X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Introducing RotoBaller’s Standard IDP Scoring System and IDP Players to Target

Mitch Blatt introduces a standard scoring system for IDP (individual defensive player) fantasy football leagues and explains how it works.

Earlier this summer, I was given a tough mission. I was asked to come up with an IDP scoring system to use as a standard for doing analysis for RotoBaller. Now we are three weeks away from NFL kickoff. If you haven't set the scoring in your IDP league, you have to get on it.

I have been a commissioner of a casual IDP league. I am competing in four IDP leagues this season. Each has different roster sizes, different positions, and different scoring systems. The wide-open possibilities for customization are one of the things that make IDP fun.

Let's see how the RotoBaller scoring stacks up against other popular IDP scoring methods.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Introduction to IDP Scoring

Twelve different statistical categories are commonly scored, including tackles, sacks, fumbles, interceptions, safeties, and blocked kicks. Points stack up on a single play: a sack is both a tackle, a tackle for a loss, a QB hit, and a sack. (This really isn’t so different from offensive scoring, where a TD reception scores points for being both a reception, a TD reception, and for the yardage).

The main differences between leagues lie in the scoring of tackles and sacks. How valuable are sacks relative to ordinary solo tackles? The sack-to-solo ratio is often cited. Big play-centric scoring systems, like Big 3, that emphasize sacks will score more than 7 points for a sack compared to a tackle. On the other end of the spectrum, tackle-heavy leagues might value sacks just 4 times more than tackles.

RotoBaller Standard scoring strikes a balance: Sacks should be worth 6 times a solo tackle. That is right in the middle of the other scoring systems. If sacks are like the touchdowns of IDP, then they should be valued at 6 times a solo tackle, which are the receptions of IDP.

I set interceptions more valuable than other leagues, however, because interceptions are much more valuable than sacks in real life. Interceptions also occur about a third as frequently as sacks (and sacks can be credited to multiple defenders), meaning that if interceptions were valued equally to sacks, there would be no chance for most defensive backs to score anywhere close to edge rushers.

I wanted LBs, the WRs of defense (abundant and high scoring at the top end), to score roughly equivalently to WRs. Both positions take up about the same amount of space on an NFL roster. There are 3 or 4 LBs on a field for most plays. There are between 2 and 4 WRs on the field for most plays. So the waiver wire should look the same for both positions.

 

RotoBaller Standard Scoring

Without further ado, the RotoBaller standard scoring system we recommend you use for your league is as follows:

Balanced sack-t0-solo ratio: Exactly 6.0 ✅

IDP LBs valued equivalently to WRs ✅

INTs valued closer to true value ✅

Top 15 LBs Rotoballer Standard Scoring Equivalent WR Half-Point PPR
T.J. Watt 317.65 Cooper Kupp 367.0
Foyesade Oluokun 281.8 Deebo Samuel 300.5
Darius Leonard 255.4 Davante Adams 282.8
Micah Parsons 251.6 Justin Jefferson 276.4
De'Vondre Campbell 245.1 Ja'Marr Chase 264.1
Jordyn Brooks 232.6 Tyreek Hill 241.0
Eric Kendricks 222.3 Stefon Diggs 234.0
C.J. Mosley 222.2 Mike Evans 225.5
Devin White 221.75 Diontae Johnson 220.9
Roquan Smith 220.1 Mike Williams 208.6
Cole Holcomb 219.5 Hunter Renfrow 207.6
Kyzir White 214.3 DK Metcalf 206.8
Robert Quinn 210.15 Tyler Lockett 204.9
Denzel Perryman 207.7 Keenan Allen 204.8
Chandler Jones 200.15 Michael Pittman Jr. 194.6

 

Elite WRs score more than elite LBs, but LBs even outscore WRs deep on the waiver wire.

 

Comparison with Other Scoring Systems

Here is how the top 15 IDPs fared in Rotoballer Standard scoring in 2021 compared with how they fared in two other popular scoring systems.

Top 15 IDP Sleeper Positions Rotoballer Standard Scoring IDP123 Big 3
T.J. Watt LB/DL 317.65 387 392.5
Foyesade Oluokun LB 281.8 365 284
Shaquille Leonard LB/DL 255.4 318 302
Micah Parsons LB/DL 251.6 289 245
De'Vondre Campbell LB 245.1 318 251.5
Jordyn Brooks LB 232.6 326 235.5
Eric Kendricks LB 222.3 281 286.5
C.J. Mosley LB 222.2 286 281.5
Devin White LB 221.75 305 230
Roquan Smith LB 220.1 306 222.5
Cole Holcomb LB 219.5 291 218.75
Kyzir White LB 214.3 300 216.75
Robert Quinn DL/LB 210.15 282 257.25
Denzel Perryman LB 207.7 302 262
Chandler Jones DL 200.15 225 212.5

While T.J. Watt dominated in all scoring systems, the scope of his dominance varied. In RotoBaller Standard, Watt scored 37 points more than the next leading scorer, Foyesade Oluokun. In Big 3, a scoring system that heavily awards sacks, Micah Parsons was the #2 IDP, and Watt led the league by 90 points.

Looking at the big picture, it is still possible to get a general idea of where any IDP stands no matter what the scoring system. There is a high degree of correlation between where the players fall across the entire league.

The biggest differences between rankings for RotoBaller Standard scoring and IDP123 scoring concern CBs and other players who score a large proportion of their points from interceptions. RotoBaller awards 10 points for an INT, while the other two in this comparison award 6. Big 3 does help DBs out by awarding 4 points for pass defenses, more than the 3 IDP123 awards or the 2.5 in RotoBaller Standard.

The result is players like Trevon Diggs (11 INT in 2021), Xavien Howard (5), and P.J. Williams (3) were more valuable in a league using RotoBaller Standard in 2021 than they would have been in a league using IDP123. Linebackers with good ball skills are also highly valuable.

 

Targets in RotoBaller Standard Scoring Leagues

Based on my 2022 projections, some players you should target in leagues using RotoBaller Standard include:

Xavier McKinney, NYG, DB/S

I am expecting McKinney to lead the league in interceptions and be the second-leading DB in fantasy scoring. McKinney made 5 picks and 93 combined tackles in his second season and his first as a full-time starter. The Giants face a slate of opponents that will throw the ball often, including the Cowboys and every team in the NFC North. Also on tap are multiple QBs who lack accuracy or experience and could be easy pickings: the Bears’ Justin Fields, the Texans’ Davis Mills, the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence, and the Niners’ Trey Lance.

Logan Wilson, CIN, LB

Wilson stepped forward in his second year in terms of both making tackles and big plays. He has always had good hands and coverage skills. He has already picked off 6 passes in his career, including 4 last season, and he had 10 in his four collegiate seasons at Wyoming. His experience playing wide receiver and defensive back in high school shows. His scouting report at Wolf Sports notes: “Exceptional hands and ball production.”

He should be expected to continue to make plays on the ball while increasing his tackling production yet again, a good combination that could make him one of the top 5 linebackers in fantasy.

On the other hand, some DBs (like Jeremy Chinn) and LBs (like Myles Jack) who accumulate a lot of tackles but few interceptions or sacks are less valuable in Rotoballer Standard than they are in tackle-heavy formats.

I will be publishing my rankings and examining more sleepers, breakouts, and busts in later articles.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Washington Commanders25 mins ago

Commanders Sign T.J. Maguranyanga
Kansas City Chiefs51 mins ago

Mike Edwards Reunites With Chiefs
New Orleans Saints56 mins ago

Saints Could Take A Quarterback Early In The Draft
Carlos Rodón1 hour ago

Carlos Rodon Undergoes X-Rays After Taking Liner Off His Arm
Drew Waters1 hour ago

Hits For The Cycle On Wednesday
Harry Ford1 hour ago

Showing Strong Eye Through First Taste Of Triple-A
Christian Vázquez1 hour ago

Christian Vazquez Getting The Day Off
Jose Miranda2 hours ago

Out Again On Thursday
Chase Meidroth2 hours ago

Launches Second Long Ball
Lucas Giolito2 hours ago

Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito "Not Close" To Returning To Rotation
Baltimore Orioles2 hours ago

Michael Forret Making Jump To Double-A
Connor Wong2 hours ago

Getting The Day Off In Matinee
Grayson Rodriguez2 hours ago

Throws Second Bullpen Session
Enrique Bradfield Jr.2 hours ago

Starting Season With Double-A Bowie
Ryan Mountcastle2 hours ago

Sitting In Series Finale Against Boston
Baltimore Orioles2 hours ago

Nestor German Starting Campaign At Double-A
Gunnar Henderson2 hours ago

Probable To Return From Injured List On Friday
Joe Milton III4 hours ago

Traded To Cowboys
Anfernee Simons5 hours ago

Could Be Absent Again Thursday
Scoot Henderson5 hours ago

Misses Third Consecutive Game Thursday
Scottie Barnes5 hours ago

Iffy For Thursday
A.J. Puk5 hours ago

Holds On For Second Save Of The Season
Immanuel Quickley5 hours ago

Takes Thursday Off
Luis Matos5 hours ago

Goes Yard In Giants Victory
Jakob Poeltl5 hours ago

Sits Out Thursday's Game
Damian Lillard5 hours ago

May Return To Action Sooner Than Expected
Camilo Doval5 hours ago

Secures Series Sweep For San Francisco
Andrés Muñoz5 hours ago

Andres Munoz Shaky But Earns High-Stress Save
Giannis Antetokounmpo5 hours ago

Likely To Suit Up Thursday
Jeff Hoffman5 hours ago

Closes Sweep With A Save
LeBron James5 hours ago

Probable Thursday
Luke Jackson5 hours ago

Earns Third Save Of The Season
Dylan Cease6 hours ago

Keeps Padres Rolling
Jared McCann7 hours ago

Tallies Three Helpers On Wednesday
Jackson Blake7 hours ago

Scores Twice In Victory
Artemi Panarin7 hours ago

Tallies Three Points In Overtime Victory
Andrei Svechnikov7 hours ago

Exits Early On Wednesday
Jake McCabe7 hours ago

Suffers Injury On Wednesday
Jonathan Drouin7 hours ago

Exits Wednesday's Contest
Los Angeles Chargers15 hours ago

Chargers Sign Tight End Jordan Petaia
16 hours ago

Matthew Golden Making Pre-Draft Visit To Steelers
Cincinnati Bengals16 hours ago

Trey Hendrickson Not Looking For Short-Term Deal
Tutu Atwell16 hours ago

Rams Plan To Give Tutu Atwell A Bigger Role In 2025
Tampa Bay Buccaneers17 hours ago

Bucs Restructure Antoine Winfield's Deal To Free Up Cap Space
Jrue Holiday19 hours ago

Won't Play Against Miami
New York Jets19 hours ago

Xavier Newman-Johnson Re-Signs With New York
Al Horford19 hours ago

Sidelined Versus Heat
Kristaps Porzingis19 hours ago

Ruled Out On Wednesday
Fred VanVleet19 hours ago

Out Versus Utah
Dean Wade19 hours ago

Sidelined On Wednesday
Trae Young20 hours ago

Expected To Suit Up On Wednesday
Joel Embiid20 hours ago

Will Undergo Arthroscopic Surgery On His Left Knee
Evgeni Malkin20 hours ago

Joins Penguins For Road Trip
Filip Chytil20 hours ago

Could Miss Rest Of Season
Declan Chisholm20 hours ago

Back In Action Against Rangers
Keaton Wallace20 hours ago

Sidelined Again On Wednesday
Samuel Girard21 hours ago

Exits Avalanche Lineup Wednesday
Joel Kiviranta21 hours ago

Returning Against Blackhawks
Eeli Tolvanen21 hours ago

Misses First Game Of The Season
Jaden Schwartz21 hours ago

Unavailable Against Canucks
22 hours ago

Kyle McCord Rising Up Draft Boards?
22 hours ago

Ashton Jeanty To Raiders Continues To Gain Steam
23 hours ago

Emeka Egbuka To Fall To Round 2?
Los Angeles Rams23 hours ago

Rob Havenstein Expected To Be Ready For Training Camp
Cleveland Browns1 day ago

Mike Hall Likely To Miss Offseason Program After Having Knee Surgery
New England Patriots1 day ago

Christian Barmore Expected To Be Ready For Offseason Workouts
1 day ago

Saints Expected To Visit With Quinn Ewers
Jake Moody1 day ago

49ers To Bring In Competition For Jake Moody
Pittsburgh Steelers1 day ago

Steelers In Play To Draft A Running Back
Green Bay Packers1 day ago

Packers Not Ruling Out Jaire Alexander Returning
Tennessee Titans1 day ago

No. 1 Overall Pick Might Not Be For Sale
Bennedict Mathurin1 day ago

Iffy For Wednesday
Myles Turner1 day ago

May Miss Another Game Wednesday
Al Horford1 day ago

Considered Doubtful Wednesday
Jrue Holiday1 day ago

Questionable For Wednesday's Game
Kristaps Porzingis1 day ago

Listed As Questionable For Wednesday
Evan Bouchard1 day ago

Tallies Two Assists In Victory
Jake Guentzel1 day ago

Tallies Goal, Assist In Victory
Kirill Marchenko1 day ago

Scores Hat Trick On Tuesday
Tage Thompson1 day ago

Stays Hot On The Scoresheet
Lane Hutson1 day ago

Dishes Out Three Helpers In Overtime Victory
Alex Ovechkin1 day ago

Tallies Two Points In Victory
Cameron Young2 days ago

A Player To Avoid At Valero Texas Open
Kurt Kitayama2 days ago

In Search Of Consistency At Valero Texas Open
Si Woo Kim2 days ago

Looking To Bounce Back At Valero Texas Open
Tom Hoge2 days ago

Looking To Build Off Strong Performance At The PLAYERS Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick2 days ago

Looking For Consistency At Valero Texas Open
Corey Conners2 days ago

Continues Strong Form Ahead Of Valero Texas Open
Patrick Cantlay2 days ago

Eyeing Victory At Valero Texas Open
Gary Woodland2 days ago

Showing Great Form Ahead Of Valero Texas Open
Akshay Bhatia2 days ago

Aiming For Repeat At Valero Texas Open
Alejandro Tosti2 days ago

A Volatile Choice At TPC San Antonio
Jimmy Snuggerud2 days ago

Ready For NHL Debut Tuesday
Jacob Trouba2 days ago

Set To Rejoin Ducks Lineup Tuesday
Jordan Spieth2 days ago

Needs To Find Consistency At TPC San Antonio
Jake Knapp2 days ago

Making First Appearance At Valero Texas Open
Michael Kim2 days ago

Looking To Find The Magic Again In San Antonio
Tommy Fleetwood2 days ago

Is Nearly A Must-Play At Valero Texas Open
Tony Finau2 days ago

Hoping For Better Approach Play In San Antonio
Eric Cole2 days ago

Trending In Right Direction Ahead Of Valero
Sam Stevens3 days ago

Enjoys Nice Result In Houston
PGA3 days ago

J.T. Poston Seeks To Contend At Valero Texas Open
Denny McCarthy3 days ago

Keeps Making Cuts But Needs To Make More Putts
Brian Harman3 days ago

Off To A Subpar 2025 So Far
Ryan Preece3 days ago

Has Three Straight Top-10 Finishes For First Time In His Career
NASCAR3 days ago

Bubba Wallace After Third-Place Finish At Martinsville: "What a Great Day"
Todd Gilliland3 days ago

Has Mistake-Free Day At Martinsville, Grabs Another Top-10 Finish
Brandon Moreno3 days ago

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Steve Erceg3 days ago

Losses Third Consecutive Fight
Drew Dober3 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Mexico City
Manuel Torres3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Harry Hall3 days ago

Bounces Back In Houston Last Week
CJ Vergara3 days ago

Gets Submitted
Édgar Cháirez3 days ago

Edgar Chairez Gets Submission Win At UFC Mexico City
Vince Morales3 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC Mexico City
Raul Rosas Jr.3 days ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Mexico City
Saimon Oliveira3 days ago

Still Winless In The UFC
David Martinez3 days ago

Wins His UFC Debut
Kevin Borjas3 days ago

Earns His First UFC Win
Ronaldo Rodríguez3 days ago

Ronaldo Rodriguez Suffers His First UFC Loss
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Powers His Way To A Second-Place Finish At Martinsville
Chase Elliott3 days ago

Strong Martinsville Performance Ends With A Top-Five Finish
Kyle Larson3 days ago

Collects A Top-Five Finish At Martinsville
William Byron3 days ago

Places 22nd After Struggles At Martinsville
Joey Logano3 days ago

Claims His First 2025 Top-10 Finish After Up-And-Down Performance
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Fails To Place In The Top 10 At Martinsville
Denny Hamlin3 days ago

Silences Doubters After Crew-Chief Change
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Earns Best 2025 Finish At Martinsville Despite Failing Cool Suit
Ross Chastain3 days ago

Has A Great Day At Martinsville
Chase Briscoe3 days ago

Has Solid Run At Martinsville
Erik Jones3 days ago

Disqualified At Martinsville For Weight Violation
Josh Berry4 days ago

Has Top-10 Upside At Martinsville
Joey Logano4 days ago

Don't Overlook Joey Logano This Weekend
Ryan Preece4 days ago

Could Get First Three-Race Top-10 Streak Of His Career
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Looking To Continue Great Runs At Martinsville
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Wins Pole At Martinsville, But Can He Stay Up There?
Ryan Blaney4 days ago

Fast In Practice But Skeptical About Car
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

New Crew Chief Has Terrible Martinsville Record
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Russell Wilson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Fantasy Football Outlooks For QBs On New Teams: Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Sam Darnold, Geno Smith, more

The NFL quarterback carousel gets to spin every offseason, and plenty of QBs have already found new homes ahead of the 2025 NFL season. For fantasy football, a player's surrounding team is extremely important, so it's worth looking into each of their outlooks with their new squads. There are still a few unsigned QBs, but […]


Shedeur Sanders - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

2025 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Mock Draft: 12-Team, Superflex/Two-QB

The 2025 NFL Draft is still less than 30 days away. Therefore, dynasty fantasy rookie mock drafts are nearly here. Much will change between now and the NFL Draft. However, it’s time for another dynasty rookie mock draft. This rookie mock draft is a two-round, 12-team, and two-quarterbacks. For a deeper dive into dynasty strategy, […]


Deshaun Watson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 NFL Offseason Team Needs: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

The AFC North, comprised of the Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, and Pittsburgh Steelers, sent two teams to the playoffs in 2024 and had one on the cusp of a playoff berth. The Ravens have the best roster of the four teams by a long shot. The Steelers have a solid defensive group, and […]


UFL RANKINGS, FANTASY FOOTBALL,

UFL Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 2: QB, RB, WR, TE Rankings and Analysis (2025)

Week 2 of the UFL season is just around the corner. This week will feature one game on Friday, one game on Saturday, and two on Sunday. Birmingham and Michigan will play at 8:00 p.m. EDT on Friday, followed by Memphis-D.C. on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. EDT. Sunday's game pits the 1-0 Renegades against the […]


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Picks, Draft Sleepers

Dynasty Fantasy Football Rankings: Overvalued, Undervalued Players (2025)

Dynasty fantasy football rankings constantly shift, especially as we inch closer to the new season and fantasy drafts. Dynasty managers know the importance of finding those underrated players who could be steals in drafts or trades. They also know some players are overhyped due to unsustainable trends or past production. I'll break down two overvalued […]


Justin Fields - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Best Fantasy Football Moves During 2025 NFL Free Agency

It has been a wild offseason so far in the NFL. Plenty of players have switched teams in free agency, and some stars were even traded. Deebo Samuel Sr. was dealt to the Washington Commanders, Geno Smith was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, and DK Metcalf has a new home with the Pittsburgh Steelers. These […]


Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Three Aging Fantasy Football Players To Sell In Dynasty Leagues

It's hard to always know when to sell off your aging fantasy football players. Often, it's also difficult to accept that it's better to move on from a player when he's coming off a productive season and still has a lot left in the tank. But I believe it's better to be a year early […]


J.J. McCarthy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Draft Sleepers

Five Fantasy Football Superflex Quarterback Breakouts, Draft Targets (2025)

If you’ve ever played in a Superflex fantasy football league, then you know how important quarterbacks are in this format. The ability to start multiple stud quarterbacks can carry you to a Superflex title. Unfortunately, finding two such players isn’t so easy. All the top signal-callers come off draft boards first, and that makes it […]


Omarion Hampton - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks - NFL Draft

Ideal Landing Spots For The Top 12 Fantasy Football Rookies - 2025 NFL Draft

Then, the NFL Draft continues to inch closer and closer. This is a very interesting class, with a handful of players who could be stars in the NFL and reshape fantasy football leagues going forward. Here are the ideal landing spots for the top 12 fantasy football rookies. These picks exist in conversation with each […]


Jalen Coker - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Eight Best Ball Late Round Value Fantasy Football Players To Target For 2025

Fantasy football is the most popular game in all of sports. It has gone from a paper-and-pen game to a multi-million dollar-a-year one. While redraft leagues are the most popular form of fantasy football, best ball leagues are quickly gaining steam. The best part of best ball leagues is the ability to draft thousands of […]


Abdul Carter - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

2025 NFL Draft Rankings: Top 10 Fantasy Football Edge Rusher Prospects

Edge rusher is the most important, most coveted, and most highly-paid position on defense in the NFL. It stands to reason that the most important position in the entire game being quarterback, and by a wide margin, means the most important position on defense are the players that are tasked with disrupting opposing QBs as […]


Brock Purdy - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

Brock Purdy Dynasty Fantasy Football Outlook and Trade Value

Despite becoming the all-time leading passer for the Iowa State Cyclones, Brock Purdy wasn't a highly touted prospect due to his perceived lack of athleticism. The 49ers picked him with the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, but Mr. Irrelevant quickly proved everyone wrong. In his first two years, he started in back-to-back NFC […]


Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Scouting NFL Draft Prospects!

Michael F Florio goes over some of the top prospects from this years NFL Draft. Florio talks about what he looks for when watching prospect tape and explains what traits translate best to the NFL level. Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel 87) on Sundays from 6-7 am. You can […]