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Underrated/Overrated: An Early Look at 2013 IDP Rankings (fantasysharks.com)
15 Days Tamba Hali LB KC, Ryan Kerrigan LB WAS, Terrell Suggs LB BAL, Justin Tuck DL NYG, Stephen Tulloch LB DET Comment

"The rankings are here! The rankings are here!" In the grand tradition of Navin R. Johnson and his excitement over the newly published phone books, I am giddy with excitement that post-draft Individual Defensive Player (IDP) rankings are beginning to crop up.

If that reference is throwing you, I can only assume you have yet to see the cinematic classic, "The Jerk." If that's the case, you must immediately go rent, borrow or Netflix it and enjoy. Seriously, go now ... I'll wait. Done? OK, you're welcome.

One of the many joys fantasy football brings is the chance to discuss and dissect the latest rankings with our league mates, friends or even strangers on the streets (I'm not going to lie, that last one has gotten me some sideways glances).

While standing around the virtual water cooler recently and having one such discussion with a peer in the IDP community (as well as a friend I daresay), it occurred to me that maybe some other folks out there may enjoy our thoughts and ideas on these initial ranks. If not enjoy then at least be enraged by and either way it gets the IDP fantasy juices flowing ... a win/win.

If you play IDP football and are not acquainted with Joe Buccalleto and FantasyleagueGM, you should be. He is what I would deem an IDP savant, and when he has something to say that's IDP related, my radar goes up. We recently bounced some underrated and overrated names that jumped out in some of the most recent IDP rankings off of each other.

In the same vein as one of those awesome "Law and Order" episodes that crossed over with "Homicide Life on the Street," here are those players.

We will start with Buccalleto's thoughts:

Underrated

Justin Tuck, DE, N.Y. Giants: Formerly a premier fantasy defensive lineman, Tuck has suffered through consecutive subpar seasons. However, I'm not ready to dismiss him. Injuries have caused his play to lag, but he's only 30 years old. I'd rather add him to my team and hope for a rebound. If Tuck is washed up, useful linemen are easy to find on the waiver wire.

Patrick Willis, ILB, San Francisco: Willis was injured in 2011, and suffered through a "down" year in 2012. The presence of NaVorro Bowman in San Francisco and sexier, younger linebackers around the league have caused Willis' value to drop. In reality, his worst games were Week 13 (four solo tackles) and Week 1 (four solo tackles, two assists). That's his floor! Just like the NFL draft, you don't hit home runs in Round 1. You want safe, productive...

Terrell Suggs LB BAL
2 Months Baltimore Ravens Comment

Ravens OLB Terrell Suggs calls new addition Elvis Dumervil the first "dominant pass rusher" he's ever been paired with.

"He is a phenomenal pass rusher and I have not had a chance to play alongside another dominant pass rusher," Suggs said. Whether intentional or not, it's a shot at departed OLB Paul Kruger. Even at 30 years of age, Dumervil is a clear upgrade on Suggs. After seeing what Kruger accomplished opposite Suggs last season, expectations should be high for Dumervil's 2013.

Terrell Suggs LB BAL
3 Months Baltimore Ravens Comment

Terrell Suggs is not planning to have surgery on his torn right biceps.

Suggs suffered the injury in Week 13 and missed just one game. The Ravens had been seeking a second opinion on the arm earlier this week, so they must have received good news. Suggs, 31 next season, will be counted on to return to his dominant self as a pass rusher with Paul Kruger likely leaving via free agency.

Terrell Suggs LB BAL
3 Months Baltimore Ravens Comment

The Ravens have sought a second opinion on a biceps injury suffered by OLB Terrell Suggs on December 2.

The injury cost Suggs just one game -- and he returned to become force in the playoffs -- but offseason surgery to repair the potential tear is a "legitimate possibility." With Paul Kruger seeming likely to depart via free agency, the Ravens will be counting on Suggs as their primary pass rusher in 2013.

Terrell Suggs LB BAL
4 Months Baltimore Ravens Comment

The Baltimore Sun mentions OLB Terrell Suggs and DT Haloti Ngata as potential restructure candidates.

Suggs carries a $13.02 million cap hit in 2013 and has two years left on his contract, while Ngata has an $11.5 million cap hit on the books for 2013 with three years left on his deal. Both players would likely get extensions if a restructuring occurred. GM Ozzie Newsome is going to have a lot on his plate after the Super Bowl.

Terrell Suggs LB BAL
4 Months Baltimore Ravens Comment

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said that Terrell Suggs is starting to look more like the dominating player he was prior to sustaining his Achilles injury.

"He's getting better," Harbaugh said. "He's becoming quicker, faster, more explosive - all of those things. You can tell that it's healing. He's just playing more like a normal 100 percent Terrell Suggs would play." After missing the first seven weeks of the regular season on the PUP list and playing through a torn right biceps since early December, Suggs has been noticeably more effective in the playoffs and had seven tackles in the Ravens' AFC championship win over Patriots. Suggs isn't in any danger of missing the Super Bowl despite being listed as questionable in the injury report.

Terrell Suggs LB BAL
5 Months Baltimore Ravens Comment

Terrell Suggs' aggravated his surgically-repaired right Achilles in Sunday's victory over the Colts.

The injury wasn't enough to take Suggs out of the game, however. "My Achilles started acting up, and it felt pretty bad, but I was like, '[Forget] that,'" Suggs said. "I wasn't going to let a repaired tendon steal our glory. ... And we had to make sure we did this for [Ray Lewis]." Suggs has taken a backseat to Paul Kruger as a pass rusher of late.

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