DEFENSIVE PLAYERS GET IN ON ACT
Format rewards tackles, sacks, interceptions
More and more fantasy football enthusiasts are eschewing team defenses — usually an afterthought selected at the end of drafts. Instead, they’re going for the added excitement and strategy of individual defensive players (IDP), where the NFL’s mantra of “defense wins championships” finally gets its due in fantasy.
Often, the biggest resistance to participation in IDP leagues is fear of the unknown. The learning curve from trying something new. However, you can start and/or participate in a fun and exciting IDP league without reinventing the wheel.
Just as offensive fantasy players accrue points for stats, defensive players tally them for things such as tackles, assists, sacks and interceptions. A fairly standard IDP scoring system looks something like this: 11⁄ points for a tackle, a half-point for an assist, two points for a forced fumble or a fumble recovery, four points for a sack or an interception, six points for a defensive touchdown and one point for a pass defended.
A standard IDP starter lineup contains two defensive linemen, two linebackers, two defensive backs and a “flex” starter. It’s meaty enough for the defensive side of the ball to actually have an impact without turning your league on its head.
DEFENSIVE LINE
This is the scarcest defensive position in fantasy football, with maybe a dozen reliable weekly starters to be had. Given that scarcity, make drafting at least one high-end lineman a priority. The unquestioned king in the trenches (and overall, in IDP formats) is Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt. Even with his early availability clouded by a back injury, Watt won’t make it out of Round 2 in most IDP leagues.
Batterymate Ezekiel Ansah might grab the headlines, but Taylor quietly moves into a full-time role in 2016 after racking up seven sacks a season ago.
Pro tip: Pair a high-upside sack artist such as Ansah with a reliable tackle producer such as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Cameron Heyward. The latter players’ high weekly floor will come in handy, and they can usually be had later in drafts.
LINEBACKER
Their steady tackle production forms the foundation of most IDP squads. The kings of the hill this year are Luke Kuechly of the Carolina Panthers, Lavonte David of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NaVorro Bowman of the San Francisco 49ers, who will start coming off the board around Round 4. However, there will be plenty of talented tacklers available later in drafts. Unless your league awards highly for sacks, let someone else go after the Denver Broncos’ Von Miller and the Oakland Raiders’ Khalil Mack. They’re great IDP players, but rush outside linebackers aren’t great fantasy options.
Sleeper alert: ILB Denzel Perryman, San Diego Chargers. Once he got onto the field full-time last year, Perryman was very productive. If there’s a young linebacker outside the top 25 with a real chance at cracking the top 10, Perryman’s likely the guy.
Pro tip: Once Watt’s off the board, the elite linebackers will set the IDP pace. If you’re unsure when to start drafting them, don’t worry — there will be plenty of youngsters such as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Telvin Smith you can build a defense around.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
These defenders are plentiful and unpredictable. The preseason top 10 and the same list at season’s end usually have precious few names in common. There are always players who rise from obscurity to IDP prominence, such as last year’s No. 1 overall IDP finish from Miami Dolphins safety Reshad Jones.
With a few exceptions, cornerbacks are best left alone unless your fantasy league requires them. Over the last three years only a handful of cornerbacks have topped 65 solo tackles — and more often than not they came from nowhere to do it.
Campbell checks all the boxes you want to see in a breakout defensive back: a young safety moving into a full-time role playing behind suspect linebackers.
Pro tip: Wait to draft defensive backs. Then wait. Then wait some more. It’s tempting to grab a reliable starter such Jones or the Minnesota Vikings’ Harrison Smith. But it’s more advisable to load up at linebacker and on the defensive line and look for late values such as Campbell or Antoine Bethea of the 49ers.
With these tips and rankings in hand on draft day, you should be able to field a defensive unit that will have you in the hunt for the fantasy playoffs.