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One of the best ways Fantasy owners can enhance their league is by adding defensive players to the mix. We call those IDP leagues for you newbies.
If you've never tried it, I highly recommend it. There are two sides to the football, right? It's times to give those defensive players some love.
And in this league, we take it to an extreme -- 28 rounds, with a full roster of offense and defense.
In this draft, we've included some of the best Fantasy analysts in the industry with Christopher Harris (Harris Football), Jake Ciely (FNTSY Network), Mike Tagliere (Fantasy Pros), David Gonos (DavidGonos.com), Justin Fielkow (Rotowire), Adam Pfeifer (RotoCurve) and Ben Standig (Scout Fantasy). We also have five CBS Sports analysts with Dave Richard, Heath Cummings, Adam Aizer, Michael Hurcomb and myself.
The way to approach most IDP leagues is still to attack the offensive positions first, but you obviously have to figure out when is the right time to draft the defensive guys. And in this draft, the first defensive players didn't come off the board until Round 6 with Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt and Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly.
Round 7 had three guys with Raiders defensive lineman Khalil Mack, Chargers defensive lineman Joey Bosa and Giants defensive back Landon Collins. In Round 8, it was Buccaneers linebacker Kwon Alexander, and four more guys were drafted in Round 9 with Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner, Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree, Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David and Jaguars linebacker Telvin Smith.
You need to check the scoring and lineup requirements for your IDP league, but most of the time you will see elite pass rushers and play-making middle linebackers as the first defensive players drafted. That's reflected here with defensive linemen like Watt, Mack and Bosa and linebackers like Kuechly, Alexander and Wagner.
Collins will likely be the lone exception at defensive back to be drafted early, but he was such a difference maker at the position last year and should be again that he's worth it. At least that's the hope if you invest in him.
Heath was one owner who went for IDP options early with Watt and Bosa, and he also drafted Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley in Round 11. This was after he started his team from the No. 7 spot (we also use PPR scoring on offense) with A.J. Green, Rob Gronkowski, Lamar Miller, Michael Crabtree and Stefon Diggs with his first five picks.
He drafted Russell Wilson at quarterback in Round 9, and the only position he might be a little thin at is running back with Miller, Frank Gore, Terrance West, Giovani Bernard and Chris Thompson. But he's solid nearly everywhere else, especially with his IDP guys. Along with Watt, Bosa and Mosley, Heath also has Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright, Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack, Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso, Packers defensive back Morgan Burnett and Cardinals defensive back Tony Jefferson.
It's a solid team, and this is a good approach to take if you want to look for IDP options with early- to mid-round picks instead of just sticking with offensive guys. I took the opposite approach and waited for my defensive players.
My first 10 picks from No. 9 overall were Jordy Nelson, T.Y. Hilton, Travis Kelce, Dalvin Cook, Drew Brees, C.J. Anderson, John Brown, DeVante Parker, Rob Kelley and Eric Decker. I usually never draft IDP options early, and I always look for players in the second and third tier at their defensive positions.
My top IDP options are Vikings defensive lineman Danielle Hunter, Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier, Bears linebacker Jerrell Freeman, Saints defensive back Kenny Vaccaro, Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake and Falcons linebacker Vic Beasley. I also have IDP sleepers that I'm excited about in Steelers linebacker Vince Williams, 49ers defensive back Eric Reid and Dolphins linebacker Mike Hull.
The nice thing about IDP, even in deep leagues like this, is you can constantly find guys off waivers. I prefer to still focus on offensive players early in the draft, but you can also mix in defensive players sooner than I did if that's the approach you want to take.
This is really one of the better mock drafts to follow for the offensive and defensive guys, and I would encourage you to read through all the results. I love this IDP format, and if you want a way to enhance your league, you should add defensive players into the mix.
In this league, all touchdowns are worth six points, and we award one point for every 10 yards rushing and receiving and one point for every 25 yards passing. We also give one point for every reception. On defense, the scoring is three points for sacks, interceptions, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries. Pass defensed gets two points, tackles get one point and assisted tackles get 0.5 points.
We feature a starting lineup of QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE, offensive FLEX (RB/WR/TE), K, 2 DL, 3 LB, 3 DB and defensive flex (DL/LB/DB). There will also be 10 reserve spots for a 28-round draft.
Our draft order is as follows:
- Justin Fielkow, Rotowire
- Adam Aizer, CBS Sports Podcast Host
- Ben Standig, Scout Fantasy
- Adam Pfeifer, RotoCurve
- Jake Ciely, FNTSY Network
- Dave Richard, CBS Sports Senior Fantasy Writer
- Heath Cummings, CBS Sports Senior Fantasy Writer
- Mike Tagliere, Fantasy Pros
- Jamey Eisenberg, CBS Sports Senior Fantasy Writer
- Chris Harris, Harris Football
- David Gonos, DavidGonos.com
- Michael Hurcomb, CBS Sports Fantasy Writer
| Round 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pos | Team | Player |
| 1 | Bob Harris (FFDiehard) | |
| 2 | Joe Pisapia (Fantasy Pros) | |
| Bob Harris (FFDiehard) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rd | Pk | Player |
| 1 | 1 | |
| Joe Pisapia (Fantasy Pros) | ||
| Rd | Pk | Player |
| 1 | 2 | |
