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 Jacksonville Jaguars safety Jalen Huskey.
Huskey arrives in Jacksonville after a productive college career at Bowling Green and Maryland. Following a successful transition from cornerback to safety, he capped his collegiate career with 67 tackles, four interceptions, and a career-best 83.6 overall defensive grade from PFF in 2025. His combination of ball skills, versatility, and football intelligence ultimately earned him a third-round selection by the Jaguars.
Depth Chart Situation
- Eric Murray
- Jalen Huskey
- Rayuan Lane III
Defensive Players Around Him
- Antonio Johnson
- Travon Walker
- Josh Hines-Allen
- Foyesade Oluokun
- Ventrell Miller
- Travis Hunter
- Jourdan Lewis
2026 Stat Projections
Projections provided by Mase Riney of Fantasy In Frames.
- 19 Total Tackles
- 2 Tackles For Loss
- 0 Sacks
- 0 Forced Fumbles
- 0 Fumble Recoveries
- 1 Interception
- 2 Pass Deflections
- 39 Fantasy Points
Reason to Believe in Jalen Huskey in 2026: Ball skills always travel
Huskey enters the NFL with one trait that consistently earns defensive backs opportunities: the ability to find the football. He intercepted 11 passes over his final three collegiate seasons while proving he could successfully transition from outside cornerback to safety against stronger competition in the Big Ten.
The problem for fantasy managers is opportunity. Jacksonville currently lists Huskey behind veteran Eric Murray at free safety, while Rayuan Lane III also provides depth behind him. That leaves Huskey fighting for rotational defensive snaps while contributing heavily on special teams early in his rookie season.
Still, his versatility gives him a chance to earn situational work. His background at cornerback allows defensive coaches to move him around the formation in sub-packages, particularly against tight ends and slot receivers, giving him multiple paths to getting on the field.
2026 Outlook
Huskey’s long-term outlook is more intriguing than his immediate fantasy value. His instincts, versatility, and ball production suggest he can eventually develop into a dependable NFL safety, but his current role makes consistent IDP production difficult to project in 2026.
With Eric Murray expected to handle the majority of the free safety snaps, Huskey projects as a rotational defender whose fantasy production will likely come in isolated games rather than on a weekly basis. Unless injuries create a larger role, his defensive snap share is unlikely to be consistent enough for redraft managers to trust.
For 2026, Huskey is best viewed as a watch-list player in deeper IDP leagues. Dynasty managers should remain interested in his long-term upside, but redraft players can afford to let someone else invest first until his role expands.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: IDP Rookie Profile: Jalen Huskey in Redraft Leagues
