- Aidan Hutchinson made a case for being the league’s most dominant defender: Despite a season-ending damage in 2024, a return to kind for Hutchinson must be anticipated in 2025 with no purpose to count on something much less for years to return.
- Don’t underestimate the worth of dependable veterans: Age can typically trigger some gamers to get neglected in dynasty drafts, however balancing roster builds with youth and constant veterans is essential to competing each season.
- 2025 NFL Draft season is right here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and find out about 2025’s high prospects whereas buying and selling and drafting in your favourite NFL crew.
Estimated Reading Time: 20 minutes
Version 1.0 of the IDP dynasty rankings follows the Super Bowl as fantasy platforms swap over to 2025 league settings and the offseason formally begins.
PFF-preferred IDP-scoring:
| POSITION | SOLO TKLs | ASSISTS | SACKS | TFLs | QB HITS | PBUs |
| DL | 2.5 | 1.25 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| LB | 1.5 | 0.75 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| DB | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
- A full record of every season’s IDP scorers courting again to 2022 and manufacturing towards anticipated knowledge will be discovered right here.
- Age is a think about dynasty leagues. This record is designed to create the most effective long-term dynasty roster.
- This record assumes true place (DT, EDGE LB, CB, S) for gamers (e.g., exterior linebackers are thought-about “edge defenders” to mirror actual NFL worth).
- This is model 1.0 — these rankings will change all through the offseason, so make sure to examine the rankings web page for updates and to kind by place.
TIER 1
The high tier consists of 5 edge defenders – probably the most beneficial place below this scoring system – all of whom are of their athletic primes and working at an elite stage on the sphere. Aidan Hutchinson leads the way in which regardless of enjoying simply 5 video games in 2024 and coming off an damage. There was no extra dominant participant on the defensive facet of the ball this previous season than Hutchinson, even when IDP managers have been robbed of attending to see that throughout a whole season. Hutchinson was already delivering elite underlying metrics in 2023 to assist present confidence that 2024 was no fluke, and he was properly on tempo to comfortably win the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Since coming into the league in 2022, Hutchinson owns a 92.3 pass-rush grade, a 19.9% win price and a 15.8% stress price – all of that are top-10 marks throughout all positions (min. 500 pass-rush snaps) over that span. In 2024, Hutchinson led his place (min. 100 snaps) in all of these metrics, and it wasn’t notably shut, as his 38.3% win price was over 15 share factors increased than the following closest participant, and his 25.0% stress price was practically seven share factors increased. Expect Hutchinson to be able to go come the beginning of 2025 and decide up proper the place he left off as some of the dominant gamers within the league at simply 25 years previous.
Micah Parsons and Nick Bosa aren’t any strangers to this high tier, and each are nonetheless working of their prime. There aren’t many who supply the excessive stage of consistency the place they’re a menace to crack double-digit sacks each season for years to return. Both gamers have been top-five in factors per recreation for his or her place this previous season, and there’s no purpose to consider that they’ll’t reside as much as that potential as long-term belongings in dynasty the place they wouldn’t be price a top-five IDP decide.
Will Anderson Jr. and Jared Verse are the 2 most up-to-date defensive Rookie of the Year winners and supply the best mixture of youth and high-end pass-rush metrics to have IDP managers believing in them having the ability to flip that combo into elite manufacturing for years to return. Anderson outperformed his anticipated sack whole this previous season after ending 78th percentile in anticipated sacks, although he nonetheless delivered high-end pass-rush metrics in Year 2 whereas enjoying a really perfect workload. Verse, in the meantime, underperformed within the sack column based mostly on his 96th percentile anticipated sack mark, which is a really promising indicator that the rookie is not going to solely positively regress in 2025 however keep that high-level play for a lot of extra years within the NFL.
TIER 2
Maxx Crosby, Myles Garrett and T.J. Watt have been the best and dependable beginning choices for the place lately, and whereas there isn’t a lot purpose to consider they gained’t maintain that getting into 2025, they’re not less than reaching a degree the place an age-related decline won’t be too far off past this season. That doesn’t cease them from being top-10 belongings in dynasty since even a decline for them isn’t practically as detrimental to their IDP manufacturing as it could be for others.
This is the place the primary linebackers begin to slot in as properly, led by Roquan Smith, who’s locked right into a full-time beginning job for seemingly the foreseeable future. Smith has additionally ranked among the many high 97th percentile in tackles versus anticipated in every of the previous 4 seasons, making him the one linebacker to take action, which highlights how constantly beneficial he’s been as an IDP. That shouldn’t change an excessive amount of over the following few seasons.
Alex Highsmith has quietly been among the many finest gamers at his place in current seasons, although doesn’t get the identical stage of affection as others that he’s been on par with, and even surpassing by way of manufacturing and pass-rush metrics. These rankings put him in that dialog with the elite after probably the greatest years of his profession. Highsmith delivered 15.8 factors per recreation, which was good for seventh-best at his place whereas additionally rating seventh in each PFF grade (89.5) and pass-rush grade (89.7) in 2024. This marks the second straight 12 months that Highsmith ranked among the many high 12 at his place in these PFF grades, creating extra confidence in him as a participant deserving of being valued as a high-end IDP asset.
Jalen Carter is the clear high inside defensive lineman based on these rankings as he’s established himself as one of many high general gamers within the NFL at his place by means of simply two seasons within the league. Carter’s pass-rush metrics have been among the many high 10 at his place since coming into the league, and arguably nonetheless has some untapped potential the place he not solely maintains that stage of play however comes into extra manufacturing, particularly within the sack column, in consequence. Carter ranked within the high 96th percentile in anticipated sacks in every of his two NFL seasons, and at simply 23 years previous there’s a variety of mileage to get out of his elite potential for IDP.
TIER 3
Jack Campbell and Edgerrin Cooper have emerged as two of the brilliant younger stars on the linebacker place and have been extremely productive when given the chance up to now of their careers. Campbell noticed an elevated snap share in 2024 with Alex Anzalone sidelined and delivered a ninety fifth percentile mark in tackles versus anticipated whereas incomes a top-10 PFF grade for the place (77.4). Meanwhile, Cooper was held to a secondary linebacker position in Green Bay’s protection for all the 12 months, although his stage of play ought to earn him a bigger position in 2025. Cooper completed fourth amongst linebackers in PFF grade (84.0) as a rookie whereas posting an 84th percentile mark in tackles versus anticipated – very promising stuff for a linebacker heading into Year 2.
Laiatu Latu had a comparatively quiet rookie season, particularly compared with the affect made by fellow first-round decide Jared Verse, however Latu’s season relative to most rookie defensive linemen didn’t disappoint and highlighted a variety of the potential he might ship on popping out of school. Latu completed 74th percentile in anticipated sacks in 2024, doing so with the second-lowest per-game snap share (54%) of anybody else in that vary. Latu’s elite school manufacturing profile shouldn’t be ignored after a season the place the Colts eased him into the NFL as a rookie, and after holding his personal within the alternatives he was given, an anticipated bigger position within the years forward ought to enable him to reside as much as expectations, and value taking a shot on among the many top-20 at his place in dynasty.
Trey Hendrickson and Danielle Hunter spherical out this tier, and although they’re older than the best age vary we’re usually focusing on in dynasty, there’s a sure stage of manufacturing that may’t be ignored if IDP managers need a aggressive roster whereas nonetheless balancing a construct with long-term belongings. Hendrickson has now posted back-to-back seasons with 17.5 sacks, whereas Hunter has delivered not less than 10.5 sacks in every of his previous three seasons. The mixture of manufacturing and inspiring pass-rush metrics retains these veterans locked into our IDP lineups and retains them beneficial even in dynasty codecs.
TIER 4
Zack Baun, the primary pending free agent within the rankings, has a robust shot to maneuver up these rankings post-free company, assuming he lands an encouraging contract on a crew the place he’d be utilized as a full-time starter. While that feels doubtless at this level after ending the season because the top-graded linebacker each general and in protection, it’s not a assure, so for now, he awaits his destiny in Tier 4 till his scenario turns into clearer.
Several different linebackers on this tier are safer choices to focus on proper now, and all seemingly secure to begin with their respective groups for not less than one other season. The state of the linebacker place will be terribly fickle within the NFL and for IDP, that means that any multi-year contracts or younger gamers with draft capital who showcased potential can transfer up or down dynasty rankings fairly dramatically every offseason as issues reset virtually yearly at this place. For now, the likes of Terrel Bernard and Daiyan Henley are the younger names that improved their inventory this season as they took over the LB1 roles on their groups, whereas steady veterans like T.J. Edwards and Foyesade Oluokun, whereas having down years, are nonetheless in an excellent place to be dependable IDP starters.
The first safeties make an look right here, although, it’s nonetheless troublesome to rationalize spending up at such a deep place, however for these eager to seize a long-term security with elite potential, that is in regards to the vary the place that may be thought-about. There’s worth in having constant high-end producers at an unstable place the place that may be laborious to seek out, and Brian Branch and Kyle Hamilton stand out as the most effective bets to proceed in these roles for a number of seasons, it simply comes at the next price than most could also be comfy spending on a defensive again.
Chop Robinson’s rookie 12 months was arguably extra spectacular than even Laiatu Latu contemplating how he stepped up within the absence of Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb, nonetheless, it’s the anticipated return of each these gamers in 2025 that’s doubtless going to restrict Robinson’s position for not less than subsequent season. That being stated, Robinson performed properly sufficient to complete 78th percentile in anticipated sacks and the second-best pass-rush grade (78.7) amongst rookie defensive linemen. Robinson can also be prone to stay a chosen cross rusher till he develops extra of an every-down skillset, which isn’t the worst factor, nevertheless it does restrict him as a weekly IDP possibility, so for now he’s a low-end ED2 for dynasty functions.
TIER 5
Tampa Bay’s youth leads the highest of this fifth tier, with each Yaya Diaby and Calijah Kancey representing two very totally different buy-sell candidates this offseason, although even for Kancey, who was listed as somebody to commerce away for revenue, can nonetheless be thought-about a high possibility in dynasty. Diaby underperformed within the sack column this 12 months, however his underlying metrics supply extra optimism for him long-term. While Kancey outperformed his anticipated sack totals this 12 months, his underlying metrics aren’t practically as promising, although he’s nonetheless younger sufficient as a first-round expertise to be optimistic about in dynasty.
IDP managers will discover that the linebacker place is simply not a very engaging group for dynasty functions, exterior of Nakobe Dean, who would have doubtless been increased in these rankings if not for one more damage sustained within the playoffs that may maintain him out of 2025. The linebackers on this vary are principally made up of secure choices, which is a wonderfully viable technique to financial institution on for addressing this place in dynasty drafts. NFL groups worth expertise seemingly greater than the rest on the place, and gamers like Bobby Okereke, Logan Wilson, Patrick Queen, and now even Kaden Elliss have established themselves as reliable starters within the league, and that worth can carry over to IDP as they’re set for every-down roles. The identical will be stated for lots of the linebackers later in these ranks, although some being pending free brokers pushes them down the record, and so they’ll have an opportunity to maneuver again up as soon as the free company mud has settled.
There are some dependable veteran defensive linemen within the latter half of this tier as properly, the place, once more, their age isn’t probably the most very best for dynasty, however having the ability to get a locked-in IDP starter at such a beneficial place, the place constant manufacturing is so troublesome to seek out, there’s an argument that these may very well be among the most precious picks contemplating the place they’ll doubtless be drafted at this stage of their careers and their contributions to IDP lineups. Someone like DeForest Buckner is the proper instance, as he’ll be 31 by the beginning of the 2025 season, so he gained’t be as extremely drafted as he would in redraft, however he’s completed as a top-five IDP scorer at his place, both general or in factors per recreation, in every of the previous three seasons.