One persistent issue that constantly influences our IDP rankings and streamer advice is, “Are you in a deep or shallow league?” The idea of deep v. shallow is a concept that routinely impacts our IDP advice. A majority of IDP leagues are not so deep that you’d ever start Stephon Gilmore… but how do we help the people who are? Better yet, how do we define a deep or shallow league?
For our purposes, “shallow leagues” are the most common IDP setups. These are serious leagues that like defenders but want offensive stars to remain the focus. In these setups, you typically see four or five starting defenders, with defenders sitting on only the longest benches. You also see scoring set out like we have it below, so defenders rarely outscore QBs, RBs, or WRs.
As for “deep leagues,” this term could refer to a variety of setups. For the truly hardcore, you might see 32-man leagues that start full 11-man defenses. More commonly, you may see leagues that start eight tacklers each week with scoring that keeps defenders on par with RBs and WRs. While 32-man leagues are uncommon, we try to help those in typical deep leagues each week.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
IDP Scoring System for Rankings:
6-points per Defensive Touchdown
4-points per Forced Turnover (FF/INT)
3-points per Sack
2- points per PD, FR, Safety
1-point Solo Tackle
0.5-points Assisted Tackle
Note: These rankings are also based on leagues that start one player at each defensive position (DL, LB, DB) and two DFLEX.
Top Fantasy Defensive Linemen of the Week
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
1 | T.J. Watt | Steelers | Commanders |
2 | Micah Parsons (Q) | Cowboys | Eagles |
3 | Andrew Van Ginkel | Vikings | Jaguars |
4 | Nick Bosa | 49ers | Buccaneers |
5 | Brian Burns (Q) | Giants | Panthers |
6 | Dexter Lawrence | Giants | Panthers |
7 | Josh Hines-Allen | Jaguars | Vikings |
8 | Keion White | Patriots | Bears |
9 | Trey Hendrickson | Bengals | Ravens |
10 | Will Anderson Jr. (Q) | Texans | Lions |
11 | Jonathon Cooper | Broncos | Chiefs |
12 | Jared Verse | Rams | Dolphins |
13 | Khalil Mack | Chargers | Titans |
14 | Montez Sweat (Q) | Bears | Patriots |
15 | Alex Highsmith | Steelers | Commanders |
16 | Harold Landry III | Titans | Chargers |
17 | Greg Rousseau | Bills | Colts |
18 | Danielle Hunter | Texans | Lions |
19 | Will McDonald IV | Jets | Cardinals |
20 | Travon Walker | Jaguars | Vikings |
21 | DeForest Buckner | Colts | Bills |
22 | Josh Sweat | Eagles | Cowboys |
23 | Jonathon Greenard | Vikings | Jaguars |
24 | Joey Bosa | Chargers | Titans |
25 | Byron Young | Rams | Dolphins |
26 | Zach Allen | Broncos | Chiefs |
27 | Ed Oliver | Bills | Colts |
28 | Sam Hubbard | Bengals | Ravens |
29 | A’Shawn Robinson | Panthers | Giants |
30 | Cameron Heyward | Steelers | Commanders |
31 | Chris Jones | Chiefs | Broncos |
32 | Nik Bonitto | Broncos | Chiefs |
33 | Vita Vea | Buccaneers | 49ers |
34 | Azeez Ojulari | Giants | Panthers |
35 | Jalen Carter | Eagles | Cowboys |
36 | Jeffery Simmons | Titans | Chargers |
37 | Carl Granderson | Saints | Falcons |
38 | Harrison Phillips | Vikings | Jaguars |
39 | Tuli Tuipulotu | Chargers | Titans |
40 | Quinnen Williams | Jets | Cardinals |
41 | Kwity Paye | Colts | Bills |
42 | Dante Fowler Jr. | Commanders | Steelers |
43 | Kyle Van Noy | Ravens | Bills |
44 | Emmanuel Ogbah | Dolphins | Rams |
45 | Calais Campbell | Dolphins | Rams |
46 | Matthew Judon | Falcons | Saints |
47 | Odafe Oweh | Ravens | Bengals |
48 | Za’Darius Smith | Lions | Texans |
49 | Leonard Floyd | 49ers | Buccaneers |
50 | Preston Smith | Steelers | Commanders |
DL Riser of the Week:
Dante Fowler Jr., Washington Commanders
It's foolhardy to expect an edge rusher to have a career year in his age-30 season, but that's nearly the pace Fowler is on. The former top-five NFL Draft pick has just one double-digit sack season in his career, but he is on pace for a career-high 12 sacks this year. Better yet, he's secured six quarterback takedowns in his past five games.
The potential for a breakout has always been there since Fowler came out of Florida, but injuries and inconsistent play have limited his snaps and production throughout a tumultuous career. So, are we predicting he is finally becoming what the Jaguars drafted him third-overall to be in 2015?
Dante Fowler has been huge the last few weeks. Game Changer! #RaiseHail pic.twitter.com/WEnbEknRoQ
— 𝓒𝓸𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝓡𝓸𝓫 🇺🇸 (@WFTRob) November 3, 2024
The short answer is, no, we are not predicting that. However, his potential to outperform his current fantasy standing is high. The former Gator is currently the 83rd most rostered DL in fantasy, but he’s actually DL17 in fantasy ppg. Better yet, he’s playing in a familiar and effective scheme and has a plus matchup against the Steelers on tap.
DL Disappointment of the Week:
Matthew Judon, Atlanta Falcons
We warned you to fade Judon this offseason, but he remained a high-end DL2 pick in most IDP drafts this year. He had us sweating our fade of him with a solid start to the year, but the former Patriot hasn’t registered a sack since Week 2.
Perhaps more concerning is that Judon has hovered around the 50% defensive snap rate in two of his past three games. When asked about Judon playing a season-low snap count this weekend, Atlanta Head Coach Raheem Morris said it was about, "finding ways to be more productive."
While Judon has a good matchup against the Saints this week, his playing time and metrics are both bad. It’s also concerning that his coach thought the defense might be more productive if Judon plays less. Judon remains the 30th most rostered DL in IDP, which means he’s over-rostered and over-started.
Top Fantasy Linebackers of the Week
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
1 | Fred Warner | 49ers | Buccaneers |
2 | Zaire Franklin | Colts | Bills |
3 | Zack Baun | Eagles | Cowboys |
4 | Foyesade Oluokun | Jaguars | Vikings |
5 | E.J. Speed | Colts | Bills |
6 | Roquan Smith | Ravens | Bengals |
7 | Eric Kendricks | Cowboys | Eagles |
8 | Dorian Williams | Bills | Colts |
9 | Bobby Wagner | Commanders | Steelers |
10 | Logan Wilson | Bengals | Ravens |
11 | Jamien Sherwood | Jets | Cardinals |
12 | Lavonte David | Buccaneers | 49ers |
13 | Ivan Pace Jr. | Vikings | Jaguars |
14 | Bobby Okereke | Giants | Panthers |
15 | Germaine Pratt | Bengals | Ravens |
16 | Terrel Bernard (Q) | Bills | Colts |
17 | Daiyan Henley | Chargers | Titans |
18 | DeMarvion Overshown | Cowboys | Eagles |
19 | Nick Bolton | Chiefs | Broncos |
20 | Nakobe Dean | Eagles | Cowboys |
21 | Jack Campbell | Lions | Texans |
22 | Jordyn Brooks | Dolphins | Rams |
23 | Blake Cashman (Q) | Vikings | Jaguars |
24 | Troy Andersen (Q) | Falcons | Saints |
25 | T.J. Edwards | Bears | Patriots |
26 | Azeez Al-Shaair (Q) | Texans | Lions |
27 | Jack Gibbens | Titans | Chargers |
28 | Cody Barton | Broncos | Chiefs |
29 | Quincy Williams | Jets | Cardinals |
30 | Trevin Wallace | Panthers | Giants |
31 | Demario Davis (Q) | Saints | Falcons |
32 | Christian Rozeboom | Rams | Dolphins |
33 | Kaden Elliss | Falcons | Saints |
34 | Josey Jewell | Panthers | Giants |
35 | Alex Anzalone | Lions | Texans |
36 | T.J. Watt | Steelers | Commanders |
37 | Nathan Landman | Falcons | Saints |
38 | Kyzir White (Q) | Cardinals | Jets |
39 | Tremaine Edmunds | Bears | Patriots |
40 | Patrick Queen | Steelers | Commanders |
41 | Henry To’o To’o (Q) | Texans | Lions |
42 | Frankie Luvu | Commanders | Steelers |
43 | Kenneth Murray Jr. (Q) | Titans | Chargers |
44 | Devin Lloyd | Jaguars | Vikings |
45 | Andrew Van Ginkel | Vikings | Jaguars |
46 | Drue Tranquill | Chiefs | Broncos |
47 | David Long Jr. | Dolphins | Rams |
48 | Micah McFadden | Giants | Panthers |
49 | Ventrell Miller | Jaguars | Vikings |
50 | Payton Wilson | Steelers | Commanders |
LB Riser of the Week:
Devin Bush, Cleveland Browns
A former top-ten draft pick who has flashed but never been consistent in terms of fantasy or NFL production, Bush is a “riser” only in the short term. He is difficult to trust on a week-to-week basis, but his playing time and role should be solid until Jordan Hicks and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah return.
With Owusu-Koramoah on IR and Hicks persistently missing time, Bush has seen his playing time and production spike. As long as both of Cleveland’s starters remain out, he should continue to see consistent playing time on a talented defense that faces offenses who are usually trying to run out the clock with a lead.
Since Cleveland is on bye, the demand for Bush will be low on waivers. Because of the bye he won’t even show at the top of your queue. Thus, IDP managers in deep leagues can easily stash him this week if you need a streamer with a quality matchup in Week 11, since Bush and the Browns face the Saints and their short-game oriented offense.
LB Disappointment of the Week:
Jerome Baker, Tennessee Titans
As we saw with Ernest Jones IV and his short foray in Tennessee, this Titans coaching staff is not quick to stick newly added linebackers into the starting lineup. Jones only saw 46% of the defensive snaps in his first game with the Titans, but Jerome Baker’s situation is worse.
Jerome Baker with the sack on Cam Newton! 💪🌰 pic.twitter.com/Ue0wVyztpR
— Barstool Ohio State (@BarstoolOSU) September 13, 2020
In two games with Tennessee, Baker has seen exactly zero snaps. Jack Gibbens and Kenneth Murray Jr. seem entrenched ahead of him on the depth chart. Gibbens and Murray haven’t given the Titans reason to rush Baker into a key role, either. In fact, it’s unclear whether Baker was anything more than a depth throw-in to the Jones trade.
While it may seem obvious to bench Baker, many IDP managers haven’t yet. He is currently the 38th most rostered LB in fantasy. He was also the 39th most started last weekend when he started in more leagues than Christian Rozeboom, Edgerrin Cooper, and Daiyan Henley. Baker shouldn’t start over those guys even if he plays more.
Top Fantasy Defensive Backs of the Week
Rank | Player | Team | Opponent |
1 | Brian Branch | Lions | Texans |
2 | Antoine Winfield Jr. | Buccaneers | 49ers |
3 | Kyle Hamilton | Ravens | Bengals |
4 | Nick Cross | Colts | Bills |
5 | Budda Baker | Cardinals | Jets |
6 | Jaquan Brisker (Q) | Bears | Patriots |
7 | Jessie Bates III | Falcons | Saints |
8 | Derwin James Jr. | Chargers | Titans |
9 | Kerby Joseph | Lions | Texans |
10 | Quentin Lake | Rams | Dolphins |
11 | Jalen Pitre | Texans | Lions |
12 | Julian Blackmon | Colts | Bills |
13 | Tyrique Stevenson | Bears | Patriots |
14 | DeShon Elliott | Steelers | Commanders |
15 | Alontae Taylor | Saints | Falcons |
16 | Marlon Humphrey | Ravens | Bengals |
17 | Kyle Dugger | Patriots | Bears |
18 | Josh Metellus | Vikings | Jaguars |
19 | Brandon Jones | Broncos | Chiefs |
20 | Jaylon Jones | Colts | Bills |
21 | Camryn Bynum | Vikings | Jaguars |
22 | Deommodore Lenoir | 49ers | Buccaneers |
23 | Zyon McCollum | Buccaneers | 49ers |
24 | Kenny Moore II | Colts | Bills |
25 | Damar Hamlin | Bills | Colts |
26 | Tony Adams (Q) | Jets | Cardinals |
27 | Reed Blankenship | Eagles | Cowboys |
28 | Jordan Whitehead | Buccaneers | 49ers |
29 | Ji’Ayir Brown | 49ers | Buccaneers |
30 | Minkah Fitzpatrick | Steelers | Commanders |
31 | Taron Johnson | Bills | Colts |
32 | Tyson Campbell | Jaguars | Vikings |
33 | Marte Mapu | Patriots | Bears |
34 | Byron Murphy Jr. | Vikings | Jaguars |
35 | Riley Moss | Broncos | Chiefs |
36 | Amani Hooker | Titans | Chargers |
37 | Michael Jackson | Panthers | Giants |
38 | Malik Mustapha | 49ers | Buccaneers |
39 | Demani Richardson | Panthers | Giants |
40 | Charvarius Ward | 49ers | Buccaneers |
41 | Jevon Holland (Q) | Dolphins | Rams |
42 | Kamren Curl (Q) | Rams | Dolphins |
43 | Jalen Thompson | Cardinals | Jets |
44 | Cam Taylor-Britt | Bengals | Ravens |
45 | DaRon Bland (Q) | Cowboys | Eagles |
46 | Bryan Cook | Chiefs | Broncos |
47 | Kevin Byard | Bears | Patriots |
48 | Christian Gonzalez | Patriots | Bears |
49 | Tykee Smith | Buccaneers | 49ers |
50 | Mike Sainristil | Commanders | Steelers |
DB Riser of the Week:
Demani Richardson, Carolina Panthers
A largely unknown undrafted free agent, Richardson started the season without much playing time. That has changed the last two weeks, as the Texas A&M product has put together back-to-back double-digit tackle performances.
It’s hard to completely trust an undrafted rookie after just two games, especially given it took two injuries for him to see the field. However, it’s also hard to see him coming off the field when he’s producing like this. Richardson is rostered in just 2% of IDP leagues and has a positive matchup coming up against the Giants, so he’s a riser for us.
DB Disappointment of the Week:
Trevon Diggs, Dallas Cowboys
Diggs has historically been reliant on interceptions and tipped passes for fantasy production, though his tackle numbers have improved slightly this season. However, Diggs remains inconsistent in run support and struggles to take down runners one-on-one, which could be a problem against the Eagles.
Throw it where they ain't, @KirkCousins8 💰
FOX | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/5GoEGj1N5Q
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) November 3, 2024
Philly’s offense is bottom of the NFL in pass attempts per game this season. Worse, they have averaged just 19.7 pass attempts over their past three games. The former NFC Champs’ recent winning formula revolves around establishing the run and playing solid defense to protect a lead. They should be able to continue that formula this week.
With Dak Prescott “likely” headed to IR and CeeDee Lamb also questionable to play, it seems unlikely a hampered Dallas offense will pose a big threat for Philly. This should be another game where the Eagles establish a lead early and nurse it with the run game. That should spell low volume for Diggs.
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