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Playing in an individual defensive player (IDP) league adds a whole new level of strategy and excitement to fantasy football. But it can also be intimidating for fantasy managers—especially those new to the format. The reason is simple—they aren't sure when to take defensive players. No manager wants to be the one that's left with a crippling deficiency on offense because they jumped the gun on IDPs. Or the squad that waits too long to address the defense and winds up with the fantasy equivalent of the 2012 New Orleans Saints defensively.

They were bad. Really bad.

Balance and value are the keys to a successful IDP draft—knowing the optimal time to target each position on both sides of the ball. Getting guys in spots where they have a solid chance of outperforming their draft slot.

Of course, that can be easier said than done. No two IDP drafts are the same. Generally speaking, the elite IDPs in a fairly standard setup with tackle-heavy scoring featuring a couple of starters on the defensive line, at linebacker and defensive back (with maybe a flex spot thrown in for kicks), the elite IDPs will come off the board somewhere between Round 4 and Round 6. But scoring and roster requirements can change that significantly, and it only takes a manager or two to hit defense early and spur the first big run on IDPs (more on that in a bit). As important as balance and value are in IDP drafts, flexibility can be just as important.

However, there is a blueprint of sorts that can usually be followed in IDP drafts. By chopping the draft into sections and approaching each one with a plan for which positions to address, IDP managers can assemble a defensive unit that is more than capable of competing for a playoff spot—without leaving the sorts of holes on offense that can derail a season.

Could draft flow force adjustments to this blueprint? Of course. Again, no two drafts are the same, and opponents have a tendency to screw up even the best-laid plans—the inconsiderate jerks.

But follow this blueprint, and even if this is your first IDP draft ever, (Welcome to the party, pal! Once you play IDP, there's no going back.) you should come out of draft day in good shape.

IDP Draft Blueprint Step 1: Getting Offensive (Rounds 1-6)

It can be tempting to pursue an elite IDP—to anchor your defensive unit with a star like Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith or Pittsburgh Steelers edge-rusher T.J. Watt. Provided they stay healthy, both should be high-end fantasy producers in the season to come.

But the reality is you don't need to be the first manager to draft an IDP. Or the second. Or the third. You don't have to be a trendsetter on defense to put together a competitive team. However, there is one thing IDP managers do need to do. A round or two after a handful of elite IDPs have trickled off the board, the first big run on linebackers will take place. Unless your league starts a large number of IDPs or the scoring favors defense as much as offense, it probably won't happen this early.

Do not get frozen out of that run. Linebackers are the foundation of IDP success, and with more teams playing three-safety looks or running more dime sets, the number of true every-down linebackers has decreased. In most leagues, IDP managers will go as far as their linebackers take them. If you are picking at the front of Round 5 and a handful of linebackers have already been drafted, it's a good idea to seriously consider taking one.

With that said, the early rounds of the draft should be about hitting the offensive side of the ball. Whether your strategy is to go Zero RB (no early running backs), Hero RB (one early running back), Robust RB (a handful of early running backs), or some combination of the lot, spend the first half-dozen or so rounds on offense. Get dependable running backs. Load up on wide receivers. Draft a high-end tight end or quarterback. And then buckle up—because IDP time is coming.

IDP TARGET: LB Zaire Franklin, Indianapolis (Rounds 5-6)

Franklin has been a machine the past two seasons for the Colts, surpassing 100 solos each of the last two years, posting a career-high 179 total tackles in 2023 and finishing as a top-five fantasy linebacker both times. Once Franklin is drafted, that run on linebackers will follow shortly thereafter. So, if you're the type who likes to start runs rather than finish them and don't mind paying up a little, Franklin is a good target—elite production at a bit of a discount relative to guys like Smith and Foyesade Oluokun of the Jaguars.

IDP Draft Blueprint Step 2: Baby's Got Linebackers (Rounds 7-12)

OK, now it's time to start hitting the defense. It doesn't necessarily have to be with the first pick in this section of the draft. Draft flow plays a big part in that—IDP managers have to let the value come to them. But it may well be that seventh-rounder that's the first defensive pick, but what's important here is accomplishing three things.

That's right, three—half the picks.

The most important is to acquire two of those dwindling number of every-down linebackers who were mentioned earlier. Linebackers aren't just the highest-scoring defensive players in most IDP leagues they are the most consistent thanks to the piles of tackles they amass each and every week. Linebackers are the foundation of IDP lineups, and in leagues with four-plus starters, having an every-down guy in each spot can give managers a sizable advantage.

The second is to procure one high-end starter on the defensive line. The advent of “True Position” and the inclusion of 3-4 rush linebackers with 4-3 defensive ends has deepened the available pool at the position greatly—what used to be IDP's shallowest position now offers some solid later-round values. But there's still something to be said for having one starter you can roll out every week without a second thought.

IDP TARGET: LB C.J. Mosley, NY Jetes (Rounds 7-8)

Yes, batterymate Quincy Williams actually had more fantasy points in 2023 than Mosley. But the 32-year-old surpassed 150 tackles last season for the third consecutive year and has hit triple-digits in that category seven times on the way to five Pro Bowls. Mosley's age is causing his asking price to drop into LB2 territory. There's value to be had there.

IDP TARGET: EDGE Danielle Hunter, Houston (Rounds 8-9)

Hunter made an appearance in this very column a year ago—albeit with a slightly lower price tag. That bump in asking price comes compliments of Hunter having himself a year in Minnesota in 2023, topping 80 total tackles and adding 16.5 sacks. Now in Houston playing opposite Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson, Hunter is the one of the cheapest edge-rushers with a legit chance to finish as the overall DL1.