I have to tell you, I’m sick of the pre-season. It feels like the Hall of Fame game was about 3 months ago. How many days of camp do these guys need? They train year-round, for crying out loud. Injuries abound. We’re deluged with information that’ll be completely irrelevant by Sept 14th. Enough already! But I need to get in on this meaningless speculation, so here’s my ALL IDP TEAM for those of you in comprehensive and tackle-based scoring systems this season. Comprehensive Leagues: DE: Super Mario DT: Double Yuck – I’ll go retro with Kevin Williams DE: Julius Peppers LB: Karlos Dansby LB: Patrick Willis LB: Demeco Ryans LB: Kirk Morrison S: Kerry Rhodes – big bounce back gives him a slight edge over A-Wilson, who needs to stay healthy S: Sean Jones CB: Richard Marshall CB: Antonio Cromartie Tackle-Based Leagues: DE: Justin Tuck DT: Jovan Haye DE: Aaron Schobel LB: Patrick Willis LB: Demeco Ryans LB: David Harris LB: D’Qwell Jackson edging Paul Posluszny S: Gibril Wilson S: Adrian Wilson CB: Darrelle Revis CB: Nate Clements - DL I have high on the projections that I’m a bit worried about: Tamba Hali - I doubt I’d have him this high (No. 14) if he weren’t a guy I thought would be an impact player since college). - LB I have high ...

  I recently completed the Guru IDP Top 100 for the Magazine (posted in the IDP Section of the Homepage) so there will be quite a few posts discussing the players on the list, those that just missed, and those I never considered.   But first, I noticed two major differences between this list and those from recent years: Before finalizing the list I had to convince myself that my No. 11 ranked player was worthy to carry the torch for the “Next 10” best picks (the Top 10 guys all pass the name test quite easily) There’s a narrow gap between the 2nd, 3rd, and even some of the 4th Tier LB entering the ’08 season   The aforementioned No. 11 ranked player is Vikings LB E.J. Henderson. I won’t get into his candidacy here (we’d prefer you buy the Magazine or, short of that, keep your Web subscription and read the column!) but at No. 11, I’m basically saying E.J. should be the second, and for a few leagues, the first defensive player you select.   Jump down the list to No. 44 and you’ll see the name Antonio Pierce.  How can Henderson rank 33 spots higher (16 LB are ranked between the two) than ...

Rookie DL to Target   Though DE/DT is not generally a productive fantasy position for rookies, there have been a few notable exceptions. For every Jamal Anderson there’s a Jevon Kearse; for every Dewayne Robertson there’s a Dana Stubblefield. You've heard of a "diamond in the rough," well rookie DL drafting is akin to finding a diamond (mine) after your tee-shot slices 200 feet east. Here's an early look: Potential Impact DT that could start Week One: Glenn Dorsey (DT, KC) – Should beat out Hard Knocks stars Tank Tyler and Turk McBride. This would actually help me immensely as I get them confused every time I try to rank them…   Sedrick Ellis (DT, NO) – The oft-injured Brian Young and the oft-tired Hollis Thomas are the incumbent starters inside. Both will play key roles. Both have an upside that pales in comparison to the explosive Ellis. Andre Fluellen (DT, Det) – Fluellen might have been among the top 10 picks had he played at Florida State when the players still received, um, coaching. DT incumbents are Cory Redding (he of the huge 2006 and even bigger contract in 2007) and FA acquisition Chuck Darby. I like Fluellen to start at some point in September over ...

  Possible Early Impact IDP Rounds 2-4: Linebackers: Dan Connor (LB, Car) – Assuming he wouldn’t end up on a completely stacked LB roster I felt he was the No. 1 IDP option entering the draft. Presto!   Curtis Lofton (LB, Atl) – Meet the Falcons new two-down MLB (allowing veteran LB Keith Brooking to finally return to the weak side where he belongs).   Jordon Dizon (LB, Det) – Stephen Boyd 2.0. Dizon in the middle and Eight-Solo Ernie Sims on the weak side is a distinct possibility this fall. Philip Wheeler (LB, Ind) – Should be a good battle with TyJuan Hagler for the final starting spot at LB in the Colts Cover 2 scheme.   Bruce Davis (OLB, Pit) – A DE at UCLA, Davis is all football player but the Steelers appear set on the outside with 2nd year LB LaMarr Woodley and break-out veteran James Harrison manning the OLB spots.  Also: Xavier Adibi could find a spot in Houston if the Texans can get creative with WLB Morlon Greenwood’s role; Stanford Keglar (who can really run) has a chance to make an impact in Tennessee, a team that’s been one LB short for a few years   Defensive Backs: Brandon Flowers (CB, KC) – Opportunity ...

2008 IDP Draft Journal   I used to love draft day. My friends and I would get together every year before it became annoyingly hip to do so. There was even a Mark Carrier draft day dance celebration in 1990, followed by the less effective Stan Thomas follow-up dance in ’91. (Unfortunately, I grew up near quite a few Bears fans). Today, the NFL Draft is the most over analyzed day of the year, but as a service to you, the reader, and to me, I’ve ignored all mock drafts this year (seriously) and I’m embarking on this Draft Journal with an open mind, a 6-pack of an on-sale Belgian Wheat Ale called “Shock-Top,” a bag of Tostitos, Mrs. Renfro’s Habernero Mango Salsa (Hot), and CJ Burgers and Reduced Fat Ruffles on tap for tonight. Also some sweet corn on the cob from Florida, which is odd, because I live in Indiana. Anyway, here we go…   Pre-Draft Prep Basement, two TVs with the draft on the HD big screen and a show TBD on the other TV that I’m told will become obsolete in 2009 because of something called “Digital Television.” There’s also a giant bag of lemonheads within my reach.   2:30 – Love ...

Quick thoughts regarding 10 LB I’d like to see on my roster this season:   DeMeco Ryans (Hou) – He’s currently ahead of 49ers LB Patrick Willis as my top choice at the position.   Justin Durant (Jac) – The undersized Durant might be the best fantasy option on the Jaguar’s by season’s end.     Paul Posluszny (Buf) – The future star could last until the middle rounds after missing 13 games last season with a broken arm.     Bart Scott (Bal) – Make him a late-round selection as Scott has a proven track record and great potential despite plummeting stats in ’07.    Chad Greenway (Min) – Greenway showed flashes last season on the weak side and should be fully recovered from a 2006 knee injury.   Steve Filer (ND) – Whoops, wrong column.   Karlos Dansby (Ari) – The Condor is one of the most versatile LB in the game will get you points playing inside, over the TE, or in space. Dansby’s more valuable in comprehensive scoring systems than in tackle-based leagues.   Jon Beason (Car) – The rookie posted 7 or more solo stops in 11 games last season.     Donnie Edwards (KC) – Edwards is a perfect late-round pick after finally showng signs of slippage last season at age 35. He should ...

After finishing the IDP Player Movement column last week, it occurred to me that Draft Day 2008 represents the end of an era. The safest (always) and greatest (arguably) IDP option of all-time is no longer the most reliable defensive option on draft boards across the country: Dolphins LB Zach Thomas has moved on after 12 seasons in Miami to the Dallas Cowboys, a new scheme, and into the twilight of his career. It’s not that Thomas can’t recapture old glory for stretches in Dallas (in fact, at some point, I’ll certainly snag Thomas in my draft before the likes of Angelo Crowell or even all five LB options in New England), but the days of Zach Thomas, defensive anchor, are probably gone for fantasy owners. Which made me wonder: Is Thomas the best IDP option of his era? Or more likely, was he the definitive “safest choice” among active players on draft day? My solution to this conundrum is admittedly arbitrary but as I told you long ago, Will Hunting doesn’t read this column, so you won’t find any standard deviation, medians, modes, or anything else that put you to sleep when you were forced to study. (Any nodding off will ...