A look at Week 10...
At 6'4" and 220 lbs, it's safe to say that Seattle CB Brandon Browner is one of the biggest corners in the game. After a brief stint with the Broncos in his rookie year of 2005 that ended in an injury, Browner turned a successful run in the Canadian Football League into a starting gig with the Seahawks in 2011. He ended the season with 51-3 tackles, 6 interceptions and 2 touchdowns...
While his tackles dipped last year, Browner remained a playmaker with 4 forced or recovered fumbles and 3 interceptions. While few thought of Browner as a CB1 heading into this year, he was still regarded highly in IDP leagues. However, Browner's missed the first 2 games of this season due to injury. While Browner played the next 7 games, he only had 18-1 tackles. Worse yet, he only has one turnover, an interception. Meanwhile, Browner hurt his groin recently and is expected to be out for a while. Don't give up on him completely in IDP leagues, but at the same time, he has no value this year and don't expect him to be in Seattle again next year...
A few years ago, when safety Donte Whitner played for Buffalo, he had 95-44 tackles. While that was by far his best statistical season, it was indicative of Whitner's hard hitting, play-making abilities. The former eighth overall pick in the 2006 draft remains a big hitter, but going from the Bills to the 49ers has meant a drop in his numbers. Why? Well, Buffalo was not exactly stockpiled with talent in front of him, while San Francisco might have the league's best linebacking unit...
The 2013 season started and the San Francisco defense looked a little shaky. The result was that Whitner had a good start, with 20-2 tackles in the first four games. Now that the team defense has improved, Whitner's numbers have dropped. It's hard to see him being a big contributor to your IDP squad for the rest of 2013...
The story with second year LB Nigel Bradham in preseason was about potential. Buffalo coaches seemed to like him enough to start and he was even playing in some nickel situations. Fast forward to opening day, and the team's release of LB Bryan Scott seemed to pave the way for a big year for Bradham. It was not to be. In the first week's game against the Patriots, Bradham sat in passing situations and finished with only 1-0 tackle...
As the season wore on, Bradham seemed to play more and more and his numbers rose. However, Bradham still is not producing roster-worthy numbers in redraft leagues. As for dynasty leagues? The story is back to potential...
Maybe it's time to start talking about a real impact IDP player, Oakland DE Lamarr Houston. A second year draft pick by the team in 2010, Houston was immediately a serviceable IDP DE. In his first three seasons, Houston averaged 38-14 tackles and almost 4 sacks. This year? Houston is on pace for 58-10 tackles and 7 sacks...
At 6'3", 300 lbs, Houston is built more like a defensive tackle than a defensive end. As such, he's better against the run than against the pass. And when I say better against the run, I mean he's been absolutely dominant. But he's added some skills rushing the passer this year, and that has been the difference between a DE3 and a DE1...
Washington linebacker Ryan Kerrigan is another player on the upswing in 2013. Drafted with the team's 16th overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft, Kerrigan has provided consistent numbers in his first two seasons, averaging 42-11 tackles and 8 sacks. While those numbers aren't good enough for Kerrigan to be a starting LB in most IDP leagues, he has certainly been rosterable...
Through 9 games this year, Kerrigan is on pace for 50-16 tackles and 12 sacks, which is good enough to have Kerrigan in your starting lineup in leagues that can start 4 LBs, and in sack heavy scoring leagues, his value is even higher. But be careful that his sack consistency might not be maintained and that the true bread and butter for IDP linebackers is being tackle happy...
Until next week…
If you have any comments or thoughts, please send me a message at baker@footballguys.com
