NOTE: This column is a living document and will be updated throughout the morning. Major changes to the content will be in red. Check back often for additions as gameday inactives are announced and lineup / depth chart changes are reported. I'll also be retweeting those reports with quick bits of analysis, so make sure you're following @JeneBramel and checking my timeline on Twitter.
EARLY GAMES
Atlanta at Carolina
Osi Umenyiora and William Moore are both listed questionable but I expect both to play. Paul Worrilow played every down with Joplo Bartu last week. That should continue but the Panthers will probably give Akeem Dent more base snaps than usual. If Worrilow doesn't perform well this week, there's no value in this IDP group until Sean Weatherspoon returns.
Charles Johnson is struggling through a groin injury but he will play. How effective he'll be and whether he can overcome a rough matchup puts enough doubt into his IDP prospects to consider him a boom-bust DL2 today. Robert Lester is off the injury report and likely to see the bulk of the snaps over Quintin Mikell at safety again.
Kansas City at Buffalo
This should be a good week for Justin Houston and Tamba Hali to get back on the big play train. It's a road game, but the matchup is solid. The defense is healthy and will be full strength today.
The Bills finally executed the plan they'd hoped for during the preseason in the secondary last week -- Stephon Gilmore and Leodis McKelvin at corner and Aaron Williams and Jairus Byrd at safety -- full time. That puts Da'Norris Searcy in a hybrid nickel linebacker role. The Chiefs have been using a slot receiver more often in recent weeks, but Searcy is a risky play today.
Minnesota at Dallas
The Vikings are without Chris Cook and Jamarca Sanford today, with Harrison Smith already sidelined. It's expected that Andrew Sendejo and Mistral Raymond will play safety, with a rotation led by Marcus Sherels playing corner opposite Josh Robinson. Sendejo and Raymond are both boom-bust plays against a very good matchup.
Demarcus Ware is unlikely to play again this week. George Selvie is wearing down under a big snap count and isn't getting the benefit of Ware's presence. Kyle Wilbur has been productive, but is an option in tackle-heavy / balanced leagues only. Dallas rotated Ernie Sims and Bruce Carter heavily last week, but it wasn't a straight platoon. Dynasty league owners shouldn't move on from Carter, but neither player can be trusted in fantasy lineups until the situation is clearer. Jeff Heath will start for J.J. Wilcox, who continues to miss time with a knee sprain.
New Orleans at New York Jets
The Saints defense could get Jonathan Vilma back in subpackage role today after he was activated from the PUP list. But the defense has multiple nagging injuries. Malcolm Jenkins and Kenny Vaccaro and Roman Harper are all questionable. Harper was back practicing for the first time in over a month and it's unclear if he's ready to be activated. Jenkins couldn't finish last week's game and is also a game-time decision. The inactive list will give a better idea of what subpackage roles will be available and for whom. Cam Jordan is questionable but should play through his ankle injury.
1130 ET: Harper and Jenkins inactive. Rafael Bush will start. Expect Jonathan Vilma to see time in subpackages if he's ready to go. David Hawthorne should remain a solid play, given the relatively few base spread offensive sets the Jets are likely to use.
Antonio Allen is still rotating with Jaiquawn Jarrett but is playing well enough that he's likely to take that job full time soon. Regardless, Allen plays enough in subpackages that he'll see nearly every-down duty today regardless of the state of the safety rotation.
San Diego at Washington
Donald Butler is likely out again this week. He's still not practicing and could be at least another week away. Two weeks ago, the rotation had Manti Te'o and Andrew Gachkar starting and Reggie Walker playing a sub role. There's a chance that the Chargers used the bye week to prep Te'o for every-down duty, but Walker has been solid in the dime role. Wait to see the rotation before moving on Te'o.
The Redskins will have both Brandon Meriweather and Reed Doughty back this week. Jose Gumbs was the presumptive third safety but left the game early last week. He or Baccari Rambo could see some rotational time, so proceed with caution. Nick Barnett was used to spell both London Fletcher and Perry Riley last week.
Tennessee at St. Louis
Moise Fokou is out. Michael Griffin is limited and questionable. Fokou's absence gives the underwhelming Colin McCarthy another chance to put something positive on film. If Griffin cannot go, George Wilson becomes an every-down player. Either way, it looks likely that Zach Brown gets enough snaps to have value again today. Derrick Morgan looks healthier and should be a decent DL2 upside play today.
1115 ET: Michael Griffin looking unlikely to play in pregame. That puts George Wilson in every down role and cements Zach Brown into nickel spot.
Robert Quinn is questionable after missing practice late this week with an illness but there's been no indication he'll miss today's game. I'll update should he be inactive. After the strong play at home against Seattle limited their own tackle opportunity last week, the Tennessee matchup doesn't look that enticing. But give the benefit of the doubt to both James Laurinaitis and Alec Ogletree this week.
LATE GAMES
Baltimore at Cleveland
The Ravens are healthy at linebacker for the first time this season. That could make for an interesting rotation between Josh Bynes, Jameel McClain and Arthur Brown. For now, it's expected that McClain will be the primary base inside backer next to Daryl Smith and Brown will be the primary subpackage player. But Bynes should see time for McClain when needed and could also cut into Brown's subpackage time. Smith will continue to be the lone strong IDP option.
There should be no change in the Cleveland depth chart. Jabaal Sheard will get the most OLB snaps, with Barkevious Mingo playing a mostly subpackage role. This week will be another good test for D'Qwell Jackson's prospects. He's been struggling to overcome his so-so on-field play in the box score. Last week was promising and another good outing this week will temper concerns.
Philadelphia at Oakland
Patrick Chung fully practiced all week and could be ready to return to the safety rotation. Expect Earl Wolff to continue to get the majority of snaps, however.
The Raiders are healthy. If you've been holding Jason Hunter in the hopes that he'd get back to early season form after his injury, this matchup is strong enough to consider him a bye week boom-bust DL2.
Pittsburgh at New England
Cortez Allen is now the slot corner behind Ike Taylor and William Gay, but Allen has interesting single game upside against New England. Lawrence Timmons wasn't slowed by his hand injury much last week and should benefit from the favorable stat crew in New England today.
The Patriots depth chart is very difficult to predict on a week-to-week basis. Last week, Dane Fletcher was the lone dime linebacker and took about 20 snaps from both Brandon Spikes and Dont'a Hightower. Spikes is a high variance LB3. Hightower is a risky start given his low ceiling. Tommy Kelly was moved to IR late this week with his knee injury. Both Aqib Talib and Kyle Arrington are questionable and considered game-time decisions. The usually reliable Mike Reiss gives Arrington a better chance to play than Talib, but nothing is certain.
Tampa Bay at Seattle
Mark Barron is questionable and was limited all week with a hip injury. It's difficult to say whether he's healthy enough to take advantage of the strong matchup, but I'd lean toward using him. Have a hedge ready if you're nervous. This is a good situation for Mason Foster; it's unlikely the Bucs will be in many dime situations and Dekoda Watson is struggling with a shoulder injury.
Bruce Irvin had the look of a Von Miller clone at times last week. He's a solid LB3 play in all leagues this week. Chris Clemons is still all-or-nothing, but he's getting more base snaps than Cliff Avril. Avril is more of a subpackage player with mostly sack-heavy scoring value for now.
SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Indianapolis at Houston
The starting eleven for the Colts are healthy. LaRon Landry looked good last week and fully practiced this week. Pat Angerer comes out of the bye week healthy and has a strong road matchup. He'll likely play every down and could have a strong LB2 game.
Darryl Sharpton is expected to take over an every-down role with Brian Cushing out but he's already struggling through multiple foot issues. He's a LB3 with upside as long as he stays in the huddle. But don't get too comfortable with him in your lineup. Joe Mays might put up some good weeks, too, but D.J. Swearinger Sr is the one to roster and start. The Texans said two weeks ago that Shiloh Keo will start next to Ed Reed. But it was Swearinger who started and played every down. With the mess at inside linebacker, Swearinger could be a very strong late season DB find.
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Chicago at Green Bay
Lance Briggs is out Monday. Khaseem Greene will replace him. There's a chance that the Bears will trust him over Jon Bostic in subpackages, but it's too risky to count on against Green Bay. But there's enough of a chance that it's smart to think twice on Bostic if you've got other strong linebacker options. Both Major Wright and Chris Conte are upside plays this week.
Brad Jones returns for Green Bay this week and should be an every-down player immediately. Jamari Lattimore likely plays a reserve role, with A.J. Hawk back to his base defensive role only. Both Clay Matthews and Nick Perry are unlikely to play. The Chicago matchup looks promising but the Packers don't have a trustworthy big play option to take advantage.
Best of luck in your fantasy games this weekend. Reading the Defense returns on Tuesday. Follow me on Twitter @JeneBramel for breaking news and analysis during the games today.
