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UPGRADES
DE Chandler Jones, NE (8 solos, 3 asst, 2 sacks, 1 FF)
In a game that went to overtime, the Patriots defense wound up facing 93 snaps on Sunday and Jones was on the field for all of them. That’s pretty remarkable for a defensive lineman to hold up over that many plays and continue to perform at a relatively high level. He finished the game with 11 combined tackles, a pair of sacks, and a forced fumble. Jones is now up to 6.5 sacks on the season and well on his way to a top-10 DE finish. He has a great matchup coming up with the Dolphins in week 8 too.
DE Justin Smith, SF (3 solos, 2 sacks)
Smith has been playing through a shoulder injury for the past few weeks and was less effective as a result. Despite playing just about half the snaps this week, however, he showed that he’s not done yet as he came through with a pair of sacks in an easy win over the Titans. He should also get a chance to add another sack or two next week when the 49ers travel to Jacksonville.
DE Olivier Vernon, MIA (3 solos, 1 sack)
The 2nd year player and former 3rd round pick out of Miami won’t get nearly as much attention as a star like Cameron Wake, but he’s been putting up some remarkably consistent numbers of late. He’s now posted 3 solo tackles in 4 straight games and he also has 3 sacks during that span as well. The Dolphins are getting some strong play overall from their defensive line this year, which makes the lack of production from Wake even more surprising.
DT Chris Jones, NE (5 solos, 5 asst, 2 sacks)
Injuries to starters Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly have created a lot of playing time for Jones the past two weeks. He has basically become an everydown player now and his numbers are trending upward as a result. He was credited with 10 tackles in the overtime loss to the Jets this week and also added a pair of sacks to give him 3.5 in the past 3 weeks. If you’re desperate for help in a DT-required league, he might be worth a look. Unfortunately, it was also his penalty in overtime that wiped out a missed field goal and gave the Jets a second chance to.
OLB Tamba Hali, KC (5 solos, 1 asst, 2.5 sacks, 2 FF)
The amazing year for the Chiefs defense continued this week with a tougher than expected win over the Texans. Hali helped make things difficult for Case Keenum in his first NFL start as he picked up 2.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, including a game-clinching one at the end of the game. Hali is up to 10 sacks on the year and they have all come in the last 5 games, which gives the Chiefs the best pass rushing tandem in the league along with Justin Houston.
ILB DeMeco Ryans, PHI (7 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 PD)
Ryans has not played particularly well this year, but the Eagles defense is struggling to get off the field and that leads to high snap counts for him every week. His 9 combined tackles this week were the 4th time he reached that total in the past 6 games. That’s even more impressive when you consider that the Eagles stat crew has been one of the stingiest in the league when it comes to awarding tackles.
ILB Jamari Lattimore, GB (9 solos, 3 asst, 1 sack, 1 PD)
With Brad Jones still out of the lineup, Lattimore got his second start in a row for the Packers at inside linebacker. He looked much more comfortable this week as he piled up 12 combined tackles while also adding a sack and pass deflection. Given the way any player seems to produce from the middle of the Packers defense, he’s definitely a player to keep your eye on.
OLB Quentin Coples, NYJ (3 solos, 1 asst, 1 sack, 1 FF)
Coples was a first round pick of the Jets last year who actually led the team in sacks from a defensive end position. He was moved to outside linebacker this year and expected to make a big impact, but got off to a really slow start after injuring his ankle in the preseason. He finally picked up his first sack of the season this week when he took down Tom Brady and also forced a fumble. The Jets are getting tremendous play from their defensive linemen, which should make things easier for Coples and possibly spark him to a strong second half.
OLB Malcolm Smith, SEA (7 solos, 2 asst, 1 sack, 1 PD)
Smith is an undersized but rangy player who spent his first two years primarily as a special teams player. He’s the starting weakside linebacker for Seattle now and looked really good in a Thursday night win over the Cardinals. He finished the game with 9 tackles while also adding a sack and pass deflection. With Bobby Wagner missing time, Smith has been able to get time in the team’s nickel package as well. The Seattle stats crew has been awarding a ton of assists with very few solo tackles so that might limit his upside in home games, but he could provide some short-term assistance if you need LB help.
LB Joplo Bartu, ATL (6 solos, 4 asst, .5 sack)
Bartu is an undrafted rookie starting linebacker in the league so the expectations are relatively modest. With all the injuries the Falcons have had at the linebacker position this year, however, he’s playing a bigger role than most probably expected. He has pretty good size and athleticism and should continue to play in the nickel package given the team’s need for pass rushers. He had his best game of the year with 10 combined tackles, and also has a pair of sacks over the past 4 games. While his upside is probably limited, there is an opportunity in Atlanta for somebody to emerge and put up some nice numbers.
ILB Jon Bostic, CHI (6 solos, 2 asst)
The Bears defense really had a tough time slowing down Robert Griffin and the Washington offense this week, but that actually is a good sign for Bostic’s fantasy potential. A couple of crucial injuries to the Bears also figure to boost his numbers. The loss of Cutler on offense should lead to more snaps for the defense, and the injury to Lance Briggs probably leaves Bostic with a 3-down role. Don’t sleep on the rookie, who will add some speed to the middle of the Bears defense.
S Antonio Allen, NYJ (5 solos, 4 asst, 1 INT, 3 PD, 1 TD)
Allen got the opportunity to basically shadow Gronkowski on Sunday and even though he gave up his share of plays, Allen more than held his own. He tipped several passes away and also jumped a bad pass that he returned 23 yards for a touchdown. Although Allen was a 7th round pick in last year’s draft, he has good size and cover skills. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Rex Ryan helped develop him into a solid fantasy option at some point.
S Michael Mitchell, CAR (8 solos, 1 sack, 2 FF)
Mitchell warrants an upgrade for the second week in a row after his huge game on Sunday against the Rams. He was all over the field and was credited with 8 solo tackles along with a sack and a pair of forced fumbles. The former Raiders draft pick brings a great combination of size and speed to the position and is a legit breakout candidate.
S Earl Wolff, PHI (5 solos, 1 INT, 1 PD)
The rookie safety struggled in coverage early this season but he has started to show signs of improvement. With Patrick Chung dealing with a shoulder injury and out of action (as he’s been too often in his career), Wolff has been given a chance to learn on the job. Most young players need time to get comfortable and it seems the game is starting to slow down for him a bit. His tackle numbers have been steady and he picked up his first interception of the season this week. The Eagles have high hopes for him so look for them to stick with him even if he makes a few errors from time to time.
CB Brandon Flowers, KC (6 solos, 1 sack)
Flowers had missed two of the past 3 games and therefore came into the game with some question marks about whether he’d be able to make it though. His production this year may not seem impressive since he’s missed a couple games, but he’s a very physical corner who is averaging almost 6 solo stops per game. With how effective the Chiefs OLBs have been rushing the passer, its likely more interceptions are coming too.
CB Trumaine Johnson, STL (8 solos, 1 asst)
Johnson began the year as the Rams nickel corner, but he has been moved into the starting lineup while Cortland Finnegan recovers from his injury. Last week, Johnson racked up 9 combined tackles in a matchup with the Texans and this week he added 9 more against the Panthers. He’s not playing very well, which is making it very appealing for opposing QBs to target him each week. As long as he’s in the lineup, you should consider using him in yours.
DOWNGRADES
DE Derek Wolfe, DEN (0 tackles)
Wolfe was a pleasant surprise as a rookie last year when he picked up 6 sacks and fit in well playing alongside Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller. This year, Dumervil is gone and Miller just got back after missing 6 games to suspension and things have been much tougher for Wolfe as a result. He’s been getting pressure but rarely has enough time to bring the QB down as he’s posted just 1 sack through 7 games. Wolfe also isn’t showing much against the run with just 11 combined tackles in 7 games.
DE Michael Johnson, CIN (1 asst)
After posting 11.5 sacks last season, it certainly looked like Johnson had finally reached his potential and finally emerged as a reliable DE2. He has missed a game with an injury this year, but otherwise has just 1.5 sacks in 6 games played. The pressure seems to be there most weeks but for whatever reason, he hasn’t been able to capitalize very much. Carlos Dunlap had a similar stretch of play in the past where he generated a lot of pressure on opposing QBs but had very few sacks to show for it. Looks like Johnson is a bit snakebit this year.
DE Ezekiel Ansah, DET (0 tackles)
The talented rookie can look great at times, but he’s mostly been a non-factor over the past few weeks despite playing a majority of snaps. Some growing pains were obviously expected for Ansah given how little playing experience he has, but some of the early success he had probably created some unrealistic hopes for what he could provide. For now, unless you see him with a great matchup or play in a scoring system weighted heavily towards big plays you are probably better leaving him on the bench.
OLB Lance Briggs, CHI (5 solos, 3 asst, 2 PD)
Briggs has been one of the best fantasy linebackers in the league this year, but he suffered a shoulder injury in Sunday’s loss to Washington and will be out for 4 to 6 weeks. This is a huge blow for a Bears team that also lost their QB for a month. The rookie Khaseem Greene was projected by some as a long-term replacement for Briggs so it looks like he’ll get a chance to show what he can do right away.
ILB Brian Cushing, HOU (4 solos, 1 PD)
Cushing’s numbers had slipped in recent weeks, but the potential was always there for him each week. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken leg and LCL tear in his knee that will end his season when Jamaal Charles went low on a block attempt. Daryl Sharpton replaced him in the lineup this week and posted 5 solo tackles so he is probably a guy to go after on waivers this week if available.
OLB Bruce Carter, DAL (1 solo, 1 asst)
It’s certainly been an up and down year for Carter as he posted some strong numbers to start the season and looked headed for a breakout year. Then he was benched in favor of the perennially underwhelming Ernie Sims for a bit and some fantasy owners began dropping him. He showed signs of life after he was returned to an everydown role last week, but this week he disappeared again. Despite playing nearly the entire game, Carter was credited with just 2 combined tackles in a win over the Eagles. Tough to know what you’re going to get from Carter in any given week so keep him benched for now.
ILB Manti Te’o, SD (2 solos, 2 asst)
While there have been some remarkable rookie LB performances this year, Te’o has been a disappointment thus far. He missed much of the preseason and the first few games of the year while recovering from an injury and hasn’t shown much since entering the lineup. He’s not playing in the team’s nickel packages despite the injury to Donald Butler, so that limits his upside even more. It’s too early to write him off obviously, but he’s not showing the playmaking skills we expected from his time at Notre Dame.
S Mark Barron, TB (1 solo, 1 asst)
Barron’s numbers of late look very disappointing especially considering that he was taken 7th overall in last year’s draft. He left the game early with an injury in week 4, then Tampa had a bye in week 5 so he had a chance to recover. In the two weeks since then, however, he’s only managed to collect 5 solos and 2 assists. Definitely looks like he’s playing through an injury and not at his best, but LB Lavonte David is also not leaving a lot of tackle opportunities for the players behind him.
S Da’Norris Searcy, BUF (2 solos)
The Bills secondary is in flux right now and that could mean fewer snaps at strong safety for Searcy even though he has had some very productive games this year. With Jairus Byrd back in the lineup at FS, the Bills are going to try and find snaps for Aaron Williams who has been moved around a lot. They also have been giving Jim Leonhard a lot of time since he’s familiar with the defensive schemes of coordinator Mike Pettine.
S Glover Quin, DET (1 solo, 1 PD)
Quin has played almost every snap at safety for the Lions this year but his numbers are very inconsistent from week to week. It looks like he had 3 of his best games on the road and most of his disappointing games at home, but there’s no clear pattern emerging about the type of matchups that favor him. In any event, it looks like he’s a matchup play at best right now and not a guy who you can set in your lineup and forget about.
CB Johnathan Joseph, HOU (1 solo)
Joseph is one of the better cover corners in the league and that is leaving him with very few playmaking opportunities in most weeks. Even though the Texans are struggling from a wins and losses perspective, their defense doesn’t tend to face a lot of snaps each week so that also limits his chances. Through 7 games, Joseph has just 14 solo tackles and an interception so if he happens to be on your lineup, you can probably do better just picking someone up off waivers.
CB Robert McClain, ATL (2 solos)
McClain was the Falcons leading tackler through 3 games this year, but he has seen a huge reduction in playing time over the past couple weeks. He’s fallen to 4th on the cornerback depth chart now and unless there’s an injury, don’t expect him to put up those kinds of numbers anytime soon.