The Fantasy Index Open is open to everyone – regular at-home players, and industry pros. And for the defense position, it was one of the professionals who came out on top: Sam Hendricks, author at Extra Point Press.

Hendricks has been in the industry for years. He is the author of Fantasy Football Guidebook. He was the overall winner of the Fantasy Index Open in 2012. And he comes out on top in the defense category of the position this year.

The winner takes home a really huge and really cool trophy from the team at Affordable Trophies. They’ve been partnering with us on this contest for years.

The winner and the runner-up also earn berths in the Experts Poll in the magazine, competing in a similar contest in a 20-man field composed mainly of industry experts.

The scoring for this competition is notoriously complex. Basically, all picks count in varying degrees, and we attach a number to each of the 20 picks made by each of the 222 entries. In short, the higher you rank a player the more his production counts towards your score, with final scoring in the hundreds of thousands.

At the defense position, scoring is based on 2 points for takeaways, 1 for sacks, 2 for safeties and 6 points for touchdowns (takeaway and special teams).

To win in this kind of competition, you have to be right on some big-picture concepts that most others miss. For Hendricks at this position, the Eagles and Texans were his key selections. Philadelphia was lightly regarded on most boards (just 17th, on average) but Hendricks ranked them 5th. So when they had a solid year, ranking 8th, he was more heavily rewarded for that production. At the same time, most were looking for a big season from the Texans (the #6 defense entering the season). But Hendricks didn’t even include them in his top 20, so he benefitted when they weren’t much of a factor (ranking 21st in scoring).

The Jets and Jaguars were 11th and 14th on the consensus board, but Hendricks ranked them 20th and not at all. That helped him when those teams both ranked in the bottom 3 in this scoring system.

Hendricks’ top 4 was solid, including Carolina, Denver, Arizona and Kansas City, which all ranked in the top 7 in scoring. Regardless, his picks put him on top, just ahead of network engineer Michael McAninch and attorney Dan Martinez.

Kent Stewart gets the most improved award for this category. He ranked last (out of 222) at the kicker position, but moved up to 7th in defenses.

The position was rough, on the other hand, on Zach Leavitt and Scott Anderson – two veteran prognosticators out of Colorado. They both ranked in the top 15 in kickers but slipped to last and next-to-last at this position.

Still to come: QB, RB, WR, TE.

FANTASY INDEX OPEN -- DEFENSES (top 10 percent)
EntryOccupationPoints
Sam HendricksFantasy Writer32,852
Michael McAninchNetwork Engineer32,404
Dan MartinezAttorney32,325
Wade BoothAdmin. Technician32,323
Steven TorresCollector32,185
Phil MontalbanoProject Manager32,178
Kent StewartAuto Manufacting32,148
Scott LilesJournalist32,079
Dana DuffieldRetired Software Engineer32,016
Adam HoltzFinancial Analyst32,011
Mark BeckerMarketing31,938
Michael S. LivengoodPage Designer31,930
Craig LeedyRetired31,883
Jeremy SchwartzStart Up31,882
Joe PizzicaTeacher31,859
Allen MartirossianFinance Director31,853
Michael O'BrienFingerprint Examiner31,838
John WhitneyPediatrician31,826
Kevin CuozzoSales Professional31,782
Tim WandlingProfessor31,774
Kenneth YuenAttorney31,762
Ken NormanMinister31,760
FANTASY INDEX OPEN -- DEFENSES (alphabetical listing)
EntryPointsRankHometown
Aaron Green31,50047Maple Grove, Minn.
Aaron Lance30,969127Yakima, Wash.
Adam Bergeron30,688171Salem, N.H.
Adam Holtz32,01110Rochester, Minn.
Adam Locke31,39357Lynnwood, Wash.
Adam Renzoni30,981122Buffalo, N.Y.
Adam Sheets31,26067Santa Rosa, Calif.
Adam Taylor31,13892Media, Pa.
Adam Thygeson30,907138Oregon City, Ore.
Allen Martirossian31,85316Ashburn, Va.
Andrew Leahy30,896140Audubon, N.J.
Andrew Southworth31,31963Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Andy Richardson30,969128Port Chester, N.Y.
Anthony Difranceisco30,910137Turnersville, N.J.
Arden Vos31,50744Edmonton, Canada
Barry St Peter30,727164Pittsfield, Mass.
Ben Weisner30,405205Wausau, Wis.
Bill Dallesandro31,49848Huntington, N.Y.
Bill Rehor31,115100Culver City, Calif.
Bob Adelman31,61332St. Louis, Mo.
Brack Varnon31,75223Houston, Texas
Brandon Barnes30,919135Portland , Ore.
Brent Miles30,705166Pasco, Wash.
Brett Watts30,759156Florence, S.C.
Bruce Alwine31,39358Havertown, Pa.
Bruce Boase31,21777Ogden, Utah
Charles Raifman30,930133Short Hills, N.J.
Chris Brooke31,076105San Diego, Calif.
Chris Durham31,059107Yuma, Ariz.
Chris Erickson30,478195Sparta, Wis.
Chris Hertzberg29,814220Austin, Texas
Chris Sullivan31,003117Ottawa, Canada
Chris Weber31,40456Appleton, Wis.
Chris Winder30,129215San Ramon, Calif.
Chris Wright31,13794Lynchburg, Va.
Craig Barltrop30,416203Adelaide, Australia
Craig Leedy31,88313Sacramento, Calif.
Curt Goldgrabe30,433200Boise, Idaho
Dale Gander31,18682Sun Prairie, Wis.
Dan Martinez32,3253Yuba City, Calif.
Dana Duffield32,0169Rochester, Minn.
Daniel Bowman31,23174Liberty, Mo.
Daniel MacDonald 30,420202Torrance, Calif.
Darrell Sooy31,17685West Chester, Pa.
Dave Cohen31,034111Brooklyn, N.Y.
Dave Pizzica31,61731Springfield, Pa.
Dave Renstrom31,55540Apple Valley, Minn.
Dave Sjogren30,927134Vienna, Va.
Dave Wilde31,53441Mukwonago, Wis.
David Battersby30,816145Bellevue, Wash.
Dennis Thomas30,720165Watsonville, Calif.
Dominic Romeo30,798147Sacramento, Calif.
Don P McKendry30,796149Orland Park, Ill.
Don Pavelka31,16986Plainview, Minn.
Doug Brown30,300208Fort Gratiot, Mich.
Dr. Billy Friedrich30,975126Raleigh, N.C.
Drew Englebright30,187214London, U.K.
Ed O'Hair31,21678Katy, Texas
Edward Burke30,262212Philadelphia, Pa.
Ellis Kilgore31,046109Von Ormy, Texas
Eric Gustitus30,471196Exeter, Pa.
Eric Titus31,57236Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Fabrizio Danova31,16189Los Angeles, Calif.
Frank Read30,705167Pittsburgh, Pa.
Frank Rotella31,64228Sewell, N.J.
Frank Shinnick30,516192Milford, Mass.
Gary Allen30,958129Charleston, S.C.
Gary Borges30,522189Toronto, Canada
Gary Fortier30,003217Marietta, Ga.
Geoff Greggs31,56837Roy, Wash.
George Taylor30,554186Moosup, Conn.
Gerald M. Hoehn30,981123West Liberty, Iowa
Grant Hubbard30,864143Rochester Hills, Mich.
Greg Heminway31,21876Sacramento, Calif.
Greg Resin31,16488Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Henry Goers30,445199Bartlett, Ill.
Ian Allan30,735160Seattle, Wash.
Ian MacEwen31,13893Akron, Ohio
Jacob Floriolli31,010115Chico, Calif.
Jacob Wilson31,21080Crandall, Texas
Jacques Dugger31,65427Westland, Mich.
James Carvin31,56838Mt. Laurel, N.J.
James Frauel30,734162Walworth, N.Y.
Jamie Alberts31,41653Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
Jared Smola31,28665Rochester, N.Y.
Jason Flatley30,598182Cohoes, N.Y.
Jason Mattern31,12399Wintersville, Ohio
Jason Pilon31,50346Roseville, Minn.
Jay Harding31,13195Portland, Ore.
Jay Wimmers31,38359Lincolnton, N.C.
Jeff Friedrich30,678174Greenville, N.C.
Jeff Zwiers31,36461Bellingham, Wash.
Jeremy Marzofka30,788152Seattle, Wash.
Jeremy Schwartz31,88214Edison, N.J.
Jesse McGuigan31,001118Pittsburgh, Pa.
Jim Costello30,603180Portland, Maine
Jim Coventry30,735161Chicago, Ill.
Jim Kovac31,34762Tucson, Ariz.
Joe Loeb31,031112Aloha, Ore.
Joe Pizzica31,85915Wynnewood, Pa.
John D. Smith30,462197Willow Grove, Pa.
John Dent31,12597Ann Arbor, Mich.
John Duggins30,495194Greenville, S.C.
John M. Smyczynski30,979125Buffalo, N.Y.
John Moore30,942132Sea Isle City, N.J.
John Ruppe30,609179Fort Myers, Fla.
John Whitney31,82618San Jose, Calif.
John Yarsinsky31,30564Marlton, N.J.
Johnny Bazzano31,25468Santa Rosa, Calif.
Jon Hansen30,683172Reno, Nev.
Jonathan Mora30,541187Chicago, Fla.
Josh Shupien30,660175Tacoma, Wash.
Ken Norman31,76022Chanhassen, Minn.
Ken Valis30,984121Gaithersburg, Md.
Kenneth Jones30,287209New Orleans, La.
Kenneth Yuen31,76221Arlington Heights, Ill.
Kent Stewart32,1487Poplar Bluff, Mo.
Kenzie MacNeil30,767155Halifax, Canada
Kevin Cuozzo31,78219Concord , Mass.
Kevin Smith31,016114Philadelphia, Pa.
Kirk Kennedy29,907219Beulaville, N.C.
Kyle Soppe30,704168Bristol, Conn.
Kyle Wells31,113101Lynnwood, Wash.
Larry Weinhauer30,773154Andover, N.Y.
Marc Mayfield30,733163Longview, Texas
Mark Becker31,93811Los Angeles, Calif.
Mark Burns31,17883Runnemede, N.J.
Mark Christie31,52143Fairport, N.Y.
Mark Maloney30,264211Andover, Minn.
Mark Stoecker30,914136Mansfield, Texas
Matt Menghi30,588183Niantic, Conn.
Matty Strothman-Evans30,790151Winston-Salem, N.C.
Michael Crow30,429201Orion, Ill.
Michael Kolton30,958130Green Bay, Wis.
Michael McAninch32,4042Naperville, Ill.
Michael Menke31,19181New Berlin, Wis.
Michael O'Brien31,83817Lakewood, Colo.
Michael S. Livengood31,93012Ward, Ark.
Miguel Tames31,12598Miami, Fla.
Mike Balliet30,797148Milton, Pa.
Mike Clark30,393207Las Vegas, Nev.
Mike Clay30,601181Cheshire, Conn.
Mike Freeman31,40755Hamilton, Canada
Mike Lenett31,106104Silver Spring, Md.
Mike McIlraith31,52942Fort Worth, Texas
Mike Nease31,60133West Chicago, Ill.
Mike Taylor31,21379Meridian, Idaho
Mike Whitla31,051108Ottawa, Canada
Moishe Steigmann31,17784Milwaukee, Wis.
Monte McDonald30,701169Las Vegas, Nev.
Nathan Bileck30,522190San Diego, Calif.
Nathan Priest30,985120Waynesboro, Pa.
Nick Heuton30,778153Carroll, Iowa
Nick Petrevski31,73925Los Angeles, Calif.
Patrick Wentz30,236213Columbus, Ohio
Paul McCann31,57735Hopewell, Pa.
Pete Collins31,36960Orland Park, Ill.
Pete Gould30,031216Nottingham, U.K.
Pete Richmond31,42651Alexandria, Va.
Phil Mazurowski30,582185Huntingdon, Pa.
Phil Montalbano32,1786Napa, Calif.
Ponce Hatch30,533188Haddon Township, N.J.
Ray Calisto31,63230Fishers, Ind.
Rey Diaz30,870142Miami, Fla.
Rich Dooley30,399206Arlington, Va.
Richard Fechter30,272210Coral Gables, Fla.
Richard Jackson31,55639Berkeley, Calif.
Richard Loppnow31,24272Ephrata, Wash.
Richard Spinella31,41554North Providence, R.I.
Rick Stark31,22375Manchester Center, Vt.
Rick Wiegan31,44650Chesapeake, Va.
Riley May30,690170Denver, Colo.
Rob Milelli31,23973Cherry Hill, N.J.
Rob Reiber30,452198Randolph, N.J.
Robert Yang31,27766Simi Valley, Calif.
Rocky Petrella30,902139Philadelphia, Pa.
Roy Sherman30,744157Columbia, Tenn.
Russell Dawson31,045110El Dorado Hills, Calif.
Rusty Stephens31,108103Atlanta, Ga.
Ryan Deal30,586184West Mifflin, Pa.
Ryan Murphy31,110102East Berlin, Pa.
Sam Dugan31,59934Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sam Hendricks32,8521Lynchburg , Va.
Scott Anderson29,714222Lakewood, Colo.
Scott Kopischke30,737159Menomonee Falls, Wis.
Scott Liles32,0798Mountain Home, Ark.
Scott Sachs31,14391Huron, Ohio
Scott Sintkowski31,24870Waterford, Mich.
Scott Wilkinson31,12796Portland , Ore.
Seamus McGuigan30,744158Pittsburgh, Pa.
Sean Chi31,16987New York, N.Y.
Shane Scott31,74724Toronto, Canada
Shelby Teagardner30,414204Pittsburgh, Pa.
Steve Blenker30,871141Cheektowaga, N.Y.
Steve Math30,643177Austin, Texas
Steve Moyer31,44849Oakland, Calif.
Steve Tortora30,500193Wallingford , Conn.
Steve Weber31,42152Paso Robles, Calif.
Steven Alessandrini31,50445Flanders, N.J.
Steven Schindhelm31,63529Milwaukee, Wis.
Steven Torres32,1855Nipomo, Calif.
Stewart Kuehne30,794150Redmond, Wash.
Terence Larro31,024113Woodland Hills, Calif.
Thomas Oliver30,680173Silver Spring, Md.
Tim Wandling31,77420Rohnert Park, Calif.
Todd Voorhees30,952131Chula Vista, Calif.
Tom Deskovitz31,008116South Lyon, Mich.
Tom Groome31,15390Duncannon, Pa.
Tom Morande30,823144Tinley Park, Ill.
Tom Overberger31,25069Bedminster, Pa.
Tommy Libretti30,998119Malverne, N.Y.
Tony Mavreles31,24471Reading, Pa.
Trevor Ross30,799146Edmonton, Canada
Trey Quinn29,961218Annapolis, Md.
Troy McGovern30,519191Melbourne, Fla.
Tyson Traveller31,061106McKinney, Texas
Victor Kitzes31,69726Maple Valley, Wash.
Vince Corbin30,630178Naperville, Ill.
Wade Booth32,3234Tulsa, Okla.
William Trostle30,659176Fort Rucker, Ala.
Zach Leavitt29,728221Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Zach Nizolek30,981124Kansas City, Mo.

—Ian Allan