Defensive Upgrades/Downgrades by Brian Roberson and Tom Nadratowski Every week, FootballGuys.com's resident Individual Defensive Player (IDP) Gurus - Brian Roberson and Tom Nadratowski- will be providing you with immediate opinions on what players are stepping up their play, which ones are falling down on the job and which players just happened to have a horseshoe in their pocket for one game. DEFENSIVE LINEMEN Upgrades Robert Porcher DET (Nadratowski) - Yes, we weren't favorable on him last week. However, that's two weeks in a row he's been productive. Once is an aberration, twice looks like a trend. So for his 3-1-1 1PD performance, he gets a small upgrade. I'll be on the bandwagon next week should he do it one more time. Aberrations Cornelius Griffin NYG (Nadratowski) - Griffin has had three big games this season, well big for him anyway. This week was a 3-1-1 outing that also got him a fumble recovery. Don't bother with him. Downgrades Hugh Douglas PHI (Nadratowski) - Douglas went 5-0-2 week 9 but 5-2-0 weeks 7, 8 and 10. I think that it's simply a case of all the injuries on the DL finally catching up to him since teams can take him out. He's too talented to bench, but I hope you aren't solely depending on him to carry you since he's obviously struggling. Lance Johnstone MIN (Roberson) - After putting together numerous good weeks, Johnstone has fallen on a couple of lousy weeks back to back. He is a definite downgrade for the foreseeable future. LINEBACKERS Upgrades Joey Porter PIT (Nadratowski) - Yep he gets an upgrade, even though he was a stud earlier in the year. He's been rather quiet as of late, but this week he raked in 6-2-1 1FR 2PDs. Lavar Arrington WAS (Roberson) - LA has been playing extremely well of late-which is a welcome site for all his owners. Arrington will NOT be available in your league but you could possibly work a trade for him under your league's trade deadline (if applicable) and watch as he sparked your run in the playoffs. Aberrations Ronald McKinnon ARI (Nadratowski) - McKinnon has been very erratic this season. Today he was manic, and posted 10 tackles and a PD. Hopefully by now you've moved the guy rather than put up with that. Marvcus Patton KC (Roberson) - Patton tallied seven solos this week proving that even a blind squirrel will find a nut occasionally. He has seen his best days. For now, I wouldn't bother starting him. Downgrades Jeff Ulbrich SF (Roberson) - Ulbrich is playing the weakside LB position in the 49er defense but his tackle numbers don't represent that. He is a solid NFL linebacker but not a fantasy linebacker. At this point, not worth a roster spot. Julian Peterson and even Derek Smith are better options in this defense. Jamie Sharper HOU (Nadratowski) - Sharper was on fire earlier this season, but has cooled dramatically. This is simply due to the emergence of Jay Foreman, who has been incredible. I knew that one of the Texan LBs would be good, and like many I assumed it would be Sharper. For now, he's a good #2 or #3 LB, with potential to do more. Let's hope that He'll break back out. DEFENSIVE BACKS Upgrades Quentin Jammer SD (Nadratowski) - Jammer has had two good weeks out of the last four (wk 7: 7-0-0 1PD; wk 10 7-0-0 1PD, no that's not a typo). The rookie seems to be coming on the last half of the season. He may earn himself a starting job soon - after all, they didn't draft him that high to wear a baseball cap and drink Gatorade all day. A good pickup if he's still there for you dynasty/keeper guys. Aberrations Andre Dyson TEN (Nadratowski) - Dyson's last big game was waaay back in week 3. Then, he put together a 2-1-0 outing that also included a TD. Fast forward to this week, where he bagged a huge 9-1-1 3PD game. This week has got to be the exception rather than the norm. Just leave him be. Downgrades Brian Dawkins PHI (Nadratowski) - It's time to worry about him. Since his injury, he has been scoring at about half the rate he was before. Either he's still bothered by it or it has psyched him out. He gets a slight downgrade, and I would make him a #2 DB at best for now.