IDP Analysis: LOB Gets Healthy

RISING

Keanu Neal, S, ATL

The verdict is just about in -- Neal is a definite DB1 and could be one of the three best IDPs at his position, along with Landon Collins and the injured Reshad Jones (shoulder). The rookie first-round pick has produced at a blistering pace after missing the first two games with a preseason knee injury, and 100 tackles is within reach despite the missed time. Following a modest debut where he totaled four tackles, Neal has gone on to pile up 53 tackles and three forced fumbles in six games. His consistency might be even more impressive than his volume -- he has at least eight tackles in all of the last six games. There's no imaginable IDP format where he shouldn't be owned.

Kam Chancellor, S, SEA

The Seattle defense has suffered in his absence, so Chancellor missing four games with a groin injury has proved costly to the Seahawks. He's set to return this week, though, as he's been practicing in full all week in advance of Sunday's game against the Patriots. Although he's generally been no more than a DB2-type as an IDP -- Chancellor has only once surpassed 100 tackles and 90 only three times in his seven-year career -- Chancellor was producing at a promising rate prior to the groin issue flaring up, totaling 26 tackles in the first four games. That had him on pace to hit the triple-digit threshold if he had stayed healthy.

Cliff Avril, DE, SEA

Few defenders are as hot as Avril, who's in the midst of a career year at age 30. He's only eight games into the season but has already matched his 16-game sack total of last year at nine. His career high in sacks was 11 way back in 2011, but he should crush that figure over the next month or so. Particularly with Michael Bennett (knee) shelved in the short term, Avril should continue getting all the snaps he needs to keep seeing sack opportunities.

William Gholston, DE, TB

An end-tackle tweener, Gholston doesn't at a glance profile as a likely standout IDP, particularly due to a lack of pass-rushing upside, but going back to last year he's shown the ability to produce at around a 60-tackle 16-game pace that should put him on the DL2 radar when bye weeks hit, at the very least. He finished last year with 67 tackles despite starting only 11 of his 16 games, and this year he's up to 31 tackles in eight games. He's shown some signs of life as a pass rusher lately, too, with two in his last three weeks. That shouldn't be expected to continue, but it can't be ruled out for the 25-year-old former Michigan State star.

Jordan Hicks, MLB, PHI

Hicks was quite impressive as a rookie third-round pick last year, generally proving more effective than incumbent starters DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks, and so he headed into the offseason with a fair amount of 2016 hype. He started this year slowly, though, totaling just eight tackles in the first three weeks, and as a result he's at the halfway point of the season on pace to fall well short of triple-digit tackles with a total of 44. That said, he's picked up momentum recently. Hicks has been quite productive in the last month, accumulating 32 tackles, one sack and two interceptions. Hicks has shown promising playmaking abilities in his NFL career, as he's already up to four interceptions in 16 career games. If he can maintain his recent uptick in tackle production, there's no reason Hicks can't finish in the LB2 category as an IDP.

Sean Lee, OLB, DAL

I'm terrified to mention it and will blame myself if I jinx him, but it should be noted that Lee has started all eight of Dallas' games this year, giving him a shot to play 16 games for the first time in his six-year career. Even going back to his Penn State days, Lee has always been an elite linebacker when healthy, so his good fortune in 2016 has him on the path for a memorable season. Indeed, he already has 77 tackles in eight games, and history says he's a strong candidate to make some plays in coverage in the near future. So long as the wheels stay on, Lee is a clear LB1 in any IDP format.

FALLING

Lavonte David, OLB, TB

One of the most bizarre developments of this season is the almost entire evaporation of David's IDP utility. It's not necessarily a failure in real football terms -- the Tampa Bay run defense is good and David is spending a lot of time in backfields with 10 tackles for loss this year -- but his broader tackle production has fallen off a cliff. He has just 44 tackles in eight games , which is entirely remarkable given that David's prior career low was 139 tackles in 2012 -- he's gone 145 or higher in each of his other NFL seasons. The dropoff is almost certainly due to how he's used in the Tampa scheme -- David's talent is not to be doubted -- but for now Kwon Alexander is the only Tampa Bay linebacker who's better than an LB3 in IDP leagues.

Arik Armstead, (3-4) DE, SF

Armstead was placed on injured reserve after undergoing a season-ending shoulder surgery. A first-round pick from the 2015 draft, Armstead's career has gotten off to a relatively slow start. He was a bench player as a rookie, and only played about half of San Francisco's snaps to this point in 2016. As a second-year player, Armstead proved less developed than fellow end and former Oregon teammate DeForest Buckner, who even as a rookie proved much more effective than Armstead. Buckner has 38 tackles in seven games, while Armstead has just 15 in eight games. Armstead isn't a bust -- he'll be just 23 on Tuesday -- but the early returns are discouraging.