Welcome back, IDP Nerds! Last week was a big one with the release of the latest edition of The Glossery, featuring over 725 players ranked across offense and IDP for SuperFlex and TE Premium dynasty leagues. Rankings are a useful tool for assessing player value, but they don’t always tell the full story when it comes to managing your dynasty roster.
That’s where Keep, Trade, Cut comes in! This week, we’re stepping away from the massive rankings and focusing on individual IDP dynasty decisions. I’ve identified three players at each position: defensive line, linebacker, and defensive back. We’ll look at one player to keep, one whose current trade market presents an opportunity, and one player I’m comfortable cutting from dynasty rosters. Let’s get into this year’s IDP Keep, Trade, Cut, and identify nine moves dynasty managers should be considering before the season gets underway.
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Defensive Line | Keep Trade Cut
Jonathan Cooper | DL49 | KEEP
2025: DL34 | 12.64 FPPG | 61% Snaps | The Glossery: 354 Overall
We start with Jonathan Cooper, a key piece of one of the NFL’s best defenses. The veteran EDGE rusher has taken a bit of a backseat to the emergence of Nik Bonitto, but that shouldn’t take away from what Cooper continues to provide for IDP managers. He has recorded at least 50 tackles and 8 sacks over three straight seasons, finishing as the DL20 and DL34 over the past two years.
That type of consistency isn’t always easy to find at defensive line. Cooper played 61% of the defensive snaps last season and scored double-digit fantasy points in 68.75% of his games. Cooper currently sits around DL42 in preseason dynasty ADP, and that’s why he’s an easy keep for me. The return you’re likely getting in a trade doesn’t match the production he can still give you. With offenses forced to account for Bonitto on the opposite side, Cooper should continue to see favorable opportunities and has a chance to reach double-digit sacks for the second time in his career.
Austin Booker | DL61 | TRADE
2025: DL97 | 15.56 FPPG | 80% Snaps | The Glossery: 398 Overall
I’ve been higher on Austin Booker than the consensus since the start of last season. If you’ve followed my IDP content, you’ve likely heard his name more than once. Most recently, he was featured in my 15 IDP Breakout Candidates for 2026, and he remains one of my favorite young defensive linemen to target in dynasty leagues.
Booker’s DL97 finish doesn’t tell the full story after injuries limited him to just nine games. His 15.56 fantasy points per game would have ranked as the DL25 over a full season, and he scored at least 14 points in 66.6% of his games. He was at his best when fantasy managers needed him most, finishing as the DL5 overall from Weeks 15 through 17 with multiple 20-point performances.
I’m always looking to acquire players before the breakout, not after. Booker still sits behind Montez Sweat and Dayo Odeyingbo on Chicago’s depth chart, which should help keep his price reasonable. I’m willing to bet on the 23-year-old’s production and upside now before a bigger role potentially makes him much more expensive to acquire.
Zaven Collins | DL104 | CUT
2025: DL74 | 9.59 FPPG | 47% Snaps | The Glossery: 598 Overall
IDP managers, 2026 is the year we finally cut bait with underperforming assets. Zaven Collins is a player we once had high hopes for after his 2022 season, when he recorded 100 tackles and 2 sacks while playing 98% of the defensive snaps at inside linebacker. Unfortunately, his move to EDGE hasn’t produced the same fantasy results.
Since changing positions, Collins hasn’t played 60% of defensive snaps in a season, and that number fell to just 47% in 2025. He’s recorded only 12 sacks over five NFL seasons and finished as the DL74 last year, averaging 9.59 fantasy points per game. Being listed as a starter only means so much when you’re playing fewer than half of the defensive snaps.
Collins is now 27 and entering the final year of his contract while younger players continue to work into the rotation. The defensive line is already a rotation-heavy position, and we don’t need to use valuable dynasty roster spots on players capable of disappearing from the box score any given week. At this point, I’m comfortable moving on and using that roster spot on a younger player with more upside.
Linebacker | Keep Trade Cut
Kaden Elliss | LB43 | KEEP
2025: LB24 | 14.46 FPPG | 100% Snaps | The Glossery: 289 Overall
Kaden Elliss returns to New Orleans after flourishing with the Atlanta Falcons, averaging 126 tackles per season over the past three years. The veteran linebacker should step right into the role left behind by Demario Davis, who departed in free agency after finishing as the LB17 at 36 years old last season. Elliss gives IDP managers a reliable, consistent option with a strong LB2 floor.
I’ve stressed over the years that age isn’t always the biggest factor in dynasty IDP fantasy football, especially at linebacker. We’ve watched players like Bobby Wagner and Lavonte David remain highly productive well into their 30s. Elliss has shown no signs of slowing down and played 100% of the defensive snaps last season while finishing as the LB24.
At 31 years old, Elliss isn’t going to bring back a massive return on the trade market, and that’s exactly why he’s a KEEP for me. Let him continue piling up tackles and fantasy points while other managers chase the next young breakout linebacker. This is a perfect example of valuing proven FPPG over youth and potential.
Kaleb Elarms-Orr | LB45 | TRADE
2025: Rookie | The Glossery: 324 Overall
Here comes the spicy take that might get some IDP managers fired up. Kaleb Elarms-Orr has been one of the more talked-about linebackers in the IDP community this offseason. Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams’ injury history, along with new defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard bringing in a 3-4 base defense, has opened the door for the rookie. Elarms-Orr has drawn strong reviews throughout the preseason, and we’re already seeing his dynasty value climb before he’s played a regular-season snap.
Full disclosure, I like Elarms-Orr and think he can be a very productive IDP. I’m just not ready to assume a 2026 fourth-round pick is going to walk into an every-down role for a team with Super Bowl expectations. Bernard and Williams are still there, and we’ve seen preseason hype get out of control before. This is where I’m willing to let another dynasty manager pay for what Elarms-Orr could become instead of waiting to see if everything breaks right.
Could this come back to bite you? Of course. That’s part of trading young players with upside. But if another manager is willing to send a future top-three-round rookie pick plus another asset because they don’t want to miss the breakout, I’m listening. I like the player, but I like taking advantage of the hype even more when the NFL role hasn’t been earned yet.
Ivan Pace Jr. | LB66 | CUT
2025: LB75 | 6.72 FPPG | 30% Snaps | The Glossery: 460 Overall
I don’t expect this one to be much of a surprise. The idea of Ivan Pace Jr. becoming a reliable dynasty linebacker has always been better than the actual results. He flashed as a rookie in 2023, recording over 100 tackles while playing just 62% of the defensive snaps. Since then, his production and playing time have continued to trend in the wrong direction.
Last season, the Vikings turned to veteran Eric Wilson over Pace, and Wilson finished as the LB13. Pace has had chances to earn a bigger role with injuries and a less-than-impressive depth chart in front of him, but he just hasn’t been able to make the impact IDP managers were hoping for. Minnesota spending the 51st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Jake Golday should tell us even more about how they view Pace going forward.
Sometimes you just have to read the signs and move on. Pace played only 30% of the defensive snaps last season, and his path to meaningful playing time isn’t getting any easier. Stop wasting a valuable dynasty roster spot waiting for something that hasn’t happened. At this point, I’d rather bet on a younger player with a clearer path to production.
Defensive Back | Keep Trade Cut
Kevin Byard | DB41 | KEEP
2025: DB14 | 14.46 FPPG | 100% Snaps | The Glossery: 459 Overall
Kevin Byard has been one of the most reliable defensive backs in fantasy football for nearly a decade. He enters his 11th NFL season just 30 tackles and 4 interceptions away from reaching 1,000 tackles and 40 interceptions for his career. That’s an impressive level of production at a position where IDP managers are typically looking to the waiver wire for their next weekly starter.
Byard is 33 years old, but he’s still producing nearly 15 fantasy points per game and has signed a one-year deal to reunite with his former head coach, Mike Vrabel. Between his age and the depth of the defensive back position, you’re likely not getting much of a return for him on the trade market. That’s exactly why he’s such an easy keep for me.
Sometimes a player’s fantasy production is simply worth more than whatever you’re going to get back in a trade. Byard continues to pile up tackles and give dynasty contenders reliable weekly production. Some players treat your dynasty teams so well that you just ride them out until they hang it up. Kevin Byard is one of those players.
Upton Stout | DB55 | TRADE
2025: DB74 | 11.07 FPPG | 58% Snaps | The Glossery: 503 Overall
This might be one of my hottest takes this offseason, but Upton Stout is one of my favorite IDP trade targets heading into the 2026 season. Yes, I’m telling you to trade for a cornerback, so trust me, I haven’t lost my mind. Stout recorded 82 tackles as a rookie while playing just 58% of the defensive snaps. Fred Warner missing time likely forced the 49ers’ secondary to help more in run support, but regardless, Stout took advantage of his opportunities and was one of the bright spots on that defense.
The second-year defensive back has continued to draw positive reviews this offseason and is expected to play the “star” position in Raheem Morris’ defense. That’s enough to get my attention after what he showed us as a rookie. I’m not expecting Stout to suddenly become an every-week elite DB, but he doesn’t need to be that to pay off. Give me a few more snaps per game while maintaining anything close to last year’s production, and we have a player who can be a consistent starter for IDP managers.
The best part is Stout shouldn’t cost you much to acquire right now. He finished as the CB25 last season while playing just over half the defensive snaps, and I believe there’s top-12 upside in CB-required leagues if his role grows. I’m usually the guy telling you not to invest heavily at defensive back, especially cornerback, but sometimes you have to trust what you’re seeing. Stout is one of those players I’m willing to take a chance on before everyone else catches up.
Calen Bullock | DB92 | CUT
2025: DB72 | 10.44 FPPG | 96% Snaps | The Glossery: 621 Overall
Calen Bullock is probably the toughest cut on this list. He’s only 23 years old, has 9 interceptions over his first two seasons, and is a starting safety on one of the NFL’s best defenses. Those aren’t typically things that make you want to cut a player. The problem is Bullock played 96% of the defensive snaps last season and still finished as just the DB72 while averaging 10.44 fantasy points per game. At some point, we have to separate being a good NFL player from being a good fantasy asset.
The interceptions are great, but they’re not something I want to depend on for consistent fantasy production. Houston had three defensive backs finish ahead of Bullock in fantasy points last season and then added Reed Blankenship in free agency. The Texans also drafted Kamari Ramsey, adding even more talent to an already loaded secondary. If those interceptions come down and Bullock doesn’t see an increase in tackle production, there isn’t much of a weekly floor to fall back on.
There are simply too many productive DBs available for me to hold onto one hoping the fantasy production eventually catches up to the NFL talent. Bullock can absolutely continue to be a very good player for Houston, but I can find similar or better fantasy production on the waiver wire in most leagues. Don’t get attached to the name or the age. At a replaceable position like DB, I’m comfortable using that roster spot somewhere else.
Final Thoughts
That will do it for this year’s IDP edition of Keep, Trade, Cut. If there’s one thing to take away from these nine players, it’s that dynasty value isn’t always as simple as young players good, old players bad. Sometimes you’re better off riding out the production of veterans like Kaden Elliss and Kevin Byard. Other times, taking a chance on the upside of Austin Booker or Upton Stout before the price jumps can be the move that pays off for your dynasty roster.
We also can’t be afraid to make the uncomfortable moves. Trading a rookie like Kaleb Elarms-Orr before he’s played an NFL snap could absolutely come back to haunt us, but that’s dynasty fantasy football. The same goes for cutting a talented young safety like Calen Bullock. Every move won’t work out, but understanding when to chase production, take advantage of hype, or simply free up a roster spot can make a huge difference over the course of a season.
If you haven’t checked it out yet, make sure to take a look at the latest edition of The Glossery, where you can find over 725 offensive and defensive players ranked together for SuperFlex, TE Premium, and IDP leagues. Use those rankings alongside the advice in this article when making those tough dynasty decisions. As always, know your league, trust your process, and don’t be afraid to make a move when the value is there.
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