DL Patrick Kerney, SEA (7 solos, 3 sacks, 1 FF, 1 INT, 1 PD)
It would be tough to find any player in the league playing at a higher level
than Patrick Kerney right now. He has 12 solo tackles, 6 sacks, 2 forced fumbles,
and an interception in his last 2 games. With 10.5 sacks on the season, he
ranks 2nd in the league behind Aaron Kampman and he has a good chance to improve
on his career-best of 13 sacks set back in 2004 with Atlanta.
DL Adewale Ogunleye, CHI (6 solos, 1 asst, 2 sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR)
This makes 2 huge games for Ogunleye in the past 3 weeks, giving him 14 solos,
5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles during that stretch. His tackle numbers are
still somewhat inconsistent from week to week but at 30 years old it looks
like he's healthy and playing some of the best football since arriving
in Chicago over 3 years ago.
DL Osi Umenyiora, NYG (5 solos, 1 asst, 2 sacks, 1 FF)
Umenyiora hasn't quite lived up to the expectations that were generated
by his 6 sack game against McNabb and the Eagles in week 4, but his 2 sacks
this week increased his season total to 10, which ranks 3rd in the league.
With a game against the Bears and a rematch with the Eagles coming up in the
next two weeks, he has a chance to build on this game and finish as the league
leader in sacks.
DL Greg White, TB (4 solos, 1 sack, 2 FF, 1 FR)
White had his second strong game in a row this week, giving him 3 sacks and
an incredible 4 forced fumbles over his last 2 games. Even if he doesn't
eventually become a starter, he's playing himself into a permanent role
as a pass rush specialist with his quickness and relentless effort.
DL Derrick Burgess, OAK (4 solos, 1 asst, 2 sacks)
Burgess had a rough start to his season and was forced to miss a few games
with an injury, but he's been quite effective since returning to the
lineup in week 7. During the last 6 games, he's collected 16 solo tackles
and 5 sacks. Now that Chris Clemons is providing consistent pressure from
the opposite side, Burgess should continue to produce solid numbers.
DL Juqua Thomas, PHI (4 solos, 4 asst, 1 sack)
Thomas had his first big game since being officially named a starter, and
it was even more impressive since it came against Tom Brady and the Patriots.
The pressure from Thomas and others was a big reason why the Eagles were able
to disrupt the Patriots offense. He has some tough matchups coming up, but
he's definitely a player to keep an eye on for next season.
DL Fred Robbins, NYG (8 solos, 1.5 sacks)
With Mathias Kiwanuka out for the season with a broken leg, the Giants turned
to DT Fred Robbins in passing situations and he responded with a dominant
performance. He finished the game with a team-high 8 solo tackles, 1.5 sacks,
2 other QB hits, and another sack that was nullified by a penalty. Don't
expect this type of production every week but the additional 3rd down snaps
could make him a sleeper in DT-required leagues.
LB Michael Boley, ATL (9 solos, 1 asst, 3 sacks, 1 FF)
After a couple disappointing games in a row, Boley exploded with 9 solos and
3 sacks against the Colts on Thanksgiving night. He's easily been one
of the biggest surprises in IDP leagues all season and looks like a star in
the making.
LB Patrick Willis, SF (17 solos, 1 asst, .5 sack)
Despite playing through a broken hand, Willis had a phenomenal game against
the Cardinals this week. He made plays all over the field and finished with
17 solo stops along with a half sack. His 83 solo tackles currently lead the
league and he could be the 2nd rookie in a row to lead the league in tackles.
Last year's leader DeMeco Ryans currently ranks 2nd in the league with
77 solos.
LB Gerald Hayes, ARI (12 solos, 1 sack)
Hayes had a very impressive season last year in his first as a starter and
it looks like he could finish with even better numbers this season. Over his
last 4 games, Hayes has 27 solo tackles and 2 sacks. Along with Karlos Dansby,
the Cardinals have two excellent young LBs to build around.
LB D'Qwell Jackson, CLE (10 solos, 2 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD)
Jackson returned to the starting lineup this week after missing a few games
with an ankle injury. He responded with perhaps his best game as a pro, collecting
10 solo tackles and his first career interception. Jackson has been very impressive
at times this year and could emerge as one of the league's most productive
LBs next season.
LB Justin Durant, JAX (9 solos, 1 INT, 1 PD)
The hand injury to Mike Peterson created an opening in the starting lineup
for rookie Justin Durant at WLB and he made the most of it with a team-high
9 solo tackles and a key interception. If you're looking for a fill-in
at LB down the stretch, he might make a decent option.
DB Dwight Smith, MIN (3 solos, 1 asst, 2 INTs, 3 PD, 1 TD)
Smith is averaging about 3 solos/game so far this year but his big game this
week is worthy of an upgrade. He also has some favorable matchups coming over
the next few weeks so he may be able to build on this success.
DB Michael Lewis, SF (11 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 FF)
Lewis hasn't made the type of impact many hoped for after he signed with
San Francisco, but he has shown some flashes of being a productive player.
Like many 49ers, he had his best game in awhile this week against the Cardinals
so perhaps he's headed for a strong finish as the 49ers try to salvage
what was supposed to be a promising season. Over his last 5 games, he's
only finished with fewer than 5 solo tackles one time while also adding a
sack, interception, and forced fumble.
DB Michael Huff, OAK (7 solos, 2 asst, 1 INT, 1 PD)
Huff isn't making any headlines with his play this season, but he's
been showing steady improvement. After finishing with just 1 pass defensed
during his rookie season a year ago and none in his first 4 games of this
season, Huff has 7 in his last 7 games including his first career interception
this week. For a player drafted as high as he was, big plays like interceptions
and forced fumbles are going to be expected so this is hopefully a sign of
more to come.
DB Roman Harper, NO (7 solos, 1 FF, 1 INT, 1 PD)
Harper helped bring a physical presence to the Saints secondary right away
during his rookie season a year ago but a season-ending injury limited him
to just 5 games. His tackle production this year has been very consistent
as he's finished with 3 to 7 solo tackles in every game. He's also
added 2 sacks and an interception this week. Given that this is just his 2nd
year in the league and first full season as a starter, look for continued
improvement from him next year as he should be poised for a breakout campaign.
DB Von Hutchins, HOU (10 solos)
Hutchins has played both CB and S for the Texans this year but he started
at CB this week and finished with a team-high 10 solo stops. With the serious
injury suffered by Dunta Robinson, Hutchins figures to see plenty of work
the rest of the season and has proven to be a reliable tackler with 17 solos
(and an INT) over his last 2 games.
DB Richard Marshall, CAR (10 solos, 3 asst)
Marshall had a very impressive rookie season a year ago and put up nearly
60 solo tackles despite playing primarily as a nickel back. He got a start
this week in place of an injured Chris Gamble, who was out with a broken thumb,
and finished with a team high 13 total tackles. If Marshall could ever get
a full-time starting job, there's a good chance he'd wind up as
one of the most productive CBs in the league.
Downgrades
DL Chris Kelsay, BUF (0 tackles)
Kelsay was already a disappointment with just 2 sacks on the season after
signing a large contract in the offseason, but things got even worse after
he suffered an ankle injury on Sunday. The severity is unknown but his value
was already pretty low anyway so it's probably a good idea to look elsewhere
for DL help.
DL Ty Warren, NE (1 asst)
After an impressive 56 solo, 7.5 sack season a year ago, Warren has been a
major fantasy disappointment this season. He has just 1.5 sacks, which is
pretty much in line with the other seasons of his career but his tackle numbers
are down significantly as well. Just another example why 3-4 DEs are generally
unpredictable and have a difficult time sustaining production from year to
year.
DL Trent Cole, PHI (1 asst)
Cole started out the season like his normal self with 8.5 sacks in his first
7 games. Since then, however, he's gone sackless in 4 straight games
and he didn't even record a solo tackle this week. With a tough remaining
schedule, it looks like Cole might finish slowly for the 2nd season in a row
(he had just 9 solos and 0 sacks in his last 5 games of 2006).
DL Marques Douglas, SF (1 solo)
Douglas had a great start to his season with 20 solos and 2.5 sacks in a 3-game
stretch. His tackle numbers have remained pretty consistent since then, but
he has just .5 sack in his last 7 games.
DL Cornelius Griffin, WAS (2 solos, 2 asst)
Griffin has been struggling through an ankle injury that forced him to miss
some practice last week, and he wound up aggravating it during the game this
Sunday. If anyone is relying on him in a DT-required league, it might be a
good idea to find a backup plan for the stretch run.
LB Pisa Tinoisamoa, STL (3 solos, 1 FF)
Tinoisamoa reportedly suffered a torn MCL on Sunday. The injury won't
require surgery but he'll likely need some time to recover. He's
expected to be replaced in the lineup at WLB by Chris Draft. Brandon Chillar
could also see more snaps in the nickel after coming through with 2 sacks
this week
LB Jarret Johnson, BAL (6 solos, 1 asst)
Johnson suffered a fractured thumb in the game this week. There is a chance
he'll be able to play through it, but he may not be as effective. With
36 solos, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles, Johnson was having a solid season
in his first year as a starter.
LB Roosevelt Colvin, NE (1 solo, 2 asst, 1 sack)
Colvin recorded his 4th sack of the season against the Eagles on Sunday night
but he was forced to leave the game with what appeared to be an arm injury.
It's unclear how severe the injury is as the Patriots aren't normally
forthcoming about that type of information.
DB Chris Hope, TEN (1 solo, 1 asst)
After a disappointing start to his season, Hope started to show signs of turning
things around with 15 solo tackles and 2 interceptions over a recent 3-week
span. Since that time, however, he's come up with just 4 solos and 0
passes defensed in the last 2 games despite playing favorable matchups against
the Broncos and Bengals. It looks like the solid statlines may have been nothing
more than a mirage in the middle of a dreadful season for Hope owners.
DB Charles Woodson, GB (1 asst)
Woodson suffered a toe injury during a punt return in the Lions game on Thanksgiving.
He's reportedly made some progress since then, but the Packers play the
Cowboys on Thursday night this week and there's a good chance he either
won't be able to play or won't be as effective as he usually is.
DB Anthony Henry, DAL (1 PD)
Henry had a great start to his season with 4 interceptions and 7 passes defensed
in the first 3 games. Unfortunately, he suffered an ankle injury that forced
him to miss a few games and he hasn't been the same player since returning
to the lineup. In his last 3 games, he has finished with 0 solo tackles twice
and has just 2 passes defensed. With the way the Cowboys offense is playing
and Terrence Newman playing across from him, Henry should be more involved
than he has been.
DB Marlin Jackson, IND (1 solo)
Jackson was leading the league in tackles at one point earlier this season,
but he's cooled off considerably since then. He had an impressive game
against the Patriots in week 9, but has just 9 solos and 0 passes defensed
in the 3 games since then. He remains a promising young player but he hasn't
been as consistent as one would hope playing in the Tampa 2 Colts defense.
DB Antonio Cromartie, SD (1 solo)
What happened? Despite not starting earlier this season, Cromartie was making
a huge impact with 13 solo tackles, 6 interceptions, 9 passes defensed and
a handful of TDs over a 4-game span. On the strength of those performances,
he was inserted to the starting lineup but he's responded with just 1
solo tackle and 0 passes defensed over the last two games.
