Defense wins championships. You must have heard this old adage a million times. It’s because this is true. Defense wins you championships.
Can it be the same in fantasy football as well?
Fantasy football has been growing in popularity in recent years. It makes the game accessible to every football fan and the excitement and joy of winning is alluring and captivating.
Fantasy football has different ways in which you earn points, depending on the league you play in. Most of the leagues have a standard scoring system. This is more favored for the offensive players.
However there is a whole another format of fantasy football that allows you to score points using IDP.
If you’re looking to get started into the world of fantasy football, look no more. This page will try and explain everything you need to know about IDPs.
Also Read: What does D/ST mean in fantasy football?
What does IDP stand for in the world of Fantasy Football?
IDP stands for Individual Defensive Player. In an IDP league the scoring is based on the defensive players.
What does that mean?
In an IDP league, the fantasy football managers draft individual defensive players for their teams. Points are earned based on the individual performance of these defensive players. Sacks, fumbles, interceptions, touchdowns, forced fumbles, passes defended are few metrics how the IDP scoring system works.
With the 2024 fantasy football season on the horizon, be sure to check out our free Fantasy Trade Calculator to lock down your squad for the year.
What is the difference between IDP scoring and standard defense scoring?
In standard fantasy football leagues, the fantasy football managers draft team defenses as whole. When the team’s defense performs well as a unit, points are earned. Points are usually based on the number of points the defensive unit allows in the NFL game and the number of plays the unit produces such as the sacks and the interceptions.
When it comes to IDP leagues, you start specific defensive players instead of the entire team’s defensive unit. These players score points based on their individual statistics.
Not quite sure yet? Let's take an example.
The Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers defenses have been among the top five units in the NFL in the recent past. If you’re playing in a standard fantasy football league, you will be selecting the entire Cowboys or the 49ers defensive unit. And you will earn points based on the entire performance of the unit.
While in the IDP league, you’ll be drafting individual players like Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa, Jalen Ramsey and earn points based on their individual statistics.
As a fantasy football manager, making changes to your roster every single week takes a lot of research. Time is your most valuable asset. Use Sportskeeda’s Start/Sit Optimizer for making the best roster moves quickly and stacking your fantasy roster every week.
Also Read: What is Superflex in Fantasy Football?
Scoring in IDP leagues
There are typically two types of scoring in IDP leagues. One type of scoring is where the league awards more points based on the sacks, also called the “sack-heavy” scoring. And the other type of scoring system is where the league awards more points based on the tackles, also called the “tackle-heavy” scoring.
In a tackle-heavy scoring system, leagues offer more points to the player making the most number of tackles. The players who are crucial in this system are the middle linebackers, the safeties and the weak-side linebackers in a 4-3 defense. Since the outside linebackers are focused more on bringing down the tackles in a 3-4 defense, they aren’t favored in this system for tackles.
On the contrary are the sack-heavy scoring system. These leagues offer more pints to the players that record the most number of sacks on a quarterback. The sack to tackle ratio in a sack-heavy league is usually 5:1, meaning that every sack is five times more worth in points against a regular solo tackle. In this scoring system, drafting players who will be able to quickly get to the quarterbacks are more valuable.
Also Read: What is Flex in Fantasy Football?
FAQs
A. IDP stands for Individual Defensive Players. Fantasy football managers draft specific individual players for their team and the points are earned based on the player’s statistics.
A. In a standard fantasy football league with standard scoring, managers draft the whole defensive unit of the NFL team into their roster. While in IDP, specific defensive players are drafted by the managers.
A. There are leagues that offer more points to the player who has the most number of sacks, also called the sack-heavy scoring system. The other type of scoring is where the league offers more points to the player with the most number of tackles recorded, called the tackle-heavy scoring.
A. Flex in fantasy football mean a starting lineup spot which can be used to play an extra wide receiver, running back, or a tight end
A. D/ST in fantasy football means defense and special teams. A fantasy football manager draft an entire defense and special teams of a NFL franchise and it will occupy a starting spot on the roster.
