Week 6 IDP Rankings for Fantasy Football (2024) - Defense Positional Rankings for LB, DL, DB

One thing you must always ask yourself, any time you have a difficult lineup choice, is what you need this week. Is it upside or floor? This concept is discussed ad nauseum on fantasy podcasts and is boilerplate among the well-indoctrinated. That said, it's not always a concept that is clear or obvious when looking at weekly lineup rankings.

A fine example of this is perfectly encapsulated by a start/sit question I received last week. A frequent commenter asked me early last week whether he should start Budda Baker or Jessie Bates III. He noted that Bates was my No. 1 overall DB for the week, but he was chasing tackles, and he wondered if Budda was the better player based on his league’s settings.

My response was to note that Baker is the safer play in a tackle-premium or Standard IDP Scoring model. However, Bates was my top-rated DB because of his big play ability and matchup. For that manager, going with the security of Baker may have been the right move given his setup. For those wanting to maximize point potential, they should go with Bates.

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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

DL Riser of the Week:

Derick Hall, Seattle Seahawks

Hall was one of my "Players to Stash" last week, as he was rostered in just 2.1% of IDP leagues but was producing top-end DL2 stats. Then Hall went out and had the best game of his career, notching 14 Standard IDP points against an improved Giants offensive line.

If Hall manages to play this week, he gets an underperforming 49ers offensive front. Hall rotates all over the formation, playing half his snaps on either side of the ball. That means he should see plenty of snaps against Colton McKivitz. The edge of the 49ers’ right side has allowed 18 quarterback pressures and eight QB hits this season.

Beyond a decent matchup with San Francisco this week, Hall is a fine addition for most IDP teams from a season-long perspective. Through five games, the Auburn alum is DL8 in fantasy ppg among all DLs with at least two starts under their belts. His advanced metrics are not yet elite, but he's making plays in run support and as a pass rusher.

DL Disappointment of the Week:

Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers

Mack produced some of the finest fantasy numbers of his career last year. We warned you away from expecting a repeat performance this offseason, given his age and career averages. Instead, we told you to treat Mack as a solid DL2 rather than a high-end DL1. Accordingly, Mack has produced the 19^th most fantasy ppg amongst all DLs this year.

Another #Chargers fine for use of helmet: The NFL docked Khalil Mack $22,511 for this pass rush against Creed Humphrey (No. 52 aligned at bottom). https://t.co/7ABaauywUc pic.twitter.com/VCQZqDKtSt

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 5, 2024

While Mack’s sack artistry has kept him in the DL2 tier, the rise of Tuli Tuipulotu and the impending return of Joey Bosa are both concerns. Tuipulotu's usage has skyrocketed in Bosa's absence, and Jim Harbaugh values his elite run defense. When Bosa returns, we should see a true three-man rotation that limits the upside of all involved.

It’s worth noting that 82% of Mack’s 17 sacks last season came in games where he played 80% or more of the snaps. He’s matched that rate once this year. Despite his dip in snaps, Mack has produced and will continue to do so. However, his fantasy floor and ceiling could be impacted by an expanded role for Tuipulotu.

Top Fantasy Linebackers of the Week

LB Riser of the Week:

Trevin Wallace, Carolina Panthers

With a floundering No. 1 overall pick and truly concerning ownership, Carolina Panthers fans desperately need reasons to hope. Wallace, a third-round pick out of Kentucky, may have just given them one.

With Shaq Thompson out for the year and Josey Jewell hurt again, Wallace has seen his defensive snaps steadily rise from 37% in Week 1 to 100% in Week 5. Last weekend, that high snap rate translated into 15 total tackles and a 4^th down stop of D'Andre Swift. The stop was ultimately meaningless, but it may help Wallace keep his expanded role.

While Wallace could be sent back to the bench once Jewell is healthy, he did little to merit such a demotion on Sunday. The Panthers need to get younger and more talented all over their defense, and the former Wildcat could be part of that movement. The rookie is available in nearly every IDP league and is worth a stash in deep IDP formats.

LB Disappointment of the Week:

Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers

Warner is the best linebacker in the NFL in many eyes, including yours truly. He is special in coverage, his recognition skills and ability to audible at the line are top-notch, and he’s a premium tackler. The BYU alum is also questionable to play and has a poor matchup on paper this week.

Cardinals try so much eye candy and Fred Warner has NONE of it pic.twitter.com/tFS8bvWCzP

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) October 7, 2024

Exactly two fantasy LBs have scored more than 6.5 Standard IDP points against the Seahawks this season. Since Week 1, lead linebackers facing the Seahawks are averaging just 6.25 Standard IDP ppg. For context, that rate would be good for LB51 overall on the season.

While Warner is the kind of talent who can overcome Seattle's NFL-low 21 rush attempts per game and have a premium fantasy performance, the matchup and his injury offer concerns. The All-Pro's talent is too good to drop him far, but he's a borderline LB1 this week instead of the surefire top-10 option he usually is.

Top Fantasy Defensive Backs of the Week

DB Riser of the Week:

Malik Mustapha, San Francisco 49ers

With Talanoa Hufanga out yet again, it looks like the rookie from Wake Forest will take his place. In San Francisco's last two games without Hufanga, the hard-hitting Mustapha has taken over the free safety role and played a majority of their snaps in the free safety role.

While Mustapha isn’t the greatest athlete and hasn’t produced many fantasy points yet, his role this week could be valuable. He is facing a Seattle passing attack that throws the ball more than any other offense in the NFL this season. Expect San Fran to use Mustapha’s size to manage DK Metcalf and patrol the box.

DB Disappointment of the Week:

Riley Moss & Patrick Surtain II, Denver Broncos

Moss has been a nice surprise for fantasy managers this season, sitting 13^th in Standard IDP ppg amongst all DBs. Surtain is also coming off a soft matchup with Las Vegas, which allowed him to snatch two interceptions and a touchdown.

Unfortunately, the Broncos are facing a Chargers team that is dead last in the NFL in pass attempts per game. Los Angeles has been able to follow their desires this season, namely avoiding using their best player (Justin Herbert) very often and leaning on the run because every game so far has been competitive. Denver shouldn’t blow them out, either.

Patrick Surtain II is that dude. 6’2 200+ pound corners shouldn’t be able to transition like this. pic.twitter.com/nCfg3fzMYM

— Ted Nguyen (@FB_FilmAnalysis) October 2, 2022

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