2026 Dynasty IDP Rankings & Tiers

Welcome back, IDP Nerds! We are officially one-quarter of the way through the 2026 NFL season, and it’s been an interesting start for dynasty IDP managers. We’ve seen familiar names continue to produce, others struggle to meet expectations, and just how impressive this 2026 IDP rookie class has been. As we’ve discussed throughout our weekly Start/Sit and Waiver Wire articles, these rookies have wasted little time making an impact. Four games might not tell us everything, but they’ve given us plenty to work with as we reevaluate dynasty values for our 2026 Dynasty IDP Rankings.

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It’s time for our first in-season update to the 2026 Dynasty IDP Rankings & Tiers. We’ve made some changes to our Top 275 players, with several moving up or down as we balance early-season production with long-term dynasty value. Let’s take a look at the biggest movers and where things stand heading into the next quarter of the season.

October Dynasty IDP Stock Watch: Risers & Fallers

Defensive Line: Expectations weren’t very high for rookie Gabe Jacas entering the season, but he’s quickly made a name for himself. Jacas finished as the DL22 through his first four games and has put himself on the radar of dynasty IDP managers. Meanwhile, Brian Burns entered 2026 as a locked-in starter after a top-five finish last season. A slow start and an early injury have hurt his value while other defensive linemen continue to produce and move up the rankings.

Linebacker: We all hoped Jacob Rodriguez would be good, but I don’t think anyone expected him to be this good. The rookie ranks second in the NFL in tackles and sits as the LB4 through the opening weeks. Rodriguez looks like a linebacker dynasty managers can count on for years to come. On the other side, Cedric Gray has struggled to build on his impressive 2025 season. An early injury and losing green-dot responsibilities have raised concerns about his ability to repeat last year’s production.

Defensive Back: Dillon Thieneman has been everything dynasty managers could have hoped for through his first four games. The Bears rookie has played 100% of the defensive snaps, recording 30 tackles and an interception. He’s already making a strong case as one of the top young defensive backs in dynasty leagues. Meanwhile, Travis Hunter has dropped from DB1 to DB4 in our rankings. His role on both sides of the football continues to make him a difficult player to trust for consistent IDP production.

IDP rankings are built using Dynasty Nerds preferred IDP scoring

Dynasty IDP Rankings Tiers | 275 Individual Defensive Players

Dynasty IDP Rankings | Top 270 Players

Tier 1 Dynasty IDP Rankings Tiers | 275 Individual Defensive Players

Tier 1 | Elite Cornerstones

Tier 1 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos	Age	Team	Pos Rank
1	Aidan Hutchinson	DL	26	DET	DL1
2	Will Anderson Jr.	DL	25	HOU	DL2
3	Carson Schwesinger	LB	23	CLE	LB1
4	Jacob Rodriguez	LB	24	MIA	LB2
5	Jack Campbell	LB	26	DET	LB3

The elite cornerstone tier features five players who continue to prove why they belong at the top of dynasty IDP rankings. Aidan Hutchinson and Will Anderson Jr. remain two of the best defensive linemen to build around, while Carson Schwesinger and Jack Campbell continue to deliver consistent production at linebacker. The biggest surprise has been rookie Jacob Rodriguez, who has quickly established himself as one of fantasy football’s top young linebackers. All five players are averaging 14 or more fantasy points per game through the first quarter of the season. It’s hard to ask for much more from players who offer both elite production and long-term dynasty value.

Tier 2 Dynasty IDP Rankings Tiers | 275 Individual Defensive Players

Tier 2 | Elite Difference Makers

Tier 2 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos	Age	Team	Pos Rank
6	Maxx Crosby	DL	29	LV	DL3
7	Arvell Reese	LB	21	NYG	LB4
8	Sonny Styles	LB	21	WSH	LB5
9	Myles Garrett	DL	30	CLE	DL4
10	Nakobe Dean	LB	25	LV	LB6
11	Micah Parsons	DL	27	GB	DL5
12	Dallas Turner	DL	23	MIN	DL6

Tier 2 has seen some significant movement through the first quarter of the season. Maxx Crosby continues to be one of the most reliable defensive linemen in fantasy football, while Myles Garrett remains in this tier despite his injury. Garrett’s impact over the years is hard to overlook when evaluating his dynasty value. Dallas Turner has taken a major step forward and continues to climb our rankings. Nakobe Dean has been nothing short of amazing, currently sitting as the LB2 on the season. Rookie Arvell Reese has been equally impressive, averaging over 20 fantasy points per game. This tier features a strong mix of proven veterans and emerging young talent who continue to reward dynasty managers.

Tier 3 Dynasty IDP Rankings Tiers | 275 Individual Defensive Players

Tier 3 | Elite Producers

Tier 3 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos	Age	Team	Pos Rank
13	Abdul Carter	DL	23	NYG	DL7
14	Greg Rousseau	DL	26	BUF	DL8
15	Nik Bonitto	DL	27	DEN	DL9
16	Laiatu Latu	DL	25	IND	DL10
17	Roquan Smith	LB	29	BAL	LB7
18	Devin Lloyd	LB	28	CAR	LB8

Tier 3 features some of the most productive defensive players through the first quarter of the season. Greg Rousseau has been the biggest standout, thriving in Buffalo’s new defensive scheme and earning the title of the top IDP scorer through the first four games. Devin Lloyd has also made a significant jump in our rankings, moving up to LB8 after a phenomenal start with Carolina. Lloyd delivered one of the most impressive performances of the season with 48 fantasy points in Week 2. Abdul Carter, Nik Bonitto, and Laiatu Latu round out a talented group of defensive linemen who offer strong dynasty value. This tier continues to provide dynasty managers with high-end production and plenty of long-term upside.

Tier 4 Dynasty IDP Rankings Tiers | 275 Individual Defensive Players

Tier 4 | Elite Playmakers

Tier 4 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos	Age	Team	Pos Rank
19	Nick Bosa	DL	28	SF	DL11
20	Jared Verse	DL	25	LAR	DL12
21	Tuli Tuipulotu	DL	24	LAC	DL13
22	Kyle Hamilton	DB	25	BAL	DB1
23	David Bailey	DL	23	NYJ	DL14
24	Quay Walker	LB	26	LV	LB9
25	Josiah Trotter	LB	21	TB	LB10
26	Jordyn Brooks	LB	28	MIA	LB11
27	Anthony Hill Jr.	LB	21	TEN	LB12
28	Fred Warner	LB	29	SF	LB13

Tier 4 has been a mixed bag for dynasty IDP managers through the first quarter of the season. Nick Bosa and Jared Verse have been disappointing to start the year, but both have proven they can produce at a high level. Dynasty managers will need to show some patience rather than overreact to a slow start. Meanwhile, the rookies in this tier have been a completely different story. David Bailey, Josiah Trotter, and Anthony Hill Jr. have wasted no time making their presence felt, delivering the type of early production that dynasty managers were hoping to see from their veteran stars. All three have quickly established themselves as impact players and look like long-term starters. While managers wait for Bosa and Verse to turn things around, these rookies are already showing why they deserve to be ranked among the best at their positions.

Tier 5 Dynasty IDP Rankings Tiers | 275 Individual Defensive Players

Tier 5 | Productive Veterans and Young Fliers

Tier 5 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos	Age	Team	Pos Rank
29	Nick Bolton	LB	26	KC	LB14
30	Brian Burns	DL	28	NYG	DL15
31	Jihaad Campbell	LB	22	PHI	LB15
32	CJ Allen	LB	21	IND	LB16
33	T.J. Watt	DL	32	PIT	DL16
34	Nick Emmanwori	DB	22	SEA	DB2
35	Jaelan Phillips	DL	27	CAR	DL17
36	Byron Young	DL	28	LAR	DL18
37	Caleb Downs	DB	21	DAL	DB3
38	Travis Hunter	DB	23	JAX	DB4
39	Edgerrin Cooper	LB	24	GB	LB17
40	Blake Cashman	LB	30	MIN	LB18

Tier 5 features a strong mix of young talent and proven producers who continue to offer value in dynasty IDP leagues. Nick Emmanwori continues to build on his impressive rookie season, establishing himself as one of the more valuable young defensive backs in fantasy football. Rookie Caleb Downs has wasted no time making an impact, showing why dynasty managers were so excited about his potential entering the NFL. Jihaad Campbell has also provided steady production at linebacker, scoring 20 or more fantasy points in 75% of his games this season. That type of consistency is exactly what dynasty managers want to see from their young players. This tier offers plenty of upside, with several players already proving they can be reliable weekly starters.

Tier 6 | Established Contributors

Tier 6 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos	Age	Team	Pos Rank
41	Cedric Gray	LB	23	TEN	LB19
42	Ernest Jones	LB	26	SEA	LB20
43	Jamien Sherwood	LB	26	NYJ	LB21
44	Nate Landman	LB	27	LAR	LB22
45	Josh Hines-Allen	DL	29	JAX	DL19
46	Dillon Thieneman	DB	22	CHI	DB5
47	Nick Cross	DB	25	WAS	DB6
48	Derwin James	DB	30	LAC	DB7
49	Trey Hendrickson	DL	31	BAL	DL20
50	Brian Branch	DB	24	DET	DB8
51	Demetrius Knight	LB	26	CIN	LB23
52	Zack Baun	LB	29	PHI	LB24
53	Foyesade Oluokun	LB	31	JAX	LB25
54	Payton Wilson	LB	26	PIT	LB26
55	Jeffery Simmons	DL	29	TEN	DL21
56	Devin Bush	LB	28	CHI	LB27
57	Barrett Carter	LB	23	CIN	LB28
58	Alex Singelton	LB	32	DEN	LB29
59	Daiyan Henley	LB	26	LAC	LB30
60	Donovan Ezeiruaku	DL	23	DAL	DL22
61	Cole Bishop	DB	23	BUF	DB9
62	Kam Curl	DB	27	LAR	DB10
63	Tykee Smith	DB	25	TB	DB11
64	Tremaine Edmunds	LB	28	NYG	LB31
65	Jalyx Hunt	DL	25	PHI	DL23
66	Danielle Hunter	DL	31	HOU	DL24

Tier 6 is where we’ve seen several players fall after entering the season much higher in our dynasty IDP rankings. Cedric Gray has struggled to maintain his value with a rotation limiting his opportunities, while Nick Cross has battled an injury and struggled to make the same impact in Washington. Kam Curl hasn’t been able to match the production we saw from him a season ago, leaving dynasty managers looking for more consistency. On the other side, Demetrius Knight and Devin Bush have steadily increased their dynasty value since our initial rankings release. Both linebackers have continued to produce and reward managers who invested in them. This tier is a good example of how quickly player values can change, even over the first four weeks of the season.

Tier 7 | Dynasty Bench Stashes

Tier 7 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos	Age	Team	Pos Rank
67	Travon Walker	DL	25	JAX	DL25
68	Jake Golday	LB	23	MIN	LB32
69	Zaire Franklin	LB	30	GB	LB33
70	Alex Highsmith	DL	29	PIT	DL26
71	Rueben Bain Jr.	DL	22	TB	DL27
72	Andrew Van Ginkel	DL	31	MIN	DL28
73	Montez Sweat	DL	30	CHI	DL29
74	Terrel Bernard	LB	27	BUF	LB34
75	Patrick Queen	LB	27	PIT	LB35
76	George Karlaftis	DL	25	KC	DL30
77	Azeez Al-Shaair	LB	29	HOU	LB36
78	Lukas Van Ness	DL	25	GB	DL31
79	Robert Spillane	LB	30	NE	LB37
80	Chop Robinson	DL	23	MIA	DL32
81	Kayvon Thibodeaux	DL	25	NYG	DL33
82	Drake Thomas	LB	26	SEA	LB38
83	Zach Allen	DL	29	DEN	DL34
84	Kevin Winston Jr.	DB	22	TEN	DB12
85	Tre’von Moehrig	DB	27	CAR	DB13
86	Xavier Watts	DB	24	ATL	DB14
87	Antoine Winfield Jr.	DB	28	TB	DB15
88	Chamarri Conner	DB	26	KC	DB16
89	Nolan Smith	DL	25	PHI	DL35
90	Chase Young	DL	27	NO	DL36
91	Budda Baker	DB	30	ARZ	DB17
92	James Pearce	DL	22	ATL	DL37
93	Jonathan Greenard	DL	29	PHI	DL38
94	Jalen Pitre	DB	27	HOU	DB18
95	Malaki Starks	DB	22	BAL	DB19

Tier 7 features several players who continue to increase their dynasty value through the first quarter of the season. Lukas Van Ness, Drake Thomas, and Kevin Winston Jr. have all taken advantage of their opportunities and are making a strong case to move up our rankings. All three players are averaging over 15 fantasy points per game through the first four weeks, giving dynasty managers more production than they likely expected. These are exactly the types of players worth holding onto in deeper dynasty leagues. What started as bench depth is quickly turning into reliable fantasy production, and there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic about their long-term value.

Tier 8 | Deep League Assets

Tier 8 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos	Age	Team	Pos Rank
96	Gabe Jacas	DL	22	NE	DL39
97	Mike Green	DL	23	BAL	DL40
98	Yaya Diaby	DL	27	TB	DL41
99	Jaishawn Barham	LB	22	DAL	LB39
100	Talanoa Hufanga	DB	26	DEN	DB20
101	Quentin Lake	DB	27	LAR	DB21
102	Jack Gibbens	LB	27	ARZ	LB40
103	A.J. Haulcy	DB	22	IND	DB22
104	Julian Love	DB	28	SEA	DB23
105	Divine Deablo	LB	28	ATL	LB41
106	Kaden Ellis	LB	31	NO	LB42
107	Mack Wilson	LB	28	ARZ	LB43
108	Ventrell Miller	LB	27	JAX	LB44
109	Akheem Mesidor	DL	25	LAC	DL42
110	Quincy Williams	LB	30	CLV	LB45
111	Nick Herbig	DL	24	PIT	DL43
112	Malachi Lawrence	DL	23	DAL	DL44
113	Tyler Nubin	DB	25	NYG	DB24
114	Jalen Carter	DL	25	PHI	DL45
115	Quinnen Williams	DL	28	DAL	DL46
116	Carl Granderson	DL	29	NO	DL47
117	Harold Landry III	DL	30	NE	DL48
118	Josh Sweat	DL	29	ARZ	DL49
119	Bobby Okereke	LB	30	CAR	LB46
120	Jessie Bates III	DB	29	ATL	DB25
121	Kaleb Elarms-Orr	LB	23	BUF	LB47
122	DeMarvion Overshown	LB	26	DAL	LB48
123	T.J. Edwards	LB	30	CHI	LB49
124	Danny Stutsman	LB	23	NO	LB50
125	Henry To’oTo’o	LB	25	HOU	LB51
126	Amani Hooker	DB	28	TEN	DB26
127	Emmanuel McNeil-Warren	DB	22	CLV	DB27
128	Rashan Gary	DL	28	DAL	DL50
129	Cooper DeJean	DB	23	PHI	DB28

Tier 9 | Watchlist Depth

Tier 9 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos	Age	Team	Pos Rank
130	Teddye Buchanan	LB	24	BAL	LB52
131	Xavier McKinney	DB	28	GB	DB29
132	Jeremy Chinn	DB	28	LV	DB30
133	Bryce Boettcher	LB	24	IND	LB53
134	Derrick Barnes	LB	27	DET	LB54
135	Dre Greenlaw	LB	29	SF	LB55
136	DeForest Buckner	DL	32	IND	DL51
137	Bradley Chubb	DL	30	BUF	DL52
138	Jalon Walker	DL	22	ATL	DL53
139	Jonathan Cooper	DL	28	DEN	DL54
140	Myles Murphy	DL	24	CIN	DL55
141	Jordan Battle	DB	25	CIN	DB31
142	Jaquan Brisker	DB	27	PIT	DB32
143	Austin Booker	DL	23	CHI	DL56
144	Will McDonald	DL	27	NYJ	DL57
145	Frankie Luvu	LB	30	WAS	LB56
146	Dorian Williams	LB	25	BUF	LB57
147	Akeem Davis Gaither	LB	29	IND	LB58
148	Jermaine Johnson	DL	27	NYJ	DL58
149	Leonard Williams	DL	32	SEA	DL59
150	Derrick Brown	DL	28	CAR	DL60
151	Trenton Simpson	LB	25	BAL	LB59
152	Nic Scourton	DL	22	CAR	DL61
153	Dee Winters	LB	25	DAL	LB60
154	Cody Barton	LB	29	TEN	LB61
155	Cody Simon	LB	24	ARZ	LB62
156	Alex Anzalone	LB	32	TB	LB63
157	Leo Chanel	LB	25	WAS	LB64
158	Mason Graham	DL	23	CLV	DL62
159	Dexter Lawrence	DL	28	CIN	DL63
160	Harold Perkins	LB	22	ATL	LB65
161	Odafe Oweh	DL	27	WSH	DL64
162	Kamari Lassiter	DB	23	HOU	DB33
163	Nick Martin	LB	23	SF	LB66
164	Grant Delpit	DB	28	CLE	DB34
165	Devon Witherspoon	DB	25	SEA	DB35
166	Keldric Faulk	DL	22	TEN	DL65

Tier 10 | Long-Shot Dart Throws

Tier 10 Rankings

Rank	Player	Pos	Age	Team	Pos Rank
167	Derrick Moore	DL	23	DET	DL66
168	Byron Murphy II	DL	24	SEA	DL67
169	Mykel Williams	DL	22	SF	DL68
170	Kyle Louis	LB	22	MIA	LB67
171	DeShon Elliott	DB	29	PIT	DB36
172	Pete Werner	LB	27	NO	LB68
173	R Mason Thomas	DL	22	KC	DL69
174	Dorance Armstrong	DL	29	WAS	DL70
175	K’Lavon Chaisson	DL	27	WSH	DL71
176	Minkah Fitzpatrick	DB	29	NYJ	DB37
177	Josh Metellus	DB	28	MIN	DB38
178	Calijah Kancey	DL	25	TB	DL72
179	Dru Tranquill	LB	31	KC	LB69
180	Ivan Pace Jr.	LB	25	MIN	LB70
181	Demario Davis	LB	37	NYJ	LB71
182	Eric Wilson	LB	32	MIN	LB72
183	Reed Blankenship	DB	27	HOU	DB39
184	Ed Oliver	DL	28	BUF	DL73
185	Nnamdi Madubuike	DL	28	BAL	DL74
186	Christian Harris	LB	25	ATL	LB73
187	Brandon Jones	DB	28	DEN	DB40
188	Jevon Holland	DB	26	NYG	DB41
189	Malachi Moore	DB	25	NYJ	DB42
190	Milton Williams	DL	27	NE	DL75
191	Zion Young	DL	22	BAL	DL76
192	SirVocea Dennis	LB	26	TB	LB74
193	Christian Rozeboom	LB	29	TB	LB75
194	Paulson Adebo	DB	27	NYG	DB43
195	Dax Hill	DB	26	CIN	DB44
196	Alontae Taylor	DB	27	TEN	DB45
197	Jalen Redmond	DL	27	MIN	DL77
198	Jalen Thompson	DB	28	DAL	DB46
199	Tyrel Dodson	LB	28	CAR	LB76
200	Kevin Byard	DB	33	NE	DB47
201	Kobie Turner	DL	27	LAR	DL78
202	Omar Speights	LB	25	LAR	LB77
203	Tyrice Knight	LB	25	SEA	LB78
204	Justin Reid	DB	29	NO	DB48
205	Antonio Johnson	DB	24	JAX	DB49
206	Kerby Joseph	DB	25	DET	DB50
207	Evan Williams	DB	25	GB	DB51
208	Jaden Hicks	DB	24	KC	DB52
209	Mike Sainristill	DB	26	WAS	DB53
210	Bryan Cook	DB	27	CIN	DB54
211	Micah McFadden	LB	26	NYG	LB79
212	T.J. Parker	DL	22	BUF	DL79
213	Shemar Stewart	DL	22	CIN	DL80
214	Keisean Nixon	DB	29	GB	DB55
215	Marcus Jones	DB	27	NE	DB56
216	Chris Jones	DL	32	KC	DL81
217	Noah Sewell	LB	24	CHI	LB80
218	Malik Harrison	LB	28	PIT	LB81
219	Javon Bullard	DB	24	GB	DB57
220	Cashius Howell	DL	23	CIN	DL82
221	Trevin Wallace	LB	23	NYJ	LB82
222	Bud Clark	DB	24	SEA	DB58
223	Jonas Sanker	DB	23	NO	DB59
224	Isaiah Pola-Mao	DB	27	LV	DB60
225	Lathan Ransom	DB	24	CAR	DB61
226	Cam Bynum	DB	28	IND	DB62
227	Zach Sieler	DL	31	MIA	DL83
228	Jonathan Allen	DL	31	MIN	DL84
229	Khalil Mack	DL	35	LAC	DL85
230	Riley Moss	DB	26	DEN	DB63
231	Troy Andersen	LB	27	ATL	LB83
232	Peter Woods	DL	21	KC	DL86
233	Jakobe Thomas	DB	23	MIN	DB64
234	Kwity Paye	DL	27	LV	DL87
235	Gervon Dexter	DL	25	ATL	DL88
236	Jack Sanborn	LB	26	CHI	LB84
237	C.J. Gardner-Johnson	DB	28	BUF	DB65
238	Boye Mafe	DL	27	CIN	DL89
239	Ji’Ayir Brown	DB	26	SF	DB66
240	Taron Johnson	DB	30	LV	DB67
241	Bryan Bresee	DL	25	NO	DL90
242	E.J. Speed	LB	31	HOU	LB85
243	Dani Dennis-Sutton	DL	22	GB	DL91
244	Caleb Banks	DL	23	MIN	DL92
245	Zaven Collins	DL	27	ARZ	DL93
246	Uchenna Nwosu	DL	29	SEA	DL94
247	Dante Trader Jr.	DB	23	MIA	DB68
248	Kyle Dugger	DB	30	CIN	DB69
249	Christian Barmore	DL	27	NE	DL95
250	Genesis Smith	DB	21	LAC	DB70
251	Jalen Ramsey	DB	31	PIT	DB71
252	Red Murdock	LB	23	DEN	LB86
253	Kenneth Murray	LB	27	HOU	LB87
254	Shaun Dolac	LB	25	LAR	LB88
255	Wade Woodaz	LB	22	HOU	LB89
256	Romello Height	DL	25	SF	DL96
257	Keyshaun Elliott	LB	22	CHI	LB90
258	Junior Colson	LB	23	LAC	LB91
259	Justin Jefferson	LB	27	CLV	LB92
260	Kyler Gordon	DB	26	CHI	DB72
261	DJ Wonnum	DL	28	DET	DL97
262	Jaylon Carlies	LB	25	IND	LB93
263	Coby Bryant	DB	27	CHI	DB73
264	Kenny Moore II	DB	31	FA	DB74
265	James Williams	LB	23	TEN	LB94
266	Owen Pappoe	LB	26	ARZ	LB95
267	Matt Milano	LB	32	FA	LB96
268	Kayden McDonald	DL	21	HOU	DL98
269	Joey Bosa	DL	31	FA	DL99
270	Geno Stone	DB	27	BUF	DB75
271	Dante Fowler Jr.	DL	32	SEA	DL100

Final Thoughts

The first four weeks of the 2026 season have already brought plenty of changes to our dynasty IDP rankings. We’ve seen rookies exceed expectations, veterans struggle, and some unexpected players emerge as weekly starters. The biggest thing for dynasty managers is knowing when to buy into a player’s production and when to be patient. Don’t let four games erase what a proven player has done, but don’t ignore young players earning bigger roles either. Pay attention to playing time and opportunity, not just fantasy points.

We’ll continue to update these rankings as the season progresses. As always, reach out to me on X @Glosser13 or Reddit u/IDPGlosser with any dynasty IDP questions.

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