Defenses get a ton of points!

[Needaring2012]

What's up guys and gals, just signed up so this is my first post. Anyway, I'm in a league that actually awards a lot of points for team defense/special teams. Example: 2 points per sack, 4 points per interceptions/fumble recoveries, and starting with 25 bonus points (yes 25), subtract 5 points for every 5 points scored against your defense. So if your team D allows 10 points, your getting awarded 15 points and that's before adding any points for sacks, picks, Td's etc. So as you can see, it's not hard for a good defense to get you 25-30 points on average a week so they are extremely important. So basically, the general rules of waiting to draft a defense do not apply in this league. Guys usually start drafting them by the 6th or 7th round and it's a 20 round draft. Basically my question is when do you guys recommend I take a defense and is there any sleeper defenses you think could be had a little later than the ones these guys are going to start targeting in the aforementioned rounds. I kinda like Buffalo but who knows. Any help would be appreciated.

[Perfectibilist]

So basically, the general rules of waiting to draft a defense do not apply in this league.

Not necessarily, because all defenses get that increase.

Basically my question is when do you guys recommend I take a defense

Depends on how many teams are in your league I think. If it's a 32 team league then obviously you would want to jump on a top defense rather quickly. If it's a 12-team league, I still think you play the matchup and take the best defense available on the wire, or take the best one available near the end of the draft if you don't trust that system.

and is there any sleeper defenses you think could be had a little later than the ones these guys are going to start targeting in the aforementioned rounds. I kinda like Buffalo but who knows. Any help would be appreciated.

I like Buffalo, Atlanta and Dallas as "sleeper" defenses. Dallas is probably the lowest drafted but I think with a full-offseason to learn the intricacies of Rob Ryan's defense and the enormously upgraded secondary they will surprise this year.

[Needaring2012]

Thanks perfectibilist however, I have to disagree with you on when take a defense because even though they all get that increase, you need one of the better defenses or you're screwed. Last year the #1 defense in our league San Fran scored 464 points thru 16 games. The last place defense Tampa Bay scored only 109 total points thru 16 games. That difference is huge! Even if you go halfway to the defense that ranked 16th (Arizona) they only scored 290 points in our league. Even that is 170 point difference. And as far as waiting to get a defense on waiver wire goes, there will be NO defenses available after the draft. That's how popular they are. Pretty much all 12 teams in the league draft 2-3 defenses each hoping to get one that winds up being a monster.

[Perfectibilist]

Thanks perfectibilist however, I have to disagree with you on when take a defense because even though they all get that increase, you need one of the better defenses or you're screwed. Last year the #1 defense in our league San Fran scored 464 points thru 16 games. The last place defense Tampa Bay scored only 109 total points thru 16 games. That difference is huge! Even if you go halfway to the defense that ranked 16th (Arizona) they only scored 290 points in our league. Even that is 170 point difference. And as far as waiting to get a defense on waiver wire goes, there will be NO defenses available after the draft. That's how popular they are. Pretty much all 12 teams in the league draft 2-3 defenses each hoping to get one that winds up being a monster.

Well if you already know how early you need to draft one, then I guess you answered your own questions.

[Cowboys 4 life]

My apology for the above post. Welcome to the Cafe. Hope you stay and look around a while.

To me there comes a time where I can get a guy im not going to play much or solidify another position like defense. I dont wait to draft one. I will snag one in the 10th round or so and sometimes earlier if it makes sense.

Each position you can make up points and defense is no different. The spread between 1 and 16 is significant in your league. Pretty much the same as Rodgers vs a mid to lower tier QB. Because of that you have to prioritize them earlier. I would go with the flow and grab one early. What will happen is you will start a run anyway and wont lose much in the other positions.

The only problem is can you guarantee SF will be #1 again? Not sure you can but they do have the best chance to do so

[Perfectibilist]

I also apologize for my reply. I was trying to help and made a short-sighted reply for reasons unknown.

Please don't judge the Cafe by my offnandedness. This is a great place, with MANY great members (most far wiser than myself) to which I owe a great deal of success to.

I hope to see you around for a long time, and hope that you don't judge the masses because I had a stressful day at work.

At first I thought the concept you described was silly, but the more I look at it, the more it makes sense. It is an effort to make the D/ST slot a valueable position than a foregone thought of just sticking whoever is available in that alot and letting your offense carry you.

[V]

Thanks perfectibilist however, I have to disagree with you on when take a defense because even though they all get that increase, you need one of the better defenses or you're screwed. Last year the #1 defense in our league San Fran scored 464 points thru 16 games. The last place defense Tampa Bay scored only 109 total points thru 16 games. That difference is huge! Even if you go halfway to the defense that ranked 16th (Arizona) they only scored 290 points in our league. Even that is 170 point difference. And as far as waiting to get a defense on waiver wire goes, there will be NO defenses available after the draft. That's how popular they are. Pretty much all 12 teams in the league draft 2-3 defenses each hoping to get one that winds up being a monster.

The problem isn't that all defenses score the same (they don't), it's that they are so terribly, terribly, hard to project.

From what I can find, the 49ers ADP in 2011 drafts was about 15th of all defenses. The Packers were the #2 drafted defense, but finished the year as a middling defense. The Saints were -awful- and were typically drafted to be a started defense.

The Packers were meh last year, and they're being ranked accordingly this year (ESPN has them 12th). But they spent an entire draft focused exclusively on defense, and have a good coordinator. I have them as a top 5 defense in 2012 (and fftoolbox agrees).

So, if you think a run on defenses (6+) is going to occur, sure, you need to grab one, but in general, there's a reason they're late pickups.

[Wood Chipper]

I wouldnt pick a defense until the last 3 rounds (if this is a 15-17 round draft).