Upgrades

DL John Henderson, JAC: A defensive tackle who's been posting linebacker type stats, Henderson has picked up 26 solo tackles over the last five games with five sacks.

LB Keith Brooking, ATL: There was a time earlier this season when Keith Brooking became a questionable fantasy start, unheard of considering his production in recent years. He just wasn't playing all that well and he went through a four game stretch in which he posted only 16 solo tackles. Those days seem to be over and he appears to be back to his old self, picking up 22 solo tackles over the last three weeks with a sack and an interception.

LB James Harrison, PIT: Harrison picked up six solo tackles with two passes defended this week while starting in place of Clark Haggans, who was out nursing a groin injury. He's filled in as a starter a couple of times this year and has proven to be a solid performer when given the opportunity, so keep an eye on Haggans' status for week 17.

LB Donnie Edwards, SD: Edwards has been flat out amazing this year. Along with posting 41 solo tackles over the last five games, he's added five interceptions, one sack, nine passes defended, a forced fumble and a TD return. LB-mate Steve Foley hasn't played too shabby either. Even though he came into the year with a total of around 100 solo tackles and 10.5 sacks during his five year career, the Chargers felt that he was the right fit for their system.With three sacks on Sunday he's raised his season total to 10 and has surpassed his career highs across the board.

LB Takeo Spikes, BUF: T.K.O. Spikes is on pace to post a career low in solo tackles, but he's actually had a great season. His playmaking ability has stood out during the Bills recent stretch of success. Over the last six games he's picked up two sacks, three interceptions, 11 passes defended and four forced fumbles.

LB Scott Shanle, DAL: Starting on the strongside in place of Al Singleton, who was recently placed on the IR with an abdomen injury, Scott Shanle has picked up 12 solo tackles over two games.

LB Dan Morgan, CAR: Dan Morgan has proven this year that, when healthy, he's one of the most productive linebackers in the game. With 23 solo tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble over the last three games Morgan returned just in time to help his owners through the playoffs and he should have some serious value heading into 2005 (baring any unforeseen mishaps).

LB Derrick Brooks, TB: With 10 solo tackles on Sunday, Brooks surpassed the 100 solo tackle barrier for the first time since 2000. He's had a re-birth of sorts at 31 years of age, putting up his best overall numbers in quite some time and putting to rest any of the "downfall' questions that he carried into the year.

LB D.J.Williams, DEN: It took Williams a while to heat up this year, so he's flown under the radar a bit, but his play has been outstanding over the last month. With 33 solo tackles, one sack and an interception over the last four games, the hype machine will be running overtime on this kid over the offseason.

LB Brian Simmons, CIN: Who is this guy? Certainly not the Brian Simmons that's struggled to posted five solo tackles a game over the last four years. Simmons has been playing his best football in quite some time over the last month, picking up 31 solo tackles over the last four games.

DB Mike McKenzie, NO: McKenzie hasn't had quite the impact that we expected when he came over from Green Bay, but he's been playing very well of late with four interceptions over the last four games. His tackles have been inconsistent, making him a shaky fantasy start, but the picks are huge in some leagues.

DB Mike Doss, IND: Once again Doss came through with a very solid performance, posting seven solo tackles this week, giving him 17 over the last two games. If healthy, he's worked his way into position as an every week starter on fantasy rosters who could approach 100 solo tackles next year.

DB Anthony Floyd, IND: Starting in place of Idrees Bashir this week at free safety, Floyd posted a career high with six solo tackles. If Bashir's hamstring keeps him out another week, Floyd appears to be a solid fill-in for the final game on the season.

DB Mike Green, CHI: Not only did Mike Green not lose his job this year, he's put together a pretty impressive campaign. He's picked up his play when it matters most for fantasy owner, posting no less than six solo tackles in any of the last five games, including eight solos with a sack this past weekend.

DB Erik Coleman, NYJ: The rookie safety for the Jets has picked a great time to post his best back-to-back games of the year, posting 16 solo tackles with a sack over the last two weeks. A forgotten man during fantasy drafts this year, it will not happen in 2005 after Coleman's solid rookie campaign.

DB Nate Clements, BUF: Fellow cornerback Terrence McGee has received a lot of the hype this year because of his outstanding return skills, but Nate Clements has played just as well. He's picked off a pass in three of the past four games and will likely match or pass his career high in solo tackles during week 17 (55).

DB Ronde Barber, TB: Barber hasn't had a great season, to his standards, but it appears that he's looking to make up for lost time. Over the last three weeks he's picked up 22 solo tackles with a sack, pick and three passes defended.

DB Michael Waddell, TEN: Injuries have forced this rookie into the starting lineup alongside Andre Dyson and he's played surprisingly well with 25 solo tackles and a pick in four games.

Downgrades

DL Anthony Weaver, BAL: While we continue to believe that his lack of production is more a product of the system that he's in than his actual talent level, it really doesn't matter. Weaver has not been able to break the mold of a 3-4 defensive end this year and has struggled to maintain any value to fantasy owners. He's picked up 16 solo tackles with one sack over the last eight games.

DL Shaun Rogers, DET: Rogers picked up 20 solo tackles with four sacks during the seasons first six games, awesome production from a defensive tackle with seemingly unlimited potential. Unfortunately, he hasn't picked up another sack since and he's given us just 11 solo tackles over the last five games.

DL Aaron Smith, PIT: Smith is having a solid year, posting a sack in eight of the first 11 games this year on way to tying his career high, but he's disappeared of late. He's failed to get to the quarterback so far in December (four games).

DL Robert Mathis, IND: He's had an outstanding year with 10.5 sacks but much of that has come in a third-down pass rush role. During obvious passing downs, starting end Raheem Brock will slide inside allowing Mathis to enter the game. The sacks have been a pleasant surprise, but his solo tackle numbers are seriously hindered by the role. Over the last five games he's posted just two solo tackles with 1.5 sacks.

DL Alex Brown, CHI: Brown showed some value early in the year with solid tackle numbers, but his sacks have been very sporadic. Now that he's lost his tackle production, and his sacks remain absent, he's pretty much worthless. Brown has picked up just 10 solo tackles with a half sack over the last six games.

LB Joey Porter, PIT: A big play specialist, Porter has never been a huge solo tackle guy but his sacks have usually helped him keep his value up. He picked up an interception this week, his first of the year, but has failed to record a sack in four straight weeks and has just 37 solo tackles in 14 games.

LB Terrell Suggs, BAL: Suggs has just completed his first three-game sackless stretch of the season, giving us just six solo tackles over that span. He's made great strides this year in becoming a better all-around linebacker, but he continues to have very limited value when he's not getting to the quarterback.

DB Rodney Harrison, NE: Rodney Harrison has picked up three or fewer solo tackles in three of the past four games. He's added in some big plays, including an interception and a forced fumble, but his tackle numbers have been well off what we've come to expect from the leagues top fantasy defensive back.

DB Antoine Winfield, MIN: Last year, Antoine Winfield built a reputation as being one of the best tacklers in the league (pound for pound) with 94 solos. He went all season posting less than four solo tackles in a game just once. That consistency made him a fantasy favorite. This year, his numbers have been very respectable for a cornerback (63 solos), but he's lacked that consistency and has been somewhat of a disappointment. He's posted under four solo tackles in five of 13 games, including each of the last three.