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 Cincinnati Bengals edge defender Cashius Howell.
Howell enters the NFL after producing at both Bowling Green and Texas A&M. His final three college seasons showcased one of the most productive pass-rushing resumes in this draft class, generating 119 pressures and 26 sacks while posting pass-rush grades above 90.0 in each of his final three years. That production helped make him one of the more intriguing developmental edge rushers entering the league.
Depth Chart Situation
- Myles Murphy
- Cashius Howell
- Isaiah Foskey
- Antwaun Powell-Ryland
Defensive Players Around Him
- Boye Mafe
- Shemar Stewart
- Dexter Lawrence II
- Jonathan Allen
- Barrett Carter
- Jordan Battle
2026 Stat Projections
- 24 Total Tackles
- 5 Tackles For Loss
- 2.5 Sacks
- 1 Forced Fumble
- 2 Pass Deflections
- 49 Fantasy Points
Reason to Believe in Cashius Howell in 2026: Pass-rush production translates
Few rookie edge defenders enter the league with Howell’s track record of creating pressure. He generated 41 pressures and 12 sacks during his final season at Texas A&M after posting 44 pressures and 10 sacks the year before at Bowling Green. His ability to consistently affect quarterbacks, regardless of the level of competition, stands out when evaluating his fantasy upside.
Howell wins with athleticism, flexibility, and a diverse pass-rush arsenal. He has the burst to threaten tackles around the corner, the bend to flatten toward the quarterback, and the hand usage to keep blockers from getting comfortable. Cincinnati already has established veterans across its defensive front, which should allow Howell to focus on what he does best early in his career: rushing the passer.
His ability to change speeds throughout a rush also creates problems for offensive tackles. Rather than relying solely on pure speed, Howell mixes counters into his approach and consistently forces blockers to guess. That skill set gives him a chance to earn situational pass-rush snaps quickly.
2026 Outlook
The biggest hurdle for Howell’s fantasy value is playing time. Cincinnati enters the season with Myles Murphy, Boye Mafe, and Shemar Stewart already competing for edge snaps, making it difficult to project a full-time role immediately.
Still, Howell’s pass-rush profile gives him a realistic path to becoming part of the rotation. His run defense remains a work in progress, and he can occasionally sacrifice gap discipline while hunting splash plays, but those concerns matter less in fantasy football than they do in real football.
For redraft leagues, Howell is more of a watch-list candidate than a draft target in standard-sized formats. However, managers in deeper IDP leagues should keep a close eye on his snap counts early in the season. If injuries strike or Cincinnati expands his role, Howell has the talent to outperform expectations and become a useful depth option.
This article originally appeared on Bucs Wire: IDP Rookie Profile: Cashius Howell Fantasy Outlook for 2026
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