Sleeper Watch

When Dan Morgan suffered yet another concussion in Carolina’s week 9 victory in San Francisco, many fantasy owners, particularly those with tight roster restrictions, were quick to cut the injury-plagued linebacker from their squads. Healthy again after missing three games, Morgan returned with a vengeance last weekend, earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in his first game back (not to mention finishing fourth in our list of the Top Fantasy Defenders). Should he still be lingering on the waiver wire, as is the case in a surprising number of leagues, add him to your IDP squad without hesitation.

Morgan has never played more than 11 games in any of his seasons as a pro, but when he is injury-free, he should be regarded as one of the top defenders in fantasy football. This year, he ranks seventh in the league in tackles per game with 6.4, and has also recorded 15 assists, two sacks, a forced fumble and a recovery, and two interceptions in nine games played. Both of those interceptions came in his impressive comeback game last Sunday, a 20-7 Carolina victory over St. Louis in which he also recorded six solo tackles.

This week, Morgan visits Atlanta, against whom he made eight tackles back in the fourth week of the season. In the final two weeks, he faces Tampa Bay and New Orleans. If he can avoid the injury bug and stay on the field, these all look like good matchups, making him an excellent start in the fantasy playoffs.