Upgrades

DL Adewale Ogunleye, CHI: It took him a while to warm up (one sack through the seasons first five games), but it looks like Adewale Ogunleye is ready to start earning some of that fat contract the Bears handed him when he came over from Miami. The schedule isn't very favorable for any of the Bears defensive linemen, but AO is on a roll with eight solo tackles and 3.5 sacks over the last three games.

DL DeWayne White, TB: Our potential sensors were screaming this offseason when it looked like DeWayne White would battle for the starting job opposite Simeon Rice. Greg Spires was able to hold off the second year player, but that hasn't stopped White from causing havoc in the backfield. He's picked up at least a partial sack in each of the last five games and he posted a career high three solo tackles this past weekend. He's a very good dynasty prospect who should continue to produce at a decent clip for the remainder of this year.

DL Cornelius Griffin, WAS: Griffin was a late scratch last week, suffering from a hip injury, but that didn't seem to slow him down much. The five solo tackles that he posted on Sunday made it six straight games that he's played and produced at least four solos (incredible production from a defensive tackle). With four sacks over the last five games he's proving to be a top fantasy performer, defensive tackle or otherwise.

DL John Henderson, JAC: Another defensive tackle who's been performing consistently well, Henderson is coming off of his best game of the year (five solo tackles, two sacks). He now has 3.5 sacks on the year with 42 solos, posting no less than three solo tackles in any game thus far. His linemate, Marcus Stroud, hasn't been as fortunate.

DL Greg Ellis, DAL: Greg Ellis appears to be back on track after taking a three week hiatus. He started the year off on fire, posting 20 solo tackles and six sacks over the seasons first five games, but picked up just two solos without a sack from weeks 7-9. With 12 solo tackles and two sacks over the last three games, he's tied his career high in sacks (eight) and may approach his high of 50 solo tackles.

DL Osi Umenyiora, NYG: Early on this year Osi Umenyiora was used primarily as a situational player with the Giants hoping to preserve his tremendous speed, but with Michael Strahan and Keith Washington both on the shelf, OU is being relied on for much more. He's holding up well, posting 4.5 sacks over the last six games with a career high five solo tackles this past weekend.

DL Rod Coleman, ATL: A knee injury forced Coleman to miss weeks 6-8 and he appears to be looking to make up for lost time. He's picked up two sacks in two of the last three games, giving him three two-sack performances on the season. His tackle numbers haven't been great, limiting his value somewhat, but he's more than making up for it with his ability to get to the passer.

LB Keith Bulluck, TEN: Keith Bulluck is on an impressive roll, picking up at least seven solo tackles in each of the last six games (49 solos and 19 assists over that stretch). He's also picked up a sack in four of the last five games, surpassing his career high of three that he set a year ago.

LB Colby Bockwoldt, NO: Derrick Rodgers has been out for the last two weeks with a back injury, opening the door for Colby Bockwoldt as the Saints starting weakside linebacker. He's picked up 10 solo tackles (five in each game) with a sack over two weeks. Rodgers was playing very well before the injury and will return to the lineup when healthy, but until that time Bockwoldt appears to be a nice fill-in type.

LB Will Witherspoon, CAR: With six solo tackles on Sunday, Witherspoon extended his streak to five games with at least that many (41 solos during that stretch).

LB Antonio Pierce, WAS: With Michael Barrow being officially placed on the injured reserve, the door remains open for Antonio Pierce to start in the middle for the Redskins. He's been consistent all year long, averaging six solo tackles per game with no less than four in any game, but he's picked it up of late. Over the last four games he's posted 30 solo tackles.

LB Jeremiah Trotter, PHI: Dare we say that Jeremiah Trotter is playing some of the best football of his career? He wasn't necessarily signed this year to start for the Eagles, but now they can't get him out of the lineup. Over the last three games he's picked up a total of 23 solo tackles with one sack, turning himself into a must-start linebacker.

DB Shaunard Harts, KC: With Jerome Woods nursing a knee injury, Shaunard Harts started at free safety for the Chiefs this weekend and picked up nine solo tackles. He's proven to be a very solid fantasy performer in the past when filling in for Woods or Greg Wesley and he'll continue to post starter quality numbers should either of those guys be sidelined for an extended period of time. Woods may return for the week 13 game, sending Harts back to the bench.

DB Chris Gamble, CAR: Chris Gamble has found his consistency, something you don't often see from a rookie defensive back. He's picked up at least four solo tackles in each of the last five games (30 solos over that stretch) with two interceptions, five passes defended and a forced fumble.

DB Terrence McGee, BUF: This year has been a roller coaster ride for Terrence McGee, but that's the life of a cornerback in the NFL. After suffering through a mini-slump with just nine solo tackles combined from weeks 7-10, he's arrived once again to pick up seven solo tackles, an interception and two passes defended in each of the last two weeks. Add in a week 11 sack and we've got a mighty fine campaign coming from a little known second year corner who wasn't even a starter when the season opened.

DB Dwaine Carpenter, SF: With all of the injuries that the 49ers have suffered in their defensive backfield, they've turned to safety Dwaine Carpenter to help hold down the fort on the corner. With good size and coverage skills, he's started the last two games at cornerback, picking up 14 solo tackles with a sack.

Downgrades

DL Alex Brown, CHI: Has Alex Brown Jumped the Shark? It might appear that way with him posting just five solo tackles with a half sack over the last three games (ever since his six solo/four sack performance during week nine). Only the Falcons play a more difficult schedule down the stretch for defensive linemen, so it will be tough for Brown to get back on track.

DL Kevin Carter, TEN: We told you not to get excited over Kevin Carter's week 10 performance (seven solos, three sacks). He's returned to his regular role over the last two weeks, limited to just three solo tackles without a sack.

DL Mike Rucker, CAR: This season is a wash for Rucker. He continues to post decent solo tackle numbers, but with only 0.5 sack through 11 games it'll be impossible for him to match his 11 sack average over the last two seasons.

LB Jamie Sharper, HOU: Should we be concerned? Jamie Sharper averaged over six solo tackles pre game during the seasons first ten weeks, but he's been held to a total of six solos over the last two weeks. He's still having a good year, as a whole, but this is not the time that we need him to start struggling, especially with what was considered a very strong matchup.

LB Rob Morris, IND: Why downgrade a guy who just picked up seven solo tackles with a sack and a forced fumble? The seven solos were more than his combined total for the past six games and it was his first fumble (forced or recovered) since 2002. If he was in your starting lineup on Thanksgiving Day I'd be shocked. Don't make the mistake of thinking that this will be his normal output.

LB Joe Odom, CHI: He's been starting on the strongside in Chicago for the past two weeks, but that doesn't mean he's worth anything more than when he was backing up Hunter Hillenmeyer (who replaced Odom in the starting lineup after the Bears week five bye). In six starts this year Odom has compiled a total of 14 solo tackles.

DB Mike Doss, IND: After sitting out weeks nine and ten with a groin injury, Doss returned to the starting lineup for the past two games producing a total of two solo tackles. The outstanding performance that he gave us on Halloween (Eight solo tackles, sack, two forced fumbles) showed us what he's capable of, but it seems like such a long time ago. Bob Sanders can't get back soon enough (expected back in 3-4 weeks).

DB Roy Williams, DAL: The good news is that Roy Williams will likely surpass his solo tackle total from a year ago within the next week or three. The bad news is that his solo tackle from a year ago just wasn't that good (meaning his total from this year won't be much better). Williams set the bar so high during his rookie season (2002), posting 81 solos with two sacks and five picks, leading us to believe that there'd be some sort of improvement during subsequent years. It's gotten so bad that he hasn't recorded a sack, pick or fumble (forced or recovered) on the year, posting just six solo tackles over the last three games.