In this article, I am giving you three early IDP devy buys that you should look to add to your IDP devy portfolios. With the 2022 campaign just around the corner, now is the time to acquire these three stocks while the investment cost is still low. 

Dallas Turner, OLB, Alabama Crimson Tide

Dallas Turner came to Alabama as a consensus five-star recruit from St Aquinas High School. It’s not often that a true freshman starts or even plays a major role at a major school, especially one that is loaded such as Alabama. However, Turner not only defied the odds but excelled well above expectations. The freshman phenom played in all fifteen games while making three starts. On the season, Turner would record 30total tackles, with 14 solos, ten TFLs, 8½ sacks, for a loss of 52 yards, and one fumble recovery. In two of the biggest games of his career (SEC Championship & National Championship), both of which were against Georgia, Turner shined with five total tackles, three solos, three TFLs, and three sacks. Impressive numbers considering he was basically in a backup role.

Turner earned All-SEC Freshman team honors by the coaches and received Freshman All-American honors from both 247 Sports and the FWAA. As you can see, Turner was a big piece for the Crimson Tide last season and with stars such as ILB Christian Harris and OLB Christopher Allen off to the NFL, the expectations are through the roof for Turner this season. The open position that was manned by Christopher Allen is there for the taking and my vote goes to Turner to fill that spot. Of course, the job won’t just be handed to him and there will be some competition, but the opportunity to play on the opposite side of superstar Will Anderson Jr has unlimited chances to be a playmaker.

Heading into his sophomore season, I expect Turner to be a starter and form one of the nation's best pass-rushing duos along with Will Anderson Jr. Turner is the next star in a long line of prospects produced by the NFL draft machine that is Alabama. Outside of Will Anderson, I can see him being the best defender on the field each week for the Tide. Fantasy managers that have or looking to acquire him, will have comfort knowing that they will have at least two more years of college eligibility with him before he can declare for the draft. This may be your last chance to add him to your IDP Devy portfolios at a decent price, as his stock will skyrocket once spring sessions start.

Jeremy Banks, ILB, Tennessee Vols

Jeremy Banks came to Tennessee as a four-star recruit at the running back position. After his freshman season, he began practicing at linebacker late in the 2018 season but was back at running back in the spring of 2019. Four games into his sophomore, he would switch back to linebacker once more at that’s where he would stay.  He showed flashes of what he could be over the next two seasons, including a two-interception performance versus Chattanooga, making him the first UT linebacker to intercept two passes in a game since Mark Burns vs. Ole Miss on Nov. 14, 1981. Over that span, he would play in 13 games and would record 35 total tackles, 14 solos, two TFLs, and two interceptions. Not eye-popping numbers, but he did show growth and progression.

Last year in 2022, he finally got a full-time role and he more than exceeded expectations. Banks would play and start all 13 games for the Vols while recording career highs in almost every category. He would register 128 total tackles, 59 solos, 11½ TFLs, 5½ sacks, one interception, and four PBUs. Banks would lead Tennessee and rank 3rd in the SEC with 9.84 avg tackles per game. He would also lead the team with five games of ten plus tackles, with a career-high of 15 total stops against both #13 Ole Miss and #1 Georgia. Banks would get better as the season went on, as all five of those games came in the second half of the season.

Banks is back for his senior season and will once again be the lead dog for the Volunteer's defense. In year two under HC Josh Heupel, Bank's experience and leadership will be highly leaned on, with all the incoming young talent eager to learn. He should be once again among the SEC leaders in tackles and I can easily see him breaking his personal best in TFLs and sacks this year. He’s going to be a central point for Tennessee’s defense and the opportunities to make plays will be once again plentiful. If you are looking for a decent buy option for your IDP devy rosters, with some NFL upside, then Banks is a player you should be looking to add to your IDP devy portfolios.

Leonard Taylor, DE, Miami Hurricanes

Leonard Taylor came from Miami Palmetto High School as a five-star recruit. He decided to stay instate and chose the Hurricanes over schools such as Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, Pitt, Tennessee, Texas A&M, USF, and Wake Forest, among others. The Hurricanes lost not one but both of their top pass rushers, Gregory Rousseau and Jaelan Phillips to the NFL, which left a ton of questions about who could and would fill those openings. They used a number of different players to try and fill these openings, including transfer Deandre Johnson from Tennessee, with some inhouse recruits. Taylor didn’t receive any playing time in the first four games of the season but did play in the last nine contests.

In those nine games played, Taylor registered 21 total tackles, 8½ TFLs, two sacks, and one PBU. These are not numbers that will wow you, but considering the limited reps that he was receiving, it’s not that bad. The number that stands out the most is his disruptive plays (TFLs and sacks), which show me the potential that he has. He tied for the team lead in TFLs with Deandre Johnson, while his sacks ranked sixth. I will be glued to everything that Miami is doing this offseason to see what they have planned for Taylor. He should be the bookend to Johnson this season and form an aggressive pass rush duo in front of their aggressive linebackers.

Fantasy managers looking for a defensive end stock to add to their IDP devy portfolios should invest now in Taylor. His name is relatively unknown by most outside the Miami circle, so this makes it a perfect time to make the investment. If you’re in an auction-type league, he’s an excellent low-bid option that has some high upside. If your league does a draft then I would look at selecting him somewhere in the middle rounds. If Taylor is already rostered, then ask for him as an add-in in your trades and I bet more often than not that you can get him. He has a high upside that can provide your teams with a solid amount of TFLs and the sacks will follow as well.

Thanks for reading my article. I am a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers of America). Follow me on Twitter at @HollywoodTitan, on Facebook on my IDPNation page, on Reddit in the fantasy football IDP sub — I’m user KingTitan1 — and tune in each week and listen to IDP Nation and Devy IDP Grind, the podcasts that I co-host, on several different platforms. Feel free to hit me up with any questions that you have, as I’m always glad to help fellow IDPers. #IDPNation #IDP #IDPDevy.