Dynasty fantasy football is quite an obsession to undertake. Little did I know the depths into which this rabbit hole would lead me. From Devy and Campus-to-Canton (C2C) leagues that have college football players on the roster, to expansive dynasties with Individual Defensive Players (IDP) scoring fantasy points for their statistical contributions, the Mad Hatter and Cheshire Cat have nothing on passionate football gamers.
The latter of those dynasty iterations requires participants to broaden their scope of player analysis to the defensive side of the ball, although the specifics can vary. IDP leagues can simply mean a starting lineup that has one player from each level of the defense (defensive line, linebacker, defensive back). Or it can venture into the absurd, with entire IDP-only dynasty rosters and no offensive players.
Just like in a traditional offense-only dynasty landscape, incoming rookie prospects garner a lot of attention each year as managers look to curate their rosters into championship form. The incoming 2023 class is loaded with talent, especially at defensive positions. As with offense, different positions have varying values for fantasy scoring and draft priority.
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Top 10 Dynasty IDP Rookies
Here are the top-10 IDP prospects I will be seeking out in upcoming dynasty rookie drafts.
Will Anderson Jr. (DE – HOU)
The folklore around Will Anderson at Alabama mysteriously dissipated before the draft. For my money, there hasn’t been a more pro-ready edge rusher since Myles Garrett. Anderson invoked so much fear and respect after his 17.5 sacks in the 2021 season that Nick Saban admitted Alabama didn’t have anyone who could block him.
Anderson’s motor and explosive traits are matched only by his vast repertoire of power and finesse rush moves. I expect a long career of living in the opponent’s backfield for the third overall pick now with the Houston Texans. Sacks and tackles for loss, along with forced fumbles, are some of the hallmark stats in IDP scoring and Anderson is sure to rack them up.
Jack Campbell (LB – DET)
IDP linebackers can make or break a dynasty roster. The best kind are the ones who have a nose for the football on every play and rarely leave the field. Iowa’s Jack Campbell anchored one of the best defenses in the nation and he was selected to bolster a Lions defense that was sorely lacking a field general last season. Malcolm Rodriguez was better than expected in his rookie season and outperformed veteran Alex Anzalone with a 62.8 grade (PFF), but that was only good for 47th among NFL linebackers.
Detroit made waves by eschewing “positional draft value” and taking Campbell at 18th overall, but filling a dire roster need with an absolute stud shouldn’t garner such criticism. He has extraordinary instincts and plays with a level of intelligence and awareness beyond his years. His PFF grade from 2022 was a stellar 91.9, including a 92.9 grade in pass coverage. Campbell is an immediate starter and worthy of an early investment in dynasty.
Brian Branch (S – DET)
The Lions used two of their four picks in the first two rounds to draft two of the highest-graded defensive prospects in the entire class. Brian Branch was mocked in the middle of the first round much more than his new teammate Campbell. In any case, they are both primed to anchor the defense in Honolulu Blue for years to come.
Despite mediocre athletic testing at the NFL Scouting Combine, Branch provides an unbelievably polished understanding of the game. Safeties often score more fantasy points than corners at the DB position in IDP and are more coveted assets. Branch is the cream of the crop in this class and will step right into a starting spot on a good Lions team.
Devon Witherspoon (CB – SEA)
IDP scoring makes it very difficult to use defensive back starting spots on cornerbacks, even though interceptions are a premium stat. The archetype corner that can become a fantasy asset is one who isn’t afraid to stick his nose in a pile or step up in the run game. Illinois standout Devon Witherspoon has that skillset in spades. Hard-nosed and aggressive, Witherspoon is the one corner in this class I can envision as an IDP star at DB.
Seattle now has a pair of corners with a penchant for big plays. Witherspoon joins Tariq Woolen, who tied for the NFL lead in interceptions last season with six. Woolen is still nowhere near as well-rounded at the position as Witherspoon, forming a fearsome set of bookends.
Lukas Van Ness (EDGE – GB)
Anyone who earns the nickname “Hercules” is a player I want on my IDP roster. The newly-minted Green Bay Packer is a 6-foot-5, 272-pound monster coming off the edge. Lukas Van Ness is also one of the most athletically gifted defensive players in the entire class, with a 9.39 Relative Athletic Score (RAS).
Green Bay has gone defense in the first round almost exclusively under GM Brian Gutekunst with mixed results. Van Ness’ selection at 13th overall confirmed a lot of the dominant tape he produced while at Iowa. He has a strong mix of power moves and is outstanding against the run. With a little bit of coaching on the finesse side of his game, Van Ness could turn into a dominant force in the NFL.
Will McDonald IV (EDGE – NYJ)
There were a lot of confused looks from Jets fans when Will McDonald’s name was called at 15th overall, but it was an outstanding pick. It was also an extremely successful addition to a defense that seemed to only lack a strong pass rush. They might have missed out on a dominant tackle to protect their shiny new QB, but they gained a ready-made professional to attack the blind side off the edge.
McDonald was a monster for Iowa State last season and turned in a PFF Pass Rush grade of 84.2, despite only logging five sacks. He had 11.5 his junior season and 10.5 as a sophomore, leading me to believe there is plenty of production still to be had in the NFL. McDonald also totaled 40.5 tackles for loss in his college career, which is quite an impressive number.
Tyree Wilson (EDGE – LV)
Despite a lot of steam that Tyree Wilson could have been the first defensive player selected in the draft, he slid a bit. He ended up as the seventh overall pick, heading to the Las Vegas Raiders as the third IDP drafted behind Anderson and Witherspoon. Wilson is a gigantic problem for offensive lineman, with a frame built to wreck the line of scrimmage and cause havoc in the backfield. He compiled 14 sacks over the past two seasons along with 27.5 tackles for loss.
Wilson is not a prototypical edge rusher, despite all the insistence from some that he is. At 275 pounds, he’s more of a DeForest Buckner than a Von Miller. His physical traits might be exciting, but Wilson does need to polish his edge rushing moves to produce meaningful fantasy numbers as a professional. Las Vegas was disappointed with Chandler Jones‘ production after shelling out $51 million, so the pick absolutely makes sense for their future.
Nolan Smith (DE – PHI)
The Philadelphia Eagles have been ridiculously effective in the last two drafts at catching falling stars from Georgia. Whether they carry injury or size concerns, or vague character questions, Philly has snatched four elite players far later than imaginable and one is freakish edge rusher Nolan Smith. Although certainly undersized at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, Smith blistered with a 4.39 40-yard dash and 41.5-inch vertical jump. That kind of ability to explode is extremely hard to find, especially at 30th overall.
As far as a landing spot goes, Smith could not have found a better fit for his skillset. The Eagles are free of Jonathan Gannon’s ineptitude at defensive coordinator and now will have more success nurturing their young talent under Sean Desai, who was outstanding with Seattle last year. Smith is actually better against the run than as a pass rusher, which says a lot. He showed a penchant for getting after the QB last season with three sacks in eight games. He also forced a team-high three fumbles during Georgia’s 2021 national championship run.
Sydney Brown (S – PHI)
Sydney Brown and Witherspoon were incredible together at Illinois. That secondary was all-world on a very mediocre program. Brown’s coverage and ball skills combined well with his resemblance to a heat-seeking missile in the run game. As mentioned with Branch, safeties are preferred in IDP scoring because of the multitude of ways they can accrue fantasy points.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson was a key player in the Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl in 2022, but he has departed in free agency. This left a void at free safety in Philadelphia that was deftly filled in the third round with Brown. He is one of my favorite picks among the many turned in by Howie Roseman during the 2023 NFL Draft and he was largely overlooked next to the trio of Georgia Bulldogs defenders selected. He figures to start for the NFC champs immediately.
Drew Sanders (LB – DEN)
Woo Pig Sooie! Arkansas has been far from an SEC stalwart in recent years, but Drew Sanders was the obvious leader of the program during his time in Fayetteville. He started his career as a five-star, blue-chip Alabama signing out of Denton, Texas. After an injury-plagued sophomore season, Sanders transferred to Arkansas and took over. Many were mentioning him in the same breath as Campbell as the best inside, off-ball linebacker in this class and likely a first- or second-round pick. The Denver Broncos got a steal in the third round.
Sanders is a mega-producer. He compiled 103 tackles, including 13.5 for a loss in 2022. He also added a remarkable 9.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. Although not quite the stellar coverage defender that Campbell is, he is the better of two at the line of scrimmage and attacking the backfield. Denver’s defense was very strong last season, with former Eagle Alex Singleton enjoying the best season of his career. He and Josey Jewell were strong against the run, but Jewell was a liability in coverage. Sanders figures to push Jewell for the starting spot alongside Singleton, especially in nickel packages.
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