Taylor Rapp

Buffalo had an offseason of turnover in their secondary, with Micah Hyde entering free agency and potentially retiring while Jordan Poyer landed with the division-rival Dolphins. That will give Rapp the chance to step into a starting role in his second year with Buffalo after serving as a reserve in 2023 with a significant role on special teams. That isn't to say he doesn't boast plenty of experience on a defensive unit, as he served as a regular starter for much of his four-year tenure with the Rams. That sample tells us that Rapp has the skills to be a ball-hawking safety - he has multiple picks in three of his five seasons - that also racks up a lot of tackles. Given his limited role in his first year with the Bills, his full potential in 2024 may be overlooked.

Rapp steps into an interesting situation as the new Safety in Buffalo. The Bills have an exceptional pair of veteran Safeties in Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer but they've each had their share of injuries in recent years and they're not getting any younger. Rapp was a four-year starter for the Rams and should provide a younger veteran option for the Bills to rotate in.

Rapp’s career has had a strange trajectory. He raced to triple-digit tackles as a rookie second- round pick in 2019 before being benched in 2020 in favor of Jordan Fuller, then a rookie sixth- round pick, though Rapp then rejoined the starting lineup in 2021. Rapp was a standout IDP in both of his starting seasons, and with his playing time all but assured now, he should continue producing for his IDP investors.

After an impressive, 100-tackle showing as a rookie in 2019, Rapp was injured in training camp and then lost his spot in the lineup to start the 2020 campaign. However, his playing time increased, and he recorded 34 of his 44 tackles on the season during a five-game stretch between Weeks 3 and 7, which reaffirmed his fantasy upside. Rapp later sustained a season-ending knee injury Week 10 but is expected to be healthy entering the 2021 campaign. Additionally, he has a starting job to lose this year. The Rams allowed John Johnson to depart in free agency, making Rapp and sophomore Jordan Fuller the top safety duo for the team. Rapp could be an IDP gem and an excellent value in drafts.

It's not clear whether Rapp will play fewer rover-type looks under a new defensive coordinator, but in Wade Phillips' 2019 defense Rapp often found himself tracking down ballcarriers, producing as an IDP even while John Johnson (shoulder) and Eric Weddle were both on the field. Rapp's production went up another level after Johnson's injury, though, and he finished with 100 tackles and two interceptions while playing 834 snaps. Johnson is back but Weddle isn't, and they both might need to play more in the box because the Rams never really replaced Cory Littleton after the coverage linebacker signed with the Raiders.

The 61st overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, Rapp was the Rams' first pick and projects to open the season in a supporting role behind safeties John Johnson and Eric Weddle. Rapp was a three-year starter at Washington and is considered an intelligent defender who can make an impact around the line of scrimmage as both a run stopper and a blitzer. It's probably best to take a wait-and-see approach with Rapp in seasonal IDP settings.