An IDP league is a variation to one of the three league types (standard, keeper, and dynasty). In most leagues you select a team’s defense and are awarded points based on that team’s performance in the categories of sacks, interceptions, fumbles, defensive touchdowns, and others which your league may have assigned. In an IDP league, instead of selecting a team defense, you must select individual defensive players. This is a tricky proposition because some of the big names that you think of really aren’t the guys you should be targeting. What formula should you follow to get the most out of your defensive players? Who are the guys you should draft? When should you draft them? These questions will be answered in order to prepare you for your IDP draft.
When it comes to drafting defensive players there are only two positions you should draft from, linebackers and safeties. Why, you ask? Well, most IDP leagues use these stat categories: tackles, fumbles forced, fumbles recovered, interceptions, sacks, defensive touchdowns, and pass deflections. Each category is given a different value but the safest category to predict is tackles. Safeties and linebackers have the most freedom to run the entire field and therefore find themselves with opportunities to make tackles. Interceptions, fumbles, and touchdowns arise due to situations in a game that a defensive player must capitalize on. A player maybe gets two to three true opportunities to intercept a pass in a game. Or maybe a defensive lineman will beat an offensive lineman twice in a game with a chance to punish a ball carrier or unsuspecting quarterback for a fumble. Touchdowns are even more difficult to predict.
Let’s look at a great defensive player like Ravens’ strong safety Ed Reed. Reed has a reputation as a ball hawk, but in fantasy his contributions are more a gamble than a sure thing. Reed is a safety and you want to get him, but he has a large disparity in totals throughout his career. By looking at only the seasons were he played all 16 games we come away with these numbers: 1) His career high in tackles is 85, his career low 39. 2) His career sack total is 5!! 3) His career interception high is 9 (twice) and his low is 5 (twice). 4) His career defensive touchdown total is 8. When you draft Reed you know two things: you don’t know how many tackles he’ll get and you’ll get at least 5 interceptions, if he stays healthy.
When it comes to drafting defensive players when do you draft them? I would draft them before a kicker but after all your offensive players. These players will rarely go wild and produce an outstanding amount of points. Normally they’ll get you a steady amount that will help in adding to your total so that you can secure a victory. There are tons of linebackers that you can get, most of them your league mates have never heard of. My suggestion is to take your linebackers first then grab safeties. Remember, avoid defensive linemen and cornerbacks they’re stats are too inconsistent to depend on.
Here are a couple players that I suggest picking up including a couple new names to save in your memory bank. Patrick Willis (SF) was the leading tackler last year so that makes him the #1 defensive player to go off the board. Jon Beason (Car) is the consolation prize if you miss out on Willis. He has averaged nearly 140 tackles a year. Some other guys that I like that you should focus on are: Kirk Morrison (Jax), London Fletcher (Was), Yeremiah Bell (Mia), Eric Weddle (SD), and Tyvon Branch (Oak).
So if you are looking to challenge yourself and want to add a new twist to your league then I recommend trying out an IDP league. It’ll let you immerse yourself in the game by focusing on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Oh, and I’m sure you’re wondering what the answer to the trivia is. Well, it’s no other than the ageless wonder London Fletcher.
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