It's been a long time coming, but the 2014 NFL season is finally here. In two short days, the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks will kick off the 2014 campaign in the Pacific Northwest. It's not only a rematch of the infamous "Fail Mary" game from two years ago, but it's also a classic offense vs. defense matchup. And for the record, that was an interception. Thursday's game also brings with it the beginning of another season of fantasy football, as fantasy owners finally get to see if the teams they drafted this summer will meet expectations, exceed them, or fall flat on their you-know-what. Of course, some IDP squads have already hit a bump in the road. Maybe you drafted early and grabbed Miami Dolphins safety Reshad Jones before his four-game suspension was announced. Maybe the draft just didn't go the way you'd hoped. In any event, some IDP leagues offer teams a chance to affect repairs before the season begins, either with first-come, first-served free agency or a round of waivers before the season begins. That's where the DoD comes in. Each week during the 2014 season, I'll be recommending players who IDP owners would be well advised to consider adding to their squads. Some will be players who could help IDP teams for the entire year. Others will be matchup plays whose value may come and go in the span of a single week. Others still will turn out to have all the value of an autographed Taylor Hicks CD, but it's the beginning of the year, so let's maintain a positive mental attitude. These recommendations will be made based on a fairly standard IDP lineup of two defensive linemen, two linebackers, two defensive backs, and a "flex" option. In fact, that's the format we'll be using for those recommendations, with the "flex" player getting the moniker "IDP Pickup of the Week." With that in mind, let's get this party started! IDP PICKUP OF THE WEEK Keenan Robinson -- ILB, Washington Redskins I've been banging the drum on Robinson with regularity all through the month of August, but as the calendar turns to September the 25-year-old remains available in enough IDP leagues to merit inclusion here. Robinson, who missed the tail end of the 2012 season and all of last year with a pair of pectoral muscle tears, has moved into the WILB spot vacated by the retirement of longtime stalwart London Fletcher . Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated likes the youngster's 2014 prospects enough to have recently included Robinson on his list of players ...

So that was quite a Super Bowl, eh? How badly do the Broncos wish that the snowstorm, which rolled in AFTER the game, had arrived 24 hours earlier? A postponement would have been better than that debacle. Oh, well. There had been quite a streak of competitive and exciting Super Bowls so a blowout stinker was bound to show up sooner or later. Heading into such a juicy matchup not many people were predicting that this would be the one. At least not in Seattle's favor, that is. It's another reason we all love this sport. You just never know. So, while Broncos players and fans try to forget what transpired in New York last week it is time to officially put the 2013 season to bed. On the bright side there will be regular season football again in only seven months! What can I say? I'm a ‘glass half-full' kind of guy. In saying goodbye to the 2013 season it is also time to bid a fond farewell to a handful of former IDP fantasy standouts that no longer warrant serious consideration come fantasy draft day. The name that kicks off this look at former IDP lineup lynchpins is one that is hard to say goodbye to for lovers of the format. Washington Redskins inside linebacker London Fletcher has been the model of consistency for 15 years. The numbers that he's amassed while playing for the St Louis Rams, Buffalo Bills and the Redskins since entering the league in 1998 are staggering. He has over 2,050 total tackles in regular season games with 1,398 of those being solo stops. Add in the 39½ sacks, 23 interceptions as well as 20 forced fumbles and you have a player that was fantasy gold. Even more impressive for the undrafted free agent out of John Carroll College is that he never missed a game during his 16-year career. That my friend is the epitome of the consistency I mentioned earlier. For the past few off-seasons there have been rumblings that Fletcher was nearing the end of his illustrious career and then he'd go out and put up triple digit stops, yet again. He did it for the 14th time in 2013 finishing with 110 total tackles and as the 45th ranked linebacker in Fantasy Sharks Default IDP scoring. It appears that the time has indeed come for "Old Man River" to finally ride off into the sunset. After playing the least amount of snaps (983) that he's played since the 931 he hit the field for in 2008 and putting up his second lowest tackle total (he put up less than 30 in his rookie season back in 1998) of his career that the curtain is indeed closing. ...

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 ...

We've hit Week 5 of the 2013 NFL season. One month is in the books, and we've gotten a pretty good glimpse at not only how the NFL's pecking order is shaking out this season but also how that pecking order affects the statistical performance of individual defensive players. We also now have a four-game sample size to examine, which offers valuable information regarding the fantasy points allowed to each of the IDP positions . Avail yourself of this information. Knowledge, as they say, is power. 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). Well, I would. However, I've been unable to agree with myself on this week's recommendations, so I decided that the only rational thing to do is to shut the whole damn thing down out of spite. Sorry. Wait a second...that would be crazy. Who would do something that dumb? Oh yeah...Congress. Anyway, 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). Finally, the bye weeks are now in full swing, with the Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking the week off. No Chad Greenway , London Fletcher or Lawrence Timmons in Week 5, kiddies. STUDS Calais Campbell -- DE, Arizona Cardinals (vs. CAR): Campbell is off to a very slow start in 2013, with only 10 tackles and a sack through four games. However, the table would appear to be set for a rebound Sunday against the Carolina Panthers, who have been a top-three IDP matchup for defensive linemen in 2013. Greg Hardy -- DE, Carolina Panthers (at AZ): This week's contestant on "Let's Feast on the Lousy Arizona O-Line!" is Hardy. Mind you, the Cardinals front four already sucked, and they aren't going to suddenly get better after trading starting left tackle Levi Brown to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this week. Osi Umenyiora -- DE, Atlanta Falcons (vs. NYJ): After a slow start, Umenyiora's fantasy production has picked up of late. That trend should continue this week against the New York Jets, who are allowing the most fantasy points per game to defensive linemen so far this year. Jerrell Freeman -- ILB, Indianapolis Colts (vs. SEA): With 30 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles Freeman is ...

Week 1 is in the books and we had our share of Individual Defensive Player (IDP) surprises. J.J. Watt will spend at least one week not leading all defensive linemen in scoring, and Duke Ihenacho is the toast of the 'defensive back town.' Before looking at Week 2 sleeper possibilities, I forgot one last bit of housecleaning I meant cover last week. This article goes to the editor Thursday evening for a Friday posting. Obviously, it would not do anyone perusing the article a bit of good if I listed any players from the Thursday night game as it is over by the time this article would be visible. So there we have it. House cleaning done and time to get to this week's IDP sleeper picks! LINEBACKERS Danny Trevathan, WLB, DENVER at New York Giants: Take the bonehead move of dropping the ball on the 1-yard line (if I live to be 100 I will never understand how this happens ... ever!) on his way to an easy pick-six out of the equation and Trevathan had a decent debut. He flashed athleticism and closing speed on his way to four solo tackles, an interception and two passes defended. Look for a much closer game start to finish against the Giants and an uptick in Trevathan's tackle numbers. Ryan Kerrigan, OLB, WASHINGTON at Green Bay : Kerrigan had been a wrecking ball throughout the preseason and carried that production into Game 1. He racked up eight total tackles with a sack and forced fumble against Philadelphia. He left that game late with what was feared to be a concussion but has since been cleared to practice. This week's matchup with Green Bay will give Kerrigan an excellent chance to add to both his sack and tackle totals. The Packers allowed two sacks in their Week 1 loss to San Francisco and will be hard-pressed to keep Kerrigan off of Aaron Rodgers. Moise Fokou, MLB, TENNESSEE at Houston: Fokou was on the field for every defensive snap (53) according to Pro Football Focus and finished Week 1 with six total tackles and a fumble recovery. This week he lines up against the very linebacker-friendly Houston offense. A steady dose of running backs Arian Foster and Ben Tate will keep Fokou very busy on Sunday. San Diego middle linebacker Donald Butler racked up 13 total tackles in Week 1 against the Texans. Fokou should approach the same number. Bront Bird, ILB, SAN DIEGO at Philadelphia: Bird is manning the right inside linebacker for the Chargers as rookie Manti Te'o continues to miss time with a foot injury. Against Houston in Week 1 he finished with...

The wait is finally over. After months of waiting, free agency, the 2013 NFL Draft, OTAs, minicamps, training camps and the preseason, it has finally, mercifully arrived. It's football season! The Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos got things underway Thursday night, with a win by the Broncos that featured a big game on the defensive side of the ball from Denver safety Duke Ihenacho. I have a hunch he'll be making an appearance in next week's waiver wire article. There's a full slate of games on tap for Sunday, featuring any number of intriguing matchups. With Week 1 getting underway in earnest, it's time for another season 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). That 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 that week are greater than usual). Let's get this party started! STUDS Michael Johnson -- DE, Cincinnati Bengals (at CHI): After both Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins received contract extensions this year, it appears Johnson is the odd man out in the Queen City. Johnson gets his first chance to audition for potential suitors in 2014 this week against a Chicago squad that has had their fair share of issues in pass protection in recent years. Rob Ninkovich -- DE, New England Patriots (at BUF): Ninkovich quietly posted top-12 numbers last year in Fantasy Sharks Default IDP Scoring . There's a better than average chance that Ninkovich will get the 2013 campaign off to an excellent start going up against a Bills team featuring a rookie quarterback (who recently had his knee scoped) making his first career NFL start. Robert Quinn -- DE, St. Louis Rams (vs. ARI): In 2012, the Cardinals employed the matador technique on the offensive front, "Ole-ing!" their way to a league-leading 58 sacks allowed. Granted, that line should be better this year, but it would have to improve by a significant margin to go from gosh-awful to just lousy. Thomas Davis -- OLB, Carolina Panthers (vs. SEA): IDP owners in deeper leagues who need a spot-starter should look to Davis. The ninth-year veteran has held off Jon Beason for nickel duties to this point, and this week Davis draws a top-five IDP matchup for his position in the run-heavy ...

Let's face it; it's not easy being a dynasty owner. We have to make decisions everyday about our team. When it comes to the rookie draft, our picks are crucial to the future of our team. Will a missed pick in the first round ruin our season? Probably not. But let's consider the alternative when we're picking in the middle of Round 1 of a 16-team league. Do you want to pick a prospect that's truly an uncertainty or a prospect that can give you fantasy points right off the bat? An Individual Defensive Player (IDP) prospect may be your choice. The rookie draft is a fun process that introduces our teams to new and exciting prospects. The first picks in an all-rookie draft may look like this: 1) Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh 2) Montee Ball, RB, Denver 3) Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay 4) Tavon Austin, WR, St. Louis Picks 5-7 -- DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston; Gio Bernard, RB, Cincinnati; Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Minnesota Who's the next prospect I can pick that I'd feel good about without feeling that I'm taking a huge gamble? It's an IDP prospect. Manti Te'o, LB, San Diego Te'o should be selected between Picks 7-10 and will be a tackling machine that can give you passes defended, forced fumbles, sacks and an occasional interception. Please put aside the BCS Championship game where he missed tackles and seemed out of sorts after discovering his online girlfriend was fake. Te'o's 40-time should also be disregarded. A good 40-time doesn't constitute on field productivity. London Fletcher is an example of this. I'm sure Fletcher's 40 time is not in the 4.5's but his productivity helped win many league championships last year. The fact is Te'o was still worth four fantasy points after the Alabama game despite that number being on the low side. Te'o has been working hard to gain the respect of his new teammates and I expect him to be a three-down linebacker and the No. 1 IDP linebacker. Here are Round 2 IDP prospects to consider: Matt Elam, S, Baltimore -- Late 1st-early 2nd round. Kevin Minter, LB, Arizona -- Early-to-mid-2nd round -- good replacement for the suspended Daryl Washington. Johnathan Cyprien, S, Jacksonville -- Mid-to-late 2nd round. Eric Reid, S, San Francisco -- Late 2nd round. Kiki Alonso, LB, Buffalo -- Early 2nd round -- primed for production at inside linebacker. Tyrann Mathieu, CB/S, Arizona -- if he wins a starting position -- extra points as a kick returner. Star Lotulelei, DT/DE, Carolina -- Late 2nd round -- could be the ...

Ah, the linebacker position. Despite the lofty numbers that J.J. Watt produced from the defensive end spot, linebackers are still the glamor boys of the Individual Defensive Player (IDP) format. They are the quarterbacks of IDP lineups, if you will. Even the most casual football fan would recognize names such as Ray Lewis or Brian Urlacher. The same can't be said for Jared Allen, Roman Harper or any other high producing defensive lineman or defensive backs in the league. A solid linebacker corps is essential in having a successful IDP fantasy season and the position generally runs deep with fantasy point producers but precious few reach the lofty level of top-tier elite players. The league wide shift to a more RBBC (running back by committee) approach has altered the way running backs are looked at and drafted in today's fantasy realm. And the IDP side of the ball has also seen a shift in how often and when certain positions should be targeted in fantasy drafts. The specialization of the linebacker position has made it a smart strategy to draft as many high point producers at the position as early as possible. Distinguishing three down players from those that leave the field on passing downs is vital when examining and then ranking linebackers. Some situational players may be poised to take that next step to an every down role and being ahead of that curve can exponentially help an IDP owner to dominate their league. So, let's take a look at a few linebackers that are ready to step into fantasy stardom and lead IDP teams to 2013 glory. Perry Riley, ILB, Washington: Riley has been rock solid since replacing Rocky McIntosh at inside linebacker prior to Week 10 of the 2011 season. In the 25 games that Riley has appeared as a full-time player, he has amassed more than 200 combined tackles. Due to injuries suffered by Brian Orakpo and Adam Carriker, Riley was also utilized in quite a few blitz packages last season, as Washington had to get creative with ways to generate pressure on the quarterback. He responded with 3½ sacks while also holding his own in coverage and was credited with seven passes defended. Riley is the heir apparent to London Fletcher, if and when, he does finally decide to retire (I'm not holding my breath while waiting for that) and is due for a big bump in fantasy value once that does occur. At 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, he is a slightly bigger version of Fletcher, and, once he takes over as the lead man in the middle, he can ...

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 ) London Fletcher, LB, WAS vs. PHI -- You gotta love a guy that saves one of his best performances for Week 16. The ageless wonder still has a little life left in those legs. Against the Eagles, Fletcher tallied 10 solo tackles, 2 assists, a pass defensed and a pick. At 37 years of age, he still finished the year as a top-15 LB in balanced scoring. We'll see if he can do it again next season. Julius Peppers, DE, CHI vs. ARI -- Peppers, too, decided to save the best for last. Considering everyone eats Cardinals QBs for breakfast, this should come as no surprise. Peppers exploded to the tune of 5 solos, 1 pass defensed, 1 interception and 3 sacks. It was a monster day that couldn't have come at a better time. He's a top-10 DL in balanced scoring leagues and with 12 sacks ranked even higher in big play leagues. Lawrence Timmons, LB, PIT vs. CIN -- Continuing the trend, Timmons broke out in Week 16 for 8 solo tackles, 2 assists and 2 sacks. Timmons was a low end LB2 this year with some boom-or-bust to his game. He'll be drafted as the same next season and has the potential to outperform his ADP. James Laurinaitis, LB, STL vs. TBB -- Also erupting for a season-best performance in Week 16 was James Laurinaitis. The young stud racked up 11 solo tackles, an assist, defended 2 passes and had 1 interception. He's rewarded his owners by finishing the fantasy season as the #2 overall IDP. Expect him to be one of the first off the board in drafts next season. Luke Kuechly, LB, CAR vs. OAK - The rookie rounds out a stellar group ...

We've played seven weeks of the 2012 National Football League season, and that means that for fantasy owners at least half of the regular season is in the books, with some teams chugging right along as others sputter and lurch. It also means that the push for the postseason is about to begin, as some squads jockey for playoff position while others scramble to keep their fading championship hopes alive. Injuries continue to take a toll on Individual Defensive Player (IDP) rosters no matter how good your team is, with linebackers Sean Lee of the Dallas Cowboys and London Fletcher of the Washington Redskins joining the growing list of prominent players at their position who are dinged up, so, taking that into consideration, here is a look at some players who should be available in the majority of fantasy football leagues. PICKUP OF THE WEEK Terrell Suggs, DE, Baltimore: The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year returned to action from his Achilles injury in Sunday's blowout loss to the Houston Texans, and things went better than anyone had dared hope. Suggs recorded four tackles, a sack and a pass defensed while playing more than half of Baltimore's defensive snaps. It's always possible he could re-aggravate the injury and with the Ravens on a bye this week, IDP owners looking to scoop up the 10th-year veteran are going to have to act now. Brian Robison, DE, Minnesota: Robison got off to a woefully slow start this season, with only one sack through his first six games. However, the floodgates opened for the sixth-year pro against the Arizona Cardinals, with Robison posting eight total tackles, three sacks and a forced fumble. You certainly can't expect that sort of explosion on a weekly basis, but for IDP owners in a bye week bind, Robison should at least make for a serviceable plug-and-play option Thursday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Kamerion Wimbley, DE, Tennessee: Big things were expected by both the Tennessee Titans and fantasy owners out of Wimbley this year. But the seventh-year veteran's struggles in making the switch to a 4-3 defensive end got him a pink slip in many IDP leagues. With that said, Wimbley had his best game of the year in Sunday's win over the Buffalo Bills with six total stops, a sack and a forced fumble. Given that the Bills weren't a favorable fantasy matchup, maybe Wimbley's big game is a sign that he's settling into his new position and better days are ahead for him. Bruce Carter, ILB, Dallas: The ...