Top Dynasty Fantasy IDP Performers Under Age 25: Will Anderson, Jamien Sherwood, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Nick Cross, Kyle Hamilton and More

Taking a look at some of the top defensive players among players ages 25 and under.

In this week’s dynasty-related fantasy football article, I wanted to look at some of the better fantasy performers among defensive players.

Since the focus of dynasty teams is on younger talent, I’ll focus my attention on players ages 25 and under. We’ll focus on a few different linemen, linebackers and safeties. 

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Linemen

New York Jets’ Will McDonald is second in the NFL with eight sacks. He has 15 tackles, two forced fumbles and a pass defensed this season. McDonald has shown good improvement in his second NFL season and looks like he could become one of the better pass rushers in the leagues for years to come.

Houston’s Will Anderson has 7.5 sacks, 27 tackles, a pass defensed and a fumble recovery in eight games. He was solid as a rookie, but has also taken a step forward this season. Anderson should be one of the better pass rushers in the NFL for a long time.

Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson has 7.5 sacks across only five games, but obviously is out for the season. It was a gnarly injury that he suffered, and I’ll be keeping a close eye on him when he returns to see if he can return to his previous form. 

Jacksonville’s Travon Walker has 6.5 sacks, 26 tackles, a pass defensed and a forced fumble in eight games. He had 10 sacks in his second season in 2023, but appears to be headed toward his best season yet. He should remain one of the better fantasy defensive linemen for a while.

New York Giants’ Azeez Ojulari has six sacks, 24 tackles and a fumble recovery this season in eight games. He had eight sacks as a rookie, but only played 18 games the previous two seasons. If he can stay healthy, Ojulari could become a reliable IDP fantasy option.

Linebackers

Jets’ Jamien Sherwood has 73 total tackles on the season. He also has a pass defensed across eight games played. He’s not providing much else outside tackles, but he’s a big-time fantasy asset in his fourth year in the league. Sherwood is another one who appears to be enjoying a breakout season and could be headed toward several big fantasy seasons in the future.

Buffalo’s Dorian Williams has 72 total tackles across eight games played. He’s also got a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries this season. He’s emerged as a big-time contributor for the Bills in just his second season and looks to have a very bright future ahead.

Cleveland’s Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah has 61 tackles so far this season. He adds a little more fantasy value with an interception, three passes defensed, a forced fumble and three sacks. He went for over 70 tackles in his first two seasons and then had 101 last season. Owusu-Koramoah appears headed to a much higher tackle total this season, and at 25 years old, might be one of the better fantasy options for the next several years.

Ernest Jones has 59 tackles between seven games with the Seahawks and Titans. He’s also got two passes defended this year. He’s now on his third team in the past year, but continues to deliver wherever he is. Jones should remain a good IDP option for several seasons.

Philadelphia’s Nakobe Dean has 58 tackles across his seven games played. He’s also got a pass defensed, two sacks and a fumble recovery to his name. At 24 years old, Dean could be the LB the Eagles build around going forward, and if he’s not there, another team should give him a starting job.

Defensive Backs

Indianapolis’ Nick Cross has 76 combined tackles on the season. He’s also got an interception, two passes defensed and a forced fumble on the year. He appears to be in the heart of his breakout season, and at just 23 years old, could have some massive IDP fantasy value for the next several years.

Baltimore’s Kyle Hamilton has 57 total tackles across eight games. He’s also posted two sacks, a fumble recovery, four passes defensed and a forced fumble. Hamilton has been a good IDP fantasy option since coming into the league in 2022, and doesn’t look like he’ll be slowing down anytime soon.

Detroit’s Brian Branch had 38 tackles, 11 passes defensed, four interceptions and a forced fumble in six games this season. The tackles don’t stand out, but he’s a ballhawk, and that makes him a great IDP fantasy option.

New Orleans’ Paulson Adebo and Tampa Bay’s Zyon McCollum both have 10 passes defensed this season.

Adebo also has 52 tackles and three interceptions on the season. That makes him a good fantasy option, and at 25 years old, a player to potentially provide value for several seasons.

McCollum has 38 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery on the season. He’s also just 25 years old and could be a fantasy asset for years to come.

Indianapolis’ Jaylon Jones has 52 tackles, nine passes defensed, two picks and a forced fumble this season. A lot of these defensive backs are listed here because they get picked on, but that means they are good fantasy options with all the accumulated stats.

Detroit’s Kerby Joseph has 39 tackles, five interceptions and seven passes defended across seven games. You’d like to see a safety record more tackles, but the interceptions and other stats make him a good fantasy option still.

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