2026 IDP Position Primer: Defensive Backs

In this era of pass-heavy offenses, "11" personnel and the nickel as the de facto base defense in the NFL, having a solid secondary is more important than ever. Last year the Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl LX in no small part because of a pass defense that allowed less than 195 passing yards per game. So did their opponents in that game—the New England Patriots.

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However, while defensive backs may have more value than ever from an NFL perspective, it remains the least valuable position in IDP leagues—for a pair of reasons.

The first is depth. There are five defensive backs on the field for 70-ish percent of every team's plays—higher for some squads. There's also not a huge gap in value between that massive pile of defensive backs. Last year, not one defensive back who played in more than five games averaged even 7.5 fantasy points per game in The Godfather's Default IDP Scoring. The difference in fantasy points between DB3 (Rams safety Kam Curl) and DB33 (Panthers safety Nick Scott) was less than 1.7 points per game.

The second is volatility. Defensive back is easily the highest-variance defensive position, both from week-to-week and from year-to-year. The top-10 defensive backs entering the season and top-10 at year's end are annually two very different lists. Last year's DB1 in total points (Curl) was ranked outside the top-40 by more pundits than not. The DB5 (Geno Stone of the Bengals) was a waiver pickup. Meanwhile, just one of the top-five on this idiot's early rankings in 2025 cracked the top-10 in points.

Every year, there are defensive backs who come from nowhere to post huge numbers. And just as many highly-ranked defensive backs who don't come close to meeting expectations.

Still, just as at any other position, finding value at the position can bring IDP managers one step closer to a fantasy championship.

Defensive Back Draft Strategy

Once upon a time, the players to target in the secondary were box safeties who spent a lot of time near the line of scrimmage. Those players piled up the most tackles among defensive backs—offering IDP managers both upside and some stability.

Those safeties still have value. But more and more defenses are prioritizing versatility in the secondary. Safeties who can play deep and in the box. More teams than ever are using a "star" position with a third safety in the slot. For defensive coordinators, being unpredictable is good. For IDP drafters, though, it's one more headache at a position that is already migraine-inducing.

Given all the volatility and depth at defensive back, the proper play on draft day is patience—always.

Draft your starters on the defensive line. Draft your starters at linebacker. Depending on draft flow, take a reserve or two. Doordash some Jersey Mike's. Watch a season of Tulsa King. And then, once 15 (or more if you're feeling froggy) or so defensive backs have been taken, pound away at some upside options.

There are those who swear by taking at least one elite defensive back, hoping that elite options will carry lower bust rates. But that just isn't the case more often than not. The top-five safeties drafted in The King's Classic Dick Butkus Division in 2025 (Detroit's Brian Branch, Atlanta's Jessie Bates III, Arizona's Budda Baker, Tampa's Antoine Winfield Jr and Baltimore's Kyle Hamilton) finished as the S25, S14, S19, S18 and S17. Not one came close to justifying their draft cost.

Meanwhile, the highest-scoring safety (Curl) wasn't drafted at all. The No. 2 safety (Nick Cross of the Colts) came off the board six rounds after Branch. The No. 3 safety (Cincinnati's Jordan Battle) was drafted eight rounds after Cross.

At every other position in fantasy football, arguments can be made for differing strategies. But unless everyone fades defensive backs on draft day and a big name lands in your lap at a deep discount, waiting at defensive back is the only correct plan on draft day. If it pays off, IDP managers get a high-end starter at great value after loading up on the defensive line and at linebacker. If it doesn't, they 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.

Again, Kam Curl wasn't drafted in Butkus last year—and that's a deep league of supposed experts.

And me.

Travis Hunter 2.0

Last year, Travis Hunter of the Jacksonville Jaguars was the most talked-about IDP in the league as a rookie—the Heisman Trophy-winning two-way star who was going to mainly play wide receiver while maintaining cornerback eligibility. He was going to be a walking cheat code—the hype was fire.

Now, after an injury-marred rookie season in which he never really caught on offensively or defensively, Jaguars general manager James Gladstone told reporters that Hunter will switch to playing primarily at cornerback in 2026. That isn't going to do Hunter's fantasy value any favors, no matter his eligibility. Let someone else take the two-way bait and overdraft Hunter.

You're welcome.

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 larger gap 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.

Yeah. That.

Tier 1: Prepare to be Disappointed

Every one of the defensive backs in this top tier are proven performers—defensive backs who have demonstrated elite IDP upside in the past. But all are also going to carry a price on draft day that equates to drafting at ceiling.

If there's one player in this top tier that this dipstick might actually consider drafting, it's Seattle's Julian Love. His 2025 season was a price-depressing, injury-marred mess, but Love topped 100 tackles three years running before that and plays a fantasy-friendly role with the Seahawks.

Just saying.

Tier 2: Thanks, But No Thanks

Again, the defensive backs in this second tier either have already shown elite IDP upside (ala Derwin James Jr. or Jessie Bates III) or appear to possess it (Nick Emmanwori of the Seahawks is one of this year's trendiest breakout candidates).

But every one of these Tier 2 defensive backs is going to carry a retail price tag. In fact, as often as not there will be multiple defensive backs in this bunch who are drafted ahead of Tier 1 players. It's drafting at a player's fantasy ceiling.

Drafting at ceiling is bad, mmmkay?

Tier 3: Now We're Talking…Maybe