Upgrades

DL Marcus Stroud, JAC: Like many players, it took Stroud a couple of games to warm up, but he's on fire now. After combining for just two solo tackles over the first two games, without a sack, he's picked up 12 over the last two (16 total tackles) including one sack. He's looking like the player we expected when the season started, a top defensive tackle and a solid week-to-week option on the defensive line.

DL Shaun Ellis, NYJ: Ellis finds himself on my upgrade list every week, but every week he continues to surprise me with his production. He's up to 20 solo tackles and five sacks on the season, making him one of the better starting options in the league.

DL Mike Rucker, CAR: Why list a stud on the upgrades? There may not be a more underrated player in the league. Rucker is very solid against the run and posts great tackle numbers for a defensive lineman. His 58 tackles and 10 sacks from a year ago left him as a top five lineman. He may benefit from playing across from Julius Peppers, but he was on top of his game last year while Peppers was serving a four game suspension (24 tackles, three sacks), and so far in 03 his numbers have dwarfed Peppers, 14 tackles and five sacks to six tackles and one sack.

LB Travian Smith, OAK: With Bill Romanowski inactive this past weekend, Smith started on the strongside and performed well, picking up eight tackles (7 solo). It's the first game that Romanowski has missed during his 16 year career, bringing up the possibility that he may decide to retire. As long as Romanowski is out, or if he decides to leave the game, Smith will have decent value as the Raiders starting SLB and should be available in most leagues.

LB Na'il Diggs, GB: Diggs hit a road bump during week three, posting just three tackles against the Cardinals, but he has been solid in the other three games. With 26 solo tackles and two interceptions on the year, he's another in the long line of young playmaking linebackers that has taken over the league. Nine of those tackles and both picks came during Monday nights win over the Bears.

CB Dexter McCleon, KC: McCleon was signed over the offseason to be the Chiefs nickel back, possibly pushing William Bartee for the starting job across from Eric Warfield. With Bartee missing the first four games of the season, nursing an ankle injury, McCleon has cemented his position in the starting lineup and that will not change when Bartee returns. He's picked up 14 tackles (12 solo), three interceptions and four passes defended over the last three games.

CB Dre Bly, DET: Like with Shaun Ellis, this isn't the first time that you've seen Bly on this list. He's had a fantastic opening month with the Lions, posting solid numbers on a weekly basis (rare for a cornerback, especially someone considered a gambler). With 17 solo tackles, three interceptions and seven passes defended through four games, he's in line to better the career high numbers that he set last year with the Rams.

CBs Marcus Coleman & Kenny Wright, HOU: Coleman has started the season very nicely with 14 solo tackles and four interceptions through the first four games. Wright, the Texans nickel back, benifitted this week from an injury to Aaron Glenn and posted a career type game with five tackles (3 solo), two interceptions and five passes defended. If Glenn is out for a while, Wrights value will shoot up and he should become a decent option as teams shy away from Coleman.

Minnesota Vikings Secondary: The Vikings group of defensive backs has been outstanding so far, led by Brian Russell, Brian Williams and Corey Chavous. Through four games, Russell has picked up 21 tackles (15 solo) and four interceptions (one in each game). Williams has turned into a very solid cover corner while holding off Ken Irvin, who was brought in to start. He's posted 20 tackles (12 solo), two picks and seven passes defended. Chavous is the leader of their defensive backfield, adding in 15 tackles (12 solo), four interceptions and six passes defended. They have certainly been a major factor in Minnesota's defensive rebirth and their 4-0 start.

S Dexter Jackson, ARI: Are we sure this is Dexter Jackson? The same player that has picked up 57 solo tackles in each of the last two seasons with Tampa Bay? I think he and Adrian Wilson may have switched uniforms at some point. Jackson has tallied 17 solo tackles over the last two weeks, along with an interception in each game. The Super Bowl MVP is looking to break the trend of disappointments, well on his way to a career year with the Cardinals.

S Deon Grant, CAR: Often overshadowed by Mike Minter in Carolina's secondary, Grant has become the better fantasy option of the two. He' wrapped 21 tackles (17 solo) around the Panthers week three bye and, even though he's not very active in the passing game (yet to record an interception, only two passes defended), he is known for picking off balls in bunches. All three of his 02 interceptions came in one game.

DL Aaron Schobel, BUF: 14 tackles (8 solo) and two sacks over the last two games.

DL Kevin Carter, TEN: A sack in each of the four games (3.5 total), including 16 total tackles

DL Leonard Little, STL: A sack in each of the four games (5 total), including 15 total tackles

DL Justin Smith, CIN: Five tackles (3 solo), a sack and two passes defended during week four. This could be the wake up game that we've been waiting for.

DL Kevin Williams, MIN: Picked up his first two career sacks against the 49ers.

DL Lance Johnstone, MIN: Four sacks over the last two weeks. He may be a situational player, but he's obviously liked the situations that he's been put in.

LB Zeke Moreno, SD: 21 tackles and two sacks over the last three games.

LB Rocky Boiman, TEN: Week four trifecta: sack, interception, TD. With Peter Sirmon injured, Boiman will see an increased role in the Titans defense, possibly starting on the strongside.

LB Terrell Suggs, BAL: Four career games, four career sacks. Unfortunately, he only has seven career tackles.

LB Earl Holmes, DET: Best game as a Lion during week four. Seven solo tackles and a sack.

LB David Thornton, IND: Do we even need to mention him anymore? The kid is a bona fide star. 38 tackles (32 solo) with a sack over the last three games.

LB E.J.Henderson, MIN: He's being worked into the lineup and could be a mid-late season surprise.

CB Jeff Burris, CIN: 17 solo tackles, an interception, forced fumble and three passes defended over the last two.

CB Antione Winfield, BUF: 25 solo tackles through four games. Awesome numbers for a cornerback.

S Gary Baxter, BAL: 14 solo tackles, an interception and three passes defended over the last two games.

S Darren Sharper, GB: Finally had a Sharper-type game on Monday night with six solo tackles and a couple of sacks. He finally looks healthy and was all over the field.

Downgrades

DL N.D.Kalu, DL: With the injuries that Philadelphia has suffered along their defensive line, they were left relying heavily on Kalu to provide a pass rush. He's given us three solo tackles with no sacks through three games. In my best Bill Walton voice, "That's horrible".

DL Anthony Weaver, BAL: This was supposed to be Weaver's season to break the mold, producing as a defensive end in a 3-4 scheme. Not only has he failed to break the mold, he has set new lows with only four tackles (2 solo) through four games.

DL Julius Peppers, CAR: It may have been wrong to expect Peppers to continue his rookie pace of one sack per game, but we certainly deserve more than six solo tackles and one sack through three games as a follow up to his Defensive Rookie of the Year campaign.

DL Dwight Freeney, IND: Last years "other" breakout rookie defensive lineman, Freeney has followed the same path as Peppers. His fumble return for a touchdown on Sunday night does not cover up the fact that he was held without a tackle for the game, and has only three tackles with one sack in three games. It was questionable as to whether or not he'd even play against the Saints, so he deserves a slight pass.

DLs Reggie Hayward & Bertrand Berry, DEN: This duo was the talk of the town last week after combining for three sacks on Monday night football. Hot waiver picks, their follow up performance of four tackles (2 solo) left many disappointed.

LB Nate Wayne, PHI: In Green Bay, Wayne may not have been the ideal fit for their defense, but he did produce great fantasy numbers. The Eagles thought that he was a good fit for their defense, but he's no longer the playmaker that we've come to expect. He has but 11 solo tackles with no sacks or interceptions through three games after averaging 76 solos, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions over the last three years.

LB Danny Clark, JAC: When Keith Mitchell went down with a neck injury during week two, Clark stepped into the starting lineup. A starter in all 16 games last year, he should be an adequate replacement, but he's posted just two solo tackles combined in his two starts.

LB Keith Brooking, ATL: It's hard to downgrade a player who's averaging six tackles a game, but Brooking deserves it. He's on pace for a little over 100 tackles, which would fall well short of the 140 that he posted last year. He's never been a huge playmaker, so you don't get much in the way of sacks and interceptions. He's definitely a player that I'd look to trade at this point to someone intrigued by name value.

S Matt Stevens, HOU: A hot waiver wire commodity over this past week, Stevens was coming off of a week three game in which he posted 11 tackles (9 solo) with an interception. During the other three games, including this weeks two tackle performance, he's combined for nine tackles (7 solo).

S Adam Archuleta, STL: So far this year, Archuleta has posted two good games (13 solo tackles, one sack) and two not so good (five solo tackles). Widely considered a top five defensive back coming into the season, he has not produced as such. Even with the occasional big game, his inconsistency will lead to him being considered a disappointment.

S Adrian Wilson, ARI: see Adam Archuleta. Wilson has 15 solo tackles through four games and has to be considered the biggest IDP disappointment this side of Jason Taylor. He has yet to show up this year, has been the victim of too many mental mistakes, and has been overshadowed by the play of newcomer Dexter Jackson.

S Tony Parrish, SF: Parrish had a very nice season last year, his first in San Francisco, but has done nothing through four games in 03. His eight solo tackles on the year should have him planted firmly on your bench. At this rate, he won't be worth a roster spot for much longer.

DL La'Roi Glover, DAL: Six tackles (4 solo) and a sack through three games.

DL Brenston Buckner, CAR: Four solo tackles during week one, nothing since.

DL Hugh Douglas, JAC: Five tackles and a sack during week one, five tackles and zero sacks since.

DL Richard Seymour, NE: The Patriots injuries at linebacker have them back in a 4-3 scheme, and Seymour back at defensive tackle.

DL Calvin Pace, ARI: Showed pass rush potential in the preseason, but hasn't transfered that to the regular season. Nine solo tackles and zero sacks through four games.

DL Grant Wistrom, STL: Six tackles, zero sacks through four games.

LB Jeff Ulbrich, SF: Somehow he continues to hold off Jamie Winborn for the starting job. 14 tackles (9 solo) through four games.

LB Peter Boulware, BAL: He's yet to show up this year (5 solo tackles, zero sacks) after a disappointing 02 campaign (7 sacks)

LB Boss Bailey, DET: Bailey hasn't posted over three solo tackles in a game.

S Kwamie Lassiter, SD: After picking up 14 solo tackles during the first two games, he's posted only seven combined over the last two.

Injury Downgrades

DL Vonnie Holliday, KC: Groin. Injuries have always been his main holdup, so this is not good news even if it is minor.

LB Peter Sirmon, TEN: Back. Will likely miss some time, but the extent of the injury is not yet known.

LB Will Overstreet, ATL: Re-injured his shoulder...again

LB Robert Thomas, STL: Groin.

S Cory Hall, ATL: Re-injured his knee

S Tebucky Jones: Groin

CB Troy Vincent, PHI: Hamstring. Could miss this weeks game.