Week 1 always brings plenty of surprises, and D/STs were no exception. The Steelers, for example, laid an egg despite being drafted first in most leagues.
Each week we’ll tell you which D/STs are trending upward, which are trending downward, and which you might be able to snag on waivers for an attractive matchup ahead.
TRENDING UP
Washington: In his first game, first-round pick Ryan Kerrigan made the biggest play. He deflected an Eli Manning pass, intercepted it and returned it for a 9-yard touchdown. In all, the ‘Skins forced two turnovers and got four sacks; their new-look defense grew stronger as the game went on. Washington held Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs to 73 total rushing yards. And how about seventh-round pick Chris Neild? The rookie DL out of West Virginia forced a fumble and got two sacks. The ‘Skins are a solid play in Week 2 against Arizona.
San Francisco: Ted Ginn Jr. isn’t going to do that every week. But he’s never looked faster than he did while returning a kickoff and punt for touchdowns against Seattle. Ginn’s heroics overshadowed the fact that the ‘Niners got three takeaways and five sacks. LB Parys Haralson was outstanding, getting two sacks and forcing two fumbles. Now San Fran hosts Dallas, which is prone to turnovers, before visiting Cincinnati and rookie QB Andy Dalton.
Honorable mention: Chicago — No dropoff from last year; Bears got pressure from front four. Baltimore — Age not a problem.
TRENDING DOWN
Kansas City: Only New Orleans (42) allowed more points in Week 1 than the Chiefs (41). And Kansas City was playing Buffalo, not the Super Bowl champs. The Chiefs gave up 163 rushing yards and didn’t generate much of a pass rush. They were also hurt by their own anemic offense. Most important, Pro Bowl safety Eric Berry tore his ACL and is done for the season. That’s a devastating blow. With visits to Detroit and San Diego up next, K.C. should be benched for now.
Atlanta: In a huge disappointment, the Falcons mustered two sacks and one INT against the Bears, who coughed up oodles of both last year. Prized acquisition Ray Edwards did not make an impact, and Atlanta’s linebackers were beaten for long gains on dumpoffs to Matt Forte. PFF’s Sam Monson notes that Dunta Robinson was thrown at six times and gave up five catches for 119 yards. Ouch! DE John Abraham remains a force, especially at home when he feeds off crowd noise to get a split-second edge, but the Falcons are not a recommended play against Philadelphia.
Honorable mention: Pittsburgh — Perfect bounceback opportunity awaits vs. Seattle. New York Giants — Too many injuries.
PICKUPS
If you don’t have a top D/ST or a juicy matchup this week, such as Detroit hosting the Chiefs, here are my recommended pickups:
Cleveland: Yes, Indy is that bad without Peyton Manning. It doesn’t help that the right side of the O-line struggled in pass and run blocking, according to PFF’s Ben Stockwell.
Houston: Sneaky play at Miami. According to Stockwell, Mario Williams and J.J. Watt combined for 16 QB pressures.
Washington, San Francisco: See above
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