The 10 Rookie Defensive Linemen To Target in 2025 IDP Fantasy Football Leagues

May 30, 2025

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Draft capital matters and is the driving force behind the start of 2025 IDP rookie drafts, but landing spots are equally, if not more, important. It turns out it's hard to accumulate fantasy points when you can't earn snaps. As is the case with any league, your scoring format and positional requirements are crucial in determining how to prioritize these players, but for now, I'll take a high-level look at a few key players who have a path to playing time for the 2025 season.

More IDP Targets: Defensive Backs | Linebackers

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2025 IDP - Rookie Defensive Linemen

Abdul Carter, EDGE, New York Giants

I think Abdul Carter is just starting to scratch the surface of what he can become. He is a cornerstone asset in any IDP format and should be productive as a rookie despite questions about how he'll be deployed by Giants DC Shane Bowen. They've said that they plan to deploy him everywhere, allowing his skills and versatility to shine. We'll see snaps as a stand-up EDGE rusher, inside as a blitzing off-ball linebacker, and likely dropping in coverage as well. The early years "Micah Parsons" comp feels lazy, but it's spot on given Carter's skill set and projected role as a rookie.

This hybrid role creates more opportunities for Carter, considering the Giants already feature Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux at EDGE. Both players were among the league leaders in snap rate at the position, so it'll be interesting to see how that rotation looks in 2025. An unclear role and possible limited snap rate could impact Carter's week-to-week floor, but on a per-snap basis, I expect he'll be productive. On top of his 12 sacks in 2024, Carter finished with 11.5 non-sack tackles for loss (TFLs), which highlights his ability to disrupt a defense.

The lack of clarity in his role tempers my expectations for Year 1 production, but it could be a net positive at the end of the year, with more variety in how he scores compared to traditional EDGE rushers.