Fantasy Football IDP Rankings and Strategy 2026: Top Defensive Players to Pick Up

Fantasy football is one of the most popular games in America, and every summer millions of fans prepare for their drafts. Most leagues use team defenses, but a growing number of players are switching to Individual Defensive Player (IDP) leagues. In IDP leagues, you pick real defensive players — like linebackers and edge rushers — instead of whole team defenses. Writer Gary Davenport, known as "The Godfather of IDP," has tips and rankings to help you build a great defensive roster in 2026.

Some people think IDP leagues are too hard to understand, but that idea is simply not true. Just like you pick wide receivers and running backs to score points on offense, in IDP you pick defensive players who earn points for tackles, sacks, and interceptions. The draft takes a little longer, but draft day is one of the most fun parts of the season. Once you learn the basics, IDP leagues are exciting and very rewarding.

Before your draft, you need to understand how your league awards points. In IDP leagues, there are two key things to know about scoring. First, check the ratio between big plays — like sacks and interceptions — and tackles. If tackles are worth a lot more than big plays, linebackers become your most valuable players, but if big plays are worth more, edge rushers and ballhawk defensive backs go up in value.

New IDP players often ask: "When do I start picking defensive players?" There is no single right answer because every league is different. In a basic IDP league with two starters at each defensive position, the top defenders usually start getting picked in Rounds 4 through 6. In leagues with bigger IDP scoring, a defensive player might even go in Round 1.

A good IDP draft does not need to be complicated. The key is to focus on linebackers first, since they score the most points in most leagues. Try to grab two of the top 15 linebackers and at least one strong defensive lineman. Then wait until the later rounds to pick your defensive backs, since that position has the most surprises throughout the season.

Linebackers are like the running backs of IDP football. Because they rack up big tackle numbers every week, they are the highest-scoring and most consistent players at any defensive position. You simply cannot have too many good linebackers on your roster. Target players who are on the field every single down and who wear the green-dot helmet — that means they are the defensive leader calling plays on the field.

Defensive backs are the deepest position in IDP, but also the most unpredictable. The top 10 safeties and cornerbacks at the start of the season almost never look the same as the top 10 at the end. Because of this, do not spend early picks on defensive backs — finish building your defensive line and linebacker groups first. Focus on safeties who play near the line of scrimmage, since they make more tackles and give you steadier points.