Ballhawkin': Kiwanuka a Good Spot Play

Think IDP leagues are the way to go? Then Ballhawkin' is for you. Here, we pick out a few Individual Defensive Players that could have huge weeks and are possibly sitting in your free-agent pool.

Justin Durant had a great IDP game against the Cardinals, putting up nine total tackles and forcing a fumble for 13 points in my league. The rest of our picks for Week 2 were just average, and Tamba Hali was actually far worse than that, with a pass defensed being his only contribution to an IDP statline.

Ready to check out some little-owned IDPs that could help you to big Week 3s?

Linebackers

1. Andra Davis, Broncos. Depending on how long you've been playing IDP football, you may remember Davis as a productive linebacker from his Browns' days. He's on his way to rediscovering the IDP magic as part of the Broncos' improved defense. After posting nine total tackles (five solo, four assists) and a sack against the Bengals, Davis ramped it up to 10 total tackles against his old team, the Browns. While 2005's 149-tackle season is out of reach, Davis is a solid LB2 right now.

2. Geno Hayes, Buccaneers. Now that Jermaine Phillips is out for the year, Hayes' spot in the starting lineup is secure for the rest of the year. After six total tackles in Week 1, Hayes notched 10 total tackles in Week 2 (six solo, four assists), and I think that number could be even higher this week. Why? The Giants come to town, and they're going to focus on running the ball a ton against Tampa Bay. That should lead to a lot of opportunities for Hayes.

3. Omar Gaither, Eagles. With Stewart Bradley (an excellent IDP in his own right) out for the season, Gaither has started each of the first two Philadelphia games at middle linebacker. It's a position ripe for tackles, and while it hasn't added up to big numbers for Gaither yet, his game against the Chiefs should be the first of many solid IDP games for the Eagles MLB. I don't know that I'd start him yet, but I'd definitely roster him as a LB4 with upside.

Defensive Backs

1. Sabby Piscitelli, Buccaneers. Much like Hayes, Piscitelli will see his stock rise with Phillips out of the lineup for the year. He's totaled 17 tackles in the first two weeks of the season, and picked off Trent Edwards last week. With a poor front seven and poor cornerbacks on the defense, Piscitelli could threaten to lead all safeties in tackles this year. I see him as a low-end DB1 moving forward, which considering he's available in many leagues, is a steal as a pickup right now.

2. Tyvon Branch, Raiders. I was very high on rookie Michael Mitchell heading into the season, because that strong safety spot on the Raiders' defense has led to a ton of tackles in recent years. Unfortunately, but probably to be expected, Mitchell lost a training-camp battle for the job to Branch, who has racked up 15 total tackles (13 solo) over the first two games. The Raiders have stuck around in both of those games, but as teams start to rack up points on Oakland, Branch should see his IDP numbers rise.

Defensive Lineman

1. Mathias Kiwanuka, Giants. With the news that Justin Tuck will miss this week's game, Kiwanuka is an excellent pickup for the short term. He'll move into the starting lineup at defensive end, which ups his chances of landing a sack against the Buccaneers. He had four tackles after entering the game for Tuck last week, with two of those being for losses. Looking at his 2008 numbers (51 total tackles, 8.5 sacks), it's clear that Kiwanuka has the talent to shine, when he's given the opportunity.