Many Fantasy football leagues have managers draft defense/special teams for their rosters, but some diehards go even further and break those slots into individual defensive players (IDP), which typically feature two defensive linemen, 2-3 linebackers and two defensive backs plus 1-2 flex spots. The added element of IDP strategy adds complexity to standard Fantasy drafts, as drafters have to prepare when to jump in on a tackle-heavy linebacker or safety or even a sack artist at defensive lineman depending on the league's unique scoring system.

Before taking part in any IDP leagues, you NEED to see what SportsLine NFL and Fantasy expert R.J. White has to say.

If you're a regular subscriber to SportsLine, you probably know White from dominating NFL picks for years, but did you know he actually got his start in sports media as a fantasy baseball and football analyst? He even finished No. 1 among all experts for his draft rankings the first year FantasyPros tracked MLB expert accuracy on their site. White has continued to excel at season-long and dynasty Fantasy baseball and football formats, and this year he's sharing his Fantasy expertise with SportsLine subscribers.

Last year, White highlighted Robert Spillane as a key target in IDP leagues, ranking him inside his top 20 linebackers despite Fantasy Pros consensus ranking placing him outside the top 60. When all was said and done, Spillane finished 10th at the position, averaging more points per game than highly-ranked players like C.J. Mosley and Patrick Queen.    

Now White has released his 2024 IDP Fantasy football rankings, exclusively to SportsLine members. We can tell you White is extremely high on Chargers rookie linebacker Junior Colson. While Colson doesn't even rank inside the top 60 in Fantasy Pros' linebacker rankings, White has him inside his top 30! And a massive shocker: Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith doesn't crack his top tier at the position despite being the No. 2 ranked player by consensus!

White is also calling for a surprising defensive lineman you aren't even thinking about to finish in the top 12 of his Fantasy football IDP rankings! This pick could be the difference between winning BIG and going home with nothing.

So which defensive players should you build your team around? And which overlooked defensive lineman do you need to jump on? ... Join SportsLine here to see R.J. White's complete Fantasy football IDP rankings, and get the rest of the 2024 Fantasy Football Bible from SportsLine!