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Strategy: IDP Up-and-Comers

September 28, 2006 @ 16:00:00

By Kenneth Humphrey
Edited by Cory J. Bonini

Individual Defensive Player (IDP) leagues are a twist to traditional fantasy setups, as they forego the use of entire defensive teams for individual defensive players.

With IDP leagues, the defensive roster is much more fluid. Good strategy dictates playing your matchups on a weekly basis. Since most teams only use one or two defensive players, it's not uncommon to find stud-level players sitting on waivers. Picking them up for one week is a great way to inject a few more points into your team.

In this report, we'll take a look at some players in the three main position groups who have started with a good jump on the year and may be available in your waiver pool.

DEFENSIVE LINE

Defensive tackles and ends are low man on the totem pole in terms of IDP fantasy. Their points come mainly from tackles and sacks. For the first three weeks, this position has been relatively quiet. Even the traditional studs like New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan are lagging a bit. There are only a few surprise performers.

Philadelphia Eagles Defensive Tackle Mike Patterson

Any football fan with a television has seen the Week 3 replay of Big Mike rumbling down the field for a 98-yard touchdown fumble recovery. If that weren't enough, there's even better news for fantasy owners. Based on his stats through the first three weeks, Patterson projects out to 64 tackles and eight sacks for the 2006 NFL season. Now that is good news.

Even better, a Week 4 tilt with the Green Bay Packers delivers to Patterson a team struggling to find its offensive identity.

Cincinnati Bengals Defensive End Justin Smith

In his sixth year, Smith has become an anchor point for the aggressive Bengals' defense. Of course, he was a first-round pick in 2001, fourth overall to be exact, so fans and coaches should expect a high level of production. Thus far he has totaled just 12 tackles but has partnered up four sacks with them. His year projects out to 64 tackles and an absurd 21 sacks. The odds of him hitting that sack total are obviously very slim, but Smith does have a good start on the year.

Philadelphia Eagles Defensive End Trent Cole

This second-year player has also picked up 12 total tackles, much like Justin Smith. He has logged five sacks in three games. So that projects out to an even more absurd 27 sacks. Don't expect this pace to continue, but here's what makes Cole attractive to fantasy owners: With Kearse gone for the year, Cole will have every chance to strut his stuff. As with Patterson above, Cole will have some good opportunities in Week 4 with a Green Bay offensive line that has allowed five sacks and will be playing on the road.

LINEBACKERS

In contrast to defensive linemen, linebackers are the running backs of IDP leagues. They generally log the most tackles, which are the most consistent way to earn points, and they also have opportunities for sacks, forced fumbles as well as interceptions.

Seattle Seahawks Linebacker Lofa Tatupu

As a rookie in 2005, Tatupu turned heads with his play at the linebacker position. After going to the Super Bowl with his team, Tatupu may not be flying too far under the radar anymore. His production sure isn't. In three games he's logged 23 tackles and projects out to 123 tackles on the year. Given his 2005 totals of 105 tackles, four sacks, three interceptions and one touchdown, it is not that much of a stretch.

Tatupu finishes up October against three teams that are struggling in some way on offense, namely the St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs.

Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Adalius Thomas

Thomas is listed as a linebacker, but watch a Baltimore game once. You are just as likely to see him at the line with his hand on the ground for one play then back in pass coverage on the next. He has even drawn cover assignments against Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson.

Versatility is Thomas' attraction here. He only has 17 tackles on the year, which is not outstanding for a linebacker. However, he has also tallied three sacks and an interception. Due to the way Baltimore plays Thomas, he will have the opportunity to collect more sacks and interceptions than the average linebacker.

Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Bart Scott

The comments about Adalius Thomas above could just as well be copied into this section. Scott is used much in the same way as Thomas, so his selling points are similar. Thus far he has 18 tackles and five sacks. That production carries out to 96 tackles and a ridiculous (not to mention unrealistic) 27 sacks on the year.

Houston Texans Linebacker DeMeco Ryans

We could be looking at Defensive Rookie of the Year in DeMeco Ryans. Sure, he plays for the doormat Houston Texans, but take a look at what he has done so far: 30 tackles (thirty!). That's a jaw-dropping projection for 160 by season's end.

To top it off, he has schedule favoring with matchups against the Tennessee Titans (twice), Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns.

Arizona Cardinals Linebacker Gerald Hayes

The press in Arizona goes to the offense, but Hayes is quietly making his mark. With 19 tackles, one sack and one interception in three games, he is looking to hit the 100-tackle mark for 2006. Games against the Oakland Raiders, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions will present him with plenty of opportunities to add to his stats.

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Cornerbacks and safeties fall under this category; the studs in this group can rival solid performing linebackers. They often earn less in the way of tackles but have greater potential for interceptions.

Minnesota Vikings Cornerback Antoine Winfield

Winfield is the old man in this bunch being an eight-year vet. He has always carried the rep of being one of the hardest hitting cornerbacks in the league, but within Minnesota's new defense, he's even more aggressive this year. Of the 22 tackles so far, 20 of them are solo. His pace projects out to 117 total tackles. That's an almost-obscene number for a cornerback.

Don't forget to factor in upcoming games against the Green Bay Packers (twice), Detroit Lions (twice) and Chicago Bears (against whom he logged 10 tackles in Week 3), to realize his year looks pretty good.

Buffalo Bills Cornerback Terrence McGee

The 2003 fourth-round draft pick essentially came into Buffalo and filled the void created when Winfield left after that year. Thus far in 2006, he has 20 tackles. In each of his years, he has increased his interception totals. Add onto that fact that he is the kickoff returner for the Bills and is capable of the game-changing touchdown. If your league allows those points, it places McGee a cut above other cornerbacks.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Strong Safety Jermaine Phillips

Phillips has to count as one of two deep sleepers in this report. He is overshadowed by the big names on Tampa Bay's defense, but it could be argued that he's outplaying them all. He has 25 tackles and two forced fumbles so far. That projects out to 133 tackles on the year. Tampa Bay's struggles on offense, recently compounded by the quarterback situation, could mean the defense will be on the field much more. This translates into more opportunities for Phillips.

Tennessee Titans Strong Safety Chris Hope

Hope is what the Titans were looking for (pun intended) when they picked up the former Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety. Hope is what Hope's 31 tackles in three games have given them, at least from his position. He is on pace to earn 165 tackles in 2006, although if he does manage to hit that lofty target, Hope should change his last name to "Holy Cow!"

New York Jets Strong Safety Kerry Rhodes

Rhodes is the other player we feel highly about in this report - a safety sitting as the last line of defense on a team no one expected to do much in 2006. All Rhodes has done so far is log 25 tackles, three sacks, three forced fumbles and one interception. Not bad for a second-year player coming out of the fourth round. The projections for his season are not likely to be attained but fun to think about anyway: 133 tackles, 16 sacks, 16 forced fumbles and five interceptions.

There you have it; some lesser known names that can help your IDP team gain those few crucial extra points and push you over the top. Remember to watch the coming matchups for teams that give up sacks, throw picks or just plain have trouble on offense. Those are the small gold mines for an IDP owner. Don't be afraid, either, to drop players week in and week out. When most leagues only require one or two defensive players per team, it leaves for a lot of talent on waivers. You just have to make sure you get there first.