Defense plays an integral part in an NFL team's success.
So why aren't we celebrating its individual stars in the same way we do offense in fantasy football leagues?
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Myles Garrett just authored one of the most dominant defensive seasons in NFL history, setting the single-season sack record with 23 and winning his second Defensive Player of the Year Award in the past three years. And yet, the only way his contributions carried weight in a majority of fantasy leagues is as part of the Cleveland Browns' defense/special teams, a unit that finished fourth at the position in fantasy scoring.
If maximizing the excitement that a season like Garrett's might bring to the fantasy game appeals to you -- and it should! -- consider switching your league from using team defenses (D/STs) to individual defensive players (IDPs).
Here are the IDP rankings for 2026
IDP formats bring a new dimension of play to your fantasy league and deepen your knowledge in a manner that will bring a whole different level of joy to the game -- both fantasy and on the field.
IDP leagues credit specific players for their big plays on defense. To name a few from last season, there was Roquan Smith's 63-yard fumble recovery touchdown, to go along with his eight solo tackles, in Week 2; Devin Lloyd's 99-yard pick-six of Patrick Mahomes in Week 5; and Ernest Jones IV's two-interception Week 13, which included an 85-yard pick-six and seven solo tackles. Best yet, IDP leagues grant you the flexibility to introduce defensive play into your league as simply or as complex as you wish.
I've played in a pair of IDP leagues for more than 15 years, and one even awards bonus points for big plays such as Lloyd's. Given the choice, I prefer IDP over D/ST as a scoring format.
Here's how to set up an IDP league on ESPN
NOTE: The commissioner/league manager (LM) or anyone with LM powers can make changes to roster and scoring settings.
IDPs are broken down three ways in ESPN custom leagues:
Defensive players as a whole (DP, a position that can also be used as an IDP "flex," which we'll get into later, with the other two formats) Defensive linemen (DL, which includes defensive ends and defensive tackles), linebackers (LB), and defensive backs (DB, which includes cornerbacks and safeties) More specific defensive positions including defensive ends (DE), defensive tackles (DT), linebackers, cornerbacks (CB) and safeties (S) Once you decide upon your desired number of active defensive starters, change your lineup settings by clicking on "LM Tools" and then "Edit Roster Settings." Adjust the drop-down menu accordingly and you're all set.