Carolina Panthers linebacker Jon Beason (52) celebrates his interception intended for Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver (80) in the closing moments of fourth quarter action. The Panthers defeated the Packers 35-31, on Sunday, December 30, 2008, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer/MCT)
I would like to swerve a bit this week and talk about something that seems to be growing every fantasy year: IDP Leagues. IDP, if you don’t know, stands for Individual Defensive Players, and it seems these types of leagues are on the rise every year. These leagues award points for players on offense and defense. Sacks, tackles, interceptions, safeties, etc. all get rewarded to those guys on the other side of the ball.
Below is a top 10 list from FantasyFootball.com on IDP linebackers, probably the most important fantasy position. Why? They can do everything: intercept, sack, tackle, etc. My suggestion to owners if they are new to the IDP scene is to draft a top-notch linebacker as soon as they can. But don’t draft one of these guys too soon. You still need to fill out your team on offense.
1. Jon Beason, Carolina
Beason followed up a top-10 finish in 2007 with a top-five finish in 2008. He seems to be getting better and better and actually improved his numbers despite the loss of Kris Jenkins last year. He is firmly entrenched as a top-five linebacker heading into 2009.
2. Patrick Willis, San Francisco
Willis finished second in points per game amongst LBs in 2008 after finishing first in 2007. He is about the surest fantasy player in all of football and is certainly the top-rated linebacker and overall IDP. Expect another top-three finish this year in Mike Singletary’s smash-mouth defense.
3. D’qwell Jackson, Cleveland
Jackson exploded on the scene in 2008, and if last year is any indication, he is primed to remain a fantasy force going forward. As long as Shaun Rogers stays healthy and motivated in front of him, expect Jackson to linger in the top 10 for years to come.
4. Jonathan Vilma, New Orleans
Back in his familiar 4-3 scheme in New Orleans last year, Vilma returned to form and logged another top-10 finish. Since 2005, Vilma has averaged 8.3 total tackles per game and is a tackling machine. Another 130-tackle season is well within reason.
5. Kirk Morrison, Oakland
Morrison is a relative lock for 120-plus tackles every year. How high he finishes in the top 10 will depend on how many performance plays he can deliver. He may not be as flashy as some other top linebackers, but Morrison is very consistent and should post another top-10 finish in 2009.
6. Barrett Ruud, Tampa Bay
It remains to be seen how all of the changes in Tampa Bay will impact Ruud’s value. However, Ruud’s 137 tackles in 2008 cannot be ignored. Over the past two seasons, Ruud has averaged more than eight total tackles a game. That’s the kind of production that you want weekly from a LB1 in an IDP league.
7. D.J. Williams, Denver
D.J. followed up a top-five finish in 2007 with a top-10 finish in 2008 (in terms of points per game). Williams has averaged 8.5 tackles per game over the past two years, but he did miss some time due to injury last year. It should be noted that Williams had never missed time before last year. Some will question his value with Denver possibly going to a 3-4 format this year, but look at what Patrick Willis did as an ILB in Mike Nolan’s 3-4.
8. Demeco Ryans, Houston
After finishing first in 2006 and sixth in 2007, Ryans dropped to 26th in points per game amongst linebackers in 2008. Ryans dealt with many lingering injuries last season but still managed to play all 16 games. When healthy he is almost assured of 120-plus tackles in a season. He should return to form and post another top-10 season in 2009.
9. James Harrison, Pittsburgh
Harrison is making a lot of IDPers rethink the way they rank their linebackers. Normally you do not put a lot of trust in a 3-4 rush linebacker who relies on sacks to get his points. However, Harrison finished 11th in 2007 and first in 2008 in terms of LB points per game, and he appears almost certain to get you 100 tackles to go along with around 10 sacks. That makes him a top-10 talent, even at age 31.
10. Stephen Cooper, San Diego
Cooper has stepped in and taken over in SD in the same way that Donnie Edwards did years before. Cooper blends a nice balance of tackling potential and impact in the pass defense department. This balance puts him on the edge of the top 10 as long as he can stay on the field.
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