Week 8 IDP Rankings for Fantasy Football (2025) - Defense Positional Rankings for LB, DL, DB

Fantasy football IDP rankings and IDP streamers for Week 8 of the 2025 NFL season. Chris's IDP fantasy start 'em, sit 'em picks for individual defensive players.

The NFL has established a new tradition in recent years of scheduling six or more teams on bye at the same time. While this philosophy might make sense if the aim were to fit all byes into the center of the schedule to create balance and fairness, the NFL doesn't do that. Instead, they stack middle weeks while also assigning disadvantages to teams with unreasonably early byes.

The NFL’s scheduling creates inherent problems for NFL teams, especially teams with a Week 5 bye who could be forced to play 16 straight games to get to the Super Bowl. However, these schedules also create fantasy headaches. The most problematic of those headaches is the annual "Bye-nadoe," which regularly puts six to eight teams on bye and drastically swings matchups.

For context, consider that Week 8 puts 38 players from last week’s IDP Rankings on bye. Amongst those names are our top-rated DB (Travis Hunter) and four of our top-10 DLs (Maxx Crosby, Byron Young, Jared Verse, and Aidan Hutchinson). In terms of fantasy points per game, Week 8 will claim three of the top four DLs, four of the top seven DBs, and half of the LB1 tier.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) rankings
• Quarterback (QB) rankings
• Tight end (TE) rankings
• Defense (D/ST) rankings
• Kicker (K) rankings
• FLEX rankings
• Dynasty rankings

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:

Dallas Turner, Minnesota Vikings

A rising tide lifts all ships, as they say. The same can be said of the Chargers’ offense this year… except, instead of a tide doing the lifting, it's an offense throwing the most passes in the NFL and allowing the fifth-most pressures… and instead of ships being lifted, it's opposing pass rushers.

In other words, the Chargers continue to offer elite fantasy upside for opposing edge rushers. This week, the Vikings and their blitz-happy defensive coordinator get to take advantage. While Turner is the riskiest of Minnesota's edges, he's also the most available, and his floor since becoming a starter in Week 2 is a 60% snap share.

DL Disappointment of the Week:

Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee Titans

It is virtually impossible to fade anyone this week, given how many impact fantasy defenders are on bye. With that said, we have to put someone here, and expectations for Simmons should be limited.

For starters, the impactful interior rusher is coming into this week with a Questionable tag. To make matters worse, he faces a Colts offense averaging the fewest sacks allowed and the 21^st most pass attempts in the NFL this week. The Colts will likely milk an early lead this week, leading to a few tackles but limited big-play opportunities for Simmons.

Top Fantasy Linebackers of the Week

LB Riser of the Week:

Shemar James, Dallas Cowboys

James was one of our Streamers of the Week last week. In that piece, we noted how the rookie had filled Dallas' massive hole at linebacker, taking on a starting role and playing a vast majority of the snaps in Week 6. That usage continued in Week 7, with the Florida product seeing a strong 98.5% of the defensive snaps in a blowout win.

Ranking a rookie with just two career starts inside of our top 10 this week is risky, but the huge swath of byes helps push him into our elite tier. It also doesn’t hurt that James is averaging a whopping 10.3 Standard IDP points per game in his past three games. If the Cowboys’ rising star can perform against Denver, he may be a mainstay LB1.

LB Disappointment of the Week:

Ivan Pace Jr., Minnesota Vikings

While Pace’s advanced metrics remain strong, it appears he is not a favorite of this Vikings coaching staff. That became evident when the return of Blake Cashman pushed Pace to the bench in Week 7, seeing the former standout play zero defensive snaps all game.

Eric Wilson appears to be the second linebacker worth rostering in Minnesota right now. Pace is droppable in even deep redraft formats, unfortunately.

Top Fantasy Defensive Backs of the Week

DB Riser of the Week:

Brandon Stephens and Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, New York Jets

Stephens is DB50 overall in fantasy points per game, but he is elevated because of the massive wave of byes this week. His matchup with the Bengals also buoys him.

The Bengals are first in pass attempts per game over the past three weeks. Better yet, Joe Flacco has averaged 46 pass attempts per game in his two games as Cincy’s starter. He has also showered Ja'Marr Chase with 17.5 targets per game. If Sauce Gardner is out this week, Stephens could draw a majority of the looks against Chase.

With that said, if Sauce does clear concussion protocol this week, then he is a virtual guarantee to shadow Chase. That would make Gardner an easy streamer, which is rare given how often opponents try to avoid him.

DB Disappointment of the Week:

Jaycee Horn, Carolina Panthers

As we have said before, it is incredibly difficult to fade anyone this week. So, we have to reach deep into the bag for a fade this week.

Horn is coming off a two-interception game, which is why his roster rate doubled this week. Unfortunately, he now faces a Bills offense averaging the third-fewest pass attempts in the NFL over the past three weeks and a quarterback averaging the fewest turnover-worthy throws in the league. Worse, Buffalo has no receiver worth shadowing.

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