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Second-Year Studs and Duds - DL

ansah pick sixTeams must have two main ingredients to win consistently in the NFL. Good quarterback play and the ability to pressure the opposing quarterback.

Each year teams draft defensive linemen early and often in hopes of improving the latter. But it’s rarely rookie defensive linemen that impact your IDP fantasy football league. Therefore, we’ll breakdown players from the 2013 draft and identify the most likely second year studs and duds for the 2014 fantasy football season.

Ezekiel Ansah, Detroit

Ansah was a consensus top 2 rookie defensive lineman along with Dion Jordan. “Ziggy” projected as a much more complete player and didn’t disappoint for dynasty owners who will expect him to take a big step forward this season.

In 2013 Ansah only produced 18 solo tackles. However, he did rack up 12 assists and a solid 8.5 sacks. The 6’5” 271-pounder missed two games due to injury.

Heading into his second year on the job Ansah will be asked to be the top pass rusher on Detroit’s anemic defense. He’s still a young 25 years old and is extremely raw as a player.

In his favor is the fact that Detroit features two talented, yet troubled, defensive tackles in Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh. These two fierce penetrators should help push the pocket and make it easier for Ansah and his fellow line mates in Detroit get home to the quarterback.

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