Week 11: IDP Sleepers
LB Robert Mathis, ---
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Mathis has picked up his play lately with 3 sacks in the last two games. He'll be expected to take it to another level now that Dwight Freeney is injured and possibly out for the season. The Colts have enough creativity to their defense that offenses won't simply be able to focus on shutting down Mathis, so you can expect him to keep the pressure on against the Chiefs and newly-named starting QB Brodie Croyle.
LB David Thornton, ---
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Keith Bulluck may not exactly be having an "off year" (4 interceptions through the first 9 games), but a good portion of his tackling opportunities have been scooped up by the ever-aggressive David Thornton. Thornton is listed at only 225lb – safety size – but plays a hard-nosed, physical style and explodes though ball-carriers. He's currently on pace to threaten the 100 solo tackle mark that he eclipsed only once before during his 6-year career. Thornton will provided the kind of day-to-day consistency many Keith Bulluck owners crave.
S Pierson Prioleau, ---
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No one's expecting him to seamlessly replace one of the best and most feared safeties in the league, but Prioleau should be more than serviceable filling in while Sean Taylor recovers from a knee sprain. Prioleau has neither the size, nor the ball sense of a Sean Taylor, but he should notch his share of tackles playing center field for a Redskins secondary that suddenly looks a lot more vulnerable.
S Stuart Schweigert, ---
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Schweigert, much like Madieu Williams in Cincinnati, is a player who's fantasy value by far exceeds his actual value to his NFL team. He's an excellent source of tackles and has been the occasional beneficiary of offensive miscues, but probably doesn't possess the necessary talent to be a starting DB for most teams in the league. Still, fantasy is not reality and Schweigert's tackle numbers alone make him a worthy IDP acquisition.
S Madieu Williams, ---
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Williams has proven to be a stellar tackler in the past - 104 total tackles from the safety spot in 2004 - and is not far off that pace right now, so if you need some security from an IDP DB, look no further. He's not well-known outside of Cincinnati but his modest skills as a playmaker don't, by any stretch, mean that he can't be a useful fantasy asset. Arizona is the kind of opponent that can make an average defensive player (like Williams) look outstanding.
Remember to read all our columns for this week and use our Who To Start Rankings
