News: The Bills traded linebacker Kelvin Sheppard to the Colts for pass rusher Jerry Hughes. Sheppard started 15 games for the Bills last year and has at least 70 total tackles in each of his first two seasons. Hughes, a former first-round pick, posted career-highs with four sacks and 41 total tackles last season.
Analysis: Sheppard will have to battle for playing time this season as the Colts are set at inside linebacker with Pat Angerer and Jerrell Freeman. Hughes will add depth to the Bills' pass rush at outside linebacker. The trade doesn't help either player involved but it could open the door for rookie Kiko Alonso to earn some serious playing time in Buffalo.
News: Bills linebacker Kelvin Sheppard totaled four solo tackles and one sack Week 2 against the Chiefs. He has 12 tackles (nine solo) through two games.
Analysis: Sunday's sack was the first of Sheppard's career. We aren't expecting a ton from him as a middle linebacker. We are more concerned about his tackle total. As of now, Sheppard is a low-end Fantasy linebacker.
News: Buffalo linebacker Kelvin Sheppard finished with eight tackles, including five solo stops, during the Bills' 48-28 loss to the Jets in Week 1. Sheppard's total placed him second on the team behind fellow linebacker Nick Barnett's nine tackles.
Analysis: Sheppard has taken over the middle linebacker spot in the Bills' shift to a 4-3 defensive scheme and could surpass his impressive tackle total from last season. He posted 70 stops while playing all 16 games in his rookie campaign. Keep an eye on his progress in Fantasy IDP formats.
News: Bills starting middle linebacker Kelvin Sheppard missed practice due to what coach Chan Gailey would only call a medical issue. Without revealing what the issue is, Gailey on Wednesday said he expects Sheppard to miss a couple of days of training camp. Sheppard watched the team's night practice from the sideline.
Analysis: Sheppard isn't expected to post enough stats to be relevant in Fantasy. Keep him off of rosters.
News: Buffalo LB Kelvin Sheppard led his team with 14 tackles, 11 solo, in Week 14 versus San Diego. The Bills would lose the game, 37-10.
Analysis: Sheppard entered Sunday with just 37 tackles in the first 12 games of the season. To say he over achieved in Week 14 may be an understatement. Despite his good performance Sheppard is still not worth much in Fantasy IDP leagues at this stage of the season.
News: Buffalo LB Kelvin Sheppard recorded seven tackles and a sack during the Bills' 35-8 loss to Miami in Week 11. Sheppard's stellar total matched a season high and gave him 18 total stops over his past three games. His sack of QB Matt Moore was also his first of the season.
Analysis: Sheppard also helped Buffalo register its first safety since December 2007 when he stonewalled RB Daniel Thomas in the end zone during the fourth quarter. He remains one of several rookie producing on the Bills defense and could be worth monitoring in Fantasy IDP formats.
News: Buffalo LB Kelvin Sheppard notched a season-high seven tackles during the Bills' 27-11 loss to the Jets in Week 9. Sheppard nearly matched his season total as he had registered 11 tackles through Buffalo's first seven games.
Analysis: Sheppard was one of several Bills players to eclipse their previous season highs in tackles as New York utilized a pounding run game up the middle. The rookie is unlikely to produce many outings like Sunday and should remain a marginal option in Fantasy IDP formats.
News:The Sports Xchange notes Bills rookie Kelvin Sheppard is close to officially taking over one of the team's inside linebacker sports alongside Nick Barnett, replacing veteran Andra Davis. Sheppard, who battled injuries in training camp, is healthy and making an impact. He took most of the snaps in the loss to the Giants. "He's sitting right there ready to take over that role," coach Chan Gailey said. "Whether he starts or not (vs. Washington on Oct. 30), I don't know. But he's going to get the majority of the snaps."
Analysis: Sheppard has just three tackles in each of his last two games, so he isn't quite playing up to the level that Barnett is in Buffalo. It's intriguing that Sheppard will be getting more PT moving forward, but he still has low-end Fantasy appeal in IDP formats.
News: WIVB in Buffalo, New York reports that Bills rookie LB Kelvin Sheppard injured his hamstring on Sunday. The report suggested that he will be out for a week while dealing with the issue.
Analysis: Sheppard is expected to challenge for a starting spot on the revamped Buffalo defense, but the injury is a bit of a setback. Hamstring issues can be tricky, so Fantasy owners should keep an eye on the situation as it develops with the team's first preseason game less than two weeks away. Sheppard, the LSU product, should not be selected on Draft Day barring his health and a starting spot.
News: Buffalo will now have all of its rookie draft picks at training camp after LB Kelvin Sheppard signed his contract. The third-round pick out of LSU signed on Saturday, after the Bills completed their first practice at training camp. Sheppard was the last of Buffalo's nine draft picks to sign, and the only one to miss any practice time.
Analysis: Listed at 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, Sheppard was a three-year starter and led LSU in tackles in each of the past two seasons. His 311 career tackles rank ninth in school history. He will have an opportunity to compete for a backup job at the inside spot on a revamped defense that ranked last against the run last year. He should not be considered a worthwhile option in upcoming Fantasy drafts.
News: Don't think for a second that the Buffalo Bills didn't know where they need improvement as they drafted seven players in the NFL draft. Alabama DT Marcell Dareus was their first-round pick, giving them a massive presence along their defensive line. From there they took Texas CB Aaron Williams (Round 2), LSU LB Kelvin Sheppard (Round 3), UNC safety Da'Norris Searcy (Round 4), Mississippi State LB Chris White (Round 6), Richmond CB Justin Rogers (Round 7) and Bethel DT Michael Jasper (Round 7). Williams and Sheppard could potentially join Dareus as first-year starters for Buffalo.
Analysis: Of these defenders, Williams and Sheppard have the potential to work in a decent capacity with the Bills defense this year, and Norris has some long-term appeal. Sheppard is worth a late-round flier in deeper seasonal drafts and dynasty/keeper leagues. Sheppard, Williams and Searcy are worth taking in rookie-only drafts (Sheppard ahead of Williams and Searcy). None of the other defenders are worth Fantasy consideration.
