Most leagues that use individual defensive players start about the same amount of players in the starting lineup as for the offense to provide a good scoring balance between offensive and defensive players. This helps make the IDPs more valuable and forces owners to consider drafting them earlier instead of sitting back and grabbing a pair of RBs, a QB and the rest of their offensive starters before switching gears to the IDPs. The most common IDP formats use 2 defensive linemen, 3 linebackers and 3 defensive backs. Some leagues may only start one at each position, or may include a couple of "flex" positions allowing you to start one player at each position with 2 more at any defensive position. Some leagues even break the individual positions down so you have to start two OLBs and one MLB if you play a 4-3 defensive scheme. Or, if you employ a 3-4 defensive scheme like the Steelers, Texans, Ravens or Chargers, then you would start a NT instead of a defensive tackle, or an ILB instead of a MLB. Subtleties, yes, but most leagues probably don't go to quite to that level of detail. Simply starting a pair of defensive linemen along with three linebackers and defensive backs each works very well and usually provides a good scoring balance.

When you are in your league's draft scouring for good defensive players and feeling buried by seemingly unfamiliar fantasy stats like tackles, assists, sacks and turnovers, keep the following tips from this article in mind. First and foremost, you need to get yourself into a slightly different mindset, and consider some of the common trends that develop depending on the defensive schemes used by various NFL teams. Knowing the coaching staff's preferences and the schemes used can work decisively to your advantage. For example, defensive linemen in 3-4 schemes generally don't produce as many stats as linemen in the 4-3. Similarly, corners in the cover-2 defensive scheme tend to be more productive. That said, it's more of what a player is asked to do in any particular defensive scheme than their overall ability. In short, the scheme can have a great effect on their tackle numbers. There are always a few exceptions like Aaron Smith last year, but more often than not, the down linemen in 3-4 schemes are not as productive. Now, let's take a look at some more pointers for your IDP league's draft.

UPDATED Draft Strategies

1. When to draft defensive players?
   Drafting 30 rounds is misleading and often people will wait far too long to build their defense. You don't want to get left in the defensive shuffle while others make off with such coveted players like Urlacher, Roy Williams or Ray Lewis, but at the same time - you don't want to jump on them too early. In all the leagues I've been involved the IDPs start to fall anywhere from rounds 3 to 4. Sometimes an owner will go hot and heavy after Urlacher or Lewis as early as the 2nd round. That's fine if you want be aggressive, just don't draft players so early that the overall value becomes diluted. Don't get me wrong there are some IDPs who are worthy of a high draft selection, but don't pass on a 2nd RB like Corey Dillon, Domanick Davis or even Brian Westbrook to put your stake in the sand and grab the 1st LB. You can grab your RB then come back a few rounds later and still get a guy who is similar in production to the top LBs and arguably a better value (like waiting for a Nick Barnett or Eric Barton instead of taking Zach Thomas a round or two earlier). On the other hand, if you've already picked 3 or 4 of your offensive studs and Ray Lewis is staring you in the face in round 5.. by all means - don't let him pass. Ray Lewis is a man among boys. Using a performance based IDP scoring system he outscored every other LB by 3 PPG and every other IDP by almost 4 PPG in 2003. Such a disparity is worthy of a draft pick within the first 4 or 5 rounds. However, once Lewis is gone, the disparity is much smaller between other IDPs. In this scoring scenario, Lewis average 18.77 PPG compared to Tony Gonzalez (TE1) at 17.50 PPG, Chad Johnson (WR4) at 18.97 PPG and Stephen Davis (RB12) at 18.72. Therefore you can easily argue the merits of selecting Lewis fairly early in a mixed draft with IDP players. He is just as worthy as many of your top running backs and receivers when compared to the rest of his positional peers - but it all depends on the scoring system. In most standard scoring systems used for IDP leagues, the top WRs score in the mid 200s, top RBs in the low 300s and the top LBs in the mid 200s. The difference between RBs and WRs mostly will come down to the depth. There are a LOT more starting LBs in the NFL than either RBs or WRs. Thus, it's much easier to backfill IDP positions during the season than it is replacing a starting QB, RB, WR or TE with a comparable and consistent player off waivers.
   
   So, remember - keep a good balance, but be aggressive. Always try to pull a top player from each defensive position while they are on the board, but try not to "reach" too early. Again, it pays to know your scoring system and figure out the positional scarcity involved with the IDP positions as well as the standard offensive positions. For example, your scoring system might make DL score close to the same as LBs or DBs, but if there's little difference between the 10th best DL and the 50th DL, then there isn't a great need to waste a middle round pick on a DL when you can get better value with a backup RB, WR or even a 3rd or 4th LB or DB. Essentially, you need to apply (to some extents anyway) the old Value Based Drafting ideas, but don't get too carried away. I'm not a big believer in drafting blindly under the premise of any one "theory" like VBD, but it is a good tool to help you determine positional strengths and identify value picks throughout your draft. In the long run, you're team will benefit and have a more balanced scoring attack that is consistent from week to week if you follow a combination of VBD along with a "stud RB" and "stud LB" philosophy, but we'll touch more on that in the following sections. Ultimately, I use every advantage or tool, such as VBD, to help me stay ahead of the competitive curve. It's all about information, but when the draft unfolds it also comes down to common sense and following your gut instinct sometimes. If there's a stud falling into your lap, and you're in the right draft slot, throw whatever theory you subscribe to out the window and do what feels best. I drafted in the 11th spot in a couple leagues this year and couldn't avoid grabbing standout positional players like Daunte Culpepper at 2.02 (14) in one draft and Ray Lewis at 4.02 (38) in another.
   
   
2. Analyze the scoring system to determine it's subtleties
   This is really just common sense.. You should ALWAYS figure out the quirks in your league's scoring system well in advance of your draft. If your league rewards less for sacks in comparison to tackles then you should downgrade linebackers that make more big plays but don't produce consistently in the tackle department, like Rosevelt Colvin, Jason Gildon, Julian Peterson and Joey Porter in the past couple seasons. A lot of OLBs in 3-4 schemes are pass rushers by design. However, if your league caters more to the big play and rewards sacks and turnovers slightly more, than bump up those players slightly. Normally a tackle is worth 1 or 2 points while sacks may range from 3 to 4 pts and turnovers 4 to 5 points. I've seen some leagues that score these categories 1 point across the board though, so do yourself a favor and download a program like FLM. Run some stat reports for players over the last year or two, and get an idea of what players are more favorable in your league's scoring system, and even more importantly what the positional scarcity is in terms of points scored at the top of each position as well as at the bottom end of each position - 3 LBs started in a 12 team league means 36 players will be deemed starters, so compare the #1 LB in the stats and fantasy points scored to the 36th LB, and so on with each position. For reinforcement's sake, remember the key to a successful draft is getting the most bang for your buck - or draft pick. Know which positions are stronger or harder to fill (like RBs), as well as those positions (like DBs) where you may have very little spread from the 20th DB to the 75th DB making it much easier to fill via the waiver wire. Why does this matter to you? It's simple. You can pass on those DBs to get stronger at other positions knowing full well there's plenty of low hanging fruit to be plucked at the end of the draft, or better yet, off the waiver wire in the early weeks of the season. This is the crucial time for IDP leagues. Utilize the waiver wire as frequently as needed to get favorable matchups and higher scoring potential.
   
   
3. The Deion Sanders Rule: Don't go by the highlight films
   Sure, Charles Woodson and Champ Bailey are great corners and they've definitely earned reputation as perennial Pro Bowlers for years to come, but..... this does not mean they are among the fantasy studs, or elite defensive backs. As a matter of fact, this is especially true for corners. Shut down coverage corners like Charles Woodson and especially players like Deion Sanders in the past are great examples of top corners in the league that do not stack up in a fantasy sense. The reason is simple. Opposing quarterbacks do their best to throw away from their side of the field. Sometimes this makes the corner opposite them more valuable in fantasy leagues. So, an astute IDP owner may take a shot on a young corner like Philip Buchanan, who plays opposite Charles Woodson. Buchanan is also another potential shutdown corner, who also possesses game-breaking speed and playmaking ability. The other teams have to throw to somebody, and they are more likely to challenge a younger, less experienced corner than a perennial Pro Bowler like Woodson, so Buchanan might have more INTs, TDs and passes defended. Taking this one step further... this leads us to the good ole "Rookie Corner theory".
   
   Often rookie corners turn into short-term fantasy studs. Charles Woodson WAS a very good fantasy player as a rookie. Teams went after him to test him and find out where they can, or in most cases cannot, expose him. The great corners prove themselves and QBs learn not to make the same mistakes twice, as do their offensive coordinators when they plan for the games and watch film all week. This year there are a few nice candidates for the rookie corner theory such as DeAngelo Hall, Chris Gamble and Dunta Robinson. These are easy to locate generally. Simply refer to their draft position and potential to start immediately for their NFL team. DeAngelo Hall could be a great pick as could Gamble because not only will they be targeted early in their career, but they both possess home run ability as return men on special teams or after an interception or turnover. Remember, starting a veteran shutdown corner in an IDP is like playing with fire. They can be hit and miss because one week they will catch a QB making a mistake and return an INT for a touch.. But far more often than not they'll check in with a line like 1-1-0. In the later case, you're in trouble because your opponent probably started a strong safety from a poor defensive team that allows him to rack up 5-7 tackles consistently from week to week. This is similar to starting a 3rd down back like Richie Anderson or Jamel White. You hope one week they catch enough passes to rack up some decent yardage, or get lucky and score a TD. But, if you have a 2nd back like Chris Brown, Kevin Jones or even Duce Staley you will score more consistently each week. So, beware when drafting the NFL "cover" boys. Remember, as great as Derrick Thomas was, he was never a consistent fantasy player and many years never ranked anywhere near being a starter because he was all about the sack and never made a big impact as a run stuffer or consistent tackler.
   
   
4. In search of Mike Singletary... build your team around leaders
   Your linebackers are your defensive captains, just like running backs are the most consistent scorers offensively. They are the consistent pluggers that week in and week out lead your defense in scoring with strong tackle stats and, if you're lucky, sacks, turnovers and touchdown returns. If you can stack a pair of running backs and a trio of linebackers, you're off to a running start. Take chances on guys that could produce ridiculous tackle numbers. Take rookies or young players like Robert Thomas, Andra Davis, Nick Barnett and Zeke Moreno. Take chances on players who are competing for starting roles, but are expected to start. For keeper leagues, these guys come at a premium, just as much as a Michael Bennett, Michael Vick or Jeremy Shockey. Generally, knowing your defensive coordinators a little and the schemes they use will help you determine who will lead their teams in tackles or be put in position to generate some sacks and produce turnovers. Sometimes all it takes is for a player to switch teams, or move from the strong side to the weak side, for their production to increase dramatically.
   
   Watch Pisa Tinoisamoa of the Rams this year, he moves over to the weakside and he's already shown he can be a tackling machine from sideline to sideline from the strong-side as a rookie. I fully expect the Rams defense to be on the field more in 2004 than last year so he could literally shoot up the LB rankings (he was around 40th last year). A couple of other players to keep a watchful eye on this preseason are James Davis, weakside backer for the Lions and Reynoch Thompson for the Cardinals. The Cards are ditching the left-side and right-side LB approach where Thompson would always lineup on the same side of the field regardless of the offensive formation (TE determines strong side). In 2004, Thompson will lineup exclusively on the weakside, which is preferable, so he figures to be a more productive tackler as well as possibly getting some extra sacks if utilized properly. Also, watch for teams with unsettled linebacker jobs. The Lions, Seahawks, Colts, Chiefs and Jets have plenty of competition at LB this year so watch these teams for sleepers to emerge. Those who paid attention last year snagged some solid players like Chris Draft and Andra Davis. Concentrate on these battles and watch them in training camp. There will be plenty of fantasy rewards for those who pay attention.
   
   
5. Tackling 101: Back to the basics
   OK, so we've said this already.. but we really can't say it enough. It's just like in a basic scoring league it doesn't do you much good if a player consistently gets a 100 yards but doesn't score. In IDP leagues the easiest, most consistent way to score is tackling. One dimensional players who only collect sacks or primarily play in obvious passing situations are not as valuable. There are exceptions though and some players who begin their career in the nickel/dime packages as edge rushers or nickel corners blossom into full-time players who become IDP studs, and great bargains most of the time, too. Recent examples include Adewale Ogunleye and Leonard Little. O-Gun developed into a top 5 defensive lineman last season with 15.5 sacks. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamilla is a good example of a solid pass rusher but someone who is more of a liability against the run. Because he couldn't go to the sidelines as often as before, KBG was less effective when pressed into playing full-time, but he still managed 10 sacks. The players you want - generally - are those that never leave the field. Earl Holmes is an average run stuffing MLB, but he's basically a 2 down player and he's not on the field in nickel or dime situations (passing downs). Think of the running backs that only play 1st and 2nd down then out they go for a little scat-back on third downs. All of the premier RBs like Tomlinson, Green, Holmes, Alexander, Edge, McAllister and Portis are every-down backs. Some rookies who have that type of potential on the IDP side are Sean Taylor, Kenechi Udeze, Michael Boulware, D.J. Williams, Ted Lehman and Jonathan Vilma - these are the guys to target for keeper leagues. Ultimately the key is staying on top of key training camp battles, injury developments and coaching decisions early in the season. That's where the FBG news blogger and the message boards come in handy.

Expanding on this discussion, let's highlight some keys to your draft day success when evaluating the defensive player's talents..

Linebackers
The Running Backs of your Defense

1. Middle linebackers
   Generally speaking they lead their teams in tackles. Of course, depending on surrounding talents, schemes used and even the talent lined up in front of them at defensive tackles can help determine how much success MLBs will have from a fantasy perspective. The stereotypical MLB is someone in the Zack Thomas and Ray Lewis mold. However, not all MLBs are stud fantasy players. Some MLBs are purely run stuffers because they either lack the speed, size or athleticism to play every down. Players who fall into this mold are Earl Holmes and Orlando Ruff. These players are solid tacklers and good leaders, but are usually replaced on 3rd downs or obvious passing situations for players who are quicker with better coverage skills. In Orlando Ruff's case, he may lose his starting job to rookie Courtney Watson before training camp is over, so watch that for a potential IDP late round jewel. Other teams to watch in camp are the Seahawks (Solomon Bates or Niko Koutouvides should prevail), Colts (Cato June leads Gilbert Gardner for WLB job) and Giants (Nick Greisen was penciled in until injuring hamstring, now who knows). All three teams have open competition for starting LB jobs and each promises to deliver a potential breakout player for IDP leagues.



2. Bad teams, tough schedules
   It's the old cliché.. to win you have to control the clock, keep your defense fresh and run the ball. It's true. Teams that tend to play from behind a lot and have teams running the ball down their throat protecting 2nd half leads also tend to produce strong tackle numbers for their defensive players. Analyze these teams for their talent strengths and you can find excellent late round players with strong production. Teams that are thin along the interior of their line leave LBs exposed, which tends to make safeties very productive. Brian Urlacher was exposed to more linemen punching him in the grill last year than ever before.. we never really understood the Bears cutting Ted Washington before the season. Hello!? Jerry Angelo certainly hopes Tommie Harris and Tank Johnson make a difference this year, or better said, all of us who own Brian Urlacher hope the same thing. Ted Washington, Warren Sapp and John Parrella should make Napoleon Harris much more productive this year. Kevin Williams and Chris Hovan could launch E.J. Henderson into the upper echelon of fantasy LBs, too. On the other hand, teams who lack a strong defensive interior tend to produce great numbers at the safety position. If nobody emerges from the Seahawks MLB competition, Michael Boulware could really surprise as a rookie making the switch from LB to strong safety.



3. Tackles are the key
   First rule of Fight Club is.. The second rule of Fight Club is.. you get the point. Tackles are the key to success - in most scoring systems used for IDPs. Sort defensive players at all positions by tackles to see who will score consistently for you on those BYE weeks when you're starting your 4th and sometimes 5th linebackers. If your LB is playing a top running team, even better. If they are playing a team who might be dominated in the time of possession - slide them down a notch. This is especially true for defensive backs and linemen. Strong tackle numbers from your secondary will push your team over the top just like consistent receivers that score touchdowns and kickers that consistently kick 2-3 field goals per game. Remember, teams that have poor offenses are more likely to play from behind, which creates ample opportunities for - you guessed it, tackles for your defensive players. If your league bumps up the scoring for sacks (some include sack yardage as well) and turnovers, then make the necessary adjustments.



4. See who their defensive tackles are in front of them
   Study the overall team defense before selecting a player. For smaller inside backers like Zach Thomas, Dat Nguyen and London Fletcher it's important to have big, strong tackles that can contain blockers. It keeps them free to roam the field and make plays, using their speed and instincts to rack up tackles without constantly shedding blockers. London Fletcher has the benefit of massive, run-stuffing behemoths like Sam Adams and Pat Williams in front of him, which frees him to fly to the ball more freely without being engulfed by linemen or the fullback (something a strong-side backer constantly deals with). Mike Peterson came on strong in the second half of last season once he fully adapted to playing in the middle after spending his career on the weakside with Indy. Peterson has two outstanding young tackles in Marcus Stroud and John Henderson protecting him this year, so look for his productive second half to continue forward. E.J. Henderson was mentioned previous as another example of a MLB who could thrive with a strong nucleus around him. Players who might be available later that have legitimate talent and IDP potential, but less fan fare include Nate Webster, Shelton Quarles, Rocky Calmus and Kawika Mitchell. Fletcher, Peterson and Henderson will likely be drafted higher for several reasons, but any of these guys could be provide solid value or break into your starting lineup.



5. Outside linebackers: The difference between the weakside and strong-side
   The term weakside is used when an outside linebacker lines up away from the TE, or the weakside of the offensive formation. The strong-side linebacker lines up over the TE and is generally responsible for covering the TE and fending off the extra blockers to get to the ball carrier on run downs. Because the strong-side linebacker normally has more blockers to shed, plus the added responsibility of covering the TE, they generally make weaker fantasy prospects. Not to be confused by the name, a weakside linebacker doesn't have to shed as many blockers and usually gets to the ball with less traffic. Weakside LBs with great speed and instincts are frequent tacklers on a sweep because of their pursuit from the backside, or behind the runner. So, generally speaking WLBs are more free to roam from sideline to sideline in pursuit and make more tackles. They also get more opportunities to blitz and draw coverage responsibilities for RBs out of the backfield on passing downs. One caveat to be aware of are teams who use a left-side / right-side defensive system. These defense don't have a traditional weak or strong side, or at least the weakside changes depending on the offensive formation. In a left/right system a linebacker always lines up on the left meaning they could be the weak or strong side backer depending on the offense - where the TE lines up usually. The Titans, 49ers and Cardinals have used these defenses in the past, but under Denny Green the Cardinals are ditching that system making Reynoch Thompson a player to watch now that he will always be on the weakside this season.

Defensive Backs
The Wide Receivers of your Defense

1. The Rookie Corner Theory
   The well known, but under publicized Rookie Corner Theory.. Well, it's not really a theory but you take guys like Charles Tillman last year, or even first year starters at corner like Ricky Manning of the Panthers this year. They WILL get tested, and they did last year. As a result, both players produced excellent tackle numbers - despite playing corner and not safety. If they have any holes in their game, they'll get tested even further. Guys in recent years that produced solid fantasy numbers to begin their careers include Nate Clements and Ahmed Plummer. Most of these guys see their value diminish after their initial success. This does not mean they are not as good anymore. As football players, they are great which unfortunately, and ironically, lowers their fantasy worth due to the nature of their position. They do what they do best - cover the team's best WR. One corner who could be a sleeper is Deltha O'Neal. He was ran out of Denver, but like many other corners who left Mile High, he could rebound in Cincinnati and be very productive. Another corner who I've always loved is Antoine Winfield. After watching his career at Ohio State, and being a Wolverine fan myself, I'm a die-hard believer in Mr. Winfield's abilities. We're talking about a defensive back who led his team in tackling at Ohio State more than once. He's a heady player who is physical for his size (5' 8") and never afraid to stick his nose into the pile. You gotta like that. Winfield isn't a true shut down corner, but he's aggressive and a super #2 corner. Other players who are labeled as shutdown corners but make decent fantasy players - bucking the trend - include Dre Bly, Ty Law and Ronde Barber. All of these players have something in common though - they are playmakers. We'll touch more on this in a bit, but Barber also benefits from the cover-2 system which affords him opportunities for big plays and blitzing. Speaking of which, don't be surprised if R.W. McQuarters or Charles Tillman produce solid numbers this year in Lovie Smith's cover-2 defensive system being installed in Chicago.



2. Good teams with easy schedules
   Often good teams with great offenses can jump out to early leads forcing the opponent to throw more. Take Denver, Minnesota and St. Louis as examples over the past couple seasons. This sometimes inflates the defensive back's stats, mostly because of big plays, but not always tackles. They see more traffic and are in a better position to gamble and intercept the ball. Probably the best example of this is Ronde Barber of the Bucs. Because the Bucs generate such a tremendous amount of pressure on opposing QBs, Barber is able to make tons of big plays ranging from a blind-side blitz to interceptions returned for TDs. Other players of this type include Rod Woodson; the venerable, future Hall of Famer who is now apparently retiring due to knee injuries. He continued to play at a Pro Bowl level after making the switch to free safety a few years ago. Woodson had a nose for the ball, and every year he got a couple interception returns for TDs - regardless of what team he played for... then again, the Steelers, Ravens and Raiders all have been able to generate a good pass rush which makes Woodson's job a little easier.



3. Consistency reigns supreme: Take safeties over corners
   When in doubt go for the safeties who play close to the line of scrimmage or have a nose for the ball like Adam Archuleta, Rodney Harrison or (ssshhhhhhhh!!!) Terrence Kiel. Looking for depth at this position in the draft? Go for a rookie corner, a young safety moving into a starting role (Troy Polamalu or Michael Boulware) or especially a lesser known safety on a bad team (like Bryan Scott last year) who will have to provide a lot of run support. Be sure to keep your eye on these types of players and draft them late to provide depth for your squad, and eventually one might emerge as an every week starter.



4. Who says defensive backs don't sack the QB?
   Players like Ronde Barber and Brian Dawkins will blitz more often than others.. some corners like Barber get their chances, too, but it's very hard to guess when a safety will be able to get a sack. It's more hit and miss, so grab one that gets good tackle stats AND is allowed to gamble and plays in a high pressure defense like the Chiefs, Titans and Bucs who really go after the quarterback.



5. Don't go by interceptions, but tackles
   Yada yada yada.. You know by now what the first rule is.. but just to add some weight to the contrary you can spice up your scoring system by rewarding points for return yards on interceptions or fumbles. This is one way to make corners more valuable. Take, for instance, a corner like Deltha O'Neal or Chad Scott. Both of these players are good tacklers as far as corners go, but they are also good at making big plays. O'Neal, especially, has a flair for hawking interceptions and you even get bonus points for his punt return TDs - if you're league allows scoring in that capacity. If you're wondering how to setup scoring for an IDP league, check out one of these two leagues.. Red Eye Masters and X-Treem Fantasy League (an auction/dynasty league with IDPs). Both leagues are loaded with former Red Eye Sports and current FBG writers and provide an excellent set of rules and scoring systems to help use as guidelines. Keep in mind, generally, players who are more popular for big plays are not necessarily consistent tacklers and often don't make great fantasy players. It's like the Troy Aikman rule only applied to IDPs. Great player, just not a great fantasy prospect.

Defensive Linemen
Big play, high motor players

1. Good teams with easy schedules
   Just like defensive backs, defensive linemen (especially the ends) score better with the lead.. It's time to pin your ears back and go after the quarterback. Michael Strahan, Jason Taylor, Dwight Freeney and Andre Carter all have opportunities a plenty because they play on strong teams with solid coverage in the secondary. This is why I have "good teams with easy schedules" listed for linemen and defensive backs. It's the old principle that a good rush helps the secondary cover, just like great coverage helps a good pass rush get that extra second to get the sack. If the coverage is weak, the pass rush isn't strong or they just don't have enough time to get to the QB. It's not necessarily the chicken or the egg debate, though.. a strong pass rush will almost always produce better results in the secondary, but a great secondary doesn't necessarily produce good results in terms of sacks. They fuel each other, no doubt about it, but as they say.. Games are won in the trenches. Go get the warriors for your line.



2. It's the scheme, not always the player!
   Referred to earlier, linemen generally score better fantasy points playing in a 4-3 scheme than in the 3-4. With only three lineman, it's a different gap system and the linemen's responsibilities aren't as much to shoot up field and wreck havoc as much as it is to take up space and free the linebackers to be athletic and make plays. Sometimes defensive coordinators use a 3-4 to get their best athletes on the field. It can have it's drawbacks against good running attacks, but it all depends on the talent a team has to work with.



3. In search of multitalented big men..
   There are numerous linemen who generate sacks but not many tackles. Derrick Thomas was one of them but he was more of a linebacker than a lineman. These players are best suited for situational spots in your lineup. If you like to work the waiver wire and play matchups from week to week then the DL is one possible place to do so. However, given the choice we'd prefer landing at least one of the top 6 defensive ends to get consistent, strong production from this spot. It's a big crap shoot once you're out of the top 10 because the difference between the baseline starter and the 60h DL isn't more than a couple points in scoring average. So, if you don't get one or two lockdown DEs to start, play the matchups to your strength and keep your eyes peeled for John Norton's weekly Eyes of the Guru and the defensive sleepers of the weeks which John and I co-author. These article can help you find those spot-starters or diamonds in the rough to increase your chances of producing solid numbers each week. A few players who I'm watching this preseason for signs of breaking out are Tyler Brayton, Jerome McDougle and Kalimba Edwards.



4. Avoid part-time players
   Going back to the every down player discussion. Some teams rotate their linemen more than others. The Titans, Eagles and Cardinals are all likely to fall into this category; at least until someone from within the group emerges as a full-time player, which may not happen at all. The Titans will rely on some rookies to step up at one DE position while Carlos Hall will likely be their pass rush specialist, and he could wind up playing most downs as Well Some known run stuffers who produce good tackle stats are La'Roi Glover and Kenny Mixon from the DE position, but Mixon will serve a 3 game suspension to begin the season so watch for him as an early week waiver claim who potentially could be a solid starter for your lineup. Some part-timers do perform Well enough to warrant spot starting duty for bye weeks, but try to stick with players who are on the field more. Young DL like Richard Seymour, Kevin Williams, Will Smith and Ryan Denney have excellent potential.



5. Do they have any help around them?
   If the Vikings offseason additions to their DL pan out then a young stud like Kenechi Udeze could possibly make an immediate impact as a rookie. Udeze will have the benefit of the Vikings strong DT combination and depth at DE with Kenny Mixon, Lance Johnstone, Chuck Wiley and fellow rookie Darrion Scott complementing him at DE... so watch out! Having quality help around you definitely is a boast.

IDP PLAYERS TO WATCH IN 2004

This year I decided to break down the players of focus by their respective positions. The following is sort of my ad-hoc IDP list of who's who including sleepers, a few busts, dynasty nuggets to stash for a year or two, and finally a few players on the comeback trail. These are many of the players I've taken a personal interest in scouting this season.

Defensive Ends

• Kalimba Edwards - Not many players make this list twice, Edwards is an exception to the rule
• Justin Smith - A bust after a strong rookie campaign and the key to the Bengals defensive success in '04
• Tyler Brayton - He'll be on the field a lot with double digit sack potential if secondary holds up
• Ryan Denney - Competing for a starting job with Chris Kelsay, the winner should have solid value
• Osi Umenyiora - Could be the next sleeper DE to emerge with a difficult name to spell, re: Adewale Ogunleye, KGB
• Jerome McDougle - Another repeat offender, playing opposite Kearse should help, but he'll likely be part of a rotation
• Dewayne White - 2nd year pass rusher is pushing Greg Spires for a starting job
• Tony Hargrove - Great dynasty league sleeper, could also emerge as a rookie with some sack potential
• Juqua Thomas - Carlos Hall and rookies LaBoy & Odom get more pub, but Thomas might outperform them
• Darrion Scott - Udeze is a future stud, but Scott is flying Well under the radar and makes a nice late round dynasty pick

Defensive Tackles

• Kelly Gregg - Solid for depth in standard IDPs leagues, but valuable if you break out DT & DE
• Rod Coleman - Consistently undervalued, but a solid bet to rank among the top 10 DTs in '04
• Ty Warren - A hybrid end/tackle with a likely increase in playing time and a good initial burst
• Damione Lewis - Injury to Kennedy opens the door, he'll either breakthrough or bust
• Darnell Dockett - Rookie with great potential as an interior pass rusher and immediate opportunity to start

Weakside Linebackers

• Cato June - See David Thornton last year, breakout potential if he stays healthy and wards off Gilbert Gardner
• Lance Briggs - Slated to start on the weakside, but will man the middle until Urlacher is ready
• Pisa Tinoisamoa - Rams D could be on the field a lot and Pisa should breakout as a weakside backer
• Reynoch Thompson - Will stay on the weakside this year and should make a bigger impact
• D.J. Williams - More talented than Vilma but not as instinctive, great opportunity to start at WLB for Broncos
• James "Dirt" Davis - former DB who flies to the ball and has an inside track on the Lions WLB job
• Jason Babin - Collegiate DE starting at OLB in Capers defense, think Kevin Greene but he's a rookie and a work in progress
• Alex Lewis - competing with James Davis at WLB, and also undersized with great speed, a nice dynasty pick up
• Warrick Holdman - Like Gold, if he's healthy there's some great potential here if he starts on the weakside
• Brady James - A Parcells hand-picked player who is pushing hard for a starting spot, could unseat Coakley
• Dontarrious Smith - Competing with Mike Nattiel for WLB job, one of these two will have solid value
• Karlos Dansby - Long-term dynasty investment with immediate potential as an occasional end rusher
• Shaun Phillips - Rookie dynasty fodder here, a DE in college with potential as a pass rusher in the 3-4
• Tony Bua - A long-term dynasty project who could develop behind Seau as a weakside starter, former safety

Middle Linebackers

• E.J. Henderson - Should produce 100 tackles as Vikings MLB finally replacing Biekert
• Napoleon Harris - Injury puts a damper on his value, so exploit this to your advantage
• Jonathan Vilma - I expect great things from Vilma, but maybe not immediately, great instincts and a nose for the ball
• Ted Lehman - Will start immediately either inside or outside, count on it - especially with Bailey out for a while
• Nick Greisen - Starting in the middle for the Giants in a run dominant division, a great opportunity no doubt
• Nate Webster - Could thrive as the Bengals MLB but Simmons and Hardy will steal some of his thunder
• Kawika Mitchell - Speedy 2nd year player could develop quickly if he displaces Maslowski at Chiefs MLB
• Shelton Quarles - Undervalued starter for the Bucs who is coming off injury, but should be ready for opener
• Niko Koutouvides - Rookie competing with Solomon Bates (among others) for Seahawks MLB job
• Courtney Watson - Rookie with immediate potential to start at MLB, Cie Grant is one to watch too
• Rocky Calmus - Could be a productive tackler in this division

Strong-Side Linebackers

• David Thornton - The switch to SLB will hurt his overall value so be careful about drafting him too high
• Dhani Jones - Undersized for his role as are all the Eagles starting LBs, another player whose value might slide
• Ian Gold - Rebounding from ACL injury and could be a late round value if he lasts that long
• Daryl Smith - Pushing Greg Favors for a starting job as a rookie, played inside in college, dynasty prospect
• Travian Smith - A good fit in the Raiders new hybrid defense, could be a nice waiver wire addition
• Mark Fields - Comeback player of the year candidate defensively, Fields regains his starting job if healthy
• Rocky Boiman - Productive backup who became the starter when Peter Sirmon went down in camp
• Chaun Thompson - Could play either weak or strong side but a likely starter this year if he holds up
• Alonzo Jackson - 3-4 OLB with sack potential, but not likely going to produce a lot of tackles

Corners

• Chris Gamble - rookie corner candidate with added bonus as a dangerous return man
• DeAngelo Hall - immediate starter for Falcons with playmaker ability and a home run return threat
• Dunta Robinson - pencil him in as a top 25 corner opposite Aaron Glenn
• Ahmad Carroll - Batman is a bit short but he's fast and will play immediately in the nickel and dime and go from there
• Ricky Manning - not a rookie, but 1st full season as starter in a rebuilt secondary, brace yourself Carolina
• Lenny Walls - 6'5" corner whose developed nicely as a mid-round sleeper, starting opposite Champ Bailey he'll be busy
• R.W. McQuarters - rebound candidate who will start w/Azumah sidelined, had great stats a few years back too
• Deltha O'Neal - rebound part deux, big play ability who needs to rebuild his confidence with a fresh start in Cincy
• Pete Hunter - corner with good size and opportunity to rack up some numbers opposite Terance Newman
• Corey Fuller - He won't go away! As a nickel corner he'll get lots of PT with division foes running lots of 3 WR sets
• Julian Battle - Look for him to emerge this year at some point, great talent to stash away in dynasty leagues
• Keiwan Ratliff - Dynasty pick, minicamp standout who could shine in the nickel and dime and plays the ball Well

Safeties

• Bryan Scott - Broke out as impact strong safety during rookie season last year, potential to be among elite
• Corey Chavous - Already a top 10 safety, but if you're going to roll the dice on Russell or Chavous? Here's my vote.
• Marcus Coleman - Moving over to FS from corner Coleman could be a natural ball hawk in the middle
• Mark Roman - Favored to win the FS job over Marques Anderson, but one of them will be productive fantasy options
• Bobby Gray - An old favorite of mine whose taken longer to emerge than I thought, could unseat Mike Green at SS
• Colin Branch - Panthers defense could be on the field a lot more this year with Branch emerging as a starter at FS
• Jermaine Phillips - As the strong safety for the Bucs, Phillips has big shoes to fill but the Dude abides
• Dwight Smith - Not only does he hail from the Motor nasty, but Smith brings the lumber and covers a lot of ground
• Stuart Schweigert - gave Charles Rogers fits in H.S., ball hawking FS w/ 16 career picks at Purdue, dynasty value
• Bob Sanders - This rookie is a hitter with blazing speed and immediate potential to start at some point this year
• Jason Shivers - Dynasty prospect w/ long-term potential to develop behind Aeneas Williams then take over in '05
• Madieu Williams - Eugene Wilson '04? Rookie FS doubles as a nickel corner and should play immediately, good hitter
• Jon McGraw - A disappointment last year but we'll cut him some slack, solid but diminished potential here maybe
• Troy Polamalu - Repeat offender and a bust amid the rookie hype, he's got to prove himself to me, color me doubtful