Welcome to the NFL, Week 17 kickoff, and the championship matchups of most fantasy football leagues! 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 17!
Which IDP Players Should You Start in Fantasy Football?
1) Zaire Franklin, LB | IND (at NYG)
2) Kaden Elliss, LB | ATL (at WAS)
3) Brian Branch, S | DET (at SF)
4) Roquan Smith, LB | BAL (at HOU)
5) Zack Baun, LB | PHI (vs DAL)
6) Budda Baker, S | ARI (at LAR)
7) Daiyan Henley, LB | LAC (at NE)
8) Robert Spillane, LB | LV (at NO)
9) Joshua Metellus, S | MIN (vs GB)
10) Foyesade Oluokun, LB | JAX (vs TEN)
11) Ernest Jones, LB | SEA (at CHI)
12) Jordyn Brooks, LB | MIA (at CLE)
13) Terrel Bernard, LB | BUF (vs NYJ)
14) Derwin James Jr., S | LAC (at NE)
15) Bobby Wagner, LB | WAS (vs ATL)
16) Nakobe Dean, LB | PHI (vs DAL)
17) Nick Cross, S | IND (at NYG)
18) Frankie Luvu, LB | WAS (vs ATL)
19) Jaylon Carlies, LB | IND (at NYG)
20) Germaine Pratt, LB | CIN (vs DEN)
21) T.J. Edwards, LB | CHI (vs SEA)
22) Jack Campbell, LB | DET (at SF)
23) Micah Parsons, LB | DAL (at PHI)
24) Grant Delpit, S | CLE (vs MIA)
25) Kyle Hamilton, S | BAL (at HOU)
26) Quentin Lake, S | LAR (vs ARI)
27) Minkah Fitzpatrick, S | PIT (vs KC)
28) Lavonte David, LB | TB (vs CAR)
29) Jacoby Windmon, LB | CAR (at TB)
30) Kevin Byard III, S | CHI (vs SEA)
31) Kyle Dugger, S | NE (vs LAC)
32) Dane Belton, S | NYG (vs IND)
33) Quay Walker, LB | GB (at MIN)
34) Myles Garrett, DE | CLE (vs MIA)
35) Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB | CIN (vs DEN)
36) Trey Hendrickson, DE | CIN (vs DEN)
37) Jamien Sherwood, LB | NYJ (at BUF)
38) Brandon Jones, S | DEN (at CIN)
39) Julian Love, S | SEA (at CHI)
40) Fred Warner, LB | SF (vs DET)
41) Jordan Battle, S | CIN (vs DEN)
42) Tre’von Moehrig, S | LV (at NO)
43) Nick Bolton, LB | KC (at PIT)
44) Xavier McKinney, S | GB (at MIN)
45) Jessie Bates III, S | ATL (at WAS)
46) Blake Cashman, LB | MIN (vs GB)
47) Jeremy Chinn, S | WAS (vs ATL)
48) Jabrill Peppers, S | NE (vs LAC)
49) Christian Harris, LB | HOU (vs BAL)
50) Nick Bosa, DE | SF (vs DET)
51) Quincy Williams, LB | NYJ (at BUF)
52) Reed Blankenship, S | PHI (vs DAL)
53) Xavier Woods, S | CAR (at TB)
54) Talanoa Hufanga, S | SF (vs DET)
55) Jonathan Owens, S | CHI (vs SEA)
56) Justin Reid, S | KC (at PIT)
57) Kenny Moore II, CB | IND (at NYG)
58) Danielle Hunter, DE | HOU (vs BAL)
59) Cedric Gray, LB | TEN (at JAX)
60) Henry To’oTo’o, LB | HOU (vs BAL)
61) Christian Rozeboom, LB | LAR (vs ARI)
62) Jalen Thompson, S | ARI (at LAR)
63) Demani Richardson, S | CAR (at TB)
64) Devon Witherspoon, CB | SEA (at CHI)
65) T.J. Watt, LB | PIT (vs KC)
66) Josh Hines-Allen, DE | JAX (vs TEN)
67) Patrick Queen, LB | PIT (vs KC)
68) Kerby Joseph, S | DET (at SF)
69) Damar Hamlin, S | BUF (vs NYJ)
70) Jordan Poyer, S | MIA (at CLE)
71) Eric Kendricks, LB | DAL (at PHI)
72) Edgerrin Cooper, LB | GB (at MIN)
73) Taron Johnson, CB | BUF (vs NYJ)
74) C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S | PHI (vs DAL)
75) P.J. Locke, S | DEN (at CIN)
76) Ugo Amadi, S | NO (vs LV)
77) Donovan Wilson, S | DAL (at PHI)
78) James Williams, S | TEN (at JAX)
79) Tyrice Knight, LB | SEA (at CHI)
80) Taylor Rapp, S | BUF (vs NYJ)
81) Cody Barton, LB | DEN (at CIN)
82) Camryn Bynum, S | MIN (vs GB)
83) Kyzir White, LB | ARI (at LAR)
84) Malik Harrison, LB | BAL (at HOU)
85) Will Anderson Jr., DE | HOU (vs BAL)
86) Tyrann Mathieu, S | NO (vs LV)
87) Micah McFadden, LB | NYG (vs IND)
88) Marist Liufau, LB | DAL (at PHI)
89) Tremaine Edmunds, LB | CHI (vs SEA)
90) Devin Lloyd, LB | JAX (vs TEN)
91) Chuck Clark, S | NYJ (at BUF)
92) Greg Rousseau, DE | BUF (vs NYJ)
93) Chris Jones, DT | KC (at PIT)
94) Demario Davis, LB | NO (vs LV)
95) Chop Robinson, DE | MIA (at CLE)
96) Jared Verse, DE | LAR (vs ARI)
97) Andrew Van Ginkel, LB | MIN (vs GB)
98) Jordan Hicks, LB | CLE (vs MIA)
99) Darius Muasau, LB | NYG (vs IND)
Best IDP Players To Start in Week 17
Jaylon Carlies, S, Indianapolis Colts
The crown jewel for me this week in the waiver column (to include dynasty managers), and a smash start (assuming EJ Speed is out), is Jaylon Carlies. The converted college safety is playing LB for the Colts but is eligible at S or DB still on certain platforms.
Jaylon Carlies led all @Colts defenders in tackles in Sunday's win!@TheBoy_JC: 10 tackles, 6 solo, 1 TFL pic.twitter.com/4kYgnJ89QM
— Priority Sports (@PrioritySports) December 23, 2024
Teammate E.J. Speed missed Week 16 with a knee injury and it wouldn’t be a shock to miss at least Week 17 too. The Colts LBs rack up tackles at a wild rate, and Carlies came right off IR into a full-time role. He posted 10 tackles in the game. With Speed about to turn 30 and a pending free agent, expect Carlies to ascend to LB2 full-time in 2025 too.
Jacoby Windmon, LB, Carolina Panthers
Josey Jewell has been a fairly steady and strong IDP contributor, even if last week was a bit of a dud for him. Now he, along with other top Panthers LBs, are set to miss this week or more and that leaves Windmon as the likely last man standing.
The Panthers are a team who love one of their LBs to be a full-time guy if not both, and Windmon should ascend from LB2 to LB1 after taking over LB2 in Week 16. In his first real taste of defensive action, Windmon posted eight tackles and a sack to have a really strong game on everyone’s waiver wire. Now he’s a smash start for championship week.
Deeper starts
Cedric Gray, LB, Tennessee Titans
With no waiver column, let’s hit a couple more names, starting with the Titans Cedric Gray. Tennessee has been absolutely decimated at LB this year, and the lone remaining players they have to go are rookies Cedric Gray and James Williams.
Both players are good deeper options but Gray did more with his opportunities in the last game. Gray posted a fantastic 15 total tackles in first real opportunity to play defense. Now with the Jaguars on the schedule with their backup QB, expect plenty more tackle opportunities to a team who gave up a huge rushing game to Jonathan Taylor last week.
Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Green Bay Packers
Edgerrin Cooper continues to blossom as the year has gone along, posting his best tackle performance of the year in Week 16 with a solid 10. Cooper has also been very involved as a blitzer, racking up 3.5 sacks so far on the year despite being limited in snaps early this season.
Edgerrin Cooper was everywhere against the Saints. pic.twitter.com/c80rG33RmW
— Brandon Carwile (@BCarwile_NFL) December 24, 2024
It’s not just the last game that gives hope though, as quietly Cooper has had 40 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 passes defended and an interception over the last five games. Now with the Vikings coming up, expect Green Bay to continue to let loose with their young stud. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets nine tackles and a sack in your fantasy championship.