Top 20 IDP's

I have a keeper league that plays with individual defensive players (IDP) and I know several of you fantasy football fanatics are also playing in and enjoying those type of leagues. But the amount of helpful information to help you before the draft is scarce compared to the offensive players.

Here's how the top 20 break down.

1. Ray Lewis - LB Baltimore

Round 6 is where he is typically being drafted. Way too early in my opinion, I believe there is much better value out there for a later pick.

2. Donnie Edwards - LB San Diego
3. Ed Reed - DB Baltimore
4. Keith Bulluck - LB Tennessee

Okay round 7 is still too early to be drafting defensive players. I'm still building an offense with some depth at this point. But I really like Edwards and Bulluck, and if you have to have a super stud LB I would grab one of these guys.

5. Brian Urlacher - LB Chicago

Brian is typically going in the 8th round, but with his injury risk it's just not worth the headache. Let someone else draft him this high.

6. Mike Peterson - LB Jacksonville
7. Terrence McGee - DB Buffalo

Now I'm ready to start thinking about defensive players. By round 9 I have already collected 3 Running backs, 2 Quarterbacks, 2 Wide Receivers and maybe a decent Tight End. Peterson is a great Linebacker and you won't have to suffer on offensive depth in order to get him. I also like McGee as a top DB. He also did some duty as a punt returner for Buffalo last year and always got me a few extra points off return yards, which was really nice.

8. Julius Peppers - DL Carolina

Defensive line folks are usually not this important, but Peppers did very well last year. Personally I would put Kerney from Atlanta here as the #1 DL guy. However, I'm not convinced that you need to be spending a spot in the 10th round for a lineman.

9. Rodney Harrison - DB New England
10. Takeo Spikes - LB Buffalo
11. Patrick Kerney - DL Atlanta

I would LOVE to see Harrison on the board in the 11th round. I would grab him up in a heartbeat! I don't think people are very secure about all the changes in the Patriots defense this year, and for my money I would take advantage of that.

12. Nick Barnett - LB Green Bay
13. Dwight Freeney - DL Indianapolis
14. Jamie Sharper - LB Seattle
15. Keith Brooking - LB Atlanta

Sharper in Seattle sounds good to me, too bad he's replacing Chad Brown instead of working right alongside of him, that would have been an awesome duo. I don't like the fact that the entire fate of the Green Bay defense rests on Nick's shoulders this year. I don't see Gbaja-Biamala picking up the slack from his line position. Sharper's absence is going to hurt Barnett's numbers considerably. I don't know why people are drafting him in the 12th round, I would rather have a Derrick Brooks (Tampa Bay) or a Jonathan Vilma (New York Jets) here in this round. Brooking as in excellent LB for this late in the draft.

16. Roy Williams - DB Dallas
17. Derrick Brooks - LB Tampa Bay

I don't think Roy is worthy of being in the top 20. I know Dallas is changing their defensive scheme around this year to a 3-4 with some nickel packages and there is some question so far in training camp as to whether they have the right personnel to make this transition smoothly. I think I'd rather have Mike Green (Chicago), Rhonde Barber (Tampa Bay) or Dunta Robinson (Houston) for my second DB. They should all have better stats this year than Williams.

18. Mike Green - DB Chicago
19. Jonathan Vilma - LB New York Jets
20. Aaron Schobel DL - Buffalo

There's just too many defensive linemen going high this year in these IDP drafts, I don't know what people out there are thinking. None of them are worthy of a high draft pick except Kerney in my opinion. This grouping of IDP's is typically going in the 14th round and i still think you have better options at DB or Lb for getting players who are more likely to get you lots of solo tackles, more sacks, forced fumbles, pass defends and interceptions. Why spend a pick this early on a guy like Schobel?

The only other person I haven't mentioned, and people aren't drafting this high for some reason is Adrian Wilson in Arizona. His supporting cast has vastly improved, including the addition of rookie Antrel Rolle, and adrain's numbers should be high enough to warrant him being in the top 20. The Cardinals secondary is going to be interesting to watch this year.