It seems like only yesterday that the 2013 season was just getting started. No one had tasted sweet victory or endured the frustration of defeat, yet. It was a clean slate, one in which I had yet to botch a single IDP recommendation (such as including Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis on the "Duds" list last week). Yeah, about that. You see, what I had meant to say was ... Hey, I get some right too. Really. Seriously. Stop laughing! Besides, I was just getting that out of my system. With the fantasy football playoffs just around the corner, there's no room for error. For many IDP owners, it's already "win or go home" time. With that in mind (no pressure), it's time for another week of "IDP Studs and Duds." Every week during the 2013 season, I'll point out some individual defensive players who could be set to exceed expectations this week (studs) and some that for whatever reason are riskier plays than usual (duds). This isn't necessarily to say that every "stud" is a must-start (it depends on your other options) or that every "dud" should be glued to your bench (just that the odds of a letdown week are greater than usual). We also have one last bye week to contend with, with Cincinnati, Seattle, Philadelphia and Buffalo all taking Week 10 off. No Mario Williams, Bobby Wagner or Vontaze Burfict this week, folks. STUDS Julius Peppers, DE, Chicago (at St. Louis): Forgive me for doing this, but Peppers' 11-tackle, two-sack outburst last week against Baltimore was his second solid game in three weeks. Throw in a top-five fantasy matchup with St. Louis, and there's some real upside here with Peppers for fantasy owners brave enough to start him. Ahtyba Rubin, DE, Cleveland (vs. Pittsburgh): As is often the case with 3-4 defensive ends, Rubin has made a much bigger dent on the playing field than in the box score this season. However, the table is set for a nice IDP outing this week against the Steelers, who have been very friendly to opposing defensive linemen in 2013. Olivier Vernon, DE, Miami (vs. Carolina): Vernon had one of his best games of 2013 last week against San Diego, notching six total tackles and a sack. There's a good shot at two strong weeks in a row from Vernon, given that the Panthers have surrendered the seventh-most fantasy points to defensive linemen this season. Bruce Carter, OLB, Dallas (at New York Giants): There's some question what the Cowboys plan to do with Sean Lee on the shelf, but whether it's Carter or Ernie Sims at ...

There's an old adage in fantasy football: "No one cares about your fantasy team but you." It's mostly true, but I'm making a point here, so bear with me. In the Deathmatch IDP Showcase League here at Fantasy Sharks, my team (the aptly named "Suckville Sucknados") has an all-play record of over .500. However, through a combination of bad lineup decisions and even worse luck, that team entered Monday night's contest between the New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons needing help to avoid an 0-5 start. The same went for my team in The WALL, an IDP-only league where I am 1-4 to begin the season. Is this incredibly frustrating? You bet. Are either of those teams making the playoffs? Probably not. Will I be among the first teams submitting waiver claims this week? Of course. Improbable turnarounds are possible. Even if they aren't, you owe it to your leaguemates (and yourself) to continue doing everything in your power to win each week. Anything less is just bad juju. So, whether you're chugging along or grasping at straws, here's a look at some Individual Defensive Players who can help your team in Week 6. PICKUP OF THE WEEK A.J. Hawk -- ILB, Green Bay Packers Hawk's nine total tackles against the Detroit Lions in Week 5 is only part of the reason why the eighth-year veteran is the Week 6 IDP PoTW. The bigger reason is the hamstring injury suffered by batterymate Brad Jones. If Jones is unable to take the field this week against the Baltimore Ravens (a very real possibility), that will leave Hawk as an every-down player and the defensive signal-caller in a top-five IDP matchup for linebackers. If you have a hole at the position or are in a bye-week crunch, Hawk's the pick of the litter where one-week matchup fantasy plays are concerned. WEEK 6 WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS Bruce Irvin -- DE/OLB, Seattle Seahawks After sitting out the first four games of the 2013 season due to a league-mandated suspension, Irvin returned to action in last week's loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Irvin didn't waste any time getting back into the swing of things, logging four tackles and a sack in just under 60 percent of Seattle's defensive snaps. Even better, many fantasy providers have Irvin listed as DE-eligible. With his snap count sure to grow over the next several weeks, the second-year pro is a solid addition for IDP teams looking for pass-rush help. Ahtyba Rubin -- DE, Cleveland Browns Rubin missed the first two games of the 2013 season, but with every game since Rubin's ...

Week 2 of the preseason has just ended and things are certainly heating up on the Individual Defensive Player (IDP) landscape. Roles are beginning to take shape and depth charts are slowly coming into focus. There will still be some shuffling as injuries and poor performances may cost players their jobs but we can more clearly begin to evaluate the fantasy potential of the top end talent in each division. The AFC North has long been considered a tough bruising defensive division dominated by the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens as the Cincinnati Bengals look to close the gap. Surprisingly, the division isn't as chocked full of IDP studs as one may have been led to believe. The sums of the parts of the defenses equate to nice NFL overall rankings as opposed to IDP value. With all that being said, let's take a look at some names that can help lead IDP owners to the promised land. LINEBACKERS 1. D'Qwell Jackson, WILB, Cleveland: The stars are aligning for Jackson to have a monster 2013 fantasy campaign. New defensive coordinator Ray Horton will look to utilize him in much the same way he did Daryl Washington in Arizona. Jackson will have the luxury of a healthy Phil Taylor, Ahtyba Rubin and Desmond Bryant to keep him clean and able to get after the ball carrier. Horton will also look to take advantage of Jackson's physicality and athleticism with blitz packages. A statline of 100-plus tackles and a top 10 fantasy finish are on tap for Jackson this season. 2. Lawrence Timmons, ILB, Pittsburgh: Timmons finished last season with 106 total tackles, six sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles. Those are very nice fantasy totals but it's the way he amassed them that keep his owners scratching their heads. He racked up five of his six sacks in the season's final three weeks and 47 of his total tackles in the last six weeks of 2012. That inconsistency is what makes him a bit of a wildcard selection on draft day. Outside linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley both struggled last season and Timmons was moved around the defense quite a bit early in the year before settling in and putting up the nice finish he had. He could finish with LB1 numbers if he picks up where he left off or as low as LB3 production if he's shuffled around the defense again this season. This ranking shows that I'm leaning towards the former. 3. Vontaze Burfict, WLB, Cincinnati: Burfict led the Bengals in total tackles last season despite playing only 57 snaps ...

It's Week 11 of the 2012 NFL season, which means two things. First, this week brings with it the last of the bye weeks, which means that soon an expanded pool of talent will once again be available to Individual Defensive Player (IDP) owners. Second, we're smack in the middle of the stretch run for the playoffs, which means that for many fantasy teams every week has become a do-or-die proposition. Another sad fact of this point in the season is that in many IDP leagues there just isn't a whole lot left on the waiver wire, making it very difficult to find impact players. However, that doesn't mean that there's nothing out there, and here's a look at some players that are available in the majority of IDP leagues that have enough fantasy value to at least be worth a look. PICKUP OF THE WEEK Muhammad Wilkerson, DE, New York Jets: Not a whole lot went right for the New York Jets in Sunday's loss to the Seattle Seahawks, but defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson was one of them, tallying seven total tackles and forcing a fumble that he returned for New York's only touchdown. The second-year pro hasn't made much of a dent in the big-play column this season, but, after averaging six stops a game over the past few weeks, Wilkerson can provide a nice boost up front for IDP owners in tackle-heavy formats. Robert Ayers, DE, Denver: All the news wasn't good for the Denver Broncos after their blowout win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 10, as star defensive end Elvis Dumervil underwent an MRI on Monday after being forced from the game with a shoulder injury. If Dumervil misses significant playing time, that means that fourth-year pro Robert Ayers will see increased snaps, and as Ayers showed with five tackles and a sack against the Panthers, he is capable of producing when afforded the opportunity. Ahtyba Rubin, DT, Cleveland: The Cleveland Browns have had more than their fair share of injuries up front on defense, but it appears that coming out of their bye they finally are getting healthy. Defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin has returned to practice after missing three of the past four games with a calf injury, and, given the fifth-year veteran's penchant for racking up tackles, Rubin could be a very welcome stretch run addition, especially in IDP leagues that require defensive tackles. Mychal Kendricks, OLB, Philadelphia: Given all the injuries that have hit the linebacker position this season, the pickings on the waiver wire in many leagues is very thin. With that...

Everyone loves a Monday Morning Quarterback, so why not a Monday Morning Linebacker? If you're like me, you tend to express your consternation when a player or players on your roster don't exactly perform as expected. Many expletive laden tirades have been directed at my computer or smart-phone as I scan the scoreboards. Occasionally I'm pleasantly surprised, but more often than not it's "WTF was that?!" In this weekly article we'll take a look at those players that performed as expected and those that didn't. This won't be a complete review of every player from every game; simply the outliers that deserve recognition, one way or the other. By the way, if you're looking for a great place to look at stats, compare players and do some research, check out www.fleaflicker.com. It's a fantastic resource and you should take advantage of it! Studs That Were Studs (* Notable players that lived up to or exceeded expectations ) Charles Johnson, DE, CAR vs. ATL - CJ has failed to perform like a stud to date. Most IDP owners drafted him as a DL2, though we've been getting more like DL5 numbers. Well I guess CJ got bored and decided to make some noise this week. After 3 weeks of single-digit performances, Johnson exploded for 6 solo tackles, 2 assists, 1 pass defensed, and 3.5 sacks in Week 4. Matt Ryan was sacked 7 times in this one with CJ claiming half of them. His play has been too paltry to consider this anything other than an anomaly, but if the matchup is right, start him. Nick Barnett, LB, BUF vs. NE - Yes, I'm taking some liberty with labeling Barnett as 'stud', but too bad, I'm doing it anyway. He's been solid, though not spectacular, until yesterday, recording a season-high 10 solo tackles and 5 assists. The Patriots ran the ball 40 times, giving Barnett and co. plenty of opportunities to make plays. If the Bills defense continues to look as anemic as they did yesterday, that trend will carry over from week to week. That's good news for their MLB. Keep starting Barnett. Ahtyba Rubin, CLE vs. BAL - The big defensive tackle has been hit or miss through 3 weeks and hadn't recorded a sack heading into Week 4's matchups. But he got his first sack of the season on Thursday along with 6 solo tackles. The Ravens had the lead throughout, so it's surprising that they ran the ball just 24 times, but Rubin still got his and played like an elite DT. In leagues that require DTs, he's a weekly starter. In leagues that do not, consider him when the ...

Well, after a long summer of training camps and fantasy drafts "go time" is almost here, as the preseason has concluded and on Wednesday night the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants will play the first game of the 2012 NFL season. That also means that another season of fantasy football will soon be underway. As we look ahead to another exciting and maddening season of fantasy action the IDP staff writers here at Fantasy Sharks have assembled to give their takes on a number of questions, from breakout stars to busts, with a Super Bowl prediction thrown in for good measure. Numbers in parentheses denote that players' ranking in Fantasy Sharks current IDP Rankings. 1) Studs in the Making: Name one Player at Each Position Outside Your Top 20 Who Could Crack the Top 10. Gary Davenport: DL: Ahtyba Rubin -- DT, CLE (28): A lot of this recommendation depends on your scoring system, but the 26-year-old has posted over 80 total tackles two years running and boosted his sack total from two in 2010 to five a year ago. Rubin also flies a bit under the radar in leagues that combine DE and DT, but he more than makes up for a lack of sizzle with plenty of steak. LB: Luke Kuechly -- WLB, CAR (23): The rookie led all of college football with 191 tackles last year and has looked positively outstanding in the preseason. Believe me, Kuechly has all the makings of an IDP stud for years to come, and it wouldn't surprise me in the least to see him finish in the Top 10 as a rookie. DB: Alterraun Verner -- CB, TEN (44): Verner racked up over 100 tackles in 2010 as a starter, posting a top 20 IDP finish. This is admittedly something of a reach, but with the uncertainty at safety Verner could flirt with the century mark again this year. James Elvins: This is really tough as each of the guys I would've gone for here I've actually gone for (B.Spikes, D.Butler, J.Byrd etc., etc.) and put my money where my mouth is, ranking them in the Top 20 already. DL: Chandler Jones - DL, NEP: All of a sudden I've gone from the only person ranking Jones to having a boatload of company. You'd better join them as this particular ship is well and truly under sail. LB: London Fletcher - LB, WAS: Old father time wins out over us all in the end - EXCEPT if you're London Fletcher. DB: Earl Thomas - S, SEA: There are only four free safeties worth owning and starting in FF. This guy is on the verge of joining Byrd in the top tier despite playing alongside Kam Chancellor. Steve Sheiner: DL: Mark ...

Of all the complaints I get from my readers at Fantasy Sharks (both of them) besides the usual "You ruined my season" (um, oops?) and the always fun "You're a moron" (thanks for the feedback Mom) one of the biggest gripes I hear is that I that don't dedicate enough time to deeper IDP leagues that require use of defensive tackles. Well, today is your lucky (or unlucky if that moron thing's true) day, as here's a look at the Top 25 defensive tackles in 2012 for DT-required IDP fantasy football leagues. These rankings are based off the scoring used in the WALL IDP-only showcase league here at Fantasy Sharks, which requires that teams start at least one defensive tackle. You can view that scoring by clicking here. Also, before we go any further it's worth mentioning that defensive tackles are, in general, a wildly inconsistent bunch. Outside the first handful of options on this list most of the rest of these beefeaters are a crapshoot, so you basically have one of two options when drafting your defensive tackles. You can spend an early-ish pick on a reliable weekly option, or burn a couple of later selections on a duo that you can hopefully platoon based on matchups. 1) Haloti Ngata, Baltimore Ravens - The cream of the crop at the defensive tackle position, Ngata has posted back-to-back 60+ tackle, 5+ sacks seasons and is a viable IDP DL2 even in standard formats. 2) Ahtyba Rubin, Cleveland Browns - Some may be surprised to see me rank Rubin above Suh, but the fifth-year pro has posted two straight years of over 80 tackles, and obscene number for a defensive tackle. 3) Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions - Suh cooled off considerably after his monstrous rookie season, but a bounceback year should place him at least squarely in IDP DL3 territory and make him a strong weekly starter in DT-required formats. 4) Kyle Williams, Buffalo Bills - The 29-year-old is reportedly going to be ready to go for opening day, and Williams averaged over 60 total tackles and 4.5 sacks a season from 2008-2009. 5) Geno Atkins, Cincinnati Bengals - Atkins exploded into fantasy prominence a season ago, racking up 47 tackles and 7.5 sacks while establishing him as a solid weekly starter in DT-required formats. 6) Richard Seymour, Oakland Raiders - Seymour has the ability to play all over the defensive front, and expect to see the 12th-year veteran see some time at DE in 3-4 fronts while maintaining DT eligibility his IDP value could see a small boost. 7) Marcell Dareus, Buffalo Bills - ...

undefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefined IDP CHEATSHEET: Week Sixteen Week 16 of the 2011 fantasy football season has arrived, which means that in the majority of IDP leagues one more game remains to determine who is crowned king of the league...it's Championship Week. To help you prepare for this most important week's action here's a look at my Top 30 defensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs for Week 16 of the 2011 season in IDP leagues. These rankings are based on Default IDP Manor Scoring, which awards 1 point for solos, .5 points for assists, 2 points each for fumbles forced and recovered, 4 points for interceptions, sacks, and safeties, 6 points for defensive touchdowns, and 1 point for passes defensed. It's a balanced scoring system, so if your IDP league is especially tackle-heavy or big play-heavy some players may move up (or down) a few spots. DEFENSIVE LINEMEN 1.) Terrell Suggs - BAL vs CLE 2.) Jason Pierre-Paul - NYG at NYJ 3.) Jared Allen - MIN at WAS 4.) Jason Babin - PHI at DAL 5.) Chris Clemons - SEA vs SF 6.) Trent Cole - PHI at DAL 7.) Julius Peppers - CHI at GB 8.) Justin Smith - SF at SEA 9.) Chris Long - STL at PIT 10.) Kyle Vanden Bosch - DET vs SD 11.) Justin Tuck - NYG at NYJ 12.) Elvis Dumervil - DEN at BUF 13.) Haloti Ngata - BAL vs CLE 14.) Jeremy Mincey - JAX at TEN 15.) Cliff Avril - DET vs SD 16.) Will Smith - NO vs ATL 17.) Greg Hardy - CAR vs TB 18.) Dave Ball - TEN vs JAX 19.) J.J. Watt - HOU at IND 20.) Charles Johnson - CAR vs TB 21.) Jabaal Sheard - CLE at BAL 22.) Calais Campbell - ARI at CIN 23.) Mark Anderson - NE vs MIA 24.) Robert Mathis - IND vs HOU 25.) Israel Idonije - CHI at GB 26.) Ndamukong Suh - DET vs SD 27.) John Abraham - ATL at NO 28.) Marcell Dareus - BUF vs DEN 29.) Lamarr Houston - OAK at KC 30.) Ahtyba Rubin - CLE at BAL LINEBACKERS 1.) D'Qwell Jackson - CLE at BAL 2.) Nick Barnett - BUF vs DEN 3.) Navorro Bowman - SF at SEA 4.) London Fletcher - WAS vs MIN 5.) Derrick Johnson - KC vs OAK 6.) David Hawthorne - SEA vs SF 7.) James Laurinaitis - STL at PIT 8.) Pat Angerer - IND vs HOU 9.) Sean Lee - DAL vs PHI 10.) Curtis Lofton - ATL at NO 11.) Paul Posluszny - JAX at TEN 12.) Ray Lewis - BAL vs CLE 13.) Daryl Washington - ARI at CIN 14.) Brian Urlacher - CHI at GB 15.) Colin McCarthy - TEN vs JAX 16.) Chad Greenway - MIN at WAS 17.) Karlos Dansby - MIA at NE 18.) Jerod Mayo - NE vs...

It's Week 13 of the 2011 fantasy football campaign, and this week brings with it the conclusion of the regular season in many leagues, making this a do-or-die game for many an IDP owner across the land. To help you prepare for another week's action here's a look at my Top 30 defensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs for Week Eleven of the 2011 season in IDP leagues. These rankings are based on Default IDP Manor Scoring, which awards 1 point for solos, .5 points for assists, 2 points each for fumbles forced and recovered, 4 points for interceptions, sacks, and safeties, 6 points for defensive touchdowns, and 1 point for passes defensed. It's a balanced scoring system, so if your IDP league is especially tackle-heavy or big play-heavy some players may move up (or down) a few spots. DEFENSIVE LINEMEN 1.) Jared Allen - MIN vs DEN 2.) Terrell Suggs - BAL at CLE 3.) Julius Peppers - CHI vs KC 4.) Trent Cole - PHI at SEA 5.) Andre Carter - NE vs IND 6.) Jason Pierre-Paul - NYG vs GB 7.) Justin Smith - SF vs STL 8.) Chris Long - STL at SF 9.) Elvis Dumervil - DEN at MIN 10.) Kyle Vanden Bosch - DET at NO 11.) Jeremy Mincey - JAX vs SD 12.) Haloti Ngata - BAL at CLE 13.) Chris Clemons - SEA vs PHI 14.) Jason Babin - PHI at SEA 15.) Will Smith - NO vs DET 16.) J.J. Watt - HOU vs ATL 17.) Robert Mathis - IND at NE 18.) Greg Hardy - CAR at TB 19.) Calais Campbell - ARI vs DAL 20.) James Hall - STL at SF 21.) Charles Johnson - CAR at TB 22.) Cliff Avril - DET at NO 23.) Ahtyba Rubin - CLE vs BAL 24.) Ray Edwards - ATL at HOU 25.) Darnell Dockett - ARI vs DAL 26.) Justin Tuck - NYG vs GB 27.) Israel Idonije - CHI vs KC 28.) Lamarr Houston - OAK at MIA 29.) Brian Robison - MIN vs DEN 30.) Robert Geathers - CIN at PIT LINEBACKERS 1.) Patrick Willis - SF vs STL 2.) D'Qwell Jackson - CLE vs BAL 3.) Derrick Johnson - KC at CHI 4.) James Laurinaitis - STL at SF 5.) Curtis Lofton - ATL at HOU 6.) Paul Posluszny - JAX vs SD 7.) London Fletcher - WAS vs NYJ 8.) Nick Barnett - BUF vs TEN 9.) Daryl Washington - ARI vs DAL 10.) Chad Greenway - MIN vs DEN 11.) Ray Lewis - BAL at CLE 12.) Navorro Bowman - SF vs STL 13.) Sean Weatherspoon - ATL at HOU 14.) Pat Angerer - IND at NE 15.) Karlos Dansby - MIA vs OAK 16.) Brian Urlacher - CHI vs KC 17.) Sean Lee - DAL at ARI 18.) Brian Cushing - HOU vs ATL 19.) D.J. Williams - DEN at MIN 20.) DeMarcus Ware - DAL at ARI 21.) David Hawthorne - SEA vs PHI 22.) Kevin Burnett - MIA vs OAK 23.) Perry Riley - WAS vs NYJ 24.) James...

undefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefinedundefined IDP CHEATSHEET: Week Twelve It's Week Twelve of the 2011 fantasy football season, which means the bye weeks are in the rearview mirror, there are a trio of games to enjoy on Thanksgiving Day, and the fantasy playoffs are just around the corner. To help you prepare for another week's action here's a look at my Top 30 defensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs for Week Eleven of the 2011 season in IDP leagues. These rankings are based on Default IDP Manor Scoring, which awards 1 point for solos, .5 points for assists, 2 points each for fumbles forced and recovered, 4 points for interceptions, sacks, and safeties, 6 points for defensive touchdowns, and 1 point for passes defensed. It's a balanced scoring system, so if your IDP league is especially tackle-heavy or big play-heavy some players may move up (or down) a few spots. Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving everyone! DEFENSIVE LINEMEN 1.) Jared Allen - MIN at ATL 2.) Terrell Suggs - BAL vs SF 3.) Trent Cole - PHI vs NE 4.) Chris Clemons - SEA vs WAS 5.) Julius Peppers - CHI at OAK 6.) Jason Pierre-Paul - NYG at NO 7.) Jeremy Mincey - JAX vs HOU 8.) Andre Carter - NE at PHI 9.) Justin Smith - SF at BAL 10.) Osi Umenyiora - NYG at NO 11.) Chris Long - STL vs ARI 12.) Calais Campbell - ARI at STL 13.) Haloti Ngata - BAL vs SF 14.) Greg Hardy - CAR at IND 15.) Kyle Vanden Bosch - DET vs GB 16.) Charles Johnson -- CAR at IND 17.) Jason Babin - PHI vs NE 18.) Ndamukong Suh - DET vs GB 19.) Will Smith - NO vs NYG 20.) Cliff Avril - DET vs GB 21.) Robert Mathis - IND vs CAR 22.) James Hall - STL vs ARI 23.) Ahtyba Rubin - CLE at CIN 24.) Darnell Dockett - ARI at STL 25.) Ray Edwards - ATL vs MIN 26.) Israel Idonije - CHI at OAK 27.) Justin Tuck - NYG at NO 28.) Michael Bennett - TB at TEN 29.) Desmond Bryant - OAK vs CHI 30.) Brian Robison - MIN at ATL LINEBACKERS 1.) Patrick Willis - SF at BAL 2.) Desmond Bishop - GB at DET 3.) Paul Posluszny - JAX vs HOU 4.) London Fletcher - WAS at SEA 5.) Nick Barnett - BUF at NYJ 6.) Brian Urlacher - CHI at OAK 7.) Derrick Johnson - KC vs PIT 8.) D'Qwell Jackson - CLE at CIN 9.) Navorro Bowman - SF at BAL 10.) David Hawthorne - SEA vs WAS 11.) D.J. Williams - DEN at SD 12.) Curtis Lofton - ATL vs MIN 13.) Pat Angerer - IND vs CAR 14.) Daryl Washington - ARI at STL 15.) Karlos Dansby - MIA at DAL 16.) James Laurinaitis - STL vs ARI 17.) Donald Butler - SD vs DEN 18.) Sean Weatherspoon - ...