Individual Defensive Players

IDP Scoring: The Way It Should Be

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IDP Scoring: The Way It Should Be.

by Bob Miller

 

IDP (Individual Defensive Player) leagues are growing more and more in popularity, and now is the time to get familiar with:

1. How to play

2. How to prepare

3. Who to target

4. When to target certain players

If you have never played in an IDP league, they can be confusing if you just jump into one without knowing what you are getting yourself into. Here at Dynasty Pros Football, we have devised a scoring system that is currently used by thousands of IDP Leagues today. So, if you are starting a new league from scratch or are having trouble with calibrating your scoring system, feel free to use ours.

Dynasty Pros IDP (Individual Defensive Player) Scoring Table:

How to Play

The best place to start is knowing how your league scores IDPs and what positions are designated for each player. That then allows you to understand what players are best fits for your team. For example: Joey Bosa may be designated a LB in real life, but your fantasy league may designate him as a DE. That designation can drastically change how he is valued.

 

How to Prepare

The next step is to create a ranking system that is unique for you. One website may tell you one thing and another website may tell you another, so do your research and use what is best for you. We offer a well thought out ranking system, so take a look and see if it helps you.

https://dynastyprosfootball.com/defensive-lineman-rankings/

 

Who to Target and When to Target Them

This can be tricky, that is why it is important to do your research and understand your league’s player designation and scoring system.

 

 

Defensive Lineman

Elite defensive ends are where we would recommend you start, since there are very few of them. Our recommended scoring system rewards 4 points for a sack and 3 points for a tackle for loss. This makes players like Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, and Aaron Donald (likely listed as a defensive tackle) extremely valuable and possible league winners, so target them before you target guys at other defensive positions. One of the main focuses of an NFL Defense is pass rushing and sacks, as it should be in IDP play as well.

 

Linebackers

Linebackers are next. Make sure to rank your Linebackers in a tier ranking. This allows you to properly value them and know who you should target first. Tackles reward 1 point each and assisted tackles earn you .5 points. LBs TJ Watt and Micah Parsons are in tier one (possibly the only LBs in tier one) and is considerably more valuable than Linebackers in tier two. Obviously you'll want to target Linebackers who accumulate a lot of tackles as well. Those are mostly your inside linebackers.

 

Edge Rushers listed as Linebackers

What's one of the most exciting plays on defense? Sacks, of course. So, if you are playing IDPs, then sacks need to be rewarded. Players like TJ Watt and Matthew Judon are far more valuable in the Dynasty Pros Scoring System. Some websites that rank IDPs may not even have them in their top 20-30 overall. That's crazy. How can a player like TJ Watt, the 2021 league leader in sacks (22.5), not be ranked as an elite IDP on other websites? Why even play with IDPs if you don't reward big plays such as sacks?

So keep an eye on those Edge Rushers that are listed as Linebackers. Since sacks are, and should be rewarded, these linebackers are very valuable.

 

Defensive Backs

Defensive backs should be down on your list, unless someone like Derwin James, Jamal Adams, or Budda Baker is the best defensive players on the board. Safeties tend to be more rosterable over Cornerbacks in IDP leagues because of tackle opportunities.

Cornerbacks also have value in our scoring system as well with interceptions being 5 points and passes defended are 1 point each. Cornerbacks tend to be more "Hit or Miss" since they get less opportunities to make plays. No worries, corners still provide some value, especially when your safeties have bye weeks.

 

Be sure to keep up with defensive players in an IDP league as much as you would offensive players. There could be some studs left on the waiver wire if people aren't paying close enough attention. You could be a big time winner if you are keeping tabs.

Tyrann Mathieu: IDP Impact

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Tyrann Mathieu: IDP Impact

by Fantasy Maestro

 

(Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

 

One of the most intriguing and exciting IDP Players you can have is Tyrann Mathieu, the Honey Badger.

Mathieu is scheduled to be an Unrestricted Free Agent this offseason. While both Mathieu and the Kansas City Chiefs have publicly stated they’d like Mathieu to return to KC, he did make $14mil in 2021. The Chiefs have less than $4mil in available cap space at the moment which makes a Honey Badger reunion extremely difficult.

Considering KC will also have an entire rookie draft class to sign, that leaves no doubt that the the team will need to make some tough decisions.

Orlando Brown & Frank Clark could be the dominos that fall in line with a return of Mathieu. The Chiefs simply cannot afford to keep all 3. Clark could be cut, which would help free up space to extend Orlando Brown. They clearly must re-sign him after giving a 1st rounder to the Ravens last April.

That still leaves a possible Mathieu return in limbo.

Despite saying all the right things, Mathieu is entering his age 30 season and could be looking at his last possible big contract. This coming off the heels of being named Chiefs 2022 Team MVP. The Derrick Thomas Award Winner may have no choice but to test the waters of free agency beginning March 16th.

The Chiefs could look to the draft or free agency to fill that safety position at a more cost effective price than what Mathieu is expected to cost.

Let's take a look at some of Mathieu's competition in free agency:

 

Marcus Williams

Marcus Williams could command as much attention and possibly more money than Mathieu on the open market.

 

Marcus Maye

Marcus Maye is more fantasy relevant than in reality, plus he only played 6 games this last season. He should be a highly sought after safety, but may not be able to command the money his talent level would suggest.

Ashtyn Davis is another name to watch if Maye moves on from Jets. In IDP leagues, I could recommend Maye over Mathieu depending where both land.

For Fantasy IDP purposes, the Honey Badger is a top-20 IDP Safety, which is important if you are playing in a deep IDP League. Marcus Williams, despite being a great young real life safety, was barely a top-40 in IDP. Mathieu just has more big games and less duds.

 

The Suitors

 

Detroit Lions- Detroit has a porous secondary including an underperforming and oft-injured Cornerback taken with the #3 overall pick. The Lions may not want to roll the dice again on a high round DB and instead could prefer to pursue a player like Mathieu. He would bring stability and big plays to that defense, but Detroit would have to break the bank for Mathieu (at least $15mil per year) to even consider them. It could be that or risk another high first round pick.

 

San Francisco 49ers- San Fran is without a first round pick in 2022 and Jaquiski Tart (of dropped INT fame) is a few months older than Mathieu. With the 49ers likely moving on  from Jimmy Garoppolo, they should free up some money. They could attempt to make a splash by bringing in the Honey Badger to replace Tart.

 

Philadelphia Eagles- A solid but declining Rodney McLeod is approaching his Age 32 season. He's also not showcasing his former playmaking skills. McLeod did register an INT in both weeks 16 & 17, they were his only picks of the season and did not Force or Recover a Fumble. Those are all things Mathieu excels at. The Eagles and Howie Roseman, coming off a surprising playoff season, could eyeball the Honey Badger to help separate themselves from the rest of their division. 

 

Baltimore Ravens- On the surface the Ravens seem set at safety with solid talent like Chuck Clark and DeShon Elliott, but Elliot is scheduled to hit free agency. Though popular with the fanbase, it's far from certain the Ravens will re-sign Elliott. He only played 6 games in 2021 due to a season ending injury, and that was his 3rd season ending injury in 4 years. The Ravens can't ignore that. With Elliott being more of a strong safety anyways, it's unlikely he is in the team's plans for 2022.

Baltimore has longed for a playmaking free safety since the days of Ed Reed. They signed Earl Thomas a couple of years back hoping to fill that void, but failed miserably. Mathieu could easily slide in that FS slot pairing up with Chuck Clark to form one of the league’s best Safety tandems. 

 

 

Bob Miller’s 2021 NFL Mock Draft

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by Bob Miller

 

1. Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence (QB - Clemson)

Do I really need to give a reason? He's the best QB prospect since Andrew Luck. Done.

2. NY Jets - Zach Wilson (QB - BYU)

Wilson's athletic ability, accuracy from the pocket and on the run, and leadership makes him a no brainer here for the Jets.

3. San Francisco 49ers - Justin Fields (QB - Ohio State)

The 49ers play Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray twice a year. They know what kind of a problem that type of quarterback is to defend. San Francisco decides that they need one of those QBs as well.

4. Denver Broncos - Trey Lance (QB - North Dakota State) Trade w/ Atlanta

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a trade! Atlanta trades the 4th pick to the Denver Broncos. After Denver failed to trade for Deshaun Watson, they decide that they won't fail again. They move up to get the their man, a mobile quarterback with a big arm for those cold games. Trey Lance fits that perfectly. Teddy Bridgewater is not their future, Trey Lance is.

5. Cincinnati Bengals - Ja’Marr Chase (WR - LSU)

Lots of mock drafts have Oregon LT Penei Sewell going here to the Bengals. Not mine. Ja'Marr Chase is the undisputed #1 wide receiver in this draft. Tackle is deeper is this draft than the past few years. They'll get one in the 2nd or 3rd. Cincinnati just can't pass on the opportunity to reunite Joe Burrow and his favorite WR. 

6. Miami Dolphins - Kyle Pitts (TE - Florida)

The Dolphins are thrilled to get Kyle Pitts. This once in a generation TE talent is just what they need to ensure that Tua Tagovailoa has every opportunity to succeed.

7. New England Patriots - Mac Jones (QB - Alabama) Trade w/ Detroit

We have our 2nd trade of the day! Detroit has been targeting WR Jaylen Waddle here for quite some time, but New England makes an offer that Detroit can't refuse. The Patriots get their guy! Jones needs the right situation to be successful in the NFL. What better situation to be in than being coached by Bill Belichick.

8. Carolina Panthers - Penei Sewell (LT - Oregon)

Sewell has dropped far enough. Carolina is in desperate need of a LT. Sewell starts day one and is the staple of their offensive line for the next decade.

9. Atlanta Falcons - Patrick Surtain II (CB - Alabama)

Defense is the priority for Atlanta. They traded back from pick #4 knowing that they were going to get one of the best corners available. They just happen to land the absolute best corner in this year's draft.

10. Dallas Cowboys - Jaycee Horn (CB - South Carolina)

Dallas fans are left disappointed after Patrick Surtain II gets sniped the pick before them. With cornerback being a major priority they take the best corner available. Horn is fast, physical, and will step in and start day one.

11. NY Giants - Jaelan Phillips (EDGE - Miami)

Phillips is arguably the most talented edge rusher in this class. He has had some injuries but is absolutely worth taking at pick #11. He will fill the void needed since Jason Pierre-Paul left years ago.

12. Philadelphia Eagles - Devonta Smith (WR - Alabama)

A dream come true for Philadelphia Eagles fans. They are in dire need for a WR, so what better than the unstoppable Heisman Trophy Winner. He is a bit undersized, but he's played that way his entire career. Congrats to Jaylen Hurts on getting a shiny new toy.

13. LA Chargers - Rashawn Slater (LT - Northwestern)

Los Angeles failed to land LT Orlando Brown Jr. from the Ravens. They didn't want to give what Baltimore was asking, because they knew they could land their franchise LT in this draft. Slater will be a very good left tackle in the NFL protecting Justin Herbert's blind side for years to come.

14. Minnesota Vikings - Kwity Paye (EDGE - Michigan)

Minnesota doesn’t have a second-round pick this year, so trading back is definitely a possibility. Adding a pass-rusher with this type of agility and strength opposite of Danielle Hunter may be just too hard to pass up.

15. Detroit Lions - Jaylen Waddle (WR - Alabama)

How about that. Detroit trades back with the hopes that Waddle would still be available, and he is. Waddle is a weapon that Detroit will use in many different ways. With the loss of Kenny Golladay via free agency, Waddle will targeted early and often.

16. Arizona Cardinals - Caleb Farley (CB - Virginia Tech)

With a glaring hole in the secondary left by Patrick Peterson, Arizona has to walk out of the first two rounds with a CB. Farley would have been a top-10 pick, but has fallen a bit due to the back injury concerns. Arizona believes that the reward outweighs the risk here.

17. Las Vegas Raiders - Micah Parsons (LB - Penn State)

This just makes too much sense. The Raiders need major help at linebacker, and Parsons is the best LB in this draft. Character issues prevents Parsons from being taken in the top 10, but that's not a concern for GM Mike Mayock. Jon Gruden may hurt himself running to the phone to call in this pick.

18. Miami Dolphins - Azeez Ojulari (EDGE - Georgia)

Azeez Ojulari is an edge defender with incredible speed and explosiveness. His upside is just to good for Miami to pass up.

19.Washington - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (LB - Notre Dame)

Washington is very thin at LB. JOK is an extremely fast linebacker that can line up against slot receivers and deliver a big pop to outside runs. This combined with his leadership makes this a big get for the Football Team.

20. Chicago Bears - Christian Darrisaw (LT - Virginia Tech)

Chicago considers going with WR Rashod Bateman here, but LT is a bigger need for the Bears. Darrisaw is a top tier OT, and is too good of a value here to pass up. Chicago can grab a WR in the next couple of rounds.

21. Indianapolis Colts - Alijah Vera-Tucker (OT – USC)

Left Tackle is by far the biggest need for the Colts, and Vera-Tucker is a versatile, athletic, and strong lineman that can line up anywhere. That won't matter as the Colts will plug him in at LT immediately.

22. Tennessee Titans - Rashod Bateman (WR - Minnesota)

The Titans "had" 2 major needs: Pass rush and wide receiver. They addressed the pass rushing need via free agency by signing Bud Dupree and Denico Autry. Now they need to replace the hole at WR with Corey Davis leaving for New York. They get a solid replacement in Rashod Bateman.

23. NY Jets - Greg Newsome (CB- Northwestern)

Cornerback is a major weakness for the Jets. Head Coach Robert Saleh is going to be thrilled that he lands a talent such as Newsome here.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers - Gregory Rousseau (EDGE - Miami)

Pittsburgh has to replace EDGE with the loss of Bud Dupree. Rousseau is an absolute freak. He is 6'6/260 and has incredible reach. He has tremendous length for the position, and he's still building out his frame. He is still a little raw, but his upside is amazing.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevon Moehrig (S - TCU)

The best safety in this draft falls to the team that needs him the most. Jacksonville can use quite a bit of help on defense, and they get it here. Moehrig has great acceleration and closes on the ball quickly. He's a playmaker that Jacksonville desperately needs.

26. Cleveland Browns - Zaven Collins (LB - Tulsa)

Collins is a big, physical, and mobile linebacker that covers the middle of the field. He is fantastic against the run, which Cleveland will need to help them get over the hump against teams like Baltimore. He fills a need for Cleveland.

27. Baltimore Ravens - Joe Tryon (EDGE - Washington)

Baltimore has 3 holes to fill: EDGE, OT, and WR. Joe Tryon has elite upside as a pass rusher and will make an immediate impact for the Ravens. He opted out of the 2020 season, but his 2019 tape is fantastic. He has the potential to produce double digit sacks his rookie year in that Baltimore defense.

28. New Orleans Saints - Asante Samuel Jr. (CB - Florida State)

We all know about the Saints' salary cap situation. I wouldn't be surprised to see New Orleans trade back here, but their secondary is the top priority. They are in bad shape behind Marshon Lattimore, so drafting Samuel here makes all the sense in the world.

29. Green Bay Packers - Terrace Marshall (WR - LSU)

It's no secret that Green Bay needs help at WR behind Davante Adams. Marshall has size, speed, and great hands. He is a big target that is a mismatch for opposing corners. He will be a welcomed addition to the Packers offense.

30. Buffalo Bills - Joseph Ossai (EDGE - Texas)

I almost went with Najee Harris here, but EDGE is a bigger need for this team. They can get a RB in the next rounds. Ossai has a high motor and  high upside. He has great size and a very strong lower body. He is built for the NFL, and should be a solid EDGE defender that the Bills need.

31. Baltimore Ravens - Teven Jenkins (OT - Oklahoma State)

The Ravens were really hoping that Rashod Bateman or Terrace Marshall would fall to them here, but unfortunately that doesn't happen.  Rumor is the Ravens are shopping this pick. I'm 50/50 on the them trading back, because they already have 9 picks. With that being said they draft Teven Jenkins, a big, nasty RT with incredible size and strength. He's an elite pass protector and a fantastic run blocker. He fits right in where Orlando Brown left off.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jayson Oweh (EDGE - Penn State)

Jason Pierre-Paul isn't getting any younger, and Oweh will be a great replacement when the time comes. He has a ton of talent but has a bit to learn. He lands in the perfect situation in Tampa. He can be a situational player for now and learn from two great pass rushers in JPP and Shaq Barrett.

 

I want to give a special thanks to @McManusDesigns, @SwapKingdom, @SchapDesign, @Golden.GRFX, @SnaggyGFX, and @DesignedbyFranco for the awesome jersey swaps!

You can follow me on twitter at @BaltimoreBobFF

 

 

Looking Out For Number One: Darius Leonard

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Looking Out For Number One: Darius Leonard

By Tommy Harvey

(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

When I say “Looking Out For Number One,” I’m talking about the number one fantasy player at each position.  The first of this series focuses on the number one LB and overall number one IDP (Individual Defensive Player), Darius Leonard.

Two seasons ago, Indianapolis Colts LB Darius Leonard exploded on the scene with an incredible rookie season. In 2018, Leonard had 163 combined tackles (111 solo tackles), 12 tackles for loss, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 interceptions, and 7 sacks in 15 games.  He was far and away the highest scoring linebacker in fantasy football.

In 2019, Leonard took a slight step back.  He only played in 13 games, but was still among the top 5 LBs in IDP scoring.  He amassed 121 total tackles (71 solo), 7 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, 5 interceptions, and 5 sacks.  His 5 interceptions led all NFL LBs, and were only 1 off the NFL lead.  

Heading into the 2020 season, Darius Leonard is our number 1 ranked LB and our number 1 overall IDP.  Check out our initial rankings here.

Prediction:

15 games, 157 combined tackles, 104 solo tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 3 INTs, and 6 sacks.

Follow me on Twitter @dynastyprostom