Early IDP Tiered Rankings & Analysis for 2020

June 7, 2020

Chris Gregory looks at RotoBaller's early IDP rankings for the 2020 NFL season and analyzes them to look for undervalued fantasy football sleepers.

Individual Defensive Player (IDP) formats are becoming more popular in fantasy leagues, but not all IDP leagues are the same. Your IDP ranks can and should change depending on your league's format. An example might be that if your league requires you to start a defensive tackle (DT) specifically, then Aaron Donald's fantasy value would be higher in your league than in leagues that use only a general defensive line (DL) position.

Our ranks are rooted in IDP leagues that use only DL, linebacker (LB), and defensive back (DB) positions. My rankings  rely on a common IDP scoring format that I will refer to as "standard scoring." This scoring system awards one point for a solo-tackle, a half-point for a half-tackle, two points for passes defensed, two points for a safety, three points for a fumble recovery, three points for a sack, four points for an interception, and six points for a touchdown.

Below you'll find my analysis of our IDP rankings.

Tier 1: One Defender Who Should Go Top-90

As you can see, RotoBaller rankers universally agree that Darius Leonard is the top individual defender in fantasy. His short but impressive NFL resume proves he is capable of leading the NFL in tackles while picking off passes like a corner, sacking quarterbacks like an end, and scoring touchdowns. In standard scoring formats last year, Leonard had two games of 24+ fantasy points, and he scored eight or more fantasy points in 12 of his 13 games. That kind of ceiling/floor combo in a fantasy defender is almost unheard of, and it places Leonard in a tier of his own. This Colt is young too, making him the top defender in both dynasty and redraft stables.

Tier 2: Defenders Worth Drafting Before a WR4

This tier of defenders offers a good lesson in positional value for those new to the IDP game. The LB position in fantasy is incredibly deep, while the DL and DB positions are top-heavy. The lack of elite supply at DL and DB means that the top players at these positions will often hold more value than most fantasy LBs, even though LBs typically score the most points amongst defenders. Although players like Leonard and Bobby Wagner should go early regardless of their position, fantasy owners should prioritize the likes of Joey Bosa, Danielle Hunter, Myles Garrett, and Jamal Adams over almost any LB.

Tier 3: Mid-Round Defenders Who Can Win Their Position

There is a solid argument for Budda Baker to be included in the second tier of our defender rankings. Tackles (especially solo tackles) are the best indicator of consistent weekly performance in IDP, and Baker is the first DB to lead the NFL in solo tackles since 1996. That spells an uncommon fantasy floor for any DB, and good draft value in the double-digit rounds.

Another player who may be too low on this list is Aaron Donald, especially for those playing in leagues that utilize a starting DT slot. If you have to start a DT, Donald should arguably be one of the first three fantasy defenders drafted due to the giant drop from him to the next DT on the list. If he gets back to his 20-sack form, the Pitt product could be the top overall DL.

Finally, Blake Martinez is a tier-two prospect for two of our three rankers. He has been a tackle machine and a consistent fantasy contributor for years in Green Bay. This new New Yorker carries two question marks that could make him a risky tier-two defender, however. First, there are questions about whether his new Giants teammates can keep him as clean as his superior teammates in Green Bay did. Second, there are doubts about whether he can raise his fantasy ceiling by improving upon his unimpressive turnover numbers (five in four seasons). Those questions could be enough to put players like Baker, Landon Collins, and Roquan Smith ahead of Martinez on many boards.

Tier 4: Big Name Bargains

Derwin James is one of the most talented DBs in the NFL, but his injury history has him ranked as just the 22nd defender in our overall ranks. If James can stay healthy, he should replicate or better the elite fantasy stats he produced during his rookie year. This former Seminole has the potential to be the top overall fantasy DB for years to come, and those kinds of players aren't usually available 21 defenders deep into drafts.

Nick Bosa also represents great fantasy value if he is the 23rd defender selected in your draft. There are valid concerns about how he will do without Deforest Buckner playing next to him, but there is still a lot of potential on that line and in Bosa's biceps. This former Buckeye's fantasy floor should be as a top-eight fantasy DL if he stays healthy in 2020.

Finally, J.J. Watt falls lower in our ranks than expected thanks to the litany of injury issues he has suffered over the past four years. The older Watt brother's inability to consistently finish seasons is a concern, and it should impact his draft value, but it doesn't mean he shouldn't be valued at all. While this former Defensive Player of the Year is now too risky to go amongst the top-15 defenders, his upside at the thin DL position means he is still a substantial value outside the top-25 defenders.

Tier 5: Starters With Upside

T.J. Watt and Chandler Jones are both serviceable starters at the fantasy LB position thanks to some stellar sack and turnover production. Still, their low tackle totals keep them out of the top-tier of LBs in standard scoring IDP leagues. If your league uses an EDGE position or offers added incentive for sacks and tackles for loss, however, their fantasy value should skyrocket. Consider Watt and Jones to be boom-or-bust standard league LBs, but high-end fantasy EDGE options.

Like Watt and Jones, C.J. Mosley could also be a steal in the right circumstances. Mosley has the talent and ability to be a top-five fantasy LB, and he has been one in the past. There are valid reasons why Mosley is ranked lower than his resume suggests, however. Mosely is now on a weak Jets Defense that won't do him many favors, as opposed to the strong Ravens Defenses he regularly worked on in the past. Additionally, this former Crimson Tide is recovering from a groin injury that may or may not fully heal by the start of the season. These question marks may be enough to take Mosley out of the top-ten fantasy LBs early in this process, but he still has the upside to sneak into that range if healthy.

Finally, Kwon Alexander was an elite fantasy LB for two seasons in Tampa, and he could replicate that sort of performance if he stays healthy and on the field in SF. The problem is, Alexander's missed games in four of his five NFL seasons. Another problem is that this 'Hot Boy' may lose time in nickel packages to Dre Greenlaw, who is a far cheaper and more efficient tackler. If Fred Warner and Greenlaw are SF's nickel' backers, Alexander's playing time and fantasy opportunities will drop by half.

UPDATE: Mosley has opted out for the 2020 NFL season due to COVID concerns.

Tiers 6-7: Late Round Selections With Versatility Or Upside

Shaquil Barrett's projections for 2020 are all over the place, and our ranks reflect that. He is a fantasy starter at EDGE or DE if he is eligible in your league. Still, his viability as a top-ten standard scoring LB depends on whether he can repeat his 2019 breakout performance. Given that Barrett collected more sacks and forced fumbles last year than he had in the first four years of his career combined, it seems unlikely he will repeat as the NFL's sack leader in 2020.

Two other players worth note in this tier because of their positional flexibility are Khalil Mack and Isaiah Simmons. Mack is a valuable fantasy player in leagues that allow him to start as an EDGE or DL, but he is not a top-ten LB in standard formats. Meanwhile, Simmons is a fascinating fantasy pick in dynasties. Simmons could also be a top-five DB in redrafts if he gains DB eligibility while playing most of his snaps at LB.

Last but not least, in this tier is the best defender to come out of this year's NFL Draft, Chase Young. Young should hit the ground running just like his former teammate Nick Bosa did last year. If Young can get enough playing time, he will produce starting fantasy DL numbers in his rookie season. In dynasty formats, Young should be considered a top-five DL.

Tiers 8-9: Bye Week Fill-Ins & Deep Defense Starters

If you play in a deep or unique IDP league, such as ones that start DTs and defensive ends (DE), this tier of players should interest you. These deep league values include Grady Jarrett and Chris Jones as top-five DTs, Bradley Chubb as a starting Edge option, and Brian Burns as a promising EDGE or DE. Jones is arguably the second-best DT in fantasy, and Burns should be able to add to the 7.5 sacks he had as a rookie now that Bruce Irvin and Mario Addison are no longer in Carolina.

Other interesting deep league additions in this tier include Jeremy Chinn and last year's rookie surprise Maxx Crosby. Crosby notched ten sacks last year and should have more help around him this year, as Las Vegas added several good defenders in free agency. Chinn is an all-around defender who is likely to take over for Eric Reid in Carolina, and he could clean up playing behind a young and flawed defense that should be on the field a lot.

Tiers 10: Super Deep League Adds & Waiver Watch Players

This final tier of players should remain on waivers in all but the deepest of formats, such as leagues that require you to start cornerbacks (CB) or a full 11-man defense. Players like Kyle Fuller and Marshon Lattimore are fantasy starters at CB, but they aren't consistent performers at the DB position. Dre Greenlaw, Za'Darius Smith, Logan Wilson, Benardrick McKinney, and Anthony Walker all could be starters in deep leagues that require you to play an outside linebacker (OLB) and inside linebacker (ILB).

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