Gottabesweet
Footballguy
I want the top 32!!!!! I cant wait lol
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LionsFan78's Defensive Rankings - My Complete List (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter LionsFan78
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
14. Oakland Raiders
2006 Fantasy Finish: 21
Defensive Losses: DE Lance Johnstone, CB Tyrone Poole, DT Michael Quarshie
Defensive Additions: S Donovin Darius
Rookies: DE Quentin Moses, CB John Bowie, DE Jay Richardson, SS Eric Frampton
Notes: The Raiders spent so much attention this offseason on the offense, that they barely addressed their defense. No additions were made via free agency, but then again, nobody of serious value was lost. They did manage to resign some important players before the start of free agency. Even though 5 of their first 6 draft picks were offense, they still managed 4 quality defensive picks in the first 5 rounds. Quentin Moses should bolster this teams weaker pass rush. As of 10 July, they also signed former JAX SS Donovin Darius. If he can return to his 2004 form, he will certainly upgrade this defense. DE Derrick Burgess has averaged 13 sacks per year the last 2 seasons. There's no reason he can’t keep up that production.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 12.9 (32nd), RB Points – 21.6 (10th), WR Points – 14.1 (31st), TE Points – 4.9 (25th). Keep tabs on their defense this season, as they were incredibly tough against opposing QBs and WRs.
2006 Stats: 2144 Rushing Yards Allowed, 2413 Passing Yards Allowed, 332 Points Allowed, 18 Interceptions, 5 Fumble Recoveries, 34 sacks, 1 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W8 - PIT (23 FP), W7 - ARI (13 FP), W13 - HOU (11 FP) / W5 - @SF (-2 FP), W1 – SD (-1 FP), W2 – @BAL (0 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 10 –W1 vs. DET, W3 vs. CLE, W4 @ MIA, W7 vs. KC, W8 @ TEN, W9 vs. HOU, W11 @ MIN, W12 @ KC, W14 @ GB, W16 @ JAX
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 4 – W2 @ DEN, W6 @ SD, W13 vs. DEN, W15 vs. IND,
Teams with great bye-week matchups: NE (vs. CLE), TEN (vs. ATL), MIA (@HOU), IND (vs. TB)
Solid Combination with: JAX , NYG and NO. See also IND or KC (Either way you’ll have a potentially bad matchup week 6). Also, if TEN shows to be an improved unit this season, they counter each other’s dangerous fantasy playoff games quite well.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @ GB, IND, @ JAX
Breakdown: Oakland finished the season as the 21st ranked fantasy defense. They allowed 134 rushing yards per game (25th) and 150.8 passing yards per game (1st). They allowed 20.8 PPG (18th) and posted top ten numbers in interceptions (18). They need to improve drastically on their fumble recoveries though, as they had the second worst total in the league (5). No trends really jump out at me from last year’s schedule, except that they performed quite well against some solid football teams (DENx2, PIT, CIN). This year, their schedule gets remarkably better. At least you won’t have to face SD twice with this defense, unless your league plays up to W17. Even Denver is playable, as they fared pretty well in both Denver games last year.
Outlook: I count 10 possible matchups that they could be used in. That’s one of the highest amounts that I’ve listed so far, and is very worthy of upgrading them from their 21st place finish last season. I’m pretty comfortable with their fantasy playoff schedule, although I can’t start them against Indy, even at home. Even if you like OAK for the whole year as your DEF1, which is plausible, it wouldn’t hurt to find a W15 replacement. Still, OAK proved to be effective even against elite QBs last season. So watch them closely leading up to their tough matchups, as you might just have to start them.
How they might surprise/disappoint: They are the highest team I have ranked that I would classify as a bad team. That could possibly work towards their advantage this season. Even if they lose many games, if they play tough defense, many losses could conceivably be of the 14-3 nature once again, which will normally produce great fantasy production. Looking at last year’s schedule, it was slim pickings trying to find many favorable matchups. Their schedule is loaded with potentially great matchups this year, against many teams that finished in the bottom half offensively. On the other hand, they’ll at least bump down a tier if they don’t improve their points allowed per game. They only had 4 solid outings last year when opponents scored at least 17 points, and they’ll be nothing more than a top combo defense if they don’t improve that area.
Tier: 2
2006 Fantasy Finish: 21
Defensive Losses: DE Lance Johnstone, CB Tyrone Poole, DT Michael Quarshie
Defensive Additions: S Donovin Darius
Rookies: DE Quentin Moses, CB John Bowie, DE Jay Richardson, SS Eric Frampton
Notes: The Raiders spent so much attention this offseason on the offense, that they barely addressed their defense. No additions were made via free agency, but then again, nobody of serious value was lost. They did manage to resign some important players before the start of free agency. Even though 5 of their first 6 draft picks were offense, they still managed 4 quality defensive picks in the first 5 rounds. Quentin Moses should bolster this teams weaker pass rush. As of 10 July, they also signed former JAX SS Donovin Darius. If he can return to his 2004 form, he will certainly upgrade this defense. DE Derrick Burgess has averaged 13 sacks per year the last 2 seasons. There's no reason he can’t keep up that production.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 12.9 (32nd), RB Points – 21.6 (10th), WR Points – 14.1 (31st), TE Points – 4.9 (25th). Keep tabs on their defense this season, as they were incredibly tough against opposing QBs and WRs.
2006 Stats: 2144 Rushing Yards Allowed, 2413 Passing Yards Allowed, 332 Points Allowed, 18 Interceptions, 5 Fumble Recoveries, 34 sacks, 1 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W8 - PIT (23 FP), W7 - ARI (13 FP), W13 - HOU (11 FP) / W5 - @SF (-2 FP), W1 – SD (-1 FP), W2 – @BAL (0 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 10 –W1 vs. DET, W3 vs. CLE, W4 @ MIA, W7 vs. KC, W8 @ TEN, W9 vs. HOU, W11 @ MIN, W12 @ KC, W14 @ GB, W16 @ JAX
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 4 – W2 @ DEN, W6 @ SD, W13 vs. DEN, W15 vs. IND,
Teams with great bye-week matchups: NE (vs. CLE), TEN (vs. ATL), MIA (@HOU), IND (vs. TB)
Solid Combination with: JAX , NYG and NO. See also IND or KC (Either way you’ll have a potentially bad matchup week 6). Also, if TEN shows to be an improved unit this season, they counter each other’s dangerous fantasy playoff games quite well.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @ GB, IND, @ JAX
Breakdown: Oakland finished the season as the 21st ranked fantasy defense. They allowed 134 rushing yards per game (25th) and 150.8 passing yards per game (1st). They allowed 20.8 PPG (18th) and posted top ten numbers in interceptions (18). They need to improve drastically on their fumble recoveries though, as they had the second worst total in the league (5). No trends really jump out at me from last year’s schedule, except that they performed quite well against some solid football teams (DENx2, PIT, CIN). This year, their schedule gets remarkably better. At least you won’t have to face SD twice with this defense, unless your league plays up to W17. Even Denver is playable, as they fared pretty well in both Denver games last year.
Outlook: I count 10 possible matchups that they could be used in. That’s one of the highest amounts that I’ve listed so far, and is very worthy of upgrading them from their 21st place finish last season. I’m pretty comfortable with their fantasy playoff schedule, although I can’t start them against Indy, even at home. Even if you like OAK for the whole year as your DEF1, which is plausible, it wouldn’t hurt to find a W15 replacement. Still, OAK proved to be effective even against elite QBs last season. So watch them closely leading up to their tough matchups, as you might just have to start them.
How they might surprise/disappoint: They are the highest team I have ranked that I would classify as a bad team. That could possibly work towards their advantage this season. Even if they lose many games, if they play tough defense, many losses could conceivably be of the 14-3 nature once again, which will normally produce great fantasy production. Looking at last year’s schedule, it was slim pickings trying to find many favorable matchups. Their schedule is loaded with potentially great matchups this year, against many teams that finished in the bottom half offensively. On the other hand, they’ll at least bump down a tier if they don’t improve their points allowed per game. They only had 4 solid outings last year when opponents scored at least 17 points, and they’ll be nothing more than a top combo defense if they don’t improve that area.
Tier: 2
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Captain Hook
Footballguy
Continue the great workone question - didn't see the "Bye Week filler" line for the Jets DS
LionsFan78
Footballguy
13. Cincinnati Bengals
2006 Fantasy Finish: 16th
Defensive Losses: LB Brian Simmons, LB A.J. Nicholson, S Kevin Kaesviharn, DT Sam Adams, DT Shaun Smith, CB Tory James
Defensive Additions: WLB Edgerton Hartwell
Rookies: CB Leon Hall, FS Marvin White, DT Matt Toeaina, SS Nedu Ndukwe
Notes: The Bengals got a hell of a lot younger, letting go of a number of defenders in their 30’s. They cut Brian Simmons, who may have been the best linebacker on the team, and lost Kevin Kaesviharn, who led the team with 6 interceptions. Re-signing Robert Geathers to a long term contract was important, as he led the team with 10 ½ sacks. Hartwell should fit in quite well. He was a highly sought-after FA 2 years ago coming out of Baltimore, and is looking to prove that his injuries are behind him. Look for rookie CB Leon Hall to step in right away this season.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 20.2 (3rd), RB Points – 20.7 (13th), WR Points – 20.8 (9th), TE Points – 7.7 (3rd).
2006 Stats: 1863 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3817 Passing Yards Allowed, 331 Points Allowed, 19 Interceptions, 12 Fumble Recoveries, 35 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W1 - @KC (17 FP), W11 - @NO (16 FP), W12 - @CLE (25 FP) / W4 - NE (-5 FP), W10 - SD (-7 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 7 – W1 vs. BAL, W2 @ CLE, W6 @ KC, W9 @ BUF, W12 vs. TEN, W15 @ SF, W16 vs. CLE
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 4 - W3 @ SEA, W4 vs. NE, W13 @ PIT, W14 vs. STL
Possible Bye Week filler for: Chicago, Miami – W9 (@ BUF)
Solid Combination with: DAL (I love everything except equally tough week 4 matchups. A spectacular DET-SF-CLE fantasy playoffs). Also PHI (Although they share a bye week).
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: STL, @SF, CLE. Highest rated fantasy playoff schedule according to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis.
Breakdown: Cincinnati finished 2006 as the 16th best scoring fantasy defense. Due to their large number of takeaways the previous year, they were highly rated by many owners. They got off to a huge start last year, with 9 interceptions in their first six games, before cooling off a bit before week 11. They actually performed great down the stretch, with only 2 really bad games the second half of the season (against IND and SD, which weren’t start worthy anyway). They gave up 20.7 PPG (17th), and allowed 355.7 yards per game offensively (30th), which is mostly to blame on their 2nd worst passing defense in the NFL. I love their schedule this year. Besides New England, and a few marginal matchups @ SEA and vs. STL, there isn’t anything extremely bench-worthy. They also have the highest rated fantasy playoff schedule according to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis. Week 14 at home against STL could be tough, as it could be a shootout, but they finish it off @ SF and home vs. CLE.
Outlook: Their schedule got incredibly better this year. A 14.5 % increase according to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis. Bottom line is this, they still finished with good numbers of interceptions and fumble recoveries last year. There is no reason to project them doing any worse. For once they have a great schedule to work with, and one hell of a fantasy playoff stretch. For those reasons alone, they're worth rostering. I tormented with whether or not to rank them higher than OAK. Their fantasy schedule looks like it gives them the go-ahead.
How they might disappoint: The Bengals were hot and cold last year in points allowed. Exactly half of their games, they allowed 17 points or less. There were a handful of shootouts as well. If their defense cannot step up this year, the possibility is there for many more high scoring games. That will cut deeply into their fantasy production, likely dropping them out of my 2nd tier of defenses. The good news is, of all the teams that scored 24+ points on this defense last season, only NE remains on the schedule this year.
Tier: 2
2006 Fantasy Finish: 16th
Defensive Losses: LB Brian Simmons, LB A.J. Nicholson, S Kevin Kaesviharn, DT Sam Adams, DT Shaun Smith, CB Tory James
Defensive Additions: WLB Edgerton Hartwell
Rookies: CB Leon Hall, FS Marvin White, DT Matt Toeaina, SS Nedu Ndukwe
Notes: The Bengals got a hell of a lot younger, letting go of a number of defenders in their 30’s. They cut Brian Simmons, who may have been the best linebacker on the team, and lost Kevin Kaesviharn, who led the team with 6 interceptions. Re-signing Robert Geathers to a long term contract was important, as he led the team with 10 ½ sacks. Hartwell should fit in quite well. He was a highly sought-after FA 2 years ago coming out of Baltimore, and is looking to prove that his injuries are behind him. Look for rookie CB Leon Hall to step in right away this season.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 20.2 (3rd), RB Points – 20.7 (13th), WR Points – 20.8 (9th), TE Points – 7.7 (3rd).
2006 Stats: 1863 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3817 Passing Yards Allowed, 331 Points Allowed, 19 Interceptions, 12 Fumble Recoveries, 35 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W1 - @KC (17 FP), W11 - @NO (16 FP), W12 - @CLE (25 FP) / W4 - NE (-5 FP), W10 - SD (-7 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 7 – W1 vs. BAL, W2 @ CLE, W6 @ KC, W9 @ BUF, W12 vs. TEN, W15 @ SF, W16 vs. CLE
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 4 - W3 @ SEA, W4 vs. NE, W13 @ PIT, W14 vs. STL
Possible Bye Week filler for: Chicago, Miami – W9 (@ BUF)
Solid Combination with: DAL (I love everything except equally tough week 4 matchups. A spectacular DET-SF-CLE fantasy playoffs). Also PHI (Although they share a bye week).
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: STL, @SF, CLE. Highest rated fantasy playoff schedule according to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis.
Breakdown: Cincinnati finished 2006 as the 16th best scoring fantasy defense. Due to their large number of takeaways the previous year, they were highly rated by many owners. They got off to a huge start last year, with 9 interceptions in their first six games, before cooling off a bit before week 11. They actually performed great down the stretch, with only 2 really bad games the second half of the season (against IND and SD, which weren’t start worthy anyway). They gave up 20.7 PPG (17th), and allowed 355.7 yards per game offensively (30th), which is mostly to blame on their 2nd worst passing defense in the NFL. I love their schedule this year. Besides New England, and a few marginal matchups @ SEA and vs. STL, there isn’t anything extremely bench-worthy. They also have the highest rated fantasy playoff schedule according to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis. Week 14 at home against STL could be tough, as it could be a shootout, but they finish it off @ SF and home vs. CLE.
Outlook: Their schedule got incredibly better this year. A 14.5 % increase according to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis. Bottom line is this, they still finished with good numbers of interceptions and fumble recoveries last year. There is no reason to project them doing any worse. For once they have a great schedule to work with, and one hell of a fantasy playoff stretch. For those reasons alone, they're worth rostering. I tormented with whether or not to rank them higher than OAK. Their fantasy schedule looks like it gives them the go-ahead.
How they might disappoint: The Bengals were hot and cold last year in points allowed. Exactly half of their games, they allowed 17 points or less. There were a handful of shootouts as well. If their defense cannot step up this year, the possibility is there for many more high scoring games. That will cut deeply into their fantasy production, likely dropping them out of my 2nd tier of defenses. The good news is, of all the teams that scored 24+ points on this defense last season, only NE remains on the schedule this year.
Tier: 2
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
Thanks, that was a stat I added halfway through for some teams, I still need to update a few I see. For most of the remaining teams, there probably won't be a 'bye-week filler' section. Since they're higher ranked teams, they won't be used as a filler team.Captain Hook said:Continue the great workone question - didn't see the "Bye Week filler" line for the Jets DS
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Dope
Footballguy
Bengals were the team. You have them higher than just about anyone I've seen.That's a good news/bad news scenario for me.Good news...Cincy's outlook may be better than I thought.Bad news...I may have to keep them if I think my team will make a run at the playoffs. I could have used that extra roster spot.dsrm said:This is a very excellent post.I love the way it's rolling out, too. The suspense on my two dynasty defenses is killing me. Especially since I thought one of them would have been mentioned already.
Gottabesweet
Footballguy
Oakland Raiders
Defensive Additions: None
Just signed Donovan Darius.
Defensive Additions: None
Just signed Donovan Darius.
LionsFan78
Footballguy
Ahhhh. Just beat me to it! You listening to Sporting News radio by any chance?That is good news for them
Gottabesweet
Footballguy
NFL Live on ESPNAhhhh. Just beat me to it! You listening to Sporting News radio by any chance?That is good news for them
The Kansas Comet
Footballguy
Great thread LionsFan - just tuned in to it. Thanks for all the time and effort you've put into this. I've found this very helpful.
Ron_Mexico
I Love Doggies
good stuff, LF.
LionsFan78
Footballguy
12. Carolina Panthers
2006 Fantasy Finish: 15th
Defensive Losses: LB Vinny Ciurciu, LB Chris Draft, S Kevin McCadam, DE Al Wallace
Defensive Additions: DE Dave Ball, DT Chad Lavalais S Deke Cooper, CB Curtis Deloatch, LB Terrence Melton
Rookies: LB Jon Beason, DE Charles Johnson, ILB Tim Shaw, CB C.J. Wilson
Notes: There were very few transactions this season even worth mentioning. At least they really didn’t lose anybody of significance. DT Chad Lavalais adds some depth at the tackle position, keeping everyone in the rotation hopefully rested. More good news, they added a few talented players to their front seven through the draft, as Jon Beason and Charles Johnson should have a chance to contribute this year.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 17.4 (16th), RB Points – 16.0 (25th), WR Points – 16.8 (27th), TE Points – 7.8 (2nd).
2006 Stats: 1737 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3000 Passing Yards Allowed, 305 Points Allowed, 14 Interceptions, 7 Fumble Recoveries, 41 sacks, 1 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W11 - STL (23 FP), W2 - @MIN (15 FP), W10 - TB (15 FP) / W15 - PIT (-4 FP), W8 – DAL (-3 FP)
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 9 – W2 vs. HOU, W3 @ ATL, W4 vs. TB, W6 @ ARI, W9 @ TEN, W10 vs. ATL, W11 @GB, W13 vs. SF, W14 @ JAX,
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 6 - W1 @ STL, W5 @ NO, W8 vs. IND, W12 vs. NO, W15 vs. SEA (Pending status of SEA offense), W16 vs. DAL
Teams with great bye-week matchups: DAL (vsMIN), NO (vsATL), TB (@DET), TEN (@HOU), KC (@OAK)
Solid Combination with: Super combo with IND. Also KC, although a week 8 bye week would force you to face IND.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @JAX, SEA, DAL
Breakdown: Carolina finished a disappointing 15th in standard fantasy scoring last season, finishing pretty much in the top 10 for all categories, except turnovers. That needs to improve this season for them to be a serious fantasy contender. Anywhere from 8-10 more turnovers, and they finish right around 7th or 8th. I love the fact that they have lost nobody, retained the same coordinator, and drafted some young talent as well. Last year, they were pretty consistent against the quality of teams they played. Meaning, they fared pretty well against the lesser offenses, and pretty poor against the better teams. They even shutout STL for their best performance of the year. So there’s hope for this team. Another fact worth at least mentioning is that most of their poor non-division games last year came at the hands of NFC East teams, and only Dallas remains on the schedule this season (week 16).
Outlook: I may be reaching here, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to consider them a strong play most weeks, even with a tougher schedule. Their last 9 games (not counting week 17) includes 6 home games, including all of their potentially dangerous matchups. If you miss out on a top defense, and are dead-set on picking one and only one team, I believe this can be that team. But there’s also some great combos out there, as listed above, to counter those Indy and New Orleans matchups, as well as an easier playoff schedule.
Why they're ranked 12th: Even though there's two more teams in the 2nd tier of teams below here, the top 12 is a big number for me. I play in 12 team leagues, so naturally I view the top 12 teams as the first 12 teams off the board in a fantasy draft, so essentially our entire league's starting defenses. They place at the bottom of this list, due completely to a very tough playoff schedule, and a significantly tougher regular season schedule than last year. I would rank only Pittsburgh's playoff schedule as worse, although I believe them to be a better defense, so they're a bit higher than Carolina.
How they might disappoint: Their schedule did get tougher this year, and they have one of the toughest fantasy playoff stretches out there. That right there could spell disappointment, right when fantasy owners need them the most. That is the sole reason for me starting them off towards the bottom of 2nd tier teams (yet still ahead of last year's finish). Everything’s in place for a successful run though. They lost barely anybody, added youth and depth, and have the same coaching staff. They had a bad habit last year of losing games in the second half, meaning giving up more points than you’d probably like to see. With a tough schedule, that could mean bad news from a fantasy perspective, and could bump them into unstartable territory during some of their tougher weeks. If you notice the trend, tread lightly.
Tier: 2
2006 Fantasy Finish: 15th
Defensive Losses: LB Vinny Ciurciu, LB Chris Draft, S Kevin McCadam, DE Al Wallace
Defensive Additions: DE Dave Ball, DT Chad Lavalais S Deke Cooper, CB Curtis Deloatch, LB Terrence Melton
Rookies: LB Jon Beason, DE Charles Johnson, ILB Tim Shaw, CB C.J. Wilson
Notes: There were very few transactions this season even worth mentioning. At least they really didn’t lose anybody of significance. DT Chad Lavalais adds some depth at the tackle position, keeping everyone in the rotation hopefully rested. More good news, they added a few talented players to their front seven through the draft, as Jon Beason and Charles Johnson should have a chance to contribute this year.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 17.4 (16th), RB Points – 16.0 (25th), WR Points – 16.8 (27th), TE Points – 7.8 (2nd).
2006 Stats: 1737 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3000 Passing Yards Allowed, 305 Points Allowed, 14 Interceptions, 7 Fumble Recoveries, 41 sacks, 1 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W11 - STL (23 FP), W2 - @MIN (15 FP), W10 - TB (15 FP) / W15 - PIT (-4 FP), W8 – DAL (-3 FP)
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 9 – W2 vs. HOU, W3 @ ATL, W4 vs. TB, W6 @ ARI, W9 @ TEN, W10 vs. ATL, W11 @GB, W13 vs. SF, W14 @ JAX,
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 6 - W1 @ STL, W5 @ NO, W8 vs. IND, W12 vs. NO, W15 vs. SEA (Pending status of SEA offense), W16 vs. DAL
Teams with great bye-week matchups: DAL (vsMIN), NO (vsATL), TB (@DET), TEN (@HOU), KC (@OAK)
Solid Combination with: Super combo with IND. Also KC, although a week 8 bye week would force you to face IND.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @JAX, SEA, DAL
Breakdown: Carolina finished a disappointing 15th in standard fantasy scoring last season, finishing pretty much in the top 10 for all categories, except turnovers. That needs to improve this season for them to be a serious fantasy contender. Anywhere from 8-10 more turnovers, and they finish right around 7th or 8th. I love the fact that they have lost nobody, retained the same coordinator, and drafted some young talent as well. Last year, they were pretty consistent against the quality of teams they played. Meaning, they fared pretty well against the lesser offenses, and pretty poor against the better teams. They even shutout STL for their best performance of the year. So there’s hope for this team. Another fact worth at least mentioning is that most of their poor non-division games last year came at the hands of NFC East teams, and only Dallas remains on the schedule this season (week 16).
Outlook: I may be reaching here, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to consider them a strong play most weeks, even with a tougher schedule. Their last 9 games (not counting week 17) includes 6 home games, including all of their potentially dangerous matchups. If you miss out on a top defense, and are dead-set on picking one and only one team, I believe this can be that team. But there’s also some great combos out there, as listed above, to counter those Indy and New Orleans matchups, as well as an easier playoff schedule.
Why they're ranked 12th: Even though there's two more teams in the 2nd tier of teams below here, the top 12 is a big number for me. I play in 12 team leagues, so naturally I view the top 12 teams as the first 12 teams off the board in a fantasy draft, so essentially our entire league's starting defenses. They place at the bottom of this list, due completely to a very tough playoff schedule, and a significantly tougher regular season schedule than last year. I would rank only Pittsburgh's playoff schedule as worse, although I believe them to be a better defense, so they're a bit higher than Carolina.
How they might disappoint: Their schedule did get tougher this year, and they have one of the toughest fantasy playoff stretches out there. That right there could spell disappointment, right when fantasy owners need them the most. That is the sole reason for me starting them off towards the bottom of 2nd tier teams (yet still ahead of last year's finish). Everything’s in place for a successful run though. They lost barely anybody, added youth and depth, and have the same coaching staff. They had a bad habit last year of losing games in the second half, meaning giving up more points than you’d probably like to see. With a tough schedule, that could mean bad news from a fantasy perspective, and could bump them into unstartable territory during some of their tougher weeks. If you notice the trend, tread lightly.
Tier: 2
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
11. Philadelphia Eagles
2006 Fantasy Finish: 8th
Defensive Losses: SS Michael Lewis, CB Roderick Hood, SB Shawn Barber,
Defensive Additions: LB Takeo Spikes, LB Chris Gocong (inj 2006), DT Montae Reagor, DT Ian Scott
Rookies: DE Victor Abiamiri, LB Stewart Bradley, FS C.J. Gaddis, CB Rashad Barksdale
Notes: After suffering some losses and remaining thin in the secondary, not much was done in free agency or the draft. If LB Takeo Spikes can play up to his ability, he will be a huge asset to this team. With 4 rookie picks, only DE Victor Abiamiri could potentially be a major factor this season.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 16.9 (t-20th), RB Points – 20.9 (12th), WR Points – 16.8 (26th), TE Points – 5.4 (22nd).
2006 Stats: 2181 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3067 Passing Yards Allowed, 328 Points Allowed, 19 Interceptions, 10 Fumble Recoveries, 40 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W5 - DAL (19 FP), W10 - WAS (12 FP), W16 - @DAL (13 FP) / W12 - @IND (-5 FP), W7 – @TB (1 FP), W11 – TEN (1 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 9 – W1 @ GB, W2 vs. WAS, W3 vs. DET, W4 @ NYG, W6 @ NYJ, W8 @ MIN, W10 @ WAS, W11 vs. MIA, W14 vs. NYG,
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 6 - W7 vs. CHI, W9 vs. DAL, W12 @ NE, W13 vs. SEA, W15 @ DAL, W16 @ NO
Teams with great bye-week matchups: IND (vsTB), WAS (vsDET), NE (vsCLE), MIA (@HOU)
Solid Combination with: IND has a spectacular combination, facing TB, ATL, OAK and HOU during Philly’s bye week/tough matchups. Also consider CIN (although they share a bye week, they counter a rough fantasy playoff schedule very well.). A very sneaky combo, one you won’t have to overpay for, is ARI. If Arizona starts performing well defensively, pair them up.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: NYG, @DAL, @NO
Breakdown: Philly bounced back from a horrible 2005 season (likely a draft-day steal for many) and finished as the 8th ranked fantasy defense last year. They averaged 136.4 rushing yards per game (26th) and 191.7 passing yards per game (9th). They were a top 10 team in sacks, and finished in the top half of the league in turnovers as well. They were pretty consistent in matchups last season, with the only negative-points performance coming @ IND, a game I’m sure many avoided anyway. They also performed great against all division rivals (Averaging 11.6 pts). There were a few other duds, surprisingly against TEN and TB, and not so surprisingly against New Orleans.
Outlook: I believe they’ll be a very hot defense to start the season, with all pretty much playable matchups leading up to the bye week. Even some of their “Weeks to Avoid” games are marginally playable. FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis lists their fantasy playoff schedule as one of the worst in the league. There could be some room for optimism however. They play NYG and @DAL, two teams that they fared well against in each game last season. I wouldn’t stress two much if you had to plug them in for either matchup. Week 16 is a little tougher however, so be sure to keep tabs on how they're playing by then. NO wasn’t impossible to score fantasy points on last season, so don’t throw in the towel just yet. There are still playmakers throughout this unit, and it is not impossible to think that they could match last year’s totals.
Why they're ranked 11th: They took a slight slide from last year's 8th place finish. Partly due to some teams jumping up my list, but they also have a bit of a tougher schedule this year, and a possibly dangerous playoff schedule. I do believe they've improved their team enough to place in the rankings ahead of Carolina. Not too mention I'd take Philly's playoff schedule over Carolina's any day.
How they might disappoint: The only thing that really sticks out is the secondary. They were very efficient intercepting the ball last season, with only 5 games without a pick. There’ll be new faces starting this year, and if those turnover totals takes a dip, that’s the difference between a 6th place finish, and a 13th place finish (difference of 7 turnovers based on last year’s scoring)
Tier: 2
2006 Fantasy Finish: 8th
Defensive Losses: SS Michael Lewis, CB Roderick Hood, SB Shawn Barber,
Defensive Additions: LB Takeo Spikes, LB Chris Gocong (inj 2006), DT Montae Reagor, DT Ian Scott
Rookies: DE Victor Abiamiri, LB Stewart Bradley, FS C.J. Gaddis, CB Rashad Barksdale
Notes: After suffering some losses and remaining thin in the secondary, not much was done in free agency or the draft. If LB Takeo Spikes can play up to his ability, he will be a huge asset to this team. With 4 rookie picks, only DE Victor Abiamiri could potentially be a major factor this season.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 16.9 (t-20th), RB Points – 20.9 (12th), WR Points – 16.8 (26th), TE Points – 5.4 (22nd).
2006 Stats: 2181 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3067 Passing Yards Allowed, 328 Points Allowed, 19 Interceptions, 10 Fumble Recoveries, 40 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W5 - DAL (19 FP), W10 - WAS (12 FP), W16 - @DAL (13 FP) / W12 - @IND (-5 FP), W7 – @TB (1 FP), W11 – TEN (1 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 9 – W1 @ GB, W2 vs. WAS, W3 vs. DET, W4 @ NYG, W6 @ NYJ, W8 @ MIN, W10 @ WAS, W11 vs. MIA, W14 vs. NYG,
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 6 - W7 vs. CHI, W9 vs. DAL, W12 @ NE, W13 vs. SEA, W15 @ DAL, W16 @ NO
Teams with great bye-week matchups: IND (vsTB), WAS (vsDET), NE (vsCLE), MIA (@HOU)
Solid Combination with: IND has a spectacular combination, facing TB, ATL, OAK and HOU during Philly’s bye week/tough matchups. Also consider CIN (although they share a bye week, they counter a rough fantasy playoff schedule very well.). A very sneaky combo, one you won’t have to overpay for, is ARI. If Arizona starts performing well defensively, pair them up.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: NYG, @DAL, @NO
Breakdown: Philly bounced back from a horrible 2005 season (likely a draft-day steal for many) and finished as the 8th ranked fantasy defense last year. They averaged 136.4 rushing yards per game (26th) and 191.7 passing yards per game (9th). They were a top 10 team in sacks, and finished in the top half of the league in turnovers as well. They were pretty consistent in matchups last season, with the only negative-points performance coming @ IND, a game I’m sure many avoided anyway. They also performed great against all division rivals (Averaging 11.6 pts). There were a few other duds, surprisingly against TEN and TB, and not so surprisingly against New Orleans.
Outlook: I believe they’ll be a very hot defense to start the season, with all pretty much playable matchups leading up to the bye week. Even some of their “Weeks to Avoid” games are marginally playable. FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis lists their fantasy playoff schedule as one of the worst in the league. There could be some room for optimism however. They play NYG and @DAL, two teams that they fared well against in each game last season. I wouldn’t stress two much if you had to plug them in for either matchup. Week 16 is a little tougher however, so be sure to keep tabs on how they're playing by then. NO wasn’t impossible to score fantasy points on last season, so don’t throw in the towel just yet. There are still playmakers throughout this unit, and it is not impossible to think that they could match last year’s totals.
Why they're ranked 11th: They took a slight slide from last year's 8th place finish. Partly due to some teams jumping up my list, but they also have a bit of a tougher schedule this year, and a possibly dangerous playoff schedule. I do believe they've improved their team enough to place in the rankings ahead of Carolina. Not too mention I'd take Philly's playoff schedule over Carolina's any day.
How they might disappoint: The only thing that really sticks out is the secondary. They were very efficient intercepting the ball last season, with only 5 games without a pick. There’ll be new faces starting this year, and if those turnover totals takes a dip, that’s the difference between a 6th place finish, and a 13th place finish (difference of 7 turnovers based on last year’s scoring)
Tier: 2
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
10. Pittsburgh Steelers
2006 Fantasy Finish: 12th
Defensive Losses: LB Joey Porter, DE Rodney Bailey
Defensive Additions: DT Nick Eason
Rookies: OLB Lawrence Timmons, DE LaMarr Woodley, DE Ryan McBean, CB William Gay
Notes: With the exception of Joey Porter, there were really no free agent moves of significance. The biggest acquisition for this defense was obviously their new head coach, Mike Tomlin. What makes it exciting for Pittsburgh, is not only a defensive-minded HC, but also the fact that he spent 4 picks in the first 5 rounds on defense. Lawrence Timmons seems penciled in to start immediately, and I believe LaMarr Woodley will soon follow. Tomlin instantly added some youth to this defense.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 17.5 (15th), RB Points – 13.7 (30th), WR Points – 21.1 (t-7th), TE Points – 6.0 (12th).
2006 Stats: 1412 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3393 Passing Yards Allowed, 315 Points Allowed, 20 Interceptions, 9 Fumble Recoveries, 39 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W13 - TB (20 FP), W15 - @CAR (21 FP), W6 - KC (14 FP) / W9 - DEN (-3 FP), W7 – @ATL (-2 FP), W12 – @BAL (-1 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 8 – W1 @ CLE, W2 vs. BUF, W3 vs. SF, W4 @ ARI, W10 vs. CLE, W11 @ NYJ, W12 vs. MIA, W15 vs. JAX,
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 7 -W5 vs. SEA, W7 @ DEN, W8 @ CIN, W9 vs. BAL, W13 vs. CIN, W14 @ NE, W16 @ STL
Teams with great bye-week matchups: JAX (vsHOU), MIA (@CLE), TB (vsTEN), GB (vsWAS), SD (vs. OAK)
Solid Combination with: SD (including a great playoff combo. Although I think it's unrealistic to expect to have a chance at both defenses this year). Also consider NO, NYJ and IND (Except they share a bye).
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @NE, JAX, @STL
Breakdown: The Steelers finished 2006 as the 12th ranked fantasy defense. They allowed 19.7 PPG (11th), ranked 3rd in rushing yards per game (88.3) and ranked 20th in passing yards per game (212.1). They also had good numbers of sacks (39) and takeaways (27). Add that with the fact that they are only losing Joey Porter from last year’s starting defense. There is certainly something to work with here, considering that they had a fairly tougher schedule last season. They do have a first year head coach, but the good news is that **** LeBeau is still in town.
Outlook: Their fantasy schedule is among the worst in the league. Just plain sucks IMO. And when it all comes down to it, you want a defense that can win your Super Bowl, not just get you there. I hate two away games at NE and STL, two very potent offenses. They had an above average effort last season @ JAX (7 points), so week 15 could be playable. They’re an aggressive defense, with a new defensive head coach, so I can’t realistically bump them down past the 2nd tier. I would however try to grab another defense to play off of their weaknesses, and one with a much more favorable playoff schedule.
Why they're ranked 10th: You're looking at defense that I believe has the talent to rise up to Tier 1. The only reason I have them 10th, instead of possibly 5th, is their fantasy playoff schedule. I think it's the worst in the top 2 tiers. A very dangerous schedule. Now, that could all change instantly if this team proves it can handle anybody. We'll see!
How they might disappoint: I truly believe that this will be a better defense this season. But with such a bad fantasy playoff schedule, my concern is that they’ll cost somebody a playoff loss if played straight up. They’re damn good enough to be a DEF1, just maybe not @ NE and @ STL. A few potential shootouts to end the season could plummet them down out of the top 10 for fantasy scoring.
Tier: 2
2006 Fantasy Finish: 12th
Defensive Losses: LB Joey Porter, DE Rodney Bailey
Defensive Additions: DT Nick Eason
Rookies: OLB Lawrence Timmons, DE LaMarr Woodley, DE Ryan McBean, CB William Gay
Notes: With the exception of Joey Porter, there were really no free agent moves of significance. The biggest acquisition for this defense was obviously their new head coach, Mike Tomlin. What makes it exciting for Pittsburgh, is not only a defensive-minded HC, but also the fact that he spent 4 picks in the first 5 rounds on defense. Lawrence Timmons seems penciled in to start immediately, and I believe LaMarr Woodley will soon follow. Tomlin instantly added some youth to this defense.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 17.5 (15th), RB Points – 13.7 (30th), WR Points – 21.1 (t-7th), TE Points – 6.0 (12th).
2006 Stats: 1412 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3393 Passing Yards Allowed, 315 Points Allowed, 20 Interceptions, 9 Fumble Recoveries, 39 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W13 - TB (20 FP), W15 - @CAR (21 FP), W6 - KC (14 FP) / W9 - DEN (-3 FP), W7 – @ATL (-2 FP), W12 – @BAL (-1 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 8 – W1 @ CLE, W2 vs. BUF, W3 vs. SF, W4 @ ARI, W10 vs. CLE, W11 @ NYJ, W12 vs. MIA, W15 vs. JAX,
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 7 -W5 vs. SEA, W7 @ DEN, W8 @ CIN, W9 vs. BAL, W13 vs. CIN, W14 @ NE, W16 @ STL
Teams with great bye-week matchups: JAX (vsHOU), MIA (@CLE), TB (vsTEN), GB (vsWAS), SD (vs. OAK)
Solid Combination with: SD (including a great playoff combo. Although I think it's unrealistic to expect to have a chance at both defenses this year). Also consider NO, NYJ and IND (Except they share a bye).
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @NE, JAX, @STL
Breakdown: The Steelers finished 2006 as the 12th ranked fantasy defense. They allowed 19.7 PPG (11th), ranked 3rd in rushing yards per game (88.3) and ranked 20th in passing yards per game (212.1). They also had good numbers of sacks (39) and takeaways (27). Add that with the fact that they are only losing Joey Porter from last year’s starting defense. There is certainly something to work with here, considering that they had a fairly tougher schedule last season. They do have a first year head coach, but the good news is that **** LeBeau is still in town.
Outlook: Their fantasy schedule is among the worst in the league. Just plain sucks IMO. And when it all comes down to it, you want a defense that can win your Super Bowl, not just get you there. I hate two away games at NE and STL, two very potent offenses. They had an above average effort last season @ JAX (7 points), so week 15 could be playable. They’re an aggressive defense, with a new defensive head coach, so I can’t realistically bump them down past the 2nd tier. I would however try to grab another defense to play off of their weaknesses, and one with a much more favorable playoff schedule.
Why they're ranked 10th: You're looking at defense that I believe has the talent to rise up to Tier 1. The only reason I have them 10th, instead of possibly 5th, is their fantasy playoff schedule. I think it's the worst in the top 2 tiers. A very dangerous schedule. Now, that could all change instantly if this team proves it can handle anybody. We'll see!
How they might disappoint: I truly believe that this will be a better defense this season. But with such a bad fantasy playoff schedule, my concern is that they’ll cost somebody a playoff loss if played straight up. They’re damn good enough to be a DEF1, just maybe not @ NE and @ STL. A few potential shootouts to end the season could plummet them down out of the top 10 for fantasy scoring.
Tier: 2
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
9. Dallas Cowboys
2006 Fantasy Finish: 19th
Defensive Losses: DE Kenyon Coleman, LB Ryan Fowler,
Defensive Additions: S Ken Hamlin
Rookies: DE Anthony Spencer, CB Courtney Brown, CB Alan Ball
Notes: Ken Hamlin should immediately upgrade this defensive backfield, which was one of the key reasons for Dallas’ inconsistencies last year. DE Anthony Spencer could also see some significant playing time this season. Their most important acquisition this offseason has to be head coach Wade Phillips. He’s made it obvious that he’ll let Jason Garrett handle the offense, while he focuses on defense. Seeing what San Diego has done recently makes this promising. They should run a much more aggressive defense this season.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 20.4 (t-1st), RB Points – 18.7 (21st), WR Points – 19.1 (19th), TE Points – 6.7 (t-7th).
2006 Stats: 1659 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3506 Passing Yards Allowed, 350 Points Allowed, 18 Interceptions, 13 Fumble Recoveries, 34 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W11 - IND (14 FP), W6 - HOU (13 FP), W2 - WAS (12 FP) / W14 - NO (-6 FP), W7 – NYG (-1 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 9 – W1 vs. NYG, W2 @ MIA, W5 @ BUF, W7 vs. MIN, W11 vs. WAS, W12 vs. NYJ, W13 vs. GB, W14 @ DET, W16 @ CAR
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 4 – W3 @ CHI, W4 vs. STL, W6 vs. NE, W9 @ PHI,
Teams with great bye-week matchups: STL (vs. CLE), CHI (vs. DET), TEN (vs. OAK), PHI (@MIN), SD (vs. HOU), NE (vs. WAS)
Solid Combination with: SD, CIN, and CHI. Also, if TB shows improvement, they have a great matchup as well.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @ DET, PHI, @CAR
Breakdown: Dallas cooled off after Week 11 and ended up finishing as the 19th best fantasy scoring defense. They allowed 103.7 rushing yards per game (10th) and 219.1 passing yards per game (24th). They also allowed 21.9 PPG (20th). They also posted top ten numbers in both interceptions (18) and fumble recoveries (13). They were very up and down last year. 8 games were very favorable, with 8 poor performances, some against inferior teams (DET, TEN). They did manage a season-high performance against IND week 11 however. This season, they have a more favorable schedule, especially the second half of the year. Two games against PHI, weeks 9 and 15, only stick out as their potentially dangerous games during that stretch.
Outlook: There’s a good chance they’ll finish much better than 19th this season. Their schedule is easier, and many of their tough matchups come at home this year (STL, NE, PHI). I would list thier playoff schedule as one of the most favorable of all the tier 2 teams, with their toughest game coming at home, vs. PHI week 15. With potentially 9 startable matchups, as opposed to about 4 tough ones, I can put up a good argument for drafting them as a DEF1 this year. Wade Phillips is bringing an aggressive style of defense to the table, and they’re a good gamble this year for fantasy production, although I’d love to see an increase to their 34 sacks from last year. Demarcus Ware could easily improve on his already impressive 12 sacks from 2006.
Why they're ranked 9th: A ten place jump from last year is pretty risky, but I believe it's plausible. I don't believe they've lost any ground since last year, and have added one hell of a defensive HC. It's unreal to just transfer SD's stats from last year, but I believe Wade Phillips will make a serious impact. Plus, I just love the fantasy playoff stretch.
How they might disappoint: There’s always a possibility for the typical growing pains associated with a new head coach. The good news is he comes straight from a superb defensive team, and has plenty of talent to work with. With a strong schedule the first half of the season, you might see a number of fantasy bust weeks along the way. Especially if Dallas continues to be very unimpressive against division rival teams. They averaged only 3.5 fantasy points per game vs. NFC East teams last year.
Tier: 2
2006 Fantasy Finish: 19th
Defensive Losses: DE Kenyon Coleman, LB Ryan Fowler,
Defensive Additions: S Ken Hamlin
Rookies: DE Anthony Spencer, CB Courtney Brown, CB Alan Ball
Notes: Ken Hamlin should immediately upgrade this defensive backfield, which was one of the key reasons for Dallas’ inconsistencies last year. DE Anthony Spencer could also see some significant playing time this season. Their most important acquisition this offseason has to be head coach Wade Phillips. He’s made it obvious that he’ll let Jason Garrett handle the offense, while he focuses on defense. Seeing what San Diego has done recently makes this promising. They should run a much more aggressive defense this season.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 20.4 (t-1st), RB Points – 18.7 (21st), WR Points – 19.1 (19th), TE Points – 6.7 (t-7th).
2006 Stats: 1659 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3506 Passing Yards Allowed, 350 Points Allowed, 18 Interceptions, 13 Fumble Recoveries, 34 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W11 - IND (14 FP), W6 - HOU (13 FP), W2 - WAS (12 FP) / W14 - NO (-6 FP), W7 – NYG (-1 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 9 – W1 vs. NYG, W2 @ MIA, W5 @ BUF, W7 vs. MIN, W11 vs. WAS, W12 vs. NYJ, W13 vs. GB, W14 @ DET, W16 @ CAR
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 4 – W3 @ CHI, W4 vs. STL, W6 vs. NE, W9 @ PHI,
Teams with great bye-week matchups: STL (vs. CLE), CHI (vs. DET), TEN (vs. OAK), PHI (@MIN), SD (vs. HOU), NE (vs. WAS)
Solid Combination with: SD, CIN, and CHI. Also, if TB shows improvement, they have a great matchup as well.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @ DET, PHI, @CAR
Breakdown: Dallas cooled off after Week 11 and ended up finishing as the 19th best fantasy scoring defense. They allowed 103.7 rushing yards per game (10th) and 219.1 passing yards per game (24th). They also allowed 21.9 PPG (20th). They also posted top ten numbers in both interceptions (18) and fumble recoveries (13). They were very up and down last year. 8 games were very favorable, with 8 poor performances, some against inferior teams (DET, TEN). They did manage a season-high performance against IND week 11 however. This season, they have a more favorable schedule, especially the second half of the year. Two games against PHI, weeks 9 and 15, only stick out as their potentially dangerous games during that stretch.
Outlook: There’s a good chance they’ll finish much better than 19th this season. Their schedule is easier, and many of their tough matchups come at home this year (STL, NE, PHI). I would list thier playoff schedule as one of the most favorable of all the tier 2 teams, with their toughest game coming at home, vs. PHI week 15. With potentially 9 startable matchups, as opposed to about 4 tough ones, I can put up a good argument for drafting them as a DEF1 this year. Wade Phillips is bringing an aggressive style of defense to the table, and they’re a good gamble this year for fantasy production, although I’d love to see an increase to their 34 sacks from last year. Demarcus Ware could easily improve on his already impressive 12 sacks from 2006.
Why they're ranked 9th: A ten place jump from last year is pretty risky, but I believe it's plausible. I don't believe they've lost any ground since last year, and have added one hell of a defensive HC. It's unreal to just transfer SD's stats from last year, but I believe Wade Phillips will make a serious impact. Plus, I just love the fantasy playoff stretch.
How they might disappoint: There’s always a possibility for the typical growing pains associated with a new head coach. The good news is he comes straight from a superb defensive team, and has plenty of talent to work with. With a strong schedule the first half of the season, you might see a number of fantasy bust weeks along the way. Especially if Dallas continues to be very unimpressive against division rival teams. They averaged only 3.5 fantasy points per game vs. NFC East teams last year.
Tier: 2
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
8. Jacksonville Jaguars
2006 Fantasy Finish: 7th
Defensive Losses: S Deon Grant, DE Elton Patterson, S Donovin Darius
Defensive Additions: S Kevin McCadam
Rookies: FS Reggie Nelson, LB Justin Durant, DE Brian Smith, FS Josh Gattis, DT Derek Landri, LB Chad Nkang
Notes: Losing Grant and Darius this offseason will hurt them, although they did address the secondary with their first round pick in April’s draft. Having LB Mike Pererson and DE Reggie Hayward back from an injury plagued season could go a long way in helping them this year. On special teams, they also added Dennis Northcut, who could contribute as a punt returner as well. If Maurice Jones-Drew keeps returning kicks this season, expect a special teams touchdown, or two.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 15.1 (28th), RB Points – 15.3 (28th), WR Points – 16.5 (t-28th), TE Points – 5.3 (23rd). All around, a very stingy defense to score fantasy points on.
2006 Stats: 1460 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3078 Passing Yards Allowed, 274 Points Allowed, 20 Interceptions, 4 Fumble Recoveries, 35 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W5 - NYJ (26 FP), W2 - PIT (16 FP), W9 - TEN (14 FP) / W4 - @WAS (-3 FP), W7 – @HOU (0 FP), W16 – NE (0 FP). Averaged over 10 fantasy points per game in home games last season, including a 0 point performance against NE W16. Compare that to just over 3 points per game in away games last season, with only 2 respectable games coming @ PHI and @ MIA (11 and 12 pts, respectively).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 7 – W1 vs. TEN, W2 vs. ATL, W6 vs. HOU, W8 @ TB, W10 @ TEN (Be weary, they did not fare well @ TEN last season), W14 vs. CAR, W16 vs. OAK
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 6 - W3 @ DEN, W5 @ KC (marginal), W7 vs. IND, W9 @ NO, W11 vs. SD, W13 @ IND,
Teams with great bye-week matchups: GB (@MIN), AT(vsHOU), MIA(vsOAK), CAR(vsTB)
Solid Combination with: OAK and N.O (although they do share a bye). Also consider DAL.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: CAR, @ PIT, OAK
Breakdown: JAX finished 7th in standard fantasy scoring last season. They allowed a superb 17.1 PPG (4th) and were top 10 in both rushing and passing yards per game, as well as interceptions (20). The only negative stat that really jumps out is their NFL-worst 4 fumble recoveries. Their schedule down right scares me this year though. First, some very potent offenses are on the board this season (INDx2, NO, SD, DEN). Second, every non-conference team that they performed great against last season (fantasy-wise) is not on the schedule this year. Add that to the fact that they were great at home, but downright horrible in away games. They averaged over 10 fantasy points per game in home games last season, even with a 0 point performance against NE W16. Compare that to just over 3 points per game in away games, with only 2 respectable games coming @ PHI and @ MIA (11 and 12 pts, respectively). The first few games of their fantasy playoff schedule are potentially dangerous. There are two home games during the playoffs, weeks 14 and 16. Keep tabs on the status of Carolina and Pittsburgh throughout the season. They had a great effort against PIT last season, shutting them out, but they will be seeing a different team this season, so be cautious. I have no reason to believe a home game against OAK week 16 will be a problem.
Outlook: So on paper, there’s no reason they shouldn’t stay near the top of the list this season. Bottom line, I’d be reaching if I bumped them down from the top 12 teams, but I would classify them as a team that’s startable most weeks, but could use a partner. If you spend an early pick on JAX, which you might have to, as I’ve seen them taken as a top 5 defense in many mocks so far, then do a little research and find a nice sleeper/combo defense to pair them with. As it stands, I just can’t bump them up into my top 5 right now.
Why they're ranked 8th: It seems like I'm lower on them than some people. I'm only ranking them one spot lower than last year's finish. They have the talent to bump into tier 1, but they're inconsistencies and relatively low amount of favorable matchups has me keeping them at 8.
How they might disappoint: There’s just too many questionable matchups, and JAX is too inconsistent against weaker offenses, as well as on the road. I see plenty of weeks against teams like TEN, TB or HOU where, for no apparent reason, they just turn in a fantasy goose-egg. It happened all too often last season.
Tier: 2
2006 Fantasy Finish: 7th
Defensive Losses: S Deon Grant, DE Elton Patterson, S Donovin Darius
Defensive Additions: S Kevin McCadam
Rookies: FS Reggie Nelson, LB Justin Durant, DE Brian Smith, FS Josh Gattis, DT Derek Landri, LB Chad Nkang
Notes: Losing Grant and Darius this offseason will hurt them, although they did address the secondary with their first round pick in April’s draft. Having LB Mike Pererson and DE Reggie Hayward back from an injury plagued season could go a long way in helping them this year. On special teams, they also added Dennis Northcut, who could contribute as a punt returner as well. If Maurice Jones-Drew keeps returning kicks this season, expect a special teams touchdown, or two.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 15.1 (28th), RB Points – 15.3 (28th), WR Points – 16.5 (t-28th), TE Points – 5.3 (23rd). All around, a very stingy defense to score fantasy points on.
2006 Stats: 1460 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3078 Passing Yards Allowed, 274 Points Allowed, 20 Interceptions, 4 Fumble Recoveries, 35 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W5 - NYJ (26 FP), W2 - PIT (16 FP), W9 - TEN (14 FP) / W4 - @WAS (-3 FP), W7 – @HOU (0 FP), W16 – NE (0 FP). Averaged over 10 fantasy points per game in home games last season, including a 0 point performance against NE W16. Compare that to just over 3 points per game in away games last season, with only 2 respectable games coming @ PHI and @ MIA (11 and 12 pts, respectively).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 7 – W1 vs. TEN, W2 vs. ATL, W6 vs. HOU, W8 @ TB, W10 @ TEN (Be weary, they did not fare well @ TEN last season), W14 vs. CAR, W16 vs. OAK
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 6 - W3 @ DEN, W5 @ KC (marginal), W7 vs. IND, W9 @ NO, W11 vs. SD, W13 @ IND,
Teams with great bye-week matchups: GB (@MIN), AT(vsHOU), MIA(vsOAK), CAR(vsTB)
Solid Combination with: OAK and N.O (although they do share a bye). Also consider DAL.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: CAR, @ PIT, OAK
Breakdown: JAX finished 7th in standard fantasy scoring last season. They allowed a superb 17.1 PPG (4th) and were top 10 in both rushing and passing yards per game, as well as interceptions (20). The only negative stat that really jumps out is their NFL-worst 4 fumble recoveries. Their schedule down right scares me this year though. First, some very potent offenses are on the board this season (INDx2, NO, SD, DEN). Second, every non-conference team that they performed great against last season (fantasy-wise) is not on the schedule this year. Add that to the fact that they were great at home, but downright horrible in away games. They averaged over 10 fantasy points per game in home games last season, even with a 0 point performance against NE W16. Compare that to just over 3 points per game in away games, with only 2 respectable games coming @ PHI and @ MIA (11 and 12 pts, respectively). The first few games of their fantasy playoff schedule are potentially dangerous. There are two home games during the playoffs, weeks 14 and 16. Keep tabs on the status of Carolina and Pittsburgh throughout the season. They had a great effort against PIT last season, shutting them out, but they will be seeing a different team this season, so be cautious. I have no reason to believe a home game against OAK week 16 will be a problem.
Outlook: So on paper, there’s no reason they shouldn’t stay near the top of the list this season. Bottom line, I’d be reaching if I bumped them down from the top 12 teams, but I would classify them as a team that’s startable most weeks, but could use a partner. If you spend an early pick on JAX, which you might have to, as I’ve seen them taken as a top 5 defense in many mocks so far, then do a little research and find a nice sleeper/combo defense to pair them with. As it stands, I just can’t bump them up into my top 5 right now.
Why they're ranked 8th: It seems like I'm lower on them than some people. I'm only ranking them one spot lower than last year's finish. They have the talent to bump into tier 1, but they're inconsistencies and relatively low amount of favorable matchups has me keeping them at 8.
How they might disappoint: There’s just too many questionable matchups, and JAX is too inconsistent against weaker offenses, as well as on the road. I see plenty of weeks against teams like TEN, TB or HOU where, for no apparent reason, they just turn in a fantasy goose-egg. It happened all too often last season.
Tier: 2
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
7. Minnesota Vikings
2006 Fantasy Finish: 6th
Defensive Losses: MLB Napolean Harris, CB Fred Smoot, DT Ross Kolokziej
Defensive Additions: SS Mike Doss, LB Vinny Ciurciu
Rookies: CB Marcus McCauley, DE Brian Robison, LB Rufus Alexander
Notes: I’m not too excited about this off season. The losses do outweigh the additions. Napolean Harris had a solid year last year, and might hurt their impressive run defense. They will get Chad Greenway back this season, after a full season of injury, so hopefully he can help fill the void. Another acquisition worth noting is new DC Leslie Frazier. I’m optimistic, as he spent two years with Cincinnati, where they were not a stranger to forcing turnovers. I’m not automatically bumping them down just because of a new DC, as plenty of higher ranked teams have also lost defensive coordinators. There’s something to work with here.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 16.8 (22nd), RB Points – 13.0 (31st), WR Points – 22.2 (2nd), TE Points – 4.1 (29th). As stingy as they come against opposing RB’s.
2006 Stats: 975 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3823 Passing Yards Allowed, 327 Points Allowed, 21 Interceptions, 15 Fumble Recoveries, 29 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W5 - DET (20 FP), W7 - @SEA (11 FP), W16 - @GB (16 FP) / W10 - GB (-1 FP), W17 – @STL (-7 FP)
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 10 – W1 vs. ATL, W2 @ DET, W3 @ KC, W4 vs. GB, W10 @ GB, W11 vs. OAK, W12 @ NYG, W13 vs. DET, W14 @ SF, W16 vs. WAS
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 5 - W6 @ CHI, W7 @ DAL, W8 vs. PHI, W9 vs. SD, W15 vs. CHI,
Teams with great bye-week matchups: MIA (@HOU), NE (vsCLE), WAS (vsDET), ATL (@TEN), IND (vsTB)
Solid Combination with: KC (Wonderful SF, TEN, DET playoff combo). Also IND (Although they share a tough week 9 matchup, I love their playoff combo – SF, OAK and HOU combined). CIN also a possibility.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @SF, CHI, WAS
Breakdown: Minnesota surprised everyone by finishing 6th in standard fantasy scoring last year. They allowed 20.4 PPG (14th), a league best 61.6 rushing yards per game (1st) and a league-worst 238.6 passing yards per game. They also posted top 5 numbers in both interceptions (21) and fumble recoveries (15). They were just a turnover machine at times, posting at least 2 picks in 7 games. They have simply got to put more pressure on the QB. Their 29 sacks ranked them in the bottom five for that category. There is definitely a decent schedule to work with here, as I see 10 very startable games. Plus, it certainly benefits them playing in the NFC North, as none of those teams have an offense immune to turnovers. I listed Chicago as a team to avoid, yet do keep in mind that they fared pretty well last season in both games with CHI (8 and 10 points). So keep tabs on Chicago’s offense, as this could easily bump up as a very startable matchup.
Outlook: Their fantasy playoff schedule is hardly anything to shy away from, with 2 home games thrown in there as well. If you can live with a pretty rough stretch of games weeks 6-9, I could very well see them being drafted as a DEF1 that could almost start any week. They also matchup quite well with KC and IND, so keep that in mind if you have space for another defense.
Why they're ranked 7th: They drop one spot from last year, but that is due to Denver being ranked in front of them. I was actually disappointed about ranking them 7th. Had it not been for week 17’s –7 point performance against STL (gave up 41 points), they would’ve pushed for 4th place in D/ST scoring. But there's a number of factors to consider here, and I'm pretty comfortable leaving them right where they are. Taking their fantasy playoff schedule into consideration, combined with 10 possibly favorable matchups, and also playing in a weaker division, I think somewhere right on the edge of Tier 1 is about right. They might not be as talented as, say, Pittsburgh or Jacksonville, but I believe the schedule speaks for itself. I don't think fantasy owners will be disappointed.
How they might disappoint: Unfortunately, learning curves happen with new defensive coordinators. Mike Tomlin turned them into a fantasy surprise after just one season, so it’s not impossible to expect another solid year. Plus if this unit fails to improve on last year’s weaknesses, as in putting more pressure on the QB, and at least sustain their solid run defense and turnover ratio, you just might see the occasional head-scratcher performance.
Tier: 2
2006 Fantasy Finish: 6th
Defensive Losses: MLB Napolean Harris, CB Fred Smoot, DT Ross Kolokziej
Defensive Additions: SS Mike Doss, LB Vinny Ciurciu
Rookies: CB Marcus McCauley, DE Brian Robison, LB Rufus Alexander
Notes: I’m not too excited about this off season. The losses do outweigh the additions. Napolean Harris had a solid year last year, and might hurt their impressive run defense. They will get Chad Greenway back this season, after a full season of injury, so hopefully he can help fill the void. Another acquisition worth noting is new DC Leslie Frazier. I’m optimistic, as he spent two years with Cincinnati, where they were not a stranger to forcing turnovers. I’m not automatically bumping them down just because of a new DC, as plenty of higher ranked teams have also lost defensive coordinators. There’s something to work with here.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 16.8 (22nd), RB Points – 13.0 (31st), WR Points – 22.2 (2nd), TE Points – 4.1 (29th). As stingy as they come against opposing RB’s.
2006 Stats: 975 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3823 Passing Yards Allowed, 327 Points Allowed, 21 Interceptions, 15 Fumble Recoveries, 29 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W5 - DET (20 FP), W7 - @SEA (11 FP), W16 - @GB (16 FP) / W10 - GB (-1 FP), W17 – @STL (-7 FP)
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 10 – W1 vs. ATL, W2 @ DET, W3 @ KC, W4 vs. GB, W10 @ GB, W11 vs. OAK, W12 @ NYG, W13 vs. DET, W14 @ SF, W16 vs. WAS
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 5 - W6 @ CHI, W7 @ DAL, W8 vs. PHI, W9 vs. SD, W15 vs. CHI,
Teams with great bye-week matchups: MIA (@HOU), NE (vsCLE), WAS (vsDET), ATL (@TEN), IND (vsTB)
Solid Combination with: KC (Wonderful SF, TEN, DET playoff combo). Also IND (Although they share a tough week 9 matchup, I love their playoff combo – SF, OAK and HOU combined). CIN also a possibility.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @SF, CHI, WAS
Breakdown: Minnesota surprised everyone by finishing 6th in standard fantasy scoring last year. They allowed 20.4 PPG (14th), a league best 61.6 rushing yards per game (1st) and a league-worst 238.6 passing yards per game. They also posted top 5 numbers in both interceptions (21) and fumble recoveries (15). They were just a turnover machine at times, posting at least 2 picks in 7 games. They have simply got to put more pressure on the QB. Their 29 sacks ranked them in the bottom five for that category. There is definitely a decent schedule to work with here, as I see 10 very startable games. Plus, it certainly benefits them playing in the NFC North, as none of those teams have an offense immune to turnovers. I listed Chicago as a team to avoid, yet do keep in mind that they fared pretty well last season in both games with CHI (8 and 10 points). So keep tabs on Chicago’s offense, as this could easily bump up as a very startable matchup.
Outlook: Their fantasy playoff schedule is hardly anything to shy away from, with 2 home games thrown in there as well. If you can live with a pretty rough stretch of games weeks 6-9, I could very well see them being drafted as a DEF1 that could almost start any week. They also matchup quite well with KC and IND, so keep that in mind if you have space for another defense.
Why they're ranked 7th: They drop one spot from last year, but that is due to Denver being ranked in front of them. I was actually disappointed about ranking them 7th. Had it not been for week 17’s –7 point performance against STL (gave up 41 points), they would’ve pushed for 4th place in D/ST scoring. But there's a number of factors to consider here, and I'm pretty comfortable leaving them right where they are. Taking their fantasy playoff schedule into consideration, combined with 10 possibly favorable matchups, and also playing in a weaker division, I think somewhere right on the edge of Tier 1 is about right. They might not be as talented as, say, Pittsburgh or Jacksonville, but I believe the schedule speaks for itself. I don't think fantasy owners will be disappointed.
How they might disappoint: Unfortunately, learning curves happen with new defensive coordinators. Mike Tomlin turned them into a fantasy surprise after just one season, so it’s not impossible to expect another solid year. Plus if this unit fails to improve on last year’s weaknesses, as in putting more pressure on the QB, and at least sustain their solid run defense and turnover ratio, you just might see the occasional head-scratcher performance.
Tier: 2
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
6. Denver Broncos
2006 Fantasy Finish: t-10th
Defensive Losses: CB Darrent Williams, MLB Al Wilson, DT Michael Myers, DE Courtney Brown,
Defensive Additions: CB Dre’ Bly, DT Alvin McKinley, LB Warrick Holdman
Rookies: DE Jarvis Moss, DE Tim Crowder, DT Marcus Thomas
Notes: Jim Bates will replace Larry Coyer as DC. Bates should bring a much more aggressive brand of defense to this already potent unit. If Dre Bly can play up to his potential this year, you’re probably looking at the best pair of CB’s around. The DL was in need this offseason, and DEN spent 3 of 4 draft picks in that area, including first rounder Jarvis Moss, who should be an instant upgrade as a pass rusher.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 15.0 (t-29th), RB Points – 21.7 (9th), WR Points – 15.8 (30th), TE Points – 5.5 (20th). Surprisingly stingy last season.
2006 Stats: 1817 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3403 Passing Yards Allowed, 305 Points Allowed, 17 Interceptions, 13 Fumble Recoveries, 37 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W9 - @PIT (16 FP), 15 points each W5-7 / W8 - IND (-4 FP), W14 – @SD (-7 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 10 – BUF, W2 vs. OAK, W3 vs. JAX, W7 vs. PIT (Keep tabs on PIT’s offense. They destroyed PIT last year, @ PIT), W8 vs. GB, W9 @ DET, W11 vs. TEN, W13 @ OAK, W14 vs. KC, W15 @ HOU
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 4 - W4 @ IND, W5 vs. SD, W12 @ CHI, W16 @ SD.
Teams with great bye-week matchups: TB (vs.TEN), SD (vs.OAK), JAX(vs.HOU), MIA (@CLE)
Solid Combination with: MIA (One of my favorite combos this season. Both have tough W16 matchups however.)
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: KC, @ HOU, @ SD
Breakdown: According to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis, the Broncos saw the highest increase in strength of schedule between last season and this year, and they have an impressive 5-2, ‘Easy’ to ‘Tough’ game ratio. Not too shabby considering they finished tied for 10th in fantasy scoring last year. They allowed 19.1 PPG (8th best) and allowed 113.3 rushing yards per game (12th), while giving up 213.1 passing yards per game (21st). They posted above average numbers of interceptions and fumble recoveries (30 total). I love, love, love the schedule this year. Even before looking at the SOS breakdown, I thought it was so much better than last season. There’s a few bumps along the road, with an Indy game and two SD games as well. The good news about these guys is that they are at least consistent. Last season, they performed fairly well in games they should’ve (OAK and CLE), and did not perform well in games that they were expected not to (IND, SD, SEA, STL). Add in some surprising games against BAL, KC and PIT.
Outlook: There are two factors keeping them on the bubble of Tier 1 teams. First, they do have a new DC this year. Should that automatically bump any team down? No, not at all, but be advised that there could be a slight learning curve this season, especially with a few new faces likely starting this year. Second, I hate the fact that they play SD in the fantasy playoffs, week 16. No way would I ever consider starting them against SD this year. They gave up 83 points to them last season. So, still draft them pretty high, as they do have a much better overall schedule, and should limit your decisions most weeks at the D/ST position. Draft them higher if you’re already targeting a combo team, or at least a solid fill in for week 16.
Why they're ranked 6th: It was a tough decision for me to rank them ahead of all those other tier 2 teams. It's risky, but I like it. They have a great amount of favorable matchups this year, especially towards the end of the season. There's also a considerably low amount of games I'd stay away from (4). Remember that great stretch at the beginning of last season? Well, that's the same stretch I believe they have towards the end of the season this year, perfect timing for helping you make the playoffs, and possibly push for a title. Still, beware of week 16.
How they might disappoint: Remember mid-season 2006 when they were one of the hottest D/ST commodities? Out of nowhere, they were putting up monster numbers, and had a very stingy defense. Then, right around their first SD game, they just disappeared, and were dropped and criticized by many owners. The same situation could come into play this year, with an IND, SD, bye, PIT stretch that might hurt owners a bit. Add that with the fact that there is a new defensive coordinator, and bumps in the road sometimes follow. With those circumstances, don’t get overwhelmed if by midseason they’ve fallen to a mid-teens or worse ranking. But I believe they’re a defense worth holding through all of it, and should be rostered early in every league.
Tier: 2
2006 Fantasy Finish: t-10th
Defensive Losses: CB Darrent Williams, MLB Al Wilson, DT Michael Myers, DE Courtney Brown,
Defensive Additions: CB Dre’ Bly, DT Alvin McKinley, LB Warrick Holdman
Rookies: DE Jarvis Moss, DE Tim Crowder, DT Marcus Thomas
Notes: Jim Bates will replace Larry Coyer as DC. Bates should bring a much more aggressive brand of defense to this already potent unit. If Dre Bly can play up to his potential this year, you’re probably looking at the best pair of CB’s around. The DL was in need this offseason, and DEN spent 3 of 4 draft picks in that area, including first rounder Jarvis Moss, who should be an instant upgrade as a pass rusher.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 15.0 (t-29th), RB Points – 21.7 (9th), WR Points – 15.8 (30th), TE Points – 5.5 (20th). Surprisingly stingy last season.
2006 Stats: 1817 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3403 Passing Yards Allowed, 305 Points Allowed, 17 Interceptions, 13 Fumble Recoveries, 37 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W9 - @PIT (16 FP), 15 points each W5-7 / W8 - IND (-4 FP), W14 – @SD (-7 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: 10 – BUF, W2 vs. OAK, W3 vs. JAX, W7 vs. PIT (Keep tabs on PIT’s offense. They destroyed PIT last year, @ PIT), W8 vs. GB, W9 @ DET, W11 vs. TEN, W13 @ OAK, W14 vs. KC, W15 @ HOU
Weeks to Avoid Starting: 4 - W4 @ IND, W5 vs. SD, W12 @ CHI, W16 @ SD.
Teams with great bye-week matchups: TB (vs.TEN), SD (vs.OAK), JAX(vs.HOU), MIA (@CLE)
Solid Combination with: MIA (One of my favorite combos this season. Both have tough W16 matchups however.)
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: KC, @ HOU, @ SD
Breakdown: According to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis, the Broncos saw the highest increase in strength of schedule between last season and this year, and they have an impressive 5-2, ‘Easy’ to ‘Tough’ game ratio. Not too shabby considering they finished tied for 10th in fantasy scoring last year. They allowed 19.1 PPG (8th best) and allowed 113.3 rushing yards per game (12th), while giving up 213.1 passing yards per game (21st). They posted above average numbers of interceptions and fumble recoveries (30 total). I love, love, love the schedule this year. Even before looking at the SOS breakdown, I thought it was so much better than last season. There’s a few bumps along the road, with an Indy game and two SD games as well. The good news about these guys is that they are at least consistent. Last season, they performed fairly well in games they should’ve (OAK and CLE), and did not perform well in games that they were expected not to (IND, SD, SEA, STL). Add in some surprising games against BAL, KC and PIT.
Outlook: There are two factors keeping them on the bubble of Tier 1 teams. First, they do have a new DC this year. Should that automatically bump any team down? No, not at all, but be advised that there could be a slight learning curve this season, especially with a few new faces likely starting this year. Second, I hate the fact that they play SD in the fantasy playoffs, week 16. No way would I ever consider starting them against SD this year. They gave up 83 points to them last season. So, still draft them pretty high, as they do have a much better overall schedule, and should limit your decisions most weeks at the D/ST position. Draft them higher if you’re already targeting a combo team, or at least a solid fill in for week 16.
Why they're ranked 6th: It was a tough decision for me to rank them ahead of all those other tier 2 teams. It's risky, but I like it. They have a great amount of favorable matchups this year, especially towards the end of the season. There's also a considerably low amount of games I'd stay away from (4). Remember that great stretch at the beginning of last season? Well, that's the same stretch I believe they have towards the end of the season this year, perfect timing for helping you make the playoffs, and possibly push for a title. Still, beware of week 16.
How they might disappoint: Remember mid-season 2006 when they were one of the hottest D/ST commodities? Out of nowhere, they were putting up monster numbers, and had a very stingy defense. Then, right around their first SD game, they just disappeared, and were dropped and criticized by many owners. The same situation could come into play this year, with an IND, SD, bye, PIT stretch that might hurt owners a bit. Add that with the fact that there is a new defensive coordinator, and bumps in the road sometimes follow. With those circumstances, don’t get overwhelmed if by midseason they’ve fallen to a mid-teens or worse ranking. But I believe they’re a defense worth holding through all of it, and should be rostered early in every league.
Tier: 2
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
I'll try to knock out the top 5 in the next few days. Hope it's all helped you guys.
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
Oh hey man, didn't notice that you posted this. I had a feeling you were thinking Cincinatti. Yeah, I'm higher than some on them this year. It's really not much of a stretch considering they finished 16th last year. Not quite enough to bump them into the top 12 teams though, but I like them as a high end combo/playoff team. The schedule is great this year. I've got them paired up with SD and DEN in two other leagues, so we'll see.Bengals were the team. You have them higher than just about anyone I've seen.That's a good news/bad news scenario for me.Good news...Cincy's outlook may be better than I thought.Bad news...I may have to keep them if I think my team will make a run at the playoffs. I could have used that extra roster spot.This is a very excellent post.
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bicycle_seat_sniffer
Smells like chicken
or erm, white corner
Gottabesweet
Footballguy
Does this include special teams....
On a side note who do you bump up because solid special teams play?
On a side note who do you bump up because solid special teams play?
LionsFan78
Footballguy
Nah, I included a few that I truly felt upgraded them as a fantasy unit (CHI, NYJ, JAX, among others) . I'll try to go through and list some more once I'm not so damn burned out from looking at defense stuff!To answer your second question...- Chicago of course, although I believe Hester will be avoided more this year, especially in closer games.- NYJ. Justin Miller is a stud return man.- BAL. You'll see where I have them ranked here soon, but I think B.J. Sams is an elite returner, and he'll score a TD or two for sure this season if healthy.- WAS. I didn't really 'bump' them up, since I've got them ranked pretty low. But Randle El has been extremely consistent as a return man the past 5 years.
Two of those two return men might lose their job this year.Miller's assault case puts his future in New York a bit cloudy, and they have a capable replacement in Revis.Sams is still recovering from the ankle injury that cost him last year, and is not suppose to ready for trainning camp. But the bigger story is that the Ravens invested a 2nd round pick in return specialist Yamon Figurs. You don't invest a pick that high for a return specialst for him to play back up... Figurs was drafted to take Sams job.
I did not know the Vikings cut S Tank Williams? I thought they resigned him in March???
BTW-- Awesome job on defenses. Some of the best work I have seen!!!
BTW-- Awesome job on defenses. Some of the best work I have seen!!!
LionsFan78
Footballguy
Hmm, that's strange. I used the ESPN FA tracker to track player movements, and they listed him as 'released', but unsigned anywhere else. Now that I check around, other sites have him in camp, including FBG, so I guess the tracker just missed his re-signing.
Nice catches there. I completely forgot about Justin Miller's assault case. Misdeamenor assault and a police chase, yep he'll face some sort of suspension. I thought I read that Sams was actually doing ok so far (looking for link), but you're right about Figurs. If anything, hopefully the situation bumps their special teams up even more.
guys for helping me get these right
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
5. Miami Dolphins
2006 Fantasy Finish: 5th
Key Losses: DE Kevin Carter, DE David Bowens, CB Eddie Jackson, DT Jeff Zgonina
Key Additions: LB Joey Porter, S Cameron Worrell
Rookies: DT Paul Soliai, LB Kelvin Smith, DE Abraham Wright
Notes: Some could argue against Joey Porter’s production the last few years, but he’s still a great addition to this defense. Their front seven was great last year against the pass and the run, and nothing should change much this year. Re-signing big DT Keith Traylor will keep some size and power in the middle of the line, but he’s on the tail end of his career. On special teams, top pick Ted Ginn, if healthy this season, could be a very dangerous weapon as a return man.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 17.2 (t-17th), RB Points – 13.9 (24th), WR Points – 18.6 (23rd), TE Points – 6.8 (6th).
2006 Stats: 1615 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3007 Passing Yards Allowed, 283 Points Allowed, 8 Interceptions, 19 Fumble Recoveries, 47 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W9 - @CHI (22 FP), W11 - MIN (15 FP), W12 - @DET (16 FP) / W1 - @PIT (1 FP), W2 – BUF (1 FP). W7 – GB (0 FP)
Startable Fantasy Weeks: *All teams in my top 5 are startable most weeks, with exceptions provided below.
Tough Matchups: 4 – W2 vs. DAL, W7 vs. NE, W11 @ PHI, W16 @ NE
Teams with great bye-week matchups: CAR (@ TEN), CIN (@ BUF), DEN (@ DET), KC (vs. GB), SD (@ MIN), SEA (@ CLE), OAK (vs. HOU)
Solid Combination with: TB. Also see CAR and CIN.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @ BUF, BAL, @ NE
Breakdown: Miami finished 2006 as the 5th ranked fantasy defense, allowing 101.1 rushing yards per game (8th) and 187.9 passing yards per game (5th). Their passing yards per game ranked better than every other team in the top 10 for fantasy scoring defenses last season. They allowed 17.7 PPG (5th). One area that simply needs to get better was their interceptions. They ranked 31st in the league with 8. On a good note though, they did finish 2nd in the league with 19 fumble recoveries. This defense got consistently better as the season wore on last year. Most of their bad performances came on the front end of the schedule. They even performed quite well during the fantasy playoffs last year, shutting out New England as well.
Outlook: I absolutely love the position Miami is in this year. On paper, there is no reason they shouldn’t finish in the top 5. Where do I start? For one, they saw the second highest increase in strength of schedule this year, meaning it got considerably easier. They have the highest amount of ‘easy’ matchups (8) according to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis. They still have the two games against NE, but remember, they performed reasonably well in both matchups with New England last season, especially their Week 14 shutout. The Philadelphia game week 11 could be tough, in Philly, but the only other very high powered offense on the schedule is Cincinatti, week 17. So chances are you won’t have to worry about that matchup, unless your league involves week 17. They have a reasonable stretch during the fantasy playoffs, and given their performances against New England last season, I’d go ahead and leave them in the lineup during all three games. There are some reasons for concern however, which are addressed below.
Why they’re ranked 5th: I hate ranking a team in the exact same position they ended up in last season, especially when they’ve gotten better, and have a better schedule. I just can’t bump any team down that’s currently ranked ahead of them. Chicago is not moving from my number 1 spot, and I’d be lying if I said I believed them to be a more talented defense than Baltimore, even with the better schedule. San Diego and New England are perfect right where they are to me, so there you have it. I can live with another 5th place finish from this defense.
How they might disappoint: While I just don’t see them having a problem in the regular season, there’s always a chance they might somewhat disappoint in the fantasy playoffs. The home game vs. Baltimore actually worries me the least. Buffalo is tricky, as they really didn’t perform very well overall against Buffalo last season. And New England is just a different team this year. They’ve made so many changes from last year. Those two away games could very well turn out to be fantasy letdowns.
Tier: 1
2006 Fantasy Finish: 5th
Key Losses: DE Kevin Carter, DE David Bowens, CB Eddie Jackson, DT Jeff Zgonina
Key Additions: LB Joey Porter, S Cameron Worrell
Rookies: DT Paul Soliai, LB Kelvin Smith, DE Abraham Wright
Notes: Some could argue against Joey Porter’s production the last few years, but he’s still a great addition to this defense. Their front seven was great last year against the pass and the run, and nothing should change much this year. Re-signing big DT Keith Traylor will keep some size and power in the middle of the line, but he’s on the tail end of his career. On special teams, top pick Ted Ginn, if healthy this season, could be a very dangerous weapon as a return man.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 17.2 (t-17th), RB Points – 13.9 (24th), WR Points – 18.6 (23rd), TE Points – 6.8 (6th).
2006 Stats: 1615 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3007 Passing Yards Allowed, 283 Points Allowed, 8 Interceptions, 19 Fumble Recoveries, 47 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W9 - @CHI (22 FP), W11 - MIN (15 FP), W12 - @DET (16 FP) / W1 - @PIT (1 FP), W2 – BUF (1 FP). W7 – GB (0 FP)
Startable Fantasy Weeks: *All teams in my top 5 are startable most weeks, with exceptions provided below.
Tough Matchups: 4 – W2 vs. DAL, W7 vs. NE, W11 @ PHI, W16 @ NE
Teams with great bye-week matchups: CAR (@ TEN), CIN (@ BUF), DEN (@ DET), KC (vs. GB), SD (@ MIN), SEA (@ CLE), OAK (vs. HOU)
Solid Combination with: TB. Also see CAR and CIN.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @ BUF, BAL, @ NE
Breakdown: Miami finished 2006 as the 5th ranked fantasy defense, allowing 101.1 rushing yards per game (8th) and 187.9 passing yards per game (5th). Their passing yards per game ranked better than every other team in the top 10 for fantasy scoring defenses last season. They allowed 17.7 PPG (5th). One area that simply needs to get better was their interceptions. They ranked 31st in the league with 8. On a good note though, they did finish 2nd in the league with 19 fumble recoveries. This defense got consistently better as the season wore on last year. Most of their bad performances came on the front end of the schedule. They even performed quite well during the fantasy playoffs last year, shutting out New England as well.
Outlook: I absolutely love the position Miami is in this year. On paper, there is no reason they shouldn’t finish in the top 5. Where do I start? For one, they saw the second highest increase in strength of schedule this year, meaning it got considerably easier. They have the highest amount of ‘easy’ matchups (8) according to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis. They still have the two games against NE, but remember, they performed reasonably well in both matchups with New England last season, especially their Week 14 shutout. The Philadelphia game week 11 could be tough, in Philly, but the only other very high powered offense on the schedule is Cincinatti, week 17. So chances are you won’t have to worry about that matchup, unless your league involves week 17. They have a reasonable stretch during the fantasy playoffs, and given their performances against New England last season, I’d go ahead and leave them in the lineup during all three games. There are some reasons for concern however, which are addressed below.
Why they’re ranked 5th: I hate ranking a team in the exact same position they ended up in last season, especially when they’ve gotten better, and have a better schedule. I just can’t bump any team down that’s currently ranked ahead of them. Chicago is not moving from my number 1 spot, and I’d be lying if I said I believed them to be a more talented defense than Baltimore, even with the better schedule. San Diego and New England are perfect right where they are to me, so there you have it. I can live with another 5th place finish from this defense.
How they might disappoint: While I just don’t see them having a problem in the regular season, there’s always a chance they might somewhat disappoint in the fantasy playoffs. The home game vs. Baltimore actually worries me the least. Buffalo is tricky, as they really didn’t perform very well overall against Buffalo last season. And New England is just a different team this year. They’ve made so many changes from last year. Those two away games could very well turn out to be fantasy letdowns.
Tier: 1
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
4. New England
2006 Fantasy Finish: 3rd
Key Losses: LB Tully Banta-Cain,
Key Additions: LB Adalius Thomas, CB Eddie Jackson, CB Tory James
Rookies: FS Brandon Meriweather, DT Kareem Brown, LB Justin Rogers, CB Mike Richardson, LB Oscar Lua
Notes: There’s nothing but optimism here. They retained basically the same unit as last year, and signed possibly the best free agent defender in Adalius Thomas. They also signed a good return man in Wes Welker. Rookie Brandon Meriweather was the first of two consecutive draft picks in the NFL Draft, and could step in immediately at some point this season. The only negatives I see here is a possible holdout situation with Asante Samuel, who’s 10 interceptions last season led the NFL. Watch that situation closely.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 14.4 (31st), RB Points – 15.9 (26th), WR Points – 19.0 (t-20th), TE Points – 3.0 (32nd).
2006 Stats: 1505 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3204 Passing Yards Allowed, 237 Points Allowed, 22 Interceptions, 13 Fumble Recoveries, 43 sacks, 1 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W8 - @MIN (16 FP), W13 - DET (15 FP), W15 - HOU (16 FP) / W14 - @MIA (1 FP), W16 – @JAX (3 FP)
Startable Fantasy Weeks: *All teams in my top 5 are startable most weeks, with exceptions provided below.
Tough Matchups: 4 – W2 vs. SD, W4 @ CIN, W9 @ IND, W12 vs. PHI
Teams with great bye-week matchups: CAR (vs. ATL), MIA (vs. BUF), PIT (vs. CLE), JAX (@TEN), CHI (@OAK), ARI (vs. DET)
Solid Combination with: DEN
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: PIT, NYJ, MIA
Breakdown: New England finished 2006 as the 3rd ranked fantasy defense. They allowed 94.2 rushing yards per game (5th) and 200.2 passing yards per game (12th). They were 4th in the league with 22 interceptions, and tied for 10th in fumble recoveries (13). New England also allowed 14.8 points per game (2nd). Those are some very solid numbers. Outside of Chicago and Baltimore, they were the most consistent fantasy defense last year, never scoring negative points. The fantasy playoffs weren’t extremely productive though. Except a blowout against Houston week 15, they posted very average numbers @ MIA and @ JAX.
Outlook: Here’s another team that has a considerably easier schedule this year. There’s some tough matchups during the first half of the season, mainly SD, CIN and IND. Things get much better after their week 10 bye though. Their fantasy playoff stretch is relatively favorable, and it includes all home games. They played very well at home late in the season last season. With hardly any losses from last season, including players and coaches, and the addition of Adalius Thomas, there’s no reason they can’t finish in the top 3 again this season.
Why they’re ranked 4th: New England just might be a better overall defense this year than San Diego, who you'll see ranked a few spots ahead of them. My single toughest decision for the entire top 5 was how to rank NE compared to Baltimore. NE has a much better overall schedule, but I'm just not ready to consider New England a better overall defense. If I could enter two teams tied for any spot in the top 5, it would definitely be NE and BAL. There's a slight drop from last year's finished shown here, but I'm sure we'll all be happy if they finish top five again this year.
How they might disappoint: Their fantasy playoff schedule is primarily against division rivals this year, with the exception of Pittsburgh, week 14. They had both favorable and unfavorable matchups last season against NYJ and MIA, so there’s a chance that they could post average numbers this year. They do face these teams at home this year though, so that could be favorable. Although I rank them as the #4 fantasy defense this year, a high number of tough matchups during the first half of the season could possibly knock them down towards the bottom of the top ten, or lower. Stay positive though, this is a very talented defense, and should be drafted like one.
Tier: 1
2006 Fantasy Finish: 3rd
Key Losses: LB Tully Banta-Cain,
Key Additions: LB Adalius Thomas, CB Eddie Jackson, CB Tory James
Rookies: FS Brandon Meriweather, DT Kareem Brown, LB Justin Rogers, CB Mike Richardson, LB Oscar Lua
Notes: There’s nothing but optimism here. They retained basically the same unit as last year, and signed possibly the best free agent defender in Adalius Thomas. They also signed a good return man in Wes Welker. Rookie Brandon Meriweather was the first of two consecutive draft picks in the NFL Draft, and could step in immediately at some point this season. The only negatives I see here is a possible holdout situation with Asante Samuel, who’s 10 interceptions last season led the NFL. Watch that situation closely.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 14.4 (31st), RB Points – 15.9 (26th), WR Points – 19.0 (t-20th), TE Points – 3.0 (32nd).
2006 Stats: 1505 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3204 Passing Yards Allowed, 237 Points Allowed, 22 Interceptions, 13 Fumble Recoveries, 43 sacks, 1 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W8 - @MIN (16 FP), W13 - DET (15 FP), W15 - HOU (16 FP) / W14 - @MIA (1 FP), W16 – @JAX (3 FP)
Startable Fantasy Weeks: *All teams in my top 5 are startable most weeks, with exceptions provided below.
Tough Matchups: 4 – W2 vs. SD, W4 @ CIN, W9 @ IND, W12 vs. PHI
Teams with great bye-week matchups: CAR (vs. ATL), MIA (vs. BUF), PIT (vs. CLE), JAX (@TEN), CHI (@OAK), ARI (vs. DET)
Solid Combination with: DEN
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: PIT, NYJ, MIA
Breakdown: New England finished 2006 as the 3rd ranked fantasy defense. They allowed 94.2 rushing yards per game (5th) and 200.2 passing yards per game (12th). They were 4th in the league with 22 interceptions, and tied for 10th in fumble recoveries (13). New England also allowed 14.8 points per game (2nd). Those are some very solid numbers. Outside of Chicago and Baltimore, they were the most consistent fantasy defense last year, never scoring negative points. The fantasy playoffs weren’t extremely productive though. Except a blowout against Houston week 15, they posted very average numbers @ MIA and @ JAX.
Outlook: Here’s another team that has a considerably easier schedule this year. There’s some tough matchups during the first half of the season, mainly SD, CIN and IND. Things get much better after their week 10 bye though. Their fantasy playoff stretch is relatively favorable, and it includes all home games. They played very well at home late in the season last season. With hardly any losses from last season, including players and coaches, and the addition of Adalius Thomas, there’s no reason they can’t finish in the top 3 again this season.
Why they’re ranked 4th: New England just might be a better overall defense this year than San Diego, who you'll see ranked a few spots ahead of them. My single toughest decision for the entire top 5 was how to rank NE compared to Baltimore. NE has a much better overall schedule, but I'm just not ready to consider New England a better overall defense. If I could enter two teams tied for any spot in the top 5, it would definitely be NE and BAL. There's a slight drop from last year's finished shown here, but I'm sure we'll all be happy if they finish top five again this year.
How they might disappoint: Their fantasy playoff schedule is primarily against division rivals this year, with the exception of Pittsburgh, week 14. They had both favorable and unfavorable matchups last season against NYJ and MIA, so there’s a chance that they could post average numbers this year. They do face these teams at home this year though, so that could be favorable. Although I rank them as the #4 fantasy defense this year, a high number of tough matchups during the first half of the season could possibly knock them down towards the bottom of the top ten, or lower. Stay positive though, this is a very talented defense, and should be drafted like one.
Tier: 1
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
3. Baltimore Ravens
2006 Fantasy Finish: 1st
Key Losses: OLB Adalius Thomas, DT Aubrayo Franklin
Key Additions: None
Rookies: OLB Antwan Barnes, OLB Prescott Burgess
Notes: OLB Adalius Thomas was by far their biggest loss of this season. They will look to LBs Dan Cody and Jarret Johnson to replace him. LB depth will be a concern for them this season. They did not add a single player in free agency this season, and they spent only a 4th and 6th round pick on defense. Pay attention to how healthy KR/PR B.J. Sams appears to be during training camp. I considered him one of the elite return men last season. He'll also be pushed hard by 2nd round pick WR Yamon Figurs, as he should see some good looks on special teams as well. Don't be surprised to see a few returns for touchdowns this year.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 16.6 (t-24th), RB Points – 9.5 (32nd), WR Points – 21.3 (4th), TE Points – 3.9 (31st).
2006 Stats: 1213 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3012 Passing Yards Allowed, 201 Points Allowed, 28 Interceptions, 12 Fumble Recoveries, 60 sacks, 2 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W1 - @TB (22 FP), W12 - PIT (28 FP) / W10 - @TEN (3 FP), W6 – CAR (6 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: *All teams in my top 5 are startable most weeks, with exceptions provided below.
Tough Matchups: 6 – W1 @ CIN, W6 vs. STL, W10 vs. CIN, W12 @ SD, W13 vs. NE, W14 vs. IND
Teams with great bye-week matchups: STL (vs. CLE), CHI (vs. DET), TEN (vs. OAK), PHI (@MIN), SD (vs. HOU), NE (vs. WAS)
Solid Combination with: OAK and NO (Although BAL and NO both have tough games week 1). MIN (During BAL’s horrible week 12-14 stretch, MIN plays NYG, DET and SF), although I think it’s tough to imagine getting both defenses at the right price. Also see CIN.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: IND, @ MIA, @ SEA
Breakdown: Baltimore finished 2006 as the #1 ranked fantasy defense, allowing 75.9 rushing yards per game (2nd) and 188.2 passing yards per game (6th). They allowed 12.6 PPG (1st) and led the league in interceptions (28), while posting an additional 12 fumble recoveries. They enjoyed a terrific fantasy season last year. No team scored more than 26 points against them (TEN), and they even contributed 2 shutouts along the way as well. They posted an interception in all but 2 games, totaling 10 games with multiple interceptions, and had 7 games with 5 or more sacks.
Outlook: They will miss Adalius Thomas, as well as his 11.5 sacks from last year. Enter Jarrett Johnson to fill his spot, who really hasn’t seen much action the past few years. Other than Thomas, they return the other 10 starters from last year’s defense. The talent is still there for them to finish in the top 5 this year. Here's the kicker, the schedule is by far the worst in my top 12. While it did get a little easier than last season according to strength of schedule, there is an very high number of tough matchups this year (6). That could prove to be nothing for this defense, as they performed reasonably well last year against many high-powered offenses, including New Orleans, Cincinatti and San Diego. What worries me this season is their schedule the second half of the season. After the bye week, they have an away game @ PIT, then home vs. CIN. After Cleveland the following week, they have a horrible stretch of games, including San Diego, New England and Indianapolis (Week 14), and then round out the playoffs with 2 away games @ Miami and Seattle. Their fantasy playoff stretch is ranked the lowest among all NFL defenses. Since you’ll likely have to spend an earlier pick on Baltimore if you want them, this is something you’ll have to seriously take into consideration.
Why they’re ranked 3rd: This was tough. After such a strong showing last season, I don't like ranking them 3rd. But I can't look at everything I've written and automatically pencil them in for 1st or 2nd, just because they're Baltimore. Baltimore could very well be the best defense on the board this year, but the schedule does not lie. There are two very talented defenses ahead of them with much more favorable matchups, and they have to be ranked higher. Even though they’re returning 10 starters from last year’s defense, their fantasy playoff stretch, and the rough patch of games preceding it, is quite enough for me to bump them down two spots. That said, they are still a top shelf defense, and anything lower than the top 5 would be a reach.
How they might disappoint: Depending on how your league scores fantasy defense, I’m sure you loved the fact that they scored 6 defensive touchdowns last season. That was an impressive number, and it would be pretty difficult to match that total again this year. Like I’ve said this whole article, there’s a good chance they might be mediocre in terms of fantasy points scored the second half of the season. If you can get past that horrible week 10-14 stretch, then they would be a suitable play the final two games of the fantasy playoffs. But with a stretch like that, there’s a chance they’ll fall in the rankings towards the end of the season. If you draft them as the #1 defense off the board, don’t be surprised if they finish lower than that.
Tier: 1
2006 Fantasy Finish: 1st
Key Losses: OLB Adalius Thomas, DT Aubrayo Franklin
Key Additions: None
Rookies: OLB Antwan Barnes, OLB Prescott Burgess
Notes: OLB Adalius Thomas was by far their biggest loss of this season. They will look to LBs Dan Cody and Jarret Johnson to replace him. LB depth will be a concern for them this season. They did not add a single player in free agency this season, and they spent only a 4th and 6th round pick on defense. Pay attention to how healthy KR/PR B.J. Sams appears to be during training camp. I considered him one of the elite return men last season. He'll also be pushed hard by 2nd round pick WR Yamon Figurs, as he should see some good looks on special teams as well. Don't be surprised to see a few returns for touchdowns this year.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 16.6 (t-24th), RB Points – 9.5 (32nd), WR Points – 21.3 (4th), TE Points – 3.9 (31st).
2006 Stats: 1213 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3012 Passing Yards Allowed, 201 Points Allowed, 28 Interceptions, 12 Fumble Recoveries, 60 sacks, 2 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W1 - @TB (22 FP), W12 - PIT (28 FP) / W10 - @TEN (3 FP), W6 – CAR (6 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: *All teams in my top 5 are startable most weeks, with exceptions provided below.
Tough Matchups: 6 – W1 @ CIN, W6 vs. STL, W10 vs. CIN, W12 @ SD, W13 vs. NE, W14 vs. IND
Teams with great bye-week matchups: STL (vs. CLE), CHI (vs. DET), TEN (vs. OAK), PHI (@MIN), SD (vs. HOU), NE (vs. WAS)
Solid Combination with: OAK and NO (Although BAL and NO both have tough games week 1). MIN (During BAL’s horrible week 12-14 stretch, MIN plays NYG, DET and SF), although I think it’s tough to imagine getting both defenses at the right price. Also see CIN.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: IND, @ MIA, @ SEA
Breakdown: Baltimore finished 2006 as the #1 ranked fantasy defense, allowing 75.9 rushing yards per game (2nd) and 188.2 passing yards per game (6th). They allowed 12.6 PPG (1st) and led the league in interceptions (28), while posting an additional 12 fumble recoveries. They enjoyed a terrific fantasy season last year. No team scored more than 26 points against them (TEN), and they even contributed 2 shutouts along the way as well. They posted an interception in all but 2 games, totaling 10 games with multiple interceptions, and had 7 games with 5 or more sacks.
Outlook: They will miss Adalius Thomas, as well as his 11.5 sacks from last year. Enter Jarrett Johnson to fill his spot, who really hasn’t seen much action the past few years. Other than Thomas, they return the other 10 starters from last year’s defense. The talent is still there for them to finish in the top 5 this year. Here's the kicker, the schedule is by far the worst in my top 12. While it did get a little easier than last season according to strength of schedule, there is an very high number of tough matchups this year (6). That could prove to be nothing for this defense, as they performed reasonably well last year against many high-powered offenses, including New Orleans, Cincinatti and San Diego. What worries me this season is their schedule the second half of the season. After the bye week, they have an away game @ PIT, then home vs. CIN. After Cleveland the following week, they have a horrible stretch of games, including San Diego, New England and Indianapolis (Week 14), and then round out the playoffs with 2 away games @ Miami and Seattle. Their fantasy playoff stretch is ranked the lowest among all NFL defenses. Since you’ll likely have to spend an earlier pick on Baltimore if you want them, this is something you’ll have to seriously take into consideration.
Why they’re ranked 3rd: This was tough. After such a strong showing last season, I don't like ranking them 3rd. But I can't look at everything I've written and automatically pencil them in for 1st or 2nd, just because they're Baltimore. Baltimore could very well be the best defense on the board this year, but the schedule does not lie. There are two very talented defenses ahead of them with much more favorable matchups, and they have to be ranked higher. Even though they’re returning 10 starters from last year’s defense, their fantasy playoff stretch, and the rough patch of games preceding it, is quite enough for me to bump them down two spots. That said, they are still a top shelf defense, and anything lower than the top 5 would be a reach.
How they might disappoint: Depending on how your league scores fantasy defense, I’m sure you loved the fact that they scored 6 defensive touchdowns last season. That was an impressive number, and it would be pretty difficult to match that total again this year. Like I’ve said this whole article, there’s a good chance they might be mediocre in terms of fantasy points scored the second half of the season. If you can get past that horrible week 10-14 stretch, then they would be a suitable play the final two games of the fantasy playoffs. But with a stretch like that, there’s a chance they’ll fall in the rankings towards the end of the season. If you draft them as the #1 defense off the board, don’t be surprised if they finish lower than that.
Tier: 1
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
2. San Diego
2006 Fantasy Finish: 4th
Key Losses: LB Donnie Edwards, LB Steve Foley, SS Terrence Kiel, LB Randall Godrey
Key Additions: None
Rookies: SS Eric Weddle, ILB Anthony Waters, ILB Brandon Siler, CB Paul Oliver (Supplemental Draft)
Notes: DC Wade Phillips has left, replaced by Ted Cottrell. He will stay with the 3-4 defense ran by Phillips last season, which is great news considering the talent surrounding him. They also brought in former Chicago DC Ron Rivera as Linebackers Coach. SD added nobody this year through free agency. Most could agree that they really didn’t need to. They did manage to sign many of their players to contracts before they had a chance to hit the open market, thus protecting their potent defense from unnecessary losses. Donnie Edwards played at a high level last season, and has since departed for Kansas City. Rookie SS Eric Weddle should see plenty of playing time this year as well. He’s extremely versatile, regarded as one of the more experienced players in the draft. He played CB and SS in college, even holding future 2nd overall pick Calvin Johnson to 19 yards on 2 catches in the 2005 Emerald Bowl, as well as a little RB and punt returner as well. They also spent a fourth round pick on CB Paul Oliver through the NFL Supplemental Draft on 12 July. He was assessed by some as a potential 1st-2nd round prospect in next year’s draft, so that could turn out to be a steal.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 16.9 (20th), RB Points – 16.6 (23rd), WR Points – 18.1 (25th), TE Points – 8.1 (1st).
2006 Stats: 1614 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3211 Passing Yards Allowed, 303 Points Allowed, 16 Interceptions, 12 Fumble Recoveries, 60 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W1 - @OAK (21 FP), W5 - PIT (13 FP) / W10 - CIN (-2 FP), W7 – @KC (0 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: *All teams in my top 5 are startable most weeks, with exceptions provided below.
Tough Matchups: 3 – W2 @ NE, W5 @ DEN, W10 vs. IND
Teams with great bye-week matchups: DAL (vsMIN), NO (vsATL), TB (@DET), TEN (@HOU), KC (@OAK)
Solid Combination with: KC. They also matchup quite well with DAL and BUF.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @TEN, vs. DET, vs. DEN
Breakdown: San Diego finished 2006 as the 4th ranked fantasy defense. They allowed 100.8 rushing yards per game (7th) and 200.8 passing yards per game (13th). They had an average showing in turnovers, posting 16 interceptions (t-17th) and 12 fumble recoveries (t-14th). They also posted an amazing 61 sacks, leading the NFL. They allowed 18.9 PPG (7th). Cincinatti was their only negative points performance last season, allowing a season-high 41 points. Otherwise they fared pretty well against most teams.
Outlook: There’s only a handful of tough matchups on the schedule this year, New England and Indianapolis being the worst. If you have a solid replacement during those games, feel free to use them. Even if you don’t, San Diego is one of the best teams out there this year, and they’re capable of posting multiple sacks and turnovers against anybody. Last year they had 7 games with 5 sacks or more, and 6 games with multiple interceptions. Even with a few tough matchups, their schedule is much easier this season. According to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis, they saw a 15.3 % increase over last season. There’s no reason to believe they will fare any worse this season as a fantasy defense.
Why they’re ranked 2nd: They finished in the top 5 last season, and there’s no reason to bump them down. Their schedule is considerably better, and they have fantastic matchups throughout the entire season. They also have a much better fantasy playoff schedule than last season, including two home games. It also doesn’t hurt that they’ll have standout OLB Shawne Merriman for 4 more games than they did last season. Both he and LB Shaun Phillips posted double digit sacks last year. The pieces are there for this team to pick up right where they left off last season, and rise even higher. You could put up an argument for them being just as talented as any other team in the top 5, just shy of edging Chicago out as number 1. One glance at the schedule was all I needed to bump them ahead of BAL.
How they might disappoint: As with any top team, the fact that they lost so many defensive coaches does not sit well with many fantasy owners. There could be some bumps along the road, especially with some new starters this year at ILB and in the secondary. They could post a few disappointing games along the way, if started every week. As mentioned above, the New England and Indianapolis matchups are not very favorable. Things should shape up come fantasy playoff time though.
Tier: 1
2006 Fantasy Finish: 4th
Key Losses: LB Donnie Edwards, LB Steve Foley, SS Terrence Kiel, LB Randall Godrey
Key Additions: None
Rookies: SS Eric Weddle, ILB Anthony Waters, ILB Brandon Siler, CB Paul Oliver (Supplemental Draft)
Notes: DC Wade Phillips has left, replaced by Ted Cottrell. He will stay with the 3-4 defense ran by Phillips last season, which is great news considering the talent surrounding him. They also brought in former Chicago DC Ron Rivera as Linebackers Coach. SD added nobody this year through free agency. Most could agree that they really didn’t need to. They did manage to sign many of their players to contracts before they had a chance to hit the open market, thus protecting their potent defense from unnecessary losses. Donnie Edwards played at a high level last season, and has since departed for Kansas City. Rookie SS Eric Weddle should see plenty of playing time this year as well. He’s extremely versatile, regarded as one of the more experienced players in the draft. He played CB and SS in college, even holding future 2nd overall pick Calvin Johnson to 19 yards on 2 catches in the 2005 Emerald Bowl, as well as a little RB and punt returner as well. They also spent a fourth round pick on CB Paul Oliver through the NFL Supplemental Draft on 12 July. He was assessed by some as a potential 1st-2nd round prospect in next year’s draft, so that could turn out to be a steal.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 16.9 (20th), RB Points – 16.6 (23rd), WR Points – 18.1 (25th), TE Points – 8.1 (1st).
2006 Stats: 1614 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3211 Passing Yards Allowed, 303 Points Allowed, 16 Interceptions, 12 Fumble Recoveries, 60 sacks, 0 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W1 - @OAK (21 FP), W5 - PIT (13 FP) / W10 - CIN (-2 FP), W7 – @KC (0 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: *All teams in my top 5 are startable most weeks, with exceptions provided below.
Tough Matchups: 3 – W2 @ NE, W5 @ DEN, W10 vs. IND
Teams with great bye-week matchups: DAL (vsMIN), NO (vsATL), TB (@DET), TEN (@HOU), KC (@OAK)
Solid Combination with: KC. They also matchup quite well with DAL and BUF.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @TEN, vs. DET, vs. DEN
Breakdown: San Diego finished 2006 as the 4th ranked fantasy defense. They allowed 100.8 rushing yards per game (7th) and 200.8 passing yards per game (13th). They had an average showing in turnovers, posting 16 interceptions (t-17th) and 12 fumble recoveries (t-14th). They also posted an amazing 61 sacks, leading the NFL. They allowed 18.9 PPG (7th). Cincinatti was their only negative points performance last season, allowing a season-high 41 points. Otherwise they fared pretty well against most teams.
Outlook: There’s only a handful of tough matchups on the schedule this year, New England and Indianapolis being the worst. If you have a solid replacement during those games, feel free to use them. Even if you don’t, San Diego is one of the best teams out there this year, and they’re capable of posting multiple sacks and turnovers against anybody. Last year they had 7 games with 5 sacks or more, and 6 games with multiple interceptions. Even with a few tough matchups, their schedule is much easier this season. According to FBG’s Strength of Schedule analysis, they saw a 15.3 % increase over last season. There’s no reason to believe they will fare any worse this season as a fantasy defense.
Why they’re ranked 2nd: They finished in the top 5 last season, and there’s no reason to bump them down. Their schedule is considerably better, and they have fantastic matchups throughout the entire season. They also have a much better fantasy playoff schedule than last season, including two home games. It also doesn’t hurt that they’ll have standout OLB Shawne Merriman for 4 more games than they did last season. Both he and LB Shaun Phillips posted double digit sacks last year. The pieces are there for this team to pick up right where they left off last season, and rise even higher. You could put up an argument for them being just as talented as any other team in the top 5, just shy of edging Chicago out as number 1. One glance at the schedule was all I needed to bump them ahead of BAL.
How they might disappoint: As with any top team, the fact that they lost so many defensive coaches does not sit well with many fantasy owners. There could be some bumps along the road, especially with some new starters this year at ILB and in the secondary. They could post a few disappointing games along the way, if started every week. As mentioned above, the New England and Indianapolis matchups are not very favorable. Things should shape up come fantasy playoff time though.
Tier: 1
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LionsFan78
Footballguy
1. Chicago Bears
2006 Fantasy Finish: 2nd
Defensive Losses: DT Tank Williams, DT Ian Scott, DT Alfonso Boone, S Todd Johnson, S Cameron Worrell
Defensive Additions: SS Adam Archuleta, DT Anthony Adams
Rookies: DE Dan Bazuin, LB Michael Okwo, FS Kevin Payne, CB Corey Graham, CB Trumaine McBride
Notes: Former assistand head coach/linebackers coach Bob Babich replaces Ron Rivera. There’s talk around certain circles that he is more on the same page with Lovie Smith’s defensive schemes than Rivera was. Their biggest losses on the field will undoubtably be their defensive tackles. 2nd year Dusty Dvoracek should finally be ready to play this season, after an injured rookie year. Hopefully he can help fill that void. Keep a very close eye on the Lance Briggs situation as well, as that could all change before the season starts. I’m also interested in seeing what they do with Adam Archuleta. He really didn’t stand a chance in Washington. And Devin Hester will once again be the top return man in the league. I think more teams will limit his chances at returning on them, but he’ll still get some.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 15.9 (27th), RB Points – 16.2 (24th), WR Points – 19.7 (17th), TE Points – 4.0 (30th).
2006 Stats: 1592 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3118 Passing Yards Allowed, 255 Points Allowed, 24 Interceptions, 20 Fumble Recoveries, 38 sacks, 1 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W1 - @GB (22 FP), W13 - MIN (27 FP) / W9 - MIA (2 FP), W15 – TB (2 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: *All teams in my top 5 are startable most weeks, with exceptions provided below.
Tough Matchups: 1 – W1 @ SD. Yeah, that’s pretty much it.
Teams with great bye-week matchups: ARI (@TB), CAR (@TEN), CIN (@BUF), DEN (@DET), SD (@MIN), SEA (@CLE)
Solid Combination with: They're pretty much an every week start, not quite a 'combo' defense. However, should DEN or KC somehow slide to you as well, at a no-brainer price, they play perfectly off of Chicago’s tougher matchups.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @WAS, @MIN, GB
Breakdown: Chicago finished 2006 as the 2nd ranked fantasy defense. They allowed 99.4 rushing yards per game (6th) and 194.8 passing yards per game (11th). They were 2nd in the league with 24 interceptions, and 1st in fumble recoveries. Chicago also allowed 15.9 points per game (3rd). There were only a few head-scratchers last season for weekly matchups, all basically inferior teams, including a home game vs. MIA week 9 (not on the schedule this year) and a horrible choke during the fantasy playoffs (2 pts vs. TB, 5 pts @ DET). If you can take anything away from this, it’s to not over-think starting them in tougher matchups. As stated above, they were a turnover beast last year. Only 4 games all season did they fail to post an interception, and they had multiple interceptions in 9 games.
Outlook: They’re the best defensive team in the NFL this year in fantasy terms. I just can’t come up with many reasons to not like them as #1. The schedule is quite favorable this year. There is a tough matchup week 1 against San Diego. Hell, if you have a no-brainer option that week, by all means go with it. But I bet you’ll have just about the same odds if you just let it roll with Chicago. There’s also a pretty tough stretch from weeks 11-13, including two home games. The thing about Chicago is, they rise to the occasion. The tougher the opponent, the better they play. Take last year for example. All of their sub-par performances came against much inferior teams. Even after one of their worst weeks, week 9 vs. MIA, they turn around and go on a 3 game road trip, against 3 playoff teams (NE, NYJ, NYG) and average 12.6 points per game. Bottom line is, I don’t see how things could get worse this year. The schedule is slightly better, they have a solid fantasy playoff schedule.
Why they’re ranked 1st: I can’t look at what I’ve written and put them anywhere else. So many different reasons. One – they have a good shedule. Two – they have a great playoff schedule. Three – they’re by far the best team in a weak division. Four – they have an elite return man. Also don't overlook the fact that they have approximately 7 matchups this season against QB’s with less than 2 years starting experience, and they have the defense to exploit that. They're my easiest decision this year in my rankings.
How they might disappoint: With a very favorable schedule this season, and very few tough matchups, they are the early defense to beat right now. A few things could happen however, that could bump them a spot or two. One, keep tabs on the Lance Briggs situation. Together with Urlacher, they form possibly the best linebacker tandem in the NFL, and this defense would suffer without him. Two, remember that you probably won’t get 5 special teams touchdowns again this year. It’s just a fact, teams know now how dangerous Hester can be, and if the game is within reach, I doubt he’ll get as many kicks his way. That said, I believe that none of these factors are enough to bump them down more than 1 or 2 spots. They’re as safe as any defensive pick this year.
Tier: 1
Hope you all enjoyed the read! If I have the time, I might be able to finish up a very similiar (much shorter though) workup on kickers.
2006 Fantasy Finish: 2nd
Defensive Losses: DT Tank Williams, DT Ian Scott, DT Alfonso Boone, S Todd Johnson, S Cameron Worrell
Defensive Additions: SS Adam Archuleta, DT Anthony Adams
Rookies: DE Dan Bazuin, LB Michael Okwo, FS Kevin Payne, CB Corey Graham, CB Trumaine McBride
Notes: Former assistand head coach/linebackers coach Bob Babich replaces Ron Rivera. There’s talk around certain circles that he is more on the same page with Lovie Smith’s defensive schemes than Rivera was. Their biggest losses on the field will undoubtably be their defensive tackles. 2nd year Dusty Dvoracek should finally be ready to play this season, after an injured rookie year. Hopefully he can help fill that void. Keep a very close eye on the Lance Briggs situation as well, as that could all change before the season starts. I’m also interested in seeing what they do with Adam Archuleta. He really didn’t stand a chance in Washington. And Devin Hester will once again be the top return man in the league. I think more teams will limit his chances at returning on them, but he’ll still get some.
Fantasy Points Allowed for 2006: QB Points – 15.9 (27th), RB Points – 16.2 (24th), WR Points – 19.7 (17th), TE Points – 4.0 (30th).
2006 Stats: 1592 Rushing Yards Allowed, 3118 Passing Yards Allowed, 255 Points Allowed, 24 Interceptions, 20 Fumble Recoveries, 38 sacks, 1 safety
2006 Breakout/Bust Fantasy Performances: W1 - @GB (22 FP), W13 - MIN (27 FP) / W9 - MIA (2 FP), W15 – TB (2 FP).
Startable Fantasy Weeks: *All teams in my top 5 are startable most weeks, with exceptions provided below.
Tough Matchups: 1 – W1 @ SD. Yeah, that’s pretty much it.
Teams with great bye-week matchups: ARI (@TB), CAR (@TEN), CIN (@BUF), DEN (@DET), SD (@MIN), SEA (@CLE)
Solid Combination with: They're pretty much an every week start, not quite a 'combo' defense. However, should DEN or KC somehow slide to you as well, at a no-brainer price, they play perfectly off of Chicago’s tougher matchups.
Fantasy Playoff Schedule: @WAS, @MIN, GB
Breakdown: Chicago finished 2006 as the 2nd ranked fantasy defense. They allowed 99.4 rushing yards per game (6th) and 194.8 passing yards per game (11th). They were 2nd in the league with 24 interceptions, and 1st in fumble recoveries. Chicago also allowed 15.9 points per game (3rd). There were only a few head-scratchers last season for weekly matchups, all basically inferior teams, including a home game vs. MIA week 9 (not on the schedule this year) and a horrible choke during the fantasy playoffs (2 pts vs. TB, 5 pts @ DET). If you can take anything away from this, it’s to not over-think starting them in tougher matchups. As stated above, they were a turnover beast last year. Only 4 games all season did they fail to post an interception, and they had multiple interceptions in 9 games.
Outlook: They’re the best defensive team in the NFL this year in fantasy terms. I just can’t come up with many reasons to not like them as #1. The schedule is quite favorable this year. There is a tough matchup week 1 against San Diego. Hell, if you have a no-brainer option that week, by all means go with it. But I bet you’ll have just about the same odds if you just let it roll with Chicago. There’s also a pretty tough stretch from weeks 11-13, including two home games. The thing about Chicago is, they rise to the occasion. The tougher the opponent, the better they play. Take last year for example. All of their sub-par performances came against much inferior teams. Even after one of their worst weeks, week 9 vs. MIA, they turn around and go on a 3 game road trip, against 3 playoff teams (NE, NYJ, NYG) and average 12.6 points per game. Bottom line is, I don’t see how things could get worse this year. The schedule is slightly better, they have a solid fantasy playoff schedule.
Why they’re ranked 1st: I can’t look at what I’ve written and put them anywhere else. So many different reasons. One – they have a good shedule. Two – they have a great playoff schedule. Three – they’re by far the best team in a weak division. Four – they have an elite return man. Also don't overlook the fact that they have approximately 7 matchups this season against QB’s with less than 2 years starting experience, and they have the defense to exploit that. They're my easiest decision this year in my rankings.
How they might disappoint: With a very favorable schedule this season, and very few tough matchups, they are the early defense to beat right now. A few things could happen however, that could bump them a spot or two. One, keep tabs on the Lance Briggs situation. Together with Urlacher, they form possibly the best linebacker tandem in the NFL, and this defense would suffer without him. Two, remember that you probably won’t get 5 special teams touchdowns again this year. It’s just a fact, teams know now how dangerous Hester can be, and if the game is within reach, I doubt he’ll get as many kicks his way. That said, I believe that none of these factors are enough to bump them down more than 1 or 2 spots. They’re as safe as any defensive pick this year.
Tier: 1
Hope you all enjoyed the read! If I have the time, I might be able to finish up a very similiar (much shorter though) workup on kickers.
Gottabesweet
Footballguy
excellent job
Captain Hook
Footballguy
great finish to an outstanding piece (you should submit in article form for the freelance articles [some people only read articles and not MB posts] - it's worth a lot more than what they are paying)In the last group, you are missing the fantasy schedule line for Baltimore and New England
LionsFan78
Footballguy
Fixed. Thanks for catching it.Captain Hook said:great finish to an outstanding piece (you should submit in article form for the freelance articles [some people only read articles and not MB posts] - it's worth a lot more than what they are paying)In the last group, you are missing the fantasy schedule line for Baltimore and New England
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Anthony Borbely
Footballguy
I haven't had time to read the entire thing (halfway done), but this is some excellent work. 
Mapmaker
Footballguy
Captain Hook said:great finish to an outstanding piece (you should submit in article form for the freelance articles [some people only read articles and not MB posts] - it's worth a lot more than what they are paying)
The few weeks between mini camp's and the real thing always seems to be a very slow arduous grind ... this series of posts has been very entertaining and thought provoking ... excellent work LF and thanks for sharing your views with us all!As Hook suggests ... repackage it and submit it as a freelance article ... it's just that good!
LionsFan78
Footballguy
Captain Hook said:great finish to an outstanding piece (you should submit in article form for the freelance articles [some people only read articles and not MB posts] - it's worth a lot more than what they are paying)
Thanks everybody for the very positive feedback. I'm currently giving everything a second look and sending it in.
Lash
Footballguy
one thing to add to SDiego is they have an excellent chance at having NINE (and maybe up to TEN) games vs opponents with a QB that has NEVER started a full season in the NFL
Denver - 2 - Cutler
Oakland - 2 - Russell
KCity - 2 - Huard/Croyle
Houston - 1 - Schaub
Minnesota - 1 - Jackson
Tennessee - 1 - Young
Detroit - 1 - (maybe) Stanton in week 15
Denver - 2 - Cutler
Oakland - 2 - Russell
KCity - 2 - Huard/Croyle
Houston - 1 - Schaub
Minnesota - 1 - Jackson
Tennessee - 1 - Young
Detroit - 1 - (maybe) Stanton in week 15
Curado Kev
Footballguy
Okay anybody have more time than me ? If you do, please consolidate it into a MS Word document or make it look pretty in .html for all of us
Or even better FBG publishes it for us "premium" people only
AWESOME WORK LIONS !!!!
Ckev
Or even better FBG publishes it for us "premium" people only
AWESOME WORK LIONS !!!!
Ckev
LionsFan78
Footballguy
PM me your email address and I'll email you a Word doc . That goes for everyone.That said, it has also been submitted to FBG, so we'll seeOkay anybody have more time than me ? If you do, please consolidate it into a MS Word document or make it look pretty in .html for all of usOr even better FBG publishes it for us "premium" people only
Ckev
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nygiants56
Footballguy
thanks for the effort, but ranking the Texans dead last is just wrong.they improved greatly over the second half of last season,and that trend should continue this year...ranking the Bears #1 is a mistake..losing Tank Johnson will most definitely hurt. This defense was pushed around late last season without him.Urlacher isn't nearly as effective if he doesn't have big men up front occupying o-linemen, and his performances in the Championship game and Super Bowl left a lot to be desired. For a guy who gets as much hype as Urlacher, he needs to produce in those big games.. the defense also lost DC Ron Rivera, who was the architect of their rise to prominence the past few seasons. Yes, he did get out-coached at times, but the Bears were very good in 2005 and the first half of 2006..The team also lost T. Jones, and he was the main factor in the Bears success. Now, they will rely on an unproven RB in Benson,with a QB who is clearly in over his head, and they'll be playing a much tougher schedule than what they saw in 2006. If Benson can't get things going,teams will stack the box to force Grossman to throw, causing interceptions..if that happens, the trickle-down effect is that the Bears defense will ALWAYS be on the field, and they won't be as fresh in the 4th quarter as they used to be...this is not a top 5 defense, unless/untill Benson proves himself to be worthy of his high draft status..if they can't run the ball effectively, this team is doomed.Cool, will do. Working on the next two right now.Thanks for the feedback all...share it man
robb
Footballguy
I would disagree this should be for "Premium" members only. Not everything of value needs to be tied to paying the yearly fee. There needs to be somethings which keep the non-paying people coming to this site. In this manner, possibly FBG could get more paid members out of this. JMO.Okay anybody have more time than me ? If you do, please consolidate it into a MS Word document or make it look pretty in .html for all of usAWESOME WORK LIONS !!!!
Ckev
LionsFan78
Footballguy
What makes this schedule so much tougher for you than last year? Not sure I see that one. And yeah, losing Rivera will hurt, but I've never really thought of him as the "architect" of that defense. It's always been Lovie's show to me, and Babich is an in-house promotion, with experience in the organization. I really don't think they'll suffer too much. To each his own though.Butthanks for the effort, but ranking the Texans dead last is just wrong.they improved greatly over the second half of last season,and that trend should continue this year...ranking the Bears #1 is a mistake..losing Tank Johnson will most definitely hurt. This defense was pushed around late last season without him.Urlacher isn't nearly as effective if he doesn't have big men up front occupying o-linemen, and his performances in the Championship game and Super Bowl left a lot to be desired. For a guy who gets as much hype as Urlacher, he needs to produce in those big games.. the defense also lost DC Ron Rivera, who was the architect of their rise to prominence the past few seasons. Yes, he did get out-coached at times, but the Bears were very good in 2005 and the first half of 2006..The team also lost T. Jones, and he was the main factor in the Bears success. Now, they will rely on an unproven RB in Benson,with a QB who is clearly in over his head, and they'll be playing a much tougher schedule than what they saw in 2006. If Benson can't get things going,teams will stack the box to force Grossman to throw, causing interceptions..if that happens, the trickle-down effect is that the Bears defense will ALWAYS be on the field, and they won't be as fresh in the 4th quarter as they used to be...this is not a top 5 defense, unless/untill Benson proves himself to be worthy of his high draft status..if they can't run the ball effectively, this team is doomed.Cool, will do. Working on the next two right now.Thanks for the feedback all...share it man
for the feedback, there's always some room for improvement
SSOG
Moderator
:jasonsehorn:
