Eric Kendricks, MIN LB #54
bio:
Eric Kendricks is a middle linebacker for Minnesota drafted in the 2nd round (#45 overall) out of UCLA in the 2015 draft. He was an All-American and won the Butkus Award as the nation’s top collegiate linebacker in 2014. A bit of a late bloomer, he was an All-Pro for the first time in 2019.
attributes:
A smart, side-to-sideline, every down 7th-year linebacker with playmaking ability, especially in coverage. His athleticism is slightly above average, and he has adequate size for his position, but he is starting to get up there in age. His College Prospect Score (CPS) is decent but doesn’t match his high-end play on the field, primarily due to being an older prospect in the draft.
| Age* | Height | Weight | 40 | SPARQ | CPS |
| 29.6 | 6’0″ | 232 | 4.61 | 134 | 1.0 |
player grade:
A bit of a late bloomer, Kendricks has quietly been one of the best linebackers in the league the last couple of years, per PFF.com. He is a sure tackler and has improved his pass coverage, but he offers little as a pass rusher.
| Year | Overall | Run Defense | Pass Rush | Coverage |
| 2016 | 68.9 | 66.2 | 56.6 | 68.4 |
| 2017 | 65.4 | 64.3 | 51.8 | 66.7 |
| 2018 | 64.1 | 65.6 | 55.4 | 64.3 |
| 2019 | 90.2 | 90.1 | 66.6 | 82.5 |
| 2020 | 82.6 | 62.8 | 47.4 | 90.7 |
injury:
Kendricks missed 1 game in 2019 due to a quad strain and 5 games in 2020 due to a calf strain.
tackles:
He is a sure tackler. Unfortunately, his 2020 season was cut short by injury, but he was on his way to posting elite tackle numbers. As a result, he has a safe floor in IDP.
| Year | SOLO | AST | COMBINED | A4I* |
| 2018 | 63 | 45 | 108 | 123 |
| 2019 | 70 | 40 | 110 | 117 |
| 2020 | 69 | 38 | 107 | 156 |
big plays:
Kendricks makes impact plays all over the field but offers little as a pass rusher. Therefore, his upside is somewhat limited in leagues that favor sacks.
| Year | SACK | STF | INT | PD | FF | FR |
| 2018 | 1.0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0.5 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0.0 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
contract:
Kendricks signed a 5 year, $50 million contract in 2019. He is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in 2024 (age 32).
summary:
Eric Kendricks is a field general. His dynasty rank takes a slight hit due to his age, a lower CPS score, and minor injury concerns. If he can stay healthy in 2021, expect him to compete for a top 5-10 LB finish. His dynasty value will likely start decreasing this year due to age, so if your fantasy team will not be a contender in 2021, he is someone I would consider trading for the right price.
