2024 Fantasy Football: IDP Defensive Back Rankings

Note: Rankings updated Monday, August 26

Back again to deliver the third-best IDP rankings according to Fantasy Pros, Matt De Lima is happy to communicate his IDP defensive back rankings for the 2024 NFL and fantasy football season.

If you’re new here, I want to first direct you to my IDP defensive line and linebacker rankings. It’s also important to me to say there is no industry IDP standard for the number of players to use or an official IDP scoring system. I always say this because IDP rankings are never one size fits all. And by providing suggestions on roster size, starting positions, and scoring system, I’m steering commissioners and IDP tastemakers toward my preferred league setup and scoring system, which you can find below.

IDP Defensive Back Rankings 2024

Note: Rankings updated Monday, August 26

Rank	Name	Team
1	Kyle Hamilton	BAL
2	Antoine Winfield Jr.	TB
3	Brian Branch	DET
4	Camryn Bynum	MIN
5	Derwin James Jr.	LAC
6	Jessie Bates III	ATL
7	Joshua Metellus	MIN
8	Budda Baker	ARI
9	Jaquan Brisker	CHI
10	Julian Love	SEA
11	Minkah Fitzpatrick	PIT
12	Xavier McKinney	GB
13	Kyle Dugger	NE
14	Grant Delpit	CLE
15	Jevon Holland	MIA
16	Jalen Thompson	ARI
17	Kamren Curl	LAR
18	Reed Blankenship	PHI
19	C.J. Gardner-Johnson	PHI
20	Nate Hobbs	LV
21	Rayshawn Jenkins	SEA
22	Jeremy Chinn	WAS
23	Devon Witherspoon	SEA
24	Kevin Byard III	CHI
25	Julian Blackmon	IND
26	Brandon Jones	DEN
27	Jalen Pitre	HOU
28	Justin Simmons	ATL
29	Donovan Wilson	DAL
30	Kenny Moore II	IND
31	Talanoa Hufanga	SF
32	Justin Reid	KC
33	Taylor Rapp	BUF
34	Taron Johnson	BUF
35	Tyler Nubin	NYG
36	Trent McDuffie	KC
37	L'Jarius Sneed	TEN
38	Harrison Smith	MIN
39	Paulson Adebo	NO
40	Jordan Poyer	MIA
41	Jordan Whitehead	TB
42	P.J. Locke	DEN
43	Amani Hooker	TEN
44	Jordan Fuller	CAR
45	Charvarius Ward	SF
46	Ifeatu Melifonwu	DET
47	Roger McCreary	TEN
48	Christian Gonzalez	NE
49	Cam Taylor-Britt	CIN
50	Chuck Clark	NYJ
51	Tyrique Stevenson	CHI
52	Tony Adams	NYJ
53	Kerby Joseph	DET
54	Alohi Gilman	LAC
55	Jason Pinnock	NYG
56	Kyler Gordon	CHI
57	D.J. Reed Jr.	NYJ
58	Jabrill Peppers	NE
59	Rasul Douglas	BUF
60	Vonn Bell	CIN
61	Javon Bullard	GB
62	Dax Hill	CIN
63	Tre'von Moehrig	LV
64	Deommodore Lenoir	SF
65	Tyrann Mathieu	NO
66	Mike Hilton	CIN
67	Derek Stingley Jr.	HOU
68	Xavier Woods	CAR
69	Tyson Campbell	JAC
70	Antonio Johnson	JAC
71	Benjamin St-Juste	WAS
72	Ji'Ayir Brown	SF
73	Jimmie Ward	HOU
74	Keisean Nixon	GB
75	Mike Sainristil	WAS
76	Jalen Ramsey	MIA
77	Geno Stone	CIN
78	Elijah Molden	TEN
79	Cole Bishop	BUF
80	John Johnson III	LAR
81	Quan Martin	WAS
82	DeShon Elliott	PIT
83	Alontae Taylor	NO
84	Terrion Arnold	DET
85	Marcus Williams	BAL
86	Desmond King II	HOU
87	Andre Cisco	JAC
88	Tykee Smith	TB
89	Jordan Battle	CIN
90	Jaycee Horn	CAR
91	Darnell Savage Jr.	JAC
92	Kendall Fuller	MIA
93	Darrick Forrest	WAS
94	Kader Kohou	MIA
95	Quentin Lake	LAR
96	Marlon Humphrey	BAL
97	Brandon Stephens	BAL
98	Richie Grant	ATL
99	Deonte Banks	NYG
100	Trevon Diggs	DAL
101	Carlton Davis III	DET
102	JuJu Brents	IND
103	DeMarcco Hellams	ATL
104	Brandon Stephens	FA
105	Jamal Adams	TEN
106	Marshon Lattimore	NO
107	Pat Surtain II	DEN
108	Jordan Howden	NO
109	DaRon Bland	DAL
110	Sauce Gardner	NYJ
111	Marcus Epps	LV
112	Asante Samuel Jr.	LAC
113	Markquese Bell	FA
114	Riq Woolen	SEA
115	Darious Williams	LAR
116	Byron Murphy Jr.	MIN
117	Jaylon Johnson	CHI
118	Darius Slay Jr.	PHI
119	Caden Sterns	PHI
120	Jaire Alexander	GB
121	Mike Edwards	FA
122	Isaiah Simmons	NYG
123	Eddie Jackson	BAL
124	Marcus Maye	MIA

IDP Defensive Back Rankings Explained

Defensive backs are a tricky bunch. I’d argue they’re the most difficult IDP positions to predict and project. A couple of years ago, Jalen Pitre looked like the next big thing. Now, he’s just outside the top 20. Kyle Hamilton, Brian Branch, Camryn Bynum, and Joshua Metellus have vaulted into the top 10 after one season.

Safeties lead the position, but there is a smattering of cornerbacks. My rule of thumb is that if a casual fan knows a defensive back’s name, they’re definitely not as good as you might imagine. Plenty of people probably know Marshon Lattimore, and he’s ranked 100th on my DB list. That’s the nature of the position when done right.

We want to reward tackle-heavy production. Do-it-all players who rely on big plays are more difficult to predict and lack consistency. Ballhawk defensive backs like Trevon Diggs (ranked 91st) rarely carry fantasy relevance.

On draft day, I recommend selecting DBs last. What I mean is, you want to draft every other position before you take a defensive back. The only position I’d prioritize less is defensive tackle, and most IDP leagues don’t require a specific DT starter.

I deprioritize DBs because there are fewer than a half-dozen guys I’d include in Tier 1 (Hamilton, Winfield Jr., Branch, James Jr.), maybe three or four in Tier 2 and a handful in Tier 3. So there are basically a dozen guys who are locked in for me. Beyond that, the playing field levels out really quickly. I don’t want to say they are all “just another guy,” there’s nothing there yet where I’m really into that player or confident about that player.

Tier 4 and Beyond

Once you get to Tier 4 (DB16), you have to go with your gut. There is some stability in the cornerbacks in this range, like Nate Hobbs and L’Jarius Sneed, but after your DB1, you’re following the points at the end of the day. Predicting the path of players gets harder, and by the end of the season, there’s very little separating the DB15 and the DB35.

Last year, Bynum came out of left field and was producing like Harrison Smith had for all those years. Defenders can be plug-and-play. The nuances of the position and the scheme are unique to each team. So, for example, if you lose Winfield Jr. due to injury for an extended period, you should absolutely add his replacement. Maybe the replacement isn’t performing like the DB2 overall, as I have Winfield Jr. ranked, but he probably won’t be too far off.

It’s also important to remember that DB production is bunched up. Meaning, the difference between the DB12 and the DB36 might only be about 1.5 fantasy points per game. Compare that to RB12 to RB36 or WR12 to WR36 in a PPR; the point-per-game differential is more like 4 or 5 points per game.

This means less about being right (predicting the best players) and more about having the best players (hitting the waiver wire).

Roster Churn

In my previous IDP defensive linemen and linebacker rankings articles, I discussed how you should chase points and not players. It’s true once again. Do not overestimate your own abilities to find diamonds in the rough. Instead, rely on the coaches and coordinators. If some third-string defensive back moves up the depth chart and starts getting lots of snaps, it’s safe to assume he’s pretty good. And if that player starts scoring big points, you should probably add him.

Guys will emerge in the first two or three weeks of the season. Jessie Bates finished Week 1 last year as the top-scoring DB in most of my leagues. He finished the season as the top-scoring overall DB1. A lot of people, myself included, were skeptical that Bobby Wagner still had anything left in the tank. He was a top-five LB after Week 1 and finished as the LB2 or LB3, depending on your scoring system. When players perform, believe them. Don’t get caught up in the prediction game where you approve or disapprove of each player’s come-up.

Rankings Are Only a Starting Point

By Week 8, this IDP defensive back rankings list will be meaningless. Some of you might think it already is, and that’s harsh. But the point here is that you have to take in new information every week. You’ve got to monitor snap counts and injuries.

The best part of the game is experiencing it, and while I understand the temptation to have “your guys” and stick with “your guys.” The game doesn’t give you bonus points for being right or making a call. Patting yourself on the back rewards no points. So don’t be afraid to be wrong. I’ve said this many times, but I’ll happily drop a guy after Week 2 who I really liked all offseason. If the points aren’t there, then I’m going to add the guys who are scoring big. If it turns out that guy ends up blowing up in Week 9, oh well. He should’ve started blowing up earlier because, in the best-case scenario, I would have won the bid I put in for him after his Week 9 blow-up.

So once we’re into Week 1, forget everything you thought you knew because we have real data and real tape to watch, rather than falling back on our intuition. Too many people are caught up in advanced stats and numbers with decimal places. Just because it seems smart and makes sense doesn’t mean that life fantasy football will make sense. Fantasy football is as complicated as you want it to be. Break out the protractor and track where Mercury is in the sky if that makes sense to you. But what wins games? Points. Follow the points, not the names.

Recommended IDP League Settings

Defensive Lineup

1 DT, 2 DE, 3 LB, 1 CB, 2 DB, 2 IDP Flex (DL/LB/DB)

IDP Scoring

• 1.5 points per Tackle
• 1 point per Assist
• 4 points per Sack
• 4 points per Forced Fumble
• 2 points per Fumble Recovery
• 4 points per Interception
• 1.5 points per Pass Defended
• 4 points per Safety
• 6 points per Defensive Touchdown
• 1 point per QB Hit
• 1 point per Tackle For Loss

Got a beef with Matt’s 2024 IDP Defensive Back Rankings? Drop some knowledge in the comments below and then make sure to check out our 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit for more great rankings and analysis.