I watched the NFL Networks' Top-10 Most Versatile Players show this week and it got me thinking: What if players still went both ways? Who would be today's best iron men?
So even though it has absolutely nothing to do with fantasy football, I decided to build an All Iron Man team, consisting of today's best pure football players. Starting with my offense and special teams, I've put together a roster of current players to switch sides of the field and dominate other positions. With it being the most important and specialized position in football, finding a defensive player to take snaps and run an offense was the most difficult task, while the position that I struggled the most to choose one player for was my second tight end slot.
Personally, I'd love to see some of these guys lining up both ways, particularly my tight ends and receivers for fantasy purposes. But there are plenty of other players that have the potential to go both ways, so feel free to cast your vote for some other defensive star.
Oh, and after posting my All Iron Man Defensive Team on Sunday, it'll be back to fantasy next week when I'll begin a Sleepers Series very similar to what I did last spring.
All Iron Men Offensive Team
QB – Julian Edelman (5-10, 198) – The only true Iron Man on the list, this former college quarterback from Kent State does a bit of everything for the Patriots. He returns punts, snags Tom Brady passes out of the slot and even plays corner (and does it well) in nickel and dime packages. It's because of his presence on the defensive side that I can justify slotting Edelman in as the leader of my all-defensive player offensive team. Seeing as how he threw for just 2,490 yards and 22 scores as a collegiate signal caller and that he's just a shrimpy 5-foot-10, I think I'll have him rock the triple option most of the time. At a shade under 200 lbs. we'll just hope he's shifty enough to survive.
RB – Troy Polamalu (5-10, 207) – In building my All Iron Man Team, I realized that the players I would want to see switch sides of the ball couldn't just be superior physical specimens. The players I would want going both ways need to be truly instinctual football players, guys that just see the game at another level than their piers. Polamalu fits that description as well as anybody that's played the game over the last couple decades, so he was easily one of the first that came to mind for a defensive star that could switch sides. With 361 career return yards on 29 interceptions, I feel pretty safe handing him the ball and watching him make plays out of the backfield with his quick feet and natural running instincts.
RB – Darrelle Revis (5-11, 198) – Backfield by committee is the now thing. So I need a second back to complement Polamalu and the sub-4.4-speed of Revis should do that nicely. Polamalu will do most of the heavy lifting as the tenacious type that will initiate more hits than he'll take and soften the defense for Revis to step in and burn them for big gains. With impeccable footwork and elite ball skills, Revis can also be a huge asset coming out of the backfield as a receiver and can motion outside to do damage from the slot. Like Polamalu, he's one of the game's elite competitors. Revis is a football player and an athlete that is far from one-dimensional and he would be a great weapon for any offense.
FB – Ray Lewis (6-1, 250) – A great fullback has to have that warrior mentality. He has to be highly aggressive and seek out contact. He has to be able to deliver a brutal hit. There may not be any fullbacks in the league, save for his teammate, All-Pro Vonta Leach, that fits that bill more than Lewis. And when you consider the 31 Interceptions Lewis has piled up in his illustrious career, you know he'd be just fine as a receiver coming out of the backfield as well. Lewis is such a remarkable athlete and fierce competitor that it truly makes me a bit sad that the Iron Man days are over. One can only imagine how much more he might dominate the game if he went both ways. Patrick Willis and Brian Urlacher would also be fits at fullback, but neither is quite the gladiator that Lewis is, so they'll have to wait til he retires to claim this spot.
WR – Charles Woodson (6-1, 202) – The man didn't win the Heisman at Michigan just for being a star cornerback. Woodson's superb hands and feel for the receiver position made him stand out that much more in his college days and his supreme playmaking skills, evidenced by his 54 interceptions for 896 yards and 11 scores as a pro, make it no doubt that he could still be going both ways and dominating each side of the ball. His body control and hand-eye coordination are otherworldly and his elusiveness after the catch would make him a nightmare working out of the slot, sort of like a bigger Wes Welker.
WR – Patrick Peterson (6-0, 219) – The NFL-record-tying four punts he returned for scores as a rookie says it all about Peterson. This young playmaker should be getting his hands on the ball as often as possible, and with my Iron Man team, I'm going to give him that chance. With good size and superior athleticism he fits the bill perfectly as my Z receiver. Peterson can use his bulk to box out defenders and move the chains or burn them deep with his blazing 4.34-speed. And if he gets the ball in space, watch out. If the Cardinals knew what was good for them, they'd really turn this stud athlete into the next Primetime and line him up with Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd. That would give defenses some serious headaches.
WR – Ed Reed (5-11, 200) – Not many receivers over the past ten years have been as good at tracking the ball and going to take it away from the opposition as Reed. In his prime he was a terror to throw against and with his sticky hands, ability to adjust to the ball and tremendous overall athleticism, he'd be a joy to throw the ball to. And with Reed's pure football smarts, he can move anywhere along the line of scrimmage and beat the man across from him. Of current players only Woodson can evenly remotely compare to his 57 career picks for 1,463 yards, and even he's miles off from matching Reed in the yards department. Few players are as dangerous with the ball in their hands, which is why Reed would be the X-factor for this offense. If Woodson is this team's Welker, Reed is at least the Victor Cruz.
WR – Eric Berry (6-0, 211) – In the current state of the NFL you've got to be able to go four-wide. Berry narrowly beat out Antonio Cromartie, Charles Tillman and Jimmy Smith for that fourth spot because he's a more complete package than the others. As a rookie in 2010 Berry averaged 25.5 yards per pick on his four INT's, with one going for a score. He's just an awesome blend of size, athleticism and playmaking instincts. While I liked Cromartie's speed after the catch, Tillman's hands and Smith's size, none of them quite match Berry's exceptional package.
TE – Julius Peppers (6-7, 287) – Peppers is just a physical freak of an athlete. Pure and simple. A former power forward for the North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team, Peppers brings more than enough speed and dexterity to the table to run routes and catch balls as a monstrous tight end. He's flashed excellent hands with eight career interceptions and his length, girth and physicality would make him an absolute match-up disaster for defenses. Imagine a 5-foot-11, 200-pound safety trying to cover him in the red zone. Or a linebacker fruitlessly try to jam him off the line? Not gonna work. This one, I would love to see.
TE – Clay Matthews (6-3, 255) – After Peppers, who was easily one of the first names that came to mind when pondering my Iron Men, it was especially hard to select a second tight end. Given the evolution of the position, I couldn't see building a team without two tight ends. And with Peppers I've got my Gronk, so I wanted to find a guy to fit my Aaron Hernandez role, and the best fit that came to mind was Matthews. I toyed with several other big athletes—namely Urlacher, LaMarr Woodley, J.J. Watt and Jason Pierre-Paul—to place next to Peppers, but ultimately fell in love with the mismatches that the speedier Matthews could create with the monster from the Midway. A true football player with NFL bloodlines, Matthews has proven that he can make plays when he gets the ball in his hands, having scored a touchdown in each of his first three seasons, either via pick or strip. With Peppers drawing so much attention, I'd line Matthews up all over and just let him terrorize defensive coordinators with his strength and speed.
OT – Haloti Ngata (6-4, 330) – Ngata is one of the most nimble giants to play this game in my lifetime. With his foot quickness and violent hands, I can't think of many actual left tackles I'd feel more comfortable with protecting my quarterback's blindside. With his powerful base and overall massive size, it would take a lightning fast pass rusher to get around Ngata, and even then it might not work. Once he got his bear paws on the rusher, it would almost be no contest.
OT – Calais Campbell (6-8, 300) – This is one of the longest-limbed guys in the league and with his huge reach, excellent strength and surprising quickness, I love him as the right tackle for my run-first Iron Man team. His long first step and powerful arms should make it easy for him to set the edge when Edelman takes the option his way.
OG – Ndamukong Suh (6-4, 307) – Suh is just so nasty, it's impossible to do this team and not picture him flattening other d-tackles and ripping their helmets off to clear running lanes. With brute strength and an aggression that borders on psychosis, I can't imagine a tailback not wanting to run behind Suh's vicious blocks.
OG – Vince Wilfork (6-2, 360) – Other than his fellow big men occupying this Iron Man offensive line, I cannot think of many defensive lineman that could knock this behemoth back when the ball is snapped. Wilfork is simply the giant of the giants and with his ability to fire out of a three-point stance in a blink I can only imagine the gaping holes his pancake blocks would create in the run game. He is so wide and his base so strong that even a blitzing linebacker coming his way would just be absorbed like a bug to fly paper.
C – B.J. Raji (6-2, 337) – Although Raji proved to be a competent goal line back last year, I've opted to just have him snap the ball and devour the opposing team's d-linemen instead. Though he doesn't have the quickness of Ngata or the nastiness of Suh, Raji is more than capable of discount double-checking any lineman onto his backside. The "Freezer" is just so big and powerful that once he establishes contact, there's no way he's going backwards or to the ground.
K/P – Chad OchoCinco (6-1, 192) – The man loves his soccer and he can kick it well enough. Without having an actual kicker or punter do the jobs, OchoCinco is the next best option despite his mouth and antics.
KR/PR – Michael Vick (6-0, 215) – I don't think I'm spraining any muscles with this pick. Super quick, accelerates in a flash and can make the best athletes in the world look flat silly in space. No brainer.