Week 13 IDP Upgrades and Downgrades

Upgrades

DT Jamal Williams, SD (9 solos, 1 assists, 1 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Williams has battled some nagging injuries this season that limited his effectiveness and production, but he looked like his old dominant self on Sunday night against the Colts. He dominated rookie center Jamey Richard, who was forced into action when Jeff Saturday left early with a strained calf muscle. Williams finished the game with 9 solo tackles, 1 assist, and 1 sack, while also registering 2 tackles for a loss and an additional QB hit.

DE Jason Babin, KC (7 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Babin was signed by the Chiefs a couple weeks ago and has already responded with 11 solo tackles in his first 2 games. The Chiefs have moved Tamba Hali back to LDE, and their other starting DE Turk McBride was placed on IR with arm and shoulder injuries. Alfonso Boone started this week at RDE but he's more of a run stopper and finished the game this week with just a single solo stop. Babin is a former 1st round pick who was a very productive pass rusher in college who failed to live up to the high expectations in Houston after the team traded multiple picks to move up and draft him. The Chiefs have only recorded an abysmal 6 sacks on the season so Babin has a good opportunity to establish a role for himself and salvage his career.

DE Corey Smith, DET (4 solos, 0 assists, 2 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Smith is doing a good job filling in for the injured Dwayne White. He finished the game against the Bucs this week with 4 solos, 2 sacks, 2 QB hits, and 2 tackles for a loss. Over the past 3 games, he has 10 solo tackles and 3 sacks. Pretty good production for a player who entered the league in 2002 as an undrafted free agent and had just 5.5 career sacks coming into the 2008 season.

DE Darryl Tapp, SEA (3 solos, 0 assists, 1 sacks 1 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - With Patrick Kerney on IR, the Seahawks have moved Darryl Tapp into his spot in the starting lineup and he's responded with some very solid production. Over his last 4 games, Tapp has registered 16 solo tackles, 3 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery. A slow start allowed the rookie Lawrence Jackson to pass him on the depth chart, but Tapp has rebounded to establish himself as a key component of this Seahawks defense. Also, with Julian Peterson often lining up at RDE in passing situations, offenses aren't able to focus all their attention on Tapp.

DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, TEN (2 solos, 4 assists, 0.5 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Even though the Titans lost their first game of the season this week, they got a big boost fro the return of Kyle Vanden Bosch, who had his best game since week 4. Vanden Bosch started the game at RDE, and finished with 6 tackles a half sack, and an additional QB hit. He's had plenty of time to heal from the groin injury that was bothering him, so he should be well rested and ready to contribute to fantasy teams in the postseason.

DE Jimmy Wilkerson, TB (2 solos, 0 assists, 2 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Wilkerson spent the first 5 years of his career as a backup with the Kansas City Chiefs before signing with the Buccaneers prior to this season. His strong play in the preseason helped him beat out veteran Marques Douglas, who was shipped off to Baltimore. With a big 2-sack game against the Lions this week, Wilkerson now has 6 solos and 3 sacks in his last 2 games. The Buccaneers use a rotation at DE so it's difficult to count on any of them for production every week, but Wilkerson seems to be picking up his game and may be worth a pickup if you're desperate for help down the stretch.

ILB Brian Urlacher, CHI (4 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 1 INT, 3 PD) - Urlacher has not been having a typical season for him, as his tackle and big-play numbers are all down from where they were expected to be. He put up big numbers in a blowout loss to the Packers a week ago and backed them up with another solid game this week in a blowout win over the Rams. He has now hauled in an interception in two straight games while also contributing 11 solo tackles and 4 passes defensed. He's still not playing like a top-10 fantasy LB, but he's not far off and has a pretty nice schedule down the stretch that should make him a factor in the fantasy playoffs.

OLB Rocky Boiman, KC (10 solos, 2 assists, 0 sacks 1 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Boiman was signed by the Chiefs in mid-October but he was forced into action due to all the injuries the Chiefs have suffered at the position. With MLB Pat Thomas out again this week Boiman started against the Bills and finished with 10 solo tackles, 2 assists, and a forced fumble. Boiman is a 7-year NFL vet, but he's mostly been a backup and special teams player during his career. If he continues to start, look for teams to continue to run at him, which could lead to some more nice games like this one.

OLB Jarret Johnson, BAL (4 solos, 2 assists, 1.5 sacks 1 FF, 1 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Johnson is more of a DE/OLB tweener who would normally only be relevant in leagues with big-play scoring systems, but he's been productive enough lately to warrant consideration in deeper leagues with standard scoring systems. He blew up with a big game against the Eagles this week, giving him 3.5 sacks and 16 solo tackles over his last 5 games. With a matchup coming against the Bengals this week, he could be worth a look if you need a one-week fill in.

OLB Akeem Jordan, PHI (8 solos, 1 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Jordan received a surprise start at WLB this week as the Eagles decided to shake up their lineup and benched Omar Gaither. There was one report which indicated this may have just been a matchup-related decision as the team thought Jordan would be able to contain Ray Rice on screen plays, but the Ravens didn't have much difficulty moving the ball on the Eagles defense. Jordan finished with 8 solo tackles and 1 assist, indicating that he could be productive if he winds up getting the job full-time. But, Gaither had been playing pretty well so keep an eye on the situation to see if any new information comes out about how the Eagles plan to use the two players going forward.

CB Ronde Barber, TB (5 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 2 INT, 2 PD) - Most IDP owners could probably find Ronde Barber on the waiver wire this year, a very unusual circumstance for a player who has been one of the most reliable fantasy CBs over the past decade. At 33 years old, Barber is no longer as quick as he used to be but he came through with a huge game against the Lions this week. He finished with 5 solo tackles and 2 interceptions, one of which he returned 65 yards for a TD. With matchups coming against the Saints, Panthers, Falcons, and Chargers, Barber could finish strong and still wind up as one of the highest scoring fantasy CBs.

CB Maurice Leggett, KC (7 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 2 PD) - While Brandon Flowers and Brandon Carr have received plenty of attention this year with their impressive play at times, the undrafted Maurice Leggett has also looked like a player who could wind up being a good nickel back. He's been getting picked on by opposing offenses and certainly needs work in coverage, but he's a physical tackler who looks comfortable coming up to support against the run. Over the last 4 games, he has been credited with 25 solo tackles and 4 passes defensed.

CB Leodis McKelvin, BUF (2 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 2 INT, 2 PD) - McKelvin was the first CB taken in this year's draft and he has some very interesting potential as a fantasy option. He is a sound tackler who should be productive playing in the Bills zone defense and he's also one of the best kick returners in the league. After returning a kickoff for a TD on Monday Night Football against the Browns last week, McKelvin got his first career start at corner this week in place of an injured Jabari Greer and responded with 2 interceptions, one of which he returned for a TD. He took a little while to get comfortable, but McKelvin looks like a great player to stash in dynasty leagues if you can.

CB Brandon Meriweather, NE (4 solos, 2 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 1 INT, 1 PD) - Meriweather has taken over the starting SS job in New England since Rodney Harrison was knocked out with a season-ending injury. In 5 games since taking over as the starter Meriweather has 20 solo tackles and 12 assists, for an average of 6.5 tackles per game. He also has 4 interceptions on the season, which puts him just 1 behind the league safety leaders Troy Polamalu and Nick Collins. Meriweather is a former 1st round pick who excels in coverage and it looks like he can be started with confidence at this point.

S Abram Elam, NYJ (6 solos, 3 assists, 0 sacks 1 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Elam has been very productive since taking over the starting SS job about a month ago. He returned an interception 92 yards for a TD in week 9 against the Bills. In week 10 against the Rams, he recorded a sack and a forced fumble. In week 11 against the Patriots, he recorded 8 tackles including 6 solos. And, this week against the Titans, he finished with 9 tackles (6 solos) and a forced fumble. The Jets have emerged as one of the best teams in the AFC over the past few weeks and Elam has played a big role in that.

S Troy Polamalu, PIT (6 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 1 INT, 1 PD) - Although his tackle numbers are still generally underwhelming for an elite fantasy SS, Polamalu is having a big season thanks to his big-play ability. He has been very active in coverage this year and ranks first among safeties in interceptions and passes defensed.

Downgrades

DT Tank Tyler, KC (0 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - The 2nd round pick from 2007 had a promising start to the season when he recorded 23 tackles in his first 5 games, but he's only managed 9 tackles in his last 6. Making matters even worse, he's finished with 0 tackles for 3 straight games. Even in a league with a tackle-heavy scoring system and a required DT spot in the lineup, he is probably not worth a roster spot at this point.

DE Andre Carter, WAS (1 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Although the Redskins are having a better year than most expected them to, it hasn't been due to great play from their tandem of star defensive ends. While Jason Taylor has struggled with injuries a move to a new team and position, Carter has to be the more disappointing player at this point. He's managed to play in all 11 games this season but has recorded just 2 sacks and is averaging just 1.5 solo tackles/game. He suffered a foot injury this week and the MRI revealed a slight tear in his plantar fascia. He plans to play through it, but it's hard to imagine him being more productive while injured after struggling while healthy.

DE Kenyon Coleman, NYJ (0 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Coleman was credited with an impressive 56 solo tackles and 27 assists in 2007, his first year as a full-time starter. He has shown flashes of that same type of run-stopping ability at times this year, but as the Jets defense has started to play better over the past month his production has dropped off. In the last 4 games combined, Coleman has registered just 5 solo tackles total and he was kept off the stat sheet completely this week.

DE Elvis Dumervil, DEN (1 solos, 1 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - This is looking like a lost season for Elvis Dumervil, who recorded 19.5 sacks during his first two years in the league. He has played in all 11 games but has registered just 3 QB sacks, and his production has dropped off completely in the past month or so. In his last 4 games, Dumervil has been credited with just 4 solo tackles, 2 assists, and 0 sacks.

DE Robert Geathers, CIN (2 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Geathers hasn't come close to matching the pass rush ability he demonstrated in 2006 when he finished with 10 sacks, but he came into the Thursday night game against the Steelers on a 2-game sack streak and seemed to be playing the best he had all season. Unfortunately, the nightmare season for the Bengals got worse as Geathers was knocked out of the game with a knee injury and eventually placed on injured reserve. Fellow DE Frostee Rucker was also placed on IR with a hamstring injury so the Bengals will have to scramble to find some healthy bodies to line up against the Ravens this week.

DE Leonard Little, STL (0 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Little has been trying to play through a nagging hamstring injury that has take away almost all of his effectiveness. He is limited to playing on passing downs only, giving way to Victor Adeyanju on run downs, and has not recorded even a half sack since week 7. Little has another year remaining on his contract and figures to be back next year, but at 34 years old and coming off his second injury-plagued season in a row, he could be looking at a reduced role compared to what he has been used to.

DE Mario Williams, HOU (1 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Williams is having a good season but he hasn't quite lived up to the high expectations that many had for him coming into the season. He has 8 sacks on the season, but he has been held without a sack in 6 of 11 games. Also, after he finished last year on a tear, he appears to be doing the opposite this year. He has failed to record a sack in his last 3 games and he has been credited with just 6 solos and 1 assist during that same time period. He remains a must start because of his huge upside in any given week, but it's unfortunate that he's not performing better in the latter stages of the fantasy season when many owners are relying on him to get their teams into the playoffs.

ILB Channing Crowder, MIA (6 solos, 2 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Crowder continues to have a very solid and consistent season, recording 4 or more solo tackles in every game but 1. However, he was ejected from the game this week after getting into a fight with Patriots LT Matt Light and could be in danger of getting suspended by the league.

ILB Tim Dobbins, SD (1 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Tim Dobbins won the starting job from Matt Wilhelm earlier this year, but the Chargers started Wilhelm this week in a matchup against the Colts. Dobbins is the better run defender while Wilhelm is better in coverage, so this could have been dictated by the matchup. However, the Chargers did recently change defensive coordinators so perhaps Ron Rivera likes Wilhelm more. Neither player seems particularly reliable right now but Wilhelm is probably the better option.

ILB London Fletcher, WAS (2 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Fletcher's tackle numbers are down a bit this year, but he's still performing well and playing a key role in the Redskins defense. Unfortunately, however, he finished the game this week with only 2 solo tackles, his lowest total of the season. Making matters worse, he was seen wearing a walking boot after the game and underwent an MRI on Monday. If he can't play next week in a big game against the Giants, HB Blades would likely get the start.

OLB Omar Gaither, PHI (0 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Gaither was benched this week in favor of Akeem Jordan as the Eagles decided to shake up their starting lineup. Gaither was forced to watch the game from the sidelines, seeing only limited time on special teams. Gaither had been playing pretty well this year, but the team apparently felt that Jordan was more athletic and would give them a better chance to contain Ray Rice. It remains unclear if this move was just dictated by the matchup or if Gaither has truly lost his starting spot going forward. Either if he does regain his starting job, it seems likely that he will see a reduction in playing time.

CB Johnathan Joseph, CIN - In terms of average fantasy points/game, Joseph likely ranks among the top-10 corners this year in most scoring systems. However, he's had trouble staying healthy and has missed several games while dealing with a chronic foot injury. He missed the game this week after aggravating the injury and was eventually placed on injured reserve. He'll be replaced in the lineup by David Jones, who figures to see plenty of targets from opposing CBs.

CB Keiwan Ratliff, IND (2 solos, 0 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Ratliff performed well in a couple starts recently, but he has seen his playing time reduced thanks to the recent return of Kelvin Hayden. He's a solid nickel corner for the Colts, but there are likely better options available on the waiver wire in most leagues.

S Brian Dawkins, PHI (1 solos, 1 assists, 0 sacks 0 FF, 0 FR, 0 INT, 0 PD) - Dawkins recently turned 35 years old and could be nearing retirement given the way the season is going for the Eagles. He started off the year pretty well with 21 solo tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles in his first 5 games. Unfortunately, however, he's really only had one good game out of his last 4 -- a 7 solo, 1 FF performance against the Giants in week 10.