Who Should I Start? Nakobe Dean or Micah McFadden

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.

Tuesday, February 4, 6:16 PM

According to Dan Duggan of The Athletic, New York Giants linebacker Micah McFadden could be given a contract extension during the offseason. The 2022 fifth-round pick out of Indiana has been a productive player in the New York defense over the past two seasons. Duggan noted that general manager Joe Schoen may "try to get ahead of the curve" and extend the linebacker before his rookie contract expires. After tallying just 59 tackles during his rookie season, McFadden has logged at least 100 tackles in each of the past two seasons. This season, the 25-year-old tallied a career-best 107 tackles (60 solo) with 47 assists, one deflection, and three sacks. He also forced a fumble. He missed the final two games of the season due to a neck injury but was still able to enjoy an impressive season. Fantasy managers should expect McFadden to remain a key contributor to the New York defense in 2025.