NBA
Spread

Fantasy Football IDP Rankings 2023

Last Updated: May 26, 2023

The Game Day’s sports content editor Matt De Lima, the No. 3 2022 IDP in-season ranker on FantasyPros, delivers his lists for fantasy football individual defensive player rankings.

There is no industry standard in IDP for the number of players to use or an official IDP scoring system. Any IDP rankings list should include a preferred scoring system as a point of reference. Click here to see my preferred league setup and scoring system.

Included rookies in these rankings lists, but generally speaking, you don’t want to consider them much of a sure thing until they earn lots of consistent playing time.

Let’s take a spring look at the top 60 fantasy football IDPs at DL, LB, and DB for the 2023 NFL season.

Fantasy Football IDP Rankings 2023

These fantasy football rankings are current as of Wednesday, May 10.

Linebackers IDP Rankings

RkTrPlayer NamePOSTM
11Roquan SmithLBBAL
21Nick BoltonLBKC
31Foyesade OluokunLBJAC
41Fred WarnerLBSF
51Logan WilsonLBCIN
62Pete WernerLBNO
72Devin WhiteLBTB
82Tremaine EdmundsLBCHI
92Bobby OkerekeLBNYG
102Josey JewellLBDEN
112Dre GreenlawLBSF
122Cole HolcombLBPIT
132De'Vondre CampbellLBGB
143Quay WalkerLBGB
153Shaquille LeonardLBIND
163Nakobe DeanLBPHI
173David Long Jr.LBMIA
183Jordyn BrooksLBSEA
193Bobby WagnerLBSEA
203Jordan HicksLBMIN
213Frankie LuvuLBCAR
223Zaire FranklinLBIND
233T.J. EdwardsLBCHI
244Shaq ThompsonLBCAR
254Eric KendricksLBLAC
264Lavonte DavidLBTB
274C.J. MosleyLBNYJ
284Divine DeabloLBLV
294Drue TranquillLBKC
304Troy AndersenLBATL
314Terrel BernardLBBUF
324Alex SingletonLBDEN
334Brian Asamoah IILBMIN
344Zaven CollinsLBARI
354Jamin DavisLBWAS
364Jeremiah Owusu-KoramoahLBCLE
375Christian KirkseyLBHOU
385Matt MilanoLBBUF
395Denzel PerrymanLBHOU
405Alex AnzaloneLBDET
415Ernest JonesLBLAR
425Willie Gay JrLBKC
435Demario DavisLBNO
445Azeez Al-ShaairLBTEN
455Monty RiceLBTEN
465Christian HarrisLBHOU
475Devin LloydLBJAC
485Isaiah SimmonsLBARI
495Jerome BakerLBMIA
505Nicholas MorrowLBPHI
515Ja'Whaun BentleyLBNE
526Leighton Vander EschLBDAL
536Damone ClarkLBDAL
546Patrick QueenLBBAL
556Cody BartonLBWAS
566Quincy WilliamsLBNYJ
576Rashaan EvansLBFA
586Malcolm RodriguezLBDET
596Jack CampbellLBDET
606Mykal WalkerLBATL

Looking for a DFS fantasy football site without sharks? OwnersBox has a signup promo you can pounce on.

Defensive Line IDP Rankings

RkTrPlayer NamePOSTM
11Micah ParsonsEDDAL
21Maxx CrosbyDELV
31T.J. WattEDPIT
42Haason ReddickEDPHI
52Nick BosaDESF
62Myles GarrettDECLE
72Brian BurnsEDCAR
82Joey BosaEDLAC
93Aaron DonaldDTLAR
103Christian WilkinsDTMIA
113Danielle HunterEDMIN
123DeForest BucknerDTIND
133Chris JonesDTKC
143Aidan HutchinsonEDDET
153Matthew JudonEDNE
164Uchenna NwosuEDSEA
174Da'Ron PayneDTWAS
184DeMarcus LawrenceDEDAL
194Kwity PayeDEIND
204Kayvon ThibodeauxEDNYG
214Rashan GaryEDGB
224Alex HighsmithEDPIT
234Harold Landry IIIEDTEN
244Quinnen WilliamsDTNYJ
254Jaelan PhillipsDEMIA
264Jonathan AllenDTWAS
275Javon HargraveDTSF
285Cameron HeywardDEPIT
295Josh SweatDEPHI
305Sam HubbardDECIN
315Josh AllenEDJAC
325Greg RousseauDEBUF
335Chase YoungDEWAS
345Carl GrandersonEDNO
355Cameron JordanDENO
365Preston SmithEDGB
375Shaquil BarrettEDTB
385Deatrich Wise Jr.DENE
396Jeffery SimmonsDTTEN
406Trey HendricksonDECIN
416Khalil MackEDLAC
426Dexter Lawrence IIDTNYG
436Grover StewartDTIND
446Darrell TaylorEDSEA
456Leonard WilliamsDENYG
466Dre'Mont JonesDESEA
476Preston SmithEDGB
486Zach AllenDEDEN
496Jonathan GreenardDEHOU
506Bradley ChubbEDMIA
516Montez SweatDEWAS
526Azeez OjulariEDNYG
536Will Anderson Jr.DEHOU
547Travon WalkerEDJAC
557Za'Darius SmithEDMIN
567Josh UcheEDNE
577Denico AutryDETEN
587Dorance ArmstrongDEDAL
597Zach SielerDEMIA
607BJ OjulariEDARI

Defensive Back IDP Rankings

RkTrPlayer NamePOSTM
11Derwin James Jr.SLAC
21Jalen PitreSHOU
31Jaquan BriskerSCHI
41Budda BakerSARI
51Jamal AdamsSSEA
62Antoine Winfield Jr.STB
72Jeremy ChinnSCAR
82Minkah FitzpatrickSPIT
92Kyle HamiltonSBAL
102L'Jarius SneedCBKC
112Talanoa HufangaSSF
122C.J. Gardner-JohnsonCBDET
132Kamren CurlSWAS
143Xavier McKinneySNYG
153Nate HobbsSLV
163Eddie JacksonSCHI
173Harrison SmithSMIN
183Jordan PoyerSBUF
193Jalen RamseySMIA
203Donovan WilsonSDAL
213Kyle DuggerSNE
223Julian LoveSSEA
233Grant DelpitSCLE
244Jalen ThompsonSARI
254DeShon ElliottSMIA
264Rayshawn JenkinsSJAC
274Rasul DouglasCBGB
284Tracy Walker IIISDET
294Richie GrantSATL
304Justin SimmonsSDEN
314Marcus WilliamsSBAL
324Kevin ByardSTEN
334Vonn BellSCAR
344Amani HookerSTEN
354Kerby JosephSDET
364Tyrann MathieuSNO
375Brandon JonesSMIA
385Sauce GardnerCBNYJ
395Ryan NealSTB
405Jevon HollandSMIA
415Darrick ForrestSWAS
425Kenny MooreCBIND
435Charvarius WardCBSF
445Chuck ClarkSNYJ
455Jordan WhiteheadSNYJ
465Terrell EdmundsSPHI
475Tariq WoolenCBSEA
485Daxton HillSCIN
495Marcus MayeSNO
505Jimmie WardSHOU
515Jayron KearseSDAL
526A.J. TerrellCBATL
536Justin ReidSKC
546Jessie Bates IIISATL
556Kyler GordonCBCHI
566Taron JohnsonCBBUF
576Brian BranchSDET
586Micah HydeSBUF
596Lewis CineSMIN
606Desmond King IICBHOU

Fantasy Football IDP League Setup

My recommended IDP league settings:

Defensive Lineup

1 DT, 2 DE, 3 LB, 1 CB, 2 DB, 2 IDP Flex (DL/LB/DB)

IDP Scoring

  • 1.5 points per Tackle
  • 1 point per Assist
  • 4 points per Sack
  • 3 points per Forced Fumble
  • 2 points per Fumble Recovery
  • 4 points per Interception
  • 1.5 points per Passes Defended
  • 4 points per Safety
  • 6 points per Defensive Touchdown

Stay tuned during the regular season for our fantasy football tips ahead of drafts and in-season matchups.

Fantasy Football IDP Rankings 2023: Key

  • Rk: Rank
  • POS: Position
  • Tm: Team
  • POSRK: Positional Rank

Fantasy Football IDP Rankings Positions

Defensive Linemen

Hopefully, your league allows you to use most edge pass rushers as defensive linemen. If that’s the case, that’s a big boon for pass-rushing linebackers like Micah Parsons, T.J. Watt, Brian Burns, Haason Reddick, and the list goes on.

You should probably take Watt as the first IDP off the board, but it’s hard to ignore all those injuries in 2022. His replacement for much of the 2022 season, Alex Highsmith, could be a big value if the Steelers can find a way to keep him on the field.

I’ve ranked the 2022 Eagles’ pass rushers (Reddick, Josh Sweat) under the assumption they won’t be as effective this year. As a team, they had 70 sacks and that seems tough to duplicate.

The aforementioned duo, along with Brandon Graham and 49ers-bound Javon Hargrave, combined for 49 sacks.

Linebackers

There was a fair amount of turnover year-to-year in splash players at the position. Nick Bolton is a revelation and pushes all the way to the No. 2 spot, Roquan Smith is the man to beat. Foyesade Oluokun will have a tall task matching his stellar 2022 production.

The tendency in fantasy football is to lean toward youth but it’s best to play it safe when rounding out the LB2 and LB3 spots on your roster with guys like Jordan Hicks or T.J. Edwards. There’s certainly appeal in young guys like Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker, but you just need to keep balance in mind and not focus solely on the upside.

Three young sleepers to watch this year are Trey Anderson, Terrel Bernard, and Brian Asamoah II.

Defensive Backs

Both Jalen Pitre and Jaquan Brisker broke out in a big way as rookies, yet the IDP DB king remains Derwin James Jr.

Kyle Hamilton is due for a special year now that he’s penciled in as the starter.

Once you get beyond the top 25 or so defensive backs, there are far more swing-and-miss opportunities - especially for players who are on a new team or in a new defensive system.

Jalen Ramsey has been a solid corner and DeShon Elliott was a top IDP last year, but the Dolphins may not use them exactly as their former teams did.

Marcus Williams is only a mid-level DB3 in my rankings after a very inconsistent, yet productive season. Fantasy managers should see Brandon Jones make the leap in 2023 that we were all expecting last season.

Every year, Harrison Smith falls in the rankings, and every year, he keeps playing great.

IDP Advice & Tips

Which IDP Scoring System Setup Should You Use?

The best IDP scoring systems give at least 1+ point per tackle and assist. They are the most consistent defensive stats.

Big-play scoring (interceptions, sacks, fumbles) lacks predictability and you want players delivering reliable tackles with a smattering of extracurricular activity in the box scores. Interceptions and sacks (excluding top-tier pass rushers) will vary wildly game-to-game and from season-to-season.

How Many IDP Starters Should My League Use?

If your league only has six or fewer IDP starters, you may want to expand the lineup. It’s best to have a near-equal amount of offensive and defensive starters.

This allows each position to carry meaningful weight and discourages managers to punt or fade a position. A balanced roster is the best roster.

How Do I Decide Who To Start In IDP Leagues?

Follow the points. Do not play the matchups in IDP unless you are supremely confident in your ability to make calls.

Don’t overthink it. Unless there is a glaring weakness - such as an offensive line dealing with injuries that are allowing the most sacks in the NFL - you’re better off sticking with the guy who’s putting points on the board.

Author

Matt De Lima

Matt is a sports content editor at The Game Day with more than 10 years experience in the fantasy and betting spaces. He is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writing Association award finalist with previous experience working for Sports Illustrated, Full Time Fantasy, FFToolbox, 4for4, and RotoExperts. Born and raised in California, Matt now calls southern Maryland home. He is a Virginia Tech alumnus and a life-long 49ers, Lakers, and Dodgers fan.

Related articles

Promotions

Welcome offer
Caesars Sportsbook

1st Bet on Caesars up to $1,250 + 2,000 in Rewards & Tier Credits

5 stars
Welcome offer
DraftKings Sportsbook

Bet $5 & Get $200 in Bonus Bets

5 stars
Welcome offer
bet365 Sportsbook

Bet $1 & Get $200 FREE

5 stars
Welcome offer
FanDuel Sportsbook

Get $1,000 No Sweat First Bet

5 stars
Welcome offer
BetMGM Sportsbook

Get up to a $1,000 First Bet Offer Bonus

5 stars
Welcome offer
Tipico Sportsbook

Get Up to a $100 Bonus

5 stars
Welcome offer
BetRivers Sportsbook

Get up to $500 2nd Chance Free Bet

5 stars
Welcome offer
WynnBET Sportsbook

Bet $100 & Get a $50 Free Bet + a $50 Casino Bonus

5 stars
Welcome offer
FOX Bet

Get Up To $50 First Bet on FOXBet

5 stars