Tom Nadratowski - Blitz Package Week 2

I hope you all had good drafts and a fine first week. I'd also like to thank you for taking the time to read this column. We here at Footballguys appreciate our readers and what they have to say. I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Please send email to [email protected]. Please try to keep it to 1-2 emails. In the past I have gotten 4-5 emails from the same person per week asking who to play or start. If you want me to run your team for you, why are you playing?

This year I am going to change the format of Blitz Packages. I will try to cover every game, but I am not going to go into minute detail like I did last year. I really didn't feel that the way I did things last season (stat projections for each projected starter, which were pretty similar or even identical to each other) is the best way to do things. I often felt that it was minute and redundant without giving any real insight. This year I am going to shift my focus to the insight part of it.

I am also going to try and focus more on the players that are out of the top 10, but still starters - the ones that fall between #11 and #36. It's a waste of my time and yours to tell you to start Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher and Zach Thomas. If you have one of these guys you are going to start him no matter what, and if you don't have them you don't need to waste your time reading about them. You want the skinny on the players you have that fall outside the stud range, and that's where I am going to try and focus on.

This column will get a little bigger in the next couple of weeks, as I have more and more information to draw upon. A weeks worth of stats is very tough to see trends in, but three or more gives me obviously better intelligence to work with. So while this weeks' Blitz Packages may be short, they will get bigger as we go.

Finally, if what I say still isn't helpful to solve your dilemma between your #2 and #3 LB or #2 LB and #2 DB, I highly recommend that you go and read our Rushing and Passing matchups. When in doubt, start your LBs/SSs/DBs that are playing against RBs we say that have good or great matchups, and DBs that are playing against WRs that have good or great matchups. They will be on the field a long time, increasing your odds for high tackle/PD/INT numbers.

Terminology

Below you will see me say that "Player X had 7-3-1 , 1 INT and 2 PDs". That's their stat line, just like at any stat page online. In this example, that would be 7 solo tackles, 3 assists and 1 sack, 1 interception with 2 passes defensed.

IDP watch

Eagle IDPs
I have had a feeling all pre-season that the Eagles were going to surprise people and underperform. I realize they played the offense-sucking black hole that is the Bucs defense, but I still think that they will not do as well offensively as was thought. Great news for their IDPs. Their starting LBs all had at least 7 tackles Monday night, and the DBs were nice as well. And Dawkins was HUGE with 6-3-0. Chicago, Cincy and Green Bay fall into this category as well.

Defensive Lineman

Vonnie Holliday KC
Don't anoint this guy the new Jason Taylor just yet. Holliday had a great week, to be sure, but he has a past history of making like Houdini and disappearing. Congrats if you started him, but don't sell the farm just to get him.

Charles Grant NO
Grant had 6 tackles and 2 sacks last week. The sacks were nice but the tackles thrill me more. I think that the Saints will be hard pressed to equal last years' record, making Grant a nice one to trade for. I'd wait for him to have an off week and then make a move on him in order to save value while getting him.

Linebackers

Brian Urlacher CHI
No, I am not going back on my word about telling you to start obvious studs. I am saying that, if you have ANYTHING at all to trade, get this guy. The Bears managed 127 yards against Detroit - worst in the league per game average. They will have their moments but I have to believe (although as a life-long Bears fan it pains me to say it) that this trend will continue. Urlacher will be a MONSTER at that pace. He will have AT LEAST 176 total tackles at that rate. And I believe he'll exceed that. Bite the bullet and trade that extra kidney to get him.

Ben Taylor CLE
Who else posted Urlacher-like numbers Sunday? Taylor did. In fact they were identical - 6-5-0. I'd take a shot on a roster spot for him, and being able to keep duplicating that.

Pisa Tinoisamoa SD
Although he plays a position that is usually a fantasy wasteland (SLB), he did play MLB in the preseason. I traded for him in one week, started him, and was pleased with the result. In another league I am activating him off my practice squad. Tinoisamoa is fast and athletic, and would make a nice #2-3 LB for your team if yours are biting the wax tadpole for you.

Akin Ayodele JAX
Ayodele is the real dele. 8-2-1 is studly. Jax will continue to play the same way, and allow him to get nice totals each week.

Defensive Backs

Dre' Bly DET
Bly is the kind of player I like to target as a #2 DB for me. I usually like nice, consistent tacklers like SSs. But a player like Bly is a nice compliment since, when they do show up, it's usually huge. It doesn't hurt that he plays for DET, who are better but will still be bad enough to be on the field a lot. Other players like this are Ty Law NE and Nate Clements BUF.

Nick Harper/Mike Doss IND
Both of these guys will be nice additions if for some reason they are floating around on your waiver. Harper's numbers are inflated a bit by his two picks, but his 6-4-0 4 PDs are studly all by themselves. Doss had LB-like numbers with 7-3-0. I guess maybe the rookie's shoe duties will be a little lighter this week after that.

Ken Hamlin SEA
He's got a big mouth, but he backs it up. 5-0-0 and 2 PDs are solid #2 DB totals. I'd take a chance on him if you needed the DB.

That's all for this week, good luck!