Fantasy Football Top Defenses
These Teams Will Give You Extra Points to Win Games in Your League
May 29, 2007
Picks 9 and 10 were hard decisions to make; as I list them the reasons will become apparent.
The number nine player is Laurence Maroney, RB; New England Patriots (939 total yards, 22 receptions and 7 touchdowns). Laurence will benefit from the upgrades at the wide receiver positions made by the Patriots. Teams can no longer shrink the field, and clog the running lanes on Maroney; this should create openings that can be exploited. The exit of Corey Dillon can be a blessing and a curse, of course this means more carries (especially in the red zone) for Maroney, but this also means that Laurence has to prove his durability. Given his running style he is often exposed to a lot of punishment, so the big question is centered on if Laurence can stay healthy. As the positives outweigh the negatives look for numbers in the range of 1510 total yards and 16 total touchdowns.
Completing the top ten is Joseph Addai, RB; Indianapolis Colts (1406 total yards, 40 receptions and 8 touchdowns). Another year in this Colt system should do wonders for Addai, as he did well learning on the fly, but with another year and increased reps with the departure of Dominic Rhodes, Joseph’s numbers should increase. I hedged on this pick because rarely can 2 players on the same team be in the top 10, but it never stopped Peyton and Edge. The increase in stats will be a direct result of Addai’s increase in opportunity, 1700 total yards and 14 total touchdowns.
Before I get into the top 5 defensive/special teams units, I must warn you that after these 5 there is a significant drop-off, so when the run begins (presumably in the 9th or 10th rounds of the draft) pick one if you can:
1. Chicago Bears - if the category was just on defensive stats alone (sacks, turnovers, touchdowns scored by, yardage and points allowed) the Bears would be top 5, but when you add in the ‘Hester Factor’ it becomes a no-brainer on the top unit. The possible loss of Lance Briggs will have minimal effect on this defense, because it is the ‘Lovie Scheme’ that creates the opportunities in which this defense excels. The return of safety Mike Brown should solidify the secondary that was prone to the big play last year.
2. Baltimore Ravens – as long as Ray Lewis is patrolling the middle and Ed Reed is quarterbacking the secondary this unit will remain the aggressive turnover causing unit it has been for the last 6 years. The top trait that shows on this defense is the knack in which they turn turnovers into instant points scored by the defense. Replacing Adalius Thomas will be crucial to this unit, but the feeling is that Gary Stills will step in and produce at a high level.
3. Jacksonville Jaguars – for some reason Jack Del Rio always puts a stout defensive unit on the field, combine that with the offensive tendencies of controlling the ball, the defense always stays fresh. The key element that was lacking was a true playmaker on this unit. The drafting of FS Reggie Nelson has solved that problem. A safety that can both play centerfield and cover like a corner, Reggie will step into the departed Deon Grant’s position from day one. The intriguing pick is LB Justin Durant out of Hampton; his speed will be a welcome addition to this stingy unit.
4. San Diego Chargers – if defense could be played by the front seven only, this would be the number one unit. The pressure this unit creates makes it difficult for any offense to have confidence in running their system. Shawne Merriman will once again wreak havoc on opposing offenses, unless someone changes the philosophy of the defense (Norv Turner). Drafting SS Eric Weddle shows that the Chargers are aware of the weakness in the secondary, but the defense as a whole keeps this unit in the top 5.
5. New England Patriots – every year Bill Bellichick somehow congers up a top 5 defense, and this year will be no different. The players just play there roles and let the elaborate system and difficult to decipher schemes confuse opponents into mistakes. Getting Asante Samuel onto the field is a must as the secondary is suspect without him locking down one of the opposing receivers. Somehow, someway (the addition of Adalius Thomas won’t hurt) this unit will be schemed up to the top 5.
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