2008 Fantasy Football Rankings–Linebackers (IDP)
Ok, for those of you who play with individual defensive players (IDP), we haven’t forgotten you either. Linebackers are where all the action is. They tackle, some get a good number of sacks, they get some interceptions, they really are the stars of defensive fantasy football, especially middle linebackers. Those are the guys who tend to get you the most points. Here are our top 20 linebackers for 2008.
- Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers
135 solo tackles, 29 assisted, 4 sacks, 0 INT, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recovery
As a 49er fan I had high hopes for their first round draft pick, but Willis even blew those hopes away with his gaudy statistics. Willis led the NFL in tackles in his rookie year, and struck fear in the hearts of opposing QBs and running backs. In six different games he had ten solo tackles or more, including three of the last five games (with a 16 tackle game in there). Willis is an absolute beast on the field, and plays with reckless abandon. He has a motor that just never quits, and he lives just to hit people. Expect huge numbers again from him in 2008, as he continues to mature and perhaps even (gasp), get better. - London Fletcher, Washington Redskins
100 solo tackles, 28 assisted, 0 sacks, 3 INT, 0 forced fumbles, 1 recovery
After he was unceremoniously shown the door in Buffalo, Fletcher landed on his feet in Washington and picked up right where he left off when he left New York….tackling ball carriers. London has been one of the most consistent defensive players over the past four or five years, and you can pretty much write 100 tackles, a few picks, and look for those sack numbers to increase some more as well. He had five games of nine solo tackles or more, and on that high powered defense, Fletcher stands out. - DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
98 solo tackles, 29 assisted, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 2 forced fumbles, 3 recoveries
Although he wasn’t quite as dominant as he was in 2006, Ryans was a fantasy beast again last year. He is another guy who just loves to find guys with the football and bring them to the ground. He tailed off a bit at the end of the season, but that was due to the fact that he was playing with a sprained ankle and torn knee ligament, making his season that much more impressive. In two seasons he has been named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006, and then was the starting middle linebacker for the AFC in the Pro Bowl in 2007. What does he do for an encore? - Jon Beason, Carolina Panthers
106 solo tackles, 34 assisted, 0 sacks, 1 INT, 0 forced fumbles, 1 recovery
Beason was shifted all over the defense during his rookie season in Carolina before finally finding his home at middle linebacker. The Panthers’ first round pick played great from the beginning, and is the no doubt starter in the middle to open up 2008. He only had three games where he recorded less than five solo tackles, meaning this guy got you consistent points every week. He should only improve as he feels more comfortable playing in the NFL, and in Carolina. - Nick Barnett, Green Bay Packers
102 solo tackles, 29 assisted, 3.5 sacks, 2 INT, 0 forced fumbles, 1 recovery
Barnett has been one of my favorite fantasy defenders for a few years, and he had his best season in 2007. He recorded career highs in tackles, sacks, and had his most interceptions since his rookie year. His highlight was a 13 tackle, two sack game in December against the Rams. I expect his numbers to take a step back in 2008, but a small step back indeed. - Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears
92 solo tackles, 31 assisted, 5 sacks, 5 INT, 0 forced fumbles, 2 recoveriesThe baddest dude on one of the best defenses, Urlacher has been wreaking havoc on offenses since the day that he came into the league. His tackle numbers are never among the top five, but Urlacher is more than just a tackler. He gets the sack when they need it, and he is good at covering tight ends over the middle. Not to mention he is good at disguising his coverage and jumping in front of the QB to pick off an errant pass. He only collected ten solo tackles in one game, and added an interception and two pass defenses in that game as well. He isn’t the best option, but he is still one of the best.
- Kirk Morrison, Oakland Raiders
96 solo tackles, 24 assisted, 1 sack, 4 INT, 0 forced fumbles, 1 recoveryMorrison is far from a sexy pick, but he is nothing if he isn’t consistent. With the amount of time that the Raiders defense is out on the field, there is plenty of opportunity for Morrison to record tackles. His four interceptions were probably more of a fluke, but you can bet that Morrison will record close to or more than seven tackles every single week.
- Ray Lewis, Baltimore Ravens
82 solo tackles, 38 assisted, 2 sacks, 2 INT, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recoveryFrankly, I’m not sure if Lewis should be ranked quite this high, but I put him here because frankly, I am scared of the man. Lewis is one of the more intimidating forces in the NFL, and if he can stay healthy, he will more than deserve this ranking. Due to the inept offense in Baltimore, the Ravens’ defense spends plenty of time on the field, and Lewis is still their unquestioned leader. Expect another big season out of Ray, even though he is now 33 years old.
- E.J. Henderson, Minnesota Vikings
94 solo tackles, 24 assisted, 4.5 sacks, 0 INT, 3 forced fumbles, 2 recoveriesHenderson is the best linebacker many of you have never heard of, but I guarantee by the end of 2008, he will be MUCH more well known. Henderson is the anchor of the Minnesota defense, and really took a big step forward in 2007. He posted career highs pretty much across the board, and I expect his tackle numbers to increase even more this season.
- Lofa Tatupu, Seattle Seahawks
83 solo tackles, 26 assisted, 1 sack, 4 INT, 3 forced fumbles, 0 recoveriesTatupu has gotten himself in a little trouble with the law, so there is a chance he will face a small suspension, but if he doesn’t he is a great choice at linebacker. He is good for near 90 tackles every year, and usually throws in a few sacks and picks to go with them. He isn’t an elite linebacker, but I expect his solo tackle numbers to go back to around 95 in 2008.
- Lance Briggs, Chicago Bears
83 solo tackles, 19 assisted, 2 sacks, 0 INT, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recoveryNow that he is definitely going to stay in Chicago, Briggs should get his focus back and return to his awesome 2006 form. Briggs took a definite step back last season as he lost 30 tackles from his previous season. He is a nasty defender who loves to hit people, and is always around the ball. Look for a big bounce back year for Briggs.
- Keith Bullock, Tennessee Titans
68 solo tackles, 20 assisted, 0 sacks, 5 INT, 1 forced fumble, 1 recoveryA couple years ago, Bullock was one of the most feared defenders on the planet. When the freakishly big and fast Bullock lays a hit on you, you know about it. Last year was a big disappointment, as it was the first time in the past five seasons that Bullock didn’t reach 100 solo tackles, and the first time since his rookie season he didn’t record a sack. Expect a big bounce back from Bullock this season, as I think he will return to his 100 tackle, 2 sack, 3 INT, kind of player that he can be.
- DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys
60 solo tackles, 24 assisted, 14 sacks, 0 INT, 4 forced fumbles, 1 recoveryWare has an incredible knack to run down the QB, and his greatest asset is his speed. Ware is built like a big linebacker but runs like a wide receiver. Ok, that might be pushing it a little, but if this guy was chasing me I would just pray I would go unconscious before he caught me. Ware’s 60 solo tackles are also high for a guy who gets that many sacks. He could rise up these rankings if the Dallas defense is what we expect.
- Will Witherspoon, St. Louis Rams
92 solo tackles, 18 assisted, 7 sacks, 0 INT, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recoveryIn the nightmare season that 2007 was for the Rams, Witherspoon was definitely one of the bright spots. He has certainly taken his game to the next level since coming to St. Louis and becoming the starting middle linebacker. His tackles were down slightly from 2006, but he more than doubled his career high in sacks. Witherspoon will be a beast again in 2008, his sacks might come down some, but I expect him to intercept a pass or two to make up for it.
- Ernie Sims, Detroit Lions
97 solo tackles, 37 assisted, 1 sack, 1 INT, 3 forced fumbles, 0 recoveriesIn two seasons, Sims has recorded nearly 180 solo tackles, and 80 assisted. He is a proverbial “tackling machine.” He gets little to no press since he is stuck in Detroit, but you can do far worse than having Sims on your fantasy team. Ernie is the picture of consistency. He did not record 10 solo tackles in any game during the 2007 season, but he did have seven or eight on nine different occasions, and never had less than three. For you conservative players who like to get definite points every week, Sims is a good choice.
- Johnathan Vilma, New Orleans Saints
32 solo tackles, 11 assisted, 0 sacks, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble, 0 recoveries (7 games)Count me as someone who thought the Jets were crazy when they basically ran Vilma out of town. He isn’t built for a team that runs the 3-4 defense, and struggled after Eric Mangini took over for the Jets. But now he is in a good situation in New Orleans, with a scheme that fits his talents. Looking back to 2005, it was the last season he was in a 4-3 defense. His stats? 124 solo tackles, 45 assisted, half a sack, and an interception. Is that possible? Yes.
- David Harris, New York Jets
90 solo tackles, 37 assisted, 5 sacks, 0 INT, 2 forced fumbles, 1 recovery (16 games, but just 8 starts)The beneficiary of the situation with Jonathan Vilma in New York, David Harris exploded on the scene halfway through the season with a 20 solo tackle game against the Washington Redskins. The previous game, his first as a starter, was a 10 solo, 7 assist, 1 sack game against the Bills. This guy has some serious upside and could rocket up these rankings in his second season in the NFL.
- Antonio Pierce, New York Giants
77 solo tackles, 26 assisted, 1 sacks, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble, 2 recoveriesWhile Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, and Justin Tuck were getting all the press for getting to the quarterback, Pierce was quietly keeping the rest of the defense together. Pierce seems to be everywhere on the field, and although his stats don’t jump of the page at you, I expect an increase in tackles and a couple more sacks with the retirement of Strahan.
- Mike Peterson, Jacksonville Jaguars
60 solo tackles, 10 assisted, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 0 forced fumbles, 1 recovery (10 games)This is your classic high risk/high reward type of player. When healthy, the Jags’ middle linebacker is among the best in the NFL. The problem? He has played 15 games in the past two seasons combined. Going back to his last full season on the field, Peterson had 94 solo tackles, 37 assisted, 6 sacks, and 3 INT. Put that all together and you are going to get some serious points. This is also the final year of his contract, so Peterson will be doing everything he can to get PAID.
- Karlos Dansby, Arizona Cardinals
77 solo tackles, 20 assisted, 3.5 sacks, 3 INT, 4 forced fumbles, 0 recoveriesDansby has a hard time staying healthy, as the above numbers came in 14 games, but when he is in there Karlos is a monster. He is the anchor of an up and coming Cardinals defense, and has the chance to be talked about with the top linebackers if he could stay on the field. Dansby did have eight sacks in 2006, so there is definitely room for these stats to get better.
Others to consider: Paul Posluszny, Buffalo Bills; Angelo Crowell, Buffalo Bills; Gary Brackett, Indianapolis Colts; A.J. Hawk, Green Bay Packers; Julian Peterson, Seattle Seahawks; Paris Lenon, Detroit Lions; Barrett Ruud, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Keith Brooking, Atlanta Falcons; Chad Greenway, Minnesota Vikings; Donnie Edwards, Kansas City Chiefs; Derrick Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs; Scott Fujita, New Orleans Saints; Adaluis Thomas, New England Patriots; Bart Scott, Baltimore Ravens; Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; James Harrison, Pittsburgh Steelers; Bradie James, Dallas Cowboys; Calvin Pace, New York Jets.
As always, your questions (adds, drops, trades) and comments are welcome at fightingchancefantasy@gmail.com. I guarantee a response within 18 hours.
