98 Sheldon Rankins DT

Rankins had two tackles, including a sack, in Sunday's win against the Bengals.

Rankins absolutely embarrassed guard Clint Boling on his third-quarter sack, walking the Bengals offensive lineman into the lap of quarterback Andy Dalton. While Rankins has just 23 total tackles, his five sacks rank second on the team and are the fourth-most among all NFL defensive linemen. The elite quickness that made Rankins a first-round pick in 2016 has been on display this season, making Rankins a potentially appealing option in deeper IDP leagues.

Rankins had three tackles (all solo), including a pair of sacks, in Sunday night's win against the Vikings.

Rankins doubled his season sack total in Minnesota, and the former first-round pick has had at least three tackles in five of the Saints' first seven games. With four sacks and 20 total tackles, Rankins has quietly been a decent fantasy option in deeper IDP leagues that require owners to start defensive linemen.

Rankins recorded five tackles (two solo) and a sack across 50 defensive snaps in Sunday's win over the Browns.

Rankins played in 81 percent of the Saints defensive snaps, good for second-highest on the defensive line behind only Cameron Jordan. A run-stuffer, Rankins does not reach the quarterback often, as he recorded a season-total of two sacks last season.

Rankins recorded 26 tackles (16 solo), two sacks, one pass defensed, one interception and one forced fumble across 16 games in 2017.

The 2016, 12th overall selection's performance in 2017 may look underwhelming on paper, but the defensive tackle had a major impact transforming the Saints' defense in 2017. Although he played seven more games than his rookie season, Rankins statistical totals almost mirror his rookie totals -- his sack total was also cut in half in 2017. However, Rankins split time on the inside and outside of the defensive line for portions of the season, filling in for Alex Okafor (Achilles), who ended up on injured reserve. Playing defensive tackle doesn't necessarily draw great statistical numbers, but Rankins' leadership and playmaking ability deems him one of the most valuable members of the Saints' defense.