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DL Greg Ellis, DAL: Ellis is on fire, posting 17 solo tackles with five sacks over the past three weeks. He's playing the best football of his seven year career, on pace for career highs in both tackles and sacks. The SOS shows a pretty tough month from weeks seven to ten, . If he remains hot over the next two games, it wouldn't be a bad idea to send out feelers, seeing what you could get for him.

DL Robert Mathis, IND: Mathis sits behind Raheem Brock on the depth chart, which hurts his tackle totals, but he's been outperforming Brock who has just five solo tackles and a sack in four games. Over the last four games, Mathis has compiled eight solo tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles. He's feeding off of Dwight Freeney, but his success doesn't appear to be helping Freeney at all.

DL Charles Grant, NO: Rack'em up, two more sacks. That's seven over the last four games, to go along with 4.5 solo tackles per game on the year. >From sleeper two years ago to one of the games best, it's nice to see things work out how they're supposed to once in a while.

DL John Abraham, NYJ: Last week we mentioned how the Jets, their defensive linemen and John Abraham specifically, had a nice stretch of SOS approaching. He took advantage of that this past weekend, posting six solo tackles with three sacks (10 solos, five sacks over two weeks), and we should continue to see him post solid numbers for at least the next month or so.

DLs Calvin Pace and Bert Berry, ARI: The Cardinals actually found a pass rush this weekend, albeit it was against the 49ers. The duo combined for four sacks on Sunday, two a piece, which gives Pace four over the last three weeks. Berry hasn't been performing as well, but his outstanding performance (five solos, two sacks, two forced fumbles, one recovered) against San Francisco just may get the ball rolling.

LB Jon Vilma, NYJ: We knew that the rookie had the talent, but he lacked a starting gig. With Sam Cowart going down with a knee injury (expected to miss 2-4 more weeks), Vilma stepped into the middle and has performed well, combining for 15 tackles (11 solos) with a sack in two starts. Whether or not Cowart regains his job with a healthy return is left to be seen.

LB D.J.Williams, DEN: Another rookie with loads of potential, D.J.Williams has posted seven solo tackles in three of five games this year, 26 total. As the season wears on, experience will build consistency and Williams will become a solid fantasy producer that you can rely on rather than the risky start that he is currently.

LB Jeff Ulbrich, SF: An ankle injury will keep Derek Smith out of the lineup for a month, allowing Jeff Ulbrich to slide inside, a position that he admits may be better suited for his talents. After his performance this weekend (nine solo tackles, 0.5 sack) who are we to argue. He should offer very solid production from the middle while Smith is out, especially with Julian Peterson being lost for the year with an Achilles' injury.

LB Andra Davis, CLE: He's been a disappointment thus far, but it looks like Andra Davis may be heating up a bit. He's posted at least five solo tackles in each of the last three games, 17 total, and has what appears to be a very favorable matchup this coming week when the Browns take on Cincinnati.

LB Danny Clark, OAK: Clark opened the season starting in the middle, in place of Napoleon Harris, and it doesn't look like he's moving even though Harris has returned. He's picked up 26 solo tackles with a sack over the last four weeks.

LB Jamie Sharper, HOU: Sharper must've missed the team bus during week two, limiting him to just one solo tackle. He's picked up 32 solos in the four other games, no less than seven in each, and is living up to his preseason billing as a top five linebacker.

LB Derrick Brooks, TB: A fantasy revival for the perennial All-Pro. With 35 solo tackles through five games (no less than six in each), he hasn't had a stretch of consistent play like this since back when he was annually posting well over 100 solo tackles.

LB Antonio Pierce, WAS: Antonio Pierce has played decent to this point, filling in for Michael Barrow as the Redskins middle linebacker, and he leads Washington in tackles. He's coming off of his best game of the year, eight solo tackles with a sack, and with Barrow's status up in the air, Pierce turns into a nice fantasy option. He's not an every week starter, yet, but that may come with time if he can remain in the starting lineup.

LB Donnie Edwards, SD: Edwards blew up on Sunday, posting 15 tackles (12 solo), adding to what has been a very impressive start for the nine year vet. He now has 49 tackles (38 solo), putting him on pace to match last years career high totals (162 total, 124 solo).

LB London Fletcher, BUF: Fletcher has been playing very well of late, and it culminated this weekend with his 21 tackle (15 solo) performance against the Jets. That gives him 30 solo tackles over his last three games.

LB Ray Thompson, ARI: The Cardinals best defender over the last couple of years missed the first three games with a knee injury, but he returned to the starting lineup this past weekend and gave us a glimpse of what to expect. Dennis Green vowed to showcase Thompson in his new defense, and the 11 tackles (seven solo) that he posted on Sunday was a very nice start. I was very high on Thompson entering the year, and I even gave up on him, so I'm sure that he's available on waivers in quite a few leagues.

DB Ronde Barber, TB: Barber returned his second fumble this season for a touchdown (that's two more than the Bucs have posted with their rushing offense) and he's chipped in 19 solo tackles over the past three weeks. He may not be one of the leagues shutdown cornerbacks, but he remains one of the NFL's top playmakers.

DB Jason Simmons, HOU: With Glenn Earl and Eric Brown both inactive on Sunday, Simmons stepped into the starting lineup at strong safety and gave us nine solo tackles with a pass defended. Brown is out indefinitely with a knee injury and Earl was suffering from a hip contusion. Until they return Simmons could be a very nice waiver option.

DB Aaron Glenn, HOU: Glenn's play this year is the perfect example why you shouldn't disregard cornerbacks in fantasy football. With 21 solo tackles over the last three weeks, he's performing as well as and safety in the league (or any linebacker, for that matter).

DB Nick Harper, IND: It's hard to determine what to do with Harper. He's producing well, posting either an interception or five plus solo tackles in each of the seasons first five games, but his tendency to give up long touchdowns could land him on the bench any week now. As long as he's in the starting lineup, he remains a solid fantasy starter.

DB Gibril Wilson, NYG: Three starts in place of Shaun Williams, 22 solo tackles with a sack and an interception. He's on pace to produce the type of numbers that we've always expected from Williams...but never received. There was a mad rush this past week to pick up Wilson, so he's likely already on someones roster, but if he's available put in a bid now.

DB Roy Williams, DAL: Sure, he still hasn't picked up a sack or interception through four games, but his 23 solo tackles leave him on pace to nearly double last years output. His production isn't going to mirror Rodney Harrison from years gone by, but I think it's safe to say that last years disappointing campaign (53 solos) wasn't a measure of his true capabilities.

DB Chris Cash, DET: Two years ago Chris Cash was a rookie sensation who posted 79 solo tackles with 11 passes defended. His entire '03 season was lost to a knee injury, but it appears that he may be on his way back (13 solo tackles over the last two weeks). When the Lions get healthy, Cash will likely be fighting for a starting job with Andre Goodman (inactive week five).

DB DeWayne Washington, JAC: Washington is in the middle of a great stretch, posting five or more solo tackles in each of the last four games (24 total). Very nice production for a cornerback.

DB Terrence McGee, BUF: Filling in for Troy Vincent, who will be out at least one more week with a knee injury, McGee picked up 10 solo tackles on Sunday, 16 over the past two weeks.

DB Ed Reed, BAL: The Ed Reed roller coaster ride continues. He frustrates you at times (nine solo tackles through three games), but as soon as you take him out of your lineup you risk missing out on a performance like he put up on Sunday night: Six solo tackles with a sack/forced fumble/fumble recovered/TD super play. He sure is fun to watch as one of the NFL premiere playmakers.

DB Sean Taylor, WAS: Two NFL starts, six solo tackles in each. A very nice start for the leagues next great safety.

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Jacksonville Defense: Their streak of not allowing a 100 yard rusher was broke last week by Titans runner Chris Brown, broke again this week by Chargers backup Jesse Chatman, and they remain a very unproductive fantasy unit with just four sacks and two interceptions on the year.

DL Dwight Freeney, IND: Freeney has been held without a sack for the past three games and has just six solo tackles on the year. At this rate, he'll have a very tough time meeting the preseason expectations and he'll likely come nowhere close to matching his production from the past two seasons.

DL Simeon Rice, TB: As tough as this is to say, Rice is feeling the effects of not playing beside Warren Sapp. He remains one of the games premiere pass rushers, but the road to the quarterback is much tougher when the offense can concentrate on stopping you. He's been invisible through five games, posting just seven solo tackles with one sack.

Speaking of Sapp...

DL Anthony McFarland, TB: "Booger" was given the crown as the second coming of Warren Sapp, sliding over to fill his role as the under tackle in Tampa Bays defense. Some considered him to be an equal, talent wise, but the production has been absent. McFarland has posted six solo tackles with two sacks through five games (three solos and both sacks coming during week two).

LB Napoleon Harris, OAK: Harris came out during week three, his first game of the year after sitting out the first two with a knee injury, and posted eight solo tackles. Starting on the outside, he's relinquished his job in the middle to Danny Clark, and he hasn't done anything over the last two weeks (total of one solo tackle). His road to becoming a fantasy stud looks to have taken a detour.

LB Eric Barton, NYJ: What happened to the Eric Barton who averaged 97 solo tackles and 3.5 sacks during the 02-03 season while with the Raiders? He does have a sack on the year, but he's coupled that with just 12 solo tackles through four games.

LB Barrett Green, NYG: Green was banged up this past weekend, in and out of the game, but that doesn't help the boxscore. He's posted just one game with five or more solo tackles and has yet to pick off a pass or record a sack. He was supposed to be unleashed in Tim Lewis' defense, using his speed to cause havoc and make plays. It hasn't happened.

LB Dexter Coakley, DAL: Bill Parcells' reluctance to replace Dexter Coakley with Bradie James as the Cowboys starting weakside linebacker has killed both of their fantasy potential (or whatever potential Coakley had). Together they've teamed up for 11 solo tackles through four games with Coakley chipping in just four of those.

LB James Davis, DET: Davis has been a nice surprise this year, starting on the weakside in Detroit, but much of his value has come from a sack in both week two and three. His solo tackles aren't enough to carry him through as an every week starter, he's posted at least five solos just once, and sacks from a linebacker are usually unreliable.

LB Warrick Holdman, CLE: With 14 solo tackles through five games, it's safe to say that we're not going to get the type of production that we saw from Holdman during his super-season with the Bears (95 solo, 1.5 sacks, 1 interception in '01).

LB Clark Haggans, PIT: The rise and fall of Clark Haggans. Unfortunately, the rise lasted only one game, this years season opener (five solos, two sacks, two forced fumbles). The fall is ongoing, with no end in sight (seven solo tackles, zero sacks since).

LB Ben Leber, SD: The 69 solo tackles and three sacks that Ben Leber posted a year ago were supposed to be a stepping stone for future success. Through the first month of the season, having tallied 15 solos and still waiting on his first sack, it doesn't appear that he'll even come close to matching those numbers.

LB Daryl Smith, JAC: He's a rookie, so we should expect inconsistency. After picking up five solo tackles in both week two and three, he was shut out in week four and tallied just three solos this past weekend. There will be better days, you just have to endure the ups and downs of a rookie year.

LB Anthony Simmons, SEA: When Chad Brown returns in a few weeks, we may see Simmons return to form as one of the games best playmaking linebackers, but until then you have to assume that teams will continue to avoid him, preferring to run at Orlando Huff and Isaiah Kacyvenski. Simmons' 14 solo tackles through four weeks leaves you wondering whether he's even worth a roster spot, but don't give up just yet.

DB's Corey Chavous and Brian Russell, MIN: Through four games in 2003, Russell and Chavous were leading a Minnesota defensive revival, combining to post 30 solo tackles with eight interceptions (four each). They're on pace this year with 28 combined solos through four games, but have yet to record their first pick.

DB Cory Bird, IND: Replacing Mike Doss as the Colts starting strong safety (week two), Bird came out on fire with nine solo tackles. In the three games since, he's picked up just eight...total. Doss and/or rookie Bob Sanders can't get on the field soon enough.