Welcome to the 2022-2023 offseason! Following the completion of the 2022 season, here are my updated top 18 DT dynasty IDP rankings.
Below are my 2023 DT dynasty IDP rankings based on what I know now. Due to injury or variability, I have notes for my top 18 players and some others. I didn’t try to project team changes, so all players are assumed to return to their 2022 teams. This list is considering any interior DL a DT, so it may have guys considered a DE. An asterisk (*) next to the player denotes a pending free agent.
If you missed it, I’ve already posted my top 28 edge players with some additional names here. Come back soon for S, LB, and CB specific rankings. Enjoy!
Tier 1 DT Dynasty IDP Rankings
Foundational players I want to roster at least one of in a DT-required league or as strong DL options in combined DT and edge leagues.
1. Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams
I don’t care about the injury. He’s here again until he actually hangs up the cleats. If you’ve got some risk tolerance, he might be worth buying if your manager is afraid of retirement.
2. Christian Wilkins, DT, Miami Dolphins
Who goes second likely matters how you play and scoring. I have Wilkins here due to age and tackle totals cause that floor is great with a 98 total tackle DT, even with just 3.5 sacks.
3. Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs
If you prefer a weekly ceiling or have high scoring for sacks, Jones is a better DT2 overall, as he put up 15.5 sacks and 77 total pressures to lead all DTs in 2022.
4. DeForest Buckner, DT, Indianapolis Colts
Want a mix of Wilkins tackles and Jones’ ability to get to QBs? That’d be Buckner, who had 74 combined tackles and 8 sacks on the year.
5. Daron Payne*, DT, Washington Commanders
Speaking of do-it-all DTs, Daron Payne lept into that category in 2022. New career highs with 64 tackles and 11.5 sacks, and no reason he won’t do it again.
6. Quinnen Williams, DT, New York Jets
Williams also leaped in 2022, posting 55 total tackles and a new career-high 12 sacks. That’s with not much help taking attention from him with outside pass rushers too.
Tier 2 DT Dynasty IDP Rankings
Elite players who I’d love as my second DT, or have multiple if I have no Tier 1 guys. Solid second and great third options in DL leagues as well:
7. Jeffery Simmons, DT, Tennessee Titans
Hard not to put Simmons in Tier 1, but the man is rock solid with back-to-back 54 tackle campaigns. He’s posted 8.5 and 7.5 sacks in 2021 and 2022 as well.
8. Cameron Heyward, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers
Heyward is a Tier 1 guy but with age cliff and retirement concerns. If he is a true contender in your league, he’s likely more valuable to you than this. 10.5 sacks and 74 tackles in 2022. What a player.
9. Dexter Lawrence, DT, New York Giants
This is one I didn’t see coming, but as long as Wink Martindale is the defensive coordinator, I don’t see any reason why Lawrence can’t continue to rack up tackles (68 in 2022) and sacks (7.5 in 2022).
10. Jonathan Allen, DT, Washington Commanders
That Allen is likely the fourth-best DL on his own team is a little wild. 65 tackles and 7.5 sacks in 2022, ho-hum.
Tier 3 DT Dynasty IDP Rankings
These are great players who I’m fine with as my second DT or ecstatic as a third DT in leagues with that designation, otherwise just solid DL depth that can be started:
11. Christian Barmore, DT, New England Patriots
Barmore is likely too low, but he has yet to consistently put all the numbers up. That being said, he’s one to bet on making a leap in his third season. That’s when Christian Wilkins made his jump to stardom.
12. Javon Hargrave*, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
Hargrave finally broke through the double digit sack threshold with 11 in 2022. Paired with his typical 60 tackles and he’s a rock solid DT.
13. Derrick Brown, DT, Carolina Panthers
Brown is more steady tackle numbers than game breaking sacks. A couple sacks a year looks much better with the 67 tackles he posted in 2022.
14. Leonard Williams, DT, New York Giants
Wouldn’t have thought Williams would be the second most valuable DT on his team a year ago but here we are. No reason to think he doesn’t bounce back to his last couple year totals in 2023.
15. Zach Sieler, DT, Miami Dolphins
Anyone who read my waiver articles likely knows my Sieler love. Getting 70 tackles from the DT spot isn’t easy and that DL around him is loaded. A few more sacks in 2023 seems within reach too.
16. Jordan Davis, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
Hard to have Davis much higher with the lack of playing time but lots of free agents on the Eagles line means opportunity knocks. I’m buying given the opportunity.
17. Devonte Wyatt, DT, Green Bay Packers
Rinse and repeat the Jordan Davis piece. Green Bay could decide to go into a rebuild/reload. If not, hard to pay guys with a QB making so much. Either way, expect more playing time in 2023.
18. Zach Allen*, DT, Arizona Cardinals
A little bit of growth projected here, but Allen has been making strides and putting up some sacks (5.5 in 2022) and passes defended (8 in 2022). Armed with a high pick, could he be playing next to young elite talent in 2023?
Additional Depth Pieces:
These are players I like and could be useful in deeper league formats. Ideally, I’m starting the veterans if I roster them, or churning for youth if it’s bench depth.
Grady Jarrett, DT, Atlanta Falcons
Deatrich Wise, DT, New England Patriots
Ed Oliver, DT, Buffalo Bills
Kenny Clark, DT, Green Bay Packers
Grover Stewart, DT, Indianapolis Colts
B.J. Hill, DT, Cinncinati Bengals
Alim McNeill, DT, Detroit Lions
Michael Hoecht*, DT, Los Angeles Rams
Watch Hoecht’s positional designation as the offseason progresses. As long as still classified as a DT, this is likely too low. He shifted to the edge and put up sacks and tackles. If he is still DT eligible in 2023, he’s a cheap quality starter. His full season line would be 11 sacks and 83 tackles taking his Week 12-18 stats. He also is an exclusive rights free agent, so as long as the Rams want him back, he will be in Los Angeles.
Thanks for checking out my DT dynasty IDP rankings, which is the second in the series of dynasty rankings I’ll publish over the next couple of weeks. Check out my edge rankings here! Happy trading for Edge Dynasty IDP players! Feel free to reach out to me on Twitter to tell me what you love or yell at me that I’m an idiot!
Thank you for reading my DT Dynasty IDP article! Please follow me for more content via Twitter @FFFBallers and @IDPGuys, and check out my IDP Guys author page and the IDP Guys website.
