This is the second article in our four-part IDP series leading up to the NFL Kickoff. In case you missed the first article, IDP Scoring Systems And 2024 Stat Review For 2025 Fantasy Football Players, can be found here.

How Coaching Impacts Offensive Trends And IDP Fantasy Football Drafting

This article focuses on how coaching impacts IDP in IDP fantasy football scoring. It was briefly mentioned in the first article, but an in-depth, holistic approach to the defensive philosophies and how it impact IDPs. 

 

 

 

Why Coaching Changes Affect IDP Value

Football is family, you spend so much time with each other, it’s unfair to call it anything else. You sweat, bleed, ache, break, cry, and celebrate together. Trips are taken together, ceremonies are performed, and for several months, you go through the same thing on the ‘gridiron’.

In this family, the coaches are the elders or parental figures at times. Changing a figure of that importance would have a huge impact on a family. Although not as drastic, the effects of changing coaching staff can have massive implications. There are seven new Head Coaches and 11 new Defensive Coordinators in 2025. And their impact will be noticed in both positive and negative ways.

In a 3-4 defense (3 defensive lineman and 4 linebackers), the outside linebackers are able to generate pressure; indeed, that is one of their main objectives. When they are then asked to be a hand on the ground 4 - 3 defensive end, their purpose to the defense changes. Pressuring the quarterback is not as easy (for most), and pressure comes from design and technique.

 

 

 

Defensive Scheme Changes To Watch In 2025

For an in-depth look at each team's philosophy and breakdown, make sure to check out Howard Bender’s Divisional Coaches & Their NFL system in the Fantasy Alarm Draft Guide. It has some meat to it and is the most thorough breakdown in the industry.

There are some teams that should take a massive leap forward in their defensive production. Three of those teams are the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, and San Francisco 49ers. A breakdown of why is explained, and there could be IDPs who hold their position in fantasy football scoring.

As mentioned, there are 11 new defensive coordinators, and each of them has their own philosophy, with preferred personnel. Mike Vrabel is the new head coach for the New England Patriots, and Terrell Williams is the defensive coordinator. They have made several changes to their defensive roster, none bigger than linebacker Robert Spillane. He could finish as the top-scoring linebacker this season.

Part of the reason he will be good will be a couple of new defensive linemen. There was a commercial that famously asked, “Where’s the Beef?”, and Coach Vrabel answered that with a couple of 300+ defensive tackles. Milton Williams and Khyiris Tonga will be plugging the A and B  holes, which should free up Spillane to be one-on-one with running backs. 

The Patriots run a 3-4 base defense, but Vrabel will bring different looks and specialized packages. Harold Landry was brought in from the Tennessee Titans and should make an immediate impact as he is familiar with Vrabel’s schemes. Christian Elliss should also benefit from playing behind a great defensive line, and a career year in tackles is well within reach. 

The San Francisco 49ers have a new defensive coordinator this year, but he is a familiar face. Robert Saleh returns to the 49ers after a brief stint coaching the New York Jets. He was the coordinator for four seasons and was part of the conference championship teams of 2019, and they are hoping for success again.

The 49ers allowed 25.6 points per game last season, and they must bring that number down to have a chance to win games. Some of the personnel are the same, but several players on last year’s roster are not there this year, and even fewer since Saleh was last there. However, Fred Warner is there and has an opportunity to be the highest scoring IDP of the season.

The 49ers will look to Warner for guidance and production as they revert back to Saleh’s zone coverage, with four defensive linemen applying pressure. The defense is designed to allow Warner to make plays in the run game and pass game. The return of Saleh will put Nick Bosa and Warner back into the top five of their position.

 

 

 

Offense vs. Defense Balance And Its Fantasy Impact

If an offense is bad, it has multiple effects on the IDPs of their defense, and it can be positive or negative. The first one is obvious: if the offense does not put together drives, the defense will play more snaps. This leads to more opportunities, but it could be tilted to the advantage of a certain position.

For example, if an opposing team is up by 10 or more points and has possession of the ball in the second half, they are going to run. This will lead to fewer opportunities for the secondary to make a big play or earn tackles. Meanwhile, defensive linemen and interior linebackers have more opportunities to add to their tackle totals. This will generally create a disparity of points in favor of the players in the box.

If an offense is good and plays with a positive game script, its defense will have more opportunities to have big plays. Interceptions, passes defended, sacks, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries are all more likely to happen. However, certain rosters have advantages over others and can excel in different position groups. Some players are also system-proof and have the ability to disrupt the opposing team's rhythm. If a team likes to play at a fast pace, it also leads to the defense logging more snaps. Either by a quick score or a quick three-and-out, the IDPs are generally going to experience more snaps. 

 

 

 

Drafting IDPs With Coaching Changes In Mind

Different coaches have different schemes and ways to prevent the other team from scoring. Be mindful of drafting players with new coordinators or players who have moved to new teams. It is best to look at the coaching philosophy and decide if it positively or negatively impacts their IDPs. 

Every year, points per game allowed change, and some go up while others go down. The idea of consistency from your IDPs is even more important. Finding players who wear the “green dot” is three-down players who communicate with the coordinator. Look for which players the new coordinators favor and are developing trust in. Oftentimes, they bring players from previous teams that fit their scheme. 

The trick in fantasy football is to look for every small advantage you can. In the IDP world, there are several small advantages to utilize, and coaching is at the root of most of them. It won’t be stagnant, and the changes will be noticeable.

Do not hesitate to go after IDPs with new coordinators who have a hot start. Zach Baun of the Philadelphia Eagles is a perfect example of this. He started off earning several tackles after four lackluster years for the New Orleans Saints. The change to Vic Fangio allowed him to earn more tackles in a season than he did in the previous four combined. Changing of coaches can go well or it can be negative, make sure to check out the Fantasy Alarm draft guide and use the IDP rankings for a reference.