In his seventh season in the league, all with the Titans, Haynseworth has established himself as a stud defensive tackle. He has been Mr. Consistency throughout his career and regularly requires double teams. He has been a critical component in the suffocating Titans defense, as they have improved to a 4-0 record.
STOCK UP
With the Titans drawing more and more national attention—most notably the defense—with every win, Haynesworth's stock will continue to rise. He has already amassed five sacks through four games, along with 11 solo tackles (15 total). Translation: Haynseworth is going to be worth a lot of money.
Nnamdi Asomugha, Cornerback – Oakland Raiders
Class II
Asomugha is one of the lesser-known stars in this league. He has been a shutdown corner for the past couple of seasons with the Raiders, yet more casual fans would name DeAngelo Hall as Oakland's best corner.
After having eight interceptions in 2006, he only had one in 2007. However, that should be credited to the fact that teams simply avoided throwing in his direction at all possible costs.
STOCK NEUTRAL
Asomugha will have to draw attention this season by getting the stat that everyone looks at: Interceptions. Through four games, he has zero, but to his credit, he has defensed three passes. However, for his stock to rise on the national stage, he will need to bolster his numbers a bit.
Karlos Dansby, Linebacker – Arizona Cardinals
Class II
Another young, blooming defensive star in the league, Dansby had nearly 100 tackles in only 14 games last season, along with 3.5 sacks and three interceptions. At age 26, the sky is the limit for the outside linebacker.
STOCK UP
The more success Arizona sees, the more it will magnify the value of Dansby. He has accumulated 29 tackles through four games for the 2-2 Cardinals. As long as his numbers stay on par, or improve, from last season, he will be in for a hefty payday.
Brian Dawkins, Safety – Philadelphia Eagles
Class III
Dawkins has long been the face of the aggressive, blitz-happy defense of Jim Johnson and the Philadelphia Eagles. He has been a fan favorite and a nightmare for opposing teams.
He is one of the rare players whose effectiveness does not always show up on the stat sheet. His leadership and ability to provide a consistent and intelligent safety to the defense has been invaluable to the Eagles.
STOCK NEUTRAL
The Eagles will have a decision to make in the offseason. In the past, they have parted ways with veterans—similar to the style of the New England Patriots. However, Dawkins' presence in the city will have to be considered.
Should the two decide to part ways, there will be no shortage of teams lining up to sign on for his services. There are only a handful of safeties in the league who are head and shoulders above Dawkins, even at age 34.
Other Notables
Ray Lewis (Class III), Linebacker – Baltimore Ravens: The heart and soul of the Ravens defense will be a free agent at the end of the season. It's hard to see him parting ways with the Ravens, especially considering their surprising 2-1 record through three games. However, the Ravens will have tough decisions to make with Dawan Landry, Bart Scott, and Terrell Suggs all becoming free agents.
Plus: Tank Johnson, Mike Peterson, Bart Scott, Chris Gamble, Dawan Landry, Terrell Suggs, Jonathan Vilma, and Eric Barton.
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