Fantasy Football 2013: IDP Rankings

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NFL training camps open up this week, meaning we are that much closer to the start of the regular season and fantasy football. While kickoff may still be nearly a month away, it's never too early to start preparing for your draft.

While fantasy football is more associated with offensive skill players, quite a few leagues out there also use the ones on the other side of the ball in their lineups. Individual Defensive Players (IDPs) can be just as valuable to your team, especially if you are fortunate enough to draft someone like J.J. Watt.

The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year was a fantasy monster last year, as he outscored the No. 2 defensive lineman (Cameron Wake) by more than 60 points and was the No. 1 IDP in all of fantasy football. Watt will be hard-pressed to repeat some of his numbers from 2012, such as his 16 passes defended, but as long as he stays healthy, he should be more than capable of justifying using a high draft pick on.

Fellow DLs Jason Pierre-Paul, DeMarcus Ware and Wake are next on our rankings, as they, like Watt, have a knack for getting to the quarterback and making the big play.

Typically the best bang for your buck when it comes to IDPs is at linebacker, as this is the position that usually racks up the tackles. Options like Luke Kuechly, San Francisco's All-Pro tandem of Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, and James Laurinaitis, Lavonte David and Von Miller headline this group. Not to be left out are the defensive backs, who are capable of racking up quite a few fantasy points themselves, especially when they are able to convert an interception or a fumble recovery into a touchdown.

Chicago's Chris Tillman put on a clinic in this respect last season, turning three interceptions and two fumble recoveries into three scores while forcing a total of 10 fumbles by himself. The veteran Tillman will be another popular draft pick this year, along with younger options like Morgan Burnett, Mark Barron, Eric Berry, Harrison Smith and Richard Sherman.

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Fantasy Football 2013: Individual Defensive Players (IDP) Rankings


Rk	Player	Team	Pos	Bye
1	J.J. Watt	HOU	DL	8
2	Jason Pierre-Paul	NYG	DL	9
3	DeMarcus Ware	DAL	DL	11
4	Cameron Wake	MIA	DL	6
5	Luke Kuechly	CAR	LB	4
6	Jared Allen	MIN	DL	5
7	Patrick Willis	SF	LB	9
8	Mario Williams	BUF	DL	12
9	Elvis Dumervil	BAL	DL	8
10	James Laurinaitis	STL	LB	11
11	Derrick Johnson	KC	LB	10
12	Calais Campbell	ARI	DL	9
13	Morgan Burnett	GB	DB	4
14	Mark Barron	TB	DB	5
15	Charles Johnson	CAR	DL	4
16	Geno Atkins	CIN	DL	12
17	NaVorro Bowman	SF	LB	9
18	Lavonte David	TB	LB	5
19	Osi Umenyiora	ATL	DL	6
20	Von Miller	DEN	LB	9
21	Julius Peppers	CHI	DL	8
22	Eric Berry	KC	DB	10
23	Paul Posluszny	JAC	LB	9
24	Eric Weddle	SD	DB	8
25	Jerod Mayo	NE	LB	10
26	Robert Quinn	STL	DL	11
27	Corey Liuget	SD	DL	8
28	Harrison Smith	MIN	DB	5
29	Richard Sherman	SEA	DB	12
30	Cliff Avril	SEA	DL	12
31	Chandler Jones	NE	DL	10
32	Derrick Morgan	TEN	DL	8
33	Carlos Dunlap	CIN	DL	12
34	Sean Weatherspoon	ATL	LB	6
35	D’Qwell Jackson	CLE	LB	10
36	Cameron Jordan	NO	DL	7
37	Greg Hardy	CAR	DL	4
38	Bobby Wagner	SEA	LB	12
39	Chad Greenway	MIN	LB	5
40	Charles Tillman	CHI	DB	8
41	Tyvon Branch	OAK	DB	7
42	Cortland Finnegan	STL	DB	11
43	Daryl Washington	ARI	LB	9
44	London Fletcher	WAS	LB	5
45	Aldon Smith	SF	LB	9
46	Haloti Ngata	BAL	DL	8
47	Anthony Spencer	DAL	DL	11
48	Wesley Woodyard	DEN	LB	9
49	Rob Ninkovich	NE	DL	10
50	Arthur Brown	BAL	LB	8
51	LaRon Landry	IND	DB	8
52	Antoine Bethea	IND	DB	8
53	Lawrence Timmons	PIT	LB	5
54	Bernard Pollard	TEN	DB	8
55	Janoris Jenkins	STL	DB	11
56	Brian Robison	MIN	DL	5
57	Chris Long	STL	DL	11
58	Patrick Peterson	ARI	DB	9
59	Zach Brown	TEN	LB	8
60	Brian Cushing	HOU	LB	8
61	Curtis Lofton	NO	LB	7
62	Lamarr Houston	OAK	DL	7
63	Sean Lee	DAL	LB	11
64	Terrell Suggs	BAL	LB	8
65	Ziggy Ansah	DET	DL	9
66	Bruce Irvin	SEA	DL	12
67	Reshad Jones	MIA	DB	6
68	Eric Reid	SF	DB	9
69	Justin Tuck	NYG	DL	9
70	Dawan Landry	NYJ	DB	10
71	Devin McCourty	NE	DB	10
72	Donald Butler	SD	LB	8
73	Manti Te'o	SD	LB	8
74	Lance Briggs	CHI	LB	8
75	Vontaze Burfict	CIN	LB	12

Rankings are based upon Athlon Sports' standard scoring system:

INDIVIDUAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER (IDP) SCORING
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

Additional Fantasy Football Rankings:

2013 Big Board (Top 250)
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
Defense/Special Teams
Kickers
Defensive Linemen
Linebackers
Defensive Backs