Shawne Merriman

After a successful offseason of Achilles rehab followed by training which included mixed martial arts work and interval training, Merriman is planning on being full-go this season for the first time in a long time. Merriman once had a season where he racked up 62 tackles, 17 sacks, seven passes defensed and an interception, but that's simply not going to happen with the Bills. However, he's still just 27 years old, and since you know he'll get dismissed in most IDP leagues he could be a cheap source of sacks that comes with re-injury risk. Eight to 10 of them would put him in the running for Comeback Player of the Year, but it also wouldn't surprise us either. He's that talented when he's healthy, and the Bills are counting on someone to rush the passer after failing miserably there in 2010.

Merriman had only four sacks last year and missed nearly all of 2008. He had previously averaged 13 sacks per year from 2005 to 2007. A return to form could be on tap since he is now another year removed from major knee surgery and will be playing for his next contract someplace.

At the end of 2007, Merriman had made his third Pro Bowl in as many seasons, and he had amassed 39.5 sacks, but 2008 was a complete wash as he was forced to undergo season-ending knee surgery after just one ineffective game. Word is that Merriman will be healthy for the start of the 2009 season. If so, you can bet that he is going to be foaming at the mouth to hit some people. Merriman is an incredible physical specimen and should be very productive even if he starts the season at less than 100%, so there really isn't much risk here.

Going into his fifth NFL season, Merriman still hasn't reached his peak. He is coming off arthroscopic knee surgery, but should be healthy to kick off the season. If he plays in all 16 games, Merriman could set career highs across the board.

Pick a monster, any monster. The Hulk, the Thing, Frankenstein. Merriman is bigger, stronger, faster and meaner. He led the league with an impressive 17 sacks in just 12 games. He's possibly the most exciting on-field defender in the league, but he's dangerously close to being a tweener who falls through the fantasy cracks. As an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme, he doesn't have nearly the tackle base to guarantee his fantasy viability. Whereas a typical fantasy stud makes at minimum 100 total tackles in a season, Merriman's pass rushing duties mean he'll peak in the 70s or 80s. That means he needs tons of sacks each year to be a decent option at linebacker (if he qualifies at lineman in your league, he's off-the-charts studly). OK, so last year he managed that, but how much of that was a result of the steroids that earned him a four-game suspension? He did make 8.5 of those sacks, a neat and clean half of his total, in five post-suspension games, but he was still potentially benefiting from an offseason, preseason and early season of steroid use. The true test will come after an offseason of honest workouts. Just how much of a beast is Merriman really? He had minor offseason shoulder surgery, but that’s not expected to do much more than make him miss minicamps. Truth be told, he's got plenty to learn in pass coverage and play recognition— he could get better. That's how exceptional his physical exploits have been. Exceptional is the right word for Merriman: it would be truly exceptional for him to sustain the level of sacking required to be a viable fantasy linebacker given his tackle base, but so far Merriman has been the exception.

Merriman was a major force to be reckoned with in 2005. He was named the Defensive Rookie of the Year and made the 2006 Pro Bowl despite not entering the Chargers' starting lineup until Week 7. He was the team leader with 10 sacks, becoming the first rookie to do so in Chargers history. Heading into his second campaign, he only figures to get better. He has added 10 pounds of muscle to an already chiseled frame and will have the benefit of a full training camp as opposed to his rookie season when he was involved in an extended hold-out. The ceiling couldn't be higher for this big hitter in 2006.

Merriman was brought in for one reason, and one reason only...to improve the Chargers' dreadful pass rush. After knocking out four players in a single high school game, the imposing Merriman was given the nickname "lights out." The Chargers hope he can bring that same hard-hitting style with him to San Diego. He had a team-high 8 1/2 sacks and 17 tackles for losses last year at Maryland, and he is expected to crack the Chargers' starting lineup as a rookie.