Darius Leonard, IND LB #53

bio:

Darius Leonard is an Indianapolis outside linebacker drafted in the 2nd round (#36 overall) out of South Carolina State in the 2018 draft. Won defensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 and was an All-Pro his first three seasons, which makes him one of the most decorated young linebackers in the league.

attributes:

An instinctive, sideline-to-sideline, every down 4th-year linebacker with playmaking ability. Leonard has adequate size for his position, but his athleticism graded out as slightly below average. His College Prospect Score (CPS) is average due to below-average athleticism and higher-than-average draft age. His CPS does not match his elite play on the field.

player grade:

Solid in pass coverage, pass rush, and against the run per PFF.com, there are no major weaknesses to his game. The only real knock against him is that his overall PFF grade has decreased each year.

Year	Overall	Run Defense	Pass Rush	Coverage
2018	81.6	75.4	75.8	79.8
2019	78.7	78.8	78.9	70.5
2020	72.6	66.8	84.6	69.8

injury:

He missed three games in 2019 due to a concussion and two games in 2020 due to a groin strain, therefore injury is not a major concern.

tackles:

Leonard is an elite tackler, which gives him a high floor in fantasy.

Year	SOLO	AST	COMBINED	A4I*
2018	119	34	153	153
2019	79	35	114	140
2020	93	29	122	139

big plays:

He makes impact plays all over the field, as a result, he is one of the highest upside players in fantasy.

Year	SACK	STF	INT	PD	FF	FR
2018	7	9	2	8	4	2
2019	5	5	5	7	2	0
2020	3	6	0	7	3	2

contract:

Entering a contract year in 2021 could negatively impact his dynasty value if he is not resigned by Indianapolis. It would be pretty surprising if Indy doesn’t lock him up long-term.

summary:

Darius Leonard is a dominant player, but his dynasty rank takes a slight hit due to his average CPS score and minor injury concerns. If he can stay healthy in 2021, expect him to compete for the #1 overall IDP finish for the 2021 season and dynasty.