Here is a look at the top 20 IDP fantasy football edge rushers from 2018 and IDP Dude’s prediction on who misses out during the 2019 season
2018 Top 20 Edge Rushers
- Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams
- Danielle Hunter, Minnesota Vikings
- J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
- Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jason Pierre-Paul, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- DeMarcus Lawrence, Dallas Cowboys
- Khalil Mack, Chicago Bears
- Bradley Chubb, Denver Broncos
- Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs
- Chandler Jones, Arizona Cardinals
- Frank Clark, Seattle Seahawks
- Jadeveon Clowney, Houston Texans
- Cameron Jordan, New Orleans Saints
- Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
- Akiem Hicks, Chicago Bears
- Jurrell Casey, Tennessee Titans
- Jonathan Allen, Washington Redskins
- Trey Flowers, New England Patriots
- Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati Bengals
Rankings disclosure: The edge position or designation fluctuates from site to site so I’m using my discretion and basing this list off of who I considered an edge rusher in my rankings during the 2018 season.
Now that we have our top 20 edge rushers from 2018 let’s take a look at who I think misses the list in 2019.
Khalil Mack, Chicago Bears
I feel bad for those who were stuck using Mack as a linebacker last season. Most sites had a duo designation after his transition to the Bears allowing fantasy players to continue using him in the edge or DE spot for the remainder of the season.
Mack’s boom or bust nature makes him hard to trust as an LB but a sure fire start as an edge rusher. It looks like most fantasy sites will have him designated as an LB for the 2019 season, bumping him out of the top 20 edge rusher list by default. Because of his boom or bust nature I see Mack as a fringe LB 2/3 during the 2019 campaign.
Khalil Mack turns 28 today. One of the most dominant forces in sports.
(via @thecheckdown) pic.twitter.com/6h1rtRRmmv
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) February 23, 2019
Bradley Chubb, Denver Broncos
Almost the same deal as the previously mentioned Mack. Chubb had a duo designation in most leagues during the 2018 season and it looks like he’s going lose his edge designation in 2019 on most fantasy sites. This drops him out of the top 20 by default. I see Chubb as a LB 3 for the 2019 season with the emergence of Josey Jewell but he will certainly put up those LB 1 type of weeks occasionally.
.@astronaut out here doing his best @VonMiller impersonation. #ProBowlVote + Bradley Chubb https://t.co/LDmRCjLYI1
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) December 2, 2018
Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers and Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati Bengals
Why am I grouping both of these dudes together? Well, to be honest I like them both and it’s really hard for me to drop them out of the top 20 for 2019 but the truth is that there is more elite talent in the NFL who missed this list in 2018 due to injury, e.g. Joey Bosa.
Heyward is aging and will be facing more competition from T.J. Watt and Stephon Tuitt in regards to getting after the quarterback. Heyward also draws a duo designation in most fantasy leagues who start DEs and DTs so although I don’t think he will make the top 20 as a DE in 2019, he’s certainly a top 10 DT in fantasy leagues that require you to start one.
Cameron Heyward has tied Aaron Smith (44.0) for the 2nd-most sacks by a defensive lineman in #SteelersHistory (since sacks became an official statistic in 1982).#WPMOYChallenge pic.twitter.com/mDZkn6DZVd
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 30, 2018
If you liked this article, check out my 2018 top 20 linebacker article here and be on the looking out for my 2018 top 20 safety article to be re-published soon!
