Darius Leonard Fantasy

Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich said that linebacker Darius Leonard (groin) and left tackle Anthony Castonzo (rib) have been ruled out for Week 5 against the Browns. Leonard, who is a must-start in IDP leagues at his position when healthy, suffered a groin injury late in last week's win over the Bears and played 28 out of a possible 62 defensive snaps. Leonard's absence is great news for Browns running back Kareem Hunt, who is a must-start in his own right with Nick Chubb on Injured Reserve. Castonzo's absence is bad news for quarterback Philip Rivers against a Browns pass rush that includes All-Pro Myles Garrett. Le'Raven Clark and Chaz Green are options to fill in on Rivers' blind side.

Oct. 9th • 2:40 PM

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard knows the team's defense will get better with the addition of defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. "Having DeForest come onto the team and help our defense out, he's a complete dog. Watching his tape, he has a motor that doesn't stop," Leonard said. The Colts secondary allowed 248.9 passing yards per game last year, the 10th-most in the league. An improved defensive line should create more pressure on opposing quarterbacks and force them to get the ball out quicker. Buckner hasn't missed a game in three seasons and was the only player with 40-plus QB pressures, 10-plus run stuffs and seven-plus hustle stops in 2019, according to Next Gen Stats. Buckner should easily be a top-10 defensive line target in IDP formats, while Indy's defense will likely be in the streaming conversation this year.

Jun. 30th • 11:36 AM

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard comes in at No. 10 on NFL.com's Nick Shook's top-10 coverage men in 2019, and he's the only linebacker on the list. Not only does he consistently stop the run, but Leonard is expected to stay with receivers, running backs and tight ends in coverage. His five interceptions led all linebackers last season, as well as his 58.6 passer rating allowed as the nearest defender in coverage. Leonard finished with seven passes defensed and even took an interception back for a touchdown. The 24-year-old (25 in July) has 284 tackles (182 solo), 19 tackles for loss, 14 QB hits, 12 sacks, seven interceptions, 15 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in just two seasons for Indy. Leonard is the No. 1 IDP linebacker for a reason.

Jun. 5th • 12:27 PM