• DE Greg Ellis, OAK - tried to play through a knee problem on Sunday, but struggled and will have minor arthroscopic knee surgery to clean it up over the bye and will miss a few weeks. Third-round pick Matt Shaughnessy saw significant time and notched his first career sack. He should start while Ellis is out.
  
  
• DE Jarvis Green, NE - is expected to miss at least 2 weeks after having minor arthroscopic knee surgery over the bye; Mike Wright should replace him in the starting lineup.
  
  
• ILB Eric Barton, CLE - left Sunday's game in the second quarter with what has been diagnosed as a bulging disc in his neck, which could jeopardize his season. With Cleveland on a bye this week, this probably won't be resolved this week, but rookie David Veikune could be joining rookie Kaluka Maiava, already replacing D'Qwell Jackson who is done for the season, as a starter inside.
  
  
• ILB Tim Dobbins, SD - left the game with a sprained knee and is expected to miss two weeks; Kevin Burnett should return from an ankle sprain that cost him two games for which Dobbins was filling in.
  
  
• OLB Tyjuan Hagler, IND - left the game in the fourth quarter with an elbow injury.
  
  
• OLB Chris Gocong, PHI - was in and out of Sunday's game with an upper leg injury. Rookie Moise Fokou replaced him.
  
  
• CB Nate Clements, SF - fractured his right shoulder blade on Sunday. His role had been declining since their Week 6 bye and now he's out 6-8 weeks.
  
  
• CB Terrence McGee, BUF - had minor arthroscopic knee surgery this week with the team headed to a bye; watch for his status coming out of the bye .
  
  
• CB Kelvin Hayden, IND - continues to struggle to remain healthy. He suffered a concussion in third quarter on Sunday, but returned briefly only to leave with a knee injury. Hayden has already missed three games this year with a hamstring.

• DE Dwight Freeney had a sack for his eight consecutive regular-season game, dating back to last season (he had a sack in Week 16 last year and DNP in Week 17), tying a team record set by DE Robert Mathis in 2005. After a couple injury-plagued seasons in 2006 and 2007, Freeney returned to double-digit sack production in 2008 and with 8 sacks in 7 games this season, he is on pace to break his career best of 16 sacks in 2004. He is only going to get you one or two tackles a game, but one of those will be a sack. Mathis also had a sack on Sunday, giving him 6 on the season and also on pace to break his career high of 11.5 achieved twice, in 2008 and 2005.

Linebacker

• With Washington MLB London Fletcher on a bye, Atlanta MLB Curtis Lofton took over the league lead in tackles as he was all over the field Monday night in New Orleans. Lofton had 14 tackles (12 solo), his fourth double-digit tackle this season, giving him 76 total on the season.
  
  
• Rookie OLB Brian Cushing had his second double-digit tackle game of the season on Sunday, leading the team in tackles for the sixth time this season with 10 (3 solo) and lead the team on the season with 66 tackles (30 solo), including 1.5 sacks, one of which for a safety. He also has forced 4 turnovers (2 picks and 2 forced fumbles). His great all-around performance makes him a leading candidate for Defensive ROY.
  
  
• OLB Shawne Merriman finally recorded his first 2 sacks of the season, but they came against the Raiders, who have allowed the third-most sacks this season. A nice effort, but not too much to get excited about. He has a bit more difficult against the Giants this week in the Meadowlands, so putting together another good performance would make it worth considering using him again in leagues that weigh sacks heavily.
  
  
• With MLB Lofa Tatupu officially done for the season after being put on the IR, David Hawthorne has his value locked in for the rest of the year. On Sunday, he built on his last start, an incredible Week 3 performance (15 solo tackles), with 8 tackles (5 solo), including his first 2 career sacks. If doubters have left him on the waiver wire in your league, scoop him up and plug him in.

Defensive Back

• No defender is hotter that Buffalo's rookie FS Jarius Byrd, despite playing through some groin problems. He had 2 picks for the third consecutive game (and 1 in the game before that) to tie for the league lead in interceptions with 7. Byrd is now locked in to the starting role and Donte Whitner should be at SS coming off the bye, if his ankle is ready. Bryan Scott moves to a back-up role and has been working at linebacker, where depth is a problem, as well. Fellow rookie FS Sherrod Martin in Carolina also had 2 picks in his first career start on Sunday. He could have pushed Charles Godfrey, who missed with an ankle injury, out of a starting role.
  
  
• Tied with Byrd for the league lead in interceptions with 7 is FS Darren Sharper in New Orleans. He grabbed a Hail Mary at the end of the game to preserve a share of the lead.
  
  
• After easing back in with 31 defensive snaps in first game of the season the previous week, the Indianapolis Star reports SS Bob Sanders saw 41 plays on Sunday, including all in the second half. While he only had 2 tackles (1 solo), Sanders did grab his first pick of the season. Sanders said his right knee was OK after the game with no swelling. It appears safe to have him back in your starting lineup or grab him off the waiver wire if he's been forgotten. Meanwhile CB Kelvin Hayden is struggling to remain healthy this season.
  
  
• Versatile Mike Adams has taken over the FS role in the base defense for Cleveland. Displaced starter Brodney Pool, who has three of the team's four total interceptions, replaces him in passing situations, meaning neither player has much value.
  
  
• After missing most of October, Cincinnati SS Roy L. Williams appears to be over his forearm injury coming off the bye and returned to practice on Monday. While Williams is expected to take back his starting role after a strong start to the season, Nedu Ndukwe played well in his place and could continue to see more work. However, Ndukwe should be out of fantasy lineups for now.
  
  
• Atlanta CB Brent Grimes showed some fabulous athleticism snagging his first pick of the season at the apex of his jump late in the second quarter of MNF.

Milk Carton Player of the Week
Coming off a career best 113 tackles in 2008, ILB Channing Crowder had emerged as a top run-stopper. On a rejuvenated Dolphin team, expectations were high for 2009. After getting off to a slow start, 6 tackles are his single-game high for the season, injury problems are beginning to derail his season. A shoulder problem had him inactive on Sunday. Plagued by knee problems the last two year, he now hasn't played 16 games in three years. With no interceptions and just 1.5 sacks and 3 forced fumbles in his five-year career, Crowder has never been one to turn in the big plays. With low tackle numbers and injury problems this year, he is paying no dividends to his fantasy owners. He's definitely not a regular starter and not worth rostering in shallow leagues.