UPGRADES

• DL Bert Berry, Arizona (4 solos, 1 asst, 3 sacks, 2 QH, 2 FF, 1 PD)
  Berry had a strong game against the Bears on Monday night last week and then followed it up with a monster game against the Raiders on Sunday. Although the Raiders were a dream matchup for him this past week, Berry should be able to build on this success and put up very good numbers in the second half of the season.



• DL Elvis Dumervil, Denver (3 solos, 3 sacks, 3 QH, 1 FR)
  Dumervil has exploded onto the IDP scene with 5 sacks in his last two games. At 5'11", the rookie from Louisville was considered too small by many experts to become an every down DE, but he's proving them wrong so far. It looks like he could become a very productive pass rush specialist in Denver's dominant defense.



• DL Aaron Schobel, Buffalo (3 solos, 2 asst, 2 sacks, 2 QH, 1 FF)
  Like Berry, Schobel got off to a slow start this year but he's now put together a 3-game sack streak and his tackle numbers are also improving. He's always been a streaky player and it looks like he's really heating up.



• DL Orpheus Roye, Cleveland (6 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 2 QH)
  Roye had an amazing 65 solo tackles and 5 sacks last year while playing in the Browns 3-4 defense. He's been banged up a bit this year and hasn't been nearly as productive but this week was the first time he wasn't listed on the injury report in over a month and he responded with his best game of the season.



• DL Darrion Scott, Minnesota (3 solos, 1 sack, 1 QH, 1 PD)
  Scott is one of the less heralded members of the Vikings defensive line, but all he seems to do is produce week in and week out. He now has 12 solos, 6 assists, and 3.5 sacks in 4 games since replacing the injured Erasmus James in the starting lineup.



• LB Julian Peterson, Seattle (8 solos, 4 asst, 2 sacks, 2 QH)
  Peterson was brought in to Seattle for his versatility and big plays and he's been living up to expectations so far. Although he hasn't recorded an interception yet, he's been making up for it as a pass rusher with 6 sacks in 6 games played including 4 in his last 2. The Seahawks line him up as a DE on passing downs and offensive tackles are having a hard time handling him right now.



• LB A.J. Hawk, Green Bay (9 solos, 3 asst, 1 sack, 1 QH, 1 PD)
  Apparently, both Barnett and Hawk can both coexist as fantasy studs. Both put up big games against the Dolphins on Sunday. Although his tackle numbers have been somewhat inconsistent, Hawk is making an impact as a pass rusher with 2.5 sacks in his last 4 games.



• LB E.J. Henderson, Minnesota (9 solos, 1 INT, 1 PD)
  Henderson had a great preseason for the Vikings and began the year with high expectations. His tackle numbers were disappointing prior to Sunday, but he appears to be getting more comfortable in the new system and has now recorded interceptions in back to back games (returned one for a TD in week 5).



• LB Marcus Washington, Washington (11 solos, 1 QH)
  Washington had just 22 solo tackles in the first 6 games of the season, but he came through with a huge game against his former team on Sunday and is back on pace to match his total of 73 that he had last season. He's yet to record a sack, however, despite putting up 12 in his first 2 years with the Redskins.



• LB Donnie Edwards, San Diego (8 solos, 2 asst, .5 sack, 1 QH)
  Edwards has finished with 98 or more solo tackles for 7 consecutive seasons and established himself as one of the most reliable and productive fantasy linebackers in the league. Prior to Sunday's game against the Chiefs, however, he had just 20 solos in the first 5 games. With an injury to Shaun Phillips and a suspension looming for Shawne Merriman, the Chargers defense figures to have a harder time getting off the field and that should lead to many more tackle opportunities for Edwards going forward.



• LB Ahmad Brooks, Cincinnati (3 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 QH, 1 PD)
  Brooks got his second straight start at MLB for an injured Brian Simmons and came through with another impressive performance. It might be tough for the Bengals to send him back to the bench when Simmons returns, and it looks like he could provide a legitimate threat to Odell Thurman next year.



• DB Charles Woodson, Green Bay (5 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 QH, 1 INT, 1 FF, 3 PD, 1 TD)
  Woodson was a big free agent signing for the Packers this year and he had a huge game against the Dolphins on Sunday. He helped shut down Chris Chambers while also adding a sack, an interception return for a TD, and 3 passes defensed. He's now put up pretty solid fantasy numbers in 5 of 6 games this season and is certainly worth picking up if he's available.



• DB Greg Wesley, Kansas City (8 solos, 1 INT, 1 PD)
  Wesley has been one of the most productive fantasy safeties with 22 interceptions over the past 4 seasons. He got off to a slow start this season and there was some talk of him being replaced by one of the Chiefs rookie safeties, but his 14 solo tackles in the past 2 games and interception on Sunday should help him keep the job for awhile longer. The pressure being generated up front by Jared Allen and Tamba Hali should also create more quality playmaking opportunities for him.



• DB Terrence Holt, Detroit (7 solos, 3 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD)
  Holt only had 5 solo tackles in the three games before Sunday's matchup with the Jets, but his 7 solos this week tied him for 2nd most on the team. Holt was known for his playmaking ability when he entered the league and he's now recorded an interception in back to back games. SS Daniel Bullocks also put up another nice statline this week while starting for the injured Kenoy Kennedy.



• DB Sean Taylor, Washington (7 solos, 2 asst)
  Taylor is regarded as one of the league's most talented safeties, but his production has generally failed to live up to the hype. With the front seven struggling this year, however, that may be changing as Taylor now has 21 solo tackles and 7 assists in his last 3 games. If he can keep that up, he'll be a much more reliable fantasy starter and will have the potential for some huge games.

DOWNGRADES

• DL Richard Seymour, New England (0 tackles)
  Seymour had a great start to the season with 11 solos, 6 assists, and 2.5 sacks over a 3-game stretch, but he now has just 1 assist and 1 PD in the last 3 games. Making matters worse, he left Sunday's game with an elbow injury in the first half.



• DL Simeon Rice, Tampa Bay (1 asst, 1 QH)
  Rice has put up double digit sacks in the past 5 seasons and 8 of 10 seasons overall in his career, but he's having a dreadful season so far. With just 11 solo tackles and 1 sack in 6 games, he's on pace for the worst season of his career.



• DL Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, Green Bay (1 asst, 2 QH)
  Like Rice, KGB has established himself as one of the league's best pass rushers. Although he does have 2.5 sacks on the year, he's now finished with 2 or fewer solo tackles in 5 straight games.



• DL Mike Rucker, Carolina (1 solo, 2 QH)
  It would be difficult to describe Rucker as anything other than a major fantasy disappointment this year. Despite playing opposite the league's best DE in Julius Peppers who should draw all of the attention from blockers, Rucker has just 12 solo tackles and half a sack in 7 games played.



• DL Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis (1 PD)
  What happened to this guy? A year ago, many people were talking about him as the defensive player of the year, but now he has just 4 solos, 1 assist, and 0 sacks in 6 games played. A player this talented should be able to turn things around eventually, but he's not even giving fantasy owners any signs of life.



• LB Shawne Merriman, San Diego (7 solos, 1 asst, 1 PD)
  Merriman might have earned an upgrade after his second consecutive game with 6 or more solo tackles, but it was reported after the game that he is about to receive a 4-game suspension from the NFL for violating their substance abuse policy. He's still appealing the decision, but is likely going to be out of the Chargers lineup soon.



• LB Shaun Phillips, San Diego (1 QH)
  Phillips had been playing great for the Chargers while filling in for Steve Foley, but he suffered a calf injury on Sunday and is expected to miss at least 4 to 6 weeks. Combined with the upcoming suspension for Merriman and the injury to Steve Foley, the Chargers OLB position has been decimated. Look for Marques Harris who had a sack and forced fumble against the Chiefs on Sunday to take over one of the spots.



• LB Demorrio Williams, Atlanta (2 solos)
  Williams lost his starting job with the return of Ed Hartwell to the lineup this week. Unless something changes, he will probably only contribute as a nickel linebacker and on special teams.



• LB Keith Brooking, Atlanta (2 solos, 1 asst)
  Although Brooking was moved back to WLB this week, he put up just 2 solos and 1 assist and was completely shut out in the 2nd half of the game. After putting up 3.5 sacks and 4 INTs last year, he's yet to produce a single big play this year and is only averaging 5 solo tackles/game.



• LB Larry Foote, Pittsburgh (3 solos)
  After putting up an impressive 16 solos and 3 sacks in his first 4 games, Foote has just 3 solos and 3 assists in his last 2 games.



• DB Rashean Mathis, Jacksonville (1 solo, 1 asst)
  Mathis matched up with one of the league's leading WRs this week in Andre Johnson, but finished with a disappointing statline. After collecting 16 solos and 4 INTs in his first 4 games, Mathis has cooled off considerably and has just 4 solos and 2 assists in his last 2 games.



• DB Brian Dawkins, Philadelphia (1 asst)
  With Tampa QB Bruce Gradkowski only completing 13 passes on Sunday, the entire Eagles secondary was shut down in terms of fantasy production this week. With an INT and 3 FF, Dawkins has been making some big plays this year, but his 26 solos, 0 sacks, and 3 PD in 7 games played are a disappointment.



• DB Michael Lewis, Philadelphia (1 solo, 1 asst)
  Lewis was replaced in the starting lineup by Sean Considine, who made his first career start. Oddly enough, however, the Eagles put Lewis in for the second defensive play and continued to rotate the two players throughout the game with Considine playing in more passing situations and Lewis playing primarily in run situations. This is a very bad sign for Lewis, who was one of the league's elite fantasy DBs a year ago but now has just 5 solos over his last 3 games.



• DB Deltha O'Neal, Cincinnati (2 solos, 1 asst)
  In a matchup against one of the league's best WR tandems this week, O'Neal should have been more active than his statline indicates. After leading the league with 10 interceptions a year ago, it looks like O'Neal has come back to earth with just 1 through his first 6 games and he's probably not a player you should rely on for consistent production.