For help in finding the ideal matchups and deciphering between close lineup calls that can often swing fantasy wins, we can seek out some helpful resources in the ESPN NFL stats section for any potential indicators. One helpful simple resource to use is our NFL Opponent Defense Statistics page. With specific results regarding how opposing defenses are accruing tackles, sacks and all the numbers that we hunt in individual defensive player leagues, this resource remains an invaluable and simple source of information. Below, for example, we can find the top 10 offenses in the NFL in regard to the volume of tackles opposing defenses have made so far in 2014. While the returns on such stats are quite early, these are potential offenses we'd want to face when chasing cheap tackles.
Total tackles by opponents versus offenses
Front Four: The weekly word on the world of defenders
Sack Race: Washington's Ryan Kerrigan has put together quietly consistent seasons so far as a professional, but as the current league leader in sacks -- thanks to a four-sack outing in Week 2 -- his profile is on the rise. For more insight into Kerrigan's hot start, we can turn to a unique statistic employed by the crack ESPN Stats & Info team we can coin "DDP," or disrupted dropback percentage. DDP uses a simple equation to determine which NFL defenders are disrupting the dropbacks of opposing signal-callers at the highest rates. The equation goes: (sacks plus passes defended plus interceptions plus batted balls) divided by (total number of opposing team's dropbacks). The result is an indicator of who might be causing chaos in the pocket at the highest rate. Kerrigan, owned in fewer than 10 percent of ESPN leagues, is pacing all defenders through the first two weeks with a stellar 7.9 percent DDP clip.
Down with JPP: The Giants' Jason Pierre-Paul has long been a tantalizing, if also frustrating, fantasy commodity. Elite when healthy, that when part has been more rare than ever the past several seasons. Now seemingly able and capable of matching his best work, Pierre-Paul is criminally underowned (just 33.3 percent ownership in ESPN leagues) and prepared to revive his fantasy stock.
Pursuing Paul: Given that his team plays Thursday, it's unlikely that you'll be able to make a move for the Falcons' Paul Worrilow in time to enjoy another one of his signature tackle-filled outings, but don't let that stop you from pursuing the second-year standout via trade offers going forward. Since Week 7 of last season -- the first week of his career with every-down work -- Worrilow has posted a league-best 149 tackles in his past 13 games, 18 more than the next-closest tally, Luke Kuechly's 131. Owned in just over half of ESPN leagues, the undrafted free agent out of the University of Delaware has amassed the third-most snaps of all linebackers since Week 7 of last season and has a reasonable shot at leading the league in tackles in 2014. Below, you can see just how Worrilow stacks up in snaps and tackles since becoming a starter for the Falcons in Week 7 last season.
Bargain bin -- Defenders available in more than half of ESPN leagues: Rightfully deemed a first-round bust from his time in San Diego, Antoine Cason (owned in 13.6 percent of ESPN leagues) is finding new life in Carolina, having played a part in three fumbles, an interception and 19 tackles already. ... You definitely need to go after Denver's Brandon Marshall (13.6) if you enjoy great fantasy production. No, this isn't a message from 2008 regarding a certain mercurial wideout, but rather a third-year linebacker by way of Nevada who is racking up brilliant numbers for the Broncos' aggressive scheme. ... Buffalo 'backer Preston Brown (0.0) is getting three-down work for the Bills, who historically have one of the friendliest home scorers for tackle production in the entire league. ... You might have heard about this Charles Woodson (33.3) guy before, and while we've been discussing him as an IDP asset for well over a decade, it remains true that the Canton-bound defensive back is a viable weekly fantasy starter at a fickle position.
Week 3: The Top 35 LBs, DLs and DBs
So that we're working from agreed parameters, we'll use what many consider traditional scoring modifiers for an IDP league: solo tackle (0.5), assisted tackle (0.25), sack (3), interception (3), forced fumble (3), fumble recovery (3), touchdown (6), safety (4), pass defended (0.5), blocked kick (3).
Note: Rankings were updated Friday to account for the latest news and to remove players from Thursday's Buccaneers/Falcons game. Latest update: Friday, 1:55 p.m. ET