We are diving into some fantasy football content this offseason as we look to bring in all sorts of football fans to Bucs Wire. While offensive players often dominate fantasy football discussions, IDP leagues continue to grow in popularity, offering another way for fans to enjoy the game.
We will start with some rookie profiles and how they fit into the landscape of the teams that drafted them. Next up is Chicago Bears safety Dillon Thieneman.
Thieneman entered the NFL after starring at both Purdue and Oregon, developing into one of the top safeties in the 2026 draft class. During his collegiate career, he totaled more than 300 tackles, eight interceptions, and 14 pass breakups while earning First-Team All-Big Ten and All-American honors in his lone season with Oregon. His 90.8 overall defensive grade from PFF in 2025 reinforced what the tape showed: a versatile defensive back capable of impacting every level of the field.
Depth Chart Situation
- Dillon Thieneman
- Cam Lewis
- Skyler Thomas
Defensive Players Around Him
- T.J. Edwards
- Devin Bush
- Montez Sweat
- Gervon Dexter Sr.
- Grady Jarrett
- Coby Bryant
- Jaylon Johnson
2026 Stat Projections
Projections provided by Mase Riney of Fantasy In Frames.
- 88 Total Tackles
- 3 Tackles For Loss
- 1 Sack
- 1 Forced Fumble
- 1 Fumble Recovery
- 2 Interceptions
- 5 Pass Deflections
- 170 Fantasy Points
Reason to Believe in Dillon Thieneman in 2026: Immediate starting opportunity
Unlike many rookie defensive backs, Thieneman walks into a starting job from Day 1. Chicago selected him in the first round to anchor its secondary, and he currently sits atop the strong safety depth chart alongside Coby Bryant. His versatility allows him to play deep, rotate into the box, or cover the slot, giving the Bears multiple ways to keep him around the football.
His instincts and tackling ability also provide a solid fantasy floor. Thieneman has consistently produced at every stop of his career, and his range should allow him to clean up plenty of plays behind Chicago’s front seven. While he may not see the volume of tackle opportunities that some box safeties enjoy, his ability to contribute with turnovers gives him legitimate DB2 upside as a rookie.
2026 Outlook
Thieneman should be one of the first rookie defensive backs selected in IDP redraft leagues. Starting opportunities for rookie safeties are always valuable, and Chicago appears ready to hand him a full-time role immediately.
The presence of veterans like T.J. Edwards and Devin Bush may slightly cap his tackle ceiling, but his every-down usage, versatility, and ball skills should still produce quality fantasy numbers throughout the season.
For 2026, Thieneman profiles as a reliable weekly starter with room to outperform his rookie expectations if the splash plays come early. His combination of opportunity and talent makes him one of the safest rookie defensive backs to target in redraft leagues.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: IDP Rookie Profile: Dillon Thieneman in Redraft Leagues
