December 25, 2008 Impending free agent Jonathan Vilma is a top priority for the Saints to re-sign in the off-season, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Our View:He has made a great recovery from knee surgery and proved to be a great fit for the Saints' defense as he leads the club with 119 tackles, while also chipping in one sack, three fumble recoveries and an interception this season.
November 30, 2008 Linebacker Jonathan Vilma had six solo tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one sack, and one assist in the Week 13 loss to the Bucs.
Our View:It was a very good IDP performance for Vilma. He hadn't made many impact plays prior to this Sunday, but he made up for some lost time.
October 15, 2008 Jonathan Vilma is not only producing solid numbers on the field he is also leading the way for his teammates, according to Slam Sports. "It's like having a quarterback who knows what he's supposed to do on offence," Saints DT Brian Young said. "If you've got a guy who's back there and basically telling everybody what to do and where to go, you've got confidence, you don't have to worry about as much. ... You just go out there and play, so it makes it a lot easier."
Our View:Vilma has been just about everything that the Saints hoped he would be when they brought him in this offseason and he should continue to be a solid option each week in IDP leagues most weeks.
August 17, 2008 Jonathan Vilma, who is recovering from knee surgery, played the entire first half Saturday against the Texans, according to the Biloxi Sun Herald. Vilma took all the snaps at middle linebacker with the first-team defense and tallied two total tackles. He said there were no issues regarding his knee, and added, "It felt good being out there. It was good to get out there and play with my teammates. That was very exciting. I guess I just have to go from here."
Our View:Vilma could be a steal in IDP leagues if he proves to be healthy over a full 16-game slate, and Saturday's outing was an encouraging step in his progress.
August 5, 2008 Jonathan Vilma has taken a step back and practiced only once per day recently. Head coach Sean Payton informs the New Orleans Times-Picayune that Vilma is "one of those guys you've got to pull back because they're not going to pull back themselves." The linebacker is recovering from left knee surgery.
Our View:We're fairly optimistic about Vilma's ability to help IDP fantasy teams in 2008, but his projections will drop if we believe his left knee is still bothering him. It sounds like the Saints are just being cautious.
