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Welcome, IDP Nerds! Another NFL offseason means another round of coaching changes, and this year 15 new defensive coordinators are heading into 2026. With nearly half the league making a change, it felt like the perfect time to take a slightly different approach to breaking down IDP production.
In last year’s study, we focused heavily on defensive coordinators and the IDP production that followed them. This time around, I wanted to focus more on where the fantasy points are actually coming from. Which defenses continue to produce strong DL, LB, or DB finishes? Are there certain positions we should be targeting based on what we’ve seen over the past two seasons? The goal here is simple. Identify those trends and use them to help us make better dynasty decisions heading into 2026.
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How to Read the Tables
The tables below break down all 32 NFL defenses by division. Here’s a quick guide to understanding the data before we dive in.
Player Finishes: 2025 fantasy finishes using Dynasty Nerds IDP scoring. Players were tracked through the Top 80 at DL, LB, and DB. Outside Top 80 means no player at that position finished inside the Top 80.
Base: Each team’s listed base defensive front.
Sub %: The percentage of defensive snaps played in sub packages, showing how often a defense moves away from its traditional base personnel.
Defensive Coordinator: An asterisk (*) denotes a new defensive coordinator for 2026, while a double asterisk (**) denotes a first-time NFL defensive coordinator.
AFC East
View AFC East Defensive Trends
| Team | DC | Base | Sub % | DL Finish | LB Finish | DB Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo Bills | **Jim Leonhard | 3-4 | 77% | Rousseau (DL35), Bosa (DL35) | Milano (LB53), Bernard (LB54) | Bishop (DB21) |
| Miami Dolphins | **Sean Duggan | 4-3 | 63% | Chubb (DL32), Sieler (DL48) | Brooks (LB1), Dodson (LB8) | Fitzpatrick (DB27), Jones (DB63) |
| New England Patriots | *Zak Kuhr | 3-4 | 73% | Landry (DL26), Chaisson (DL61) | Spillane (LB40), Gibbens (LB52), Elliss (LB57) | Jones (DB31), Hawkins (DB51) |
| New York Jets | *Brian Duker | 4-3 | 68% | McDonald (DL53) | Sherwood (LB8), Williams (LB46) | Moore (DB36), Stephens (DB69) |
Miami has quietly become one of the better spots for linebacker production over the past two seasons. Jordyn Brooks went from LB6 in 2024 to the overall LB1 last season, while Tyrel Dodson made a jump of his own from LB32 to LB8. Dodson played 90% of the defensive snaps last season, and with him no longer in Miami, second-round rookie Jacob Rodriguez has a huge opportunity to step right into that role.
The coaching change shouldn’t scare IDP managers away from this trend either. First-time defensive coordinator Sean Duggan spent last season as the linebackers coach in Green Bay under new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley. That defense had three different linebackers finish inside the Top 50 at the position. Brooks is already a locked-in Top 12 dynasty linebacker for me, but Rodriguez is the player I’m most interested in here. He was one of the most accomplished linebackers in college football, and now he has a chance to inherit a role that produced an LB8 finish last season. There aren’t many rookie linebackers with a clearer path to immediate IDP production heading into 2026.
AFC North
View AFC North Defensive Trends
| Team | DC | Base | Sub % | DL Finish | LB Finish | DB Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Ravens | *Anthony Weaver | 3-4 | 63% | Oweh (DL50), Madubuike (DL58) | Smith (LB8), Simpson (LB55) | Hamilton (DB5), Humphrey (DB25) |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Al Golden | 4-3 | 70% | Murphy (DL49), Ossai (DL50) | Knight (LB31), Carter (LB43) | Battle (DB2), Hill (DB42) |
| Cleveland Browns | *Mike Rutenberg | 4-3 | 60% | Garrett (DL1), Wright (DL66) | Schwesinger (LB6), Bush (LB19) | Campbell (DB24), Hickman (DB38), Delpit (DB46) |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | *Patrick Graham | 3-4 | 61% | Highsmith (DL15), Heyward (DL16), Watt (DL21), Herbig (DL41) | Wilson (LB16), Queen (LB27) | Ramsey (DB33) |
Investing in the Pittsburgh defensive line has been a pretty safe strategy for IDP managers over the past two seasons. T.J. Watt and Cam Heyward both finished as Top 10 defensive linemen in 2024, and Pittsburgh followed that up by producing four Top 41 options last season. Alex Highsmith finished as DL15, Heyward DL16, Watt DL21, and Nick Herbig joined the group at DL41. That’s three DL2 finishes from the same defensive front.
The change at defensive coordinator shouldn’t scare us away from this group either. Patrick Graham has consistently built his defenses around creating pressure up front and coached Maxx Crosby to DL25 and DL3 finishes over the past two seasons. The bigger question for dynasty managers is how many mouths this defense can keep feeding. Heyward enters his age-37 season, while Watt, Highsmith, and Herbig are all EDGE rushers, making it difficult to get all three on the field together consistently. Pittsburgh finished 6th in the NFL in sacks last season, and that type of production will need to continue for this defense to support so many fantasy-relevant pass rushers. I’m still investing in this defensive front, but Herbig’s emergence makes this a situation worth watching closely in 2026.
AFC South
View AFC South Defensive Trends
| Team | DC | Base | Sub % | DL Finish | LB Finish | DB Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Texans | Matt Burke | 4-3 | 73% | Anderson (DL8), Hunter (DL9) | Al-Shaair (LB39), To’oTo’o (LB41) | Lassiter (DB6), Pitre (DB53), Bullock (DB72) |
| Indianapolis Colts | Lou Anarumo | 4-3 | 80% | Latu (DL19), Buckner (DL44), Stewart (DL58) | Pratt (LB20), Franklin (LB33) | Cross (DB3), Bynum (DB29) |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Anthony Campanile | 4-3 | 74% | Hines-Allen (DL23), Gardeck (DL57) | Oluokun (LB11), Lloyd (LB42) | Wingard (DB56) |
| Tennessee Titans | *Gus Bradley | 4-3 | 70% | Simmons (DL5) | Gray (LB5), Barton (LB48) | Hooker (DB41) |
Matt Burke’s defense has been money for IDP managers investing in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. The Texans’ pass-rushing duo finished as DL16 and DL23 in 2024 before climbing to DL8 and DL9 last season. Houston finished 7th in the NFL with 47 sacks in 2025, with Anderson and Hunter accounting for 27 of them. That 57.4% share was the highest by any pair of teammates in the NFL last season. At this point, it’s hard to argue with the results. Hunter has been one of the most consistent veterans at the position, while Anderson continues to establish himself as one of the best young defensive linemen in dynasty leagues. Burke’s defense has been very good for both players, and there’s little reason for IDP managers to expect that to change heading into 2026.
The linebacker position has been a completely different story. Despite DeMeco Ryans’ background at the position, we just haven’t seen Houston produce strong fantasy finishes at linebacker. Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o have both failed to finish higher than an LB4 in each of the past two seasons. That’s enough of a sample for me to be cautious when investing in Houston linebackers. There will always be value if the price is right, but the data still points in the same direction. I’m buying the Houston defensive line and tempering expectations for the linebackers until this defense gives us a reason to think differently.
AFC West
View AFC West Defensive Trends
| Team | DC | Base | Sub % | DL Finish | LB Finish | DB Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | Vance Joseph | 3-4 | 71% | Bonitto (DL12), Cooper (DL34), Allen (DL52) | Singleton (LB30), Strnad (LB73) | Hufanga (DB5), Moss (DB39), Jones (DB71) |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Steve Spagnuolo | 4-3 | 65% | Karlaftis (DL33) | Bolton (LB7), Tranquill (LB35), Chenal (LB70) | Conner (DB4), Watson (DB73), Cook (DB76) |
| Las Vegas Raiders | **Rob Leonard | 3-4 | 42% | Crosby (DL3), Laulu (DL54) | White (LB3), Roberts (LB51) | Chinn (DB8), Pola-Mao (DB28) |
| Los Angeles Chargers | *Chris O’Leary | 3-4 | 78% | Tuipulotu (DL7), Oweh (DL63), Mack (DL67) | Henley (LB29), Dye (LB71) | James (DB15) |
The Raiders have quietly been one of the best spots for linebacker production over the past two seasons. Robert Spillane finished as LB5 in 2024 before Devin White followed that up with an LB3 finish last season. Both veterans recorded over 150 tackles during those seasons and rewarded dynasty managers who invested in them. The Raiders haven’t exactly been a good football team during that stretch, but that doesn’t matter much when we’re talking about fantasy production.
The question now is whether Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean can keep that trend going. Las Vegas guaranteed over $48 million combined to the two linebackers this offseason, so it’s safe to say they have plans for both players. The Raiders will also have a new defensive coordinator in Rob Leonard, but there’s some familiarity here. Leonard was retained from Patrick Graham’s staff and was around for the highly productive seasons we saw from Spillane and White. I’m not ready to call Walker or Dean the next Top 5 dynasty linebacker, but it’s hard to ignore what this defense has produced at the position. If both can stay healthy, there’s a real chance one or even both become much more valuable IDP assets in 2026.
NFC East
View NFC East Defensive Trends
| Team | DC | Base | Sub % | DL Finish | LB Finish | DB Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys | **Christian Parker | 3-4 | 69% | Williams (DL40), Ezeiruaku (DL76) | Murray (LB55), James (LB58), Wilson (LB74) | Bland (DB66) |
| New York Giants | *Dennard Wilson | 3-4 | 70% | Burns (DL2), Carter (DL42) | Okereke (LB14) | Belton (DB10), Phillips (DB64), Adebo (DB67) |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Vic Fangio | 3-4 | 75% | Davis (DL13), Hunt (DL17), Phillips (DL30) | Baun (LB12), Campbell (LB59), Dean (LB60) | DeJean (DB11), Blankenship (DB49) |
| Washington Commanders | **Daronte Jones | 3-4 | 70% | Outside Top 80 | Wagner (LB4), Luvu (LB44) | Sainristil (DB35), Martin (DB37), Reaves (DB47) |
Vic Fangio’s defense continues to be a great place for IDP managers to find fantasy production. Philadelphia produced value at all three positions last season with Jordan Davis finishing as DL13, Jalyx Hunt DL17, Jaelan Phillips DL30, Zack Baun LB12, and Cooper DeJean DB11. This isn’t something that just showed up last season either. In 2024, Baun and Nakobe Dean both finished inside the Top 7 at linebacker in Fangio’s system. The names and positions producing the biggest numbers might change from year to year, but the results continue to be there. That’s something I’m willing to trust at this point. Fangio has shown us his defense can support multiple IDP assets, and that’s exactly the type of situation dynasty managers should invest in.
Dallas might be one of my favorite sleeper defenses heading into 2026. The Cowboys added Quinnen Williams last season and continued to attack the defensive side of the ball with Rashan Gary and rookie defensive back Caleb Downs. Add in the emergence of second-year EDGE Donovan Ezeiruaku, and there’s suddenly quite a bit to like about this group. Linebacker remains the biggest question, especially with DeMarvion Overshown needing to stay healthy, but the upside is there. If Dallas can finally find some stability at linebacker, we could be looking at another NFC East defense capable of giving dynasty managers consistent production at all three positions.
NFC North
View NFC North Defensive Trends
| Team | DC | Base | Sub % | DL Finish | LB Finish | DB Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | Dennis Allen | 4-3 | 85% | Sweat (DL11) | Edmunds (LB28), Edwards (LB65) | Byard (DB14), Wright (DB19), Brisker (DB54) |
| Detroit Lions | Kelvin Sheppard | 4-3 | 34% | Hutchinson (DL6), Muhammad (DL62) | Campbell (LB2), Anzalone (LB37), Barnes (LB49) | Branch (DB43) |
| Green Bay Packers | *Jonathan Gannon | 3-4 | 62% | Parsons (DL22), Gary (DL36) | Walker (LB21), Cooper (LB25), McDuffie (LB50) | McKinney (DB13), Williams (DB23), Nixon (DB45), Bullard (DB70) |
| Minnesota Vikings | Brian Flores | 3-4 | 43% | Redmond (DL20), Turner (DL24), Van Ginkel (DL27), Allen (DL31) | Wilson (LB13), Cashman (LB23) | Metellus (DB58), Rodgers (DB62), Murphy (DB75) |
Brian Flores has become one of the NFL’s more feared defensive coordinators with his aggressive and unpredictable approach. For IDP managers, that has also led to some very strong defensive line finishes. Minnesota produced two DL1 finishes in 2024 before following that up with four DL3 or better finishes last season. Jalen Redmond finished as DL20, Dallas Turner DL24, Andrew Van Ginkel DL27, and Jonathan Allen DL31. That’s six Top 36 finishes from the position over two seasons, which is becoming difficult to ignore.
While Minnesota continues to give us reasons to invest in the defensive line, Green Bay has quietly been a very good spot for defensive backs. The Packers have produced two Top 24 DBs in each of the past two seasons, including Xavier McKinney at DB13 and Evan Williams at DB23 last season. DB remains the deepest and most replaceable position in IDP leagues, so I rarely pay a premium there. Finding productive defensive backs in situations that continue to produce fantasy points is a strategy that has worked for me, and Green Bay is quickly becoming one of those defenses.
NFC South
View NFC South Defensive Trends
| Team | DC | Base | Sub % | DL Finish | LB Finish | DB Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Falcons | Jeff Ulbrich | 3-4 | 67% | Onyemata (DL58), Walker (DL71) | Elliss (LB24), Deablo (LB61) | Bates (DB16), Watts (DB20), Alford (DB55) |
| Carolina Panthers | Ejiro Evero | 3-4 | 72% | Brown (DL28), Robinson (DL55), Scourton (DL72) | Rozeboom (LB34), Wallace (LB64) | Moehrig (DB9), Scott (DB26), Jackson (DB32) |
| New Orleans Saints | Brandon Staley | 3-4 | 62% | Jordan (DL25), Young (DL45), Granderson (DL47), Shepard (DL60) | Davis (LB17), Werner (LB48) | Taylor (DB25), McKinstry (DB34), Sanker (DB60) |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Todd Bowles | 3-4 | 62% | Diaby (DL29) | David (LB22), Dennis (LB26) | Smith (DB12), Winfield Jr. (DB22), Parrish (DB48) |
If you’re looking for defensive back production, the NFC South might be the division to target. Nine different DBs finished inside the Top 36 last season, including Tre’von Moehrig at DB9, Jessie Bates at DB16, Xavier Watts at DB20, Tykee Smith at DB12, and Antoine Winfield Jr. at DB22. This isn’t completely new either. Xavier Woods finished as DB9 for Carolina in 2024, while Alontae Taylor also turned in a DB14 finish for New Orleans that season. The players have changed, but this division still gives IDP managers productive options at the deepest position in fantasy football.
There was another number that really stood out to me when looking through the NFC South. The four defenses averaged a 65.75% sub-package rate last season, while not a single linebacker in the division finished higher than LB17. Those two numbers don’t fully explain the DB production, but they’re worth watching. More defensive backs on the field can create opportunities for safeties and slot defenders to get involved in run support, and the fantasy finishes suggest these teams haven’t been afraid to rely on them. With nine Top 36 finishes coming from this division last season, IDP managers don’t necessarily need to chase the biggest names at the position. Following productive roles and situations in the NFC South could be an easy way to find weekly DB production at a much cheaper dynasty price.
NFC West
View NFC West Defensive Trends
| Team | DC | Base | Sub % | DL Finish | LB Finish | DB Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | Nick Rallis | 3-4 | 57% | Sweat (DL38), Collins (DL74) | Wilson (LB66), Simon (LB68) | Baker (DB18), Thompson (DB50) |
| Los Angeles Rams | Chris Shula | 3-4 | 74% | Young (DL4), Verse (DL10), Turner (DL39) | Landman (LB10), Speights (LB62) | Curl (DB1), Kinchens (DB52) |
| San Francisco 49ers | *Raheem Morris | 4-3 | 81% | Outside Top 80 | Winters (LB32), Bethune (LB56), Warner (LB76) | Stout (DB76) |
| Seattle Seahawks | Aden Durde | 3-4 | 92% | Williams (DL14), Lawrence (DL18), Murphy (DL37) | Jones (LB15), Thomas (LB38), Knight (LB63) | Emmanwori (DB30), Bryant (DB65), Witherspoon (DB78) |
Chris Shula’s defense has been an IDP manager’s dream for defensive line production. The Rams produced three Top 24 defensive linemen in 2024 before Byron Young finished as DL4, Jared Verse DL10, and Kobie Turner DL39 last season. Los Angeles also finished 8th in the NFL in sacks, and somehow this defensive front became even more talented this offseason.
The Rams sent Verse to Cleveland in the blockbuster deal for Myles Garrett, who finished as the overall IDP1 last season while setting the NFL single-season record with 23 sacks. They also did enough to convince former All-Pro Aaron Donald to come out of retirement. There are suddenly a lot of mouths to feed, but we’ve seen Shula’s defense support multiple high-end DLs in back-to-back seasons. Garrett and Young should remain strong dynasty assets, while Turner is the player I’m watching most closely. Donald’s return could cut into his passing-down opportunities and make it difficult for Turner to get back to the level of production we’ve seen from him in the past.
The linebacker position has been nearly the opposite. The Rams have shown us they can support one highly productive linebacker, with Christian Rozeboom finishing as LB18 in 2024 before Nate Landman jumped all the way to LB10 last season. The drop from Landman at LB10 to Omar Speights at LB62 was one of the bigger gaps between teammates in our data and gives us a pretty good idea of where the fantasy value is coming from. With Garrett, Young, Donald, and the rest of this defensive front creating problems up front, Landman should continue to have plenty of opportunities to clean up behind them. I’m much more interested in investing in the Rams’ primary linebacker than trying to find value from the second LB in this system.
Final Thoughts
There will always be some guessing involved when it comes to projecting IDP production. We spend the offseason following depth charts, coaching changes, training camp reports, and trying to figure out which players will earn the most valuable roles. Sometimes simply taking a step back and looking at the data we already have can tell us just as much. Two years isn’t a massive sample size, but it’s enough to give us another piece of information to consider when making decisions for our dynasty teams.
That’s ultimately the goal of this study. The data won’t predict every breakout or tell us exactly where each player will finish in 2026, but it gives us another tool to help make better dynasty decisions. As always, you can find me on X @Glosser13 with any IDP questions, and be sure to check out all of our IDP content here at Dynasty Nerds as we get ready for another season.
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