Week 2 IDP Rankings for Fantasy Football (2025) - Defense Positional Rankings for LB, DL, DB

September 13, 2025

Fantasy football IDP rankings and IDP streamers for Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season. Chris's IDP fantasy start 'em, sit 'em picks for individual defensive players.

Welcome back to our fantasy football IDP rankings for Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season! It happens every year, but fantasy disappointments abounded in the opening week. There is a very real team, we won't name names, that went into their dynasty season with Ja'Marr Chase, Drake London, Malik Nabers, Joe Burrow, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Jordan Love leading a loaded Superflex lineup… yet every one of those stars disappointed and the team struggled last week.

One fine example of disappointment in Week 1 is Zaire Franklin, who was the top-rated fantasy linebacker on most analyst boards this offseason. Despite his history of reliable fantasy numbers, Franklin played a solid 81% of the defensive snaps but produced just three Standard IDP points this week. That was largely due to game script and luck, but many might panic on their top LB.

Of course, none of you are benching Joe Burrow or Ja'Marr Chase after one bad week. The same patience should be applied to historically strong defenders like Franklin, or promising ones like Jalon Walker, whose limited playing time was likely a short-term concern influenced by his youth and missed camp time. Remember, Week 1 can be rough on many stars, even defenders.

IDP Scoring System for Rankings

Note: These rankings are also based on leagues that start one player at each defensive position (DL, LB, DB) and two DFLEX:

• 6-points per Defensive Touchdown
• 4-points per Forced Turnover (FF/INT)
• 3-points per Sack
• 2- points per PD, FR, Safety
• 1-point Solo Tackle
• 0.5-points Assisted Tackle

Top Fantasy Defensive Linemen of the Week

DL Riser of the Week

Abdul Carter, New York Giants

Carter’s profile is high, but he is just the 31^st most rostered DL in fantasy due to concerns about his usage. His first week was what most expected, with the rookie involved in a deep rotation on the edge that limited him to just 54% of the defensive snaps. However, the Penn State alum was efficient with those limited opportunities.

Carter collected one half-sack and three tackles against a Washington offense that attempted just 30 pass attempts. Better yet, he generated pressure on 20% of his pass rush sets. Now, the Giants face a Dallas offense whose pass blocking ranked third-worst in Week 1, and their offense is built to throw the ball more frequently than Washington's.

DL Disappointment of the Week

Browns Pass Rushers

You aren’t benching Myles Garrett, but you have to consider sitting every other Cleveland defensive lineman this week. Additionally, you may want to manage expectations for the great Garrett, too.

Despite engaging in a high-scoring loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Ravens attempted the fewest pass attempts of any NFL team entering Monday. This aligns with their brand, as Baltimore attempted the second fewest passes in 2024. Throw in that Lamar Jackson is hard to bring down, and this isn't a strong matchup on paper.

Top Fantasy Linebackers of the Week

LB Riser of the Week

Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns

The 32^nd most rostered LB in fantasy, we have Schwesinger wildly outperforming his current usage rates as a top ten play this week.

You rarely see a rookie play every defensive snap in the middle of an NFL defense, but that's just what Schwesinger did in his first game. He also collected six fantasy points against the pass-heavy Bengals. Now the rookie gets a more favorable fantasy matchup, facing a Ravens offense that was ninth in rush attempts last week and second in 2024.

LB Disappointment of the Week

Robert Spillane, New England Patriots

Spillane was an underrated contributor with the Steelers before transitioning into a consistent fantasy option with Las Vegas. Many expected he would take the next step this year, ascending to a true LB1 after rave reports from Patriots training camp. Unfortunately, Week 1 was a massive letdown for those expecting the LB1 jump.

Despite playing 98% of the Patriots’ defensive snaps in a favorable matchup on paper, Spillane collected just three Standard IDP points against the Raiders. Granted, Las Vegas attempted a disappointing 24 rush attempts, but they also threw 17 passes into Spillane's zone and he didn't touch any of them.

While Spillane remains a viable fantasy option given his history and usage, he has yet to prove he is an LB1 for fantasy purposes. That is unlikely to happen this week, as the Dolphins attempted the 17^th most rush attempts per game in 2024 and the fewest last week. Consider him a low end LB2 with a bad matchup this week.

Top Fantasy Defensive Backs of the Week

DB Riser of the Week

Xavier Watts, Atlanta Falcons

Watts was an all-around prospect coming out of Notre Dame and he showed that versatility in Week 1, against a surprisingly low volume Tampa air attack. In his first game as a pro, Watts played 100% of Atlanta’s defensive snaps and totaled 10 Standard IDP points. That tied for 13^th at his position, which isn’t bad for a rookie in his first game.

The Falcons have a fine matchup against a Vikings offense starting what amounts to a rookie quarterback, considering J.J. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season. Considering Watts is available in 99.2% of IDP leagues, his usage and talent equate to a rising value that could help a lot of fantasy squads.

DB Disappointment of the Week

Mike Sainristill, Washington Commanders

Sainristill is a tenacious corner who should be rostered and started in every league that requires you to start a CB. He also merits consideration as a DB2 most weeks, given his tackling ability and versatility. However, the matchup in this one doesn’t add up to fantasy favor.

The Packers attempted the 28^th most pass attempts in the NFL last week, despite Jordan Love looking crisp and accurate. This was aided by the fact that Green Bay's defense neutralized a prolific Detroit offense. That low passing volume is in character for Matt LaFleur, too. The Packers were 30^th in that category last year and 20^th the year before.

To make matters worse, Green Bay likes to spread the ball around. Despite the preseason hype surrounding Matthew Golden, Love's first eight passes went to eight different players. That, and the prospect of a low volume, could make things tough for Washington's secondary to produce for fantasy.

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