Must-Have IDP Picks for Fantasy Football - Defensive Player Targets Include Nick Bosa, Micah Parsons, Derwin James, more

Mitch Blatt highlights Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa, Derwin James, and six other IDP players as the nine must-have IDPs of 2023 fantasy football.

In IDP fantasy football, having an elite player at one or more positions is critical. Many fantasy managers undervalue individual defensive players, and they let these stars fall farther than they should.

I am going to highlight three edge rushers, three linebackers, and three safeties. I am not including any cornerbacks among my must-haves because there is such an abundance of productive corners that even the best of the best are not worth targeting.

You won't be able to create a team with all of these guys, but if you get a couple of them, you are going to have a leg up on your competition in the IDP box score, lessening the burden on your offensive weapons.

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T.J. Watt, DE, PIT

Following his record-tying 22.5-sack season in 2021, Watt got injured in Week 1 (after already having made a sack) and missed the next nine weeks. When he returned, he was still relatively productive, but he didn't match his previously elite record. His pressure rate on pass rushes dipped from 15.5%, where it stood for three straight years, to 10.5%. Watt should be expected to return to form this season, however, as the Steelers face the fifth-most favorable strength of schedule for pass rushers, per my projections.

Even after Watt returned to the field in Week 10, he "was not 100 percent," he told The Athletic, and he said he is "evolving" his training routine to prevent future injuries. Yet despite his being limited and not playing as well as he is capable of, he still had a huge impact on the Steelers' defense. The Steelers went 8-2 in games in which Watt played and had a losing record in games he missed.

Micah Parsons, DE, DAL

Micah Parsons is putting on weight to move to a near full-time role as a defensive end. He already lined up on the defensive line about 80 percent of the time in 2022 after splitting snaps between the line and linebacker in his 2021 rookie season.

No matter where Parsons lines up, he is an unstoppable force. He followed up his 13.0-sack rookie season with 13.5 sacks last season, forced three fumbles, and recovered three fumbles, one of which resulted in a touchdown. The only problem with his move to focus on the D-line is that it could reduce his total tackle numbers. Already that happened last season; his combined tackles declined from 84 to 65. Prioritize Parsons in leagues with sack-heavy scoring formats.

Nick Bosa, DE, SF

Nick Bosa has increased his sack total every season of his career except for his second season, in which he only played two games. The 2019 Defensive Rookie of the Year became the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year when he led the league with 48 QB hits and 18.5 sacks last season.

Bosa's ascendance is due to his improving pass rush efficiency. His pressure rate on pass rushes increased from 14% to 18%, higher than T.J. Watt's in his record-setting season. He also made 18 more total pressures than Watt did in 2021. If he could covert just a couple more of those pressures into sacks, Bosa may soon take the record himself.

Watch Bosa's contract situation, though. He is currently holding out in the pursuit of a big-money contract extension.

Jalen Pitre, S, HOU

In his rookie year, Jalen Pitre led all defensive backs in fantasy scoring last season on the strength of his 99 solo tackles and 48 assists, No. 1 in tackling amongst all DBs, and five interceptions, tied for No. 3 in the league. Some people think Pitre can't repeat. DB1s rarely repeat, and Pitre's 147 combined tackles were aided by the fact that the Texans faced the most defensive plays of any team.

However, I will argue that Pitre's production does not just rely on his tackle luck. He scored points from his interceptions and eight pass defenses, too. That was all because of Pitre's skill, not luck. The second-round draft pick was praised for his athleticism, and he produced in college, too. While at Baylor, he finished in the top ten for solo tackles, tackles for loss, interceptions, interception return yards, passes defended, and forced fumbles in multiple seasons.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, S, PIT

Like Jalen Pitre and Talanoa Hufanga, Minkah Fitzpatrick is a dynamic playmaker who can roam the field and make plays with his hits and his hands. Since 2019, Fitzpatrick has made 17 interceptions, tied for third-most. In that span, he led the league in interception return yards, so he gives you an added bonus in leagues that score points for that.

Fitzpatrick did make six picks last year, his career high and his first season with more than four picks since 2019. In the other seasons, he "only" made two, four, and two interceptions. If you make "regression" a big factor in your fantasy picks, you might want to avoid him, but if you roll the dice twice, the previous results don't actually impact the next result. The fact is that in his average year, Fitzpatrick still makes more interceptions than almost any other defensive back, and he had never gone a season without making a pick. Plus, he has scored one or more defensive touchdowns in four of his five seasons.

Derwin James, S, LAC

The final of the three elite safeties, Derwin James, is consistently one of the best tackling defensive backs, even when it comes to making sacks. His hands are not quite as good. He has only made seven interceptions in three healthy seasons (while missing all of 2020 and most of 2019). But he finished seventh for tackles by a defensive back in 2021 and 23rd in 2022 while finishing in the top seven for sacks by a DB both years.

Foye Oluokun, LB, JAX

In an IDP world where players fall off the rankings with regularity, few have been as consistently elite as Foyesade Oluokun. He finished as IDP1 last season, IDP2 in 2021, and IDP14 in 2020 (IDP8 from Week 5-17 in 2020). He led the league in combined tackles for two straight seasons.

Oluokun doesn't make the sexy plays. He didn't make a single interception last season and hasn't ever scored a touchdown in his five-year career. But if you just want fantasy points and don't care where they come from, there are few IDPs better than him.

The only two linebackers who could arguably be better bets than Oluokun are...

Nick Bolton, LB, KC

In just his second season, Bolton made 180 combined tackles, only four fewer than Oluokun. He also graded better than Oluokun in almost every category and missed fewer tackles, indicating that his production might be more stable and reliable. In addition, with Bolton being only 23 years old, there is more room for him to grow.  

And...

Roquan Smith, LB, BAL

Smith ranked third in tackling behind Oluokun and Bolton, but he is more likely to make the sexy plays you want to see when you watch your guys on Sunday. He has made one or more interceptions every season of his five-year career, including three last season, and he has made double-digit TFLs for the past three seasons. He averages 3.7 sacks per season during his career. (Oluokun has never made more than 3.0 in a single season.) Pick Smith ahead of Bolton in sack-heavy leagues.

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