Kelvin Sheppard

Sheppard was signed during training camp last season when the Dolphins suffered a slew of injuries to their linebacking corps and impressed the staff enough to battle for a staring job during this year's camp. That being said he is much more likely to backup Koa Misi at middle linebacker than start this season.

Sheppard will reprise his role as a reserve linebacker. He struggles against the run, but holds his own in passing situations. He doesn't add many fantasy stats even if he gets playing time as he had just one sack last season.

Sheppard will compete with Kavell Conner to be the No. 3 starting inside linebacker and the winner could start if Pat Angerer isn't ready for the start of the regular season after offseason surgery for a broken foot.

Sheppard is an unproven player, but one who’s locked into a starting middle linebacker role for Buffalo and is a likely bet for triple-digit tackles in 2012. Sheppard totaled 226 tackles in his final 26 games at LSU, and he posted 60 tackles in his nine starts as a rookie, which projects to roughly 107 over 16 starts. Sheppard also benefits from having a spectacular on-paper defensive line ahead of him, as Marcell Dareus and Mario and Kyle Williams will more than likely keep blockers away from Sheppard and the other Buffalo linebackers.

The third-round pick is a well-rounded linebacker who will fit like a glove in Buffalo’s 3-4, and he figures to put up good numbers whenever he gets on the field. The issue is that Andra Davis is already around and Nick Barnett was brought in as a free agent to start, so Sheppard isn’t going to win a starting spot. But with just one year left on Davis’ contract, Sheppard can establish himself as the future on the inside.