12/21/10
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Targeting weekly waiver picks is a completely subjective business,
but this column hopes to point out some obvious and not-so-obvious
selections to help your team from week to week while you strive
to collect fantasy wins, reach your league playoffs, and win the
elusive title that your friends say is out of your grasp. While
I’m a big proponent of making trades to bolster your roster,
the waiver wire can be an almost limitless resource when it comes
to discovering fantasy value in strange places. Each week, I’ll
target both offensive and defensive players — sometimes breakout
stars that eluded your team’s draft — as well as players
who can help your squad that may still be lurking in deeper leagues.
Off the Top - Includes my premier
recommendations. These are sometimes players available only in more
shallow leagues, and occasionally guys who are more readily but
are thrust into the fantasy spotlight because of opportunity or
exceptional production.
Digging Deeper - Covers the next
tier of quality waiver wire specimens, usually players available
in a majority of online leagues. There are a lot of gems in this
range who can be plucked rather easily.
Scouring the Barrel - Chronicles
the deepest of fantasy adds — and sometimes highlights players
being tacked onto fantasy squads who I don’t have much confidence
in. Make sure you read the fine print.
Each week, I’ll also provide a brief update on the 30-40 players
I covered the previous week. It’s the most accurate, comprehensive
one-stop waiver-wire column available on the Internet, and it’s
only available here at fftoday.com.
Feedback is always welcome,
appreciated and encouraged. I’ll get to as many e-mails as
I can.
Note: Each player’s
next four matchups are listed in parentheses ()
Quarterbacks
Off The Top
Jon
Kitna, DAL (@ARI, @PHI) – I admit, I was wrong about Kitna,
who’s been a solid replacement for Tony Romo this season. Since
the Week 8 debacle versus the Jags, the 38-year-old journeyman
has thrown for 10 TDs and just four INTs. The Cardinals suck,
so expect decent numbers this weekend.
Jason Campbell, OAK (IND, @KC) – Campbell still makes head-scratching
mistakes, but he’s loaded with speedy, shifty weapons out
of the backfield. These Oakland guys have big-play potential and
a nose for the endzone, making Campbell a decent play in two-QB
formats.
Digging Deeper
Tim Tebow, DEN (@MIA, MIN) – Tebow’s talent is hard
to dismiss. He looked okay against the Raiders, and it appears
he’s locked down the job for the final two games. He should
be owned in all keeper leagues.
Scouring The Barrel
Rex Grossman, WAS (@JAC, NYG) – Nobody could have anticipated
a 322-yard, four-TD outing versus Dallas, but it happened, and
Rex almost pulled off a win to boot. The Redskins have some tough
questions to answer heading into 2011, but Rex should be fine
to start in a pinch during the final couple weeks.
Updates
Josh Freeman, TB (SEA, @NO) – Freeman had another solid
outing with 251 passing yards and a TD, while rushing for 29 yards.
The visiting Lions escaped with a win, but Freeman has shown to
be a capable fill-in fantasy starter who protects the football.
Kerry Collins, TEN (@KC, @IND) – The Titans beat Houston
and Collins finished with 237-2-1. He’s not a wise play
the next couple weeks.
Matt
Flynn, GB (NYG, CHI) – Flynn impressed on Sunday night (251-3-1)
but lost a fumble and couldn’t pull off a victory with the clock
as his enemy in the final moments. Keep an eye on Aaron Rodgers’
status for Week 16.
Running Backs
Off The Top
LeGarrette Blount, TB (SEA, @NO) – He’s been up and
down this season, but the rookie is coming off another solid day
and primed for a huge outing in Week 16 against the Seahawks –
a defense that’s among the worst in the league at limiting
fantasy RBs.
Digging Deeper
Toby
Gerhart, MIN (@PHI, @DET) – Adrian Peterson owners might not
have too many options at this point, so if “All Day” is inactive
again in Week 16 (and why would they risk starting him if he’s
not 100 percent?), Gerhart (19 percent owned) might be the best
available replacement.
Scouring The Barrel
Derrick Ward, HOU (@DEN, JAC) – If Foster (hip, ankle,
butt soreness) can’t go on Sunday, Ward is a viable fill-in
based on the matchup in Denver. The Texans don’t have much
to gain from forcing their star RB back into unnecessary action.
Ward is versatile and capable of a big day in Week 16.
Updates
Tim Hightower, ARI (DAL, @SF) – Hightower’s production
has been erratic all season, and he finished Sunday’s pathetic
tilt against Carolina just 28 total yards richer. Forget this
guy.
Ryan Torain, WAS (@JAC, NYG) – Torain entered Sunday as
a question mark but finished with over 100 total yards and a TD
against a tough Dallas run defense.
Rashad Jennings, JAC (WAS, @HOU) – For the first time in
three weeks, Jennings didn’t find pay dirt, but his 7-64-0
receiving (he had just 13 rushing yards) helped make him a decent
PPR play.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Off The Top
WR Vincent Jackson, SD (@CIN, DEN) – If you’re lucky
enough to see him languishing on the wire this week, he’s
a top option. Coming off a three-TD performance on Thursday night,
Jackson should be rested and ready to light up the scoreboard.
The Chargers are desperate for a win and there’s not doubt
they’ll be throwing the ball in his direction at Cincinnati.
WR Mario
Manningham, NYG (@GB, @WAS) – Manningham looked totally recovered
from a hip injury that forced him out of Week 15, and with Hakeem
Nicks drawing most of the Eagles DBs’ attention, the young WR
had a game-high eight catches for 113 yards with a pair of TDs
on Sunday. He’s a solid play at Green Bay this week.
Digging Deeper
WR Jacoby Ford, OAK (IND, @KC) – Not trusting Ford has
cost plenty of fantasy owners this season. He’s not going
to put up great numbers every week, but his big-play explosiveness
(like his 71-yard TD run in Week 15) warrants starting lineup
inclusion in 12-team, 3-WR leagues. I’ll risk a two-point
day (which can happen to the best WRs in any given week) to get
one of those monster performances.
WR James Jones, GB (NYG, CHI) – Jones (16 percent owned)
went for 5-95-1 on Sunday night and seems to work well with Matt
Flynn. Keep him in consideration for your WR3 slot in Week 16.
Scouring The Barrel
TE Jimmy
Graham, NO (@ATL, TB) – Graham is one of the best young TEs
in football and is a more sure-handed receiver than Jeremy Shockey.
The fledgling Saint had a couple TD receptions last week, is a
decent play during the next two weeks, and is a must-own in keeper
leagues.
WR Josh Morgan, SF (@STL, ARI) – He saw nine targets on
Thursday night and converted those opportunities into 7-105-0.
For a guy who’s available in 95 percent of leagues, he’s
got decent matchups the last couple weeks and the ability to post
big numbers.
Updates
WR Deion Branch, NE (@BUF, MIA) – He had an off week (2-33-0),
but should respond with a big day against the Bills in Week 16.
Brady and the Pats still have to clinch a first-round bye.
WR Earl
Bennett, CHI (NYJ, @GB) – Despite a monster performance from
Jay Cutler, Bennett was relatively quiet with 3-37-0. He’s a marginal
WR4 at best against the Jets.
WR Brandon
Gibson, STL (SF, @SEA) – I got a bit too excited about Gibson
heading into Sunday and started him at WR3 in a 12-team league
semifinal, losing by a handful of points because I couldn’t commit
to Percy Harvin at the Sunday 1 PM roster deadline. Gibson had
3-29-0 but couldn’t help me out with a TD.
WR Michael Jenkins, ATL (NO, CAR) – Arrgh. Had I started
Jenkins (3-48-1) as my plug-n-play instead of Gibson, I would
have walked away with a win.
IDP
Off The Top
LB Lance
Briggs, CHI (NYJ, @GB) – Briggs had a nice game on Monday
night, posting seven total tackles and a sack. He’s got favorable
matchups the next two weeks and is still available in over half
of IDP leagues. You know where I played Brandon Gibson and lost?
I also could’ve earned a win if I’d played Briggs over Tyvon Branch
(five solos) in one of my D-flex spots. Hindsight is a bitch,
isn’t it?
Digging Deeper
DB Craig Dahl, STL (SF, @SEA) – Dahl, an emerging ballhawk,
has 31 solos, a sack, two PDs and two INTs in his last four games.
He’s a reliable tackler and could have another pick or two
over the next couple weeks facing the 49ers and Seahawks.
Scouring The Barrel
DL Jeremy
Mincey, JAC (WAS, @HOU) – The defensive replacement for Aaron
Kampman had a quiet Week 15 but scores a couple nice matchups
the final two games – the Redskins and Texans. I’m guessing he’ll
post five tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble against the Redskins.
Updates
LB Shaun
Phillips, SD (@CIN, DEN) – While Kevin Burnett had the better
day among the Chargers LBs with eight tackles and a sack, Phillips
didn’t disappoint, posting four tackles and a sack. He’s now up
to 11 sacks on the season.
DL Kyle Williams, BUF (NE, @NYJ) – Williams started off
hot against the Dolphins with five first-half solos but was stuck
on that number when the final gun went off. He’s still a
fine DL1 in most formats.
DB Abram
Elam, CLE (BAL, PIT) – T.J. Ward finished with 10 tackles
and a PD, while Elam (the odd safety out this game) had just three
solos and a PD.
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