This time of year, no IDP manager wants to focus on Round 23 of their upcoming drafts. It's all about the sizzle, baby.
Partly, that's just the nature of the beast in IDP. As much as this analyst loves the format (no one does more), there's no denying that a live, 30-round draft can be a grind. The King's Classic Dick Butkus Division is 14 teams and 34 rounds. 476 picks. Live at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
And as awesome as that is, by the 3.5-hour mark everyone just wants to pee and then take a nap.
It's also a lot more fun to wonder and strategize about early or mid-round IDP targets than late-round dart-throws. To ponder whether it's worth it to be aggressive and take Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Myles Garrett or Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell. To imagine the bargain you'll get in Round 13 that will leave your league-mates cursing your name.
You know you're drafting well when the obscenities start to fly.
But those late-round picks have value as well. More than a few IDP leagues have been won by players who came from nowhere to have huge seasons à la Devin White with the Las Vegas Raiders last year.
Sometimes, as appealing as the sizzle may be, IDP managers need something else.
They need Sizzlean.
Check that. No one needs that. Ever. Just…no.
However, it is a good idea to have a few late-round targets in mind come draft day who have a real chance of hitting the bullseye.
These defensive players fit that bill—and all of them should be available beyond Round 20.
Late-Round IDP Values
EDGE Odafe Oweh, Washington
Oweh is on his third team in two seasons. He started 2025 with the Baltimore Ravens, was traded to the Los Angeles Chargers just after a month into the season, and then signed a massive four-year, $96 million contract with the Commanders in free agency. While addressing the media, Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said he envisions Oweh causing damage from all over the field in 2026.
"We definitely trust him," Quinn said. "You have to do some experimenting. For a guy like him, left side, right side, off the ball. It'll be a little bit ongoing. He is definitely somebody that you want to feature and find matchups to go after."
If you count Oweh's three-sack rampage in the Wild Card Round against the New England Patriots last year, the 27-year-old hit the 10-sack mark for the second straight season. The tackle numbers aren't ideal—in five seasons, Oweh has yet to hit 40 total tackles. But Oweh was a top-10 edge rusher last year in terms of pass rush win rate per ESPN, and his snap share in 2026 should be easily the highest of his career.
EDGE Boye Mafe, Cincinnati
Like Oweh, Mafe was on the move this year in free agency—after picking up a Super Bowl ring with the Seahawks last year, Mafe got $20 million a season to help replace Trey Hendrickson in the Queen City. The 27-year-old Mafe told reporters he's embracing his role as the leader of an admittedly young group of edge rushers in Cincinnati.
"The coaches that I had and the people I've been surrounded by, I've been blessed," Mafe said. "They taught me the intricacies of the game. Learning that makes the game a lot simpler for players. Half the game is mental. When you know what's going on around you, it makes it easier to play the game."
Mafe's numbers last year were nothing to write home about—two sacks and his fewest snaps since his rookie season. But Mafe also has a 52-tackle, nine-sack season on his NFL resume that resulted in a top-25 finish among edge rushers in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring. He also had a higher pass rush win rate in 2025 than Brian Burns of the Giants and Aidan Hutchinson of the Lions.
Can't argue with math.
LB Ventrell Miller, Jacksonville
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