What is an IDP actually worth? Weigh the trade before you click accept.
Individual Defensive Player (IDP) leagues live and die on trade math most managers do by gut. This lab puts two defensive players on a literal scale: set their production, watch the beam tilt, and learn the scoring math that trade calculators run underneath.
You receive: Player A
You give up: Player B
The scoring math under the hood
This lab uses a common balanced IDP format: solo tackle = 1.75 pts, sack = 4 pts, INT/FF = 5 pts, over a 17-game season. A tackle machine at 6.5 solos/game scores 6.5 × 1.75 × 17 ≈ 193 points before big plays. An edge rusher with 11 sacks but 3.5 solos/game gets 11 × 4 = 44 sack points on top of ~104 tackle points ≈ 148. Volume tacklers quietly out-score highlight-reel pass rushers in most formats — the #1 lesson new IDP managers learn the hard way.
| Event | Points (this lab) | Season impact example |
|---|---|---|
| Solo tackle | 1.75 | 110 solos ≈ 193 pts |
| Sack | 4 | 12 sacks = 48 pts |
| INT / forced fumble | 5 | 4 takeaways = 20 pts |
Beyond raw points: what real trade calculators add
Positional scarcity. An elite DL is rarer than an elite LB, so calculators apply a scarcity premium — value over the replacement-level player at the same position (VORP), not raw points. This lab applies a light multiplier: DL ×1.15, DB ×0.95, LB ×1.0.
Consistency and floor. Tackle volume is stable week to week; sacks and INTs are spiky. Two players with equal season totals aren't equal in a head-to-head format — the steadier scorer wins more weeks.
Schedule and role. A three-down LB in a bad defense (more opponent plays = more tackle chances) is an IDP cheat code. Snap share above 90% matters more than talent.