UPGRADES

• DL Trevor Pryce, Baltimore (4 solos, 2 sacks, 1 FF)
  After joining a new team this year, Pryce got off to a slow start with just 8 solos and 2.5 sacks in his first 6 games. Since then, however, his production has been steadily increasing as he gets more comfortable in the new system. Pryce now has 8.5 sacks for the season and he's put up 8 solos, 4 sacks, and a FF in his last 2 games.
• DL Terrell Suggs, Baltimore (6 solos, 2 sacks)
  Many predicted a top-10 season for Suggs this year, but he had some injury issues and failed to record a sack for 6 straight games. He appears to have turned things around though with 10 solos and 3 sacks in his last 2 games.
• DL Vonnie Holliday, Miami (3 solos, 2 sacks, 1 FR)
  Holliday is quietly having a very productive season in Miami and he's been one of the most productive DL in the league with 8 solos, 6 assists, 4 sacks, and a FR in his last 3 games.
• DL Matt Roth, Miami (3 solos, 2 sacks, 1 FF)
  The 2nd year pro is still a backup in Miami but he appears to be getting more playing time and is making the most of it. Over his last 2 games, he's put up 6 solos, 2 sacks, and 2 FF. He may not make a huge impact this year but should see a bigger role in 2007.
• DL Ebenezer Ekuban, Denver (6 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack)
  The Broncos continue to get great production from a rotating group of DEs this year. First it was rookie Elvis Dumervil, then Kenard Lang, and now Ekuban appears to be picking up the slack. After missing week 10 with an injury, Ekuban has put up 11 solos, 2 assists, and 2 sacks in the last 2 games.
• DL Victor Adeyanju, St. Louis (0 tackles)
  Adeyanju broke his arm in the first half of this week's game against the 49ers and will likely miss the rest of the season.
• LB D'Qwell Jackson, Cleveland (11 solos, 4 asst)
  Jackson has struggled at times this year, but he is reportedly getting more comfortable in the Browns system. He has finished with at least 6 solo tackles in 5 games this season.
• LB Randall Godfrey, San Diego (12 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack)
  Godfrey is probably a free agent in most leagues given his age and the fact he briefly considered retirement over the offseason. This was his second huge game in the past 4 weeks though and he now has 23 solos, 2 sacks, and 2 FF in his last 4 games. It probably isn't a coincidence that his production increased when Merriman was suspended though and Merriman is due back next week so this upgrade may be short-lived.
• LB Shaun Phillips, San Diego (6 solos, 3 asst, 1.5 sacks, 1 PD)
  Phillips is having an incredible season with 9 sacks in 9 games played. He missed a couple games with a calf injury, but has been producing like a top-10 linebacker since he returned. Over his last 3 games, he's got 11 solos, 9 assists, 3.5 sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR, and 1 PD.
• LB Chris Draft, Carolina (7 solos, 1 sack, 1 FF)
  Draft has done a good job filling in for the injured Dan Morgan this year. Over his last 3 games, he's put up 13 solos, 2.5 sacks, and 2 FF. He's proven to be a very effective blitzer with 4.5 sacks in his last 6 games.
• LB Ray Lewis, Baltimore (6 solos, 1 sack, 1 PD)
  After missing two games with an injury, Lewis returned this week and didn't miss a beat. Lewis is averaging over 6 solos/game this year and has also added 2 sacks and 2 INTs.
• DB Asante Samuel, New England (9 solos, 3 INT, 3 PD)
  After missing week 11 with a knee injury and barely practicing all week, Samuel came out and nearly beat the Bears by himself on Sunday with an incredible 9 solos and 3 interceptions. He's averaging nearly 5 solos per game this year and now has a chance to lead the league in interceptions as well as he's currently tied for the league lead with 6.
• DB O.J. Atogwe, St. Louis (5 solos, 4 asst, 1 INT, 3 PD)
  Atogwe is having an incredible rookie season that is probably going unnoticed by most people. Over his last 3 games, he's put up 14 solos, 7 assists, 1 sack, 1 INT, 4 FF, and 3 PD. He's really shown a knack for big plays with 3 INT, 1 sack, and 4 FF this year.
• DB Kevin Kaesviharn, Cincinnati (2 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 2 INT, 2 PD)
  Although not technically the starter in Cincinnati, Kaesviharn is having a big impact on the Bengals defense. Even though he's not that strong in run support or coverage, he's been making a lot of big plays. Over his last 2 games, he has 12 solos, 3 sacks, and 3 INTs and his 6 interceptions this year is tied for the league lead.
• DB Darrent Williams, Denver (9 solos, 1 INT, 1 PD)
  Williams hasn't been completely healthy in recent weeks but you wouldn't know it by looking at his stat line. Over the last 2 games, he's put up 14 solos, 2 INTs, and a TD. He's on pace to finish the season with 85 solos and clearly benefits from playing opposite the league's best CB in Champ Bailey.
• DB Pacman Jones, Tennessee (3 solos, 2 INT, 3 PD)
  Pacman recently missed a game to suspension so it's not clear if his character concerns are behind him or not, but he's been making some big plays for the Titans of late. In his last 4 games, he's put up 15 solos, 3 interceptions, and 2 punt return TDs.

DOWNGRADES

• DL Pat Williams, Minnesota (0 tackles)
  Williams appears to be playing well as the Vikings have the best run defense in the league, but other than an 8-solo explosion against the Packers in week 10, he's been nearly useless as a fantasy player. He had 5 solos total in the 3 games prior to week 10 and has 0 solos in the 2 games since then.
• DL Kevin Williams, Minnesota (1 PD)
  The other Williams in Minnesota has shown flashes of dominance with 5 sacks on the season, but he has just 6 solos and 1 sack over his last 4 games.
• DL Mario Williams, Houston (1 solo, 2 asst)
  Since his 3 game sack streak from weeks 7 to 9, Mario has gone cold. In his last 3 games, he's managed just 4 solos and 0 sacks. He should have a chance to turn things around this week, however, with a matchup against the Raiders.
• DL Justin Smith, Cincinnati (1 asst, 1 FR)
  Smith is in a contract year and was making the most of it with 6.5 sacks in his first 7 games. He's now gone 4 straight games without a sack though and he has just 3 solos, 3 assists, and a FR in his last 3 games.
• DL Derrick Burgess, Oakland (1 asst, .5 sack)
  Burgess led the league in sacks last year and isn't far off from the lead again this year with 9 on the season. But, he appears to be going through a cold streak with 3 solos and .5 sacks in his last 3 games. He has a great opportunity to turn things around next week against Houston.
• LB Boss Bailey, Detroit (0 tackles)
  Bailey started the game at SLB but finished with 0 tackles. Paris Lenon started at MLB and didn't do much better with just 1 solo. Meanwhile, WLB Ernie Sims somehow found a way to put up 10 solos in the game. Sims looks like he's the only reliable LB in Detroit this year.
• LB Napoleon Harris, Minnesota (1 asst)
  Harris missed a couple games with a wrist injury before returning last week against Miami. Despite starting both games, he's only managed 3 solos and 4 assists in the past 2 weeks.
• LB Channing Crowder, Miami (1 solo)
  Crowder started to look like he was becoming a reliable fantasy starter with 35 solos over a recent 6-week stretch. Since then, however, he's put up just 6 solos and 5 assists in the last 3 games including just 2 solo stops in the last 2 games combined.
• LB Nick Barnett, Green Bay (DNP)
  Barnett missed practice all week with a broken hand and had to miss the Monday night game in Seattle. He may try to play again with a cast on the hand, but there's also a possibility that the injury will require surgery and that would likely end his season. Rookie Abdul Hodge was scheduled to start in his place.
• LB Demorrio Williams, Atlanta (1 solo)
  Edgerton Hartwell returned to the lineup this week at MLB, which moved Keith Brooking back to WLB and Williams back to the bench. He'll still see time on passing downs but his fantasy value obviously takes a huge hit.
• DB Dawan Landry, Baltimore (1 solo, 2 asst)
  Landry has been having a solid rookie campaign and his fantasy value hit a peak when he put up 7 solos, 5 assists, a sack, and 2 PDs in week 10. He's only managed 2 solos, 3 assists, and 1 PD in the 2 games since then though and might have trouble getting many tackles with a healthy group of LBs in front of him.
• DB Sammy Knight, Kansas City (2 solos)
  Knight's season has taken on a strange pattern, in which he has decent games that alternate with bad games. He now has finished with 2 or fewer solo tackles in 3 of the last 5 weeks and simply isn't reliable enough to count on each week.
• DB DeAngelo Hall, Atlanta (2 solos)
  Hall got off to a great start this year with 4 INTs in his first 5 games, but he's now gone 6 games without one. He also has 0 passes defensed over the past 3 weeks, which suggests that teams either aren't throwing to his side very often or that he's just getting burned repeatedly.
• DB Ike Taylor, Pittsburgh Steelers (1 solo)
  Taylor has been struggling this year after enjoying a breakout season last year and signing a huge contract extension. He lost his starting job to 3rd year CB Bryant McFadden and will apparently be relegated to nickel back duties for the time being.
• DB Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers (6 solos, 4 asst)
  Polamalu suffered a sprained MCL this week and will likely miss at least the next two weeks, although it's possible the Steelers could decide to shut him down for the season given how badly things have gone.