Darius Leonard Fantasy

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard (ankle, illness) will not practice on Thursday due to a non-COVID-19-related illness. Leonard is looking very questionable to play in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams after he disappointed with only five tackles and a forced fumble in the season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Most fantasy managers are staying away from the Colts defense after they were torched through the air by Seattle, and rightfully so in another daunting matchup against the Rams. On top of Leonard's questionable status, cornerback Xavier Rhodes could miss his second straight game for Indy. Leonard is a must-start linebacker in IDP formats each week, but you should start seriously considering other options if he cannot play this weekend.

Sep. 16th • 12:58 PM

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard (ankle) missed practice on Wednesday with an ankle injury. Cornerback Xavier Rhodes (calf), who sat out the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, also didn't practice. The Colts need all the help they can get on the defensive side of the ball after getting torched through the air by Seattle, and things won't get any easier in Week 2 against a Los Angeles Rams offense that averaged a league-high 12.3 yards per attempt through the air in the first week of the season. Leonard, who is typically the top-rated IDP linebacker when he's healthy, underwhelmed with only five tackles in Week 1. Perhaps he was dealing with his ankle injury, but he did play all 54 defensive snaps. Keep an eye on his status the rest of the week.

Sep. 15th • 8:31 PM

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard (ankle) underwent a "small procedure on his ankle" and will miss some early training camp practices. General manager Chris Ballard said the team will continue to monitor Leonard. It's something to watch, but it shouldn't deter fantasy managers from taking him as one of the first individual defensive players off the board in those formats. The 25-year-old is a two-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro. He missed a few games with groin and back injuries in 2020, but he still managed to finish as a top-10 fantasy linebacker with 132 tackles (86 solo), two fumble recoveries and three sacks in 14 games for Indy. As long as he doesn't suffer a setback that puts him in danger for Week 1, Leonard will remain a highly coveted IDP asset.

Jul. 26th • 8:56 PM