Week 3 IDP Rankings for Fantasy Football (2025) - Defense Positional Rankings for LB, DL, DB

September 17, 2025

Fantasy football IDP rankings and IDP streamers for Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season. Chris's IDP fantasy start 'em, sit 'em picks for individual defensive players.

Through two weeks of the NFL season, no one would blame casual fans for wondering, "Does this year's rookie class stink?" After all, training camp stars like Matthew Golden are barely being used, while many top backs in the class have disappointed. Kaleb Johnson is a special teamer… and not a good one, while TreVeyon Henderson and R.J. Harvey are stuck behind vets.

This concern doesn't only sit on the offensive side of the ball, either. As we noted last week, Jalon Walker is currently stuck in a rotation, limiting him to 45% of the snaps, while potential superstar Abdul Carter is similarly mired in a rotation that isn't maximizing his immense talent.  Both edges have the potential to wreck IDP leagues, yet they are currently hard to roster.

With all of that said, this NFL Draft class hardly “stinks.” Walker earned a sack despite limited snaps this week, Carter saw his snap share spike to 75% thanks to increased usage at standup linebacker, and weapons like Henderson and Golden look better on film than their box scores suggest.  These studs just require patience… if you can afford to exercise it.

IDP Scoring System for Rankings

• 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

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

Top Fantasy Defensive Linemen of the Week

DL Riser of the Week

Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams

Young is just the 28^th most rostered DL in fantasy right now, but he sits second at his position in Standard IDP Scoring. The advanced metrics show that Young isn't just getting lucky, either.  The Tennessee alum is earning his fantasy points so far.

Currently, the less heralded Rams pass rusher ranks sixth amongst all edge rushers in pass rush grade, 10th in quarterback pressure rate, and he's tied for fourth in the NFL in sacks.  In other words, the speedy edge is showing signs that his breakout at the beginning of the year is sustainable.

Now, it is fair to fade Young in Week 3. He draws an Eagles offense that sits ninth in pass blocking this season, has routinely finished two of the past four seasons as the top pass blocking unit, and they are second in rush attempts per game.  So, fading Young against Philly is fair… but he's good enough to carry on your bench for future weeks.

DL Disappointment of the Week

Bradley Chubb, Miami Dolphins

Chubb has outperformed our preseason expectations, sitting at DL22 overall in Standard IDP Scoring, so he does move up our rankings this week. However, he has been the 12^th most started DL in fantasy this season, and that rate may be a bit high considering his current pace and his Week 3 matchup.

Buffalo’s offense is averaging the highest run rate in the NFL, which is saying a lot considering their 46-pass attempt Week 1 shootout.  They have also surrendered the third fewest sacks in the NFL. These rates are consistent with their rates over the past two seasons, as the Bills surrendered the fewest sacks in both 2024 and 2023.

In other words, this is a rough matchup for pass rushers.

Top Fantasy Linebackers of the Week

LB Riser of the Week

Payton Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers

Our two-time preseason sleeper, Wilson, has always had the athleticism and coverage skills to become a reliable fantasy asset if he could just manage the playing time. Luckily for us, he finally seems to be getting that time.

Wilson has played over 80% of Pittsburgh’s defensive snaps in both games this year, and he experienced a breakout with a sack and 10 tackles against Seattle. Games like that are not the norm for anyone, but Wilson is the type of athlete who can collect them more than most. His playing time was the only question last year, and that question is answered.

LB Disappointment of the Week

Kaden Elliss, Atlanta Falcons

Elliss was a preseason fade for us because of his incredibly high roster rate. As we've noted in the past, Elliss has never finished in the top ten at his position in points per game, and his 2024 was a bit of an outlier. Last year, he set a career high in tackles at age 29, matched a career high in forced turnovers (two), and only finished as LB14 in ppg.

Elliss is still a fine LB2 option, but his 2025 start does not reflect how fantasy managers and rankers view him. The Falcon remains the eighth-most rostered LB in fantasy despite never finishing that high in his career, and he's just LB53 overall in total fantasy points so far.

While you should expect Elliss to rebound and begin producing more fantasy points, especially with his ability to produce sacks, he should not be the eighth most rostered LB in fantasy. Elliss should be considered a low-end LB2 option in an average matchup with the Panthers, rather than the LB1 that he's currently treated as.

Top Fantasy Defensive Backs of the Week

DB Riser of the Week

Malaki Starks, Baltimore Ravens

While there were concerns that Starks could be caught in a rotation early, that has not been the case with a 93% or greater snap rate through two weeks. That answers one of the only worries many IDP fans had about the highly touted prospect.

Remember, Starks was one of the top safety prospects in recent memory, with the size and tackling skills to play in the box, but familiarity at corner. The Ravens have recognized that versatility, playing Starks in a variety of roles that have allowed him to register seven tackles in each of his first two games. Expect more of the same, or better.

DB Disappointment of the Week

Kevin Byard III, Chicago Bears

We warned you in the preseason that Byard's ADP was inflated, driven up by a career-high 130 total tackles in his age-31 season. While Byard has done a good job of redefining himself as a strong tackling option the past two seasons, this is a recent trend that came with a 70% dip in forced turnovers and deflections.

Byard remains the seventh-most rostered DB in fantasy, but he's averaging just 4.5 Standard IDP points per game. While two weeks isn't dispositive of fantasy value, this is a 32-year-old safety who doesn’t make big plays anymore. That means he is a low upside play, and the floor is seemingly lower than many originally thought.

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