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Even in this era of spread offenses and rules that favor that side of the ball, defense still matters. The top two defenses in the league last year made the playoffs. One (the Philadelphia Eagles) advanced to the Super Bowl.

But in fantasy football, defenses are all but irrelevant. You draft a team defense late. Scoop a matchup play off the waiver wire. The effect of those team defenses on the league as a whole is minimal.

However, it doesn't have to be that way. Fantasy managers can give the defensive side of the ball the respect it deserves—by playing in an individual defensive player (IDP) league.

In IDP leagues, managers draft linebackers, defensive linemen, and defensive backs just as they draft quarterbacks, wide receivers, and running backs in traditional leagues. Just as wide receivers amass fantasy points for receiving yards and touchdowns, linebackers get points for things like tackles and sacks.

That's it. Rocket science, it ain't.

Playing in IDP leagues adds a whole new level of strategy and fun to fantasy football. But there is often pushback from folks wary of trying it. The reason is simple—good old-fashioned fear. When managers say, “IDP is too complicated,” what they mean is, “I don't want to embarrass myself by tanking in an unfamiliar format.”

However, with a few tips and a bit of research, fantasy managers can be just as formidable in IDP leagues as in standard formats. Over the next several weeks here at Footballguys, that's exactly what we're going to give you—a complete syllabus on how to have success in IDP, from basic concepts to player valuation to advanced concepts like the effect of stat crews on scoring. We are going to give you everything you need to win your IDP league in 2023—whether it's your first or your 15th.

Welcome to the Complete Guide to Dominating IDP.

KNOW YOUR SCORING!

This is, without question, the most important key to IDP success. Nothing will wreck a season faster than drafting a team without familiarizing yourself with the scoring system.

Most IDP leagues award points in the following categories:

• Tackles
• Assists
• Sacks
• Forced Fumbles
• Fumble Recoveries
• Interceptions
• Passes Defensed
• Safeties
• Defensive Touchdowns

There are exceptions—some leagues award points for things like tackles for loss and QB hits. But in the majority of leagues, those are the scoring categories—the path to points.

How many points should be awarded for each category is a matter of great debate in IDP circles. There are proponents of all sorts of scoring systems. Some have fun nicknames and everything. But the reality is that how many points are awarded in each category isn't as important when determining player value as the ratio between tackles and so-called big plays like sacks and interceptions.

That's what really matters. The Magic Ratio and how it relates to the three major types of scoring systems.