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Fantasy IDP Rankings 2022: Strategy tips, cheat sheet for fantasy football drafts

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Traditional fantasy football owners will often scoff at those who play in individual defensive player (IDP) leagues, but rest assured, IDP leagues are still going strong. Adding LBs, DLs, and DBs to your player pool requires more draft strategy, and of course it requires more rankings and lists of potential sleepers on your 2022 cheat sheet.

IDP isn’t for everyone, but adding defensive players makes for a longer draft and more scoring. What’s not to like about that? Most fantasy owners are already aware of the star IDPs (Aaron Donald, Micah Parsons, Budda Baker, etc.), but when you play in an IDP league, it’s necessary to know defensive schemes just as much as it is to know the individual names. (More on that in a bit.)

MORE: FREE Fantasy Alarm Draft Guide

Whether you’re an IDP vet or you’re about to play in this format for the first time in 2022, we’re here to help with a complete guide to everything IDP.

DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2022 fantasy cheat sheet

Fantasy IDP Tips 2022

Defensive schemes

If a team has three defensive linemen (a 3-4), then you want to target their outside linebackers. The OLBs on a 3-4 defense are more likely to pick up sacks, as the linemen generally just clog up the running paths up front and rarely rush the quarterback. Defensive linemen and inside linebackers on a 3-4 team will get you tackles and not much else. Of course, in a tackle-heavy IDP league, this can prove valuable, too. (Scoring systems will be discussed later.)

A 4-3 team provides more IDP value with its defensive ends and middle linebacker. The DE (or EDGE) spot will provide sacks, while the middle linebacker will be a tackles machine. Also, in a 4-3 defensive scheme, all three LB spots will give you points, as there is less spreading of the tackles, interceptions, and passes defended among the three linebackers.

Generally speaking, you want to target IDPs from a team that runs a 4-3 scheme, as the points will flow more consistently. A 3-4 team will provide decent numbers from the weak-side LB but not much else other than tackles for the DLs. An easy way to find out if a team runs a 4-3 or 3-4 scheme is to simply look at the depth charts and seeing how many DLs and LBs are projected to start.

2022 FANTASY SLEEPERS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | One from each team

Linebackers

Linebackers are cornerstones in IDP leagues. They provide tackles, interceptions, fumbles, and fumble returns (although any IDP can cause or recover a fumble), and they will also put up passes-defended (PD) points. That being said, you don’t necessarily need to target linebackers first, as there are a lot who can provide points (think QB or even WR in non-IDP leagues).

Now, if you have the opportunity to nab a stud LB with your first IDP pick, you should definitely do so. If you can get two stud LBs, take them and don’t look back. However, if your leaguemates have drafted their initial IDPs early, you can afford to be patient, as value exists in the middle-round picks.

Here’s where knowing what defensive scheme a team employs is essential, but perhaps even more than that, you want to populate your roster with “three-down” linebackers. It only stands to reason that the more time a player spends on the field, the more likely he is to provide your team with fantasy production.

There’s also this seemingly counterintuitive tip: Seek out linebackers on bad teams, as they will undoubtedly have more opportunities for tackles.

2022 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Top 200 | Superflex

Defensive Backs

If you are not required to have both corners and safeties on your IDP team, always go for safeties. Generally speaking, safeties simply provide more tackles on a weekly basis. Even if your league puts a high value on interceptions, those are notoriously inconsistent.

Also, again seemingly counterintuitive, a shutdown corner is usually a mediocre IDP choice because QBs generally avoid passing to whatever WR the shutdown CB is covering. Instead, try drafting a rookie corner. QBs will likely test him repeatedly until he proves he can cover his man. You will get more points for tackles and potentially passes defended and INTs.

2022 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Top 200 | Superflex

Defensive Linemen

When targeting defensive linemen, you will want to select defensive ends as opposed to defensive tackles. DEs will be the best source of sacks and tackles, although there is the occasional DT that provides value. As a general rule, however, unless your league requires that a DT be started, avoid them altogether.

If all the top-tier LBs have been snatched up when you start to draft your IDPs, then go for one of the top-tier DEs. Remember, look for a DE that starts in a 4-3 scheme. Target at least one of the top-seven DEs for your roster, as the drop-off after the first tier is drastic.

2022 RANKINGS TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs

Rookies

Rookie defensive players frequently have immediate value. As we pointed out earlier, rookie CBs will rack up points because they’ll be targeted more. The learning curve for all IDPs is not as steep as other positions, though, and you can regularly find exceptional value from rookie starters.

Rookies do cause more management, though, especially late in the season. The “rookie wall” is a real thing, so have pivots in mind down the stretch.

2022 AUCTION VALUES (Standard & PPR):
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers | Overall

What’s the best fantasy IDP scoring format?

In a perfect world, your IDPs will provide weekly point totals that are nearly equivalent to your key offensive players. A good LB can usually give your team 10-15 points a week, which is what you want as a baseline from your top RBs and WRs in PPR leagues.

Default IDP settings usually aren’t the best. If you can set your own scoring, you should have interceptions, sacks, forced fumbles, and blocked kicks worth more than fumbles recovered (generally a result of luck) or passes defended. Reversing possession and stopping momentum have greater impacts than simply making a tackle or knocking down a pass. Sacks are considerably more consequential than a tackle.

Here is a recommended set of scoring values for what is best described as a “hybrid” IDP system:

Solo Tackle (or Total Tackles): 1 point
Assisted Tackle: 1/2 point
Sack: 4 points
INTs: 6 points
Pass Defended: 3 points
Forced Fumble: 4 points
Recovered Fumble: 2 points
Safety: 2 points
Blocked FG/PAT/Punt: 6 points
All Defensive TDs: 6 points

The best IDP leagues use six-to-eight defensive slots. The normal setup is two LBs, two DLs, two DBs and perhaps two flex defensive players. You could also scrap the dedicated DL slots and instead have more flex IDP positions.

MORE: FREE Fantasy Alarm Draft Guide

IDP Fantasy Draft Strategy 2022

When to start drafting IDPs

Once you know your IDP settings and have a good idea of targets (see the rankings below), it’s time for the draft! Don’t start drafting IDPs until you have all of your offensive starters. Even then, grab at least a few backups first, too, especially at RB and WR. Don’t be in a rush to draft defensive players, regardless of what other owners are doing.

You run the risk of missing out on the top-tier LBs, but usually, high-quality DBs and DLs will be there. With the exception of two-QB and superflex leagues, you should fill all your IDP starting spots before you go back to selecting backup offensive players (aside from the initial two or three mentioned above). Consider this a handy rule: A top-tier IDP is a 10th-round selection.

Danielle Hunter, C.J. Mosley, and Minkah Fitzpatrick can be key for your team, but there are many other good-to-excellent defensive players who can carry you week to week. Equate it to the decision to grab a stud QB or wait on the position and use a committee approach – both techniques can work, so long as you can adjust during the season to take advantage of matchups and work the waiver wire effectively.

When drafting IDP, keep position scarcity in mind but not at the expense of building depth. For example, if your league uses defensive tackle as a required position, the pool thins out quickly after the top few DTs. Even so, that’s not a reason to take a DT prior to a top-20 LB. The point difference between the No. 1 DT and the No. 10 DT will not win you many weeks, but the No. 20 LB might just give you enough tackles to win a few close matchups.

Of course, you have to adjust and adapt to your particular draft. If an offensive bargain falls to you in the later rounds, take advantage.

Hopefully we don’t need to say this, but all IDP starters should be selected before your kicker, and if your league uses a team D/ST together with IDPs, it is recommended that you wait on that position, too.

2022 FANTASY DRAFT STRATEGY:
Snake drafts | Auctions | Dynasty | Best ball | IDP

Final IDP Draft Strategy Thoughts

Consistency is the key to having success in an IDP league. MLBs and DEs in 4-3 schemes, OLBs in 3-4 schemes, and safeties over CBs provide the most consistency.. All other statistical categories, with the possible exception of sacks, are too unpredictable to really project.

You’re going to have to work the waiver wire. Aside from some top-tier IDPs, injuries and matchups will dictate who you start. All DBs – especially CBs – are inconsistent, so plan on streaming them often, which means you can focus on them less during your draft.

In fact, unless you have an absolute stud IDP, don’t worry about dropping him on a bye week. Most likely, no one will pick him up that week and you can get him back. Even if you don’t, it’s likely another top IDP will be dropped due to bye-week pressures and you can then pick him up. You could also just play matchups.

Always check if your league rewards return yards. If so, look for IDPs who play on special teams as kick returners. That’s a nice way to get points without worrying about tackles, INTs, or passes defended.

MORE: FREE Fantasy Alarm Draft Guide