Fantasy Football IDP: 2026 Rookie Defensive Back Prospect Preview

Mar 23, 2026

Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Similar to the linebacker position, the league has devalued safeties over the past decade, and it's rare to see one selected in the first round of the draft. This year, we'll likely have three.

I'll circle back on these defensive backs after the draft, when we'll have a clearer understanding of their path to 2026 IDP viability. Alignment matters a ton for defensive backs, and we'll have a better feel for how they might be utilized at the next level once we know where they're playing in 2026. But for now, I wanted to share my thoughts on who I believe these players are, and what NFL front offices might see as draft day approaches.

More IDP Rookie Previews: Linebackers | Defensive Line

Again, I don't want to position myself here as a scout. Like you, I'm a football junkie who's fallen in love with defense and IDP over the past few seasons. For this exercise, I combed through scouting reports, stats, and truncated game tape and highlights to help me articulate my thoughts, with the intent of helping readers make rookie draft and dynasty decisions that give them a leg up on their league mates.

Let's dig in.

Defensive Backs

Caleb Downs, S, Ohio State

Caleb Downs is far and away the top safety prospect in this class, and one of the top safety prospects to come into the league in the past 20 years. The safety position does not typically command premium draft capital, but Downs is a lock to go in the first round, and most would be surprised to see him fall outside the top 10. Despite average size by NFL safety standards, he is an elite tackler who fills with impressive body control and strength at contact, and he showed the same high-level reaction skills in coverage.

#OhioState S Caleb Downs had an incredible season and finished it with a great outing against Miami.

Aggressive tackler, phenomenal in pursuit, elite football IQ/awareness, missed tackle rate among lowest in the draft class. Top-5 player on my Big Board. pic.twitter.com/rIkxdobgwG

— Andy (@AndyyNFL) January 4, 2026

What makes Downs an even more enticing IDP prospect is his alignment versatility. He spent 35% of his snaps in the box and 23% in the slot throughout his career, per Sports Info Solutions, and he's been an efficient tackler across those alignments with an 11.0% tackle rate (84th percentile) on an 8.7% first contact rate (91st percentile).

Downs will be an impact IDP defensive back on Day 1, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him getting the same versatile usage that made him a star at Alabama and then again at Ohio State. That alignment flexibility is gold for IDP. Downs can do all of it, and his draft capital will ensure he's on the field for all three downs from Week 1. He's the top safety in this class and has a path to Defensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Dillon Thieneman, S, Oregon

Dillon Thieneman can do a little bit of everything and do it all at a high level. He's your classic first-in-last-out grinder, known around the Oregon program for his 5:30 a.m. arrival time at the facility. . Because of his open-field athleticism, Thieneman has a lot to offer in the NFL, including the versatility to make plays over the top in coverage or downhill against the run.

Dillon Thieneman, Future ____ 👀
pic.twitter.com/tEKYN79NCq

— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) March 5, 2026

The usage numbers are what make him particularly interesting for IDP purposes. While Thieneman was used more as a deep safety at Purdue, his transfer to Oregon saw him spend the majority of his snaps, 53 percent, per Sports Info Solutions, in the box. That's ideal alignment for IDP value, and he responded with the kind of tackle production that makes fantasy managers take notice. Thieneman posted a 97th-percentile tackle rate of 13.2%, which is elite for the position.

In tackle-heavy formats, his projected box usage and elite tackle rate give him a reliable floor. He's not the flashy, do-everything unicorn that Caleb Downs is, but he'll have first-round draft capital and should start from Week 1. His weekly upside depends on his landing spot and alignment.

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, S, Toledo

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren is going to be a favorite of the analytics crowd and the old-school tape grinders alike. Measured 6-foot-4 at the combine with 32-plus-inch arms, he brings a rare physical profile to the safety position. What makes McNeil-Warren enticing from an IDP fantasy perspective is that he's a box safety who can make an impact near the line of scrimmage. He's spent 52% of his career college snaps in that alignment, the highest mark among any safety prospect who has actually been drafted into the league since 2018, per Sports Info Solutions.

Toledo SAF Emmanuel McNeil-Warren has the highest single season run defense grade amongst all SAF prospects since 2015 at 95.0. He's 1/2 SAF prospects since 2015 with a run defense grade > 91.0 and a career pressure rate > 1/3, joining Desmond King. His physicality, ability to… pic.twitter.com/svjs152tQX

— Adam Carter (@impactfbdata) March 17, 2026

He's likely to be selected in the back half of Round 1 or, at the latest, early in Round 2. That draft capital will ensure he gets every opportunity to be an every-down player from Day 1, and his box-heavy usage gives him a tackle floor that we want for IDP, regardless of the scoring format. He also has a knack for punching the ball loose, too, forcing nine career fumbles at Toledo. He's not the flashiest name on the board, but he's the kind of player who ends up as a DB2 for a decade.

A.J. Haulcy, S, LSU

Per the Athletic's Dane Brugler, back in high school, they called A.J. Haulcy "Mr. Give Me That" because he had a habit of taking the football away. That trend followed him to college. Ten career interceptions, 19 passes defended, and a 2025 season at LSU where he posted an 86.6 overall grade and 88.6 coverage grade, both top-15 marks for his position in the entire FBS.

He covers a ton of ground, and his skill set translates directly to defenses that lean on two-high shells and split-field coverage. He looks just as comfortable in the deep half as he does near the box, and at 222 pounds, he's got the frame and the willingness to play down near the line of scrimmage. Haulcy's combination of coverage instinct and physical run support gives him real value as a strong safety or box safety, and it's what makes him such a clean projection to the NFL.

For IDP purposes, Haulcy offers a blend of tackle floor and splash-play ceiling. His 2025 coverage grade was elite, his ball production is verified across multiple seasons, and his willingness to mix it up in the box ensures he won't be a zero in the run game. He's the kind of safety who can be a DB2 in tackle-heavy formats and a DB1 in big-play leagues, and his early Day 2 draft capital should help his chances of getting on the field quickly.

Zakee Wheatley, S, Penn State

Zakee Wheatley is a long and lanky athlete, but a willing run defender with a decisive downhill trigger. In coverage, he plays with outstanding balance and ball skills as a centerfielder. His best fit at the next level is as a free safety in a defense that values range and coverage ability over box physicality. The speed and length give him the tools to patrol the back end from a single-high alignment, and his year-over-year growth in coverage suggests he's still climbing.

The run defense grades are genuinely impressive, but his lighter frame and inconsistent pad level mean he's better suited to triggering downhill from depth than playing as an in-the-box safety on early downs. That said, he has the athletic profile to handle slot receivers and tight ends in sub-packages, which will keep him on the field in passing situations.

Wheatley had nine career takeaways, including five interceptions, which validate the coverage instincts that show up on tape. He's not going to be a tackle monster, but in big-play scoring formats, Wheatley has the kind of range and ball skills that translate to weekly splash potential. He's a free safety who can be a DB2/3 in the right scheme, and his draft capital should reflect a player who's still ascending. He's more intriguing as a draft and stash prospect, and I wouldn't expect a ton from him in 2026.

Other defensive backs with a chance to go in the top 3 rounds:

Keionte Scott, Miami
Kamari Ramsey, USC
Michael Taaffe, Texas
Bud Clark, TCU
Genesis Smith, Arizona

You're rarely starting a cornerback unless your league specifically requires the distinction, so here are a few cornerbacks with a chance to go in the top 2 rounds: