Fantasy football individual defensive player (IDP) leagues aren’t for everyone, but if a new experience is in your 2021 wheelhouse (because, why not?), having a few sleepers and breakouts in your back pocket is a great place to start.
IDP leagues tend to work counterintuitively, especially in the secondary. Star defensive backs, like Marcus Peters or Stephon Gilmore, don’t get thrown at enough to rack up the necessary counting stats to comparatively shine in fantasy.
Identifying players that will get picked on by offensive coordinators is a good place to start, and understanding matchups is imperative, particularly once we start setting lineups.
Linebackers are the engine powering an IDP lineup. Aside from a handful of linemen and safeties, few defensive players will score anywhere close to even midrange ‘backers. As a result, many leagues are moving away from the old-fashioned tackle-heavy scoring standard and implementing bonus points for sack specialists and ball hawks to more closely align the positions.
As with non-IDP leagues, knowing your scoring system is essential in recognizing which players to target. We will focus on the classic scoring design, unless otherwise noted.
Fantasy football IDP player rankings
Defensive linemen | Linebackers | Defensive backs
Fantasy football defensive linemen
Jeffrey Simmons, Tennessee Titans: Recovering from knee reconstruction as a 2019 rookie, Simmons’ career began on a slow note, playing in nine games. He started to flash his potential in 2020 as a disruptive interior force, and the Mississippi Stater has a chance to take his game to a new level in the upcoming campaign. Athletic enough to get to the quarterback on occasion (3 sacks in ’20) and stout against the run (49 stops), Simmons’ versatility should secure his status as a top-20 fantasy defensive lineman in 2021.
Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders: Crosby has a motor missing an off switch. Former No. 4 overall pick Clelin Ferrell has struggled to make his mark and will play off the bench in 2021. The addition of defensive end Yannick Ngakoue pits Crosby against single blocking more often than not. Injuries are a concern with Crosby, but the third-year end should be in pristine condition after cutting out alcohol last year and since then correcting in his poor eating habits. Crosby’s ability to play the run and also put hands on quarterbacks will keep him in the lineup conversation each week after a poor 2020 showing.
Charles Omenihu, Houston Texans: Filling the pass-rushing void of J.J. Watt is no easy feat, but Omenihu learned from one of the game’s best and now has a chance to show off what he brings to the starting lineup. The move to a 4-3 base alignment benefits Omenihu’s skill set, and he will rotate from inside to out. A strong offseason has come at the right time, and fantasy gamers shouldn’t dismiss the unfamiliar name.
Fantasy football linebackers
Cory Littleton, Las Vegas Raiders: A fantasy stud in 2018 and 2019 with the Los Angeles Rams, Littleton cashed in through free agency to join the Raiders a year ago. Not much went as planned as he was a fish out of water in Paul Guenther’s defense. Fortunately for Littleton, Gus Bradley has been hired to replace Guenther, creating a much more appealing system fit. A natural in pass coverage, Littleton will be utilized in more as a presence on the edge, too. Expect there will be gamers in less competitive setups who have given up on him after being burned last year; he’s a No. 2 with rock-solid LB1 upside.
Alex Singleton, Philadelphia Eagles: In the second half of 2020, Singleton was granted an opportunity to display his talents. The former Seattle practice squader finished with at least seven solo tackles in six of the final eight outings and recorded his only two sacks of the year. He came off the COVID-19 list in training camp to corral 14 total stops in his first two preseason games, suggesting last year’s strong close wasn’t a fluke by transcending a system change. Despite high football IQ, Singleton doesn’t do too much of anything else, though, so bump him up in tackle-centric scoring.
Keanu Neal, Dallas Cowboys: The former Atlanta safety headed to Dallas in the offseason and was converted to linebacker by his former head coach. Dan Quinn will call defensive plays for the Cowboys, and Neal has a real shot at starting. He always was an in-the-box safety, but adding his ball skills is a nice bonus and broadens his appeal for various scoring systems. Starting middle linebacker Jaylon Smith is reportedly on the cusp of losing his job in favor of Neal. Even if he doesn’t outright take Smith’s spot, Leighton Vander Esch is an injury waiting to happen, and Micah Parsons is a rookie. The door is cracked open no matter what happens with the Week 1 depth chart.
Bobby Okereke, Indianapolis Colts: Former Colts linebacker Anthony Walker went to the Cleveland Browns this offseason, opening the “clean-up” linebacker role alongside Darius Leonard. A heady Stanford product, Okereke has played closer to the ball during camp, thanks to a good job of identifying the development of plays. Okereke enters his first season as a full-time starter and benefits from the extensive attention paid to keeping Leonard from making plays. Furthermore, there’s a chance for being Indy’s top linebacker given Leonard’s injury history.
Jordyn Brooks, Seattle Seahawks: The 27th overall pick in 2020’s draft, Brooks was slow to produce, in part due to a pandemic-shortened offseason, no preseason, and a Week 2 injury. Over the final five games, Brooks was second on the Seahawks in tackles, and he takes over as the No. 2 ‘backer in a corps led by the All-World Bobby Wagner since veteran K.J. Wright wasn’t re-signed. Mopping up after Wagner undoubtedly will cap Brooks’ weekly ceiling, but he should maintain a role as a starter in fantasy and will add a little extra in leagues that emphasize coverage skills for this position.
Willie Gay Jr., Kansas City Chiefs: Entering Year 2, Gay has eight starts under his belt from a 2020 rookie season. The hyper-athletic linebacker missed the Week 1 preseason game with a concussion but is already back in action. Gay said he feels more comfortable with the pace of the game and will be able to react quicker on the fly. Gay will have a running make in super-talented rookie Nick Bolton to help take off some pressure. Think LB2 potential.
Fantasy football defensive backs
Xavier McKinney, New York Giants: A foot injury suffered during training camp last year cost McKinney 10 games in his debut season. He took a few weeks to get acclimated but finished with 16 total stops over his final two games, chipping in one pass defensed and an interception. An absolute stud in college at Alabama, McKinney’s versatility was on display in his limited action a year ago, holding quarterbacks to a 40.2 rating against him, and he can play from the slot. The Giants have an underrated defense in fantasy, and McKinney should star in a talented backfield.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, San Francisco 49ers: The veteran sat out 2020 after being a surprise cut by the Dallas Cowboys. He returned in training camp as San Fran was hit by numerous injuries at his position. Clinton-Dix was able to tally 77 total stops and finish DB32 in ’19 with the Chicago Bears. At only 28, he should have plenty left in the tank following a year off. A rookie fifth-rounder and a journeyman are his only real competition for a starting safety spot, and Clinton-Dix has already made an impression on the organization. Take a late-round flier on the play-making vet.
Bless Austin, New York Jets: The third-year corner is coming off a respectable season and has no shortage of confidence. He was a sixth-round choice in 2019 and is a durability risk after suffering two ACL tears in his collegiate days. To come back successfully from such a thing speaks volumes of his tenacity, toughness, and determination. Defensive-minded head coach Robert Saleh brings a wealth of information to help improve Austin’s inconsistencies, and he already has his coach’s praise. Austin finished with 63 combined tackles in just 11 games a year ago. He could crack the top 40 fantasy DBs with a healthy campaign.
Taylor Rapp, Los Angeles Rams: Monitor Rapp’s situation as the preseason draws to a close. He is currently listed ahead of Terrell Burgess on the unofficial depth chart, though the grasp appears to be far from a firm clench. The third-year safety fell off the map in his sophomore year after a 100-tackle rookie performance. A change in defensive coordinators for the third time in as many years really could go either way, but it’s tough to imagine he will struggle worse than he did in 2020 under Brandon Staley. Raheem Morris’ defense tends to utilize more three-safety formations than Staley anyway. Rapp is still just 23 years old and finding his way — don’t invest too heavily in case he is on a short leash.
Jarrod Wilson, Jacksonville Jaguars: Another defensive back with thin ice below his feet, Wilson has done everything asked of him as a former undrafted addition — only to have the Jags bring in safety after safety for competition. Wilson’s best season was a healthy 2019 (79 total tackles, 2 INT, 1 FF, 4 PD), so it will be interesting to see how he responds to a new system under Joe Cullen, a first-time DC with a lengthy background in coaching linemen. Highly competitive and a valued special teamer, Wilson will play strong safety in a defensive system that interchanges the position. He’ll line up in the box and also is capable of holding his own in coverage. For now, he’s depth with upside for weekly utility.