John Henderson

Henderson is similar to teammate Tommy Kelly, but he does not make as many tackles and will be counted on more for his stout run defense than anything else.

Henderson will start at defensive tackle, but with his skills declining rapidly, is not much of an IDP play in 2009.

While Henderson is one of the more effective DTs in the league, his skill doesn't transfer very well to fantasy. He picked up 38 tackles and two sacks last year, and fantasy players should expect more of the same this season.

Despite being one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL, Henderson's statistics do not make him an optimal fantasy option on defense. Henderson collected only 38 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2006, and more of the same may happen in 2007, especially if teams continue to run away from him.

Henderson does it all. He stops the run, clogs the middle, and will chase down opposing quarterbacks. His size and skills make him a perennial pro bowl candidate and establish him as one of the top defensive tackles in the league. He and Marcus Stroud will continue to alleviate stress for the rest of the defense with all the attention they’re given. Henderson could go for four or five sacks and will produce high tackle numbers for an interior lineman.

At 6-7, 328 pounds, Henderson is a bull. He takes up a ton of space, tackles like a demon, bats a few passes every year and registers mid-single-digit sacks for good measure. Last season he posted one game of just one tackle but otherwise had at least three in every game, which is more than you can ask of a lineman. On the field, he’s one of the best at collapsing the pocket and attacks relentlessly, courtesy of a nasty attitude. In other words, he’s a defender.

Henderson, along with Marcus Stroud, account for most of Jacksonville's interior strength on defense. A 16-game starter in 2003, Henderson was third on the team in sacks with 3.5. The defense as a whole is strong against the run and it starts with Henderson and Stroud.