Trent Cole

Cole hasn't recorded double-digit sacks since 2011, but he did total 14.5 between the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He has plenty of experience working as a 3-4 outside linebacker, and he'll turn 33 in October. Cole will likely take snaps away from Bjoern Werner and/or Erik Walden. With the future of Robert Mathis uncertain, it's hard to predict Cole's 2015 snap count. At the very least, the long-time Eagle should be a fixture on passing downs.

Cole has been called a misfit for Philadelphia's 3-4, but he remains the team's best pass rusher and seems locked into a starting role for at least one more year.

Cole will start at outside linebacker in Philadelphia's new 3-4 defense. He's coming off a dreadful three-sack season, but Cole should be much more productive this year. The problem is that his numbers will continue to look like those of a defensive linemen, meaning he's unlikely to stand out as an IDP among linebackers.

Cole's bread and butter as an elite IDP in past seasons was his unusually high tackle totals. He was certainly well above average as a pass rusher, too – he has 68 sacks in seven NFL seasons – but he separated himself from the pack by posting back-to-back seasons of at least 70 tackles (70 in 2007, 77 in 2008) as well as a 65-tackle showing while only playing 15 games in 2010. Cole's tackle production and IDP value have since been threatened, however, by the arrival of defensive line coach Jim Washburn. Washburn knows how to get to the passer, and helped Cole total 11 sacks in just 14 games last year, but Washburn's method involves lining up his ends very wide, which gives them a clearer route to the quarterback but leaves them farther away from ballcarriers on run plays. As a result, Cole ended 2011 with a career-low 44 tackles. Cole should make a push for 60 tackles in 2012 just because he is so good, and double-digit sacks seem likely, but his days of contending for the defensive line IDP crown appear gone – at least as long as Washburn is around.

For the third time in four years last season, Cole averaged more than four tackles per game while posting double-digit sacks. (And in that other year, he had nine sacks.) Cole offers fantasy owners both upside and consistency. Move him down a spot or two in leagues that emphasize forced fumble or interceptions, however, as Cole has just one career interception and a surprisingly low 11 career forced fumbles (Justin Tuck has that many forced fumbles in the last two years alone). In leagues that focus primarily on tackles and sacks, though, Cole is about as close to a sure thing as one can find.

Another undersized DE — if you can call 6-2, 257 “undersized” — Cole makes his living out-quicking blockers and making plays in the backfield. That quickness allows him to post the sort of tackle numbers you might expect to see from a linebacker — and in fantasy scoring, that’s a huge asset. Cole posted 20 fewer tackles last season than in 2008, possibly due to shoulder and hamstring injuries. But he played in 16 games and matched a career-high with 12.5 sacks, which partially made up for the dip in tackles. Look for a healthy Cole to return to the ranks of the truly elite fantasy DEs this year.

Cole is undersized for an NFL DE – he’s listed at 6-2, 257 – but his quickness and agility give him the ability to make plays that other DEs cannot. Thus, he posts tackle totals that make him an elite DE even if he doesn’t hit his double-digit sack potential. In fact, his sacks dropped by 3.5 to nine last season, but his fantasy value remained high because he led all DE with 77 tackles. Cole has averaged nearly 10 sacks per year since 2006, making him one of the more bankable fantasy ends.

Cole continued his rise with 12.5 sacks and 70 tackles in 2007. Still on the way up at age 25, Cole could really turn into a monster if the Eagles' other defensive linemen take some heat off him. Because of his age and versatility – 70 tackles is significant for a defensive end – Cole has tremendous upside. He's undersized at 6-2, 257, but uses his agility as an advantage. Cole has increased his sack total by three or more in each season since he entered the NFL in 2005.

Is slated to backup Jevon Kearse and Darren Howard at the defensive end positions.

Reserve end who will provided depth on the defensive line after a surprising rookie season where he recorded five sacks.