Atlanta Falcons Most Important Player Re-Signed There was a four-week stretch early last season where running back Antone Smith outproduced both running backs ahead of him on the depth chart with a single touch of the ball. Smith provided the Falcons with instant offense from the position that has proven to be one of their weakest links the past few years. Smith, unfortunately, suffered a broken leg prematurely ending his season, then failed to generate interest from other teams once he hit free agency. With Steven Jackson now gone, second-year player Devonta Freeman will look to lead the Falcons run game but Smith returns to provide the spark if Freeman fails to provide one. Also re-signed – LB Kroy Biermann, WR Eric Weems, DB Charles Godfrey Biggest Loss The Falcons defense was in dire need of a rebuild and while they did address that side of the ball during free agency, they elected to not make linebacker Sean Weatherspoon part of their future. It’s tough to say the Falcons defense will be better off without Weatherspoon on the field, but staying on the field was always his biggest question mark. Also lost – RB Jacquizz Rodgers, WR Harry Douglas, DB Robert McClain, DL Corey Peters, DB Josh Wilson Most Important New Arrival While the Falcons turned the page on an injury-riddled defensive playmaker in Sean Weatherspoon, they obtained another one in defensive end Adrian Clayborn, who missed the entire season last year for Tampa Bay. The Falcons have had trouble over the years sustaining an adequate pass rush and if Clayborn returns to his 2013 form, he can easily be the most important addition to a defense that has tried to plug as many holes as possible this off-season. Also added – TE Jacob Tamme, LB Brooks Reed, DL O’Brien Schofield, LB Justin Durant, DB Philip Adams, OL Mike Person Carolina Panthers Most Important Player Re-Signed The Panthers only signed back two less than important depth players. Also re-signed – TE Ed Dickson, DT Dwan Edwards Biggest Loss Not so long ago the combo of Charles Johnson and Greg Hardy looked to threaten opposing quarterbacks in the NFC South for quite some time. Unfortunately for the Panthers defense, Hardy is no longer a part of the team as Carolina was faced with the decision to move on from a player they previously deemed a potential cornerstone of the franchise. Panthers ...

Forget about March Madness as the NFL has already staked it’s claim to this month with a frenzied start to free agency. Players are moving from team to team quicker than green beer will flow on St. Patty’s day. A week into free agency and it feels like we may have a minute to catch our breath before the wave of second-tier signings kick into high gear. Here is a quick-hitting look at some of the IDP signings so far that will most affect the fantasy football landscape in 2015. No, I am not addressing every single signing to date because not every single signing merits analysis. For the most part, if you don’t see a name covered here it means I don’t see his value going up or down enough on his new team to warrant addressing. Some of that may change as schemes and positions become solidified but as of now these are the signings that make me some…hmmmm. Ndamukong Suh, DT, MIAMI: The Dolphins landed the biggest fish in free agency (see what I did there) even if took a little extra time to get finalized. Suh remains an elite DT option for fantasy purposes and immediately raises the stock of both Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon. Kiko Alonso, ILB, PHILADELPHIA: As long as the knee checks out, the kid will definitely improve the Eagles defense. The presence of DeMeco Ryans could eat into his tackle totals so I'm not convinced that his fantasy stock goes up at all. Curtis Lofton, ILB, OAKLAND: Lofton may not be an upper echelon (or even middle echelon for that matter) NFL linebacker but he consistently puts up triple-digit tackle numbers. Yeah, we like that for fantasy purposes on a defense that figures to be on the filed a lot. Tramon Williams, CB, CLEVELAND: Williams should get tested a lot playing opposite Joe Haden and that should translate into some decent fantasy production. He has posted three or more interceptions in six of his last seven seasons. Sean Weatherspoon, ILB, ARIZONA: Don’t sleep on ‘Spoon’ this season as he figures to slot into Larry Foote’s role. Foote put up 84 total tackles last season and is 137 years old. Brandon Browner, CB, NEW ORLEANS: Unless your league awards points for penalties or suspensions, Browner is best left alone on fantasy draft day. He had six interceptions back in 2011 and has totaled five...

As thetemperatures continue to fall along with the dreaded snow here in Michigan, many are looking forward to warmer times when their closest friendis not the shovel. For my IDP brethren, that time will be the end of summerwhen fantasy draft day beckons. The lucky jerseys we don to help bring thatmojo needed for the perfect draft replace the layers of clothes we've worn allwinter long. Of course,the perfect draft requires the time and effort exerted during the winter monthsto stay ahead of our leaguemates. Finding the hidden gems who are poised tobreak out and landing them at a position of value come draft day. Sure thatpreamble was just a fancy way of saying that as the gray days of winter growcolder I will be passing the time by looking at a collection of IDP prospects whoI am particularly high on entering next season. There was nogroup of players more decimated by injuries and suspensions in 2014 than thelynchpin position of linebacker. It started in the preseason with the loss of Arizonastud inside linebacker Daryl Washington due to suspension. That newswas quickly followed by season ending injuries suffered by Sean Lee (Dallas), Kiko Alonso (Buffalo) and Sean Weatherspoon (Atlanta) before aregular season snap had even taken place. What ensuedwas a season marred by the loss of productive fantasy talent as knee injurieswould limit Cincinnati's tackling machine Vontaze Burfict to five gamesand Detroit's Stephen Tulloch would suit up for only three. Instead ofgiving you the complete list of linebackers who missed significant time (thatpiece would rival ‘War and Peace'), we will instead take a look at someyoungsters who will help IDP rosters in 2015. Hey. Whatcan I say? I am a glass half-full kind of guy. With the sunsetting on the careers of veteran weakside linebackers Lance Briggs and D.J.Williams in Chicago, there was a changing of the guard at the linebackerposition late last season. Undraftedrookie free agent Christian Jones out of Florida State found himselfstarting at weakside linebacker over the last three weeks of the season. Heplayed a three-down role for Chicago and put up 31 total tacklesfrom Weeks 15-17. Jones alsoregistered a sack in both Weeks 16 and 17 and was credited with a fumblerecovery, flashing the big play potential that IDP owners covet. A faileddrug test at the combine contributed to the athletic Jones being passed over inthe 2014 NFL Draft and allowing Chicago to grab a talented player for next tonothing. At 6-...

With the NFL playoffs underway, it is a time of reflection and rearrangement for many fantasy football owners. Another season has concluded and there are lessons and laments aplenty. There are, of course, many playoff formats of fantasy football to keep the juices flowing (including an excellent one here at Fantasy Sharks), and I do play in my share of those. For many fantasy enthusiasts it is not the same beast, and, like myself, their attention has already turned squarely towards 2014. With that in mind (and a lot of time on my hands being snowbound in Michigan) combined with an unhealthy obsession for Individual Defensive Player (IDP) football, here is an early look at some interesting names to keep on the radar heading into next season. This is a quick collection of names that I find coming up most frequently in my exchanges with fellow IDP junkies as we turn our collective attention to next season. Keep in mind that some of the players listed here are on teams that do not currently have head coaches or a definitive scheme that they will be playing in for 2014. While that certainly muddies the water a bit, we can still take a look at some IDP players who I feel are poised to be fantasy standouts in 2014. I'm taking a leap and figuring that if you are reading an article focused on next season in January that you share my obsession and realize that this is as fluid a list as you'll find this time of year. Paul Worrilow, MLB, Atlanta: This name comes as no surprise to IDP owners who picked him off the waiver wire early in 2013 and reaped the benefits. Worrilow may not always appear to be the best linebacker on the field but he posted an impressive 129 total tackles with two sacks in his rookie season. An injury to Sean Weatherspoon elevated the need for Atlanta to get Worrilow and fellow rookie linebacker Joplo Bartu on to the field and both performed admirably. With their glaring need for pressure creating defensive linemen off the edge, it's hard to see the Falcons looking to draft much linebacker help early. Both Worrilow and Bartu should have the chance to secure their positions heading into 2014. Audie Cole, MLB, Minnesota: Despite missing Week 17 with an ankle sprain that forced him to leave Week 16 after only five snaps, Cole announced himself on the IDP scene in 2013. Cole started in place of linebacker Erin Henderson and posted 42 total tackles from Weeks 12-15, with 25 of those stops being of the solo variety. Henderson is likely to ...

In the vast majority of IDP leagues, the sun has set. Week 16 brought with it the title game, a champion has been crowned and the season is over. However, there are some leagues that wait until Week 17 to hold their championship. It can be problematic, due mostly to teams who have clinched resting players, but who am I to judge? Especially since I'm playing in one myself. With one more game to be played there are folks out there looking for help, and that's where this week's abbreviated version of IDP Studs and Duds comes in. 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). Best of luck in your league's championship game! STUDS Justin Smith -- DE, San Francisco 49ers (at ARI): Smith had one of his better games of the season in last week's playoff clincher against Atlanta, the 34-year-old has a sack in two straight games, and the Cardinals have been a top-10 IDP matchup for defensive linemen this season. Muhammad Wilkerson -- DE, New York Jets (at MIA): Wilkerson has enjoyed a breakout third season, but hasn't logged a full sack in a month. Look for that dry spell to end this week against a Dolphins team that has surrendered the most sacks in the NFL in 2013. Joplo Bartu -- OLB, Atlanta Falcons (vs. CAR): With Sean Weatherspoon back on the shelf, Bartu is back in a three down role for the floundering Falcons. It led to a big game last week against the San Francisco 49ers, and there's little reason to think it won't again Sunday in another favorable IDP matchup with the Carolina Panthers. Moise Fokou -- MLB, Tennessee Titans (vs. HOU): Fokou may well be the least impressive three-down MIKE in the NFL, but that doesn't change the fact that even in a train-wreck season the Houston Texans have still been kind to opposing linebackers from an IDP perspective. Roman Harper -- SS, New Orleans Saints (vs. TB): The season-ending ankle injury suffered by rookie Kenny Vacarro thrusts Harper back into a full-time role at strong safety for the Saints in a must-win game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, making the veteran a solid IDP option in Week 17. Jim Leonhard -- SS, Buffalo Bills ...

This is it. The final week of the 2013 fantasy football season and congrats to all owners who took home the hardware this season. Oh yeah...we still have some stragglers that are finishing up their seasons this week. For the record, I am not a fan of Week 17 championships unless they are the second week of a two-part championship matchup. That being said, the crack staff here at ‘53 Deep' has put aside their Holiday Festivities to find the top sleeper candidates for week 17. For your enjoyment, here they are... LINEBACKERS Erin Henderson , MLB, MINNESOTA vs. Detroit: Henderson is back on the fantasy radar after starting MLB Audie Cole left Week 16 with an ankle sprain and has been ruled out for this week. Henderson stepped back in the middle last week and played 81 snaps and registered 12 total tackles and a forced fumble. He's a very nice start this week. Stephen Nicholas , WLB, ATLANTA vs. Carolina: Nicholas played 38 snaps last week against the 49ers as Sean Weatherspoon missed the game with a knee injury. Playing just 65.5% of the defensive snaps Nicholas finished with 11 total tackles along with a sack and pass defended. He's another player that when given the snaps will put up solid fantasy production. Look for the Falcons to find a way to keep Nicholas in the rotation even if Weatherspoon returns (which I'm not optimistic about). Mathias Kiwanuka , OLB, NEW YORK GIANTS vs. Washington: Ride the hot player here as Kiwanuka is coming off of his best performance of the season. He put up six total stops, two sacks as well as a forced fumble and pass defended against the Lions. Washington hasn't given up many sacks with Kirk Cousins at quarterback but neither had the Lions prior to last week. Vincent Rey , MLB, CINCINNATI vs. Baltimore: Monitor the practice reports out of Cincinnati this week. Starting WLB Vontaze Burfict must pass the league-mandated protocol for concussions to be able to play in Week 17. If he does not play, then Rey is an excellent plug-and-play option. In the last two games, Rey has played only 17 snaps in a situational role. On that snap count he has managed to put up four total tackles along with an interception returned for a touchdown as well as a sack and forced fumble. It's simple. He plays and he produces. If Burfict sits out then Rey could finish with top five LB numbers for the week. Shaun Phillips , OLB, DENVER at Oakland: With Von Miller lost for the season Phillips will once again be called upon to...

It's Paul Worrilow's world, and we're all just living in it. The undrafted rookie from Delaware is making a serious push to take home 2013 Individual Defensive Player (IDP) Waiver Wire Wonder of the Year award at the linebacker position. Over the last three games, Worrilow has tallied a staggering 54 total tackles. His 43 fantasy points in Fantasy Sharks Default IDP Scoring over that stretch ranks second among all linebackers. Even with Sean Weatherspoon back in the lineup in Week 11, Worrilow still played every defensive snap. If what defensive coordinator Mike Nolan told D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is any indication, that isn't going to change soon. "He's tackling people. He tackles well. Knock on wood that he keeps it up because he's done a good job." Worrilow is available in more than a few IDP leagues. He should not be. Pick him up. Here's a look at the rest of the best IDP waiver wire targets for Week 12. PICKUP OF THE WEEK (Not named Paul Worrilow) Brad Jones, ILB, Green Bay: Jones entered the 2013 season as a solid IDP LB2, but a severe hamstring pull cost the fifth-year veteran three games and trashed his fantasy production in three others. For the first time since Week 3, Jones looked to be back to his old self, posting 13 tackles (11 solo) and a sack. If the Jones owner in your league got impatient and dropped him, now is the time to take advantage. WEEK 12 IDP WAIVER WIRE TARGETS Gerald McCoy, DT, Tampa Bay: McCoy entered his fourth NFL season with high expectations, but nine weeks into the season he had only 20 tackles and two sacks. In the past two games alone, McCoy has had twice that many, including a dominant five-tackle, three sack effort against Atlanta in Week 11. I mentioned McCoy as a potential replacement for Geno Atkins a couple of weeks ago at IDP Manor , and since then the 25-year-old has emerged as easily the best option available to most IDP owners hard up at defensive tackle. Julius Peppers, DE, Chicago: Well, it appears that all the dirt I've been shoveling on Julius Peppers over the past few weeks from an IDP perspective may have been a tad premature. Peppers got off to a gosh-awful start to the 2013 campaign. However, the 33-year-old had one of his best games in years last week against Baltimore, notching 11 tackles and two sacks. That's two strong outings in three weeks from Peppers, but sandwiched between them was a one-tackle dud that serves as a reminder of just how risky Peppers...

It had to happen now. Injuries are a fact of life in the NFL and fantasy football. They pile up as the season wears on. However, the last thing that Individual Defensive Player (IDP) owners needed heading into a Week 8, where no fewer than six teams are taking the week off, is for a rash of injuries to suddenly strike the linebacker position. That's what they got. Houston's Brian Cushing is out for the season after breaking his leg against Kansas City. Chicago's Lance Briggs is out at least a month after suffering a fractured shoulder against Washington. Those injuries and this week's six-team siesta have left fantasy owners scrambling to plug the gaps in their lineups. Here's a look at some of the top options available for doing so. PICKUP OF THE WEEK Jon Bostic, MLB, Chicago Bostic was already in the starting lineup with the Bears due to a season-ending injury to veteran D.J. Williams, but a two-down role capped his IDP upside. Now, with Briggs on the shelf as well, the Bears will likely have little choice but to play the rookie in an every down capacity. Granted, with the Bears one of six teams taking this week off, Bostic is of little help to IDP owners right now, but for Briggs and Cushing owners in many leagues Bostic may represent the best consolation prize they're going to get. The youngster is a ferocious tackler and stout run defender, and if Bostic can hold his own in coverage he should see plenty of tackle opportunities with Briggs out. WEEK 7 WAIVER WIRE PICKUPS Star Lotulelei, DT, Carolina The waiver wire has been pretty bare on the defensive front this year, and Week 8 is certainly no exception. That could leave many owners in a bye week crunch looking for a player who can simply be a one week fill-in who will post at least so-so numbers. If you're in such a bind, consider Lotulelei. The rookie hasn't posted eye-popping numbers this season, but he is coming off a six-tackle effort against St. Louis heading into a Thursday night matchup with a Tampa Bay squad with no Doug Martin and a rookie quarterback in Mike Glennon. Jonathan Massaquoi, DE, Atlanta This is admittedly something of a "Hail Mary" call. However, Massaquoi, who took over at defensive end for the Falcons after Kroy Biermann went down, does have a couple things going for him. First, the second-year pro notched three tackles and half a sack in last week's win over Tampa Bay. Second, this week Massaquoi and the Falcons face the Swiss cheese Arizona offensive line. ...

It's Week 3 of the 2013 NFL season, and if there's one mantra IDP owners need to follow in the last week before the bye weeks begin, it's this: Don't panic. Yes, an 0-2 start is far from ideal. However, in the vast majority of IDP leagues it also isn't the end of the world, so don't go blowing that roster up just yet. There's still plenty of time to right the ship. At least, I hope there is, because most of my IDP teams decided that getting the snot kicked out of them would be a fun way to start the year. It's also too early to start freaking out and dropping underperforming IDP studs. Every year there are several prominent individual defensive players who get off to a slow start. Most of them end up getting their acts together and returning to the level of productivity we expected (or at least close to it). This isn't to say that there isn't cause for concern with players like Dallas Cowboys' linebacker Sean Lee , whose fantasy production appears to have been negatively impacted by the new scheme in Dallas. The leash gets shorter the shallower the league, but panic drops will come back to bite you in the butt as often as not. Through two games last year, Miami Dolphins defensive end Cameron Wake had four tackles and no sacks. He ended the year with 15 sacks. Just saying. Now, onto this week's recommendations. 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 week are greater than usual). Let's get this show on the road! STUDS Michael Johnson, DE, Cincinnati (vs. Green Bay): The talented trio of Johnson, defensive tackle Geno Atkins and fellow end Carlos Dunlap have gotten off to a sluggish start in 2013. However, the stage would appear to be set for them to pick up the pace in Week 3, as no quarterback in the NFL was sacked more last year than Aaron Rodgers . Cameron Jordan, DE, New Orleans (vs. Arizona): The Arizona Cardinals allowed an eye-popping 58 sacks in 2012. The more things change, the more they stay the same it would appear, as through two games the Cardinals are allowing the most fantasy points per game to defensive linemen. That bodes very well for Jordan's IDP prospects this week. Brian...

Welcome to Week 3 of the '53 Deep' Individual Defensive Player (IDP) sleepers article. Through two weeks we can safely assume one thing in the IDP world ... ASSUME nothing! After playing more than 60 snaps and posting double-digit tackles in Week 1, San Diego linebacker Bront Bird played six snaps in Week 2. Yes, six snaps. There is neither rhyme nor reason to why things happen in IDP leagues (other than, hey it's the Chargers), and as confounding as it can be, it is honestly one of the reasons I love IDP formats. It's also why I love writing this column each and every week because it is akin to Rocky Balboa chasing that chicken in preparation for his rematch with Apollo Creed. The IDP landscape is tricky and constantly shifting and it is so satisfying when we catch ahold of that sweet sleeper choice that propels a team to victory. With that in mind ... LINEBACKERS Joplo Bartu, OLB, ATLANTA at Miami: Bartu saw 63 snaps last week due to the injury suffered by Sean Weatherspoon and finished with six solo tackles as well as a quarterback hurry. Do not sweat the signings of Omar Gaither and Jamar Chaney as they are depth players and Bartu is going to play three downs for the Falcons this week. Miami is a top-five opponent in allowing points to the linebacker position, so Bartu could not fall into a better fantasy situation. He's athletic, and, in watching his performance last week and in the preseason, seems to have a nose for the football. Grab him and insert as a starter right away. Geno Hayes, SLB, JACKSONVILLE at Seattle: Surprisingly, Hayes has played every defensive snap for the Jaguars through two weeks. He's amassed 14 total tackles (11 solos) and defended a pass. This week should be an excellent one for all the Jacksonville fantasy linebacker options and Hayes will get his share. Seattle will pound the ball early with Marshawn Lynch and then most likely late as they sit on a big lead with Robert Turbin. That means a big day tackle wise for Hayes as a three down linebacker. Demario Davis, ILB, NEW YORK JETS vs. Buffalo: Davis finally has been given his chance to be an every down player for the Jets and has responded with 14 total tackles through two games. The Bills will look to get C.J. Spiller on track early in this game and that will give Davis plenty of tackle opportunities. Davis has also been credited with four quarterback hurries this season and there is the chance that he gets a sack this week. Big play numbers could help vault him...