2025 Fantasy Football LB rankings for IDP leagues: Zack Baun takes over as top-ranked option

The 2025 fantasy football season is quickly approaching as all leagues will begin their drafts in the coming weeks. It's always important to have specific strategies for each position, including on defense. Many leagues use a DST format, giving managers a full NFL team's defensive unit, but IDP leagues have been increasing in popularity in recent years.

In IDP formats, managers get the opportunity to draft individual defenders, much like they already do for their offensive players. Linebackers are arguably the most valuable defensive position for fantasy football, due to their match accumulation of recording tackles, and in turn, fantasy points. This gives them a much safer weekly floor than defenders in other positions that rely more on volatile statistics.

Roquan Smith has been among the most reliable linebackers in IDP fantasy football and has often been ranked as the top overall defensive player to target in drafts. This year sees a new top-ranked defender in Zack Baun following his impressive season in his first year with the Philadelphia Eagles. He incredibly elevated himself from being an irrelevant fantasy player to the LB1 overall.

Other staples in the top ten of the linebacker rankings include Fred Warner and Bobby Wagner, who have consistently performed among the best players in their positions for their entire careers. Wagner was a bit risky last year after switching teams to the Washington Commanders, but he proved the doubters wrong by finishing as the LB20 or better for the tenth consecutive season.

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Carson Schwesinger is another interesting name to keep an eye on this year. He is the only rookie to crack the top 40 in the linebacker rankings as he's expected to serve in a key role for the Cleveland Browns' defense. Here's where he and the rest of the top linebackers fall in the IDP rankings for the 2025 fantasy football season.

LB rankings for IDP leagues in 2025 fantasy football

Zack Baun
Roquan Smith
Zaire Franklin
Fred Warner
Bobby Wagner
Ernest Jones IV
Terrel Bernard
Logan Wilson
Alex Singleton
TJ Edwards
Kaden Elliss
Foyesade Oluokun
Robert Spillane
Nick Bolton
Quay Walker
Lavonte David
Daiyan Henley
Jordyn Brooks
Bobby Okereke
Quincy Williams
Frankie Luvu
Azeez Al-Shaair
Demario Davis
Alex Anzalone
Blake Cashman
Josey Jewell
Patrick Queen
EJ Speed
Devin Lloyd
Jamien Sherwood
Tremaine Edmunds
Jack Campbell
Carson Schwesinger
Germaine Pratt
Tyrel Dodson
Jordan Hicks
Dre Greenlaw
Harold Landry III
Devin White
Kenneth Murray Jr.

About the author

Adam Hulse is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda with 4 years of experience. He is also the host of the podcast "Sports Talk with Adam Hulse."

Adam studied Communications at Villanova University and played American football at Pop Warner and as a high school Freshman. His favorite team are the Dallas Cowboys, and if Adam could lay his hands on a time machine, he would love to witness their glory years from the 1990s. The Cowboys' 27-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX is his favorite Super Bowl of all time.

Given his affinity for 'America's Team,' Adam's favorite players of all time include Emmitt Smith. Michael Irvin, Tony Romo and Dak Prescott.

Adam takes a lot of pride in his work, which naturally culminates into insightful content for his readers, performance analysis being his forte. When not writing about football, Adam spends a time on his podcast.

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Edited by Adam Hulse