This past weekend was the Fantasy Football expo, and there were numerous instances when a decision had to be made in less than 60 seconds. Which professional panel do I want to go see, do I go to the poker game or socialize at the hotel, how much do I bust Andrew Cooper and how much do I praise him (much more of the former)? Do I go to the annual basement get together or do I go to bed before 4AM, do I hang out on the patio or go to bed before 4AM, do I go to Karaoke at Jose’s Landing Sunday night or do I go to bed before 4 AM? I did not make it to bed before 4AM, but OH BABY it was a great time!

IDP leagues will have numerous instances when a tough roster decision must be made, and usually less than 60 seconds. It will happen much sooner than most anticipate, and it is fun to see the reactions of leaguemates, when building a strong IDP lineup. In our previous article, we discussed how coaching and scheme impact IDPs.

This article will focus on the roster construction and adjusting IDP leagues for scoring formats, individual defensive player value, how many IDPs to get in your fantasy football league, starters versus depth. Ultimately when do you grab a plug-and-play IDP for your 2025 fantasy football lineup, and how many should you have.

 

 

 

Optimal IDP Roster Construction & Adjusting IDP Drafts For Scoring Formats

An optimal IDP roster is constructed with a bird’s eye view of the league and your roster. It’s a wide lens approach, as opposed to a micro level of players. In leagues which are set to platform scoring the draft strategy is not as complex as leagues with appropriate scoring. Without scoring adjustments individual defensive players can be held off until the late mid rounds (8, 9, 10, 11). In this format, top 2025 IDPs can be found in the closing rounds of the draft, and offensive players should still be the focus.

Once points have been increased for tackles (as we suggested earlier in this series) then a different dynamic has been introduced all together. When looking at the 2024 stat review, there were 53 IDPs that recorded 100 or more combined tackles. That leads to higher scoring in fantasy football leagues with tackle bonuses. Simply 2 points per solo tackle and 1 per assisted tackle gives IDPs such a boost in scoring, but so does 1.5 and 0.75 for each respectively.

The scoring takes a big jump in big play reward leagues too. In standard platforms sacks are usually rewarded with 3 points. In big play and IDP123 scoring they receive 6 points. That could seem high but keep in mind if an IDP were able to earn 2 sacks every game, they would crush the sack record by 11.5! The IDP with the most interceptions rarely clears 12 in a season, and 99.5% of the field does not reach double digits. 6 points for interception and 3 points per pass defended give defensive backs a bonus in IDP leagues. 

Combine big play and heavy tackle scoring and you have true value in a fantasy football league. Which in turn will determine optimal IDP roster construction. Good IDP rosters are made similarly to good offensive rosters. Of course if you want a great IDP roster make sure to subscribe to Fantasy Alarm’s All-Pro which is on sale, including 40% OFF for annual subscription. Our weekly IDP report will have players to find on the waiver wire, every week.

Combine the ability to earn multiple stats on the same play, and IDPs become scorers in big chunks. In #FF7s IDP tournament scoring, a player makes a big impact play and receives large points from one snap. For example, let’s say TJ Watt earns a sack, strip, fumble recovery. That breaks down as; 5 points for a fumble recovery, 4 points for a sack, 4 points for a forced fumble, 2 points for a QB Hit, 2 points for a tackle for loss, and 1.5 points for a solo tackle. That is a total of 18.5 points from one play!  Let’s say it’s a shared sack and no fumble. That is still 2 points for the sack, 2 points for the QB Hit, 2 points for the tackle for loss, and 0.75 points for an assisted tackle, and a total of 6.75 points on one play.

A wise fantasy football manager will see the advantage of great IDP lineup building. Grabbing the elite IDPs early in 2025 will lead to a major advantage over the competition. Grabbing a top three statistical leader in sacks, and two top five tacklers gives a major positional advantage over the competition.

 

 

 

How Many Defensive Linemen, Linebackers, And Defensive Backs To Draft

Assuming most leagues have a set amount of required defensive lineman, linebackers, and defensive backs, every fantasy football team needs adequate backups and depth. On some 2025 platforms IDPs have dual designation allowing some leeway in the number of individual defensive players on the roster. Without those you should have at least one solid back up for the three general positions.

With that in mind, not all positions are going to be equal, and if you prefer to load up on a position that is acceptable. For example some love linebackers more than others, and for good reason. They generally are the highest scoring position. However “Zero RB” and “Hero RB” are popular formats for offense strategy even though winning a championship without a top 10 running back is difficult to do… even in PPR leagues. 

If there is value in defensive backs in a big play league then do it. If you are in a heavy sack league, load up on defensive linemen. However make sure there is a good backup at all positions. Although the 2024 stat review details there were several good waiver wire pick ups. If you have the depth to overcome an injury then you don’t have to compete with waiver priority or being outbid in FAAB. Preparation leads to prevention, and that gives an advantage to the person who is better prepared.

The proper amount of IDPs can help in bye weeks, and get you over the hump against competitors that neglect the positions. Do not make the same mistake as losing teams, have depth at your positions. Have elite IDPs that are match up proof, and are 17 week starters in your fantasy football league.

 

 

 

Draft Depth vs. Starting Lineup Focus

As mentioned depth is wanted, but having a great starting line is the key to fantasy football success. IDPs have great depth at all positions, but they are not equal. Just like the offense there are tiers to each position, and while great linebackers are plentiful, great defensive backs are not. The question then becomes to go studs and duds, or a more balanced approach. 

It is recommended to have at least three top IDPs that are ‘set and forget’ for your 2025 lineup. And it’s not just what the ADP offers, it’s the players that best fit your fantasy football league’s scoring system. There are some names that work across 99.9% IDP scoring formats, and those are players that are perennially at the top. As well as players that have been in the same system.

Of all the positions, defensive linemen have the biggest drop off from their top tier to the second tier. There was a 26.5 point drop from sixth (Leonard Williams) to seventh place (Jonathan Greenard). An elite sack specialist that also plays the run is rare to find, and drafting one early creates a higher floor for IDP rosters. Make sure to include a top five defensive linemen in your draft, and have the positional advantage over your opponents on a weekly basis. 

Linebackers are plentiful, but there should be at least one dependable, 100+ tackle linebacker in your starting lineup. Although there were over 50 last season, getting one that is a three-down player is the key. Volume equals opportunity and playing every defensive snap leads to several opportunities.

Linebackers should be your most reliable players, but having a healthy rotation or a great linebacker for trading is a great idea. There are usually decent linebackers on the waiver wire, but having multiple stud linebackers will allow you to focus on other roster spots in 2025.

Some linebackers are pure tacklers, some can rush the quarterback in addition to tackling, and some excel in pass coverage. The best is the few that do all incredibly well; LaVonte David, Kaden Elliss, Roquan Smith, and Fred Warner to name a few. Grabbing one of these elite, three down linebackers, places a solid floor with lofty upside every week. 

Defensive backs receive the least amount of appreciation, and without proper scoring can be an afterthought in fantasy football. Yet there are enough to make numerous tiers worth drafting, but the top two, elite and fantastic, are the target. Last year Budda Baker, Brian Branch, and Nick Cross made up the elite class, and usually it is limited to three to five players. Six more players scored 226.8 points in #FF7s before a ten point drop.

Safeties have a higher tackle volume than cornerbacks, and have more value in IDP leagues. Of those nine players in the the two tiers eight are safeties, and the one that wasn’t (Keisean Nixon) received points for return yards. Safeties should be both the starters and the bench players. Keep a dependable safety on the bench, and preferably one that can rotate into lineups. Several defensive backs on the bench are not needed, save that space for offensive players and linebackers.

If you are unsure about which IDPs are studs and which are back end of the tier, make sure to get the award winning NFL Cheat Sheet from Fantasy Alarm. It is only $19.97 and comes with my IDP rankings in addition to offensive players listed in tiers, standard half point and PPR rankings, superflex, dynasty, top 200, auction budget tiers, handcuffs, and eight promo codes! The promo codes alone will cover the cost of this all inclusive cheat sheet constructed from proven champions and award winners.

Come back next week for the fourth article in our IDP series, IDP Sleepers And Deep Dive Targets To Win Your 2025 Fantasy Football Draft.

Bet Smart, Be Lucky - Iggy