2026 NFL Fantasy Football Top IDP and Team Defense Picks, Contenders & Analysis

By Thomas Valentine | May 27, 2026, 12:14pm

As the old saying goes, defense wins championships in the NFL. A strong defense is the foundation of any winning organization, and a team will rarely get to the Super Bowl without, at the very least, a competent defense. However, defense and special teams are often overlooked and throw away assets in fantasy football leagues.

In traditional scoring leagues, defense and special teams units are more often than not streamed, aside from a few big names, but they can often be the difference between winning and losing. The playing field is a little different in IDP leagues, where individual defense players reign supreme. There, fantasy players need to keep their ears a little closer to the ground. However, to make life easier, here are the top defense, special teams, and IDP rankings for 2026.

NFL Fantasy Football Top IDP Rankings

Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns, LB
Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions, LB
Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns, EDGE
Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders, EDGE
Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers, LB
Zack Baun, Philadelphia Eagles, LB
Jordyn Brooks, Miami Dolphins, LB
Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans, EDGE
Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions, EDGE
Roquan Smith, Baltimore Ravens, LB
Sonny Styles, Washington Commanders, LB
Cedric Gray, Tennessee Titans, LB

2026 NFL Fantasy Football Top IDP Pick Contenders

Carson Schwesinger (Cleveland Browns, LB)

Bye Week: Week 11
2025 FPTS: 208
DPOY Odds:

Carson Schwesinger hit the ground running in his rookie season in 2025. The Browns’ defense finished fourth in EPA per play despite the offense struggling to ever really put the pieces together. The defense found ways to consistently keep the team in games, with Myles Garrett having one of the greatest defensive seasons of all time, but rookie linebacker Schwesinger was a rock at the second level.

His 156 combined tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions helped propel Schwesinger to Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, and now heading into his second season, Schwesinger will look to make an even bigger impact than his top-15 scoring finish in 2025. Even if the Browns’ defense takes a step back, Schwesinger’s ability to make plays all over the field means he’ll potentially be the top IDP in fantasy football.

Jack Campbell (Detroit Lions, LB)

Bye Week: Week 6
2025 FPTS: 256.8
DPOY Odds:

The Lions declined Jack Campbell’s fifth-year option this offseason, and that opened up some questions about his long-term future, but shortly after, they rewarded him with a four-year, $81 million contract, making him the second-highest-paid linebacker in the league. Campbell has been a constant face in the Lions’ defense, and that has translated to IDP scoring, with the former first-round pick finishing as the IDP3 in 2025.

Campbell had a career-high 176 combined tackles in 2025, adding five sacks, five QB hits, and three forced fumbles en route to First-Team All-Pro honors. A linebacker who impacts the game as much as Campbell does is always going to score highly in IDP leagues, and there aren’t many better candidates than the Lions’ star.

Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns, EDGE)

Bye Week: Week 6
2025 FPTS: 265.3
DPOY Odds:

Garrett’s 2025 season will live long in the memory of the NFL. The former first overall pick broke the single-season sack record with 23 sacks, adding 84 pressures per PFF, while winning his fifth All-Pro nod and second Defensive Player of the Year award. Garrett was a thorn in the side of every offensive coordinator, and even when double-teamed, he found away to cause chaos.

Garrett was the IDP2 in 2025, and though he doesn’t impact the run game as much as a pass-rusher, he’ll still factor in as a can’t-miss IDP prospect in every draft, even if his pass-rushing production takes an inevitable dip from the highs of 2025. He’ll still be one of the NFL’s sack leaders, though. Garrett is a human defensive highlight reel.

Maxx Crosby (Las Vegas Raiders, EDGE)

Bye Week: Week 13
2025 FPTS: 220.5
DPOY Odds:

It’s been a big offseason for Maxx Crosby. For the longest time, it felt that the veteran Raider would finally depart the team after seven successful seasons with the team. After a failed trade to the Ravens, Crosby is back with the Raiders. The Raiders have struggled in those seven seasons, but Crosby has effectively become one of the best players in the NFL. Even if injuries have cost him seven games in the last two seasons, Crosby has been consistently on the money.

He was the IDP8 in 15 games in 2025, finishing with 220.5 fantasy points after registering 10 sacks, 46 stops—the second-most in the NFL per PFF—and 20 QB hits. His pass-rushing productivity has dipped in recent seasons, but Crosby might still be the best run-defending edge in the league. He’s also still an excellent pass-rusher. That translates to easy production in fantasy.

Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers, LB)

Bye Week: Week 8
2025 FPTS: 81.5
DPOY Odds:

A broken ankle cost Fred Warner most of the 2025 NFL season, but even when he was on the field, the All-Pro linebacker proved to be a force multiplier. Warner played just six games in 2025 as the 49ers’ defense struggled with injuries. Somehow, the team was still two games away from a Super Bowl, and Warner compiled 81.5 total points as the IDP289. It goes without saying that Warner will be back to his best in 2026.

Warner entered 2025 on the back of three consecutive First-Team All-Pro nods and is widely considered to be one of the best players of his generation. He’s the heart and soul of the49ers’ defense, using his athleticism, tough tackling, and instincts to cover every blade of grass and come up with the biggest plays. He’s also had at least 115 combined tackles in every season since his rookie season, aside from 2025.

Zack Baun (Philadelphia Eagles, LB)

Bye Week: Week 10
2025 FPTS: 200.3
DPOY Odds:

Zack Baun’s breakout was one of the NFL’s better stories in 2024 as the Eagles romped to the Super Bowl. Baun was a rotational player off the edge for the Saints before signing with the Eagles and being utilized as an off-ball linebacker. That change necessitated Baun’s breakout as he finished fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting and earned his first First-Team All-Pro nod.

His ascension has been a boon for those looking for excellent IDP production in fantasy. Baun was the IDP17 in 2025, racking up 123 total tackles in 16 games, adding seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. That was a notch down from his 2024 production, but the Eagles’ defense is going to bring fire and brimstone in 2026. Baun should be front and center.

Jordyn Brooks (Miami Dolphins, LB)

Bye Week: Week 6
2025 FPTS: 270.5
DPOY Odds:

Jordyn Brooks was the IDP1 in 2025 en route to his first-ever All-Pro nod. Brooks was a tackle machine on, arguably, one of the worst defenses in the NFL last season. The Dolphins finished 25th in EPA per play allowed in 2025, and there’s a high chance they’ll beeven worse in 2026. That could mean that Brooks’ production, somehow, goes through the roof — he led the NFL with 99 solo tackles in 2026 — or things crater. However, a player of his talent will always find a way to be around the ball.

The question is whether or not Brooks will be a Dolphin throughout the entire season. The team drafted Jacob Rodriguez in the 2026 NFL Draft, and Brooks is too talented to be playing for a rebuilding team—that means he could have value across the league. Wherever he goes, he’s someone worth drafting in IDP leagues.

Will Anderson Jr. (Houston Texans, EDGE)

Bye Week: Week 8
2025 FPTS: 195.3
DPOY Odds:

Will Anderson Jr. is a star on the rise. The former No. 3 overall pick has grown from strength to strength since 2023 and earned his first First-Team All-Pro selection in 2025 after recording 12 sacks, 93 pressures, 33 stops, and 23 QB hits. Anderson’s ability to do everything is what has elevated him to elite status. He can rush the passer, defend the run, and make plays on the football.

As the best player on the best defense in the NFL, Anderson is always going to be at the center of everything that happens. He finished as the IDP19 in 2025, and as he hunts for his first-ever Defensive Player of the Year award, there’s a good chance that Anderson will up his game heading into 2026.

Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit Lions, EDGE)

Bye Week: Week 6
2025 FPTS: 190
DPOY Odds:

A devastating leg injury cost Aidan Hutchison most of the 2024 NFL season, and though it was early days, the former second overall pick looked to be on track to be the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year after 7.5 sacks in five games. Hutchinson rebounded in 2025, recording 14.5 sacks and a league-leading 100 pressures in the regular season, adding 14 tackles for loss.

There’s an argument to be made that another year removed from injury will take Hutchinson to an even higher level. The Lions’ defense struggled with injuries in 2025, but Hutchinson carried the unit. He’ll look to do the same with a healthier defense in 2026, and that could lead to a potential IDP1 scoring season. Hutchinson was the IDP23 in 2025.

Roquan Smith (Baltimore Ravens, LB)

Bye Week: Week 13
2025 FPTS: 181.5
DPOY Odds:

After back-to-back All-Pro seasons, Roquan Smith’s production dipped a little in 2025. His 130 combined tackles were his lowest in a season since 2019, and it was the first time in his career that Smith didn’t snag an interception, but his status as one of the NFL’s top linebackers remains intact. The Ravens’ defensive struggles early in 2025 played a part in Smith’s slight falter, but missing two games did some damage.

Things should be back to normal in 2026, though. Smith still possesses all of the athleticism and range needed to excel at the position, and the Ravens’ strengthening their defensive lineup, as well as hiring former Chargers’ defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, puts them in a better position to succeed. Smith, as the leader in the middle of the defense, will be a big fantasy plus for managers.

Sonny Styles (Washington Commanders, LB)

Bye Week: Week 7
2025 FPTS: n/a
DROY Odds:

This is a massive swing for the fences, but Sonny Styles is going to be nails in the NFL. The former Ohio State Buckeye was one of the biggest names entering the 2026 NFL Draft, and an exceptional Combine performance blew his stock up even further. Eventually, the Commanders drafted Styles with the number seven overall pick in the hopes that the electric linebacker would dominate in the NFL.

Styles has all of the makings of a star. He’s a hammer looking for a nail, built with speed, power, and the ability to shed blocks. His range of athleticism means he’ll get better in coverage, too. But for now, the upside is already so high. It’s a gamble, but faced with the chance to draft Styles, who could wear the green dot from day one, is worth it.

Cedric Gray (Tennessee Titans, LB)

Bye Week: Week 9
2025 FPTS: 222.80
DPOY Odds: n/a

Players on bad defenses can often fly under the radar. A team giving up so many points per game won’t particularly stand out on the defensive side of the ball, which means the hard work of certain players goes unnoticed. That’s exactly what happened to Cedric Gray in 2025. The 2024 fourth-round pick started 16 games for the Tennessee Titans in 2025 and racked up 164 combined tackles and finished as the IDP7 thanks to a big performance.

Gray added seven tackles for loss, a sack, and two fumble recoveries in his breakout season, and with Robert Saleh entering the building as the Titans’ new head coach, there’s a real feeling that the defense could take a step forward in 2026. If that happens, expect more big things from an up-and-coming defender like Gray.

NFL Fantasy Football Top Defense/ST Rankings

Houston Texans
Seattle Seahawks
Los Angeles Rams
Denver Broncos
Philadelphia Eagles

2026 NFL Fantasy Football Top Defense/ST Pick Contenders

Houston Texans

Bye Week: Week 8
ADP: 164
2025 FPTS: 175

The Houston Texans’ defense is a unit to be feared. They don’t use bells and whistles to create pressure. They’re not a team that tries to fool you with disguised coverages. They lineup their talent and let them go to work, and to great effect. The Texans’ Defense S/T finished second in fantasy scoring and in EPA per play in 2025. The defense is led by the excellent pass-rushing duo of Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, who combined for 176 pressures and 29 sacks in the regular season, per PFF.

Third in takeaways in 2025, the Texans’ defense wasn’t just a unit that would get stops; they consistently forced turnovers, too. Turnovers are hard to predict year-to-year, but there’s just so much talent on the Texans’ defense, and head coach DeMeco Ryans is one of the best in the NFL. On top of that, the Texans have added some real talent on the defensive line inKayden McDonald. The rich get richer, and the Texans should—and in most leagues will—be the first defense off the board.

Seattle Seahawks

Bye Week: Week 11
ADP: 180
2025 FPTS: 186

Success was the name of the game for the Seahawks in 2025. Seattle won its first Super Bowl since 2013 last season, with the defense leading the charge. Mike Macdonald’s unit led the league in EPA per play and in fantasy scoring. Their incredible depth across the board was a major factor in their ascent, with the Seahawks looking like a team that was two men deep at nearly every position, but also every starter executed their jobs perfectly.

The Seahawks lost a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball this offseason, with Boye Mafe, Riq Woolen, and Coby Bryant all departing. That’s three big contributors, which factor into them falling from the top spot to the second spot. However, with Macdonald calling the plays and still enough quality talent on defense, they’ll still be one of the best units in theNFL this season. They also scored three defensive touchdowns in 2025 and have the ability to do so again.

Los Angeles Rams

Bye Week: Week 11
ADP: 182
2025 FPTS: 147

The Rams were one game away from the Super Bowl in 2025, losing to their fierce rival, theSeahawks, in the NFC Conference Championship Game. The defense held up its end of the bargain throughout the season, but became unstuck in the biggest moment of the season, especially in pass coverage. However, they were still the DST8 in 2025.

Now, the Rams should be even better in 2026. They’ve upgraded their secondary by adding Chiefs’ cornerback duo Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, and that could catapult the Rams from a top-10 scoring defense to a top-5 unit. They finished the season seventh in EPA per play and were fifth in takeaways. A roster with this much talent is one to target.

Denver Broncos

Bye Week: Week 10
ADP: 178
2025 FPTS: 151

The Broncos were a top-five defense in fantasy scoring as they won the AFC West for the first time since 2015, and the defense allowed the fourth-fewest points in the NFL. Denver’s defense has been consistently one of the league’s best units for a couple of seasons now—an incredibly hard thing to do in today’s NFL. They were fifth in fantasy scoring in 2025, which was a slight drop from being the number one fantasy scoring defense in 2024.

The likelihood is that the Broncos are around the top of the food chain once again in 2026.They weren’t able to retain the likes of John Franklin-Myers and Dre Greenlaw this offseason, but there’s still an abundance of talent there. Keeping defensive coordinator Vance Joseph in the building was a big win, and that could be the driving force for theBroncos to be a top-scoring defense once again in 2026.

Philadelphia Eagles

Bye Week: Week 10
ADP: 183
2025 FPTS: 147

The Eagles D/ST is currently being drafted just one spot behind the Rams, and around the same position as the Broncos. That speaks volumes to their overall talent, something that has never been in doubt in Philadelphia. Howie Roseman has cultivated one of the league’s best rosters, with stars occupying space on both sides of the ball. In 2025, the Eagles’ DSTwas a top-10 scoring unit in fantasy and the DST7 overall—it was the third time in four seasons the Eagles had been a top-10 scoring DST.

It should be business as usual in 2026. They lost some names in 2025, but the likes ofJonathan Greenard, Riq Woolen, and Arnold Ebiketie will put the Eagles in a position to succeed in 2026. It helps when you have a defensive guru like Vic Fangio calling plays, too.The Eagles have been the DST7 and DST4 since Fangio took over as the team’s defensive coordinator. Back the talent and the play calling.

Photo Credit: AP/David Dermer