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My Guys: Jon Macri’s top IDP targets in 2021 fantasy football drafts

Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David (54) against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

With the 2021 NFL season just days away, I wanted to look at which IDPs I consider to be “my guys” for this season, as I am higher on these players than consensus or (like Derwin James and Brian Burns) I just want to have them on all my rosters no matter the cost.

I took two players from each major IDP positional group and laid out my reasoning for why I love each coming into 2021. However, cornerback is not included, and I would be lying if I told you I had a “guy” at that position, as it is the one position I stream more often than not.

Here are “my guys” for 2021.


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LB Lavonte David, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

There aren’t many players who have been so good and so consistently underrated as David. While everyone is enamored with Devin White, David has quietly been piling up big-time production every year since he entered the NFL in 2012. Even last season, posting 117 tackles and 1.5 sacks have become an expected floor for David, who is always reliable for IDP managers. The most important things when it comes to “my guys” at the linebacker position are reliability and consistency. Only Bobby Wagner has played more snaps at linebacker over the past five seasons than David, who has missed only five games since 2016. 

Between Wagner and David, you won’t find an IDP who has been as consistent for as long as those two. The difference between them right now is that Wagner is taken much earlier than David in the majority of drafts. I am always happy to take the value on David, as he is still an LB1 heading into 2021, and I’ll gladly take him as the 15-20th linebacker off the board, which is where he’s going every single time. 

Lavonte David’s ranks among all linebackers throughout his career (2012-2020):
Lavonte David through the years Snaps played (LB rank) Total tackles (LB rank) Tackles for loss or no gain (LB rank) Forced fumbles (LB rank) Sacks (LB rank)
2019-2020 2,182 (2nd) 243 (8th) 31 (1st) 6 (T-1st) 2.5 (T-12th)
2016-2018 2,778 (T-9th) 304 (12th) 43 (3rd) 10 (1st) 8.5 (6th)
2012-2015 4,101 (4th) 545 (2nd) 98 (1st) 8 (T-2nd) 13 (5th)
Career 9,061 (1st) 1,092 (2nd) 172 (1st) 24 (1st) 24 (4th)

LB Demario Davis, New Orleans Saints

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