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IDP Notes
Week 6
10/8/08

Quick Hits (Details in individual team notes)
  • Week Six byes: BUF, KC, PIT, TEN
  • MIN MLB Henderson lost for year
  • ATL DE Abraham continues to dominate
  • CIN MLB Jones leads league in tackles
  • TEN DB duo leads league in picks
  • PIT OLB duo top sack tandem
  • TB LB Ruud leaves game with injury
  • CHI DT Harris suspended for a game
  • Return of IND SS Sanders pushed back
  • CAR DEs get after KC QBs
  • TEN teammates lead league in picks
  • BAL CB Rolle out for a month, CB McAlister thriving
  • MIA LB Porter gains extra sack over bye week
  • SD LB Cooper returns
  • NYG depth great, but killing fantasy ceilings
  • GB secondary missing three key players
  • NO rookie CB Porter done for season
  • Youth continues to play over dinged up vets in KC
  • HOU missing both starting safeties
Week 6 Injury Report (available Friday PM)

IDP Depth Chart

Arizona
Aaron Francisco started at SS in place of Adrian Wilson, but Wilson was active and got in the game soon enough early in the first quarter and knocked out BUF QB Trent Edwards. DE tweener Travis LaBoy (six solo) and WLB Karlos Dansby (four solo) each had seven tackles. LaBoy racked up two sacks, giving him four on the season. Clark Haggans saw some more time with Bert Berry out with a torn groin. Haggans had a solo sack and shared another with Dansby.

CB Rod Hood suffered a groin injury in the first half of the game and his status is uncertain for this week. Rookie Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would get the start if Hood can’t go. DRC was burned badly by BUF WR Lee Evans for an 87-yard TD in the game. Wilson played limited snaps and remains uncertain as his hamstring continues to bother him.

Atlanta
After being held without a sack for the first time in their previous game, DE John Abraham was all over the field. He had six solo tackles, including a sack among his three hits on GB QB Aaron Rodgers. He leads the league with seven sacks. SLB Michael Boley had a pick that led to the game-winning TD. SS Lawyer Milloy led the team with ten tackles (nine solo).

Baltimore
CB Chris McAlister got his third pick in his fourth game this season. He also broke up two other passes and had a solo tackle. CB Samari Rolle was out the previous game with what was originally indicated as a shoulder injury, but a bulging disc in his neck was the problem. He had surgery last week to remove the disc and is expected to miss the rest of the month. Fabian Washington, who is also battling a bulging disc, started in place of Rolle. However, Washington aggravated his in the third quarter and had to leave the game. Frank Walker replaced Washington. Walker had a pick erased by a defensive holding call on him before the interception. Walker could get the start this week. Justin Bannan continues to start for the injured DT Kelly Gregg. Bannan got his first career pick when DT Haloti Ngata batted a ball up with one of his bear paws and it fell in to Bannan’s arms. Bannan will start the rest of the year with news this week that Gregg is done for the season. Gregg will have microfracture surgery on the left knee he had arthroscopic surgery on in August that had kept him sidelined all season.

Jim Leonhard led the team with eight tackles (seven solo). He continues to start in place of Dawan Landry at SS. Landry had his cervical collar removed late last week and believes he’ll play again this year, but there is no timetable for his return. ILB Ray Lewis had seven tackles (five solo), including two for a loss, and several other painful ones, as well as broke up a pass. A questionable personal foul by DE tweener Terrell Suggs on TEN QB Kerry Collins kept the game-winning drive alive after an incomplete pass on third down. The team had no sacks.

Buffalo
CB Terrence McGee (knee sprain) was inactive, as expected, so Ashton Youboty and rookie Leodis McKelvin were the second and third corners. Both had four solo tackles on defense, while McKelvin had another assist on special teams and Youboty broke up two passes. CB Jabari Greer led the team with 12 tackles (nine solo) and broke up a pass. The secondary took another injury hit when FS Ko Simpson left with a hamstring injury. George Wilson replaced him. The Bills have a bye this week, so McGee and Simpson should be back in Week Seven. The team had no sacks and forced no turnovers in the game.

Carolina
RDE Julius Peppers had his third sack in as many games. He forced a fumble on it that DT Damione Lewis recovered. LDE Tyler Brayton and third DE Charles Johnson both had their first solo sacks of the season, giving each 1.5 on the season. It was the first solo sack of Johnson’s career and first since 2005 for Brayton. Brayton also forced a fumble on his sack. After being active for the first time last week and getting his first career sack, rookie DE tweener Hilee Taylor left the game with a knee injury.

MLB Jon Beason led the team with seven tackles (six solo) and grabbed a pick. CB Ken Lucas had one too.

Chicago
DT Tommie Harris served a one-game suspension for violating a team rule. Between his lingering problems with his surgically-repaired left knee and issues in his personal life, he has been a mess this year. He returns to the team on Monday and the defense will need him when they play teams tougher than the Lions, which is the rest of them. The defense was also missing CB Nathan Vasher who was inactive after surgery on his right thumb. CB Charles Tillman was active after suffering a right shoulder injury in the previous game. The shoulder look fine on the four passes he broke up, including picking one off and returning 26 yards for a TD. The play came after the FS Mike Brown appeared to have recovered a fumble forced by SS Kevin Payne that was reversed on review. Corey Graham started in place of Vasher opposite Tillman. Graham had seven tackles (four solo). Vasher is expected to return this week, but could be limited by some type of pad on the hand.

OLB Lance Briggs led the team with eight solo tackles, including his first sack of the season. Israel Idonije started in place of Harris and had three solo tackles, also batting down a pass. Rookie Marcus Harrison also got more playing time and continued to produce, getting his second sack. The DLine brought plenty of pressure as ends Adewale Ogunleye and Alex Brown each had a sack. Brown forced a fumble on his that third DE Mark Anderson recovered. Reserve OLB Nick Roach left the game in the third quarter after his left shoulder popped out. Roach has passed Jamar Williams as the top back-up and had impressed the staff enough to have been taking reps from SLB Hunter Hillenmeyer the last few games. Roach has a history of dislocation with the shoulder.

Cincinnati
MLB Dhani Jones led the team with ten tackles (eight solo) and leads the league with 51 tackles on the season. Rookie WLB Keith Rivers had his first career pick. Dexter Jackson could return from a broken thumb this week, but Chinedum Ndukwe should hold on to the starting role. Ndukwe had seven solo tackles, including one for a loss. He also should have been crediting for forcing a fumble the Cowboys recovered in the third quarter, but it wasn’t in the official stats. CB Jonathan Joseph returned after missing the last two games with an ankle injury. He didn’t start, David Jones remained out there most of the time, but Joseph saw some work. Reserve OLB Darryl Blackstock was suspended four games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He claims it was substance in a nutritional supplement he was unaware of.

Cleveland
Coming off the bye, OLB Willie McGinest is expected back and he’ll rotate with rookie Alex Hall who has been a nice surprise in his absence. SS Sean Jones hopes to return from his knee injury this week, but his return is still in question.

Dallas
CB Adam Jones dropped three interceptions, but OLB Greg Ellis got his first pick in nine year, the first of the season for the Cowboys. Jones manned the starting LCB spot with Terence Newman inactive with a lingering groin problem. Jones did lead the team with six tackles (five solo). OLB DeMarcus Ware had a sack to keep a streak of nine straight games with at least one, dating back to last season (including playoffs), alive. NT Jay Ratliff had his third sack of the season.

SS Roy Williams may return from a broken forearm to practice this week, but he won’t play this week. Depth at safety is a problem with Pat Watkins (stinger) also inactive last week. Keith Davis started at SS.

Denver
WLB D.J. Williams led the team with 11 tackles (nine solo), including his second sack of the season. SLB Boss Bailey (nine solo) and MLB Nate Webster (eight solo) had ten tackles each.

DE Ebenezer Ekuban had his second sack of the season and DE Elvis Dumervil had his first. The team continues to incorporate 3-4 fronts, but not involving Jarvis Moss and Tim Crowder. Both were healthy inactives. Ekuban and Dumervil seem to benefit from it.

Detroit
The bye didn’t help Detroit’s game plan against the Bears, as they got rolled. Travis Fisher replaced Brian Kelly as a starter at CB, but it really doesn’t matter. Fisher had a sore knee after the game and his status is in question for this week, so Kelly could be back as a starter. Jared DeVries had the only sack for the Lions, who forced no turnovers. WLB Ernie Sims led the team in tackles with 11 (five solo). MLB Paris Lenon had nine (two solo). Rookie LB Jordon Dizon finally saw more than just special teams work, posting four tackles (two solo) on defense.

Green Bay
With CB Al Harris (lacerated spleen) and SS Atari Bigby (hamstring) out already out again, third safety Aaron Rouse was also inactive after suffering a left knee sprain in the previous game. CB Tramon Williams again replaced Harris and the Falcons went after him. The result was a team-high 11 tackles (ten solo) and his second pick in as many games, an athletic one-handed grab in the end zone. Williams is a solid play while Harris is out, although teams aren’t avoiding CB Charles Woodson with his lingering toe problem. ATL WR Roddy White beat him a few times. The optimistic timetable for Harris is to return by next month. Charlie Peprah got the start at SS and had three tackles (one solo). The team hopes to have Bigby and Rouse back this week.

Already missing DE Cullen Jenkins, his replacement in the base defense, Michael Montgomery left the game with an ankle injury. Rookie Jeremy Thompson replaced him. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila provided little help, failing to show up in the box score. He’s still looking for his first sack this season. WLB A.J. Hawk started and played through a lingering groin injury from the previous game that is hampering his performance. He had just three tackles (two solo).

Houston
SLB Zac Diles continued his strong start to the season, leading the team with nine tackles (six solo), including one for a loss, and a pick. MLB DeMeco Ryans had seven solo tackles. DE Mario Williams posted two sacks and had three QB hits.

Brandon Harrison replaced C.C. Brown, who is done for the season, as the starting SS. Harrison had six solo tackles. FS Will Demps also missed the game with a hamstring injury. Patriot cast-off Eugene Wilson got the start as FS. Nick Ferguson was also worked in frequently at safety.

Indianapolis
The defense capitalized on too many risks taken by fill-in HOU QB Sage Rosenfels to overcome a ten-point deficit with four minutes to play. First, Rosenfels tried to hurdle CB Marlin Jackson, who clipped his legs and launched Rosenfels in to the air where DE Raheem Brock pasted him and knocked the ball loose. MLB Gary Brackett picked it up and returned it 68 yards for a TD. Jackson led the team with 11 tackles (ten solo). On the next drive, DE Robert Mathis dove at a scrambling Rosenfels and slapped the ball loose, which he recovered, getting credited with a sack, forced fumble, and fumble recovery on the play. DE Dwight Freeney forced a fumble on his third sack of the season. He also dinged his leg in the game, but returned shortly after.

SS Melvin Bullitt sealed the win with a pick on the final HOU drive. Bullitt also had ten tackles (six solo). Bullitt continues to replace Bob Sanders (high ankle sprain and arthroscopic knee surgery). The latest estimate on Sanders was pushed back, indicating he might not be back until next month. CB Kelvin Hayden departed in the fourth quarter with a left knee injury and Tim Jennings replaced him. LB Tyjuan Hagler is expected to be activated from the PUP next week, but Clint Session may hold the starting SLB job. Session had five solo tackles in the game and is second on the team in tackles on the season to WLB Freddie Keiaho.

Jacksonville
CB Rashean Mathis got the team off to a good start when he returned a pick 72 yards for a score, despite battling a sore shin. He returned one for 61 yards earlier this season. The secondary was missing FS Reggie Nelson (knee) again and he is not expected to play this week. Gerald Sensabaugh and Pierson Prioleau replaced Nelson. After filling in when Mathis left the previous game early, Will James started at CB with Drayton Florence out with a groin injury. James led the team with seven tackles (six solo).

First-round pick DE Derrick Harvey continues to start over Reggie Hayward. Reserve ends Hayward and rookie Quentin Groves shared a sack and Paul Spicer had one on the other side. DT John Henderson also had a sack.

Kansas City
The Panthers just ran over the Chiefs and even when the defense did something, the offense was no help. Rookie DT Glenn Dorsey forced a fumble in the second quarter, that fellow DT Tank Tyler recovered. That led to a fine three-and-out. FS Jarad Page made a nice play in the end zone and was awarded the pick when the play was challenged. The next play was an INT back to Carolina. The DLine failed to take advantage of Carolina missing both starting tackles, as they had no sacks. Tamba Hali is still looking for his first sack and can be dropped in shallow redraft leagues.

CB Patrick Surtain was active, returning from a shoulder injury, but rookie Brandon Carr continued to start over him across from fellow rookie CB Brandon Flowers. They frequently went after Carr, which helped him post eight solo tackles, including one for a loss. OLB Derrick Johnson led the team with nine solo tackles. He also broke up a pass. OLB Donnie Edwards (ankle) was inactive, as expected and Napoleon Harris (knee) is yet to be active this year. Pat Thomas remains the MLB and Demorrio Williams started outside in place of Edwards. Edwards is expected back after the bye this week.

Miami
OLB Matt Roth continues to make a nice transition to playing with his hand off the ground. He had five solo tackles, including his second sack of the season. OLB Joey Porter and DE Vonnie Holliday shared a sack. Porter has 5.5 on the season, matching his total from last year. He gained an extra sack via a scoring change over the bye for their Week Three game. A tackle that was originally ruled a one-yard gain for NE QB Matt Cassell in the game was changed to no gain and a fourth sack in that game for Porter. SS Yeremiah Bell led the team with six tackles (five solo) and broke up two passes. The team forced no turnovers.

Minnesota
CB Antoine Winfield almost single-handedly led the team to victory. With the team in danger of going down by ten in the first quarter, DT Kevin Williams got a hand on a field goal attempt that bounced in to Winfield’s hands in stride. Winfield raced 59 yards for a TD. On the first play of the second quarter, he hit the trifecta with the sack and forcing the fumble he recovered himself in the red zone. It led to a TD and gave the Vikings their first lead of the game. Of his eight solo tackles, five were for a loss.

SLB Chad Greenway forced a fumble on a controversial play where a face mask he committed on NO RB Reggie Bush was missed. Greenway also had five solo tackles. WLB Ben Leber broke up three passes and picked one of, as well as posted seven tackles (six solo). MLB E.J. Henderson was inactive, as expected, due to what was reported as two dislocated two on his left foot. David Herron started in his place and posted just two tackles. It was revealed Henderson needed major surgery on the foot this week and he was placed on the IR. A huge loss for a strong defense, David Herron now gets a huge opportunity. The former undrafted free agent goes from special teamer to starting MLB in his second year. However, it will be Leber, not Herron, who wears the defensive headset on the field. FS Madieu Williams is expected to return from a neck injury this week. Rookie Tyrell Johnson has filled in and had a pick at the end of the game to seal the victory.

New England
OLB Adalius Thomas led the team in tackles with five (four solo), including his third sack of the season. He also broke up a pass. SS Rodney Harrison, nickel back Brandon Meriweather, and CB Deltha O’Neal each had a pick. It was his first as a Pat for O’Neal.

New Orleans
Rookie DT Sedrick Ellis will miss up to a month after having surgery for a torn medial meniscus in his knee. Brian Young stepped in to the starting lineup and had the only sack of the game. The team took another hit to their promising rookie crew when CB Tracy Porter dislocated his wrist in the game. He is done for the season. Randall Gay should return to the starting lineup in his place and veteran Aaron Glenn will have a bigger role, as well.

The defense did a great job of shutting down the Minnesota running game. MLB Jonathan Vilma led the way with a team-high ten tackles (seven solo).

New York Giants
DE Mathias Kiwanuka’s said his ankle was feeling better coming off the bye and he provided immediate return to prove it with his second sack of the season. Third DE Darrell Tollefson had a sack for the second straight game, the second of his career. The defense is clicking on all cylinders and any of their starters or top reserves on the DLine can be a productive play any given week. DT Barry Cofield led the defense with seven tackles (five solo) and is one of the top fantasy DT plays in leagues that segregate.

Everyone on the defense is playing so well, they are rotating regularly at most positions, hurting the fantasy potential of all. It is particularly noticeable at safety, where James Butler and Michael Johnson were the starters at SS and FS, respectively, but rookie Kenny Phillips was the most productive, posting seven tackles (five solo, including two on special teams) and Sammy Knight had two solo tackles on defense and an assist on special teams. WLB is another position where it is prominent, as Gerris Wilkinson and rookie Bryan Kehl continued to alternate each series there.

New York Jets
FS Eric Smith was suspended a game for his hit on AZ WR Anquan Boldin. Smith is appealing. David Barrett, who was already encroaching on Smith’s time, will get the start.

Oakland
Gerard Warren (partially torn pec) and CB Nnamdi Asomugha (right elbow fracture) had some time to recover over the bye. They played with there injuries before the bye and practiced this week, so they should be playing. CB Stanford Routt (ankle) practiced this week and rookie S Tyvon Branch had his cast removed from his broken thumb and is expected to play.

Philadelphia
Without putting enough pressure on the Washington offense, they allowed them back in the game after the offense and special teams staked the Eagles a big lead quickly. FS Brian Dawkins had the only sack for the team among his eight solo tackles. MLB Stewart Bradley and DT Mike Patterson led the team with ten tackles (eight solo) each.

Reserve S J.R. Reed left the game with a strained hamstring and is not expected to play this week. DE Victor Abiamiri had screws removed from his wrist last week and should begin practicing soon. Abiamiri was expected to be a key part of the rotation before dislocating his wrist in training camp.

Pittsburgh
OLB James Harrison and OLB LaMarr Woodley continue to dominate from the edges. Woodley led the team with six solo tackles, including three for a loss and two sacks among multiple hits on JAX QB David Garrard. Woodley has 17 tackles (13 solo) and 4.5 sacks in his last three games. Harrison had a sack on which he forced a fumble among his four tackles (three solo). He has 15 tackles (nine solo) and 3.5 sacks in the last two games. Harrison is second in the league with 6.5 sacks.

DE Travis Kirschke and NT Chris Hoke continued to start in place of Brett Keisel (calf) and Casey Hampton (groin), respectively. Keisel returned to practice this week as the team heads in to a bye, so he should be back for their next game. While CB Deshea Townsend’s heel is healed, CB Bryant McFadden has retained the starting job and a good pick in leagues that segregate positions in the secondary.

St. Louis
CB Tye Hill had arthroscopic surgery over the bye and is expected to miss up to a month. MLB Will Witherspoon rested his sore shoulder.

San Diego
ILB Stephen Cooper returned from suspension and stepped back in to the starting lineup. He had eight tackles (seven solo), including one for a loss. Cooper is a nice addition in leagues where he might have been forgotten about and on the waiver wire because of his four-game suspension to open the season. OLB Jyles Tucker, who replaced Shawne Merriman, did not play because of a strained hamstring suffered in the previous game. He is believed to be at least another week away from returning. Marques Harris started in place of Tucker and shared a sack with OLB Shaun Phillips. It was the only sack of the day for San Diego, who did not force a turnover.

FS Eric Weddle led the team in tackles again with ten (eight solo), including one for a loss. Tim Dobbins continues to steal snaps from ILB Watt Wilhelm. Dobbins had six solo tackles (including one on special teams) in the game, Wilhelm had four. SS Clinton Hart sprained his shoulder in the game, but is expected to play this week.

San Francisco
As the Patriots dominated time of possession, the 49ers had plenty of opportunities to put up numbers on defense. ILB Patrick Willis led the team with 18 tackles (14 solo), including a sack. ILB Takeo Spikes had 14 tackles (seven solo) and a pick. All three of the four primary down linemen had a sack, with Aubrayo Franklin being the exception. However, Franklin had the pressure that led to an interception by Spikes.

SS Michael Lewis left the game in the fourth quarter with a right elbow strain. He has said he’ll play this week…the 49ers face his former team, the Eagles. OLB Manny Lawson was inactive after injuring his hamstring in the previous game and is unlikely to play this week, either. OLB Parys Haralson replaced Lawson, but wasn’t technically a starter since the team came out in a nickel package. They nickel more than half the game.

Seattle
CB Kelly Jennings left in the first quarter with a concussion and was replaced by Josh Wilson. The Giants went after him and nickel corner Jordan Babineaux with great results, but it gave Wilson some good fantasy numbers. Wilson led the team with 11 tackles (eight solo) and broke up a pass. Jennings is expected to play this week.

DE Patrick Kearney had the only sack in the game, forcing a fumble on it that the Giants recovered. OLB Leroy Hill had nine tackles (five solo), including two for a loss, and now leads the team by a wide margin with 34 tackles on the season.

Tampa Bay
MLB Barrett Ruud suffered right knee sprain during the second half and left the game. Adam Hayward replaced him. Ruud is questionable for this week. If he cannot go, Hayward could get a start or Derrick Brooks could move to the middle and Quincy Black would get a start.

SS Jermaine Phillips led the team with nine tackles (eight solo) and he broke up a pass. The team had no sacks and forced no turnovers.

Tennessee
OLB Keith Bulluck led the team with 13 tackles (seven solo). CB Nick Harper helped preserve the victory with a late pick, his second in as many games. Harper also had six solo tackles. CB Cortland Finnegan had eight (six solo). FS Michael Griffin had his fourth pick of the season, already passing his three total as a rookie last year. He moved in to a tie with Finnegan for the league lead. DE Kyle Vanden Bosch suffered a groin injury and left the game early, but he has the bye week to heal up. The team had no sacks.

Washington
Rookie SS Chris Horton led the team with eight tackles (seven solo, including two on special teams) as he continues to thrive as a starter. Reed Doughty backed him up despite a sore back. DE Andre Carter had six tackles (five solo), including two for a loss, as well as batting down a pass. The team had no sacks or turnovers.

CB Shawn Springs was inactive with a calf strain and was replaced by Fred Smoot. Springs is expected back this week. SLB Marcus Washington was a surprise scratch as he continues to battle hip and hamstring problems. H.B. Blades started in his place and had three tackles (two solo). DE Jason Taylor has begun light workouts, but is expected to miss at least another week. DT Cornelius Griffin suffered a right shoulder strain in the game, but was able to finish.