D.J.

Williams

Williams has always been a player with world-class talent and sometimes inconsistent production. It is not a slam dunk that he will start the season over Jashon Sykes at LB.

That would be the best position for his IDP stats. With injuries to Jashon Sykes and Terry Pierce, Williams should start during week one.

Williams’ IDP value dropped dramatically in his second year after playing the WILL as a rookie. Starting MLB Al Wilson and weak-sider Ian Gold should remain solid, if unspectacular, options this season.

Williams’ return should send Wesley Woodyard back to a subpackage role on third downs. Williams led the Broncos in both tackles and sacks in 2010, though his presence is far from prohibitive for James Starks and Aaron Rodgers this week.

Williams’ fine play has been a key to Denver’s No. 2 ranked defense. He should be owned in all IDP leagues.

Broncos DT Ryan McBean was suspended for the same amount of time and same offense. Williams, who turns 30 in July, has also been arrested twice for DUI during his NFL career, so he’s on the league’s radar for discipline. Williams recently tested positive for PEDs, per the Denver Post. He racked up 90 tackles, three forced fumbles, and five sacks in 13 starts last season. Depending on Denver’s bye, Williams will be eligible to return in either Week 7 or Week 8 of the 2012 regular season.

“We proved — conclusively — at the NFL hearing on this matter that the NFL and its specimen collector wholly failed in their duties to safeguard and process my specimen properly,” Williams said. “In fact, the specimen collector was fired by the NFL after compromising my specimen as well as others’.” If Williams’ claims are correct, he may be able to get off the hook, after all.

Suspended six games for allegedly providing a “non-human specimen” in a drug test, Williams is due a non-guaranteed $5 million in 2012. Four months shy of his 30th birthday, Williams tallied five sacks and three forced fumbles to go along with 90 tackles last season. Williams is appealing his suspension on the grounds that his specimen was improperly handled. How his appeal plays out could play a big role in his Broncos’ future.

Williams is facing a six-game ban for allegedly providing a “non-human specimen” in a drug test. Williams’ former teammate Ravens DT Ryan McBean had his six-game suspension cut in half after dropping his suit against the league, but Williams has no such plans. Due a non-guaranteed $5 million this season, Williams’ Broncos future could depend on the fate of his lawsuit.

Suspended tight end Virgil Green is not a part of the suit. It’s an imminently human action on behalf of two players accused of having “non-human” urine in their systems during drug tests last season. In taking inspiration from Ryan Braun, they are alleging there were “chain-of-custody procedural errors” in the handling of their samples, and are seeking injunctions that would allow them to play while the legal system takes its course.