Polamalu should continue to be one of the top drafted DBs in the fantasy

Five Players to Have

1. Adrian Wilson, ARI

While the eight sacks from two years ago would have been very tough to duplicate, Wilson did not disappoint last season and he will enter into yet another season as the top-ranked defensive back in IDP leagues. Wilson’s seventh season in the league should bring plenty of the same, as he has averaged over 97 total tackles over the last three seasons to go along with solid sack totals and almost three interceptions a season.

If the switch to the 3-4 defense for the Cardinals is a bit concerning to you, check out what it did for Kerry Rhodes of the New York Jets last year – as the big plays for Wilson should only continue to pile up. The Arizona defense as a whole is up-and-coming, and strong safety Adrian Wilson is leading the way.

2. Kerry Rhodes, NYJ

Speaking of Rhodes, he should not be too far behind Wilson come draft day. In his third season in the NFL, Rhodes has played in all 16 games in the previous two seasons, recording nearly 150 solo tackles throughout said stretch. Some thought that the 3-4 defense was going to negative impact Rhodes going into last year, but all the safety did was pile on four more sacks and three more interceptions than in 2005.

Rhodes’ youth should allow him to pass Adrian Wilson down the road for the consensus pick, and given his improvement last season, we could be seeing that day sooner than later.

3. Troy Polamalu, PIT

After compiling 16 games in 2004 and 2005, Polamalu owners had to be disappointed with the three games that the wild-haired safety missed in 2006. Unlike many strong safeties in the NFL, Polamalu also excels in the passing game and has the skill set to be huge in big-play formats.

With a new sheriff in Pittsburgh, there is the possibility that the Steelers will install a cover-2 style defense that would involve more tackling from other defensive backs. As long as Pittsburgh sticks with the strengths of their players though, Polamalu should continue to be one of the top drafted DBs in the NFL.

4. Chris Hope, TEN

A former teammate of Polamalu, Chris Hope switched teams, switched roles, and promptly switched his place in IDP league rankings. Hope recorded 121 total tackles last season along with five interceptions, vaulting him up the DB ranks. In fact, he was likely drafted as a DB2, if at all last season, making him one of the most improved players on the defensive side of fantasy ball.

With Vince Young in tow, the Tennessee offense has improved to the point where the defense is not on the field has much as they were when Kerry Collins was the starting quarterback. While it will be tough for Hope to top his statistics from last season, he should easily be able to post similar numbers given his situation in Tennessee, making him a top five selection for the position.

5. Ronde Barber, TAM

It’s not often that a cornerback is spoken of in the same fantasy light as the premier strong safeties in the league, but with the Tampa-2 defense that the Buccaneers run, this cornerback racks up stats with the best of them. Barber has recorded over 80 solo tackles in each of the last three seasons, but still manages to rack up the big plays as well as can be seen by his 11 interceptions in the same span.

Fantasy owners this season may be turned off by his age (32), and the fact that his twin brother has already retired. Fear not, as the All-Pro hasn’t missed a game in nine seasons and should be on the field a ton this year given the questionable Tampa Bay offense. Barber is a top-five talent when it comes to IDPs and should be one of the first off of the board if position specificity is used.