2025 IDP Redraft Rankings – Defensive Tackles

Below is a sample of my 2025 Defensive Tackle Rankings for IDP Redraft Leagues. These rankings will be updated periodically throughout the preseason to reflect changes in free agency, defensive schemes, playing time, rookie roles, and more. Keep in mind, this is just a small preview of the full rankings and player write-ups available in my 2025 IDP Fantasy Football Draft Guide. You can also unlock both the draft guide and all of my premium in-season content by signing up for the Gold Package.

Drafting Philosophy:
Defensive tackle is one of the most volatile and format-dependent positions in IDP fantasy football. In standard leagues that don’t require a DT-specific slot, most DTs hold minimal standalone value and are often best left on waivers outside of the elite tier. However, in leagues with DT-required spots or tackle-heavy scoring, the calculus changes significantly.

In these formats, high-volume run-stuffers with solid snap shares – think players like Quinnen Williams or Derrick Brown (2023 version) — can offer consistent tackle floors and week-to-week usability. That said, the position is generally top-heavy and unpredictable, with year-to-year variance in sack production and a limited pool of reliable options.

Because of this, I typically avoid investing early draft capital in DTs unless:

The league mandates a DT starting slot OR
One of the elite-tier options with a proven pass-rush ceiling is available at value

More often, I prefer to wait and target mid-to-late round DTs who play a high percentage of snaps, contribute in the run game, and have flashed occasional pass-rush upside. Streaming based on matchups and snap trends is also a viable in-season approach due to the inconsistency of most DT production.

1. DeForest Buckner IND (11), +1 vs. ECR
Buckner has been remarkably consistent over his 10-year career, typically landing around a 42/25/7.5 slash line each season. His raw numbers in 2024 were career lows, but that was largely due to missing over a month with injury. Even so, he finished as a top-15 performer on a PPG basis and showed few signs of decline despite being over 30. He’s no longer flashy, but for managers seeking a rock-solid, ultra-dependable DL2, there aren’t many better than the 6’7″ Buckner.

2. Jeffery Simmons TEN (10), +2 vs. ECR
Simmons tends to get overlooked in drafts as he’s never hit double-digit sacks in his seven-year career and isn’t a household name outside of Titans fans. But he’s one of the league’s most reliable tackle producers at the position and chips in enough sacks (typically 5–8) to consistently finish as a top-15 to top-25 fantasy DL.

3. Kobie Turner LAR (8), +5 vs. ECR
Turner, a 2023 third-round selection, has found immediate success in the league, posting around 60+ total tackles and 8–9 sacks in each of his first two seasons. With back-to-back top-25 finishes under his belt, he’s well-positioned to maintain that level of production in 2025 as part of a stacked Rams pass rush featuring Defensive Rookie of the Year Jared Verse and rising third-year rusher Byron Young.

4. Zach Sieler MIA (12), +3 vs. ECR
Sieler might have the sneakiest back-to-back double-digit sack seasons in recent memory. While his tackle numbers dipped last year, he’s typically been above average in that area as well. His value remains oddly suppressed—likely a result of his seventh-round draft pedigree, small-school background (Ferris State), and the fact he didn’t top three sacks in any season prior to 2023 despite entering the league in 2018. But after racking up 20 sacks over the past two years, he’s earned consideration as at least a desperation DL3.

5. Cameron Heyward PIT (5), +10 vs. ECR
Heyward may be entering his age-36 season, but he showed in 2024 that he still has gas left in the tank. After a frustrating, injury-marred 2023, the veteran bounced back with a strong campaign, posting 71 total tackles, 8 sacks, and 11 passes defensed across 17 games, earning his seventh Pro Bowl nomination and reminding people of just how disruptive he can be when healthy. While his snap share has declined modestly (down to ~71% in 2024, compared to ~80–85% in his prime), he still plays a key role on a talented Steelers front. He’s no longer a locked-in top 25 DL, but his 2024 production shows he’s more than capable of delivering DL3 value in balanced scoring formats.

6. Leonard Williams SEA (8), -12 vs. ECR AVOID
Williams put up impressive raw numbers in 2024 with 64 total tackles, 11 sacks, and a 92-yard pick-six, earning another trip to the Pro Bowl. But while the box score pops, there are reasons to be cautious about expecting a repeat in 2025. He played in only 70% of Seattle’s defensive snaps, and a chunk of his production came in spurts rather than steady week-to-week reliability. For example, 4.5 of his 11 sacks came in just two games, which inflated his season-long totals for IDP purposes. Given his age (turns 31 in June) and past inconsistency, there’s more volatility here than his consensus ranking might suggest. Ultimately, you’re drafting Williams more for his upside than his dependability and he’s best viewed as a high-variance DL3 with the potential to outperform if things break right, but he carries more downside risk than most are acknowledging.

7. Derrick Brown CAR (14), +1 vs. ECR
Brown broke out in 2023, finishing with 103 total tackles, 5 sacks, and 6 passes defensed – a monster stat line for a defensive tackle and one of the most productive IDP seasons we’ve seen from an interior lineman in years. Unfortunately, that momentum came to a halt in 2024, as a season-ending injury limited him to just one game. While he’s expected to return healthy, it’s fair to question whether he can come close to replicating his 2023 performance. As dominant as that season was, it also stands out as a clear outlier compared to the rest of his career. Given the uncertainty, Brown is best treated as a DL4 with upside if he returns to form. His elite tackle ceiling gives him appeal in tackle-heavy formats, but his limited pass-rush résumé (just 8.0 career sacks) and injury concerns make him a risky option to trust in starting lineups early on.

Like what you’ve read so far? Ready to dominate your 2025 fantasy football draft? For just $12.99, you can unlock full access to The IDP Guru’s comprehensive and exhaustively researched 2025 IDP Fantasy Football Draft Guide. Or, get the best value by grabbing the 2025 Gold Package—which includes both the Draft Guide and all of my premium in-season content—for only $23.99.

2025 IDP Draft Guide Features:

Continually Updated in Real-Time Until Start of the Regular Season (9/4)
300+ Defensive Players Ranked in Tiered Fashion – 100 DL, 110 LB, 100 DB
Customizable Projections for All Ranked IDPs
Detailed Player Descriptions
Overall Top 100 IDP Rankings List
Sleeper/Target/Avoid Notation
Top 70 IDP Rookie Rankings
Rankings Comparison to FantasyPros’ Expert Consensus (ECR) Rankings
Excel Export Functionality

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