Do you remember the IDPBlitz Hall of Fame voting back in August? I was reviewing how those still-active Hall of Fame candidates were progressing this season, and it's been a struggle for most. Let's run through the list and see which ones deserve to be on your IDP roster, with a comment on each.

First, let's take Ray Lewis, Jason Taylor and Ronde Barber off the table. Each is still performing at a high level, and there's no question they belong. The others? Not necessarily as clear.

Michael Strahan - Oooh, this was close until the Monday nighter, when Strahan revived himself with 2 sacks. Still, the word in New York is that Strahan is indeed slowing down. He's only posted sacks in 2 of his last 9 games, and 4 of his last 13. Over his last 16 games, Strahan has 9 sacks, decent, but unbecoming for a sacker of his caliber. I say he stays on your roster -- for now.

Simeon Rice - It's hard to stand by Rice. He's playing with an ailing shoulder, and something is just missing from his game this year. Oh, yeah, sacks, that's what's missing! As soon as I tell you to let him go, though, Rice will break out with a multi-sack game. Hang onto him if you have roster room, and even start him in multiple-DL-starter formats. If you can only start 1 DL, though, I'd say dump him.

Darren Sharper - Sharper must go. I sound bold when I say that, but it's still with trepidation, knowing that Sharper lagged in the 1st half of last season, then turned on the jets with 8 INTs in his last 9 games. However, the Cover 2 is not known as a defense that produces INTs by safeties, and it seems like this scheme has killed Sharper's fantasy totals.

Rodney Harrison - Actually, for the last 2 weeks, I've almost recommended adding Harrison to your roster. His totals have been gradually increasing. My assumption is that he's not on a roster now, but the way he's played himself into shape, it's about time to add him. But he'll be more of a 3rd DB at this point in his career, not a # 1.

Derrick Brooks - Brooks hit bottom by missing a key tackle on a Brian Westbrook TD scamper last week. I really don't have a feel for what's going on there, but LB is a position where you can't be as patient. You need consistent production. I'd cut him.

Donnie Edwards - This is a tough one. Edwards' performance has been declining as the season has worn on. He hasn't been the dynamic player of years past, especially in the big play department. However, it might be best to wait just a bit before giving up on him. With Shaun Phillips and likely Shawne Merriman sidelined, Edwards may be get more opportunities for both tackles and sacks. So give it a couple of weeks before you dump him.

Junior Seau - I don't expect that Seau is on many fantasy rosters, nor should he be. His tackle totals are pedestrian, and his playing time is more sporadic. Seau will have a few decent days, but he's no longer a consistent fantasy producer.

LET'S Get Ready to Rrrrrresssspect One Annnnotthherrrrrrr!

Landon Reed

I logged on this morning and noticed an email from Cecil with the subject line: It's time for another edition of Upon Further Review. A long grin crept over my face as I thought, Yeah, it's about time we threw down on one another! I'm sick of agreeing with everything the boss says says, getting his morning donut, and preparing the office coffee just the way he likes it.

As it turns out, Petty Revenge can be a fickle god because as I read over Cecil's column I realized that this month's topic would make us less like a couple of wrestlers ready to put wrenches and folding chairs to one another and more like an unsuspecting tag-team which has come together because a mutual enemy lies before us.

That means this edition of UFR will not be in the no holds barred tradition our readers have come to take secret glee in but more in the tradition of a two political candidates fighting for its party's nomination. Yes that's right, the digs, barbs, and backhanded compliments will have to come between rounds of agreeing with one another.

Here we go in my best baritone voice: LET'S get ready to rrrrrresssspect one annnnotthherrrrrrr! Ish!

First let give you the lay of the land as I perceive it. Is it really any surprise that our Hall of Fame nominees are having less than stellar seasons to-date? For me, the very idea of handing someone the label of Hall of Fame player while that player is still active means several things. One, he's been recognized by peers and coaches as a good player. Two, he's been good for a significant amount of time. (Sorry Terrell Davis but you should never be up for ballot consideration.) Third, he's probably pretty long in the tooth as far as football goes. All of our nominees fit that description perfectly. Brooks, Strahan, Sharper, Rice, Harrison, Edwards, and Seau all have 10 or more years experience in the NFL. That's some serious mileage on any man's body. Well, unless you're a kicker. Ergo, these men are not in the flower of their youth any longer and a drop in performance is perfectly natural.

So, does one just jump ship because this could be the end staring you in the face? As always, that depends on each player. Michael Strahan needed last week to pull his bacon from the fire. He now has a semi-respectable 3 sacks. Cecil and I have already presented our cases on Strahan and while I am a little less secure about Strahan's ability to post nice numbers by the end of the season, I'm not entirely put off by his projected numbers. If he remains healthy and continues on his present pace, he has a good shot at 9 to10 sacks. Suddenly he's only a sack, sack and a half, off of least season's pace. Even better are his tackles numbers when projected. His solo tackle and assisted tackle totals are actually spot on with last season. I hold to my original belief that Strahan should be kept and started each week. I'll leave readers with one small bit of discontent. Bruce Smith, presently lone DL representative in the IDPBlitz Hall of Fame finished his last two season in Washington as follows: 2002, 9 sacks and 37 solo tackles / 2003, 5 sacks and 17 solo tackles. If Strahan ends up at 9 sacks to end the season, be afraid.

Simeon Rice is, as Cecil noted, missing in the sack leader column. He has put forward a terrible season so far. He wasn't really much for tackles to begin with which means if he isn't pulling QBs to their knees, he's not doing much of anything at all. I dumped him three weeks ago in the IDPBlitz graduate football league (which I'm getting destroyed in thanks in large part to a very lucky Monday night game against a long time foe of mine --rats!). That league is different than most as it's very easy to replace poor performing players, but I don't think I'd hesitate anywhere else. I'm seeing a lot of owners in other leagues cart his name out in deals and become more and more willing to downgrade their demands for him. I think his shoulder is worse than most know and he's not likely to bounce back without resting more. His recent career totals do not support his present day performance and he's not so old that he should suddenly be headed south with his play.

Rodney Harrison is one I'll quibble with Cecil about. Here's that little sucker punch I warned would come. While Rodney's numbers are up of late, they're not so impressive that you should act on them. In the last three weeks of play, there are 25 plus players at the DB position that have posted better solo tackle numbers than Harrison's past three weeks of play. He is apparently over his injury from last season and he has been in a lot of plays when you consider his increasing assisted tackles total, but he's not the Rodney I recall. He'll have to get in the backfield with greater frequency before I'll endorse his comeback. Will this prevent me from giving him my vote for our Hall of Fame? Heck no!

Hey Cecil buddy? Sorry about the jalapeño I rubbed in your eyes but the fans expect this sort of stuff from Landon "Loins of Steel" Reed. Allow me to apologize by agreeing with you entirely on two players from your list.

Darren Sharper must go given his play and situation in Minnesota. I walked the walk on this guy during each of my drafts as I never once picked him up. Nor did I even consider it. As for Junior Seau, again you noted it all. He's not what you want if your intention is to win fantasy games. We still friends?

Now while Cecil is tittering with glee because I stroked his ego, I'll hit him with the folding chair someone has carelessly left lying in the ring. Tsk, tsk. Here I come from the top rung. Shhhrungggg!!! "How dare you defile the name of Derrick Brooks?!? The man can still play the game better than 75% of the impudent youths out there today!" Brooks is not done dear IDPBlitz subscribers. Again, take his totals and start computing them forward. He's not far off of his pace from two seasons again and he's ahead of last season's tackle total. Would I like to see a sack in there already from him? Uh yup. It'll come. It'll come. Brooks may not quite be the mega stud he once was, but he's no 2006 Simeon Rice either. Let me put it this way. If you cut Brooks, someone will be laughing the rest of the season at your expense. I only hope my warning has made it to you before you act foolishly.

Ooops! Looks like I didn't hit Cecil as hard as I thought I did with that chair. Time to put him through my WWE patented Landon Loin Chop hold. (This is not for the faint of heart, but the ladies dig it.) Donnie Edwards will rebound? Umm, while I do hope so, he's already off his incredible pace from seasons of yore. His numbers project forward horribly and while I understand that all one may really care about is if he can step it up from now until the end -the recent past be damned - I do not see how he's going to post great numbers long term if Merriman is putting his suspension off for two games. What may save him is the bevy of cream puffs he's got coming up in the second half of the season. I'm not as hopeful as Cecil, however.

One final thought. I believe that at some level I didn't expect a whole lot from many of these players. I play in six football leagues and only selected two of them in any one league. I already dropped Rice and I plan to hold Brooks for this season. I've been enamored with many of the younger players the last three seasons and it's been paying off vey nicely in terms of statistics and when I've been able to add them to my roster in the later rounds. Do yourself a favor and remember that there's a Rice, Strahan, Harrison, and Edwards playing in his first, second, or year right now; and they have a lot more upside.

Ding! Ding! Ding! The referee has slapped the mat. It's over folks! It doesn't look like either the Mullachi brothers nor Cecil "The Token" Taylor are going to walk away from this one.