Mason Foster, Zach Brown Expected To Be Healthy For Camp rotoballer.com Tue 7/17/18 8:28 AM

Washington Redskins linebackers Mason Foster (shoulder) and Zach Brown (foot) are both expected to be fully healthy for the start of training camp. Foster separated his shoulder in [...]

2015 NFL Mock Draft 2.0 fantasysharks.com Mon 3/23/15 7:30 AM

1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jameis Winston (QB) Florida St. Important Free Agency Moves: Signed: - Bruce Carter (LB) - Major Wright (SS) - Henry Melton (DL) - Chris Conte (FS) Departures: - Michael Johnson (DE) - Anthony Collins (OL) - Mason Foster (LB) The Buccaneers were quiet on Day 1 of free agency, unlike 2014, and methodically went after people that fit their defensive scheme. They have the pieces on offense with Mike Evans, Vincent Jackson, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and a young running back corps. They desperately need to fix the offensive line, which will be a priority as free agency continues and in the early rounds of the draft. The Buccaneers need a “Face of the Franchise” and find it with their No. 1 overall pick. We all know that his off-the-field issues could make it tough for him make it in the NFL. On the field, he is the best prospect at QB for the 2015 draft. He has the strength, accuracy, and confidence in his throwing to be a solid pocket passer at the next level. He has the ability to “lead his receivers open” and create an easier catch situation for his target. On tape and the combine, he looked great. He has the physical attributes of a franchise-type quarterback. Rumor has it that he nailed the combine interviews and has a high football IQ. Lovie Smith has been to a Super Bowl with Rex Grossman, who is an average quarterback at best. Lovie makes this pick, lets Koetter (who coached Matt Ryan) mold him into a capable starter, and works...

53 Deep - Week 17 fantasysharks.com Thu 12/25/14 11:30 AM

It is Week17 and we will have a slightly abbreviated (three players at each position)version of the "53 Deep" article for a few reasons. First andforemost, it is Week 17! Your championship should have been decided last week! Secondly, itis a bit of a hectic week and spending time with friends and family takesprecedence. Fantasy football is a wonderful thing but family trumps all myfriends. Thirdly ... itis Week 17! Tell your commissioner that the title game needs to be moved up aweek. OK ... enoughof my feelings on Week 17 and let's get to this week's selections to help lead IndividualDefensive Player (IDP) teams to victory! LINEBACKERS DannyLansanah, ILB, TAMPA BAY vs. New Orleans (48): When he plays he produces and itlooks like Mason Foster will be out this week. Lansanah has racked up 79tackles along with three interceptions and returned two of them for touchdownsthis season. Koa Misi,ILB, MIAMI vs.New York Jets (54): The Jets have allowed 25 tackles per game to linebackersalong with 12½ sacks this season. In the first game between the teams Misifinished with 13 total tackles and a sack. JamesThomas, ILB, JACKSONVILLE at Houston (49): Houston loves to pound the rock and havegiven up 82 tackles to linebackers in the last three games. Thomas will be onthe field plenty this week and have opportunities to rack up numbers. DEFENSIVELINEMEN GeorgeSelvie, DE, DALLAS atWashington (47): Washington has allowed 16 sacks in its last five games. Selvieis behind the pace he set a year ago but should take full advantage of thisfavorable matchup. VinnyCurry, DE, PHILADELPHIA at New York Giants (50): In the Week 6 meeting betweenthe teams Curry had two sacks while playing only 27 snaps. We like him to haveanother big week against a Giants offensive line that can get leaky at times. WallaceGilberry, DE, CINCINATTI at Pittsburgh (46): Gilberry has been credited with 36quarterback hurries and 13 hits according to Pro Football Focus this season. Look for him to cash in on thatpressure this week while adding to his 47 total tackles this season. DEFENSIVEBACKS GloverQuin, FS, DETROIT atGreen Bay (55): Quin leads the league in interceptions and has racked up 64total tackles. He will be very busy this week against Green Bay. He belongs inlineups. Da'NorrisSearcy, SS, BUFFALO atNew England (50): Searcy returned after missing most of Week 14 and Week 15 toplay 66 snaps last week. He put up nine solo stops on his way to 11 totaltackles. He's a willing run ...

IDP Sleepers - Week 14 fantasysharks.com Fri 12/6/13 8:45 AM

Cue Nazareth's "Hair of the Dog" because it is time for some playoff football, folks! If you are unfamiliar with the song then we'll take a second and let you Google it. Go ahead ... we'll wait. Nice, eh? Now you know the actual name of a song you've always liked. Speaking of liking things. Nothing fires up the crack staff of the '53 Deep' article like playoff football. Well, we do get pretty excited about custard filled donuts with chocolate on top and catching the occasional mouse but playoff football still rules the roost. With that in mind we steam ahead into the fantasy football playoffs with a "Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose." mentality (what can I say, I still miss Friday Night Lights). Here we go ... LINEBACKERS Craig Robertson, ILB, Cleveland at New England: The Patriots have been very generous in allowing fantasy points to linebackers of late. Over their last four games New England has allowed 130 total tackles (73 solo), five sacks and four forced fumbles to linebackers. Robertson has practiced on a limited basis this week and is hopeful to play in this juicy matchup. Robertson is solid against the run (65 total tackles) and has also racked up three sacks, flashing some big play potential. If Robertson can't go this week, grab and insert teammate Darius Eubanks, who is likely to get the start in his place. Manti Te'o, ILB, San Diego vs. New York Giants: Te'o has played 80 percent of the defensive snaps the last three games and faces a Giants team that is very fantasy friendly. Over the past three weeks the Giants are the fourth-most generous team in giving up points to linebackers. Te'o has put up six solo stops in the last two games and will have plenty of tackle opportunities. New York has allowed 51 solo tackles and five sacks in their last three tilts. As always there will be the chance for big plays as quarterback Eli Manning has turned the ball over 20 times. David Hawthorne, ILB, New Orleans vs. Carolina: Throw out last week's debacle against Seattle as the Saints defense was a dumpster fire. They are back at home this week and facing a Carolina offense that has given up very nice numbers to linebackers. Tampa Bay linebackers Lavonte David and Mason Foster combined for 18 tackles last week, and two weeks ago Philip Wheeler and Dannell Ellerbe had 15 combined stops. Hawthorne and Curtis Lofton will both post excellent fantasy totals this week and deserve a start. Jason Worilds, OLB, Pittsburgh vs. Miami: Ride the hot hand ...

Way Down Yonder: An IDP Breakdown of the NFC South fantasysharks.com Tue 8/13/13 6:00 AM

Football is back! The Hall of Fame game officially kicked off the preseason schedule last week. While Lamar Miller owners sweat a little (don't worry, he has zero opposition to take his starting role as long as the ankle holds up), the rest of us trumpet the return of the game we love. The NFC South will be a fun division to watch from an Individual Defensive Player (IDP) standpoint as some premier linebacking talent highlights a division full of interesting prospects. The New Orleans Saints will look to regain their lofty status after a disastrous 2012 campaign and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have revamped their secondary from top to bottom. The Atlanta Falcons remain the team to beat in the division and will look to hold off the upstart Carolina Panthers along with their other division rivals. Let's head down south to figure out just what we can expect to see from an IDP perspective. LINEBACKERS 1. Luke Kuechly, MLB, Carolina: It took Kuechly until Week 5 of his rookie season to ascend to the every down middle linebacker position, and once he did it was all over. The Panthers have their middle linebacker of the present and future as Kuechly finished the year with 165 total tackles (103 solo). He also chipped in a sack, two interceptions and eight passes defended. He is the No. 1 overall fantasy linebacker for 2013 and an elite level talent. 2. Lavonte David, WLB, Tampa Bay: David posted a whopping 112 solo stops as a rookie and is a tackling machine. Down the stretch he also flashed some big play ability. In the season's final five weeks he posted two sacks and an interception. David will only improve in his second season and could finish among the top 5 scorers in 2013. Another top-tier LB1 prospect for the NFC South. 3. Sean Weatherspoon, WLB, Atlanta : An ankle injury caused Weatherspoon to miss three games last season and he still managed to post 96 total stops. He's the anchor of the linebacker corps in Atlanta and a three down weakside linebacker, which spells fantasy goodness. He's currently nursing a badly dislocated finger but should be good to go for the season opener. Look for triple-digit tackles with two or three sacks and a low-end LB2 or better finish in 2013 for Weatherspoon. 4. Curtis Lofton, MLB, New Orleans: All Lofton does is post very good tackle numbers year after year. He racked up another 123 total tackles last season on a horrendous Saints defense and has averaged 123 tackles (86 solos) per season over his five years in ...

Primed to Shine - LBs Ready to Break Out in 2013 fantasysharks.com Sat 1/26/13 12:00 PM

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 ...

IDP Sleepers - Week 13 fantasysharks.com Fri 11/30/12 9:06 AM

This is it! Week thirteen is upon us and it is do or die time for many fantasy owners. One last chance to pull out a victory and propel their teams into the playoffs and as we all know, you can't win the trophy if you aren't in the dance. A season's worth of tough decisions, working the waiver wire, and wheeling and dealing has all led up to this week. Whether you've cemented a playoff spot and are playing for the highest possible seed or scratching and clawing for that last position in the postseason this is the week to let it all hang out. Injuries, benching's and outright releases have been coming in waves this season and have altered the landscape of IDP leagues drastically. Teams that are still in contention for the playoffs are a testament to an IDP owner's perseverance and guile. These are the players that can help lead teams to week thirteen victories and start that glorious run to the championship! LINEBACKERS Ernie Sims, ILB, DALLAS, vs. PHILADELPHIA: With middle linebacker Bruce Carter suffering an elbow injury in last weeks game against Washington, Sims sees an uptick in fantasy value. Ideally, we could morph Sims and fellow ILB Dan Connor into one player who would actually be a very nice fantasy player. Forced to pick between the two, Sims looks to see more snaps as he is better in coverage and has posted 22 total tackles in his five games for the Cowboys. The Eagles will be looking to unleash rookie running back Bryce Brown again this week and Sims will put up nice fantasy numbers. Jo-Lonn Dunbar, WLB, ST LOUIS, vs. SAN FRANCISCO: Dunbar is coming off of a double-digit tackle performance last week against Arizona and has posted 69 total tackles for the season. While he only put up five combined tackles in the first meeting with San Francisco, Dunbar will be active in stopping second year quarterback Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers potent rushing attack. Ride the hot hand as Dunbar has 29 tackles in the last four games and get him in fantasy lineups. Michael Boley, WLB, NEW YORK GIANTS, at WASHINGTON: Boley is leading the Giants in total tackles with 68 and has added half a sack to his season stats. He also has flashed excellent big play potential with three interceptions and a defensive touchdown scored. In the first matchup with the Redskins he posted an impressive ten total tackles and should enjoy similar numbers in week thirteen. He is solid against the run and more than holds his own in coverage making him a three down linebacker ...

IDP CHUTES AND LADDERS: Post-Draft Edition fantasysharks.com Fri 5/4/12 8:40 AM

The 2012 NFL Draft is in the books, and from the sixth overall pick (LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne) to the 249th pick (South Carolina defensive tackle Travian Robertson) more than 100 of college football's top defensive players now call the National Football League home. Here's a look at how the NFL landing spots of some of the nation's top defensive rookies impacts their fantasy football fortunes for both the upcoming season and beyond, including some players who are climbing up Individual Defensive Player (IDP) draft boards and others who have seen their fantasy value take a kick in the teeth. UP THE LADDER Andre Branch, DE, Jacksonville: The Clemson standout may have been sucked into the fourth circle of NFL hell, but for this year at least Branch's selection by Jacksonville with the 38th overall pick was just about a best case scenario so far as his fantasy football value goes. One of the few "tweener" ends to catch on with a team running a 4-3 defense, Branch should see significant playing time from the get-go playing opposite Jeremy Mincey for the Jaguars, and while it's risky to expect too much from rookie defensive linemen, Branch is the early favorite to lead first-year defensive linemen in fantasy points in 2012. Chandler Jones, DE, New England : The Patriots traded up (yes, up) to the 21st overall selection to select Jones, who didn't post eye-popping stats at Syracuse but who had steadily been climbing draft boards of late. Jones, who NFL Network Draft Analyst Mike Mayock called "the best defensive player in the draft," is expected to slide into the "elephant" pass rusher role that Willie McGinest made famous in New England. That also produced a Top 12 season in fantasy points per game for Andre Carter last year, and that coupled with the early playing time he'll see thanks to Carter and Mark Anderson's departure should portend IDP DL3 value in redraft leagues if he's classified as a defensive lineman. Lavonte David, LB, Tampa Bay : David paced the Nebraska defense with 133 tackles last year, and the Blackshirts standout fell into what could be the most-favorable short-term situation of any rookie linebacker. If the 6-foot-1, 233-pounder can show the Buccaneers, who drafted him with the 58th overall pick, that he can hold up inside, he should have little trouble beating out journeyman Quincy Black and second-year disappointment Mason Foster for the starting job at middle linebacker. Were David to carve out a role in the nickel ...

IDP Cheatsheet: Week 17 fantasysharks.com Thu 12/29/11 5:20 AM

It's Week 17 of the 2011 National Football League season, and while the majority of IDP leagues were wrapped up a week ago there's still one more game to go in some leagues, and it's for all the proverbial marbles. To help you prepare for this very important week's action here's a look at my Top 30 defensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs for Week Seventeen 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.) Jason Pierre-Paul - NYG vs DAL 2.) Jared Allen - MIN vs CHI 3.) Terrell Suggs - BAL at CIN 4.) Jason Babin - PHI vs WAS 5.) Julius Peppers - CHI at MIN 6.) Elvis Dumervil - DEN vs KC 7.) Trent Cole - PHI vs WAS 8.) Justin Tuck - NYG vs DAL 9.) Chris Clemons - SEA at ARI 10.) Justin Smith - SF at STL 11.) Robert Mathis - IND at JAX 12.) Calais Campbell - ARI vs SEA 13.) Chris Long - STL vs SF 14.) Will Smith - NO vs CAR 15.) Jeremy Mincey - JAX vs IND 16.) Cliff Avril - DET at GB 17.) Greg Hardy - CAR at NO 18.) Haloti Ngata - BAL at CIN 19.) Jabaal Sheard - CLE vs PIT 20.) J.J. Watt - HOU vs TEN 21.) Darnell Dockett - ARI vs SEA 22.) Kyle Vanden Bosch - DET at GB 23.) Ndamukong Suh - DET at GB 24.) Brandon Deaderick - NE vs BUF 25.) Michael Johnson - CIN vs BAL 26.) Charles Johnson - CAR at NO 27.) Israel Idonije - CHI at MIN 28.) James Hall - STL vs SF 29.) John Abraham - ATL vs TB 30.) Geno Atkins - CIN vs BAL LINEBACKERS 1.) London Fletcher - WAS at PHI 2.) Derrick Johnson - KC at DEN 3.) Ray Lewis - BAL at CIN 4.) D'Qwell Jackson - CLE vs PIT 5.) Navorro Bowman - SF at STL 6.) James Laurinaitis - STL vs SF 7.) Curtis Lofton - ATL vs TB 8.) Nick Barnett - BUF at NE 9.) Pat Angerer - IND at JAX 10.) Colin McCarthy - TEN at HOU 11.) Daryl Washington - ARI vs SEA 12.) Jerod Mayo - NE vs BUF 13.) Karlos Dansby - MIA vs NYJ 14.) Desmond Bishop - GB vs DET 15.) David Hawthorne - SEA at ARI 16.) Sean Lee - DAL at NYG 17.) Paul Posluszny - JAX vs IND 18.) Chad Greenway - MIN vs CHI 19.) DeMarcus Ware - DAL at NYG 20.) Brian Urlacher - CHI at MIN 21.) Sean Weatherspoon - ATL vs TB 22.) David Harris - NYJ at MIA 23.) James...

IDP Studs and Duds: Week 10 fantasysharks.com Fri 11/11/11 9:00 AM

As I sit down to write this article the first Thursday night contest of the season is underway (Thursday games should be for Thanksgiving....period), which means that the bye weeks are almost in the rearview and it's time to gear up for the fantasy football gauntlet that is the stretch run. No byes this week, so IDP owners have every bullet in their roster arsenals. The key now is to avoid shooting yourself in the fantasy foot with a bad lineup choice. That said here's a look at some players you should give serious consideration to getting into your lineups or who could outperform expectations (Studs) and some that, for whatever reason, you may want to consider leaving alone, or at least take into account that they may be a relative disappointment this week (Duds). STUDS Jason Babin -- DE, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. ARI): After being shut out in the sack column by the Bears last Monday night Babin and the Eagles defensive front is going to come out angry and looking to take it out on John Skelton and the Redbirds Sunday. Marcell Dareus -- DT, Buffalo Bills (at DAL): The rookie has 13 total stops and 2.5 sacks over his past three games and gets a favorable matchup this week with a Dallas Cowboys team that has had its' share of issues with pass protection. Jabaal Sheard -- DE, Cleveland Browns (vs. STL): No team in the National Football League has surrendered more sacks this year than the St. Louis Rams, which bodes well for Sheard, Ahtyba Rubin, and Co. this week. Karlos Dansby -- ILB, Miami Dolphins (vs. WAS): Dansby has been on fire of late and should continue that hot streak against a Washington Redskins squad that has allowed the third most fantasy points per game to opposing linebackers this season. Jo-Lonn Dunbar -- MLB, New Orleans Saints (at ATL): Starter Jonathan Vilma hasn't practiced all week, so it looks like another game as the every-down MLB for Dunbar in a big divisional matchup with the Falcons. Mason Foster -- MLB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. HOU) The rookie MIKE should have plenty of opportunities to produce playing every down against the Texans, who allow the second most tackle opportunities per game in the league. Terrence McGee -- CB, Buffalo Bills (at DAL): The ninth-year veteran has averaged better than seven tackles a game over the past three weeks and should be plenty busy covering Dallas wide receiver Dez Bryant this week. Charlie Peprah -- SS, Green Bay Packers (vs. MIN): It's been Peprah, and not the more heralded Morgan Burnett,...