2025 Fantasy Football IDP Rankings and Tiers Breakdown: Defensive Linemen
The ideal strategy for approaching defensive linemen at the top of an IDP draft can vary depending on your scoring system and the position's roster requirements. Additionally, these rankings may change if your league categorizes interior defensive linemen separately from defensive ends/EDGE rushers, or if they are treated as two distinct positions. However, positional clusters are often observed, so hopefully, that helps clarify the situation.
The answers to these questions can massively impact how you approach an IDP draft, but in any format, the top-tier EDGE rushers are the most bankable commodity in the game. Regardless of its standard league or IDP, opportunity is the golden goose of all fantasy scoring. Still, I'd argue that skill, a player's ability to beat the player or players in front of them, matters more with defensive linemen than any other position in fantasy, outside of quarterback.
For example, if a bell-cow running back or all-world linebacker goes down with an injury, someone is likely available to provide 80-90% of that player's fantasy output, and in some cases, that replacement player is available on the waiver wire.
If Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano goes down with an injury, we know Dorian Williams can step in and become a top 20 linebacker while Milano is out. On the other hand, if teammate Greg Rosseau misses time, there's no one there to replace his skill set. Sure, someone will go from a rotational player to playing starter-level snaps, but that alone won't propel them into a viable fantasy role.
Because of this, there's significantly less turnover among the best defensive linemen IDPs year to year than in any other position. The players in the top tiers below possess an unmatched floor and upside, and you should make it a priority to leave your draft with a top-tier EDGE rusher.
Don't forget to check out the IDP Primer, which is worth reading regardless of your IDP experience!
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IDP Rankings and Tiers Breakdown: Defensive Linemen
Tier 1 - Highest Ceiling and Floor EDGE Rushers
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