John Supowitz

One of the common misconceptions I hear when it comes to trying IDP fantasy football: It’s too complicated Too many more players to track I don’t watch defense Scoring is all over the place I’m here to tell you, IDP fantasy football isn’t any different than the offensive side of the ball, and it doesn’t require you to watch hundreds of hours of film. However, I do love watching the film. What if I told you that evaluating the defensive side of the ball isn’t any different than the offensive side?

There are still nearly four months until the NFL season kicks off. Agonizing, honestly. Fortunately, the schedule release at least gave bettors something meaningful to chew on: Week 1 betting odds. And historically, these are some of the softer numbers we’ll see all season. Sportsbooks are pricing uncertainty. Bettors are pricing optimism. Somewhere in the middle lies opportunity. Now, I’ll be candid: tying up bankroll for months on standard -110 bets has never really been my thing.

The NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year isn’t about splash plays alone. It’s about being on the field, consistently around the ball and filling up the stat sheet. And, historically, the winner lives in the trenches. Linebackers and defensive linemen dominate DROY, combining for nearly 50 wins, followed by another dozen in the secondary. You want players who rack up tackles, pressures and steady production. Last year was the perfect example.