Maxx Crosby

Crosby fought through a knee injury for much of the 2023 season, though it would be impossible to discern that by looking at his production. He led all defensive lineman with 1,081 snaps, or 63.6 per game. To put that in perspective, the next closest player at the position was Danielle Hunter, and he averaged 59.2 snaps per contest. Crosby has also played in every game as a pro, surely playing through several different issues at points throughout his career. Volume plays a key role in his fantasy value, as he doesn't have the same disruptive ability on a per snap basis as other elite players at the position. That makes him a slightly more fragile selection than his overall ranking may suggest, but it's impossible to deny his productivity and durability after five years in the NFL.

Crosby solidified his standing as an elite pass rusher in 2022, finishing top-10 with a career-high 12.5 sacks and coming in second to Nick Bosa in QB pressures with 47. Now heading into the first season of the four-year, $94 million contract extension he signed last March, the Eastern Michigan product will get some much-needed help off the edge from 2023 seventh overall pick Tyree Wilson, though Crosby is still effectively a one-man show on the Vegas strip. No player in the NFL accounted for a higher percentage of his team's pressures last year than Crosby.

Crosby has been a menace to opposing quarterbacks since entering the NFL as a fourth-round pick in 2019, racking up 25 sacks among his 142 tackles in 49 career games. His performance last year resulted in his first Pro-Bowl berth and second-team All-Pro honors. The Raiders rewarded him with a four-year, $94 million extension back in March, and the subsequent signing of premier pass rusher Chandler Jones gives Crosby a legitimate running mate on the other side.

Crosby has been a rare positive for the Raiders' otherwise underwhelming pass rush with 17 sacks and four forced fumbles through his first two years in the league, but the Eastern Michigan product now faces competition from free-agent splash Yannick Ngakoue while Clelin Ferrell also pushes for additional playing time at defensive end. Crosby might be a long shot to match the 904 defensive snaps he logged in 2020, but his productivity has certainly outmatched that of Ferrell's to this point.

Crosby was a fourth-round pick out of Eastern Michigan last year, yet he totaled 47 tackles and 10 sacks while outplaying third overall selection and fellow rookie end Clelin Ferrell (38 tackles and 4.5 sacks). Crosby is very athletic at 6-5, 255, boasting a 4.66-second 40 to go with a 36-inch vertical, 122-inch broad jump and highly impressive 11.02 agility score. Crosby's snap count might be nearly maxed out at 768 from 2019, but his standout athletic tools give room to project growth with his per-snap production.