5 Late-Round IDP Gems

When you are playing in leagues that include IDP, it is still best practice to load up early on offensive players. Filling out an offensive roster is still more difficult than filling out your IDP, mainly due to drastic value and tier drops. One of the keys to being able to do this is knowing IDPs who will crush their current ranking. Being able to find players in the mid-to-late rounds that will produce in the top 10 to 15 players at their position grade is a huge factor in winning these leagues. In this article, I took a look at the Footballguys consensus redraft rankings. Here are five individual defensive players (IDPs) who will crush their current rankings.

LB Pete Werner, New Orleans Saints

Footballguys Consensus Rank: LB26 and 78th overall

Pete Werner was one of the top volume tacklers in the NFL in 2022. Injury capped Werner at just 12 games last season, though he racked up 79 tackles during that span on just 596 snaps. That is a tackle rate of 0.13%, a rate that mirrors 2022 tackle leader Foyesade Oluokun. Had Werner played a full season, his tackle rate would have had him among the league leaders in tackles, if not the top tackler. He is paired with Demario Davis, who is nearing the end of his illustrious career. Werner will likely lead the team in tackles this year and has the potential to be a top-five tackling linebacker for the 2023 season. At LB26, Werner should easily crush his current ranking.

DT Justin Madubuike, Baltimore Ravens

Footballguys Consensus Rank: DT19 and 86th Overall

Madubuike took a huge step in his progression during the 2022 season, at least in certain aspects of his game. Sure, his 23.4% missed tackle rate is absolutely atrocious, but that is not what you draft him for. Madubuike is one of the better pass-rushing interior defenders in the NFL. In 2022 he set career highs in both pressures (32 per Pro Football Focus) and sacks (5.5). The Ravens are also getting even stronger off the edge, with David Ojabo entering the season healthy and Tyus Bowser at full strength. This added edge pressure should collapse the pocket and force quarterbacks to step up in the pocket, right into the arms of Madubuike. Even with his abhorrent tackling, he still accumulated 42 total tackles. In leagues that require that you play defensive tackles, Madubuike is definitely going to finish higher than DT19.

DE Carl Granderson, New Orleans Saints

Footballguys Consensus Rank: DE30 and 122nd Overall

Granderson was the defensive lineman on the Saints line that everybody dismissed the past few seasons. It was always, "Davenport is finally going to break out," or "Turner was a great first-round pick." Neither thing has happened for the Saints yet. What did happen was Granderson outperformed Davenport and took over the starting role late in the season with a breakout year. He posted career numbers in tackles (53) and sacks (5.5), with an astounding 1.9% missed tackle rate. He did all of this on just 45% of the team's snaps. Granderson was an absolutely delightful pairing with long-time and ironman defensive lineman Cameron Jordan. Granderson still needs to fight off Payton Turner and rookie Isaiah Foskey, but he has shown the most in his career and earned a start. There is a great possibility that he will crush his current ranking.