IDP Outlook: Finding Sleeper DBs
July 2, 2008 at 7:53 am | Article by Paul Hickey |
Print This Page
| 
E-mail to Friend
While finding solid defensive linemen is one of the most challenging tasks for IDP owners, finding defensive backs that can contribute is one of the most unpredictable. Find out why defensive backs should be the last players taken - other than kickers - in most IDP leagues.
Other than kickers, the phrase “dime-a-dozen” doesn’t better describe any fantasy position than defensive back. I’ve seen owners pick and choose guys during “free time waivers” each week right before kick-off, and score better than owners who invested high picks in guys like Rodney Harrison, Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu and Champ Bailey.
Case in point, the top three defensive backs in my highly competitive dynasty league last season, entered the 2007 season as free agents. They were named Marcus Trufant, Leigh Bodden and Nate Clements, and there were added to rosters between Weeks 4 and 14, sometimes being dropped multiple times along the way. How could this be? Well, it’s just the reality of the backwards nature of picking fantasy DBs.
For example, Carolina’s Chris Harris may be our number one overall defensive back in our Ultimate Strategist Package draft guide rankings this year, but that doesn’t mean he’s worthy of a high pick, or a pick in a higher round than Tennessee’s Cortland Finnegan, who is in our top 30, but not our top 10 defensive backs.
Another growing trend we’re noticing, is the amount of rookies stepping in, earning playing time within their first two or three seasons in the league, and becoming top fantasy corners very quickly.
Youngsters like Darrelle Revis, Aaron Ross, Antonio Cromartie and Cedric Griffin (pictured) emerged last season as top corner options, and look very good heading into 2008.
This season’s rookie crop includes super sleepers like Buffalo’s Leodis McKelvin, Minnesota’s Tyrell Johnson who will also play safety, Tampa’s Aqib Talib and Atlanta’s Chevis Jackson - who will perhaps be the most likely to start as a rookie.
The backwards thing that fantasy owners need to remember about relying on young corners to fill out their IDP starting line-ups is that even though they might not make the best NFL players right away, their teams have invested in them and give them every opportunity to succeed.
As they get picked on in their early years, it means more balls will be thrown their way, hence more tackle opportunities, and if they find themselves in the right place at the right time, like Cromartie did last year - more big play opportunities than established guys like Philly’s Sheldon Brown or Oakland’s DeAngelo Hall.
Your buddies may laugh as you draft Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the last round of your deep seasonal IDP draft this season, but you’ll have the last laugh, as the mid round pick they spent on a guy like Bob Sanders, ended up being the pick you drafted Chicago’s Matt Forte with.
For more great IDP analysis, sign up for our Ultimate Strategist Package today!
Related posts
Loading ...
