6 IDPs to Avoid in Redraft Leagues

ByRyan Sitzmann Posted on Updated on

Listed below are six IDPs I recommend avoiding in drafts as of August 17th (two at DL, two at LB, and two at DB). As you will see, I’ve ranked the majority of these players a decent chunk lower than the “expert consensus rankings” that are logged into the FantasyPros platform or often significantly lower than their current Average Draft Position (ADP).

These are just a few of the many player excerpts and rankings taken out of my 2021 IDP Fantasy Football Draft Guide which is available for purchase here.

2021 IDP Draft Guide Features:

  • Continually Updated in Real-Time Until Start of the Regular Season (9/9)*
  • 280 Defensive Players Ranked in Tiered Fashion – 90 DL, 100 LB, 90 DB
  • Customizable Projections for All Ranked IDPs
  • Detailed Player Descriptions**
  • Overall Top 100 IDP Rankings List
  • Sleeper/Target/Avoid Notation
  • Top 50 IDP Rookie Rankings
  • Rankings Comparison to FantasyPros’ Expert Consensus (ECR) Rankings
  • Excel Export Functionality

These target recommendations are based on the balanced IDP scoring system listed below:

Scoring System:
Solo Tackle = 1.5 points, Assist = 0.75 points, Tackles for Loss = 2 points, Sack = 4 points, Interception = 5 points, Forced Fumble = 4 points, Fumble Recovery = 4 points, Pass Deflection = 1.5 points, Defensive TD = 6 points, Safeties = 2 points


DEFENSIVE LINEMEN21. Haason Reddick DE – CAR (13), -7 vs. ECR
After spending a couple years trying to figure out how he fit into the Cardinals defensive plans, the team finally utilized Reddick in an ideal fashion and he rewarded them with a 12.5 sack season. This said, there are some signs that this sack total is a bit of a mirage. First, he had a five-sack performance that’s skewing his totals and virtually all of his sacks came against below average blocking talents. Playing opposite Brian Burns in Carolina should give him a nice floor, but I see him settling in the six to eight sack range and his current ADP reflects a much higher value projection that, so keep that in mind when drafting.

30. Romeo Okwara DE – DET (9), -6 vs. ECR
Okwara, an undrafted end out of Notre Dame, took a huge step forward production-wise in 2020 by posting an impressive 32/12/10 stat line. Given he wasn’t much of an impact player previous to last year, I have to err on the side of thinking his performance last year was mainly a fluke. Additionally, he remains a major liability in run defense which has the potential to limit his early down snaps now that the Lions have better depth among their front line.

LINEBACKERS
25. Deion Jones LB – ATL (6), -12 vs. ECR
After a disappointing 2019 season in which he was obviously still recovering from an Achilles injury suffered in 2018, Jones’ fantasy production rebounded a bit last year. But that was largely due to him generating a career high 4.5 sacks. Given that his previous career high was one, I’m not banking on him being able to replicate that this year. And his tackle production isn’t strong enough post Achilles injury to lift him out of the LB3+ tier for me.

51. Jaylon Smith LB – DAL (7), -37 vs. ECR
Being a diehard Cowboys fan, I got the opportunity to watch Smith more than most IDPs. And he looked lost a lot last year. His struggles could be attributed to the new scheme and the entire defense being epically bad. However, so far in preseason, he’s continued his poor play while veteran Keanu Neal has shined. I think Smith has lost his starting job and could wind up as trade bait at some point this season. He’s a player I want zero shares of right now and is one of my biggest “avoids” in IDP drafts.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

18. Johnathan Abram S – LV (8), -3 vs. ECR
Abram has the role and aggressiveness to put up DB1 numbers as evidenced by his 13 and 14-tackle performances last year. However, he was arguably the Raiders poorest defender and often found himself out of position due to his undisciplined play. He is a former first round pick and is only heading into his second full season, but the team drafted three safeties this year (trading up to grab two of them) which, to me, is a clear signal that Abram has a short leash in 2021. He will need to quickly shore up his on-the-field play otherwise he may find himself in a timeshare/out of a job. I like his upside but there’s too much competitive pressure here for me to use anything other than a low-end DB2/high-end DB3 selection on Abram.

25. Minkah Fitzpatrick S – PIT (7), -6 vs. ECR
Although Fitzpatrick is an exciting player to watch, he’s not my “cup of tea” when it comes to fantasy players. His week-to-week scoring greatly varies because of his dependency on the big play and lack of strong tackle production. He’s a very recognized name among general NFL fans however and therefore tends to get drafted higher than he should. This said, he likely won’t find himself on many of my teams based my ranking versus his ADP or even the current expert consensus rankings.

Like what you’ve read so far? Looking to dominate your 2021 Fantasy Football draft(s)? For $8.99 you can get complete access to The IDP Guru’s comprehensive and exhaustive 2021 IDP Fantasy Football Draft Guide. OR you can get both my Draft Guide and access to all my In-Season Premium Content by purchasing my 2021 Gold Package for just $14.99. 

Questions, comments, or concerns with any of these recommendations? If so, please let me know by hitting me up on Twitter or emailing me at theidpguru@idpguru.com.