Welcome to my 2026 IDP Dynasty Values at Defensive Back article!
With the rapid-fire moves from NFL Free Agency having cooled down, the NFL Draft is coming up. Now is a great time to look for values in Dynasty IDP leagues.
For the article, I’m going to concentrate on Defensive Backs that I’m looking to acquire, either off the waiver wire or by trade, depending on the size of your league. Some of these players will cost more than others; they are not all equal to me, but there are some players I can see having increased value this season and, hopefully, in the future.
I broke these players down according to PFF scoring in the Balanced IDP Scoring System. Other stats and Data provided by Fantasy Pros Data Suite and Dynasty League Football.
Andrew Mukuba
Team: Philadelphia Eagles
Age: 23
DLF SuperFlex Rank DB36 (March ADP): 149.67
Position Finish in Balanced Scoring: DB115 6.39 PPG
Players Overview
Mukuba dealt with an ankle injury in Week 12 of his rookie season after coming out of Alabama. He only played in 11 games, but he showed signs of the potential he has when healthy. Mukuba has the draft capital and a second-round pick in 2025, guaranteeing him a chance to earn time early in 2026.
Eagles rookie Andrew Makuba is EVERYWHERE to start the year #AndrewMakuba INT on the Travis Kelce possible TD#Eagles rookie also has a half sack + QB Hit and 4 tackles vs Chiefs
— Jeff Skversky (@JeffSkversky) September 14, 2025
pic.twitter.com/ljozrIKLzf
The Eagles have cleared out some space in the secondary this offseason. Philadelphia let Reed Blankenship leave in free agency. Sydney Brown, a third-round pick in 2023, has dealt with some injuries and has yet to be a full-time starter in the league. But this year could be his chance.
Brown is versatile and has played some box safety in his career, but it looks like he is primed to replace Blankenship as the primary deep safety.
That means Mukuba should get the first shot at the starting strong safety spot
Projected Path To Success
The box safety role has been productive for the Eagles over the years. With Cooper DeJean settling into the slot role last season, Mukuba should be the guy to keep an eye on in what is a young and explosive secondary that also includes cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Tariq Woolen.
This Eagles defense should be good again, and Mukuba should have every opportunity to produce over the rest of his rookie contract.
Mukuba’s name hasn’t had a lot of traction yet, so he can probably be acquired for a reasonable price, either a rookie pick or via trade. Buy him before he breaks out this season.
Jalen Thompson
Team: Dallas Cowboys
Age: 27
DLF SuperFlex Rank DB40 (March ADP): 133.33
Position Finish in Balanced Scoring: DB38 9.17 PPG
Player Overview
Thompson joins a Cowboys defense desperate for help. The linebacker and defensive back group struggled mightily to make tackles last year. Thompson should immediately help shore up the backend.
His value should increase, as the box role is his full-time role. Thompson has usually been considered a downgrade from his former teammate Budda Baker in Arizona, but not after this move. While Baker is going to cost you a reasonable price to acquire, Thompson should be much cheaper for what could eventually be similar fantasy output.
One of the wildest coverage assignments I've ever seen and a great play by free agent FS Jalen Thompson. pic.twitter.com/adfU1Cy3L7
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) January 27, 2026
Last season, Thompson had 389 deep safety snaps with 569 snaps in the box/slot. Those box snaps should just increase this season. Thompson has a good miss tackle percentage throughout his career. He has been at 8% or less since his rookie season. In 2024, it was 5.8%, and in 2025, it was 6.4%. Thompson has also played over 900 snaps in each of the past five seasons.
Projected Path To Success
In 2025, Thompson had 72 solo tackles (88 total) with one forced fumble and one sack. Thompson has been playing next to Baker his entire career. Baker has gotten most of the box safety snaps in his career, forcing Thompson to play more at deep safety.
Thompson has been a solid fantasy play over the years. He has moved around in the secondary, playing a little bit of everything, but will finally get his first chance to be the team’s primary box safety.
In 2021, Thompson had a career high with 92 solo tackles (114 total). I think he could come close to those numbers in Dallas this season. I don’t think 100 tackles is crazy.
Thompson is a buy-low candidate. He doesn’t have the name recognition as some other DBs and should be a nice piece in a multi-player trade.
Jaquan Brisker
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Age: 26
DLF SuperFlex Ranking DB20 (March ADP): 129.67
Position Finish in Balanced Scoring: DB61 8.29 PPG
Player Overview
Brisker started to look more like the player we saw early in his career after being a second-round pick out of Penn State. Brisker had 69 solo tackles (95 total) with one sack and one interception with 11 pressures and four pass breakups.
Brisker played 524 box/slot snaps, 508 at deep safety, but also played another 164 snaps where he was lined up on the defensive line. I would expect Brisker to play near the line more often for the Steelers, who struggled to find an adequate replacement for DeShon Elliott when he got hurt.
Elliott played in only five games in 2025, but he led all DBs in points per game, averaging more than 12. He missed the final 10 games of the season with a knee injury that was not expected to be season-ending, but that is precisely what happened.
Elliott was a top 10 scoring DB in 2024 with more than 100 total tackles, but he has yet to play a full season in his eight-year career.
It will be interesting to see how the Steelers’ new coaching staff handles Brisker and Elliott. Will they try to play them together, or will there be an all-out battle in training camp for the starting box safety role?
I could see a situation where they play them both together, with Brisker moving to the slot corner spot. This could give him some more blitzing opportunities, similar to how the Bears used him earlier in his career.
Projected Path To Success
Brisker has been hit-or-miss throughout his career. He was really good as a rookie and led the Bears in sacks in 2022. Brisker missed most of 2024 after a concussion. Symptoms did not subside, costing him 12 games.
Brisker returned to play in all 17 games in 2025, but he didn’t have the overall impact in IDP scoring he had earlier in his career. The Steelers only signed Brisker to a one-year deal, so there might be some fantasy managers who are iffy on Brisker’s future with the contract and injury history. There is also the new coaching staff in Pittsburgh, so we aren’t sure exactly how they plan to use him.
Now might be the time to pounce on Brisker if you are still a believer in what he can do. I think he can still be an impact player in IDP, especially in big-play scoring leagues. Brisker would have cost you valuable capital two years ago, but he should be a lot cheaper these days.
Coby Bryant
Team: Chicago Bears
Age: 26
DLF SuperFlex Ranking: Unranked in top 150 (March ADP): X
Position Finish in Balanced Scoring: DB66 7.83 PPG
Player Overview
Bryant played in a loaded Seahawks secondary, which made it difficult to score many fantasy points. He now moves on to the Bears, who cleaned house in the secondary. The Bears had a good scoring DB group with Brisker, Kevin Byard, Jonathan Owens, Nahshon Wright, and Kyler Gordon. Brisker, Byard, Owens, and Wright are all gone. This opens the door for Bryant to step in and be a major factor.
COBE BRYANT
— Pick 6 Pack (@Pick6PackFB) November 30, 2025
pic.twitter.com/1awmXhvbyI
Bryant replaces Byard as the Bears’ main free safety. Byard had 68 solo tackles (93 total) with seven interceptions in 17 games. He played 907 snaps at free safety and 285 snaps in the box/slot. Byard signed with the Patriots.
Bryant had 48 solo tackles (62 total) with four interceptions in 15 games. He played 908 snaps at free safety with 237 snaps in the box/slot.
Projected Path To Success
After averaging 7.83 points per game in 2025, Bryant has a chance to average closer to 10 points per game this season. Byard finished last season as the DB12 in the same role. Bryant has a chance to make that kind of impact and deliver a possible top-25 DB performance.
Bryant might have a chance to move around a bit more in the Bears’ secondary. The Seahawks already had a number of nice chess pieces with Julian Love, Devon Witherspoon, and Nick Emmanwori fighting for snaps in Seattle.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Bryant was on the waiver wire in most leagues, especially with him being listed as a deep safety on the depth chart. But we have already seen that a player in that position can perform well for the Bears and for your fantasy team. I think Bryant is worth a pickup to see how he is used in Chicago’s defense.
