Rey Maualauga's Value?

[yumbo]

He had sort of a down rookie year compared to what expectations were for him. He was supposed to be a "Tackling Machine". Things didn't quite work out that way.
We are starting our FA draft and he is on the WW. We are expanding our IDP's this season: 2- DB's, 2- LB's, 2- DL's, and 2 Flex positions
Is he someone that should be a nice bounce-back candidate? Right now my LB's are Beason (just got him for Curry in a larger deal), Laurinaitis, A Spencer (DAL) , Sean Lee (R - DAL) and Suggs who is a DL/LB.

[Phish Brigade]

Definitely. He was really limited by the position he played more than anything else. But Dhani Jones is a free agent next year, and Rey should be the MLB of the future. He's definitely worth a roster spot.

[Steelersfan]

He had sort of a down rookie year compared to what expectations were for him. He was supposed to be a "Tackling Machine". Things didn't quite work out that way.
We are starting our FA draft and he is on the WW. We are expanding our IDP's this season: 2- DB's, 2- LB's, 2- DL's, and 2 Flex positions
Is he someone that should be a nice bounce-back candidate? Right now my LB's are Beason (just got him for Curry in a larger deal), Laurinaitis, A Spencer (DAL) , Sean Lee (R - DAL) and Suggs who is a DL/LB.

Absolutely, I still remember the Ray Lewis comparisons when he was coming out...

[rkrazy]

Definitely. He was really limited by the position he played more than anything else. But Dhani Jones is a free agent next year, and Rey should be the MLB of the future. He's definitely worth a roster spot.

Here here...

Wouldn't expect too much from him this year but in 2011+ I expect low LB2/high LB3 type production from the Mike spot. If he learns how to get out of his own way.

[MR ROURKE]

He was forcasted as a MLB coming out, but played OLB last year so that is why he wasn't a tackle machine. Once he moves to MLB, he will be a guy you want on your roster. He's probably a better option for a roster spot then Lee.

[lemmi]

He was forcasted as a MLB coming out, but played OLB last year so that is why he wasn't a tackle machine. Once he moves to MLB, he will be a guy you want on your roster. He's probably a better option for a roster spot then Lee.

I don't see either him or lee isn't worth the spot. Lee will no doubt be brookings successor at MLB in dallas. Rey will take over for dhani in a year too. Both probably have about the same value right now.

when lee was healthy at psu, he was a tackle machine posting totals of 89, 138 and 86.

[Misfit74]

He was forcasted as a MLB coming out, but played OLB last year so that is why he wasn't a tackle machine. Once he moves to MLB, he will be a guy you want on your roster. He's probably a better option for a roster spot then Lee.

I don't see either him or lee isn't worth the spot. Lee will no doubt be brookings successor at MLB in dallas. Rey will take over for dhani in a year too. Both probably have about the same value right now.

when lee was healthy at psu, he was a tackle machine posting totals of 89, 138 and 86.

There isn't a MLB in a 3-4 defense. Dallas runs a 3-4.

Rey Maualauga as a MLB in a 4-3 > Lee as an ILB in a 3-4.

[lemmi]

He was forcasted as a MLB coming out, but played OLB last year so that is why he wasn't a tackle machine. Once he moves to MLB, he will be a guy you want on your roster. He's probably a better option for a roster spot then Lee.

I don't see either him or lee isn't worth the spot. Lee will no doubt be brookings successor at MLB in dallas. Rey will take over for dhani in a year too. Both probably have about the same value right now.

when lee was healthy at psu, he was a tackle machine posting totals of 89, 138 and 86.

There isn't a MLB in a 3-4 defense. Dallas runs a 3-4.
Rey Maualauga as a MLB in a 4-3 > Lee as an ILB in a 3-4.

Sorry positional police - ILB. But I'm sure you knew what I meant.
And if you want to be technical, Dal plays a 1 gap 3-4, a front that has produced solid fantasy production from ILB's like Willis and DJ Williams so to say Rey in a 4-3 > Lee isn't really fair yet since neither has even played in the middle/inside at the next level.
Hence, I feel there value is pretty much equal until either plays at the prospective position.

ETA: Not to mention, the guys whose jobs they could potentially be taking had very similar stats last year. Brooking missed the final game of the season and Dhani played in all 16.
Brooking: 75 solo, 31 assists, 7 tckl for loss, 4 sacks and 7 passes defensed for 161.75 pts in my IDP league.
D. Jones: 77 solo, 36 assists, 10 tckl for loss, 3.5 sacks and 4 passes defensed for 166.00 pts.

[Misfit74]

Sure, but both Brooking and D.Jones are far less talents than the other two. I would expect the more talented MLB Rey M. to outperform Lee. Think more like Laurinatis when projecting Rey's future numbers once entrenched at MLB. Generally, the MLB in a 43 is more valuable than an ILB in any version of a 34, though there are exceptions. Those things are all I meant by my > < stuff. ....Crap, I hope I'm not becoming an IDP Nazi!

Truth be told, I'm fairly inexperienced at IDP. That is my understanding. If someone else can shed light on this, by all means I'm listening.

[lemmi]

Sure, but both Brooking and D.Jones are far less talents than the other two. I would expect the more talented MLB Rey M. to outperform Lee. Think more like Laurinatis when projecting Rey's future numbers once entrenched at MLB. Generally, the MLB in a 43 is more valuable than an ILB in any version of a 34, though there are exceptions. Those things are all I meant by my > < stuff. ....Crap, I hope I'm not becoming an IDP Nazi!

Truth be told, I'm fairly inexperienced at IDP. That is my understanding. If someone else can shed light on this, by all means I'm listening.

I feeling ya bro. That's true that generally speaking 4-3 MLB's have a higher perceived value than 3-4 ILB's. But, a 1 gap 3-4 functions differently than the traditional 3-4. That's why Willis and Williams are studs and most are not concerned about Buffalo switching to a 1 gap 3-4. A 2gap 3-4 would leave the guards unblocked and the ILB's are kinda left out there. You're hoping that your DL's are absolute beasts and require double teams freeing up the LB's (think NE with Wilfork, Warren and Seymour when he was there).
In a 1 gap 3-4, the DL will be offset from the O-line. The NT won't line up head to head with the C. It's more of an attacking Def front. You're almost always going to see a LB blitz (Ware/Spencer in Dal, Merriman in SD, etc...) and the ILB's are now acting like MLB's in a 4-3 because they don't have to worry about those unoccupied O-linemen. The OL is now reacting to the blitzing LB/LB's. The teams most likely playing 1 gap 3-4 and the ILB's that have real nice value this year should probably be: Buffalo (Poz), Miami (Dansby), Denver (DJ Williams), SD (Cooper but probably Butler for the future), Dallas (Brooking but Lee for the future), Washington (Fletcher - don't know if there ILB of the future is there) and SF (Willis).
I'd love to have either on my roster in Lee or Rey. I guess I'm biased to Lee because I'm a PSU fan. I tried to get both in a recent start up but Rey went about 3 picks before I took Lee. I got Butler too so I was ok with it.

Crap, I sound like an IDP Nazi too....

[Misfit74]

Sure, but both Brooking and D.Jones are far less talents than the other two. I would expect the more talented MLB Rey M. to outperform Lee. Think more like Laurinatis when projecting Rey's future numbers once entrenched at MLB. Generally, the MLB in a 43 is more valuable than an ILB in any version of a 34, though there are exceptions. Those things are all I meant by my > < stuff. ....Crap, I hope I'm not becoming an IDP Nazi!

Truth be told, I'm fairly inexperienced at IDP. That is my understanding. If someone else can shed light on this, by all means I'm listening.

I feeling ya bro. That's true that generally speaking 4-3 MLB's have a higher perceived value than 3-4 ILB's. But, a 1 gap 3-4 functions differently than the traditional 3-4. That's why Willis and Williams are studs and most are not concerned about Buffalo switching to a 1 gap 3-4. A 2gap 3-4 would leave the guards unblocked and the ILB's are kinda left out there. You're hoping that your DL's are absolute beasts and require double teams freeing up the LB's (think NE with Wilfork, Warren and Seymour when he was there).
In a 1 gap 3-4, the DL will be offset from the O-line. The NT won't line up head to head with the C. It's more of an attacking Def front. You're almost always going to see a LB blitz (Ware/Spencer in Dal, Merriman in SD, etc...) and the ILB's are now acting like MLB's in a 4-3 because they don't have to worry about those unoccupied O-linemen. The OL is now reacting to the blitzing LB/LB's. The teams most likely playing 1 gap 3-4 and the ILB's that have real nice value this year should probably be: Buffalo (Poz), Miami (Dansby), Denver (DJ Williams), SD (Cooper but probably Butler for the future), Dallas (Brooking but Lee for the future), Washington (Fletcher - don't know if there ILB of the future is there) and SF (Willis).
I'd love to have either on my roster in Lee or Rey. I guess I'm biased to Lee because I'm a PSU fan. I tried to get both in a recent start up but Rey went about 3 picks before I took Lee. I got Butler too so I was ok with it.

Crap, I sound like an IDP Nazi too....

Heh. Good stuff.

PIT plays a version of 34, too, but I'm not sure what it is. Baltimore, too - though theirs I think is a hybrid 34 with Suggs almost as a Leo/rush end similar to what Seattle will begin playing this year (minus the elite pass-rusher required ).

You might be wondering along with me: WTF with Dan Connor? Beast at PSU, backup in CAR. I guess it didn't help him that Beason is one of, if not the best in the biz.

[lemmi]

Heh. Good stuff.

PIT plays a version of 34, too, but I'm not sure what it is. Baltimore, too - though theirs I think is a hybrid 34 with Suggs almost as a Leo/rush end similar to what Seattle will begin playing this year (minus the elite pass-rusher required ).

You might be wondering along with me: WTF with Dan Connor? Beast at PSU, backup in CAR. I guess it didn't help him that Beason is one of, if not the best in the biz.

If Connor is available in any of your leagues I'd pick him up. There's another thread on this but 1 of 2 things will happen in Carolina for 2010 with Davis' knee injury. Beason would move to the Will and Connor would start at MLB or Beason stays in the middle and Jamar Williams would start at WLB. Either way, both are worth a rosters spot. Connors' skill set doesn't really translate to an OLB in my opinion. I think the LB corp would be best served with Beason at WLB and Connor in the middle. Beason wouldn't have a big drop if any in value since Thomas Davis was outscoring him heading into week 9 (game he was injured). Then Connor becomes not only rosterable but startable, imo.

NYJ, Balt, NO and Wash play a hybrid I believe. Pitt is usually a 2 gap 3-4 but all their LB's blitz, not just the OLB's.

[Phish Brigade]

I know I'm a little late, but I'd drop Sean Lee for Rey in a heartbeat. Nice to see the discussion on 3-4 and 4-3, but still. This is coming from someone who has noticed PSU LBs for awhile. For art in my signature could have easily been the Poz.

[lemmi]

I know I'm a little late, but I'd drop Sean Lee for Rey in a heartbeat. Nice to see the discussion on 3-4 and 4-3, but still. This is coming from someone who has noticed PSU LBs for awhile. For art in my signature could have easily been the Poz.

I couldn't fault ya for doing it either.
Ya know what though, looking back on the OP's roster depending on the scoring (sack/big play heavy vs. tackle heavy) and if Suggs is listed as a LB, the case could be made from dropping him. Again, this is very much depending on scoring and how Suggs is classified. I have seen it both ways but in my IDP league he's listed as a DE so it's not a big deal. But if he's at LB, I don't how much point production he's really going to give you from that spot. Take my scoring, Suggs had 105 pts last year, good for 7th among DL's. If listed as a LB he would've been 70th.
If he's classified as DL don't even think about cutting him.

If you're just looking on if you should pick Rey up without making a cut, then absolutely you should. I think Rey and Lee are going turn heads in 2011. If you can get both now and stash them, you're LB corp will be set for at least 3-5 years with Beason/Laurinitas/Rey/Lee.