As we head into the opening week of NFL action, there is not a lot that can be said about rising and falling IDPs. Instead, it may be helpful to peruse a list of the top 30 ranked linebackers, defensive linemen and defensive backs to potentially add to your roster. So below are tables containing the top IDP players at the various player designation categories to help you grab some help off the waiver wire, just in case your draft went somewhere you did not expect.

As the season progresses, and as early as next week, we will be providing the list of rising IDP and those that are falling off the cliff. Together with a comprehensive list of injured defensive players and the areas on defense you may want to target for the upcoming week's matchups. As always, feel free to contact this article's writer with your IDP questions, via the email address listed below should you feel inspired.

Here are this week's initial rankings, which are based on the settings set forth in the draft guide articles about IDP leagues:

 

 

Linebackers

  

Rank

Name

POS

Tm

1

Luke Kuechly

ILB

CAR/11

2

Bobby Wagner

ILB

SEA/6

3

Ryan Shazier

ILB

PIT/9

4

Lavonte David

OLB

TB/11

5

Alec Ogletree

ILB

LAR/8

6

Kwon Alexander

ILB

TB/11

7

Vontaze Burfict

OLB

CIN/6

8

Sean Lee

OLB

DAL/6

9

C.J. Mosley

ILB

BAL/10

10

Deion Jones

ILB

ATL/5

11

Jamie Collins

OLB

CLE/9

12

Jatavis Brown

OLB

LAC/9

13

Zach Brown

ILB

WAS/5

14

Lawrence Timmons

ILB

MIA/11

15

Benardrick McKinney

ILB

HOU/7

16

Telvin Smith

OLB

JAX/8

17

Christian Kirksey

OLB

CLE/9

18

Mark Barron

ILB

LAR/8

19

Von Miller

OLB

DEN/5

20

Kiko Alonso

ILB

MIA/11

21

Jordan Hicks

ILB

PHI/10

22

Eric Kendricks

ILB

MIN/9

23

Preston Brown

ILB

BUF/6

24

Jarrad Davis

ILB

DET/7

25

Mason Foster

ILB

WAS/5

26

Derrick Johnson

ILB

KC/10

27

NaVorro Bowman

ILB

SF/11

28

Nigel Bradham

OLB

PHI/10

29

Myles Jack

ILB

JAX/8

30

Thomas Davis

OLB

CAR/11

 
 

Defensive Linesmen

  

Rank

Name

POS

Tm

1

J.J. Watt

DE

HOU/7

2

Khalil Mack

DE

OAK/10

3

Danielle Hunter

DE

MIN/9

4

Jason Pierre-Paul

DE

NYG/8

5

Joey Bosa

DE

LAC/9

6

Melvin Ingram

DE

LAC/9

7

Carlos Dunlap

DE

CIN/6

8

Olivier Vernon

DE

NYG/8

9

Everson Griffen

DE

MIN/9

10

Cameron Jordan

DE

NO/5

11

Jadeveon Clowney

DE

HOU/7

12

Trey Flowers

DE

NE/9

13

Calais Campbell

DE

JAX/8

14

Marcell Dareus

DT

BUF/6

15

Michael Bennett

DE

SEA/6

16

Ezekiel Ansah

DE

DET/7

17

Brandon Graham

DE

PHI/10

18

Jerry Hughes

DE

BUF/6

19

Myles Garrett

DE

CLE/9

20

Demarcus Lawrence

DE

DAL/6

21

Cameron Wake

DE

MIA/11

22

Aaron Donald

DE

LAR/8

23

Noah Spence

DE

TB/11

24

Frank Clark

DE

SEA/6

25

Leonard Williams

DE

NYJ/11

26

Fletcher Cox

DT

PHI/10

27

Emmanuel Ogbah

DE

CLE/9

28

Kawann Short

DT

CAR/11

29

Muhammad Wilkerson

DE

NYJ/11

30

Cliff Avril

DE

SEA/6

 

 

 

Defensive Backs

  

Rank

Name

POS

Tm

1

Landon Collins

S

NYG/8

2

Keanu Neal

S

ATL/5

3

Reshad Jones

S

MIA/11

4

Eric Reid

S

SF/11

5

Kenny Vaccaro

S

NO/5

6

Harrison Smith

S

MIN/9

7

Kurt Coleman

S

CAR/11

8

Eric Weddle

S

BAL/10

9

Jahleel Addae

S

LAC/9

10

Eric Berry

S

KC/10

11

Morgan Burnett

S

GB/8

12

Bashaud Breeland

CB

WAS/5

13

Josh Norman

CB

WAS/5

14

Su'a Cravens

S

WAS/5

15

Barry Church

S

JAX/8

16

T.J. Ward

S

DEN/5

17

Micah Hyde

S

BUF/6

18

Tyrann Mathieu

S

ARI/8

19

Ha Ha Clinton-Dix

S

GB/8

20

Daniel Sorensen

S

KC/10

21

James Bradberry

CB

CAR/11

22

Jalen Ramsey

CB

JAX/8

23

Malcolm Butler

CB

NE/9

24

Byron Jones

S

DAL/6

25

Sean Davis

S

PIT/9

26

Rodney McLeod

S

PHI/10

27

Karl Joseph

S

OAK/10

28

Vernon Hargreaves III

CB

TB/11

29

Tony Jefferson

S

BAL/10

30

Tavon Wilson

S

DET/7

 

As ever, good luck and Godspeed in your fantasy efforts. Make sure to read all of our great articles to help you win your fantasy match ups every week and ultimately bask in championship glory. If you have any fantasy football questions, especially about IDP leagues, I can be reached at ia@fantasyalarm.com.