As we await the dénouement of the 2020 NFL draft, let us take some time to reflect on the Individual Defensive Players (IDP) that already situated on pro teams, with an eye toward making some early determinations about just who you as a fantasy owner can employ to compete for your league(s) championship. If you are reading this article, there is a great chance that you are already playing in an IDP league. Congratulations! The writer of this article commends your wise decision. You can enjoy action on both sides of the line of scrimmage while sweating out your weekly contests. If you simply stumbled onto this article, hoping to get some insight into that IDP thing your league mates have begun to discuss as a way to shake up your league, read on, my droogies, and perhaps you, too, will be converted to the full fantasy football experience.
This article is intended to discuss a proposed means of maximizing your draft experience, and to a lesser extent, in-season roster moves necessitated by injury or poor performance. What follows are simply suggestions as to how to proceed. There are no hard and fast rules that work in every league every season, but there are methods to increase your comfort level in managing your draft and putting together a competitive fantasy squad.
First of all, you need to examine your league settings meticulously, with an eye to comprehending how to take full advantage of any idiosyncrasies that your commissioner or the platform your league plays within have established. Once you have studied the settings, you should be able to determine what on-field results are most valuable for defensive players. Essentially, there are three types of IDP leagues: tackle-oriented, big-play or hybrid schemes. Those three league formats are fairly self-explanatory, but in short, tackle-oriented leagues reward heavily for tackles collected, while big-play leagues compensate for interceptions (INT), sacks, fumbles forced (FF) and fumbles recovered (FR). Hybrid IDP leagues combine both those systems, remunerating in an even-handed manner for IDP that either tackle a ton or shake things up on the field by generating turnovers or loss of yardage. For an example of a hybrid scoring system, the following point structure is one used in certain leagues that I have participated in over the years:
One additional proposition is that touchdowns are generally set at a standard six points, no matter how achieved.
The second suggestion is not to get caught up in any one player that will make or break your draft. There will (almost) always be another player that can provide the same or nearly the same results as that player that your opponent drafted before you had the opportunity to select him. Instead, you can improve your confidence and provide yourself with some peace of mind by grouping your IDP into tiers as part of your draft preparation. Figure out, based upon whatever projections you gather from the experts or that you compile yourself, which players are relatively comparable in the overall fantasy production they will provide you over the course of the NFL season. Then, when you are in the middle of your draft, you can keep track of when the set of IDP in a particular category (LB/DL/DB) is being diminished to a point where you will have to settle for lesser value if you do not jump into the pool this round.
To aid in your drafting efforts, and understanding that no rookies are included in the tables below, and further realizing that these projections are subject to adjustment over the next few months, below are tables that set forth the top 25 linebackers for tackle-oriented, big-play and hybrid leagues, with rough tiers (1/2/3 and in one set, 4) within the groups.
In the coming weeks, we will cover defensive linemen and defensive backs in the same fashion. Once the draft takes place, rookies as appropriate will be included in the tables.
Tackle-Oriented LBs
Big-Play LBs
Hybrid-League LBs
As ever, godspeed and best of luck in your fantasy endeavors. If you have any questions regarding IDP, or fantasy football in general, you can send an inquiry to ia@fantasyalarm.com for a personalized suggestion (or two, if the spirit moves).
Player News
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team does not “have any feelings on competition” when asked about the quarterback room.
O’Connell was asked about a potential quarterback competition on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday and was unclear on whether J.J. McCarthy would have to compete to start. He said, “we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.” O’Connell discussed first putting Brett Rypien and the newly acquired Sam Howell in a position to play before any competition would occur. He continued that McCarthy is “owning it” this offseason and is taking snaps from starting center Ryan Kelly. After missing last season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy has been ramping up workouts in the offseason and is the front-runner to start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, Howell looks to be reinforcement at the backup spot in case it turns out McCarthy is not ready to start.
Texans re-signed DT Foley Fatukasi.
Fatukasi initially joined the Texans last offseason on a one-year contract. The 30-year-old was a rotational defensive lineman, tallying four tackles for loss and one sack. He returns to Houston for 2025, where he will be a part of a deep Texans front seven.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Tyreek Hill’s second wrist surgery was part of the original plan and his timeline remains unchanged.
Hill announced the second surgery on social media and Pelissero quickly added some context to the situation. The speedy receiver suffered the wrist injury just before the start of the season and it lingered throughout the year, though he never missed a game because of it. If the second surgery truly is a non-story, an offseason to recover might be what Hill needs to return to form after a down 2024 season. On the other hand, Hill is 31 years old, played his worst football last year, and his offense prioritized targets for Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. As it stands, Hill might have the highest risk-reward split in fantasy drafts.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports there are “multiple people in the league who believe the new regime is not so high on Travis Etienne.”
Fowler also noted Tank Bigsby’s fumbling issue but didn’t directly relate that to the feelings of the new brain trust in Jacksonville. The Jags clearly felt they were lacking at running back this offseason and addressed that opening via the draft with Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round and LeQuint Allen in the seventh. The pair of additions complicate an already-messy backfield by committee. Etienne is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is a long-shot to be brought back in 2026. The Jags could opt to move on early by trading him, clearing $6.1 million in cap space in the process. If the team does trade Etienne, Tuten would likely be the team’s top back in the long run, making him a high-upside bet in early fantasy drafts.
Broncos signed third-round pick WR Pat Bryant to a four-year contract.
The deal includes $1.4 million guaranteed and is worth $6.6 million in total. Sean Payton compared aspects of Bryant’s game to those of Michael Thomas in his post-draft press conference and there are at least a few similarities in their profiles. Bryant stands at 6'2/204 and ran a 4.61-second Forty at the combine. Thomas measured in at 6'3/212 and clocked a 4.57-second Forty. Though the two have similar physical characteristics, Thomas was known for his proficiency from the slot while Bryant primarily played on the outside as a field-stretcher at Illinois. Bryant’s transition to slot duties may take some time, but third-round draft capital makes him worth a shot in dynasty leagues.
Colts EDGE Samson Ebukam (Achilles) said he is expected to be cleared for training camp.
Ebukam suffered a torn Achilles in training camp last year and did not play in the 2024 season. He broke out in 2023 with a career-high 9.5 sacks in his first season with the Colts. He now has one year left on his deal and will be looking for a rebound season as he stares down free agency in 2026