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We are diving into some fantasy football content this offseason as we look to bring in all sorts of football fans to Bucs Wire. While offensive players often dominate fantasy football discussions, IDP leagues continue to grow in popularity, offering another way for fans to enjoy the game.
We will start with some rookie profiles and how they fit into the landscape of the teams that drafted them. Next up is Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Deontae Lawson.
Lawson heads to Philadelphia after a five-year career at Alabama, where he became one of the Crimson Tide's defensive leaders. A two-time team captain, Lawson finished his college career with 209 tackles, four sacks, one interception, and 13 pass breakups while earning a reputation as a rangy linebacker with strong run instincts and developing coverage ability.
Projections provided by Mase Riney of Fantasy In Frames.
Lawson has the athletic profile to eventually become a productive NFL linebacker. His range, length, and ability to play in space were evident throughout his time at Alabama, and he showed steady improvement in zone coverage during his final collegiate season. He also arrives with plenty of experience after logging more than 2,400 defensive snaps in one of college football's toughest conferences.
The problem for fantasy managers is opportunity. Philadelphia already has Zack Baun entrenched as the starter, while Smael Mondon Jr. currently sits ahead of Lawson on the weakside depth chart. Jihaad Campbell is also expected to be a major part of the Eagles' future at linebacker, leaving very few defensive snaps available for another rookie.
Lawson's most realistic rookie role will likely come on special teams while he develops behind one of the league's deepest linebacker groups. The Eagles can afford to be patient, allowing him to add strength and refine his tackling before asking him to handle meaningful defensive snaps.
Lawson should not be drafted in redraft IDP leagues this season. Even though he has the physical tools to eventually contribute, the Eagles simply have too much established talent ahead of him for consistent playing time.
His long-term outlook remains more intriguing than his rookie projection. Lawson has the instincts, athleticism, and leadership traits to develop into a starting linebacker if an opportunity presents itself over the next couple of seasons.
For now, he is a player to monitor rather than roster. Unless injuries dramatically reshape Philadelphia's linebacker rotation, Lawson's fantasy impact in 2026 is expected to be minimal.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: IDP Rookie Profile: Deontae Lawson in Redraft Leagues
Continue reading...
We will start with some rookie profiles and how they fit into the landscape of the teams that drafted them. Next up is Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Deontae Lawson.
Lawson heads to Philadelphia after a five-year career at Alabama, where he became one of the Crimson Tide's defensive leaders. A two-time team captain, Lawson finished his college career with 209 tackles, four sacks, one interception, and 13 pass breakups while earning a reputation as a rangy linebacker with strong run instincts and developing coverage ability.
Depth Chart Situation
- Zack Baun
- Smael Mondon Jr.
- Deontae Lawson
Defensive Players Around Him
- Jihaad Campbell
- Jalen Carter
- Jordan Davis
- Jonathan Greenard
- Jalyx Hunt
- Cooper DeJean
- Quinyon Mitchell
2026 Stat Projections
Projections provided by Mase Riney of Fantasy In Frames.
- 4 Total Tackles
- 0 Tackles For Loss
- 0 Sacks
- 0 Forced Fumbles
- 0 Fumble Recoveries
- 0 Interceptions
- 0 Pass Deflections
- 8 Fantasy Points
Reason to Believe in Deontae Lawson in 2026: The talent is there, the opportunity is not
Lawson has the athletic profile to eventually become a productive NFL linebacker. His range, length, and ability to play in space were evident throughout his time at Alabama, and he showed steady improvement in zone coverage during his final collegiate season. He also arrives with plenty of experience after logging more than 2,400 defensive snaps in one of college football's toughest conferences.
The problem for fantasy managers is opportunity. Philadelphia already has Zack Baun entrenched as the starter, while Smael Mondon Jr. currently sits ahead of Lawson on the weakside depth chart. Jihaad Campbell is also expected to be a major part of the Eagles' future at linebacker, leaving very few defensive snaps available for another rookie.
Lawson's most realistic rookie role will likely come on special teams while he develops behind one of the league's deepest linebacker groups. The Eagles can afford to be patient, allowing him to add strength and refine his tackling before asking him to handle meaningful defensive snaps.
2026 Outlook
Lawson should not be drafted in redraft IDP leagues this season. Even though he has the physical tools to eventually contribute, the Eagles simply have too much established talent ahead of him for consistent playing time.
His long-term outlook remains more intriguing than his rookie projection. Lawson has the instincts, athleticism, and leadership traits to develop into a starting linebacker if an opportunity presents itself over the next couple of seasons.
For now, he is a player to monitor rather than roster. Unless injuries dramatically reshape Philadelphia's linebacker rotation, Lawson's fantasy impact in 2026 is expected to be minimal.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: IDP Rookie Profile: Deontae Lawson in Redraft Leagues
Continue reading...
