Athlon breaks down each position on the fantasy gridiron, including IDPs.
The 2012 NFL Fantasy Season is here. Mock drafts abound. Rookie round-ups are nearly complete. Bye week cheat sheets are everywhere. Positional rankings are popping up everywhere, which at Athlon Sports also includes Individual Defensive Players or IDPs
While the ever-important Athlon Sports 2012 Big Board, the most accurate consensus top 100 list of fantasy footballers on the web, includes the most common and used positions in fantasy football, IDPs are also a part of many leagues out there. So true to our word of providing you everything you need to get you ready for the upcoming fantasy football season, here are our overall IDP rankings.
Rankings are based on Athlon Sports standard scoring for IDPs:
Solo tackle = 1 pt
Tackle assist = 0.5 pts
Sack = 3.5 pts
Interception = 3.5 pts
Forced fumble/recovery = 2 pts
Defensive TD = 8 pts
Safety = 2 pts
Pass Defended = 0.5 pts
Blocked Kick = 4 pts
Athlon Sports Fantasy Football Positional Rankings: Individual Defensive Players (IDP)
2011 FP = Fantasy points scored in 2011, per Athlon Sports standard scoring
| Rank | Player | Team | POS | Bye | 2011 FP |
| 1. | Jason Pierre-Paul | NYG | DL | 11 | 146.8 |
| 2. | Jared Allen | MIN | DL | 11 | 157.0 |
| 3. | Patrick Willis | SF | LB | 9 | 114.0 |
| 4. | Justin Tuck | NYG | DL | 11 | 53.0 |
| 5. | Trent Cole | PHI | DL | 7 | 84.0 |
| 6. | Desmond Bishop | GB | LB | 10 | 124.5 |
| 7. | Julius Peppers | CHI | DL | 6 | 93.5 |
| 8. | James Laurinaitis | STL | LB | 9 | 146.5 |
| 9. | Eric Berry | KC | DB | 7 | 0.0 |
| 10. | Mario Williams | BUF | DL | 8 | 30.5 |
| 11. | Derrick Johnson | KC | LB | 7 | 140.0 |
| 12. | Jabaal Sheard | CLE | DL | 10 | 90.3 |
| 13. | Navarro Bowman | SF | LB | 9 | 144.0 |
| 14. | Tyvon Branch | OAK | DB | 5 | 110.3 |
| 15. | Calais Campbell | ARI | DL | 10 | 117.0 |
| 16. | D’Qwell Jackson | CLE | LB | 10 | 162.3 |
| 17. | Daryl Washington | ARI | LB | 10 | 128.0 |
| 18. | Patrick Chung | NE | DB | 9 | 58.5 |
| 19. | Sean Weatherspoon | ATL | LB | 7 | 118.5 |
| 20. | Charles Johnson | CAR | DL | 6 | 72.5 |
| 21. | Elvis Dumervil | DEN | DL | 7 | 72.3 |
| 22. | Jason Babin | PHI | DL | 7 | 107.5 |
| 23. | Curtis Lofton | NO | LB | 6 | 143.0 |
| 24. | George Wilson | BUF | DB | 8 | 115.6 |
| 25. | Cliff Avril | DET | DL | 5 | 110.5 |
| 26. | Stephen Tulloch | DET | LB | 5 | 131.5 |
| 27. | Jerod Mayo | NE | LB | 9 | 91.0 |
| 28. | Chris Long | STL | DL | 9 | 82.5 |
| 29. | Eric Weddle | SD | DB | 7 | 110.5 |
| 30. | Colin McCarthy | TEN | LB | 11 | 74.0 |
| 31. | Paul Posluszny | JAC | LB | 6 | 114.5 |
| 32. | Pat Angerer | IND | LB | 4 | 127.5 |
| 33. | Kam Chancellor | SEA | DB | 11 | 115.5 |
| 34. | Ray Lewis | BAL | LB | 8 | 101.5 |
| 35. | Brian Urlacher | CHI | LB | 6 | 119.0 |
| 36. | J.J. Watt | HOU | DL | 8 | 81.8 |
| 37. | LaRon Landry | NYJ | DB | 9 | 51.3 |
| 38. | Sean Lee | DAL | LB | 5 | 109.0 |
| 39. | Charles Tillman | CHI | DB | 6 | 138.5 |
| 40. | Haloti Ngata | BAL | DL | 8 | 89.0 |
| 41. | Aldon Smith | SF | LB/DL | 9 | 93.0 |
| 42. | Osi Umenyiora | NYG | DL | 11 | 56.5 |
| 43. | Luke Kuechly | CAR | LB | 6 | DNP |
| 44. | Antoine Bethea | IND | DB | 4 | 119.0 |
| 45. | Jeremy Mincey | JAC | DL | 6 | 90.5 |
| 46. | Justin Smith | SF | DL | 9 | 86.8 |
| 47. | DeMarcus Ware | DAL | LB | 5 | 128.3 |
| 48. | Morgan Burnett | GB | DB | 10 | 119.5 |
| 49. | Mark Barron | TB | DB | 5 | DNP |
| 50. | Carlos Dunlap | CIN | DL | 8 | 44.3 |
| 51. | Chad Greenway | MIN | LB | 11 | 131.5 |
| 52. | Earl Thomas | SEA | DB | 11 | 99.5 |
| 53. | Mathias Kiwanuka | NYG | LB/DL | 11 | 93.8 |
| 54. | Roman Harper | NO | DB | 6 | 119.8 |
| 55. | Karlos Dansby | MIA | LB | 7 | 109.5 |
| 56. | Rolando McClain | OAK | LB | 5 | 114.0 |
| 57. | Charles Woodson | GB | DB | 10 | 121.2 |
| 58. | London Fletcher | WAS | LB | 10 | 153.3 |
| 59. | Ndamukong Suh | DET | DL | 5 | 49.5 |
| 60. | Cameron Wake | MIA | LB/DL | 7 | 70.6 |
| 61. | Lawrence Timmons | PIT | LB | 4 | 95.5 |
| 62. | Patrick Peterson | ARI | DB | 10 | 127.4 |
| 63. | Chris Clemons | SEA | DL | 11 | 89.5 |
| 64. | Brian Cushing | HOU | LB | 8 | 122.5 |
| 65. | Von Miller | DEN | LB | 7 | 103.3 |
| 66. | Jarius Bryd | BUF | DB | 8 | 120.5 |
| 67. | Kameron Wimbley | TEN | DL | 11 | 87.0 |
| 68. | Adrian Clayborn | TB | DL | 5 | 67.8 |
| 69. | Jon Beason | CAR | LB | 6 | 4.0 |
| 70. | Kelvin Sheppard | BUF | LB | 8 | 62.5 |
| 71. | Troy Polamalu | PIT | DB | 4 | 105.0 |
| 72. | Quintin Mikell | STL | DB | 9 | 108.0 |
| 73. | Ahtyba Rubin | CLE | DL | 10 | 87.0 |
| 74. | DeMeco Ryans | PHI | LB | 7 | 58.0 |
| 75. | Bernard Pollard | BAL | DB | 8 | 90.0 |
— Published on June 21, 2012
Athlon Sports 2012 NFL Fantasy Content:
Athlon Sports Big Board: Top 150
2012 Fantasy Football Mock Draft I
2012 Bye Week Cheat Sheet
Athlon Sports Fantasy Positional Rankings: QBs
Athlon Sports Fantasy Positional Rankings: RBs
Athlon Sports Fantasy Positional Rankings: WRs
Athlon Sports Fantasy Positional Rankings: TEs
Athlon Sports Fantasy Positional Rankings: DLs
Athlon Sports Fantasy Positional Rankings: LBs
Athlon Sports Fantasy Positional Rankings: DBs
Related: Order your Athlon Sports 2012 NFL Preview Magazine Here
