• Each with 3 sacks in their last two games, Tennessee DE Jason Babin and Atlanta DE John Abraham are gaining on the league lead. Both are at 12 sacks on the season, 2 off the pace. It is the first double-digit sack season for Babin, who has shattered his previous career best of 5 sacks and has finally found a home with the Titans. The Titans lost DE Dave Ball, who also had a breakout season with 7 sacks, to the IR with a concussion. Jacob Ford replaced him in the starting lineup and gets a slight bump the rest of the season.
  
  
• Giants DE Justin Tuck had a sack and shared another with emerging rookie Jason Pierre-Paul. Tuck is up to 10 sacks on the season after recording just 4 in the first nine games. He shares the team lead with DE Osi Umenyiora, who has just 2 in the last eight games as he battles knee problems. As Pierre-Paul's role has increased the last four games, he's posted 15 tackles (11 solo), 4.5 sacks, 4 passes defensed and 2 forced fumbles.
  
  
• With rookie DL Brandon Graham done for the season with a torn ACL, Darryl Tapp saw more reps and the team brought back Derrick Burgess to fill Graham's roster spot. Burgess was inactive on Sunday and has yet to play this year after being cut by New England in the preseason. Tapp is a better bet than Burgess to have value the rest of the season.
  
  
• Minnesota DE Ray Edwards returned on Monday night after missing two games with an ankle sprain. He had a 4 solo tackles, including a sack.
  
  
• A lingering calf injury has already ruled out Green Bay DE Cullen Jenkins this season.
  
  
• Oakland DT Richard Seymour is questionable with a hammy this week.

Linebacker

• After tallying 16 tackles (10 solo) on Sunday, his tenth double-digit tackle game of the season, New England ILB Jerod Mayo has 164 on the season and all but wrapped up the league's tackle title. With rookie Brandon Spikes suspended for the rest of the regular season, Gary Guyton continues to benefit from more snaps. He tied a season high with 9 tackles (5 solo).
  
  
• He won't get you many big plays, but Tennessee MLB Stephen Tulloch continues to be one of the most consistent tackle producers in the league. He hasn't had less than 8 since Week Two and is second in the league with 145 on the season.
  
  
• With Stewart Bradley out with a dislocated elbow, rookie Jamar Chaney took advantage of his first career start at MLB, leading the team with 16 tackles (12 solo) and forcing a fumble. He was limited in pass coverage, but a tackle machine.
  
  
• Back-to-back games with 11 tackles have Washington ILB London Fletcher up to fifth overall in the league in tackles. Fellow ILB Rocky McIntosh left early on Sunday with a hamstring and was replaced by rookie Perry Riley, who looks to be in line to start if McIntosh can't go. OLB Brian Orakpo is questionable this week after suffering a groin and hamstring injury on Sunday. He's concerned about missing the rest of the season, which isn't a good sign. Chris Wilson replaced him and gets a bump if Orakpo is out.
  
  
• Oakland first-round pick MLB Rolando McClain returned to the starting lineup after missing the previous game with a left foot injury that was originally reported as arthritis, then rebranded tendinitis. It was a bit alarming to hear a young player already battling arthritis, so if true, the adjusted diagnosis is more hopeful. Regardless, McClain has not been the impact player he was expected to be. He doesn't have more than 8 tackles in any game this season and typically hovers between 6 or 7. The speed concerns about him coming out of pre-draft workouts have proven accurate and while there's still more upside for him as he learns more, he doesn't look like a guy who'll ever be an elite real or fantasy player.
  
  
• Miami OLB Cameron Wake was held without a sack for the first time since Week 10, but retained his overall league lead with 14 sacks, 1.5 ahead of Green Bay OLB Clay Matthews, who was also sackless on Sunday.
  
  
• ILB is among the many concerns due to injury for Dallas this week. Veteran Keith Brooking is battling a left foot sprain and rookie Sean Lee, who has been taking snaps away from Brooking, left early Sunday with a concussion. Lee passed his initial tests this week and has one more before he'll be allowed to play this week.
  
  
• Arizona awaits results on the triceps injury suffered by OLB Joey Porter that the team is concerned about. O'Brien Schofield will replace him if Porter can't go this week.
  
  
• The bevy of injuries at linebacker in Buffalo has given sixth-round pick tweener OLB Arthur Moats an opportunity he has taken advantage of. In the last two games, since joining the starting lineup, he has10 tackles (6 solo), 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. ILB Paul Posluszny had just 6 tackles (5 solo) on Sunday, but has set a new career high for a season with 126, remaining fourth in the league overall in tackles.
  
  
• San Francisco ILBs Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes are both playing with broken hands. Barring a surge the last few games, Willis looks like he'll end with a career low in tackles, although not far off his 2008 numbers. No picks and just 1 forced fumble also hurt his IDP owners, although his career high 5 sacks have offset some fantasy impact. Not sure there's one thing to point to for the mild disappointment in tackle production by Willis, but he has been used more as a pass rusher this year and Spikes had a rejuvenated season, playing in every game and breaking 100 tackles for the first time since 2003, stealing more opportunities than usual from Willis. Bottom line is there's nothing to panic about with Willis. He'll still be my #1 LB and overall fantasy player again next year, even over Jerod Mayo who may have just had his career season and has less big-play potential than Willis.
  
  
• Cleveland placed OLB Scott Fujita on the IR, officially ending his season. He missed five games with ligament damage in a knee and hoped to return this season.
  
  
• Chicago SLB Pisa Tinoisamoa remained inactive after getting his knee cleaned out a few weeks ago. Nick Roach continues to replace him. He had a nice forced fumble on MNF when he put his head right on the ball and knocked it free from Minnesota RB Toby Gerhart, but the SLB isn't much of a fantasy value in Chicago regardless of who plays there.

Defensive Back

• Philadelphia second-round pick FS Nate Allen is done for the season after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his right knee on Sunday. Seventh-round pick Kurt Coleman replaced him and will be the new starter. Special teams ace and former UDFA Colt Anderson will also an increased role.
  
  
• Following SS LaRon Landry finally having his season officially ended due to his left Achilles' tendon, solid fantasy replacement Reed Doughty suffered a concussion on Sunday. CB Kevin Barnes replaced him and could get the start this week if Doughty can't go, with a nice match-up against Jacksonville.
  
  
• After there being concern last week Pittsburgh SS Troy Polamalu could be done for the regular season with an Achilles and ankle problem, he returned to practice Monday on a limited basis, but the results weren't positive. He was back out on Tuesday and is now expected to miss their Thursday night game. Ryan Mundy will continue to start in his place if he remains out.
  
  
• Detroit rookie SS Amari Spievey was a late scratch after hurting his neck in pre-game warm-ups. C.C. Brown returned to the starting role in his place. FS Louis Delmas left early with a concussion and was replaced by John Wendling.
  
  
• Green Bay FS Nick Collins will attempt to play through a rib injury this week in a crucial game to the team's playoff hopes. Charlie Peprah could move to FS and Atari Bigby get his first start of the season if Collins can't go.
  
  
• A concussion knocked Dallas SS Gerald Sensabaugh out of Sunday's game in the second quarter. In a thin Dallas secondary, it was UDFA rookie Barry Church who replaced him and could be in line for his first career start if Sensabaugh can't go this week. Sensabaugh passed his initial test this week, but will have to do so again this week before being allowed to play.
  
  
• After finally sorting through his issues with HC John Fox and his hamstring, CB Chris Gamble appeared to be in line to return to the starting lineup, but apparently an ankle injury in practice late last week left him inactive on Sunday. He sounds unlikely to play this week too.
  
  
• New Orleans CB Jabari Greer left early with a left knee injury on Sunday. Back-up Leigh Torrence and FS Malcolm Jenkins worked in opposite Tracy Porter in his absence. Tests were negative on his knee, but Greer remains a question mark this week.
  
  
• Already without Jim Leonhard, who is on the IR, the Jets were without Eric Smith (concussion) on Sunday and needed reserve corner Dwight Lowery to start with Brodney Pool at safety.
  
  
• A concussion knocked Minnesota FS Madieu Williams out of MNF. Eric Frampton replaced him and should start in his place if he can't play this week.
  
  
• Former fantasy stud Cleveland CB Eric Wright was placed on the IR (knee) this week. Before the knee wound down his season, first-round pick Joe Haden had already replaced him at LCB.
  
  
• Seattle placed reserve DB Roy Lewis on the IR (knee). The special teams ace developed a more significant role in a Pete Carroll defense that was heavy on nickel and dime. Lewis is an emerging young player to remember if he earns a full-time starting role next year. CB Marcus Trufant left the game early with back spasms, a lingering problem. Seattle has no remotely appealing depth behind him.