You've heard a lot about the injuries and holdouts on the offensive side of the ball this preseason, but what about the defense? Defensive units are very important in all fantasy rankings, and D/STs are often one of the most overlooked parts of the cheat sheet every year. With major players like Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald, and Earl Thomas deep into holdouts (and possibly trade discussions) and Mychal Kendricks dealing with insider trading charges, there is a lot of news that could have an impact on your draft and Week 1 start 'em/sit 'em decisions -- especially if you're in an IDP league.
We'll do what we can to let you know all of the important updates coming out about key defensive players. Check out the latest news and our top 200 rankings, which will be updated constantly throughout the preseason to reflect injuries, position battles and more. Also check out our IDP strategy guide and rankings.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2018 Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Khalil Mack holdout/trade update
As the Mack holdout continues on, it seems highly likely that the Raiders star edge rusher will miss games to start the season. Yahoo's Charles Robinson has reported that "no progress" has been made, and that Mack is "likely" to skip out on some regular season games. This is obviously bad news for the Raiders and their early-season outlook as they try to remake their team under Jon Gruden.
In terms of fantasy value, this moves the Raiders defense from having minimal value to zero value. Mack is the player that makes that unit tick, so without him on the field, they can't be trusted at all, not even as a streaming option. So, avoid the Raiders defense at all costs, and only consider them if Mack returns to the squad.
Conversely, if the Raiders end up trading Mack -- which seems like a real options right now -- he could end up being a big boost to whatever defense acquires him. Keep an eye on the trade market ,and if Mack is added to a solid defense or even a below-average unit, he could bring them to the next level and make them a legitimate fantasy option. If that happens, it will be reflected in our fantasy defense rankings. Alson, as long as Mack is out, upgrade all offensive players going against the Raiders.
Is Aaron Donald playing in Week 1?
The Donald/Rams standoff has been one of the more intriguing contract disputes of the offseason. The main reason for this? The Rams have elected to pay many of their other players, including Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks, and Rob Havenstein throughout the offseason. However, the team hasn't made a lot of visible progress with Donald to this point, though that may be changing.
According to ESPN's Lindsey Thiry, Sean McVay said that the team is "very optimistic" about the Donald deal and that an agreement could happen "sooner than later." That's good news, as it seems possible that the two sides could work out a contract ahead of the season.
Last year, Donald skipped the first game after his holdout but returned in Week 2 against the Redskins. If a deal can be reached, Donald should be on the field and effective in the first week of the season. He's a key part of the Rams defense, and they are ranked No. 5 overall in our D/ST rankings. If he returns, that unit can be fully trusted and fantasy owners can be comfortable selecting them as a potentially matchup-proof unit. The Rams are still playable even if Donald is out, but they're certainly stronger with him.
2018 RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker | Top 200 | PPR
Earl Thomas holdout/trade news
Thomas essentially demanded that the Seahawks either give him a contract extension or trade him in early August. Nothing has happened since that time, and it seems likely that Thomas will be holding out into the season. As the last standing member of the Legion of Boom, the Seahawks defense will be significantly weaker if Thomas doesn't take the field. There is major cause for concern in the secondary if he doesn't play.
It's possible that Thomas could be traded, and he has often been tied to the Cowboys in speculative trades and trade talks. It seems probable that if he gets traded, the Cowboys would be the likely landing spot. For now, there's really nothing new on Thomas, but one thing is certain. His absence will have a major negative impact on Seattle's defense, and that will make them an undraftable commodity this fantasy season. We already had them ranked well outside the top 12 D/STs, and they might not even be streamable without Thomas outside of the very best matchups.
Mychal Kendricks charged with insider trading
This isn't a headline you see come out of the NFL every day. Former Eagles linebacker and current Brown Mychal Kendricks was reportedly charged with insider trading by US Attorney Bill McSwain. The NFL is still deciding what to do about Kendrick's legal situation, and Kendricks won't be traveling to Detroit with the Browns for the fourth preseason contest.
The Kendricks ordeal won't have a major impact on the Browns, as they do have a relatively solid linebacker corps. They also aren't currently a draftable unit, as they still need to prove that their offseason additions can change the narrative around the team's defense. Keep an eye on them as a potential waiver wire add or streamer, but this fantasy defense is not worth owning at the moment.
