But set aside all the history for a moment. As exciting as it is to think about each of these storied franchises, to truly appreciate this upcoming Super Bowl we must we must look at who will actually be setting foot on the playing field in Dallas and set out memories (or nightmares) of Brett Favre, Bart Starr, and the Steel Curtain aside.

The Quarterback Battle

Unsurprisingly, each team has been to a degree carried to where they are by truly exceptional quarterbacking. Many people think the debate for whom the greatest quarterback of our decade is exists solely between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. However, with a 10-2 career playoff record, impeccable mobility, a big arm, and a great track record in clutch situations and big games, Ben Roethlisberger certainly belongs in the debate, especially if he can help capture the Steelers a third championship in a period of six years.

Aaron Rodgers, on the other hand, is the guy who is coming into the game with none of the track record but all of the qualifications to be “The Guy.” Like Big Ben, he has a big arm. Like Big Ben, he can make plays happen with his feet. However, unlike Big Ben, Rodgers is coming into this game on a tear, with a 71 completion%, 790 yards, and 6 touchdowns in three playoff games. Big Ben has certainly been instrumental in getting the Steelers to where they are, but is performing a step or two below Rodgers, with a 56.9 completion%, 359 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 picks.

The defensive battle

The Steelers enter this game as the second best defense in the league, allowing the second fewest yards per game. Pittsburgh was by far the best defense against the run, allowing 62.8 yards per game on the ground. The next closest team was Chicago, which gave up just over 90 yards on the ground. It will not be easy for the inexperienced tandem of James Starks and Brandon Jackson to establish the run, but the presence of one of the most easily-burned corners in the league, Bryant McFadden, should allow Rodgers to make a big play when needed.

Despite all the hoopla over the vaunted Steelers defense, the Packers are no slouch either. They finished the regular season as the fifth-best defense in terms of yardage allowed, and their trio of Pro-Bowl stars in the secondary, Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, and Nick Collins, will not make going through the air easy for Ben Roethlisberger. With a banged up offensive line, the Steelers also need to worry about protecting their star quarterback, because in terms of pass rush, these two teams are even. Pittsburgh led the league with 48 sacks, and Green Bay Packers finished right behind them with 47.

Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey is dealing with a high ankle sprain, and if he isn’t 100% for the game he may be easily overwhelmed by defensive tackle B.J. Raji, who compiled 6.5 sacks. Linebacker Clay Matthews and his 13.5 sacks will be tough to contain, and the Steelers will also be busy keeping defensive end Cullen Jenkins away from the White Mamba. On the other end of the field, the Steelers have a fearsome pair of linebackers in James Harrison and Lamarr Woodley, who each collected ten sacks. Both teams had some trouble with giving up sacks, so watch for these guys to make the biggest impact on defense.

How do these teams stack up?

The last time these two teams matched up, the Steelers ended up winning on a late touchdown caught by Mike Wallace. However, that game was not the defensive battle that many people expected, but the Steelers ultimately won a shoot-out 37-36. Rodgers threw for 383 yards in that game, Roethlisberger 503. Most of the players who were active in that game are returning for this rematch, however each team is suffering from at least one significant injury.

The Packers will be without their workhorse back Ryan Grant. While most teams are not able to successfully run on Pittsburgh, if the Packers stood any chance to have success on the ground it would be with Grant lining up at tailback. Brandon Jackson, James Starks, and John Kuhn have filled in admirably, but the limited success they have found will be stamped out by the stifling Steelers defense.

The Steelers, however, have been dealing with injuries all year, and will be hurt most by the absence of offensive linemen Max Starks and Willie Colon. Starks, who was the starting left tackle for Pittsburgh during their 2005 and 2008 Super Bowl seasons, sustained a neck injury earlier in the season and was lost to IR. On the other side, Pittsburgh lost their starting right tackle in Willie Colon, who tore his Achilles tendon in training camp. The fact that the Steelers even made it this far without two of their starting offensive linemen is amazing, but expect the Packers’ pass rush to take advantage of this early and often.

How it all shakes out:

Packers stalwart wide receiver Donald Driver isn’t shying away: he says that Super Bowl XLV is Green Bay’s to lose. Since the Packers are the healthier team and are fresh off a defeat of their hated rivals Chicago in their own stadium, Green Bay clearly has the momentum on their side. But as we’ve seen all too often, all it takes is a jarring helmet-to-helmet hit from James Harrison to swing momentum in Pittsburgh’s favor. Still, because the Steelers won the previous game between these two teams, the Packers must be coming in with some chip on their shoulders, despite their proud displays of confidence to the media.

Prediction: Packers 31 — Steelers 21

Downtown Crusher Brown, D'Qwell Jackson is back!

Welcome to the third and final installment of our IDP over and under articles. If you play in leagues that use Individual Defensive Players (IDP) then you probably already know that unlike the more mercurial defensive linemen or defensive back positions, the Linebacker position is the most straight up to draft for. Players offer more consistency year to year. There is greater depth, and really only one scoring consideration: solo tackles.

A handful of Linebackers do put up double digit sacks like their DL counterparts, and their names are good to know; James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley in Pittsburgh, Clay Matthews in Green Bay, Demarcus Ware in Dallas, Elvis Dumervil in Denver and Brian Orakpo in Washington. Of these six guys, only the two Steelers eclipsed 50 solo tackles, and while I’m not suggesting you discount these potential fantasy studs, keep in mind none of them broke into the top 10 at their position, and only three made it into the top 20.

So as my mantra has become, look for the guys with the high solo tackle numbers and opportunities. Save the “sack” guys for your DL position unless you find a real value where he is taken in your draft.

When you get to the IDP point in your draft the difference between a player’s ADP is usually around one full round. So the 28th linebacker off the board is going a full two rounds after the 26th. So do the math on just what a 5-10 ADP difference can mean. So relative to all other fantasy positions none has a greater need for finding value.

–Undervalued–

D’Qwell Jackson, CLE - It’s hard to image a tackle beast like D’Qwell being undervalued, but it seems last year’s injury has put him in an almost sleeper like draft state. FFToolobox.com and Fantasy Knucklehead’s both have him ranked at #7. IDPGuru.com has him at #5. Yet his ADP is 15th–a difference of 50 picks, or 5 rounds.

Michael Boley, NYG – Boley is a guy who can get you 90+ solo tackles with a 2-3 sacks thrown in. He was on his way to a 100 tackle season in 2009 before he got hurt. I currently have him ranked at 29th, and his ADP is 41st.

Justin Durant, JAX - J.D. lost some of his value when the Jags brought in Kirk Morrison, but he put up 81 solo tackles in 13 games last season, meaning a full 16 games could bring him to the century mark. His team will spend a lot of time on defense, so the opportunity is there for a big year. I have him ranked at 34 and his ADP is 45.

Demorrio Williams, KC - Williams ranked 33rd in LB fantasy points in 2009, but he was 9th overall in solo tackles with 95. If he can repeat those numbers, or come close–perhaps add a sack or two, you’ve got a very undervalued pick at ADP 52

Chad Greenway, MIN – Greenway is one of those quiet producers who puts up 80+ solo tackles each season. In his first three seasons he’s placed 21st, 13th and 29th in fantasy production, yet he goes into season four, with an ADP of 40. That’s not just undervalued– that’s sleeper territory.

–Overvalued–

Demarcus Ware, DAL - As mentioned above, Ware was one of only six linebackers to break into double digit sacks, but he still failed to break into the top 25 at his position. This is due to his sub-50 solo tackle numbers. Ware is always a threat to put up double digit sacks, but not 100 solo tackles.  His ADP is a current 17th. That’s just not good value.

Dumervil

Elvis Dumervil, DEN – Dumervil transitioned from defensive end to linebacker and exploded to lead the league with 17 sacks. While there is decent reason to believe Elvis can hit double digit sacks again, it’s rather probable that it won’t be 17, and a dozen seems like the ceiling.  So if you figure in his low tackles numbers (less than 40) with a dozen sacks, you get his 2007 numbers which were good for 42nd place overall. His current ADP is 30th.

Brian Orakpo, WAS – Orakpo’s rookie season ended with 11 sacks, and a 54th place fantasy ranking. Heading into 2010 he’s likely to replicate those numbers, and with a defensive scheme change to the 3-4, he could see an extra sacks or two. However, his tackles totals will really have to bump to get him close enough in scoring to match his ADP of 37.

Brian Cushing, HOU – Cushing is a brutish fantasy stud, and should destroy defenses for years to come. He’s a top 10 LB pick for me in Dynasty/Keeper leagues, but in 2010 redraft leagues an ADP as the 5th linebacker taken overall is big time crazy. he’ll miss a quarter of the season to suspension, and it will take him another few games to get into a groove. I’ve dropped his ranking to 12th, and that may still be too optimistic.

David Hawthorne, SEA - Talk about a fantasy revelation. Hawthorne stepped in for an injured Lofa Tatupa last season and destroyed other fantasy teams putting up 93 solos, 3 sacks and 3 interceptions for savvy fantasy owners. Tatupa is back this season, and Hawthorne moves to WLB (a less productive position usually). He also faces competition from Leroy Hill. I like Hawthorne’s chance to be a beast again in 2010, but there are enough question marks surrounding this season that an ADP of 22 seems a bit overvalued. That said, of all the guys on this list of overvalued players, I think D.H. has the best chance to prove me wrong.

Yearly stats are taken from FFToday.com, and ADP results from MyFantasyLeague.com

"I'm sorry... again..."

Where do we begin? Byron Leftwich is back in Pittsburgh…

The multi-million dollar question for the Steelers is, unfortunately, whether or not Leftwich is their starting quarterback in Week One. It’s an old story that’s been told too many times for the Steelers, their fans of the NFL to hear any more, but Pittsburgh’s two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had another bad spring, and will miss a few games to start the year because of rape accusations.

Roethlisberger was lucky, though. A couple other Super Bowl heroes received their walking papers since the black and gold last laced up their shoulder pads. Santonio Holmes is no longer with the Steelers after he made a number of his own bad decisions, and Willie Parker was shown the door because the franchise decided he was too old to be on their roster any longer.

Let’s look at the question marks surrounding the fantasy futures in Pittsburgh this year.

UPDATE: Steelers RT Willie Colon will reportedly have season-ending surgery on a ruptured Achilles' tendon on Wed. Colon is the Steelers' best lineman, and his replacement is a question mark. Avoid most/all Steelers offensive players in your fantasy drafts!

Quarterback

Roethlisberger is suspended, pending “good behavior,” and will likely be out at least until the Steelers’ bye week (Week Five). Until he’s “un-grounded” by Roger Goodell, the Steelers will have to survive with either Leftwich or Dennis Dixon under center. The loss of Holmes in the passing game and Parker in the backfield, issues we’ll address momentarily, will put even more pressure on whomever is starting to begin the season.

However, because Roethlisberger will be forced to sit for some time, his legs and arm could be fresh down the stretch. Considering the Steelers’ schedule, though, I’m not sure this is the year to consider Roethlisberger as a fantasy option.

Rashard Mendenhall

Running Back

We’ve already mentioned that Parker is gone, but from a fantasy perspective that’s been true for 12 months already. The primary carries will go to Rashard Mendenhall, who could be a fantastic fantasy option early and quality trade candidate (to unload, see “sell high” theory) mid-season. The backups will be Mewelde Moore and rookie Jonathan Dwyer.

Five of the Steelers first six games (ATL, @TEN, @TAM, CLE, @MIA) could all be favorable, especially with Roethlisberger either out or just returning. Given his skill set and the matchups, Mendenhall should be considered a low end #1 or solid #2 RB in most draft formats.

Wide Receivers

Holmes is gone, but this is a deep group that could have some solid sleepers among them this year. Hines Ward will be the veteran leader once again, but youngster Mike Wallace will be the man asked to replace Holmes in the vertical passing game. If teams stack the box in Roethlisberger’s absence early on, Wallace could be a home run threat.

However, as we’ll discuss when we look at the Steelers’ schedule, this might be a season to trade away succeeding players on the Pittsburgh roster mid-season. In Weeks 13-16, which is the playoffs in most fantasy formats, the Steelers face @BAL, CIN, NYJ and CAR. If you’re top receiver has the Ravens, Bengals and Jets defenses in the first three rounds of the playoffs, you won’t have to worry about the Panthers.

Tight Ends

Heath Miller is a touchdown vulture but isn’t going to rack up big-time yards. He might be a valuable asset to the grab-bag under center this year in the red zone, though. I would consider Miller a solid #2 TE in most formats.

Defense

This is an interesting group that, again, should be considered in the context of their schedule. It’s a veteran group with a lot of the same names in the same places, and continued health concerns surrounding Troy Polamalu make it hard to roll the dice on PIT DEF.

Most of the team’s stars are aging, so it’s hard to continue to put money on James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley to put up huge sack numbers. However, if anyone can get a defensive scheme together that works in today’s NFL, it’s Pittsburgh. Their secondary could be a good bet for production against Cleveland, Tampa and Buffalo, but health should be monitored regularly. If Polamalu goes down, they have shown to be significantly more vulnerable to run and pass.

Troy Polamalu

2010 Regular Season Schedule (times EST)

• Week One – SUN Sept 12 – ATL    1:00 PM
• Week Two – SUN Sept 19 – @ TEN    1:00 PM
• Week Three – SUN Sept 26 – @ TAM    1:00 PM
• Week Four – SUN Oct 3 – vs BAL   1:00 PM
• Week Five – BYE
• Week Six – SUN Oct 17 – vs CLE    1:00 PM
• Week Six – SUN Oct 24 – @MIA    1:00 PM
• Week Eight – SUN Oct 31 – @ NO   8:20 PM
• Week Nine - MON Nov 8 – @CIN    8:30 PM
• Week Ten – SUN Nov 14 – vs NE    8:20 PM
• Week Eleven – SUN Nov 21 – vs OAK    1:00 PM
• Week Twelve – SUN Nov 28 – @ BUF    1:00 PM
• Week Thirteen – SUN Dec 5 – @ BAL    8:20 PM
• Week Fourteen - SUN Dec 12 – vs CIN    1:00 PM
• Week Fifteen – SUN Dec 19 – vs NYJ    4:15 PM
• Week Sixteen – THU Dec 23 – vs CAR   8:20 PM
• Week Seventeen – SUN Jan 2 – @ CLE   1:00 PM

The biggest part of the schedule to take note of is the playoff weeks. As we mentioned earlier, the Steelers have a couple nice weeks for fantasy prospects against Oakland and Buffalo in Weeks 11 & 12, but then come into the playoff weeks with BAL, CIN, NYJ and CAR. Active managers might want to ride offensive players like Wallace, Ward and Mendenhall while they’re hot and then look to move them for players with a softer schedule.

Coaching Philosphy

This could be a wild card offensively this year. It might not be until halftime of Week Two that a fantasy owner can be completely comfortable with the offensive scheme in Pittsburgh because of the departures and Roethlisberger’s suspension, and the philosophy could change again when he comes back from suspension. This season will truly be a work-in-progress for the first half of the season for the Steelers.

Defensively, the 3-4 will again feature a lot blitzing and center on stopping the run and getting pressure on the quarterback. Pittsburgh always has strong team defensive numbers, and this year should be no different.

Is Rolando McClain 2010's version of James Laurinaitis?

UPDATED: September 5, 2010

The Linebacker position is the easiest Individual Defensive Player (IDP) spot to draft for. There is more consistency at the position than Defensive Back, and greater depth than Defensive Lineman. And more so than the other two positions, stud rookie Linebackers tend to surface each season like Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, Brian Cushing and James Laurinaitis.

Which rookie linebacker is most likely to surprise this season with 100 tackles? We like Rolando McClain for the Oakland Raiders, but we think Darryl Washington could be a nice sleeper pick as well for the Arizona Cardinals.

Some may question my reasoning for putting David Hawthorne before Lafu Tatupa, but as we’ve already seen in camp this summer, Tatupa cannot stay healthy, making Hawthorne even more valuable.

Top 50 IDP Defensive Lineman Rankings

Top 50 IDP Defensive Back Rankings

For each position (DL, LB, DB), I will recommend 3 Starts and 2 Sits in addition to my “Start of the Week” and “Sit of the Week.” Also, for each position, I have listed players that I consider to be every week starters or, in other terms, “matchup independent.”

I hope everyone was successful in their respective playoff matchups last week (if you had one). My philosophy, at this point in the season, is to start defensive players based primarily on their matchups. There’s no use in holding on to “big name” players any longer in hopes of them panning out. It’s guys like Reed Doughty and James Anderson that are going to win you the ‘ship, not DeMeco Ryans or Osi Umenyiora.

Enough preaching, here are my IDP recommendations for Week 15:

Starts

*The IDP Guru’s Start of the Week*

WLB Keith Bulluck – I actually like both WLB Keith Bullock and MLB Stephen Tulloch this week against Miami. I chose Bullock as my start of the week over Tulloch because he stays in for nickel packages whereas Tulloch does not. Therefore, if Miami starts throwing, Bullock will obviously have more tackle opportunities than Tulloch. Look for Bullock to have 9-11 total tackles this week.

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

Every Week Starters:
Jared Allen
Julius Peppers
Elvis Dumervil
Justin Tuck
Trent Cole
Mario Williams
Robert Mathis
Andre Carter
Dwight Freeney
Will Smith
Brian Orakpo

1. DE/WLB Terrell Suggs – Suggs had missed the last 3 weeks with an injury but he returned last week against the Lions and had 4 solo tackles. Suggs is a great value because of the high tackling capability he brings from his hybrid DE/WLB spot. Chicago gets sacked a decent amount as well. Sounds like a good combination to me.

2. LDE John Abraham – I know, I know. Abraham sucks this year. I agree completely. I drafted him for God’s sake! But, he has a matchup this week against the Jets which is just too good to pass up. The Jets give up the most fantasy points to opposing defensive lineman and Abraham has a little extra incentive to do well playing against his old team. And hell, he hasn’t had a full sack since Week 5, he’s due. Isn’t he?

3. RDE Aaron Schobel – I’ve recommended Schobel a few times in my weekly waiver wire articles this year and for good reason. He plays in a division that has teams who get sacked a lot! This week the Bills play the New England Patriots, who are actually in the Top 5 for fantasy points given up to opposing defensive lineman.

LINEBACKERS

Every Week Starters:
Patrick Willis
James Harrison
Jon Beason
Barrett Rudd
London Fletcher
D.J. Williams
Curtis Lofton
Kirk Morrison
Brian Cushing
David Harris
David Hawthorne
James Laurinaitis
Karlos Dansby – INJURED (PROBABLE)
Clint Session
Paul Posluszny

1. LOLB LaMarr Woodley - I recommended Woodley in my blog as a waiver wire pickup last week and he came up big with 6 solo tackles and a sack. He has a superb matchup against the Packers this week, so expect a similar stat line.

2. WLB Michael Boley - Boley really impressed me last week by going 10-1-0 against the Eagles, who are one of the stingiest teams in the NFL when it comes to giving up fantasy points to opposing linebackers. He’s got a great matchup against the ‘Skins this week. Look for Boley to have a very solid game.

3. WLB James Anderson – If you’re in need of a one-week filler, Anderson may be your guy. He’s been thrown into the WLB position because of the season-ending injury to Thomas Davis a few weeks ago. To a certain extent, it’s Carolina’s Cover 2 defensive scheme that makes the WLB position valuable, not the actual player. With this being said, Anderson has the Vikings this week who  are a fantasy linebackers dream come true. He should be able to produce at least 7-9 total tackles this week.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Every Week Starters:
Eric Weddle - INJURED (QUESTIONABLE)
Charles Woodson
Troy Polamalu - INJURED (OUT)
Darren Sharper
Tyvon Branch
Antoine Bethea
Yeremiah Bell
Oshiomogho Atogwe - INJURED (PLACED ON IR 12/9)
Dashon Goldson
Bernard Pollard
Bryan Scott

1. SS Reed Doughty – Doughty has been one of the more consistent tackling strong safeties in the league. He has a great matchup this week against the New York “Football” Giants. Get him in your lineup!

2. SS Erik Coleman – Coleman has cooled off the last three weeks after a hot start to the season. However, I think he will bounce back this week against the Jets who will look to run the ball a lot. Seriously, what else are the Jets going to do except hand the ball to Thomas Jones? Let Mark Sanchez (or possibly Kellen Clemens) throw? I think not.

3. LCB William James – James is coming off a nine tackle week against the Ravens last week and this week he has the best matchup an opposing fantasy CB can have: The Arizona Cardinals. He should be good for 7 or 8 solo tackles.

Sits

*The IDP Guru’s Sit of the Week*

WLB Daryl Smith – Smith is on pace for about 100 total tackles this season. Not bad. However, he is the 2nd best fantasy linebacker in Jacksonville behind Justin Durant and he has to face the Colts this week who are extremely stingy when it comes to giving out fantasy points to opposing linebackers. Don’t even think about Smith this week. Look somewhere else. 

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

1. RDE Stylez White – “The Artist formerly known as Greg” had a nice game last week against the Jets. But, I could probably manage a sack (or two) against the Jets, so that isn’t saying a whole lot. White gets the Seahawks this week who have allowed the 2nd fewest points to defensive lineman over the last 8 weeks. I would shy away from White this week.

2. RDE Will Smith – For as inconsistent as the Cowboys offense has been this year, the offensive line has managed to protect Romo fairly well. Add to that the fact that Romo is an elusive QB to begin with and you have a recipe that opposing defensive lineman don’t like tasting. I don’t see Smith being successful in his “Pursuit of Happiness” (bad pun, I know).

LINEBACKERS

1. WLB Will Witherspoon – Since be traded to the Eagles in Week 7, “Spoon” has been a fairly solid fantasy producer. His value took a slight hit when the Eagles decided to move him from MLB to WLB a few ago though. And he has bad matchup this week against the 49ers and their west-coast offense. Don’t expect more than 4-6 total tackles this week.

2. MLB Dhani Jones – It was just last week that I recommended you start Mr. Jones and he came through with 10 total tackles. However, he just isn’t good enough to overcome bad matchups like the one he has against the Chargers this week. Look somewhere else for a linebacker this week. 

DEFENSIVE BACKS

1.  SS Brian Dawkins – Dawkins is coming off a huge game last week (7-3-0, 2 INTS). However, the Raiders are just not good enough to 1) control the ball for an extended period of time, and 2) get to the 2nd level of the opposing team’s defense which is bad news for a secondary player like Dawkins. The last time Dawkins played the Raiders he only had 3 total tackles. Not good.

2. SS Nedu Ndukwe – Gotta love that name! Ndukwe has filled in well for Roy “Horse Collar” Williams, but he’s probably going to hit a brick wall this week against the Eagles. The Eagles are pretty stingy when it comes to giving up points to opposing DBs.

I hope you found this article to be helpful and enjoyable!

Please feel free to leave comments, questions, or derogatory remarks!

Thanks!

Ryan Sitzmann (The IDP Guru)

If you liked this article, make sure to check out our other great Week 15 articles:

• QB Rankings (Start/Sit)
• RB Rankings
  
• WR Rankings (Start/Sit)
• Waiver Wire Sleepers
  

Harrison looks to continue his dominance!

IDP Weekly: Week 11 Preview!

This week the IDP world will be focusing on some great defensive match-ups to take advantage of, the Giants and Texans will be looking to wreak havoc after their week 10 bye. Get your studs ready, because they are going off this week!

Start of the week! James Harrison (PIT): In week 11 Harrison has a huge match-up against a struggling Kansas City offense, look for his sack totals to increase rapidly in this contest……and who knows, he might sprinkle a few forced fumbles on the stat sheets also.

Start’em:

Manny Lawson (SF): He may not get all the attention on the San Francisco defense, but he will pay big dividends this week against the Green Bay Packers this week. Lawson will be playing the outside against a woeful offensive line and a QB that seems to invite sacks at a rapid pace…….sounds good to me, start this LB with confidence this week.

Kamerion Wimbley (CLE): Wimbley has been a rare bright spot for the Browns this year, he combines a good combination of speed and strength and should prove to be worthy of a start against a terrible Detroit team. If Wimbley doesn’t get on the score sheet against Stafford and company…..I will be blown away, or at the least very disappointed.

LaMarr Woodley (PIT): With his partner in crime as the start of the week, it’s no surprise to see Woodley on the list of must starts. Woodley has been a bit of an enigma this season after his breakout performance last year, but he still sits in a good position to have a huge second half…..he should be ready for a huge game against the Chiefs this week.

Aqib Talib (TB): This DB is turning into a supreme ball-hawk. This week Talib should be busy against one of the most potent passing attacks in football. Brees will give this second year player a run for his money in week 11, this start is more about opportunity and there should be plenty of that this week for Talib…….let’s see how he responds for the Bucs.

Sit’em: Aaron Schobel (BUF): Schobel has been good this year after an injury riddled ’08 campaign, but if your a betting man, the safe bet is to sit Schobel against a Jacksonville team that shouldn’t even need to throw a  pass to win this game, Mojo will be the focal point of this game……do your best Larry Johnson impression and sit’em!

Gibril Wilson (MIA): At first thought this should be a good start, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Wilson will not be challenged through the air against Carolina, now that Delhomme is figured out how to hand the ball off and make smarter decisions, Carolina will want to use what works…..and that isn’t Delhomme!

Ray Lewis (BAL): You may be asking yourself, how do I sit Ray Lewis? Well, he is playing Peyton Manning and Baltimore lost their best pass-rusher in Suggs, all of those things have to be taken into consideration this week against the Colts. Let’s face it, do you honestly believe Manning is going to put the ball in a position to let Ray Lewis make a big-play? I don’t think so!

1. Waiver Wire Help Wanted Ads
2. TE Ranking the Start Sit
3. RB Rankings Smokes and Jokes
4. Defensive Rankings & Game Predictions
5. WR Rankings, Taste Like Chocolate
6. NFL Office Pool picks and Against the Spread Locks

For all you defensive minded fantasy footballers, Top Fantasy Football is here to offer you a little insight on some of the better defensive fantasy football players to target in your drafts this summer.

Demarcus Ware was simply sending a message last year piling up 20 sacks, and cementing his status as the leagues top pass-rusher

When looking at drafting defensive players, you should always take into account different aspects of  “real” football and “fantasy” football. For example.. In “fantasy” football when selecting at the DB position, having an elite talent like Asomugha is like having J.J Arrington on offence, reason being… teams will avoid Asomugha like the plague because he is a shut-down defender, which means he doesn’t get a ton of chances to make plays or even tackles for that matter, teams will adjust their game-plan to stay away from players like him. In “real” football Asomugha is considered the No.1 corner-back in the NFL. So when your drafting your IDP’s look at the defensive players positions and chances to make plays or tackles on a consistent basis.

In using the IDP format you have to correctly gauge what the point system offers to specific categories for the fantasy players you should target. For example.. If your league is rewarding heavy points for sacks, interceptions or any category that is considered a big-play, you might look to target machines like OLB’s Ware or Harrison over stud ILB’s like Patrick Willis, Jon Beason and Jerod Mayo, because they are consistently making plays, their tackle totals may be low but their big-play potential is staggering… or DB’s Ed Reed and the Cromartie cousins who always have the chance to rack up points in the big-play leagues, but won’t do as well in the tackle-heavy leagues.

 In this article I am going to give you 5 players from each defensive position to target for your fantasy teams points system (tackle-heavy and big-play heavy leagues), and a few notables that are draft worthy players to acquire when filling out your positions for user friendly IDP owners.

 Defensive Backs -  When searching for fantasy DB’s make sure to invest more scouting in safeties over corner backs, they are far more appealing when searching for big-plays and tackles.

1) Eric Weddle (SD) - Last year Weddle was a monster! He consistently finds himself in  position to make the tackle, he also adds a dimension in the play-making department. Entering his third year in the league Weddle should be poised for a big season, if he can work off last years tackle totals and add a few more big plays in an improved Chargers defense, he could be something special for your roster throughout the NFL season.

2) Troy Polamalu (PIT) – A true play-maker, Polamalu always finds himself in a position to make a play. His tackles combined with the big-play make him user friendly in the IDP world and if healthy has the talent to have a standout campaign in 09. Polamalu has the benefit of their edge-rushers creating so much havoc and give him lots of opportunities for the big-plays.

3) Adrian Wilson (ARI) – It wasn’t so long ago Wilson was the unquestioned No.1 DB on the market, if he can avoid injuries he obviously has the talent to provide you with a No.1 fantasy DB in your lineup. Wilson has the ability to make the big-play or rack up tackles, if your feeling good about his health this year, then go ahead and deploy him for your fantasy teams.

4) Oshiomogho Atogwe (STL) – If you are looking to add a stud on the back-end this year, look no further than Atogwe who has shown consistency for the big-play and solid tackle totals. With Steve Spagnuola as the new head-coach, O.J should be a huge part of the defensive scheme in terms of blitzing and shadowing QB’s every Sunday. He is a true No.1 DB in fantasy and should be one of the top DB’s off the board in your drafts this summer.

5) Michael Griffin (TEN)- This kid has big-play potential written all over him, if he can put up a few more tackles he would be an IDP super- star for a DB. Word out of Tennessee is Griffin is looking to touch the ball on offense and defense, it probably won’t happen that way, but it’s worth noting. Griffin is a very sound DB with a ton of upside and should be better in his third year, he has been a fairly consistent in the tackling department and should be in for a good year for IDP users who are searching for a rising star.

Notables to draft:Atari Bigby (GB), Chris Horton (WAS), Nick Collins (GB), Charles Tillman (CHI), Chinedum Ndukwe (CIN), Gibril Wilson (MIA), Kevin Payne (CHI), Chris Harris (CAR), Richard Marshall (CAR), Ed Reed (BAL), Bob Sanders (IND) injury prone!, Laron Landry (WAS), Antoine Bethea (IND), Kenny Philips (NYG), Kerry Rhodes (NYJ), Brandon Meriweather (NE)

Atogwe looks to continue his dominance in IDP leagues across the country.

Outside Linebackers -  When searching for LB’s in fantasy pools be sure to target OLB’s in big-play leagues, they are more potent for sacks and forced fumbles.

1) Demarcus Ware (DAL) – When selecting big-play LB’s this man should be the first one off the board, with his ability to get to the QB on a regular basis and force fumbles he is a machine that can’t be stopped. Demarcus Ware is the perfect blend of size, speed and agility, making him the best OLB in the business and a must have in fantasy football. Don’t even think of picking anyone else before him in big-play leagues, his 20 sacks last year means you would probably get laughed at leaving the draft if you passed him by for another. (Depending on who the player is… I guess?)

2) James Harrison (PIT) – A specimen in Pittsburgh’s superior pass-rush, James Harrison is one of the best big-play LB’s in the business. His elite strength and quickness seems to make him a lock to do something special every week,  when Ware comes off the board hope to the Gods of fantasy football that he is their when it is your turn, because he is definitely the next best thing and should see just as many big-plays as last year, or maybe even more.

3) Shawn Merriman (SD) – “Lights Out” is back after a year on the injury list, last year was just a brutal feeling for all IDP owners when Merriman was sidelined over an injury he thought he could play through earlier in the 08 season. When healthy and on his game Merriman again has a chance to be one of the most feared big-play LB’s in fantasy football. All off-season he has been getting good revues and showing that he should be in top form for the start of the 09 season, if all goes well for Merriman he should be a highly sought after commodity in IDP leagues that reward heavy points for sacks and forced fumbles.

"Lights Out" is out to prove he is among the most feared edge-rushers in the league.

4) Terrell Suggs (BAL) – Suggs has a unique blend of power and speed that allows him to dominate coming off the edge, he should be good to start the season and make loads of big-plays throughout the year, although he was in a walking boot in camp, but it has been called precautionary at this stage of the pre-season. Suggs should bounce right back into double-digit sacks and tons of extra points in many different play-making categories. Barring injury he is an IDP stud who is listed at DE also, so see what position you can target him for, and deploy him at will.

5) LaMarr Woodley (PIT) – Most people would have put Joey Porter in this spot (17.5 sacks is a good reason) but I am enamored with this kid, he has shown last year (11.5 sacks) he has a knack for the big-play and followed the 08 season with a superior post-season of 6 sacks and 16 tackles in three games, he lead the playoffs in sacks with Harrison on the other side! If your looking for a stud on the rise take Woodley and he should be very solid in the play-making department again this year.

Notables to draft: Karlos Dansby (ARI), Aaron Kampman (GB), Will Witherspoon (STL), Robert Ayers (DEN), Shaun Philips (SD), Elvis Dumerville (DEN), Anthony Spencer (DAL), Calvin Pace (NYJ) suspended, Jason Taylor (MIA), Joey Porter (MIA), also watch Vernon Gholston in pre-season and see how he does while Pace is suspended. Don’t give up on young players after a down rookie year! Sharks will eat those dynasty league-rs up with timely trades for down rookies with huge upside.

Middle Linebackers – In tackle heavy leagues MLB’s are the bread and butter of the IDP world and should be considered very important parts of your squad when drafting this summer.

1) Patrick Willis (SF) -This freak athlete is the best MLB in the business, he can get rack up tackles at an alarming pace, not only does he tackle everything he can get big-play points on any given Sunday. Patrick Willis is a non-stop machine that Mike Singletary loves to utilize in blitz packages as well. Patrick should maintain his status as the best MLB in the NFL and put fantasy points across the board, his blue-collar attitude is what makes this player almost risk free in terms of fantasy production. Do not hesitate to get this young stud in your lineup. He will be around for a  limited time only!

Willis looks like a safe bet and should be targeted for the top MLB taken in drafts this summer

2) John Beason (CAR) -  There is allot to be happy about in Carolina while this beast is roaming the field, Beason is a man amongst boys and clearly tackles everybody and everything that comes across his path. “Beaston” as team-mates and fans like to call him, is the perfect IDP MLB who had an impressive year in 08 and looks to continue his assault on the stats sheet this year. He also put together quite a few big-plays as well (3 INT’s), so don’t worry about deploying this stud if he finds his way on your roster.

3) Barrett Ruud (TB) -This defensive captain for the Bucs has a nose for the ball and seems to fly around the field making plays. I don’t see Ruud dropping off in terms of production on the score sheets, he is a star MLB in the fantasy world with his tackle totals and his big-play potential (3 sacks, 2 INT’s) shows up on game-day also. If your looking for an elite MLB, then Ruud is a player to target come draft day.

4) D’Qwell Jackson (CLE) -If you are overlooking this kid on draft day, you will pay for it later. This guy has loads of upside and can pile up fantasy points at will. If Jackson can continue where he left off last season he should soon be recognized as one of the best in the business. His 08 tackle totals were 154 tackles, 2 sacks and 3 INT’s. If  he can build off last years totals he will be a franchise MLB in dynasty leagues for years to come. Go ahead, draft him and say I told you so.

5) Jerod Mayo (NE) – Last years “defensive rookie of the year” has been getting even better reviews than last seasons training camp. Mayo completely dominated his position and looked like a seasoned vet in his first year (100 solo tackles). Belichik has stated that he wants to blitz Mayo more this year, so that should only increase his chances of putting up better numbers across the board for fantasy owners. This kid is the real deal and should be targeted early in tackle-heavy leagues this summer and should flourish even more in his second year as a pro. His tackle and big-play numbers should get higher and I am sure he will continue to get better and be a stud for years to come.

Notables to draft: Paul Posluszny (BUF), Bart Scott (NYJ), David Harris (NYJ), Kirk Morrison (OAK), London Fletcher (WAS), Demeco Ryans (HOU), Ray Lewis (BAL), Brian Urlacher (CHI), Lawrence Timmons (PIT), Bradie James (DAL), Ernie Sims (DET), Lofa Tatupu (SEA), Rey Maualuga (CIN), Chad Greenway (MIN), Stephen Cooper (SD),  James Laurinaitis (STL)

A relentless pass-rusher who is highly sought for the fantasy IDP drafts this year.

Defensive Lineman – When targeting lineman be sure to avoid DT’s over DE’s, the DE’s have more potential to make plays in the backfield and give your team a boost in the big-play department. There are very few Warren Sapps in the league, DT’s can be targeted if you can pick the elite, Albert Haynesworth, Shaun Rodgers, Tommie Harris and Kevin Williams would be among the top DT’s for potential sacks and big-plays in the middle.

1) Mario Williams (HOU) – Fantasy owners across the nation (especially in dynasty leagues) should be lining up to target this monster, Williams is a terrific pass-rushing DE with huge upside, he can make plays in the back-field on a regular basis and should be considered the gold standard in fantasy for DE’s. “Super Mario” is almost a lock (barring injury) for big-plays on Sundays, he should continue his dominance off the edge and maybe improve upon his sack totals last year.

2) Jared Allen (MIN) - Welcome the beast behind the mullet, Jared Allen. All this player does is account for stats across the board, he is a feared rusher off the end and should see his sack totals continue to be in the double-digits again this year. Allen is a fierce competitor who takes a blue-collar approach to the game, in fantasy football he is a monster stat producer and should be one of the top defensive lineman taken in IDP drafts throughout the summer.

3) Justin Tuck (NYG) – Don’t get caught sleeping when this guy starts rushing the QB, he is relentless in his attacks and should run an assault on fantasy stat sheets with his ability to create mismatches on the line, Tuck should have plenty of chances to get to the QB’s in the NY’s blitzing defense and prove he will continue to get in the back-field at a rampant pace for fantasy owners. I believe Tuck can add even more sacks and big-plays considering he is still young and seems like a force, whether it be playing the edge or in the middle, he is top notch and should be drafted high for owners looking for that special play-maker in their IDP lineups. It’s a toss up between him and Peppers in this spot.

4) Julius Peppers (CAR) – IDP owners who took a shot on Peppers after his terrible 07 season were rewarded graciously as he notched 14.5 sacks and regained his legitimacy as one of the best DE’s in the NFL. Peppers was franchised in the off-season and that should allow him to play with something to prove, when determined their isn’t a more dominating rusher in the game. If Peppers can continue his assault on QB’s he should be an IDP superstar for owners this season. Julius is still in his twenty’s and playing for another contract next year, which means.. look out!

5) John Abraham (ATL) -John Abraham proved last year when healthy he could be a disruptive force in big-play IDP leagues, in a situational role he went off for 16.5 sacks and covered  lots of other statistical categories. In IDP dynasty leagues I would push him down the rankings because of age and injuries, but in 09 he should be back on his game and producing huge stats week in and week out for fantasy owners everywhere. Playing a situational pass-rusher role in Atlanta has been very beneficial to Abraham and he seems like a fine pick for a DE going into the 09 season this year. He might not get 16.5 sacks, but he should be poised for double-digit sacks again. Trent Cole and Robert Mathis are also decent picks for this spot.

Notables to draft: Robert Mathis (IND), Dwight Freeney (IND), Trent Cole (PHI), Chris Long (STL), Justin Smith (SF), Gaines Adams (TB), Derrick Harvey (JAC), Osi Umenyiora (NYG), Kyle Vanden Bosch (TEN), Antonio Smith (HOU), Darryl Tapp (SEA), Brian Orakpo (WAS), Cliff Avril (DET), Trevor Scott (OAK), Mathias Kiwanuka (NYG), Patrick Kerney (SEA)

Remember to always go over you point scoring systems before drafting IDP”s! You must be able to cater to the points that are rewarded for specific categories, don’t be the guy who wasn’t prepared for your leagues scoring system, you could have picked great players that won’t help your fantasy team and shoot yourself in the foot all season. Make sure after your offensive positions are filled to target the top OLB’s in big-play leagues, if you can secure a top notch OLB your team should fare very well against the suckers that went with offensive depth first.