Each year the question of Team Defense vs. our individual defense comes up. The fact is more and more leagues are switching TO individual defensive players over the team defense concept. Most say that Individual Defensive Players (IDP’s) adds further realism and depth to fantasy leagues. The IDP’s also allows each team to start 11 players each week, which equals the same number of players on the field at one time for a team, thus the further realism to the league.

Although IDP’s add more realism and complexity to fantasy football, they also bring a random factor to the games. Some player’s points fluctuate greatly from week to week due to sacks and interceptions, rather than the more stable tackle stats. Plus the IDP’s bring a more random factor when it comes to week to week matchups. If your defense is the Ravens and your playing the 49ers, you know that you’re likely going to have a good week. But a player like Ray Lewis against the 49ers offense brings more of a random factor to your team. Thus creating more of a challenge in your weekly selections for your lineup, in turn causing more parody within the league.

A team defense system may be more reliable, easier to draft, and more traditional with the older leagues. But it does allow a league owner to focus more on offense , thus taking away a lot of the draft day strategy. IDP’s give each owner the opportunity to put together a dominant defense piece by piece.