Will Smith Fantasy News

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2 Hrs New Orleans Saints Comment

Will Smith was running with the Saints' first-team defense at outside linebacker in OTAs this week.

Smith and Martez Wilson were with the ones, while Junior Galette and Victor Butler were with the twos. As we pointed out days ago, this attempt by the Saints to move 6-foot-3, 282-pound Smith to stand-up edge rusher is quite comical. Galette and Butler are younger and much more talented at this stage of their respective careers. Smith, due $3 million, is a candidate to be released.

Will Smith LB NO

3 Days New Orleans Saints Comment

Saints GM Mickey Loomis says Will Smith will start off at outside linebacker in OTAs.

Will Smith LB NO

2 Months New Orleans Saints Comment

Saints DE Will Smith took a $6 million pay cut to stay with the team.

His base salary was chopped from $9 million to $3 million. Smith essentially now has a two-year, $14.4 million contract, though in 2014 his salary skyrockets to $10.4 million. Smith will be 33 then, so 2013 will almost certainly be his last season in New Orleans. Smith's pass-rush ability has evaporated.

Will Smith LB NO

3 Months New Orleans Saints Comment

As expected, the Saints have asked DE Will Smith to accept a "big pay reduction" in salary for 2013.

Smith is owed $10.15 million in including salary and bonuses. The Saints might not take him back at half of that price. New Orleans is transitioning to a 3-4 defense, and Smith has been a base 4-3 end his entire career. In all likelihood, Smith is going to be released, saving the Saints salary cap space.

Will Smith LB NO

4 Months New Orleans Saints Comment

The New Orleans Times-Picayune considers DE Will Smith and LB Jonathan Vilma poor fits for the Saints' new 3-4 defense.

"They might not be part of the Saints' future plans," writes Mike Triplett. Smith and Vilma are almost certain to be cap casualties this offseason. Their diminishing skills couple with their inflated salaries is the perfect recipe for release. Smith is due $10.15 million in total for 2013, while Vilma is set to earn $6 million in the final year of his deal.

Will Smith LB NO

5 Months New Orleans Saints Comment

The New Orleans Times-Picayune considers Saints DE Will Smith and LB Jonathan Vilma both likely to be released in the offseason unless they are amenable to "substantial pay cuts."

Both players are on the wrong side of 30, and due a combined $15.9 million in 2013. Vilma has made little impact as he's played through New Orleans' never-ending bounty drama, while Smith has graded out as one of the worst 4-3 ends in the league in Pro Football Focus' ratings. If either is back with the Saints in 2013, it will be at a substantially-reduced salary.

IDP Waiver Wire - Week 12 (fantasysharks.com)

6 Months Keith Brooking LB DEN, D. J. Williams LB CHI, Will Smith LB NO Comment

We've made it to Week 12 of the 2012 NFL season. That means that thankfully the bye weeks are finally in the rearview mirror, and Individual Defensive Player (IDP) owners no longer have to deal with patching holes in their lineups caused by players taking a one-week siesta.

However, that doesn't mean that there aren't still holes to be plugged, as injuries and lack of production leave fantasy owners scrambling to field a lineup that can get their squads a much needed victory and into the fantasy postseason.

Unfortunately, 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. With that said, 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 merit consideration.

PICKUP OF THE WEEK

DeAndre Levy, OLB, Detroit: The fourth-year pro missed time earlier in the season with a hamstring injury, but Levy returned to the lineup two weeks ago against the Minnesota Vikings and has been fairly productive, notching 14 total tackles over that stretch. Granted, that production is far from eye-popping, but Levy and the Lions face a Houston Texans team on Thanksgiving that is among the NFL leaders in tackle opportunities allowed, making him worth a look as a Week 12 matchup play.

Ahtyba Rubin, DT, Cleveland: After notching 80-plus tackles each of the past two seasons, Rubin was one of top players selected in fantasy leagues this year, but a calf injury and long layoff led to Rubin being cut loose in many IDP leagues. However, the fifth-year pro was back in the lineup Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, and, after logging six total tackles and a sack, Rubin will be working his way back onto many IDP rosters as well, especially in leagues that require defensive tackles.

Will Smith, DE, New Orleans: It's been a very tumultuous 2012 season for New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith, who was one of the players engulfed in the "Bountygate" scandal. The ninth-year veteran has been on something of a hot streak of late, tallying 13 total tackles and three sacks over the past three games, and, given how little remains on the waiver wire along the defensive front at this point in the year, that sort of production more than makes the 31-year-old worth a pickup.

D.J. Williams, LB, Denver: After being suspended for the first nine...