Whether you are waiting to draft prior to the season’s opening night, or are pondering over how to adjust the roster(s) you have already assembled, if you play in a league that employs individual defensive players (IDP), there is still time to maximize your efforts. Below you will find a series of charts, broken down as the top 100 IDP and top 50 LB, DL and DB (with individual position designations) that you can take to your draft, or use to analyze those players currently residing on your squad(s).
If you have not yet drafted in your IDP leagues, or even if you already have a full roster, then perhaps a bit of a primer would be helpful. The following bits of advice are compiled from personal efforts playing in IDP leagues over better than a decade of fantasy football participation.
- Know your league rules, especially how scoring shakes out vis a vis your IDP players. Ideally, your commission will have constructed your league to emphasize both offensive and defensive players. A league that includes IDP but does not make the best defensive players potentially as valuable as at least a RB2 or WR2/3 is doing a disservice to the idea of using players on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
- If you league values IDP, determine just how valuable those players will be in the overall scoring scheme. Generally, you will want to draft your starting offensive roster before you dip your toe into the IDP pool, but this will vary from league to league. If you have an experienced group who have learned just how valuable a top LB (or DE or S) can be, you may need to adjust your draft patterns and begin taking your defensive players after you have taken your starting RBs and WRs. Certainly, you will probably want to select a start QB no later than after you have taken one IDP.
- Also, if you have experience IDP owners, you will find the top defensive options being drafted in bunches, once the seal has been broken by a daring drafter. Do not be afraid to jump in on a run, but also realize that there are plenty of excellent IDP options on the board.
- Work the waiver wire hard during the season. Our site will publish a weekly IDP Report that highlights the IDP that are rising and falling with their production on the field on a weekly basis. Except for true studs (think LB Luke Kuechly or S Reshad Jones ), do not be shy about swapping out an underperforming player for one that is stepping up his game significantly.
- If you rely on rookie IDP, just realize that the speed of the game at the NFL level is different for all players, and the impact of the longer season is significant, too. Rookies may shine early and then fade, or they not make much impact to open the season but come on like gangbusters as they get more comfortable with the manner in which their team’s scheme works. If a rookie projects to be a starter to open the season, go ahead and draft him; just be ready to jettison the youngster for a more established veteran if he falters.
- Injuries are always a part of the NFL fantasy experience, and obviously, defensive players are not immune to health issues. Once again, be aggressive in replacing injured IDP so maximize your weekly results. Our weekly IDP Reports will keep you up to date on the injury front, as well.
Below are the IDP rankings mentioned above. These are based on the following IDP point system:
Solo Tackle (or Total Tackles) 1 point
Assisted tackle 1/2 point
Sack 4 points
Interception 6 points
Pass defended 1 point
Fumble forced 4 point
Fumble recovered 2 points
Safety 2 points
Blocked FG/PAT/Punt 6 points
All defensive TDs 6 points
Realize that if your league has a different scoring system, your mileage may vary.
Top 50 at Each Position
Top 100 Overall
As ever, good luck and godspeed in all your fantasy endeavors. If you have an IDP question, feel free to send it to ia@fantasyalarm.com.
Player News
CBS Sports’ Aditi Kinkhabwala says free agent QB Aaron Rodgers “is not going to play just for the sake of playing.”
Kinkhabwala has had conversations with Rodgers and executives around the league trying to sign him. Based on those conversations, she says, “it’s extremely clear Rodgers is not going to play just for the sake of playing.” He remains unsigned with the 2025 NFL Draft on the horizon and multiple teams needing quarterback help. The Steelers are the most likely fit, but it seems Rodgers won’t force it if he does not find a good fit. This explains why Rodgers has been interested in the Vikings and has not yet signed. The 41-year-old may be headed for retirement if a situation he prefers, like the Vikings, does not want him back. His options remain limited and Rodgers may call it a career if he still does not like his options later in the offseason.
Bears signed LB T.J. Edwards to a two-year, $20 million extension.
Edwards’ extension includes $16.6 million guaranteed. The Bears originally signed him to a three-year, $19.5 million contract two seasons ago and he has outplayed that salary. Edwards has four interceptions, 6.5 sacks, and 20 tackles for loss in two seasons starting for Chicago in the middle of the field. He gets a raise as the Bears lock up another important part of their defense after extending CB Kyler Gordon earlier in the week.
Georgia EDGE Mykel Williams visited the Falcons on Wednesday.
Williams posted on his Instagram that he visited the Falcons facility on what was the last day of pre-draft visits. The 20-year-old is a Georgia native, played at the University of Georgia, and is expected to be selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Falcons have a need for an edge rusher and hold the No. 15 pick. They may look to keep Williams in-state and add his skillset to their pass-rushing group. Williams tallied five sacks last season and has explosive production for any team looking to add an edge rusher in the first round.
Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart “won’t fall out of the first round.”
Schultz reports his sources are indicating that Dart will not fall out of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He continues that the Giants are a candidate to trade up from pick No. 34 into the first round to take Dart if they do not take a quarterback at pick No. 3. The Saints are also an option with pick No. 9 or a trade up from pick No. 40. Dart is generally considered the third quarterback to come off the board after Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders, so a team in need of a franchise quarterback may take a chance on him after Ward and Sanders are selected. Teams could look to gain a fifth-year option on Dart and trade into the first round if he is not taken earlier.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports Raiders LT Kolton Miller is not participating in the voluntary offseason program and seeks an extension.
Miller was the Raiders’ first-round pick in 2018 and has started 107 games over seven seasons for the team. He is set to enter the final year of his current contract in 2025, making $12.25 million. Though he is not technically holding out yet since the offseason program is voluntary, Fowler notes Miller is seeking an extension. He finished last season with an 80.6 PFF grade, No. 14 among offensive tackles. Miller has been the Raiders’ franchise left tackle for seven years now and both sides will certainly discuss an extension as training camp nears.
Virginia Tech RB Bhayshul Tuten said he had a private workout with the Commanders’ running backs coach.
Tuten didn’t name him directly, but Anthony Lynn is currently the Commanders’ running backs coach and run game coordinator. The Commanders were hampered by injuries to both Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler last year. Robinson Jr. missed three games and played through some of his injuries while Ekeler missed five contests and was limited to just 112 touches. Tuten crushed the combine with a 4.32 Forty at 5'9/206. He handled 200 touches in back-to-back seasons at Virginia Tech while topping 1,100 yards from scrimmage in both campaigns. He would offer the Washington backfield a good mix of durability and home run potential.