Champ Bailey

Bailey remains an elite cornerback but his shutdown skills primarily keep him from being a solid IDP option. With so few passes thrown his way, the opportunity for interceptions is minimal, which keeps his fantasy value low.

Bailey remains one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL, although that hinders his fantasy upside considerably. Teams have simply chosen to throw the ball away from him, greatly reducing his chances to pick off passes.

After re-signing with the Broncos for four more years, Bailey's place in Denver is solidified and he can go back to shutting down opposing wide receivers. Bailey remains one of the game's few shutdown corners, although that actually makes him a poor IDP option, as so few quarterbacks are willing to throw his way.

Bailey has long been considered one of the best cornerbacks in the League, which actually limits his fantasy upside because so few quarterbacks throw in his direction. At 32 years old, his best days are likely behind him, but he remains a dominant player on the defensive side of the ball.

Bailey continues to be considered a top-tier shutdown cornerback in the NFL, which is not always a good thing for fantasy purposes. After recording 18 total interceptions in 2005 and 2006, Bailey has only managed to grab four in 2007 and 2008 combined as quarterbacks are clearly avoiding his side of the field. Bailey dislocated his elbow in the last week of the 2008 season, but is expected to be fully healthy when the season starts.

Opposing teams gave Bailey a wide berth in 2007; he went from eight interceptions in 2005 to 10 in 2006 to only three last year. Bailey still posted strong tackling numbers (79 or more stops for the third time in his last four campaigns), but the lack of interceptions is a definite concern. The Broncos defense isn't nearly as good as other recent Denver defenses, which allows opposing offenses to avoid Bailey. Bailey's skills are still strong; he possesses the triple threat of speed, power and instincts. He's such a good tackler that he shouldn't drop too far in drafts, but expect him to be closer to three interceptions than 10 in 2008.

Forget cornerback, Bailey is one of the best players in the NFL – period. He has translated rare body control, speed, instincts and knowledge of passing offenses into the very definition of "shut down corner." Often, however, that meant opposing offenses didn't throw the ball his way enough for him to be fantasy viable. He made a decent number of tackles for an IDP (he isn't the most aggressive run supporter in the world) but just didn't get enough opportunities to pick off passes. All that changed the last two years in Denver. Bailey now consistently accounts for 80-plus total tackles in 16 games and turned his usual three to five interceptions into jaw-dropping numbers. And remember, three to five interceptions is a quality year that exceeds expectations for many players. Bailey turned that trick every year, with a career-low two picks just once, in 2003. But then in 2005 he had eight interceptions and in 2006 another 10, scoring touchdowns in both years. Even if he's not a star in run support, consider that after the first two games of 2006, opposing teams had thrown at him just three times, yet he led the team with 17 tackles. With Darrent Williams on the opposite corner and Dominique Foxworth at safety last year, quarterbacks couldn't avoid Bailey as much as they’d like. That could continue with the Broncos adding Dre Bly in the offseason. There's no safe place to throw against the Broncos, and that's one reason it's not unreasonable to expect more than five picks out of Bailey.

Bailey made a career high eight interceptions in 2005, and he remains one of the premeir cover corners in the league. If Darrent Williams comes up with a solid year at corner opposite Bailey, it will only help Bailey's interception totals, as teams won't be able to throw away from him.

An elite NFL cornerback, but that doesn't necessarily equate to solid individual defensive player production as most teams stay away from him. If your league incorporates passes defensed into the scoring, you'll want to stay away from Bailey as well.

Bailey, who arrived to Denver as part of the Clinton Portis blockbuster trade with the Redskins, gives the team an elite cornerback. His presence will allow defensive coordinator Larry Coyer to be more aggressive. While he's a shutdown cornerback, Bailey's value in the individual defensive player leagues takes a hit because opposing offenses will look to stay away from him.

Bailey, who might be the best pure cover corner in the game, racked up 62 solo tackles, three interceptions and 24 passes defensed a year ago, and his numbers might be even better than that if opposing teams tested him more often. Still, with his tremendous speed and athleticism, Bailey is always a threat to take a turnover to the house, and given his high tackle numbers for a corner, he's worth a look once the top safeties are off the board.