- Several of last year’s top tacklers repeat in 2025: Budda Baker, Jordan Battle and Nick Cross were among several of the repeat elites in this metric.
- Many of the rookie safeties left more to be desired: Several safeties from the 2025 class were full-time starters, including Malaki Starks and Craig Woodson, though they left plenty of meat on the bone in the tackle column in Year 1.
- Unlock your edge with PFF+: Access Premium Stats, dominate fantasy with in-season tools and projections and make smarter bets with the new PFF Player Prop Tool. Get 25% off your PFF+ annual subscription with code PFFFANTASYPODCAST25.
Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes
It’s easy at the end of each NFL season to look at where players ranked in fantasy football, but understanding why they finished where they did is often more important when projecting future production.
For the defensive back position, tackles are important, but a defensive back’s ability to make big plays often separates the scoring leaders from the rest of the pack. However, big plays, such as interceptions, sacks and fumbles, are also wildly unstable, so focusing more on which safeties and cornerbacks can deliver strong tackle numbers is often the best starting point for IDP.
All expected tackle figures for defensive backs are derived from a combination of each player’s individual play and situation. Focusing on their alignment, run or pass situation, what type of coverage they’re in and how many snaps they played, their efficiency is compared to their peers’ larger pool.
Safeties
Top performers
Among the 28 eligible safeties (non-rookies) who finished among the top 75th percentile in tackles versus expected this season, 23 (82%) finished with a positive score in this regard last year as well.
The repeat elites
All of these safeties finished no worse than the top 85th percentile in tackles versus expected last season and were able to repeat among the top 85th percentile again in 2025. They have been the most consistent and efficient tacklers relative to their situations over the past two seasons combined and are now strong bets to keep that going heading into 2026.
Surprise names
This list of safeties all finished in the top 85th percentile at the position in tackles versus expected after finishing with negative scores in 2024. They represent the high variance IDP managers often see at the defensive back position as a whole. With less stability in their production from year to year, some of these names may come back down to Earth in 2026.
Other names of note
These are players who have also performed exceptionally well in recent years and remain solid options for IDP if they maintain the same level of production as repeat positive performers in this metric. With positive deployments on a full-time basis, they should be considered solid bets to potentially lead this metric in future seasons, given their stronger track records.
Underperformers
This year, several new players entered the league and came in below expectations in the tackle column and are potentially at risk of being inefficient in future years as well. It’s also worth noting that 57% of qualifying players (non-rookies) in the bottom 25th percentile this season finished with a negative score in this metric last season.
Repeat underperformers to the bottom 25th percentile
These are the safeties who have been among the worst tacklers relative to their position over the past two seasons and should be considered riskier IDP options considering the lower tackle potential heading into 2026.
Rookies who underdelivered as tacklers in Year 1
Given their usage, deployment and tackle production, this group didn’t quite match their peers’ production in similar situations, making them names to watch going forward due to the risk of inefficiency carrying over to future seasons. It isn’t a guarantee that this inefficiency will hold, considering there is still a fair amount of variance in this metric, but they will be worth monitoring at the very least.
Surprise names
Again, variance at the defensive back position is less of a surprise, though considering some strong showings in 2024, these players making the bottom 25th percentile now in 2025 is at least somewhat concerning. Like with all defensive back production, there is room to bounce back as soon as next season, but it’s worth highlighting some of the new names who went from positive scorers last year to near the bottom this year.
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Cornerbacks
Top performers
Among the 29 eligible cornerbacks (non-rookies) who finished among the top 75th percentile in tackles versus expected this season, 17 (59%) finished with a positive score in this regard last year as well. Unlike the safety position, which is already an unstable position, the cornerback position is typically much harder to predict, though this metric is at least better than most in that regard, especially on the high and low ends of the spectrum.
The repeat elites
All of these cornerbacks finished no worse than the top 80th percentile in tackles versus expected last season and were able to repeat among the top 80th percentile again in 2025. They have been the most consistent and efficient tacklers relative to their situations over the past two seasons combined and are now strong bets to keep that going heading into 2026.
Surprise names
These players are either new names for IDP, either due to being rookies or first-time starters, who immediately hit the ground running and established themselves as players to watch for IDP purposes going forward. They can also be names who were not positive scorers in this metric last season and turned things around this year.
Underperformers
A lot of the league’s best coverage cornerbacks often come in well below expectations in the tackle column, as opposing offenses aren’t targeting them at a high rate, leading to lower tackle opportunities overall. This year, 20 of 30 (67%) qualifying players (non-rookies) ranked in the bottom 25th percentile this season finished with a negative score in this metric last season. Moreover, 80% (10) of cornerbacks who finished in the bottom sixth percentile in 2025 all finished in the bottom 25th percentile last year.
Repeat underperformers to the bottom 25th percentile
These are the cornerbacks who have been among the worst tacklers relative to their position over the past two seasons and should be considered riskier IDP options considering the lower tackle potential heading into 2026.
Surprise names
While the inefficient tacklers at the position are typically more stable year-to-year, that doesn’t mean that there won’t be new names added to that list, including ones who have previously performed well in this metric. Like with all defensive back production, there is room to bounce back as soon as next season, but it’s worth highlighting some of the new names who went from positive scorers last year to near the bottom this year.
Interested IDP managers can view the full list of positional rankings in Tackles vs Expected for this season and dating back to 2021 here.
