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IDP leagues offer a unique twist on traditional fantasy football formats. Most leagues allow managers to start a DST each week, which accounts for an entire NFL team's defensive and special teams unit.
Their fantasy lineups will then accumulate points from their total statistics, including sacks, turnovers and touchdown returns.
Leagues that use IDP formats usually get rid of the DST spot in a starting linuep and replace it with individual defensive players, rather than an entire unit.
Most IDP leagues will break down their defensive starters into three categories: Defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs. Like offensive players, lineups also usually include flex spots for defensive players.
One of the biggest scoring differences between DST and IDP is that individual players are rewarded for tackles, while full units will usually omit the statistic from their scoring system.
The rest of the scoring categories are generally the same. But awarding points for tackles has resulted in middle linebackers being the most valuable IDPs in fantasy football by a significant margin.
Unlike sacks and turnovers, which may be reliable from a season-long perspective, tackles are clearly the best stat to count on when looking for fantasy points from IDPs. Following the most involved middle linebackers are dynamic defensive backs, especially safeties and dominant edge rushers.
Defensive tackles, specifically those that aren't known for generating sacks, are the least valuable of IDPs for fantasy football. Keeping all of this in mind helps to generate weekly rankings for defensive players, based on their past production and upcoming matchups.
Here's how they stack up for Week 3 of the 2024 fantasy football season.
Week 3 fantasy football IDP rankings
#1 - TJ Edwards
After two weeks of the 2024 season, TJ Edwards leads all NFL players with 17 tackles. This makes him extremely valuable in fantasy football lineups as he remains firmly planted in the middle of the Chicago Bears' defense.
#2 - Roquan Smith
Roquan Smith has consistently ranked among the best IDPs in fantasy football lineups during his career. He also gets a favorable Week 3 matchup against a high-powered Dallas Cowboys offense that usually runs a ton of plays. This could mean more opportunities for Smith in fantasy football.
#3 - Bobby Wagner
Not many players in NFL history have been more reliable as a middle linebacker than Bobby Wagner. He consistently ranks towards the top of the league in total tackles, and so far with the Washington Commanders this year, he has played in every defensive snap. His history with Dan Quinn and his familiarity with his defense has made him a team leader.
#4 - Fred Warner
Fred Warner is one of the most dynamic middle linebackers in the entire NFL. In addition to racking up a ton of tackles as one of the best run-stuffers, he also excels in pass coverage. His elite range helps him to cover all areas of the field and he is one of the key pieces to the San Francisco 49ers' consistently elite defenses.
#5 - Robert Spillane
Robert Spillane has taken over as the leading tackler for the Las Vegas Raiders over the past two years. He is one of the unsung heroes of their teams and has already totaled 13 solo tackles in just two games so far this season.
#6 - Quincy Williams
With CJ Mosely suffering an injury last week and potentially missing time in the coming weeks, Quincy Williams has emerged as an elite IDP to target ahead of Week 3.
He has already been a solid lineup option even when sharing the field with Mosely, but additional responsibilities may elevate his production to the next level. Williams has played in every defensive snap this year for the New York Jets while totaling 15 tackles and a recovered fumble.
#7 - Foyesade Oluokun
Foyesade Oluokun is one of the best pure tacklers in the NFL, which gives him plenty of value in IDP fantasy football. Despite not adding much else to his weekly stat sheet, he still currently ranks as the LB8 in season-long fantasy football scoring through two weeks.
#8 - Terrel Bernard
The Buffalo Bills suffered major losses to their defense during the offseason, including each of their top three defensive backs. An injury to Matt Milano complicated things even further, but Terrel Bernard has stepped up in a big way. His 12 solo tackles lead the team through two weeks.
#9 - Alex Singleton
Alex Singleton has been quickly climbing the IDP rankings this year as he appears to be a breakout defensive star. He finished among the top 10 fantasy football linebackers last season and ranks as the LB12 so far this year.
#10 - EJ Speed
Zaire Franklin opened the 2024 fantasy football season as one of the top IDPs to target, but he has been outshined by EJ Speed in the Indianapolis Colts' defense so far. Speed leads the Colts with 16 tackles, the second-most of any NFL player this year.
#11 - Lavonte David
When Devin White departed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this year, Lavonte David received an increase in his fantasy football value. He no longer shares the field with another elite linebacker, making him a valuable IDP in all lineups.
#12 - Maxx Crosby
Maxx Crosby is the highest-ranked non-linebacker in the Week 3 IDP rankings. He ranked first among all NFL players last season in total quarterback pressures. Crosby gets an ideal opportunity this week against the Carolina Panthers, arguably the worst offense in the NFL.
#13 - Nick Bolton
The Kansas City Chiefs are most known for their elite offense, but their defense has been equally dominant in recent seasons. Chris Jones often receives the most credit for that, but Nick Bolton is a weapon in the middle of their defense.
In a Week 3 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, who run the ball often, Bolton should be busy.
#14 - Myles Garrett
The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Myles Garrett has exceeded 10 sacks in each of his career seasons so far. He has a strong chance of adding to his total against the New York Giants in Week 3 as Daniel Jones is one of the most sacked quarterbacks in the league.
#15 - Brian Branch
Dynamic safeties that can contribute in many different statistical categories often make for the best DBs to target in fantasy football. Brian Branch has been exactly that for the first two games this year. He has totaled 10 tackles to go with five defended passes and an interception.
