Lions IDP Outlook
Defensive Line/Edge
The returning players of significance in my IDP outlook include Aidan Hutchinson and James Houston.
Hutchinson is the 2022 number two overall pick out of Michigan. He did not disappoint in his rookie season. Hutchinson was more the exception than he was the norm as defensive linemen usually take a year or two to find their footing in the NFL. As a rookie, he produced 52 tackles (34 solo), 9 tackles for a loss, 15 QB hits, 9.5 sacks, 3 passes defended, 3 interceptions, and 2 fumble recoveries. Hutchinson will be a force for years to come. If you have a chance to roster him, he will only improve from his DE/Edge #9 scoring ranking.
Houston is the wildcard to help take the attention off of Hutchinson a little bit. This rookie, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, did not play at all in the Lions’ first 10 games. Injuries opened the door for him in week 11. His first game as a rookie produced two sacks on five defensive snaps. Houston got one sack each in the next three games in a row with a maximum defensive snap count of just 25. Then he gets his first start in week 17. Houston plays 33 defensive snaps and produces three more sacks. He has earned a starting position on the Lions and a spot on your roster.
Linebacker
The returning players of significance in my IDP outlook include Alex Anzalone and Malcolm Rodriguez.
Anzalone spent his first four years with the New Orleans Saints. The former third-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft never found his spot in the Saints rotation. His best year produced just 59 tackles. Somehow, Anzalone scored a three-year, $18.3 million contract with the Lions in 2021. Year one saw just 78 tackles. Last year, he took a big step in posting 125 tackles (77 solo), 7 tackles for a loss, 7 QB hits, 1.5 sacks, 6 passes defended, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. This was good enough to place him at the backend of LB2 status. Do not expect him to stay there.
Rodriguez was the Hard Knocks’ darling of the Lions’ training camp. The former rookie was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He earned a starting spot for the Lions on opening day. In the first eight weeks of the season, Rodriguez played at least 60% of the defensive snaps with a maximum of 83% in week five. He then suffered an elbow injury in Week 9 and missed the Week 10 game. He failed to reach the 60% of defensive snaps threshold in all games from that point except Week 16. Rodriguez only played in 39% or less of the defensive snaps in that stretch. He had lost his luster.
The Lions will have a new Sheriff in town for 2023.
The newcomer to the Lions linebacker room is Jack Campbell.
The Lions were not convinced that Anzalone and Rodriguez were the answer to their linebacker issues. The answer just might be first-round pick Jack Campbell out of Iowa. All he did his final two years at Iowa was post a combined 268 tackles (117 solo), 9 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, 7 passes defended, 4 interceptions (1 for a TD), 2 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries (1 for a TD). Campbell is set up for immediate success and will be a top-24 LB as a rookie. His price is too high right now, so wait until he doesn’t produce in his first couple of games, and then pounce.
Defensive Backs
The returning players of significance in my IDP outlook include Kerby Joseph and Tracy Walker.
Joseph was a third-round pick out of Illinois last year. Joseph found his way into the starting lineup when Walker tore his Achilles tendon in week three. He did surprisingly well in those 14 games posting a very solid 77 tackles (55 solo), 8 passes defended, 4 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. Will this be good enough to keep him on the field in 2023? I believe so.
As mentioned before, Walker tore his Achilles tendon in the week three game. This was after three straight years of solid tackling production of 103, 87, and 108 tackles. The former third-round pick is coming into his sixth season with the Lions. Will he return to pre-injury status? Achilles injuries are too hard to predict, so I recommend staying away.
The newcomers to the defensive backfield room include C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Brian Branch.
The #8 overall Safety in per-game scoring is signed by the Lions.
Gardner-Johnson has been a top-per-week scoring defensive back for a few years now. The problem is he has missed five games each in the last two years. Gardner-Johnson has averaged 4.71 tackles per game over the last two years. In those 24 games, he also produced a combined 9 tackles for a loss, 6 QB hits, 3 sacks, 15 passes defended, and 9 interceptions. He produces when on the field like a DB1. Can you weather the games when he misses playtime?
Branch is a second-round rookie out of Alabama that can play both slot cornerback and safety. Will he get on the field right away, and if so, what position? If he scores the slot cornerback position, he will be a player that warrants your attention of being placed on your roster. As a defensive back for Alabama over the past two years, Branch posted a remarkable 145 tackles (92 solo), 19 tackles for a loss, 4 sacks, 16 passes defended, and 2 interceptions. His versatility will get Branch on the field relatively early in the 2023 season. The defensive backs in Detroit score points, and Branch will be no different.
Thank you for checking out my 2023 Divisional IDP Outlooks article! You can read all of my articles on my IDP Guys author page. Be sure to follow me on Twitter at @OldMan_FF and @IDPGuys (we have offense, too), and please consider becoming a subscriber!
