Mike Peterson

Peterson resigned with the Falcons this offseason with the intentions of returning to his starting weakside linebacker role, but it looks as if he's been passed on the depth chart by Stephen Nicholas. Peterson struggled in pass coverage last season, and he's not getting any younger. Nicholas will be the weakside linebacker racking up tackles this season, and Peterson won't come near the 79 tackles he produced last season.

Peterson rejoined his former defensive coordinator, Mike Smith, and had his best season since 2005. He had 82 tackles and forced three turnovers but there are concerns he might not repeat that performance. He is 34 years old and the Falcons drafted rookie Sean Weatherspoon in the first round.

Peterson was one of the best linebackers in the league from 2000-2005, but he has almost no big-play potential left. Still, he does know Mike Smith's defense better than the rest of the Falcons linebackers and he figures to have a good shot at making lots of garbage tackles, especially if the Atlanta defense allows offenses to run all over it again in '09.

Injuries have limited Peterson to 15 games over the last two seasons, and he has declined from one of the league's top IDP players to one whose health can't be trusted. When able-bodied, Peterson can rack up tackles and make the occasional sack, but even those numbers dropped last year when Peterson was on the field. Peterson is still somewhat valuable in leagues that count tackles, but be wary of his injury history.

Do you think Peterson is healthy? If so, draft him now. In eight NFL seasons, Peterson has had two years during which he suffered a major injury and missed a significant number of games. In every other year he has made 100 total tackles and been an IDP stud. Unfortunately, one of those injury years was last year, as he played just five games after tearing a pectoral muscle. Peterson has already been shining in voluntary offseason workouts, so we’re not too worried about his recovery. What's to worry about a guy who at 235 pounds can effectively handle blockers and has great range and speed? Peterson can get to the quarterback (11 sacks in his last two full seasons) and is good in coverage (three seasons with at least three INT). When he puts those skills together with his tackling ability, Peterson vies to be the best IDP in football. Just make sure his health is progressing, and draft with confidence.

Here’s a trick: Peterson led the NFL in defensive fantasy points last year, and did it in 15 games, missing most of Week 17 to a sprained wrist. Through the 2003 season, his M.O. had been more interceptions than sacks, and usually two or three when it came to those interceptions. Then in 2004 he reversed the trend by not picking off a pass but logging five sacks, easily a career best. He combined them both in 2005, recording a career year both in coverage and in the pass rush. He’s shown the ability to reach 90 or more solo tackles each year, which already gets him invited to the dance. If he continues either side of the playmaking, that’s a top-10 year right there. With both, he’s the belle of the ball. Peterson is a rangy guy, relying on body movement and anticipation rather than stack-and-shed ability. Lucky for him, in Marcus Stroud and John Henderson, he’s got perhaps the best pair of defensive tackles in the league eating blockers. Despite sporting a cast, he played the next week on that sprained wrist and logged a sack. He then had surgery to repair it in January. He may not put it all together again like he did last year, but he’s a tough guy in great position to deliver as a No. 1 linebacker.

Peterson did something new last year: He swapped intercepting passes for sacking the quarterback. In the previous four years, he’d picked off two, two, three and three passes, respectively, making him the most consistent interceptor in linebackerdom. Last year he had none, but recorded an impressive five sacks instead. He also rebounded from 71 solo tackles to 93, all of which landed him in the top 10 again after an off 2003. Peterson, who is productive no matter what you do with him, never once had fewer than four solo tackles in a game last year. After the big name guys go, it’ll be hard to do better.

We're gonna give Peterson a bit of a mulligan on his first half in 2003. He's a perfect example of why fantasy owners should be wary of players changing teams and/or defensive schemes, having gone from 100-solo-tackle seasons in Indy to just 78 last year. Peterson's never been much of a pass rusher, but he did get his customary three interceptions and nine passes defended, just like he did in Indy the year before. Here's the rub, all three of Peterson's picks, his one sack, and 47 of his solo tackles came in the second half last year. He may never return to elite tackle production, but we think he's found himself in this defense.

Peterson moves out of Tony Dungy's system in Indy and into head coach Jack Del Rio's in Jacksonville. Peterson won't get you many sacks (just 4.5 over four years with the Colts), but he's a tackling machine. He finished fourth in the NFL last year with 103 and also had three picks.