Must-Draft Players In IDP Fantasy Football 2026: Nick Emmanwori, Will Anderson & More

Flag plants. My guys. Get your guys. Call them what you will, but these are a few of the IDPs I do not want to leave my drafts without—redraft or dynasty.

These are guys who are on the rise and could outperform their projections or ADP, and bottom line, they are good football players who produce fantasy points.

I am willing to go a round or two ahead of ADP for these defenders.

I will not leave these guys behind in my IDP fantasy drafts.

IDP Fantasy Football - Must-Draft Players For 2026

Carson Schwesinger | LB | CLE

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know my love for Schwesinger. In Blades of Glory, Will Ferrell’s character, Chazz Michael Michaels, describes the love he has for his brush, the Verticoli. He states, “No exaggeration, I could not love a human baby more than I love this brush.”

As a father of two boys, I’m not going to get that hyperbolic, but when it comes to IDPs in 2026 and beyond? It’s accurate. I could not love anyone more than Carson Schwesinger.

Michaels describes the brush as perfectly balanced, low drag and minimal torque. I think Schwesinger is one of the more balanced LBs and he’s only entering his second year.

Schwesinger earned DROY honors and established himself as a top IDP right out of the gate. He recorded a 16.3% tackle rate, which resulted in 156 tackles. He also pitched in 11 TFLs, 2.5 sacks and 2 INTs. Schwesinger averaged 0.29 points per snap and finished as the LB6 in most scoring formats.

If I have one gripe, it’s the solo-to-assist ratio which was 0.75 in 2025. I think he gets cleaner looks in 2026 and can flip that around.

Schwesinger is a three-down LB with the green dot, so he’s not leaving the field. He already shows the instincts and traits of a grizzled vet, and I’m not leaving my IDP drafts without him.

Blake Cashman | LB | MIN

I tend to shy away from players who are injury prone, and Blake Cashman fits the profile. He’s missed at least 3 games in three consecutive seasons, but the 2025 season changed the way I’m approaching him in 2026.

He’s another who was underwater on the solo-to-assist ratio (0.73), but he was consistently around the ball and involved in tackles. And for a player with his snap usage and tackle volume, Cashman had a 5.3% missed tackle rate while recording an 18.2% tackle rate; resulting in 144 tackles.

His tape from Week 7 on was solid. Instinctive with a quick trigger and the ability to slip and shed blocks.

He had just one game of fewer than 13 fantasy points and stepped up during the fantasy playoffs with two games of 23+ fantasy points; including 44 tackles and a sack. In most formats, he was the LB1 in overall scoring.

If we can get a full season of Cashman and his tackle efficiency, we’re looking at a potential LB1 season.

Daiyan Henley | LB | LAC

Daiyan Henley might be a tough one for IDP managers, as he’s burned you in the past. In the 2024 Week 17 championship game, he turned up a goose egg. Last season, he was a -23 in expected vs. actual tackles and fell below his lofty projections. The result was a 29% drop in tackle production.

I think now’s a great time to buy in redraft and dynasty. His role hasn’t changed and should still be the green dot of the defense, even with Jesse Minter out in Baltimore. Chris O’Leary should retain the principles of the Minter defense with his own philosophy and schemes sprinkled about. O’Leary is focusing on improving run fits, and Sean Spence, the LB coach, is already having an impact during the off-season. Showing him better angles, and how to improve his block shedding.

I don’t think we can discount some of the human element here. He dealt with the death of his brother near the end of the season, and inconsistencies in play led to poor angles and missed tackle opportunities (not necessarily missed tackles). He also had 70 fewer tackle opportunities in 2025.

Henley is still 26 (going on 27 at the end of the season) and I’ve read positive reports from OTAs. I think there’s a bounceback season on the horizon, and I want to be ahead of it.

Jared Verse | EDGE | CLE

Yes, I’m a Cleveland Browns fan, but this article isn’t Cleveland-centric. It just so happens, Myles Garrett was traded to the Rams and Verse was included in the deal. Had Verse not been traded, he’d still be a guy I want on my IDP roster.

Verse is a pressure monster and disruptor. The 2024 DROY has produced 157 QB regular season pressures with a 15.6% pressure rate and 23.8% win rate (beating his blockers in fewer than 2.5 seconds). The one thing that really stands out on tape is his burst.

However, over those two seasons, his sacks have been below expected. He’s been near the top in expected sacks, but has fallen short of those expectations. Last season, he was in the 96th percentile in expected sacks (11) but finished with 7.5. He just needs to improve his finishing technique, as he has 35 regular season QB hits.

Verse won’t have the luxury of Myles Garrett opposite him, but Alex Wright is emerging and Mason Graham is entering his second year on the interior. Granted, he’s going to see a lot more attention, and I’m excited to see how he handles the challenge.

I do think this is the year he reaches double-digit sacks, and I want him on my IDP teams this season.

Donovan Ezeiruaku | EDGE | DAL

The 2025 edge class offers several breakout candidates, but the one I’m most excited to watch is Donovan Ezeiruaku.

Ezeiruaku was my EDGE1 of the ‘25 class and I think he turned in a decent rookie year and I can’t wait to see more in ‘26. Ezeiruaku saw 343 pass rush snaps and finished with a 10.4% pressure rate. However, I think you saw things click after Week 4 as his pressure increased to 11.7% and had 8 games with multiple pressures. He also produced a 15.2% win rate. Although he only had 2 sacks, he had 9 TFLs and 12 QB hits. There were a few instances, where he just missed on sacks, so that number could have been close to 4-5.

Now, I’m not expecting a jump to double-digits, but I think he can be a serviceable DL2/3 in redraft leagues.

I do think Christian Parker’s scheme is going to be advantageous for Ezeiruaku’s skill set and will scheme pressures for him, resulting in sacks. Parker’s defense is moving to 3-4 base, while still being multiple with 4-3 spacing, 4-2-5 nickel. He’s going to be a stand-up edge, rather than a traditional hand-in-the-dirt 4-3 defensive end. Parker specifically said the 3-4 lets them use different outside linebacker body types and get more speed on the field.

This new scheme should also complement Ezeiruaku’s strengths; his burst and bend around the edge. He didn’t run the 40 at the combine, but he posted elite broad/vertical jump numbers and recorded the important sub-7 second three-cone (6.94) and had a 4.19 shuttle.

Ezeiruaku is going to get more edge rush looks and will be in advantageous positions to generate sacks with more manufactured one-on-ones. I’m buying Ezeiruaku in 2026.

Will Anderson | EDGE | HOU

He might be one of a few guys who can challenge Myles Garrett as the DL1, and he’s my DL2 in 2026 and dynasty.

I do think Anderson is going to come at a hefty price in 2026, especially after his 2025 season, however, it’s not Richard Mille high. His overall ADP is around 142.2; which is around pick 11.8 in most 12-team leagues.

If I can get Anderson as my DL1 at pick 11.8, I am smashing that ‘Draft’ button Lionel Richie-style; All night long. He’s one of the few IDPs I’m willing to draft in the single-digit rounds.

Since entering the league, Anderson has a 16.3% pressure rate and he enjoyed a breakout season in 2025, which established himself as one of the elite IDPs. He produced a 19.5% pressure rate to go along with a 33.1% win rate. When you look at his burst, he had a 0.82 pass rush burst. 35 of his pressures were considered quick (pressures produced in fewer than 2.5 seconds) and had a 2.7 second time to pressure.

Anderson is producing elite pass rush metrics which is resulting in fantasy points. He recorded 0.34 points per snap in 2025 while playing 67% of the snaps. I’d love to see him hit the 70% mark, but if it’s not broken, why fix it? Target Anderson with confidence in 2026.

Nick Emmanwori | S | SEA

I don’t like reaching on the DB position, but he might be one of the few I’ll make an exception for.

So far, at least through June ADP, you don’t have to reach. His current ADP is around 230.5, which puts him in the 19th round of most mixed drafts. In a recent mixed draft, I got him in at the end of the 15th (15.9).

Kyle Hamilton, Brian Branch (returning from Week 14 Achilles’ tear), Derwin James, Budda Baker and Nick Cross are going ahead of him.

Emmanwori played 97% of his snaps on the LOS, including a 38% box rate. He played mostly nickel (in the slot), but was used all around the line. 43% of his tackles came as an off-ball LB, and I think the Seahawks continue to use him as a big nickel/LB in 2026.

Emmanwori finished with a 10.5% tackle rate over 14 games. If he plays a full 17 game season, he could hit triple digits. He’s my DB2 this year and is still a tremendous value at his current ADP.

Published Jul 3, 2026, 6:55 AM ET