This article is part of our IDP Analysis series.
RISING
Eric Berry, S, KC
The best NFL news of the year will almost certainly be Berry's successful recovery from Hodgkin's lymphoma not even eight months after the initial diagnosis. While Berry might be eased back into the football world, casting short-term question over his playing time, he's still a strong bet to return to Pro Bowl-level play relatively soon. He was on a roughly triple-digit tackle pace prior to the diagnosis last year, posting 37 tackles in six games, and Berry is one of the best playmaking threats at safety when healthy.
Mario Williams, Jerry Hughes, DE, BUF
Williams and Hughes were always 4-3 ends in terms of skill set, but the arrival of coach Rex Ryan, traditionally a 3-4 coach, threatened to move the edge rushers to a 3-4 OLB position. If they were to lose their DL eligibility in IDP leagues, neither Williams nor Hughes would have much value. Fortunately for their owners, it's clear at this point that Williams and Hughes will remain in 4-3 end roles, as the pragmatic Ryan wisely kept Buffalo in a 4-3 scheme to maximize the skill sets of his inherited personnel. Furthermore, Ryan's unparalleled skill with defensive schemes puts both Williams and Hughes in position for career years in 2015.
Greg Hardy, DE, DAL
There's a lot of reason to believe Hardy is an extremely bad person, but his 10-game suspension was reduced to four games all the same. If you have no qualms about rostering
RISING
Eric Berry, S, KC
The best NFL news of the year will almost certainly be Berry's successful recovery from Hodgkin's lymphoma not even eight months after the initial diagnosis. While Berry might be eased back into the football world, casting short-term question over his playing time, he's still a strong bet to return to Pro Bowl-level play relatively soon. He was on a roughly triple-digit tackle pace prior to the diagnosis last year, posting 37 tackles in six games, and Berry is one of the best playmaking threats at safety when healthy.
Mario Williams, Jerry Hughes, DE, BUF
Williams and Hughes were always 4-3 ends in terms of skill set, but the arrival of coach Rex Ryan, traditionally a 3-4 coach, threatened to move the edge rushers to a 3-4 OLB position. If they were to lose their DL eligibility in IDP leagues, neither Williams nor Hughes would have much value. Fortunately for their owners, it's clear at this point that Williams and Hughes will remain in 4-3 end roles, as the pragmatic Ryan wisely kept Buffalo in a 4-3 scheme to maximize the skill sets of his inherited personnel. Furthermore, Ryan's unparalleled skill with defensive schemes puts both Williams and Hughes in position for career years in 2015.
Greg Hardy, DE, DAL
There's a lot of reason to believe Hardy is an extremely bad person, but his 10-game suspension was reduced to four games all the same. If you have no qualms about rostering someone you would otherwise shun in real life, there's obvious IDP value in owning Hardy at this point. He was one of the league's best pass rushers in Carolina before he was deactivated after Week 1 last year, posting 27 sacks in his last 32 games. He also produced at roughly a 60-tackle pace during that span. That level of productivity is worth a bench spot during the suspension weeks.
Dont'a Hightower, LB, NE
Hightower's Week 1 status is in question as he recovers from a February shoulder surgery that initially carried a 6-to-7 month prognosis, but the fact that he avoided the preseason PUP list to kick off training camp makes it appear as if he has a chance to outrun the initial prognosis. The return of Jerod Mayo might slightly harm Hightower's snap count and/or tackle shares once he gets back on the field, but he's generally too good at this point to have his role lessened, even if it's to make room for a player as proven as Mayo. Plus, Hightower's ability to rush from the edge means he'll stay on the field much of the time even if he doesn't line up at a traditional linebacker position. With six sacks in 12 games last year, Hightower has shown the ability to make his pass-rushing snaps count.
FALLING
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, NYG
Pierre-Paul's unfathomable fireworks injury has left him without the index finger on his right hand. This is an unprecedented situation for at least a couple reasons. First, for as much as JPP's situation brings up Ronnie Lott, Lott didn't lose the entire finger, as JPP did. Second, Pierre-Paul is in contract limbo due to his status as an unsigned franchise player, and it's unclear what his injury means for the Giants' contract plans. Pierre-Paul has not allowed the Giants to see him since the injury occurred, and the profound uncertainty of the situation means JPP probably isn't worth selecting outside of deep IDP leagues.
Sheldon Richardson, (3-4) DE, NYJ
In addition to his four-game substance abuse suspension from earlier this month, it was revealed Thursday that Richardson had a July arrest in Missouri for resisting arrest and "various" traffic violations. Although he thankfully avoided injury in the process, Richardson unthinkably was clocked at 143 miles per hour July 14 before attempting to evade police, all with a 12-year-old in the car. Richardson was poised to be the top defensive lineman for the Jets this year, but his transgressions will allow sixth overall pick Leonard Williams to establish a bigger role as a rookie, likely at Richardson's expense more than Muhammad Wilkerson's.
Sio Moore, LB, OAK
Moore has the tools to become one of the league's most versatile playmaking linebackers, and he was well on his way toward such status after posting 90 tackles and three sacks in 11 games last year. Moore underwent a major hip surgery in December, however, and his health is still apparently an issue, as he started training cap on the preseason PUP list. Moore was initially expected to be ready for training camp, but there's been no mention of a setback, so hopefully his absence at the start of camp is just Oakland exercising caution.
Dontari Poe, (3-4) NT, KC
The Chiefs announced this week that Poe underwent back surgery July 15, ruling him out for training camp and potentially costing him the first six weeks of the year if he lands on the regular season PUP list. Nose tackles don't generally post good IDP production in the 3-4, but Poe has shown the ability to be a slight exception, posting mid-to-lower tier DL2 numbers the last two years with 96 tackles and 10.5 sacks in his last 31 games. Aside from IDP considerations, Poe's absence will leave the Kansas City run defense extremely vulnerable.
