X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

IDP Rookies to Watch in 2021 (Defensive Back)

Chris Wassel identifies IDP (individual defensive players) to watch in 2021 fantasy football leagues, both redraft, and dynasty. These safeties and cornerbacks (DB) could be worth drafting early.

We continue evaluating the top rookie IDP targets for 2021 with the secondary. Read up on the top rookie linebacker targets right here.

At RotoBaller, we aim to give IDP owners detailed fantasy football IDP league coverage all season long, starting with our IDP Top 120 consensus preseason rankings.

Seasoned IDP vets know the top names already and likely know the type of players to target on draft day. But what about those who have yet to suit up in an NFL game? Rookies often surprise us by emerging in unlikely situations or surpassing expectations. For that reason, we are going to analyze the top rookies to monitor throughout the preseason at each major positional category. Let's look at the top safeties and corners today.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Caleb Farley (CB, TEN)

No, not every Tennessee Titans rookie cornerback is going to be on here but Caleb Farley has the kind of talent that screams IDP potential. Remember, potential only goes so far. Adoree Jackson and Malcolm Butler immediately come to mind over the past several seasons.

The great news for Farley is that these two players have moved on to new teams. This should give the Virginia Tech standout some opportunities not only on special teams but in the secondary too. With Farley, this is going to come down to health. If the corner is healthy, then a big training camp may just be in his future.

He has shown his playmaking ability already, including a knack for getting behind the line of scrimmage. Farley can flat-out tackle people and can be quite a ball hawk. He had four INT's in his sophomore season at Virginia Tech and could have had several more. Looking for players who can generate turnovers and tackles is a plus. Caleb Farley could be set up for success as a member of the Tennesee Titans.

 

Talanoa Hufanga (DB, SF)

The San Francisco 49'ers had a needed and rolled the dice on drafting USC standout Talanoa Hufanga very late in the draft. Do not let that fool you. There were valid concerns here (injuries- shoulder and collarbone) that included his lack of burst speed. However, San Francisco does not necessarily need him for speed and feels they can work with Hufanga there. They love him.

Hufanga is another one of those secondary players that can rack up tons of talents and produce some turnovers. His sophomore season at USC was the one to note in 2019 and 2020 was not bad either. He averaged 9 and 10.3 tackles per game in those seasons and generated a few forced fumbles each year.

Obviously, much of Hufanga's value hinges on how unstable San Francisco's secondary depth really is. If Hufanga plays within himself in training camp and is open to teaching, his 2021 potential will surprise many. AP All Americans combined with easy opportunity to play should be more noticeable.

 

Jamar Johnson (CB, DEN)

Johnson didn't emerge as a combine warrior, but he stepped up at Indiana when it seemed like all hope was lost in their secondary. The Marcelino Ball ACL tear created an opportunity that Johnson broke through on. He had 43 tackles and picked off two passes while adding 3.5 sacks. He was quite the ballhawk as Indiana's defense experienced marked improvement.

While the Denver defense keeps improving, there may just be a little bit of room for Johnson to make an impact by the end of 2021. Joining one of the better defenses in the league alleviates pressure for Johnson to perform instantly. That said, he has the chance to see significant playing time in 2022, not just in nickel packages. Johnson's run tackling technique was a little flawed but something Denver coaches and Vic Fangio should be able to work on.

 

If Johnson can show off his coverage skills early on, he has the chance to earn some work at the nickel position right away. He could prove an opportunistic player worth noting in IDP leagues that require a CB and reward passes defended along with sacks.

 

James Wiggins (S, ARZ)

The Cardinals took a flier late in the seventh round of the draft with the 243rd pick. Wiggins, unlike Jamar Johnson, does not grade quite as well (6.26 for Johnson -- 5.87 for Wiggins).

James Wiggins. stands just 5'11" which isn't exactly the ideal size for a safety. He does have explosive speed and strength but is just 209 pounds and the argument is he cannot put any more weight on at this point. The former Cincinnati safety excelled despite coming off a major ACL tear. Last year was spent getting used to the new knee and yet, Wiggins showed such growth anyway.

Of course, at safety we as IDP players want someone who can rack up tackles and make big plays. Wiggins did have 32 tackles and an interception. His numbers before the tear were a bit more significant -- 54 tackles and four INT's. Wiggins in 2018 made a ton of big plays and Arizona is banking on that big-time play potential.

The concerns are numerous though and Wiggins could be a bit of a project. He is too small to cover the NFL's better tight ends. Run defense was suspect in college and must learn NFL defenses better. If Wiggins does not get back to his full 2018-19 range as a safety, his upside could be that of just a fringe secondary/special teams player. He is one to watch especially to see how the defender grows in development in 2021.

 

More NFL Rookie Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Xavier Edwards12 mins ago

Collects Four Hits
Pete Alonso20 mins ago

Comes Up Clutch
Jackson Merrill2 hours ago

Goes Deep After Inking Nine-Year Extension
Jrue Holiday2 hours ago

Won't Play Against Miami
New York Jets2 hours ago

Xavier Newman-Johnson Re-Signs With New York
Luis Castillo2 hours ago

Finally Beats The Tigers On Wednesday
Al Horford2 hours ago

Sidelined Versus Heat
Seiya Suzuki2 hours ago

Carries Cubs Offense With Two Homers, Five RBI
Kristaps Porzingis2 hours ago

Ruled Out On Wednesday
Fred VanVleet3 hours ago

Out Versus Utah
Dennis Santana3 hours ago

Picks Up First Save Of The Year
Evan Phillips3 hours ago

Tony Gonsolin, Evan Phillips Starting Rehab Assignments
Dean Wade3 hours ago

Sidelined On Wednesday
George Springer3 hours ago

Hits First Homer In Win Over Nationals
Alex Bregman3 hours ago

Considering Using Torpedo Bat
Trae Young3 hours ago

Expected To Suit Up On Wednesday
Freddie Freeman3 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Ozzie Albies3 hours ago

Moving To Leadoff Spot On Wednesday
Joel Embiid4 hours ago

Will Undergo Arthroscopic Surgery On His Left Knee
Evgeni Malkin4 hours ago

Joins Penguins For Road Trip
Freddy Peralta4 hours ago

Dazzles In No-Decision Against Royals
Filip Chytil4 hours ago

Could Miss Rest Of Season
Jackson Chourio4 hours ago

Picks Up Three Hits, First Homer In Extra-Innings Win
Declan Chisholm4 hours ago

Back In Action Against Rangers
Michael Harris II4 hours ago

Sitting Against Lefty On Wednesday
Keaton Wallace4 hours ago

Sidelined Again On Wednesday
Samuel Girard4 hours ago

Exits Avalanche Lineup Wednesday
Gunnar Henderson4 hours ago

To Make Another Rehab Appearance On Wednesday
Joel Kiviranta4 hours ago

Returning Against Blackhawks
Paul Skenes4 hours ago

Wins His First Game Of The Season
Cole Ragans4 hours ago

Fans 10 In No-Decision On Wednesday
Eeli Tolvanen4 hours ago

Misses First Game Of The Season
Ketel Marte4 hours ago

Agrees To Six-Year Extension With Diamondbacks
Jaden Schwartz4 hours ago

Unavailable Against Canucks
Iván Herrera4 hours ago

Ivan Herrera Slugs Three Homers, Drives In Six In Win Over Angels
Brayan Bello6 hours ago

To Make Another Rehab Start On Sunday
6 hours ago

Kyle McCord Rising Up Draft Boards?
6 hours ago

Ashton Jeanty To Raiders Continues To Gain Steam
Ketel Marte6 hours ago

Diamondbacks Working On Extension For Ketel Marte
6 hours ago

Emeka Egbuka To Fall To Round 2?
Los Angeles Rams6 hours ago

Rob Havenstein Expected To Be Ready For Training Camp
Cleveland Browns8 hours ago

Mike Hall Likely To Miss Offseason Program After Having Knee Surgery
New England Patriots8 hours ago

Christian Barmore Expected To Be Ready For Offseason Workouts
8 hours ago

Saints Expected To Visit With Quinn Ewers
Jake Moody8 hours ago

49ers To Bring In Competition For Jake Moody
Pittsburgh Steelers8 hours ago

Steelers In Play To Draft A Running Back
Green Bay Packers10 hours ago

Packers Not Ruling Out Jaire Alexander Returning
Tennessee Titans11 hours ago

No. 1 Overall Pick Might Not Be For Sale
Kenny Pickett11 hours ago

Browns Feel Good About QB Situation, Kenny Pickett
Cleveland Browns11 hours ago

Browns Unlikely To Trade Up To No. 1 Overall For Cam Ward
Cincinnati Bengals11 hours ago

Bengals Still Working On Contract Extension With Trey Hendrickson
Dyami Brown11 hours ago

Jaguars Intrigued By Dyami Brown's Potential
Pittsburgh Steelers12 hours ago

All Options On The Table For Steelers At Quarterback
Jordan Mason12 hours ago

To Factor Into Short-Yardage, Goal-Line Situations
Bennedict Mathurin12 hours ago

Iffy For Wednesday
Joe Milton III12 hours ago

Patriots Have Received Multiple Trade Inquiries For Joe Milton III
Myles Turner12 hours ago

May Miss Another Game Wednesday
Al Horford12 hours ago

Considered Doubtful Wednesday
Jrue Holiday12 hours ago

Questionable For Wednesday's Game
Kristaps Porzingis13 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Wednesday
Jaylen Brown13 hours ago

Could Remain On The Shelf Wednesday
Cade Cunningham13 hours ago

Likely Out For Fifth Straight Game
Anthony Davis13 hours ago

Probable Wednesday
Evan Bouchard14 hours ago

Tallies Two Assists In Victory
Jake Guentzel14 hours ago

Tallies Goal, Assist In Victory
Kirill Marchenko15 hours ago

Scores Hat Trick On Tuesday
Tage Thompson15 hours ago

Stays Hot On The Scoresheet
Lane Hutson15 hours ago

Dishes Out Three Helpers In Overtime Victory
Alex Ovechkin15 hours ago

Tallies Two Points In Victory
Cameron Young20 hours ago

A Player To Avoid At Valero Texas Open
Kurt Kitayama20 hours ago

In Search Of Consistency At Valero Texas Open
Si Woo Kim20 hours ago

Looking To Bounce Back At Valero Texas Open
Evan Engram21 hours ago

Sean Payton Excited About Evan Engram In Joker Role
Caleb Williams22 hours ago

To Spend More Time Working Under Center
Tom Hoge22 hours ago

Looking To Build Off Strong Performance At The PLAYERS Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick1 day ago

Looking For Consistency At Valero Texas Open
Corey Conners1 day ago

Continues Strong Form Ahead Of Valero Texas Open
Patrick Cantlay1 day ago

Eyeing Victory At Valero Texas Open
Gary Woodland1 day ago

Showing Great Form Ahead Of Valero Texas Open
Akshay Bhatia1 day ago

Aiming For Repeat At Valero Texas Open
Alejandro Tosti1 day ago

A Volatile Choice At TPC San Antonio
Guerschon Yabusele1 day ago

Out Against Knicks
Karl-Anthony Towns1 day ago

Sits Out Tuesday's Game
Jevon Carter1 day ago

Ruled Out Tuesday
Dalen Terry1 day ago

Unavailable Against Raptors
Julian Phillips1 day ago

Out On Tuesday
Jimmy Snuggerud1 day ago

Ready For NHL Debut Tuesday
Jacob Trouba1 day ago

Set To Rejoin Ducks Lineup Tuesday
Troy Terry1 day ago

On Track To Play Tuesday
Jonathan Marchessault1 day ago

Remains Out Against Blue Jackets
Alex Laferriere1 day ago

Expected To Return On Tuesday
Luke Schenn1 day ago

A Game-Time Decision Tuesday
Dante Fabbro1 day ago

Returns Against Predators
Olli Määttä1 day ago

Olli Maatta A Game-Time Call On Tuesday
Jordan Spieth1 day ago

Needs To Find Consistency At TPC San Antonio
Jake Knapp1 day ago

Making First Appearance At Valero Texas Open
Michael Kim1 day ago

Looking To Find The Magic Again In San Antonio
Tommy Fleetwood1 day ago

Is Nearly A Must-Play At Valero Texas Open
Tony Finau1 day ago

Hoping For Better Approach Play In San Antonio
Eric Cole1 day ago

Trending In Right Direction Ahead Of Valero
Sam Stevens2 days ago

Enjoys Nice Result In Houston
PGA2 days ago

J.T. Poston Seeks To Contend At Valero Texas Open
Denny McCarthy2 days ago

Keeps Making Cuts But Needs To Make More Putts
Brian Harman2 days ago

Off To A Subpar 2025 So Far
Ryan Preece2 days ago

Has Three Straight Top-10 Finishes For First Time In His Career
NASCAR2 days ago

Bubba Wallace After Third-Place Finish At Martinsville: "What a Great Day"
Todd Gilliland2 days ago

Has Mistake-Free Day At Martinsville, Grabs Another Top-10 Finish
Brandon Moreno2 days ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Steve Erceg2 days ago

Losses Third Consecutive Fight
Drew Dober2 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres2 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Harry Hall2 days ago

Bounces Back In Houston Last Week
CJ Vergara2 days ago

Gets Submitted
Édgar Cháirez2 days ago

Edgar Chairez Gets Submission Win At UFC Mexico City
Vince Morales2 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC Mexico City
Raul Rosas Jr.2 days ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Mexico City
Saimon Oliveira2 days ago

Still Winless In The UFC
David Martinez2 days ago

Wins His UFC Debut
Kevin Borjas2 days ago

Earns His First UFC Win
Ronaldo Rodríguez2 days ago

Ronaldo Rodriguez Suffers His First UFC Loss
Christopher Bell2 days ago

Powers His Way To A Second-Place Finish At Martinsville
Chase Elliott2 days ago

Strong Martinsville Performance Ends With A Top-Five Finish
Kyle Larson2 days ago

Collects A Top-Five Finish At Martinsville
William Byron2 days ago

Places 22nd After Struggles At Martinsville
Joey Logano2 days ago

Claims His First 2025 Top-10 Finish After Up-And-Down Performance
Tyler Reddick2 days ago

Fails To Place In The Top 10 At Martinsville
Denny Hamlin3 days ago

Silences Doubters After Crew-Chief Change
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Earns Best 2025 Finish At Martinsville Despite Failing Cool Suit
Ross Chastain3 days ago

Has A Great Day At Martinsville
Chase Briscoe3 days ago

Has Solid Run At Martinsville
Erik Jones3 days ago

Disqualified At Martinsville For Weight Violation
Josh Berry4 days ago

Has Top-10 Upside At Martinsville
Joey Logano4 days ago

Don't Overlook Joey Logano This Weekend
Ryan Preece4 days ago

Could Get First Three-Race Top-10 Streak Of His Career
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Looking To Continue Great Runs At Martinsville
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Wins Pole At Martinsville, But Can He Stay Up There?
Ryan Blaney4 days ago

Fast In Practice But Skeptical About Car
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

New Crew Chief Has Terrible Martinsville Record
Steve Erceg5 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Brandon Moreno5 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres5 days ago

Set For Co-Main Event
Drew Dober5 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Mexico City
Joe Pyfer5 days ago

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum5 days ago

Set For Middleweight Matchup
Vince Morales5 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
Raul Rosas Jr.5 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Saimon Oliveira5 days ago

Looks For His First UFC Win
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF