IDP Stock Market Report
March 7, 2009 at 1:08 am | Article by Paul Hickey |
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Free agency hasn’t completely changed the IDP picture heading into 2009, but a few key moves have been made that fantasy owners shouldn’t overlook. Let’s delve into whose stock is rising and falling on the defensive side of the ball just a couple weeks into the true start of the 2009 NFL season.
Rising - Bart Scott, Jets LB (pictured) - The soon-to-be 29 year old Detroit native signed a nice crispy five year deal with the Jets, where he will join his former Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. Ryan will likely feature Scott as the new leader of his defense, and start him on the inside next to third year stud ILB David Harris. Without having to compete for stops with Ray Lewis, Scott should absolutely thrive, and potentially even regain his 2006 form, when he racked up 103 total tackles, 9.5 sacks and two interceptions.
Rising - Jonathan Vilma, Saints LB - The 26 year old MLB who regained his form last season, racking up 132 total tackles, signed a five year, $34 million contract to remain in the Big Easy and play under new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. Look for Vilma to continue to settle in as the leader of the Saints defense. Folks, quite honestly, he’s primed for a huge season and should be considered a top five fantasy LB.
Rising - Chris Canty, Giants DE - Fantasy owners may not have heard much regarding this signing, but the New York Giants gave big money to former Cowboys defensive end Chris Canty. The 6′7″, 304 lb. fifth year man is expected to play both end and tackle in the Giants’ 4-3 after playing end in Dallas’ 3-4 for the last four seasons. Even though he is now part of one of the most talented and crowded defensive lines in the NFL (Osi Umenyiora, Justin Tuck, Mathias Kiwanuka, Rocky Bernard, Fred Robbins), the G-men gave him too much money not to give him significant playing time. Look for Canty to improve upon his 37 tackles and three sacks from a year ago, and potentially turn into a legit fantasy option.
Rising - Curtis Lofton, Falcons LB - Last year’s second round pick saw a value bump when veteran MLB Keith Brooking signed with the Cowboys, clearing the way for Lofton to get 100 percent reps at middle linebacker in 2009. Lofton had a solid rookie season in limited snaps, but should truly get the opportunity to shine this year. We highly recommend making a move to get him, as he has top 10 fantasy LB potential.
Rising - Channing Crowder, Dolphins LB - Miami’s 25 year old inside linebacker re-signed with the ballclub, and will continue to be one of the best young players on the Dolphins’ defense. He showed signs last season of becoming a tackle machine, and we think he can improve on his 2008 number of 113 tackles.
Rising - Michael Boley, Giants LB - Boley had a solid statistical season in 2007 despite playing the strong side. In 2008, he dropped off the radar completely due to the fact that he was utilized totally different in Mike Smith’s defense. The Giants are expected to start him at strong side backer in 2009, but utilize him more like the Falcons did in 2007, sending him on blitzes and allowing him to wreak havoc. Keep an eye on Boley.
Rising - Sean Jones, Eagles FS - The 27 year old Jones will likely replace Brian Dawkins after signing a one year deal with Philly. With Quintin Mikell entrenched as the team’s starting strong safety though, it looks like Jones may actually move to free safety. At first glance, this could be detrimental to his fantasy value, but if he can stay healthy for an entire season, look for him to be around the ball enough to make his owners happy.
Falling - Gibril Wilson, Dolphins S - WIlson has been one of fantasy’s top defensive backs since 2005, despite the fact that he’s only an average NFL player. The Raiders dumped him, and the Dolphins wasted no time snagging him. Unfortunately, he’s expected to move from SS to FS, with Yeremiah Bell also resigning with the club to play the strong safety role. This move means that WIlson will not come close to his 129 total tackle numbers from last year.
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