Who Should I Start? Nakobe Dean or Christian Harris

Saturday, May 24, 11:14 AM

Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (knee), who is recovering from the torn left patellar tendon he suffered in the wild-card round of the playoffs last season, has taken up ballet to become lighter and more agile. "There's way more flexibility, of course. Way more mobility," Dean said of the results of his ballet training. "It's definitely something that's helping with my rehab." Last year, Dean and Zack Baun were the Eagles' top two tacklers, with Dean contributing 128 to go with three sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception. The 24-year-old played a career-high 815 defensive snaps in 2024 in 15 games and was an elite run-stopper for Philly's strong defense. Dean finished as the No. 14 linebacker in IDP fantasy leagues in his third year in the NFL. He is likely to be ready for the start of the 2025 season this fall, but don't be surprised if the Eagles manage hi workload carefully early on.

Sunday, July 21, 1:52 PM

Houston Texans third-year linebacker Christian Harris (leg) currently isn't practicing with the team for the start of training camp as he recovers from a soft-tissue injury that isn't considered long-term, according to a league source. Harris, who broke out in his second year in the league in 2023, is expected to make a full recovery before the regular-season opener on Sept. 8 against the division-rival Indianapolis Colts. He has missed three practices but is expected to return soon. The 23-year-old had a career-high 101 tackles (65 solo), two sacks, seven tackles for loss, seven pass breakups and a forced fumble in 16 regular-season games (12 starts) and also returned a pick for a touchdown in a playoff win over Cleveland. While he probably isn't going to be drafted in standard IDP fantasy leagues this fall, he should be on the radar as a streaming option as long as he stays healthy.