Fantasy Football Week 1 IDP Rankings: Top Players To Start Include Azeez Al-Shaair, Nick Bolton, and Others

Welcome to Week 1 of the fantasy football season and the start of real football again. It’s great to be done with speculation and get into real games. With minimal data available, we will try to make the best start/sit decisions and roster moves from the offseason/coach speak. Pay attention to injuries when setting a lineup to cover your risk and maximize your results.

Every league is different — especially in the IDP world. These rankings are based on our fantasy scoring to help you adjust to your league while acknowledging that there will be some variations across different platforms. It doesn’t account for position requirements, and is more along the lines of IDP Flex rankings for 2024 Week 1!

Which IDP Players Should You Start in Fantasy Football?

1) Foyesade Oluokun, LB | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
2) Bobby Okereke, LB | New York Giants (vs. MIN)
3) Azeez Al-Shaair, LB | Houston Texans (at IND)
4) Alex Singleton, LB | Denver Broncos (at SEA)
5) Roquan Smith, LB | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
6) Nick Bosa, DE | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
7) Nick Bolton, LB | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
8) Bobby Wagner, LB | Washington Commanders (at TB)
9) T.J. Edwards, LB | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
10) Fred Warner, LB | San Francisco 49ers (vs. NYJ)
11) Micah Parsons, LB | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
12) Brian Branch, S | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
13) Derwin James Jr., S | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
14) Maxx Crosby, DE | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
15) C.J. Mosley, LB | New York Jets (at SF)
16) Terrel Bernard, LB | Buffalo Bills (vs. ARI)
17) Zaire Franklin, LB | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
18) Patrick Queen, LB | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
19) Lavonte David, LB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
20) Kyzir White, LB | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
21) Aidan Hutchinson, DE | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
22) Logan Wilson, LB | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
23) Quincy Williams, LB | New York Jets (at SF)
24) Myles Garrett, DE | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
25) Kyle Hamilton, S | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)

26) Jaquan Brisker, S | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
27) Quay Walker, LB | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
28) Devin Lloyd, LB | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
29) T.J. Watt, LB | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
30) Jordyn Brooks, LB | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
31) Tremaine Edmunds, LB | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
32) Eric Kendricks, LB | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
33) Robert Spillane, LB | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
34) Jeremy Chinn, S | Washington Commanders (at TB)
35) Trey Hendrickson, DE | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
36) Antoine Winfield Jr., S | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
37) Ernest Jones IV, LB | Tennessee Titans (at CHI)
38) Tyrel Dodson, LB | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
39) E.J. Speed, LB | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
40) Quinnen Williams, DT | New York Jets (at SF)
41) Josh Hines-Allen, DE | Jacksonville Jaguars (at MIA)
42) Devon Witherspoon, CB | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
43) Demario Davis, LB | New Orleans Saints (vs. CAR)
44) Ivan Pace Jr., LB | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
45) Joshua Metellus, S | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
46) Grant Delpit, S | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
47) Jalen Pitre, S | Houston Texans (at IND)
48) Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
49) Kaden Elliss, LB | Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
50) Kenneth Murray Jr., LB | Tennessee Titans (at CHI)

51) DeForest Buckner, DT | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
52) Jack Campbell, LB | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
53) Alex Anzalone, LB | Detroit Lions (vs. LAR)
54) Kamren Curl, S | Los Angeles Rams (at DET)
55) Kyle Dugger, S | New England Patriots (at CIN)
56) Chris Jones, DT | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
57) Devin White, LB | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
58) Will Anderson Jr., DE | Houston Texans (at IND)
59) Taron Johnson, CB | Buffalo Bills (vs. ARI)
60) Shaq Thompson, LB | Carolina Panthers (at NO)
61) Danielle Hunter, DE | Houston Texans (at IND)
62) C.J. Gardner-Johnson, S | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
63) Trenton Simpson, LB | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
64) Frankie Luvu, LB | Washington Commanders (at TB)
65) Brian Burns, DE | New York Giants (vs. MIN)
66) Alex Highsmith, LB | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
67) Jeffery Simmons, DT | Tennessee Titans (at CHI)
68) Budda Baker, S | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
69) Denzel Perryman, LB | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
70) Montez Sweat, DE | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
71) Jalen Thompson, S | Arizona Cardinals (at BUF)
72) Kenny Moore II, CB | Indianapolis Colts (vs. HOU)
73) Donovan Wilson, S | Dallas Cowboys (at CLE)
74) Khalil Mack, LB | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
75) Jevon Holland, S | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)

76) Minkah Fitzpatrick, S | Pittsburgh Steelers (at ATL)
77) Kyler Gordon, CB | Chicago Bears (vs. TEN)
78) Christian Wilkins, DT | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
79) Josey Jewell, LB | Carolina Panthers (at NO)
80) Ja’Whaun Bentley, LB | New England Patriots (at CIN)
81) Germaine Pratt, LB | Cincinnati Bengals (vs. NE)
82) Reed Blankenship, S | Philadelphia Eagles (vs. GB)
83) Camryn Bynum, S | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)
84) Xavier McKinney, S | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
85) Rayshawn Jenkins, S | Seattle Seahawks (vs. DEN)
86) Drue Tranquill, LB | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
87) Jordan Hicks, LB | Cleveland Browns (vs. DAL)
88) Nate Hobbs, CB | Las Vegas Raiders (at LAC)
89) Justin Madubuike, DT | Baltimore Ravens (at KC)
90) Matt Judon, LB | Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
91) Rashan Gary, LB | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
92) P.J. Locke, S | Denver Broncos (at SEA)
93) Jordan Poyer, S | Miami Dolphins (vs. JAX)
94) George Karlaftis III, DE | Kansas City Chiefs (vs. BAL)
95) Jessie Bates III, S | Atlanta Falcons (vs. PIT)
96) Daiyan Henley, LB | Los Angeles Chargers (vs. LV)
97) K.J. Britt, LB | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. WAS)
98) Javon Bullard, S | Green Bay Packers (at PHI)
99) Jermaine Johnson II, DE | New York Jets (at SF)
100) Jonathan Greenard, DE | Minnesota Vikings (at NYG)

Best IDP Players To Start in Week 1

Azeez Al-Shaair, LB, Houston Texans

Look, if you drafted the newest Houston Texans LB, you probably planned to start him. Azeez Al-Shaair is locked into a fantastic role and game script in Week 1, though. Al-Shaair is the clear top LB with Christian Harris on injured reserve to start the season. This likely means Henry To’oTo’o is the Texans’ LB2 in September.

To’oTo’o struggled massively in coverage in 2023, so you may see a lot of single-LB looks in Week 1, and against the young Indianapolis Colts offense, that means a lot of runs. Expect the opportunity for a lot of tackles and a possible interception from the inexperienced QB Anthony Richardson. It’s a strong opportunity for the LB3 and IDP3 overall this week.

Nick Bolton, LB, Kansas City Chiefs

Nick Bolton should start his 2024 strong as well, as the Kansas City Chiefs kick off the season Thursday night against the Ravens. The LBs will be put through a difficult challenge, as the Ravens look likely to run a lot of multiple-TE looks and some multiple-RB looks, too. Beyond that, the Ravens have a new top RB who is likely to make defenses look silly.

While Derrick Henry may see fluctuating workloads, the best way for the Ravens to limit Patrick Mahomes is to run the ball consistently. If building a game plan involves lots of RPOs with Henry and Lamar Jackson, it will force LBs to pick their poison, and Bolton’s strong tackling will be needed to get the Chiefs’ defense off the field. I wouldn’t be shocked at a double-digit tackle start for Bolton on TNF.