Fantasy Football 2025 IDP rankings: Tiered positional breakdown features players to draft at DL, LB and DB

Many Fantasy leagues will include non-offensive production in their rules, normally in the form of having a team defense/special teams and/or kickers. But some Fantasy managers give the defensive side of the ball more attention, using slots for defensive linemen, linebackers and defensive backs (or even more specialized roles). Those leagues tend to make tackles the bread and butter of scoring, but big plays like sacks and turnovers also play a role in who you should draft.

My 2025 Fantasy Football IDP rankings highlight the top 50 defensive linemen, top 75 linebackers and top 60 defensive backs worth drafting. Broken up into tiers, the rankings indicate where top rookies like Abdul Carter, Jihaad Campbell and Malaki Starks should be selected as well as where to slot 2024 breakouts like Jared Verse, Zack Baun and Nick Cross.

Note that scoring formats for IDP formats could differ more than in leagues that only use DSTs, so be sure to prioritize the right players for your particularly format. These rankings are geared more toward valuing high tackle totals than sacks and interceptions, for example. Check out our full positional IDP rankings below.

So which defensive players should you build your team around? And which overlooked defensive lineman do you need to jump on? ... Join SportsLine here to see R.J. White's complete Fantasy football IDP rankings, and get the rest of the 2025 Fantasy Football Bible from SportsLine!