IDP Fantasy Football Primer for 2023

Jul 22, 2023

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You've seen the acronym, IDP, thrown about overtly online. What does it mean for fantasy football? It doesn't mean Insane Disco Party, but I assure you, after your first IDP league, you'll feel like you've been invited to the biggest party since Studio 54 closed. Nor does it mean Incognito Delicate Pterodactyls. No, IDP means Individual Defensive Players.

The offensive side of the ball is full of divas, but the defensive players are in the trenches, and in IDP leagues, they command the attention they so deserve. This means, drafting individuals from the Eagles' defense or 49ers' defense and rack up the points quicker than a Micah Parsons swim move.

Get points for sacks, tackles, interceptions, and more. Whatever your heart desires. Pretty simple.

As someone who's played IDP for a long time (since 2007), I've learned more about the game of football and the defensive side of the gridiron.

If you're just entering the world of IDP, let me be clear. There's no right or wrong way to play and you won't embarrass yourself. It's easier than trigonometry. As someone who struggled with trig, I promise it's not as complex. The beauty of IDP is being able to customize the league to how you want it.

That doesn't mean there aren't tips or strategies you can glean and that's where I step in. Whether this is your first league or 20th, this IDP primer will help you compete in your IDP league in 2023.

More IDP Content: Rankings: Defensive Backs | Rankings: Defensive Line | Rankings: Linebackers

When I say there's no right or wrong way to play IDP, I mean it. But like offensive formats, it's still imperative you know the basics. Even the pros need to master the basics. Whether this is your 500th IDP league or your first, getting back to the fundamentals will help keep your IDP game sharp.

Know Your Scoring

This is as basic as you can get and even I'm guilty of looking past scoring rules and getting cocky. We preach this for drafting offensive players and I'm doing the same for IDP. You value positional players differently in a PPR and half-PPR, it's the same with different IDP scoring formats. The first time I played IDP, I realized my season was over after Week 1 because I didn't pay attention to the scoring.

IDP is just getting out of the infancy stage, it's still growing and gaining in popularity every season. Scoring still hasn’t reached a standard, but that's okay. You’re going to see terms like “Big Play”, “Balanced”, and “Tackle Heavy” mentioned as scoring formats. The first stop as a fantasy manager should be the scoring rules or setup.

So, what do the scoring systems mean?

First, what are you being scored for?