IDP Position Primer: Defensive Backs

In the 21st-century NFL, defensive backs are more important than ever. The nickel has become the de facto base defense. Formations with five or even six defensive backs are more the rule than the exception. Where the slot used to be half an afterthought, where teams would, well, slot undersized cornerbacks, it is now a vital part of defensive dominance.

However, that increased defensive importance hasn't really carried over into IDP leagues--for a couple of reasons.

The first is depth. With so many defensive backs now essentially playing full-time, defensive back is far and away the deepest position in IDP. And the gap between the top option and the lesser ones can be fairly insignificant. Last year, only one DB averaged over nine points in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring--Paulson Adebo of the Saints. The difference between DB2 and DB32 was less than 2.5 fantasy points per game.

The second is unpredictability. Defensive back is far and away the most high-variance defensive position, both from week to week and over the course of last season. Last year was one of the more chalk seasons in recent memory in terms of the top-10 defensive backs overall, but rest assured--each and every year, there will be defensive backs who come from nowhere to post huge numbers. And multiple highly-ranked defensive backs who don't come close to meeting expectations.

See other IDP positions: Defensive Linemen | Linebackers | Tackles and Corners

The defensive back position can be maddening. But finding value at the position (while also avoiding its pitfalls) is an important part of IDP success.

Defensive Back Draft Strategy

In past years, there was one position that stood tall above all others in IDP leagues among defensive backs--strong safeties who play a large percentage of snaps close to the line of scrimmage. Those players amassed the most tackles among DBs--which offered fantasy managers both upside and some stability.

Those box snaps are still highly valuable, and some teams still have clear "box" and "deep" safeties. But more and more NFL teams now covet versatile players who can fill both roles so that they can utilize more of a "left" and "right" safety alignment. It's just one more sprinkle of uncertainty on a position that's already overflowing with it.

That makes the best plan at defensive back an easy one. Wait.

And I mean, wait. Draft all of your starters on the defensive line. And at linebacker. Grab a reserve or two, even. Order a pizza. Binge-watch a few episodes of Justified. And then, once 15 (or even 20) defensive backs are off the board, bang away at upside options available at a position of value.

Since IDP ADP is like Bigfoot (People swear up and down that it's real, but the only evidence is a couple of grainy photographs), we'll use last year's King's Classic Butkus Division draft as a benchmark of sorts. Not necessarily for where they were drafted (The IDP scoring there is, um, robust), but more for the order they were drafted.

Now, some IDP pundits will extoll the virtues of grabbing at least one elite defensive back, claiming that the bust rates aren't as high at the top. But of the first 10 safeties drafted a year ago in that league, just five finished among the top-20 defensive backs in points at season's end. 

Meanwhile, fantasy football's No. 4 defensive back (Chicago's Kevin Byard III) came off the board as the 32nd safety. The DB7 (Denver's Brandon Jones) was drafted 39th among safeties. That's not a one-off or an anomaly. It happens every year like clockwork.

Usually, an argument can be made for just about any draft strategy--all have their virtues and flaws. But for this analyst, waiting at defensive back really is the only way to fly. If it works, you get a high-end starter at great value after loading up on the defensive line and at linebacker. If it doesn't, fantasy managers can just hit the waiver wire.

Because thanks to the depth at defensive back, there will be viable options available on the wire--well into the regular season.

That also happens every year.

Regarding Travis Hunter

With a few exceptions, unless your league requires cornerbacks, they are best left alone in IDP drafts. They take the high variance at defensive back to a whole new level. But rookie phenom Travis Hunter of Jacksonville could be the mother of those exceptions.

I just can't stop with these. In large part because I don't want to.

I already wrote in detail here at Footballguys about the potential impact Hunter could have playing both ways in the NFL. The long and short is this--if Hunter has positional eligibility as a defensive back but plays primarily as a wide receiver, he could be not only the No. 1 defensive back but the No. 1 IDP overall. Wideout points and consistency in a DB slot? Boom shaka-laka.

However, there is still considerable uncertainty surrounding Hunter's role and snap splits in Jacksonville. So while there may be immense upside with the rookie, there's more than a little risk as well.

The Importance of Tiers

IDP rankings are great, but they can also be misleading. The drop from one player to the next isn't linear. There could be essentially no difference between No. 12 and No. 13, but a much wider difference between No. 20 and No. 21.

That's where tiers come in--grouping similarly ranked players together. Instead of targeting an individual, IDP managers target a group. Have your DB1 by the end of Tier X. Have your DB2 by the end of Tier Y, and so on and so forth.

Allow me to demonstrate.

Like you didn't know another video was coming there.

Tier 1: Elite DB1

This is the cream of the crop among defensive backs. To their credit, this bunch mostly lived up to their lofty asking prices last year--Tampa's Antoine Winfield Jr. was the only defensive back in Tier 1 that failed to crack the top 12 last season, and he was ninth in fantasy points per game among defensive backs in an injury-marred campaign. Fantasy managers will have to pay retail for this group--and accept the consequences on the defensive line or at linebacker. If you just cannot resist the urge to select an elite DB for your IDP squad, this is the list. And if Hunter has DB eligibility in your IDP league, he won't make it out of the first few selections. Hype does things to people.

Tier 2: Lower-End DB1

There's something important to note here. There isn't a position in IDP where rankings and ADP diverge more regularly than at defensive back. Some of these Tier 2 defensive backs will be snatched up relatively early after big 2024 seasons. But others, like Chicago's Jaquan Brisker and New England's Kyle Dugger, could drop in drafts after suffering significant injuries last season. You don't necessarily have to have a defensive back rostered by the conclusion of this tier to build a solid group of defensive backs. But if one drops during your draft, be prepared to pounce.

Tier 3: Gary's Guys

More often than not, this analyst will have his first defensive back rostered by the end of Tier 3 this year. Might even have both starters if things break perfectly and one of these players drops significantly. All of the defensive backs in this tier have both Top-12 fantasy upside and a reasonable expectation for their IDP floor--and with DBs, the latter matters. Philadelphia's Reed Blankenship and Pittsburgh's DeShon Elliott could both plummet well past here despite each having eclipsed 100 total tackles in one of the past two seasons. Jeremy Chinn could also clean up behind suspect linebackers in Las Vegas.

Tier 4: The Questions Begin

There is a little of everything in Tier 4--except certainty. The first two rookies make an appearance in Baltimore safety Malaki Starks and Seattle safety Nick Emmanwori. So does the first cornerback in Indy's Kenny Moore II, who has been about as consistent as players at that position get the past few years. There are a number of potential values in this tier--players like Washington's Will Harris and Detroit's Ifeatu Melifonwu could be fantastic values given how late in drafts they will likely be available. But we're already reaching the point that for every player who blows away expectations, there will be another who just blows.

Tier 5: Roll Them Bones

It doesn't take long at defensive back before just about everyone becomes half a dart throw. But that doesn't mean there won't be players from this tier who matter in IDP leagues. Saints cornerback Paulson Adebo led all DBs in fantasy points per game before getting hurt last year. Baltimore's Marlon Humphrey has long been one of fantasy's more reliable cornerbacks. Youngsters like Philadelphia safety Andrew Mukuba and Green Bay's Javon Bullard. More proven veterans like Pittsburgh's Minkah Fitzpatrick and Minnesota's Harrison Smith. There will be solid second starters who come from Tier 5. And multiple players who will be on the waiver wire by Halloween.

Tier 6: Welcome to Nowhere

Just as on the defensive line and at linebacker, by the time you hit this spot in the rankings, things essentially blur into one big tier. If you think Donovan Wilson of Dallas will benefit from the Cowboys' issues at linebacker, by all means, draft him. If you believe that Quentin Lake can repeat last year's top-20 IDP finish in the slot for the Rams? Have at it. As was already stated, there will be a defensive back who comes from nowhere to crack the top 20, even the top 10. If there's a player who appeals to you late, then don't be shy about drafting him. No team was ever ruined by a whiff on a 24th-round pick. But don't hesitate to cut bait on one that isn't panning out either. There will be meat left on the DB bone post-draft--even in deep leagues.

Gary Davenport ("The Godfather of IDP") is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on Twitter (Can't make him call it X) at @IDPGodfather.