Fantasy football rankings for 2021 IDP leagues - ESPN

Sep 3, 2021, 12:05 PM ET

These fantasy football rankings will be updated throughout the preseason.

We've split them up by traditional IDP positions: defensive line, linebacker and defensive back. Because scoring systems can vary greatly in IDP formats, these rankings will be based on the following scoring criteria:

Solo tackle: 1.5 points
Assisted tackle: 0.75 points
Tackle for loss: 2 points
Sack: 4 points
Interception: 5 points
Forced fumble: 4 points
Fumble recovery: 4 points

Defensive TD: 6 points
Safety: 2 points
Pass defensed: 1.5 points

In the headers of the rankings below, our three analysts will be abbreviated: Mike Clay (MC), Jim McCormick (JM) and Tristan H. Cockcroft (TC).

Go to: DL | LB | DB

Top 50 defensive linemen for 2021

PLAYER	TEAM	BYE	MC	JM	TC	AVG
1. T.J. Watt	PIT	7	1	1	1	1.0
2. Joey Bosa	LAC	7	2	5	3	3.3
2. Myles Garrett	CLE	13	5	3	2	3.3
4. Nick Bosa	SF	6	4	2	5	3.7
5. Danielle Hunter	MIN	7	3	6	6	5.0
6. Chase Young	WAS	9	10	4	4	6.0
7. Brian Burns	CAR	13	7	7	8	7.3
8. Aaron Donald	LAR	11	8	9	7	8.0
9. Za'Darius Smith	GB	13	6	8	11	8.3
10. DeMarcus Lawrence	DAL	7	9	11	13	11.0
11. Shaquil Barrett	TB	9	14	13	10	12.3
12. Bud Dupree	TEN	13	11	10	18	13.0
13. Khalil Mack	CHI	10	15	14	12	13.7
13. Harold Landry III	TEN	13	12	12	17	13.7
15. Montez Sweat	WAS	9	17	15	16	16.0
15. Haason Reddick	CAR	13	13	16	19	16.0
17. DeForest Buckner	IND	14	20	23	9	17.3
18. Leonard Floyd	LAR	11	16	17	20	17.7
19. Sam Hubbard	CIN	10	22	18	15	18.3
20. Bradley Chubb	DEN	11	24	20	14	19.3
21. Kyle Van Noy	NE	14	19	21	21	20.3
22. Chandler Jones	ARI	12	21	19	23	21.0
23. Von Miller	DEN	11	18	22	25	21.7
24. Quinnen Williams	NYJ	6	23	27	24	24.7
25. Jason Pierre-Paul	TB	9	29	25	22	25.3
26. Cameron Jordan	NO	6	27	24	26	25.7
27. Trey Flowers	DET	9	26	28	27	27.0
28. Yannick Ngakoue	LV	8	28	26	28	27.3
29. Andrew Van Ginkel	MIA	14	25	29	33	29.0
30. J.J. Watt	ARI	12	31	31	30	30.7
31. Josh Allen	JAC	7	34	30	29	31.0
32. Emmanuel Ogbah	MIA	14	30	32	35	32.3
33. Grady Jarrett	ATL	6	32	34	32	32.7
34. Brandon Graham	PHI	14	33	33	34	33.3
35. Leonard Williams	NYG	10	36	36	31	34.3
36. Daron Payne	WAS	9	37	38	39	38.0
37. Chris Jones	KC	12	35	40	40	38.3
38. Jadeveon Clowney	CLE	13	43	37	38	39.3
39. Romeo Okwara	DET	9	41	42	36	39.7
40. Matt Judon	NE	14	40	35	45	40.0
41. Trey Hendrickson	CIN	10	38	44	43	41.7
42. Rashan Gary	GB	13	39	41	46	42.0
43. Cameron Heyward	PIT	7	47	39	42	42.7
44. Jonathan Allen	WAS	9	NR	43	37	43.7
45. Arik Armstead	SF	6	44	46	44	44.7
46. Markus Golden	ARI	12	42	47	NR	46.7
47. Sebastian Joseph-Day	LAR	11	NR	NR	41	47.7
48. Alex Highsmith	PIT	7	NR	45	48	48.0
49. Kenny Clark	GB	13	45	NR	NR	49.0
50. Jordan Jenkins	HOU	10	46	NR	NR	49.3

Top 50 linebackers for 2021

PLAYER	TEAM	BYE	MC	JM	TC	AVG
1. Darius Leonard	IND	14	1	1	1	1.0
2. Devin White	TB	9	2	2	2	2.0
3. Roquan Smith	CHI	10	3	3	3	3.0
4. Blake Martinez	NYG	10	4	4	5	4.3
5. Zach Cunningham	HOU	10	6	6	4	5.3
6. Jayon Brown	TEN	13	5	7	6	6.0
7. Bobby Wagner	SEA	9	9	5	7	7.0
8. Foyesade Oluokun	ATL	6	8	10	8	8.7
9. Fred Warner	SF	6	10	8	9	9.0
10. Eric Kendricks	MIN	7	7	11	10	9.3
11. Lavonte David	TB	9	11	9	11	10.3
12. Demario Davis	NO	6	13	12	14	13.0
13. Zaven Collins	ARI	12	12	16	16	14.7
14. Deion Jones	ATL	6	21	13	13	15.7
15. Matt Milano	BUF	7	16	14	18	16.0
16. Micah Parsons	DAL	7	14	15	21	16.7
17. Devin Bush	PIT	7	18	18	15	17.0
18. Jerome Baker	MIA	14	17	17	19	17.7
19. Myles Jack	JAC	7	19	19	17	18.3
20. Alex Singleton	PHI	14	20	21	22	21.0
20. Patrick Queen	BAL	8	27	24	12	21.0
22. Jamie Collins Sr.	DET	9	15	25	25	21.7
23. C.J. Mosley	NYJ	6	24	22	20	22.0
24. Tremaine Edmunds	BUF	7	23	23	23	23.0
25. Shaq Thompson	CAR	13	22	26	24	24.0
26. Kenneth Murray Jr.	LAC	7	28	20	29	25.7
27. Alexander Johnson	DEN	11	25	27	26	26.0
28. Jordyn Brooks	SEA	9	26	29	28	27.7
29. Jamin Davis	WAS	9	30	28	31	29.7
30. Joe Schobert	PIT	7	34	31	27	30.7
30. Isaiah Simmons	ARI	12	29	33	30	30.7
32. Eric Wilson	PHI	14	31	30	33	31.3
33. Rashaan Evans	TEN	13	33	34	32	33.0
34. Dre Greenlaw	SF	6	32	35	36	34.3
35. Logan Wilson	CIN	10	40	32	34	35.3
36. Bobby Okereke	IND	14	35	41	35	37.0
37. Christian Kirksey	HOU	10	37	38	38	37.7
38. Jermaine Carter	CAR	13	36	39	43	39.3
39. Anthony Barr	MIN	7	39	40	40	39.7
39. Nick Kwiatkoski	LV	8	38	44	37	39.7
41. Jaylon Smith	DAL	7	NR	37	39	42.3
42. Germaine Pratt	CIN	10	41	46	45	44.0
43. Anthony Walker	CLE	13	NR	36	46	44.3
44. Krys Barnes	GB	13	NR	43	41	45.0
45. Cory Littleton	LV	8	NR	42	47	46.7
46. Leighton Vander Esch	DAL	7	48	NR	42	47.0
47. Troy Reeder	LAR	11	42	NR	NR	48.0
48. Dont'a Hightower	NE	14	43	NR	NR	48.3
49. Anthony Hitchens	KC	12	44	NR	NR	48.7
49. Keanu Neal	DAL	7	NR	NR	44	48.7

Top 50 defensive backs for 2021

PLAYER	TEAM	BYE	MC	JM	TC	AVG
1. Budda Baker	ARI	12	2	1	1	1.3
2. Jamal Adams	SEA	9	1	2	2	1.7
3. Jeremy Chinn	CAR	13	3	3	4	3.3
4. Jordan Poyer	BUF	7	4	4	3	3.7
5. Jabrill Peppers	NYG	10	5	5	8	6.0
6. Vonn Bell	CIN	10	6	6	7	6.3
7. Derwin James Jr.	LAC	7	7	8	5	6.7
8. Jessie Bates III	CIN	10	8	7	6	7.0
9. Malcolm Jenkins	NO	6	9	9	10	9.3
10. John Johnson III	CLE	13	11	10	9	10.0
11. Khari Willis	IND	14	12	11	16	13.0
12. Antoine Winfield Jr.	TB	9	17	12	12	13.7
13. Harrison Smith	MIN	7	16	14	13	14.3
13. Marlon Humphrey	BAL	8	10	18	15	14.3
15. Tracy Walker	DET	9	13	15	17	15.0
16. Kevin Byard	TEN	13	15	20	14	16.3
17. Justin Reid	HOU	10	20	13	19	17.3
18. Justin Simmons	DEN	11	26	17	11	18.0
19. Landon Collins	WAS	9	21	16	18	18.3
20. Marcus Maye	NYJ	6	18	19	21	19.3
21. Taylor Rapp	LAR	11	14	30	20	21.3
22. Logan Ryan	NYG	10	19	21	25	21.7
23. Kenny Moore II	IND	14	22	22	22	22.0
24. Anthony Harris	PHI	14	23	25	26	24.7
25. Chuck Clark	BAL	8	28	23	24	25.0
26. Daniel Sorensen	KC	12	29	24	23	25.3
27. Trevon Diggs	DAL	7	24	26	27	25.7
28. A.J. Terrell	ATL	6	27	28	29	28.0
29. Carlton Davis	TB	9	25	29	34	29.3
30. D.J. Reed Jr.	SEA	9	34	27	33	31.3
31. Darnell Savage	GB	13	31	31	37	33.0
32. Adrian Amos	GB	13	37	32	32	33.7
33. Adrian Phillips	NE	14	32	33	38	34.3
34. Johnathan Abram	LV	8	30	43	31	34.7
35. Taron Johnson	BUF	7	33	42	30	35.0
36. Donovan Wilson	DAL	7	39	34	35	36.0
37. Eric Rowe	MIA	14	36	40	36	37.3
38. Minkah Fitzpatrick	PIT	7	41	35	39	38.3
39. Kamren Curl	WAS	9	NR	41	28	40.0
39. Ronnie Harrison Jr.	CLE	13	35	45	40	40.0
41. Jeff Okudah	DET	9	44	36	41	40.3
42. Tre'Davious White	BUF	7	38	44	43	41.7
43. Jimmie Ward	SF	6	43	38	47	42.7
44. Mike Hilton	CIN	10	42	46	42	43.3
45. Xavier McKinney	NYG	10	NR	37	44	44.0
46. Eddie Jackson	CHI	10	40	49	45	44.7
47. Amani Hooker	TEN	13	NR	39	46	45.3
48. C.J. Gardner-Johnson	NO	6	45	NR	NR	49.0
49. DeShon Elliott	BAL	8	46	NR	NR	49.3
50. Denzel Ward	CLE	13	47	NR	NR	49.7