In fantasy football it’s much easier to determine your starters in the 2nd half of the season, as you have half a season+ of data on which to base your selections. Now of course you’re always going to begin the season starting studs you took in the first few rounds, but for the guys you’re splitting hairs about for your WR2, RB2, or FLEX, here are some numbers from last season, along with key additions and losses to aid you in determining your starting lineup.
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At the top of the list it’s a Cowboys team that lost its best run defender, Sean Lee, to injury this off-season. It’s pretty obvious that, no matter how much it hurts, your RBs are a must-start against Dallas.
Here’s a list of every team’s key defensive additions and losses this off-season:
Arizona Cardinals
Added: CB Antonio Cromartie, S Deone Bucannon (R)
Lost: CB Javier Arenas, ILB Jasper Brinkley, ILB Karlos Dansby, OLB Dontay Moch
Atlanta Falcons
Added: CB Javier Arenas, DE Tyson Jackson, DT Paul Soliai
Lost: S Thomas DeCoud, CB Dominique Franks, ILB Omar Gaither, OLB Stephen Nicholas, CB Asante Samuel
Baltimore Ravens
Added: ILB C.J. Mosley (R)
Lost: CB Corey Graham, DE Arthur Jones, ILB Jameel McClain
Buffalo Bills
Added: CB Corey Graham, OLB Keith Rivers, ILB Brandon Spikes
Lost: S Jairus Byrd
Carolina Panthers
Added: S Roman Harper
Lost: S Mike Mitchell, CB Captain Munnerlyn, ILB Jordan Senn
Chicago Bears
Added: DE Lamarr Houston, DE Israel Idonije, S M.D. Jennings, S Danny McCray, S Ryan Munday, ILB Jordan Senn, DE Willie Young, CB Kyle Fuller (R)
Lost: ILB Jeremy Cain, DT Henry Melton, DE Julius Peppers
Cincinnati Bengals
Added: OLB Dontay Moch, CB Darqueze Dennard (R)
Lost: CB Brandon Ghee, DE Michael Johnson
Cleveland Browns
Added: ILB Karlos Dansby, CB Isaiah Trufant, S Donte Whitner, CB Justin Gilbert (R)
Lost: ILB D’Qwell Jackson, S T.J. Ward
Dallas Cowboys
Added: DT Terrell McClain, DT Henry Melton, DE Jeremy Mincey
Lost: DT Jason Hatcher, S Danny McCray, DE DeMarcus Ware
Detroit Lions
Added: DE Vaughn Martin, OLB Darryl Tapp
Lost: S Louis Delmas, DE Israel Idonije, DE Willie Young
Denver Broncos
Added: CB Aqib Talib, S T.J. Ward, DE DeMarcus Ware, CB Bradley Roby (R)
Lost: DE Jeremy Mincey, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, ILB Wesley Woodyard
Green Bay Packers
Added: DT Letroy Guion, DE Julius Peppers, S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (R)
Lost: S M.D. Jennings
Houston Texans
Added: DT Jerrell Powe, DE Jadeveon Clowney (R)
Lost: ILB Bryan Braman, ILB Joe Mays, DT Terrell McClain, DT Earl Mitchell, ILB Darryl Sharpton, DE Antonio Smith
Indianapolis Colts
Added: ILB D’Qwell Jackson, DE Arthur Jones
Lost: S Antoine Bethea, ILB Kavell Conner
Jacksonville Jaguars
Added: DE Red Bryant, DE Chris Clemons, DE Ziggy Hood, OLB Dekoda Watson
Lost: None
Kansas City Chiefs
Added: ILB Joe Mays, DT Vance Walker, OLB Dee Ford (R)
Lost: S Quintin Demps, DE Tyson Jackson, ILB Akeem Jordan, DT Jerrell Powe
Miami Dolphins
Added: S Louis Delmas, CB Cortland Finnegan, DT Earl Mitchell
Lost: CB Nolan Carroll, DE Vaughn Martin, DT Paul Soliai
Minnesota Vikings
Added: ILB Jasper Brinkley, CB Derek Cox, DT Tom Johnson, DT Linval Joseph, CB Captain Munnerlyn, OLB Anthony Barr (R)
Lost: DE Jared Allen, CB Chris Cook, DT Letroy Guion
New England Patriots
Added: CB Brandon Browner, CB Darrelle Revis, DE Dominique Easley (R)
Lost: ILB Dane Fletcher, ILB Brandon Spikes, CB Aqib Talib
New Orleans Saints
Added: S Jairus Byrd
Lost: CB Jabari Greer, S Roman Harper, S Malcolm Jenkins, DT Tom Johnson, WR Lance Moore, OLB Will Smith, ILB Jonathan Vilma
New York Giants
Added: S Quintin Demps, ILB Jameel McClain, CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, OLB O’Brien Schofield, CB Walter Thurmond
Lost: DT Linval Joseph, S Ryan Mundy, WR Hakeem Nicks, OLB Keith Rivers, DE Justin Tuck
New York Jets
Added: S Calvin Pryor (R)
Lost: CB Antonio Cromartie, CB Isaiah Trufant
Oakland Raiders
Added: G Kevin Boothe, CB Tarell Brown, T Austin Howard, WR James Jones, T Donald Penn, DE Antonio Smith, DE Justin Tuck, OLB LaMarr Woodley, OLB Khalil Mack (R)
Kept: T Khalif Barnes, RB Darren McFadden, S Usama Young
Lost: DE Lamarr Houston, RB Rashad Jennings, CB Tracy Porter, T Jared Veldheer, DT Vance Walker
Philadelphia Eagles
Added: OLB Bryan Braman, CB Nolan Carroll, S Malcolm Jenkins, S Chris Maragos, OLB Marcus Smith (R)
Lost: DT Clifton Geathers
Pittsburgh Steelers
Added: S Mike Mitchell, DT Cam Thomas, OLB Ryan Shazier (R)
Lost: DE Ziggy Hood, OLB LaMarr Woodley, DT Al Woods
St. Louis Rams
Added: DT Aaron Donald (R)
Lost: CB Cortland Finnegan
San Diego Chargers
Added: ILB Kavell Connor, CB Brandon Ghee, CB Jason Verrett (R)
Lost: CB Derek Cox, DT Cam Thomas
San Francisco 49ers
Added: S Antoine Bethea, CB Chris Cook, S Jimmie Ward (R)
Lost: CB Tarell Brown, S Donte Whitner
Seattle Seahawks
Added: DE Jared Allen
Lost: CB Brandon Browner, DT Red Bryant, DE Chris Clemons, S Chris Maragos, DT Clinton McDonald, OLB O’Brien Schofield, CB Walter Thurmond
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Added: OLB Jeremy Cain, ILB Dane Fletcher, DE Michael Johnson, DT Clinton McDonald, CB Alterraun Verner
Lost: OLB Adam Hayward, CB Darrelle Revis, OLB Dekoda Watson
Tennessee Titans
Added: DT Al Woods, ILB Wesley Woodyard
Lost: CB Alterraun Verner
Washington Redskins
Added: DT Clifton Geathers, DT Jason Hatcher, OLB Adam Hayward, ILB Akeem Jordan, CB Tracy Porter, ILB Darryl Sharpton
Lost: LB Darryl Tapp
(List from http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2014-03-19/2014-nfl-free-agency-team-tracker-offseason-moves)
Now for the receivers:
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Last year the Eagles got torched by WRs, they added some pieces to their secondary this off-season but no real big names. They also have an explosive offense meaning other teams are going to have to match them or at least try, WRs could have another big year vs PHI this season.
Tight ends:
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The Cardinals gave up big games to TEs considerably more than every other team in the league last season. Although they added a CB and drafted a S in the 1st round this off-season, they lost their top 2 LBs from last year. If you have a TE on your bench facing Arizona and are thinking of putting them in, do it.
Finally, if you’re in a 2 QB or QB FLEX league here are the 2013 numbers for them:
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(charts from http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com)
