Leonard Floyd

Floyd will play his eighth season in the NFL, having started all 104 games in which he's appeared. In the past three years he's had sack totals of 10.5, 9.5, and 9. He'll get plenty of opportunity in 2023 as an edge defender in the Bills defense.

It was another busy year for Floyd, who filled up the stat sheet in his second season with the Rams to the tune of 70 tackles, 9.5 sacks and an interception in 894 defensive snaps. He'll turn 30 at the start of the 2022 season, but Floyd's durability (no games missed in four straight seasons) and ability as one of the workhorses in a 3-4 defense should keep his prospects high for this season.

Floyd followed up his breakout 2020 campaign in Los Angeles by re-signing with the team on a four-year, $64 million contract. Overall, he racked up career highs with 55 tackles and 10.5 sacks through 16 games and projects to have another strong season with opposing offensive lines focusing so much attention on perennial All-Pro Aaron Donald. Because of Floyd's limited track record, there's potential he flies a little under the radar in IDP settings, too.

The four-year starter joined the Rams after being released by Chicago in March after a so-so tenure with the Bears. Floyd was the ninth overall selection in the 2016 draft and has recorded just 18.5 sacks and 44 quarterback hits through 54 regular-season contests. He projects to be a go-to pass rusher for Los Angeles, which was a role that helped Dante Fowler live up to his potential and accumulate 11.5 sacks last season. Add a change of scenery, and Floyd could be positioned to improve his fantasy numbers in 2020. Additionally, for what it's worth, first-year defensive coordinator Brandon Staley coached Floyd in Chicago during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Still, it's probably best to take a wait-and-see approach in most settings.

After notching seven sacks in 12 games as a rookie, Floyd has only been able to add 8.5 more over his last 26 games, though he did set a career-high with 47 tackles in 2018. Going into his second year playing alongside Khalil Mack, it's certainly possible that Floyd re-establishes himself as a strong pass rusher, and although he's not a hot commodity in IDP leagues, he's a player who can be drafted for potential and upside, but in shallow leagues, he'll be a player to monitor on the waiver wire.

Coming into his third season, Floyd's looking like a player who'll be worth the first-round selection the Bears used on him in the 2016 draft. Although he's missed 10 of 32 possible games due to injury, he's averaged over a half-sack per game while forcing a pair of fumbles. With the flashes of brilliance he's shown so far, he's a great player to target, especially for those willing to bet that defensive coordinator Vic Fangio can get the most out of a player with dynamic ability to rush the passer. That type of gamble could pay off big, especially since he's a player who typically can be secured late.

A first-round selection of the 2016 draft, Floyd showed glimpses of vast promise as a pass rusher, racking up seven sacks across 12 games as a rookie. With continued development, he's in a position to build upon such output. Hindering his cause slightly, though, is his listing as the direct packup to Pernell McPhee and the lack of bulk on his 6-6, 240-pound frame. Even if early-down work is sporadic in 2017, Floyd is a decent but to surpass his first-year sack total.

The Bears traded up to the ninth pick of the 2016 NFL Draft to select Floyd in the hopes that he will be a force as an outside pass rusher. He's projected to start his career as a sub-package player, likely on passing downs, as he's currently behind right outside linebacker Lamarr Houston on the depth chart. The team is already on record saying that it needs to get Floyd stronger by adding muscle, but defensive coordinator Vic Fangio had success deploying fast but undersized pass rushers during his tenure in San Francisco. Although he could be a factor from Week 1, Floyd will likely have some hurdles to overcome in his rookie campaign before realizing his vast potential.