Welcome to the NFL, Week 15 kickoff, and the playoff run of the fantasy football season! Pay attention to the injury reports, and keep your lineup flexible when setting to cover your risk and maximize results.
Every league is different — especially in the individual defensive player (IDP) world. These rankings are based on our fantasy scoring to help you adjust to your league while acknowledging that there will be some variations across different platforms. It doesn’t account for position requirements and is best thought of as IDP Flex rankings for Week 15!
Which IDP Players Should You Start in Fantasy Football?
1) Roquan Smith, LB | BAL (at NYG)
2) Foyesade Oluokun, LB | JAX (vs. NYJ)
3) Brian Branch, S | DET (vs. BUF)
4) Zack Baun, LB | PHI (vs. PIT)
5) Zaire Franklin, LB | IND (at DEN)
6) Nick Cross, S | IND (at DEN)
7) Daiyan Henley, LB | LAC (vs. TB)
8) Robert Spillane, LB | LV (vs. ATL)
9) E.J. Speed, LB | IND (at DEN)
10) Budda Baker, S | ARI (vs. NE)
11) Kaden Elliss, LB | ATL (at LV)
12) Ernest Jones, LB | SEA (vs. GB)
13) Bobby Wagner, LB | WAS (at NO)
14) Derwin James Jr., S | LAC (vs. TB)
15) Terrel Bernard, LB | BUF (at DET)
16) Jordyn Brooks, LB | MIA (at HOU)
17) Frankie Luvu, LB | WAS (at NO)
18) Quentin Lake, S | LAR (at SF)
19) Jamien Sherwood, LB | NYJ (at JAX)
20) T.J. Edwards, LB | CHI (at MIN)
21) Grant Delpit, S | CLE (vs. KC)
22) JAXk Campbell, LB | DET (vs. BUF)
23) Dre Greenlaw, LB | SF (vs. LAR)
24) Nakobe Dean, LB | PHI (vs. PIT)
25) Germaine Pratt, LB | CIN (at TEN)
26) Kevin Byard III, S | CHI (at MIN)
27) Josey Jewell, LB | CAR (vs. DAL)
28) Julian Love, S | SEA (vs. GB)
29) Kyle Hamilton, S | BAL (at NYG)
30) Jabrill Peppers, S | NE (at ARI)
31) Fred Warner, LB | SF (vs. LAR)
32) T.J. Watt, LB | PIT (at PHI)
33) Nick Bolton, LB | KC (at CLE)
34) Joshua Metellus, S | MIN (vs. CHI)
35) Brandon Jones, S | DEN (vs. IND)
36) Quincy Williams, LB | NYJ (at JAX)
37) Myles Garrett, DE | CLE (vs. KC)
38) Blake Cashman, LB | MIN (vs. CHI)
39) Quay Walker, LB | GB (at SEA)
40) Tre’von Moehrig, S | LV (vs. ATL)
41) Kenneth Murray Jr., LB | TEN (vs. CIN)
42) Kyle Dugger, S | NE (at ARI)
43) Patrick Queen, LB | PIT (at PHI)
44) Jeremy Chinn, S | WAS (at NO)
45) Xavier McKinney, S | GB (at SEA)
46) Maxx Crosby, DE | LV (vs. ATL)
47) Lavonte David, LB | TB (at LAC)
48) DeShon Elliott, S | PIT (at PHI)
49) Jessie Bates III, S | ATL (at LV)
50) Andrew Van Ginkel, LB | MIN (vs. CHI)
51) Xavier Woods, S | CAR (vs. DAL)
52) Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB | CIN (at TEN)
53) Minkah Fitzpatrick, S | PIT (at PHI)
54) Micah Parsons, LB | DAL (at CAR)
55) Eric Kendricks, LB | DAL (at CAR)
56) Will Anderson Jr., DE | HOU (vs. MIA)
57) Jonathan Greenard, DE | MIN (vs. CHI)
58) Jordan Battle, S | CIN (at TEN)
59) Trey Hendrickson, DE | CIN (at TEN)
60) P.J. Locke, S | DEN (vs. IND)
61) Taron Johnson, CB | BUF (at DET)
62) Jalen Thompson, S | ARI (vs. NE)
63) Reed Blankenship, S | PHI (vs. PIT)
64) Evan Williams, S | GB (at SEA)
65) Taylor Rapp, S | BUF (at DET)
66) Henry To’oTo’o, LB | HOU (vs. MIA)
67) Micah McFadden, LB | NYG (vs. BAL)
68) Marist Liufau, LB | DAL (at CAR)
69) Christian Harris, LB | HOU (vs. MIA)
70) Jordan Poyer, S | MIA (at HOU)
71) Danielle Hunter, DE | HOU (vs. MIA)
72) Kenny Moore II, CB | IND (at DEN)
73) Camryn Bynum, S | MIN (vs. CHI)
74) Cody Barton, LB | DEN (vs. IND)
75) Kyzir White, LB | ARI (vs. NE)
76) Josh Hines-Allen, DE | JAX (vs. NYJ)
77) Kerby Joseph, S | DET (vs. BUF)
78) Ugo Amadi, S | NO (vs. WAS)
79) Justin Reid, S | KC (at CLE)
80) Damar Hamlin, S | BUF (at DET)
81) Mohamoud Diabate, LB | CLE (vs. KC)
82) Tremaine Edmunds, LB | CHI (at MIN)
83) Tyrann Mathieu, S | NO (vs. WAS)
84) Jonathan Owens, S | CHI (at MIN)
85) C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S | PHI (vs. PIT)
86) Devon Witherspoon, CB | SEA (vs. GB)
87) Jordan Fuller, S | CAR (vs. DAL)
88) Tyrice Knight, LB | SEA (vs. GB)
89) Chris Jones, DT | KC (at CLE)
90) Kam Curl, S | LAR (at SF)
91) Malik Harrison, LB | BAL (at NYG)
92) Devin Lloyd, LB | JAX (vs. NYJ)
93) Jordan Hicks, LB | CLE (vs. KC)
94) Harrison Smith, S | MIN (vs. CHI)
95) Demario Davis, LB | NO (vs. WAS)
96) Christian Rozeboom, LB | LAR (at SF)
97) Greg Rousseau, DE | BUF (at DET)
98) Jahlani Tavai, LB | NE (at ARI)
99) Jared Verse, DE | LAR (at SF)
100) Byron Murphy Jr., CB | MIN (vs. CHI)
Best IDP Players To Start in Week 15
Jamien Sherwood, LB, New York Jets
After Jamien Sherwood posted only 10 combined tackles over Weeks 12 and 13, managers (myself included) were rightfully spooked. I’m here to say now that even with some ups and downs to his game, Sherwood needs to stay in lineups as an LB2 at a minimum.
some film breakdown as #ProBowlVote evidence for @JamienSherwood 🎞️ pic.twitter.com/ykhiIiZxoO
— New York Jets (@nyjets) December 12, 2024
Sherwood is a certified baller, one who’s posted six different double-digit tackle performances, including a crazy 18 total tackles in Week 14. With the Jacksonville Jaguars as their Week 15 opponent, don’t be surprised if he does it again with a team that’ll be looking to run the ball.
Nakobe Dean, LB, Philadelphia Eagles
The Nakobe Dean breakout season is here, and it’s absolutely glorious. An IDP favorite of many an analyst whose fall in the NFL Draft surprised us all, the dude is just good at football and as an IDP asset now that he’s seeing consistent playing time.
Overshadowed to start 2024 by new teammate Zach Baun, Dean is emerging as an IDP force of his own. Over the last four games, Dean now has 40 combined tackles, and he even picked up a sack in that time. Now with the battle for Pennsylvania this week, Dean will see many tackle opportunities against the Pittsburgh Steelers’ run-heavy approach.
