2017 IDP Rankings: Linebackers Are King

Photo Credit: Keith Allison

While it is most common for fantasy leagues to include a team defense for scoring purposes, independent defensive player leagues have been on the rise recently.

These leagues are for those who are fans of defensive players. You love when defensive end who gets to the quarterback rather than the quarterback himself. You like the cornerback tasked with stopping that star wide receiver.

I have broken up the IDP rankings into three categories: Defensive Linemen, Linebackers, Defensive Backs. These categories reflect the typical IDP settings and how most IDP leagues

IDP scoring varies widely and each league typically has their own set of rules. The rankings are based on the following rules:

Solo Tackle: 1.5 Points

Assisted Tackle: .5 Points

Sack: 2 Points

Tackle for Loss: 1 Point

Forced Fumble: 1 Point

Fumble Recovery: 2 Points

Interception: 2 Points

Safety: 2 Points

Defensive Touchdown: 6 Points

Your IDP league scoring may vary but I believe these categories cover all the bases for a traditional IDP league with traditional IDP scoring.

2017 IDP Rankings

Defensive Line Rankings

Rank	Player
1.	Khalil Mack, OAK
2.	Joey Bosa, LAC
3.	J.J. Watt, HOU
4.	Aaron Donald, LAR
5.	Olivier Vernon, NYG
6.	Vic Beasley Jr., ATL
7.	Jadeveon Clowney, HOU
8.	Cameron Jordan, NO
9.	Jason Pierre-Paul, NYG
10.	Calais Campbell, JAX
11.	Danielle Hunter, MIN
12.	Lorenzo Alexander, BUF
13.	Carlos Dunlap, CIN
14.	Michael Bennett, SEA
15.	Brandon Graham, PHI
16.	Leonard Williams, NYJ
17.	Trey Flowers, NE
18.	Sheldon Richardson, NYJ
19.	Ndamukong Suh, MIA
20.	Cliff Avril, SEA
21.	DeForest Buckner, SF
22.	Ezekiel Ansah, DET
23.	Muhammad Wilkerson, NYJ
24.	Everson Griffen, MIN
25.	Ryan Kerrigan, WAS
26.	Cameron Wake, MIA
27.	Frank Clark, SEA
28.	Marcell Dareus, BUF
29.	Myles Garrett, CLE
30.	Fletcher Cox, PHI
31.	Kawann Short, CAR
32.	Derrick Morgan, TEN
33.	Robert Ayers, TB
34.	Gerald McCoy, TB
35.	Jurrell Casey, TEN
36.	Damon Harrison, NYG
37.	Linval Joseph, MIN
38.	Akiem Hicks, CHI
39.	Robert Quinn, LAR
40.	Brandon Williams, BAL
41.	Cameron Heyward, PIT
42.	William Hayes, MIA
43.	Jerry Hughes, BUF
44.	Ahmad Brooks, SF
45.	Geno Atkins, CIN
46.	Derek Wolfe, DEN
47.	Mario Edwards Jr., OAK
48.	DeMarcus Lawrence, DAL
49.	Chris Baker, TB
50.	William Gholston, TB
51.	Stephon Tuitt, PIT
52.	Kyle Williams, BUF
53.	Timmy Jernigan, PHI
54.	Mike Daniels, GB
55.	Derek Barnett, PHI
56.	Solomon Thomas, SF
57.	Corey Liuget, LAC
58.	Noah Spence, TB
59.	Kony Ealy, NE
60.	Takkarist McKinley, ATL

 

Linebacker Rankings

Rank	Linebackers
1.	Luke Kuechly, CAR
2.	Bobby Wagner, SEA
3.	Kwon Alexander
4.	C.J. Mosley, BAL
5.	NaVorro Bowman, SF
6.	Ryan Shazier, PIT
7.	Sean Lee, DAL
8.	Alec Ogletree, LAR
9.	Telvin Smith, JAX
10.	Bernardrick McKinney, HOU
11.	Jamie Collins, CLE
12.	Eric Kendricks, MIN
13.	Deion Jones, ATL
14.	Denzel Perryman, LAC
15.	K.J. Wright, SEA
16.	Deone Bucannon, ARI
17.	Von Miller, DEN
18.	Derrick Johnson, KC
19.	Christian Kirksey, CLE
20.	Justin Houston, KC
21.	Jerrell Freeman, CHI
22.	Jatavis Brown, LAC
23.	Zach Brown, WAS
24.	Lavonte David, TB
25.	Nigel Bradham, PHI
26.	Reggie Ragland, BUF
27.	Lawrence Timmons, MIA
28.	Kiko Alonso, PHI
29.	Thomas Davis, CAR
30.	Vince Williams, PIT
31.	Mark Barron, LAR
32.	Chandler Jones, ARI
33.	Jarrad Davis, DET
34.	Paul Posluszny, JAX
35.	Melvin Ingram, LAC
36.	Danny Trevathan, CHI
37.	Tahir Whitehead, DET
38.	Myles Jack, JAX
39.	Karlos Dansby, ARI
40.	Stephone Anthony, NO
41.	Reuben Foster, SF
42.	Jonathan Casillas, NYG
43.	Dont'a Hightower, NE
44.	Mason Foster, WAS
45.	Jake Ryan, GB
46.	Ben Heeney, OAK
47.	Darron Lee, NYJ
48.	Avery Williamson, TEN
49.	Whitney Mercilus, HOU
50.	James Harrison, PIT
51.	John Simon, IND
52.	Anthony Barr, MIN
53.	Markus Golden, ARI
54.	Kevin Minter, CIN
55.	Shaq Thompson, CAR
56.	Bud Dupree, PIT
57.	Will Compton, WAS
58.	Demario Davis, NYJ
59.	David Harris, NE
60.	Brandon Marshall, DEN

 

Defensive Back Rankings

Rank	Defensive Backs
1.	Landon Collins, NYG
2.	Harrison Smith, MIN
3.	Tony Jefferson, BAL
4.	Kam Chancellor, SEA
5.	Reshad Jones, MIA
6.	Keanu Neal, ATL
7.	Malcolm Jenkins, PHI
8.	Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix, GB
9.	Jonathan Cyprien, JAX
10.	Eric Weddle, BAL
11.	Kenny Vaccaro, NO
12.	Barry Church, JAX
13.	Tyrann Mathieu, ARI
14.	Earl Thomas, SEA
15.	Eric Berry, KC
16.	Morgan Burnett, GB
17.	Karl Joseph, OAK
18.	Kurt Coleman, CAR
19.	Chris Conte, TB
20.	Marcus Peters, KC
21.	Ron Parker, KC
22.	Reggie Nelson, OAK
23.	Logan Ryan, TEN
24.	Eric Reid, SF
25.	Antoine Bethea, ARI
26.	T.J. Ward, DEN
27.	Patrick Peterson, ARI
28.	Jahleel Addae, LAC
29.	Tavon Wilson, DET
30.	Casey Hayward, LAC
31.	Su'a Cravens, WAS
32.	Clayton Geathers, IND
33.	Byron Jones, DAL
34.	Vonn Bell, NO
35.	Mike Mitchell, PIT
36.	Jamal Adams, NYJ
37.	Bashaud Breeland, WAS
38.	Mike Adams, CAR
39.	Jalen Ramsey, JAX
40.	A.J. Bouye, JAX
41.	Devin McCourty, NE
42.	Janoris Jenkins, NYG
43.	Richard Sherman, SEA
44.	Jaquiski Tartt, SF
45.	Bradley McDougald, SEA
46.	Jason Verrett, LAC
47.	T.J. McDonald, MIA
48.	Sean Davis, PIT
49.	Rodney McCleod, PHI
50.	Jordan Poyer, BUF
51.	Micah Hyde, BUF
52.	Josh Norman, WAS
53.	Desmond Trufant, ATL
54.	Glover Quin, DET
55.	Malik Hooker, IND
56.	Shawn Williams, CIN
57.	Xavier Rhodes, MIN
58.	Ronald Darby, BUF
59.	Chris Harris, DEN
60.	Quintin Demps, CHI

Notes

When I was doing these rankings there was one player I continually moved up in my rankings, and that was Kwon Alexander. I envision a big year for Alexander as he grows into a defensive leader for the Buccaneers and ascends into the upper echelon of Linebackers.

Tony Jefferson is another player who is relatively high in my rankings. Jefferson was a beast with the Cardinals last season and I think he will be the same with the Ravens this season. I predict that Jefferson will play closer to the box this season, giving him more tackles and the possibility of sacks. Jefferson reminds me a lot of Landon Collins.

Danielle Hunter at 11 may surprise a lot of people, but Hunter really came on for the Vikings the past season and I think he will continue to improve in 2017.

 

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