IDP Upgrades - Week 3

  Updated 9/21 by Aaron Rudnicki, Exclusive for Footballguys.com

Upgrades

DE Antwan Odom, CIN
Odom had the game of his career and made life miserable for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers on Sunday. The Packers lost their starting LT Chad Clifton to a sprained ankle at the start of the second half and Odom abused his replacement Daryn Colledge for 4 sacks in the second half. Odom tied a franchise record with 5 sacks in the game and was also credited with 6 solos, 5 tackles for loss, 7 QB hits, and 1 pass defensed. After just 2 games, he is already up to 7 sacks for this season which is only one away from his career high.

DE Lawrence Jackson, SEA
In a near repeat of his 2nd game last year that also came against the 49ers, Jackson harassed 49ers QB Shaun Hill and finished with 4 solos, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 tackle for loss, 2 QB hits, and a pass defensed. Neither of Jackson's sacks came on 3rd down plays but with 3 sacks through 2 games, he should begin to see most of the key snaps in passing situations going forward.

DE Greg Ellis, OAK
Ellis was limited in practice on Friday with a shoulder injury, but he backed up a strong opener with an even better performance this week. Ellis finished the game with 5 solos, 2 sacks, 2 tackles for loss, and 3 QB hits. Both of his sacks came on 3rd down plays in the 4th quarter. If the Raiders can continue to perform reasonably well on offense, Ellis has a great chance to hit double digit sacks and wind up as one of the best free agent pickups in the league this year. The trade for Richard Seymour also appears to have had a positive impact on Ellis and the rest of the Raiders defense.

DE Ray Edwards, MIN
Edwards has flashed his potential in the past but has not quite lived up to the expectations that many had for him. It looks like things may finally be clicking for him, however, as he made plays all over the field in this week's game against the Lions. Edwards was a force against the run, leading the team in tackles with 7 solos and 1 assist while also contributing a sack and QB hit. With Jared Allen playing opposite him and the Williams DT tandem shutting down the run and drawing double teams inside, Edwards is in an ideal situation and could be headed for a breakout double digit sack season.

DT Tank Tyler, KC
The Chiefs defense does not put much pressure on opposing QBs, but they are doing a solid job of stopping the run and one of the reasons has been the solid play of Tank Tyler. Although not a typical 2-gap space eater, Tyler has been very productive despite being used at nose tackle in the new Chiefs 3-4 front. Through 2 games, he ranks first among all Chiefs defenders with 12 solo tackles and his 14 combined tackles are 4 more than the next highest defensive tackle. In tackle-heavy scoring systems that split out DTs from DEs, Tyler looks like he could be a reliable starter if this early trend holds up.

OLB Elvis Dumervil, DEN
Dumervil is an intriguing player because he had nearly 20 sacks during his first two years in the league as an undersized defensive end, but he struggled badly in 2008 and finished with a disappointing 17 solos and 5 sacks despite playing in all 16 games. This year, the Broncos have moved him to OLB in their new 3-4 front and he appears to be a great fit for it. He looked unstoppable at times in the preseason and after a quiet game in the opener, he blew up this week against the Browns. Dumervil's quickness overwhelmed both Browns offensive tackles as the Broncos rushed him from both sides of the line, and he finished the game with 7 solos, 4 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, 4 QB hits, a pass defensed, and a forced fumble. Don't expect numbers like this from him every week, but it wouldn't be a huge surprise given the numbers that players like James Harrison and DeMarcus Ware have been putting up in recent seasons.

OLB Scott Shanle, NO
Even though most Saints fans seem to think of Shanle as a weak link on their defense, he just continues to play well week after week. He appears to have a solid grasp on the team's WLB job and has been playing as part of the team's nickel package. Given how explosive the Saints offense is, they figure to spend a lot of time in their nickel package so that's a great sign for Shanle's potential this year. He wasn't known as a playmaker coming into the season, but he has now recorded an interception in back to back games and has 14 solo tackles compared to just 9 for stud MLB Jonathan Vilma. If you're looking on the waiver wire for a reliable source of tackles each week, Shanle might be worth considering.

ILB Kirk Morrison, OAK
Surprisingly, there were a few questions surrounding Morrison coming into the season. He split snaps with the first team defense at MLB as the coaches wanted to see if Ricky Brown could give the team a stronger presence against the run, and then he suffered a dislocated elbow in late August that raised doubts about whether he'd even be able to play in the opener. Well, he played in the opener but his 2 solo tackles while facing the Chargers left a lot to be desired. He likely put all remaining fears to rest this week, however, as he chased down plays from sideline to sideline and finished with a game-high 13 solo tackles. Morrison is a leader of this Raiders defense and it looks like he is back on track for a 5th consecutive 90+ solo tackle season.

OLB Akeem Jordan, PHI
With the season-ending injury to Stewart Bradley, Jordan has emerged as the best Eagles linebacker to have this year. He is playing as a 3-down WLB in the Eagles aggressive defense and has been filling up the box scores during the first two weeks of the season. After coming through with a sack and interception in the opener last week, he put up an even stronger game this week against the Saints. Jordan was credited with 8 tackles (7 solo), his second interception of the season, and even though he didn't sack Drew Brees he was credited with 3 QB hits in the game.

S Donte Whitner, BUF
Whitner was drafted as a top-10 overall pick a few years ago, and even though he hasn't been what the team would consider a bust, he also hasn't made the type of impact that a safety drafted that highly is expected to make. In an attempt to put him in position to make more big plays, the team has moved him exclusively to the free safety position this year and he seems to be responding with 11 solo tackles, 7 assists, and a big interception this week that he returned for a long touchdown. The Bills secondary has been unusually busy with 50+ pass attempts in both games so far so he may not be able to keep up this tackle pace, but if the pass rush continues to generate pressure then he could finally emerge as a solid playmaker.

S Kenny Phillips, NYG
Phillips was questionable coming into the big Sunday night matchup against the Cowboys, but he played through a knee injury and came up huge with 5 solo tackles and 2 interceptions. Phillips was the best safety in last year's draft and he has a chance to put up some huge numbers this season considering the ferocious pass rush that the Giants can generate with their front four. The knee issue may wind up being a recurring problem for him, but he showed this week that he can play through pain and still be effective. Provided he's able to play, look for another strong game from him next week as the Giants travel to Tampa.

S Sabby Piscitelli, TB
After a terrible season opener in which the Buccaneers were burned badly on big plays by the Cowboys receivers, there was some concern that Piscitelli might be in danger of losing his job once Tanard Jackson returns from suspension in week 5. That no longer seems like a realistic possibility, however, because Jermaine Phillips is expected to miss the next couple of months with a broken thumb. Piscitelli is still a work in progress, but that may cause offenses to target him and increase his fantasy potential. After racking up 8 solos in the opener, he had another strong fantasy outing this week finishing with 9 tackles (5 solos) while also adding a big fumble return and an interception. Tampa looks like a team that is going to have a hard time stopping the run this year and Piscitelli may wind up with 80+ solo tackles provided he can hold onto the starting job all year long.

CB Charles Woodson, GB
Although the Packers suffered a disappointing home loss to the Bengals this week, it would be tough to place much blame on Charles Woodson. He was active in run support and finished with a game-high 9 solo tackles, but what really got him noticed was the 2 interceptions, including one that he returned 37 yards for a touchdown. Woodson has been a top-10 fantasy CB in two of his three seasons with the Packers and he should have little trouble finishing there again as long as he stays healthy.

Downgrades

DE Justin Smith, SF
Smith got some positive buzz from his defensive coordinator last week as they credited him with 13 QB pressures after watching film of the opener. Despite all that, he was only credited with 1 solo, 1 sack, and 1 forced fumble in the game that all came on the same play. He followed up that performance with another 1 solo tackle effort this week. After splitting his time last year as both a 4-3 DE and 3-4 OLB, Smith has been playing primarily as a 3-4 DE this year and that figures to limit his tackle and sack numbers considerably. He has a chance to be one of the most disappointing fantasy players this year.

DE Charles Grant, NO
Despite the positive news last week that both Grant and Will Smith would not be suspended, Grant has been a non-factor through the first two games of the season. He has just 1 solo in each game so far and has not been credited with a single QB hit or pressure. He's a better run defender than pass defender and the Saints have won big in each of the first two games, so perhaps that has limited his effectiveness. The Saints have also upgraded the talent on their defensive line and are using more of a rotational approach this year, which could make it tough for Grant to get back to his normal 40+ solo tackle form.

DE Derrick Harvey, JAX
The Jaguars paid a steep price to move up in last year's draft and select Harvey, but he missed training camp due to a contract dispute and never really got on track the rest of the season. Many expected him to take a big jump in his development this year, but it doesn't seem like it's going to happen. The Jaguars have experimented with using him as a standup linebacker in a 3-4 front, but he looked lost at times and was benched in favor of Quentin Groves during the opener against the Colts. He started the game this week and the Jaguars used a more traditional 4-3 front for most of the game, but Harvey still was ineffective and finished with just 1 solo tackle. The Jaguars put almost no pressure on Kurt Warner, allowing him to set a record for highest completion percentage in the game.

DE Justin Tuck, NYG
Tuck entered the season as one of the elite fantasy defensive ends, but he left the game with a shoulder injury after he was tripped by Cowboys OT Flozell Adams. He did not return to the game and was scheduled to undergo some tests on Monday. If he's out, Mathias Kiwanuka figures to take over most of his snaps at DE.

DT Jamal Williams, SD
Williams has been the anchor of the Chargers defense for many years but his season was cut short as the team placed him on injured reserve last week with a triceps injury. He was replaced in the lineup by Ogemdi Nwagbuo, an undrafted rookie who is much better suited to playing DE. The loss of Williams could wind up being a blessing for almost all other Chargers IDPs as they could have a difficult time stopping the run and getting off the field.

DT Peria Jerry, ATL
Jerry was expected to solidify the interior of the Falcons defensive line and take some attention away from stud DE John Abraham. Unfortunately, however, Jerry suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 4th quarter during a win over the Panthers this week and he'll be placed on injured reserve. Thomas Johnson, who was out of the league the past two seasons, is expected to move into a starting role on the Falcons defensive line but they will likely continue to use a rotational approach.

OLB Shawne Merriman, SD
After missing nearly the entire 2008 season, Merriman was expected to provide a big boost to the Chargers defense this year. Through two games, however, he has failed to record a sack and this week against the Ravens he sat out part of the game after his groin tightened up on him. He was credited with 2 QB hits in the game and one of them helped create a turnover, but his production to this point has to be considered a major disappointment.

ILB Lofa Tatupu, SEA
Tatupu was questionable coming into the week 2 game against the 49ers due to a hamstring injury, but he was knocked out of the game after one series. That certainly helped contribute to a huge day for Frank Gore, but it's not a good sign for Tatupu going forward. This might wind up being the type of injury that lingers for awhile so it's probably safe to leave him on your bench until he's healthy enough to get through a full game.

OLB Brian Orakpo, WAS
While rookies are expected to struggle, Orakpo has been having a very difficult time adjusting to the speed of the NFL. The Redskins converted him from playing DE in college to playing OLB in the pros but it doesn't seem to be working very well so far. He recorded a couple of solo tackles in the opener, but was held without a single tackle this week against the Rams despite starting the game and playing significant snaps. He did show some potential as a pass rusher, however, as he was credited with 2 QB hits and a pass defensed when he batted down a Bulger pass on a third down play. He likely just needs time to adjust, but ultimately might be better suited as a full-time DE.

OLB Jermaine Phillips, TB
Phillips came into the season with a ton of promise as the team moved him to WLB to replace future hall of famer Derrick Brooks. A suspension to safety Tanard Jackson forced the team to move him back to safety, but he had already bulked up for his new role and looked slow while trying to match up with receivers in the secondary. Things got even worse this week, however, as he suffered a fractured thumb that is expected to keep him out of the lineup for the next 6 to 8 weeks.

OLB Lamarr Woodley, PIT
Woodley had a breakout 11.5 sack season for the Steelers in 2008 but he's off to a slow start this year. Through 2 games, he has been credited with just 1 solo and 1 assist. He has been credited with 3 QB hits so far, but he hasn't looked like the same dominant pass rusher he was. It's possible that the loss of Polamalu in the secondary is making it easier for QBs to attack the Steelers and leaving less time for the pass rushers to chase them down.

S Atari Bigby, GB
Bigby seemed to come out of nowhere in 2007 when he finished as a top-10 fantasy safety, but his 2008 season was marred by injury as he only played in 7 games and wasn't very good in those games anyway. He reclaimed his starting SS job to start this season but he suffered a sprained knee in the opener that kept him out of the game this week. Aaron Rouse took his place in the lineup and finished with 9 tackles, including 7 solos. It might be time to cut Bigby loose if there are better options available rather than risk suffering through another frustrating season with him coming in and out of the lineup.

S Laron Landry, WAS
Landry turned some heads with an 8 solo tackle performance in the opener, but it came in a game against the Giants where MLB London Fletcher was credited with 18 combined tackles and the starting SS Chris Horton was benched during the second half. This week against the Rams, Horton redeemed himself with a strong game and a forced fumble while Landry returned to patrolling the deep secondary and his production fell off predictably. He finished the game with just a single assisted tackle and is probably not worth starting unless the matchup is particularly favorable.

CB Josh Wilson, SEA
With Marcus Trufant on the PUP list to start the season, Wilson was given a chance to remain in the starting lineup despite the addition of Ken Lucas. He had a solid game in the opener, but left the game early this week with a high ankle sprain that is expected to keep him out of the lineup for awhile. Seattle is being hit hard by injuries on both sides of the ball.

CB Nathan Vasher, CHI
While Vasher doesn't have much fantasy value, it's worth pointing out that he was not in the starting lineup for the Bears this week and did not even enter the game at all. He was replaced by second year player Zachary Bowman, who was one of the most impressive Bears in training camp. Bowman is a physical playmaker who figures to see plenty of action playing opposite Tillman. His biggest knock has been durability.