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Mark Barron - DB to LB (1 Viewer)

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Footballguy
Mark Barron played by far the most snaps of his season last week (75 snaps) and had a great line of 10-6. I didn't get to watch last week, but apparently he's moved from S to OLB. In most leagues he's still listed as S. I'm gonna ride this as long as I can. Looking forward to see what he does this week, as well.

 
Almost no chance most sites change him for this season.
Yeah, normally it bugs me that websites don't focus on IDP that much, but I'll take the good with the bad when stuff like this happens.

Btw, 7-3 with a Pdef today. Looking good at LB.

 
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I did a search and didn't see a Barron thread, but just noticed there was sort of one about him and Buchannon. I should have slotted this post in there about him still being listed as S in most leagues. Apologies to the OP of that other thread.

 
Congrats to those who managed to snag him (I missed out unfortunately) - looks like you've got a real advantage at DB for the rest of year. Watching the game today, he was absolutely everywhere.

 
I want to stress that both the idp podcast & premium idp content had successfully identified this situation.

I for one was able to take timely action and did not mind paying up with my FA bucks (20% of my cap).

Hats off to the IDP team.

 
Almost zero chance that most sites would change his or Buchannon position mid-season. Barron for example didn't start the season out as a LB. I remember a similar situation a decade ago with Thomas Davis who played DB for the Panthers until massive injuries forced him to play LB to fill in one season. He did is so well they just changed him permanently to LB. Barron looks to be a similar case where he's really a DB but pushed into LB duty due to injuries. Will he stay a LB next year? If he does then look for a position switch on most services to LB next summer.

 
On rotoworld, he is listed on the depth charts both as LB and SS. So maybe that is why he hasn't been changed on MFL.

 
I read in a RW blurb the other day that he's expected to move to WLB. I suppose he put up good enough numbers to still have some value as a LB, especially if your league counts TFL (mine does), but it seems like Barron will lose that DB designation unless he's used in a hybrid role in the preseason. 

The Rams are expected to move Alec Ogletree to middle linebacker.

The Rams plan to re-sign Mark Barron to play the weak side. Moving Ogletree inside should improve a run defense that ranked in the bottom half of the league. Ogletree averaged 10-plus tackles per game before going down last year.Feb 19 - 6:31 PM
 
What's not to like about a LB with 100 tackle upside? 
Basically agree with this.  

Yeah, he was more valuable when he was S classified and playing LB, but I'll take a guy I can run out there at LB who probably winds up with more total tackles than Bobby Wagner that I was able to get "for free" any day.

Unless you paid through the nose to acquire Barron a year ago(and who did that? Anyone?) I don't see how any of this is that large of a negative unless you are just awash in top-end LB talent.  If that's the case....trade somebody.

 
Basically agree with this.  

Yeah, he was more valuable when he was S classified and playing LB, but I'll take a guy I can run out there at LB who probably winds up with more total tackles than Bobby Wagner that I was able to get "for free" any day.

Unless you paid through the nose to acquire Barron a year ago(and who did that? Anyone?) I don't see how any of this is that large of a negative unless you are just awash in top-end LB talent.  If that's the case....trade somebody.
This.  He was productive enough last year as an LB to still be productive as an LB going forward. (In my IDP league Barron would have been LB17, as opposed to DB18.  this will vary widely with scoring system of course.)

I am in fact much deeper at LB than DB, but have the notion that it won't be hard to flip Barron for a comparably ranked DB if his position is changed.  The worry for me is that DBs have so much greater year-to-year variability that finding one worth trading for will take some prognosticating talent.

 
Arodin said:
 The worry for me is that DBs have so much greater year-to-year variability that finding one worth trading for will take some prognosticating talent.
There isn't really any DB worth trading for.  There are always top end guys on the waiver wire every year as 4 or 5 come out of nowhere to be top 10 DB's in scoring.  Just play the waiver wire and not waste giving up assets for DB's that may or may not perform.

 
Gally said:
There isn't really any DB worth trading for.  There are always top end guys on the waiver wire every year as 4 or 5 come out of nowhere to be top 10 DB's in scoring.  Just play the waiver wire and not waste giving up assets for DB's that may or may not perform.


Pretty much this.  I can't think of any DBs that are big enough difference makers to burn premium assets to acquire(strange scoring systems aside, of course).

It isn't an exact science, but you can pretty regularly find a "weekly top 15 DB" on the waiver wire week-to-week.  It means a little more homework on matchups/etc, and it isn't foolproof, but it's really is pretty easy to do.

 
I had Buchanon and Barron as my safeties last year, it was great.

I expect at least Barron, and maybe Buchanon to have their designation changed.  It's a bummer, but they are both still valuable.  

 
I had Buchanon and Barron as my safeties last year, it was great.

I expect at least Barron, and maybe Buchanon to have their designation changed.  It's a bummer, but they are both still valuable.  
The Rotoworld site has Bucanon listed as an ILB so I would guess that MFL will make that change soon.

 
I had Buchanon and Barron as my safeties last year, it was great.

I expect at least Barron, and maybe Buchanon to have their designation changed.  It's a bummer, but they are both still valuable.  
Same here. Those two helped me to a Championship.

 
Yeah, that was money last year if you had him as a DB.  Looks like LB this year but like some have already said, he's still going to be a top 20 at that position. 

 
No, will be weak side.
Exactly,  he will be playing the same spot he played for most of 2015.  The only difference for IDP'ers is that he will be categorized as a LB and not a DB.  That is where his value takes a bit of a hit.  He should still put up similar tackle numbers so rate that compared to other LB's in your scoring system and see where he lands.

 
ESPN came back online with the 2016 League Offices, and Barron is listed as a S ... in my experience after ESPN sets the position, they'll only add to a player's designation (IE a player would be "DE, LB")

 
ESPN came back online with the 2016 League Offices, and Barron is listed as a S ... in my experience after ESPN sets the position, they'll only add to a player's designation (IE a player would be "DE, LB")
Yahoo did the same thing. Barron is listed as a Safety. I'll be very interested to see if they add LB or re-classify him entirely. 

 
Found this in a Yahoo help file:

Players won't lose position eligibility when moving from one position to another. If a RB moves to WR during the season, he'll be eligible for the remainder of the season at both RB and WR.

https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN6318.html

This seems to be pretty clear that Barron will add LB if that's his position, but they won't take away DB. My only lingering concern would be if they change the designation before drafts actually begin (May 26th in Yahoo), since at that point you couldn't really argue that the change screwed up your draft/roster construction. 

 
Found this in a Yahoo help file:

Players won't lose position eligibility when moving from one position to another. If a RB moves to WR during the season, he'll be eligible for the remainder of the season at both RB and WR.

https://help.yahoo.com/kb/SLN6318.html

This seems to be pretty clear that Barron will add LB if that's his position, but they won't take away DB. My only lingering concern would be if they change the designation before drafts actually begin (May 26th in Yahoo), since at that point you couldn't really argue that the change screwed up your draft/roster construction. 
I couldn't see the link from work so I don't know if it specified what "during the season" meant.  In my opinion the season doesn't start until your league drafts so the site could change Barron anytime between now and then to be LB only.  That's wouldn't be removing his S eligibility "during the season". 

I would be careful being certain Barron will stay at S until you can get a definition of "during the season".

 
I doubt Barron will be a top 10 LB but I bet he puts up good consistent numbers. The biggest obstacle for him is their crappy score keepers that give no assists. 

 
The Claymaker said:
I doubt Barron will be a top 10 LB but I bet he puts up good consistent numbers. The biggest obstacle for him is their crappy score keepers that give no assists. 
But they moved to LA, might be a new stat crew

 
But they moved to LA, might be a new stat crew
With how irregular the assist stats are, making performance location-dependent, I'm surprised more IDP leagues haven't abandoned assist scoring entirely and just scaled up tackle stats by 1.5x to compensate.

 
Where does be rank as a pure LB? Top 25?

He was good for tackles last season but didn't make many splash plays. 

I would love to keep him in dynasty but already have Ogletree. I hate keep two players at the same position on the same team. 

 
Where does be rank as a pure LB? Top 25?

He was good for tackles last season but didn't make many splash plays. 

I would love to keep him in dynasty but already have Ogletree. I hate keep two players at the same position on the same team. 
If you start multiple LBs Barron is a strong low-floor/moderate-ceiling type that is great as an LB2 to pair with a sack-hawk LB1, for instance.  In leagues which only start 1 at a position, I'd look for more splash.

 
Barron is going to be playing where Ogletree was playing, when Ogletree was there HE was the top scoring LB on the team. I am not saying it's going to play out the same way, but keep in mind they moved Barron mid season to a new position. He will now have OTAs and TC and preseason to be better at the position. 

 
Barron paced for about 100 solo tackles the last 11 games of the season, including 1 sack and 3 FFs, after Ogletree had a season-ending broken leg and he was moved full time to WLB (Ogletree has since been moved to MLB with the off-season release of long time starter James Laurinaitis).

Only Bowman and Posluszny were higher (about same as Telvin and Malcolm Smith, tied third among LBs with 99). Consensus top WLB Lavonte David had 85. David just signed a five year $50 million contract ($25 million guaranteed) in 2015 making him the highest paid WLB in the game, Barron not far behind at five year $45 million ($20 million guaranteed), so the Rams are obviously confident in his projection from SS to WLB. IMO he has Pro Bowl potential (as does Ogletree, top 10 in tackles his first two seasons, combined 10 FFs in 2013-2014 near top of the NFL leaders, amazing for a WLB, usually would be a DE or 3-4 OLB pass rushing specialist, he is an explosive playmaker).

Barron is a great athlete who was an Alabama prep champ at either the state or regional level in the jumps (long and triple) and weight events (shot put and discus). While his coverage skills have been questioned, he flashes ability below, and was among the national leaders in INTs (7) as an Alabama All-American soph.  

Alabama

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiRzxNGHUJU

TB rookie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOdL7JnDLCo

Rams - Wired vs. Bengals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqG5qZU53Uc

 
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Barron paced for about 100 solo tackles the last 11 games of the season, including 1 sack and 3 FFs, after Ogletree had a season-ending broken leg and he was moved full time to WLB (Ogletree has since been moved to MLB with the off-season release of long time starter James Laurinaitis).
That's the key.  All he had to do was outrun Laurinaitis to the ball.  Competing with Ogletree for tackles will be a whole new challenge.  I'm tempering expectations here.

 
Good point.

Incidentally, not everybody does rigorous projections, but how APPROXIMATELY tempered are your expectations (90, 80, 70, 60 solo tackles?)

I'll try to summarize some potential causes for hope/optimism and concern/caution.

Ogletree was himself prolific from the WLB position in 2013 & 2014, when Laurinaitis appeared to be faster and more agile. There have been a lot of tackles to go around in recent seasons.

While Tree is arguably more athletic (he has the makeup speed to finish plays even after initial misstep type mistakes), Barron imo has superior instincts. I always remember Sean Lee and Navorro Bowman because they were teammates at Penn State, in the same draft and among the most talented LBs in the league (when healthy). Also, they are almost poster children for not needing to be speed merchants (they ran plodding, lineman like 40s in the 4.7-4.8 range). Yet they are always making plays all over the field. That speaks to their instincts. Their recognition and football IQ to see how the play is unfolding before it happens is off the charts, and why they typically get to the ball carrier earlier than ostensibly "faster" defenders (at least in gym shorts, straight lines and controlled circumstances).

I think Ogletree will do well. But being a take on LB that stacks and sheds and can sift through the trash has never really been a strength, so shunting him to MLB is somewhat of an experiment. He has fine size, but has a tendency to run around blocks at times rather than engage them, which can get him out of position and take him out of the play entirely on occasion. Barron might take better angles to avoid blocks or get through them.

As to the dark side, if Goff is the real deal (though I expect more from him in future seasons than as a rookie), Gurley is stronger another year removed from his torn ACL, the young OL gels and avoids multiple injuries like recent seasons, the offense could do better, convert more third downs, sustain more drives, be on the field longer, which reduces tackle opps in general. Though, that could be countered if LA gets more leads, than the defense could have more opportunity to be aggressive (both LBs could be good blitzers and are former safeties that can make plays on the ball in the air, hard hitters capable of dislodging the ball from the carrier, etc.).             

 
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Nice info Bob. I am glad I snagged him last year and even though I am deep at LB once he starts having a really good season I am hoping to move him. 

 
Nice info Bob. I am glad I snagged him last year and even though I am deep at LB once he starts having a really good season I am hoping to move him. 
If he gets off to a hot start imo it won't be a fluke, I'm kind of expecting it. Maybe he will end up being one of your best, unless you have something like a quartet of Bowman, Kuechly, David and Telvin Smith! :)  

 
Just Smith and David but also Collins and Mosley, but depth is always good and I honestly expect Baron to surprise people. 

 
Where does be rank as a pure LB? Top 25?

He was good for tackles last season but didn't make many splash plays. 

I would love to keep him in dynasty but already have Ogletree. I hate keep two players at the same position on the same team. 
I'd say he is a top 20-25 guy and one of those guys you figure is going to be pretty consistent from week to week.

I think a thing that may set him apart is if you play in a league that scores big for turnovers because I think somewhere in the season a time or three, he's going to turn the ball over and if it's dropping back in coverage and picking it, he can definitely do some damage in the right scoring system.  You never know when it will happen but if you play him all year you'll likely have a 22+ game a time or two. 

 

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