Pickups

Jackie Battle, RB, KC – I talked about Battle a bit on a podcast I appear on and mentioned him to some people in REALLY deep formats last week as someone that was likely to win the starting job soon. Soon was REALLY soon. In week 5, Battle had 119 yards and averaged 6.3 per carry. He had a really soft matchup this week against a Colts defense that hasn’t been able to stop the run for quite some time.  This is shown by Old Man Thomas Jones managing 55 yards on 10 carries. Battle saw more work, has younger legs and was more productive. He can’t be as good as Jamaal Charles but with bye weeks still to come, Battle makes a nice fill-in depending on his opponent.

Doug Baldwin, WR, SEA – It looked like Sidney Rice was going to be a big factor for the Seahawks passing game and I don’t see that changing at all. Statistical production is not the only way to be a factor.  Rice is clearly the best option for fantasy owners and he is also the guy that defenses are going to focus on the most.  This will open things up for Baldwin AND Obomanu who each managed double digit fantasy points this week as they each had a receiving TD.  Baldwin also had over 100 yards and caught 8 of the 9 passes that went his way. This really builds trust with your QB and should ensure a decent number of targets over the next few weeks.  You can pick up Obomanu too in deeper formats, but Baldwin had fewer targets, more catches and more yards.

Alex Smith, QB, SF – I feel bad for Smith. I think he is a decent, game managing QB. He has had more offensive coordinators that seasons he has started in San Fran and this makes it impossible for him to find a rhythm. Frank Gore is finally rolling and this opens the passing game for Smith and he has some quality receivers. He didn’t have a big yard total in week 5, but Smith threw for three TDs and if he has a nice match up while your QB is on Bye, Smith makes a viable fill-in option.

Jonathan Dwyer, RB, PIT – Issac Redman saw more carries than Dwyer (11 for Dwyer and 15 for Redman) and yet Dwyer was able to be twice as productive in yardage totals.  Neither guy saw the end zone, but Ben was hogging all the TDs. Redman also left this game early and I would much rather own Dwyer than Redman after this performance.

Pierre Garcon, WR, IND – I don’t think he’s that talented. I still think he struggles with drops. He has a LOT of chemistry with Curtis Painter. He can’t be left on free agency or waivers in any league. Those are the facts, as I see them.  I don’t believe in either him or his QB individually, but there is apparently an undeniable connection and understanding that these two guys have with each other. If it goes this way one more week, Garcon will sit higher in my rankings than Reggie Wayne.

Dump List

Chad Ochocinco, WR, NE – We are STILL waiting for 85 to be a factor in the Patriots offense and Brady is STILL having a career year. If it hasn’t clicked ONCE in 5 weeks, I don’t see it happening all year.  He still has upside but it is dropping by the week and he will need to get it done a few weeks in a row to earn enough trust to be worth a start.

Scott Chandler, TE, BUF – He is really just a red zone target in this Bills offense and even with wide receiver injuries piling up in Buffalo, I don’t see his yardage total increasing.

Denarius Moore, WR, OAK – The woes of trying to use a Raider receiver are still evident as they seem to be very inconsistent and take turns having a big game.  Jacoby Ford is the guy you want to own and I don’t have any issue with dropping any of the other guys. This week Heyward-Bey and Chaz Schillens were the big-producers and who knows who it will be next week.

Dallas Clark, TE, IND – Despite his talent, the offense is not able to use him effectively. On talent alone he is a top 5 guy but with no production at all this season, you can’t wait any longer to make a roster move that might actually get you some points.

Devery Henderson, WR, NO – As with all Saints receivers, there will still be big games for Henderson. You just can’t accurately guess when they will be.  He is own-able but if you have someone with a lot of upside on free agency, make the switch.

Kyle Orton, QB, DEN – Time to jump ship. Tebow might be the guy now and Orton hasn’t been very productive in the run-first John Fox offense.

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Well, we have 4 weeks in the books and the bye weeks are about to begin with Baltimore, Cleveland, Dallas, Miami, St. Louis and Washington all about to take the week off.  For this and the three weeks that follow, depth will be very important and ignoring the waiver wire could prove to cost fantasy owners some very important wins. So let’s take a look at the most appealing guys left on free agency in a lot of leagues.

Pickups

Jacoby Jones, WR, HOU – If you didn’t see Andre Johnson’s injury, it looked TERRIBLE. He caught the ball, turned up field and crumpled to the ground like someone shot him. These non-contact injuries tend to be more severe and while the news has been good so far, I am still considering Johnson to be out for at least two weeks and his fantasy-owners should plan accordingly.  Jones was a popular sleeper last season as he is similar to AJ in many ways and the Texans’ offense is now looking for someone to fill that role. If I owned Johnson, I would run to get Jones off the waiver wire before someone else scoops him up and you miss out on all the targets that Jones should be about to see.

Ryan Torain, RB, WAS – Everytime I answer a question or give advice on a Redskins RB, I give the Shanahan disclaimer. Mike Shanahan hates fantasy owners and you can NEVER be surprised to see his starter or feature back change. Ever. Ryan Torain was the guy I thought was the best feature-back to lead the team in carries and Hightower has never been in that role before and Helu looks more like a third down back. Out of left field, Torain was put in and tallied 135 yards and a TD. Washington is on its way to the Bye week for this week, but Torain has to be considered the top fantasy-option among Redskins backs and can’t be left on free agency. But, don’t expect this to be a long-term deal with his injury concerns.

Laurent Robinson, WR, DAL – Dallas is about to head into the bye week and Austin is going to get healthy again before too long. But Ogletree had appeared to be the one you want while Austin is out, but Robinson showed this week that he is the guy you want after 7 catches for 116 yards.

Stevan Ridley, RB, NE – This is the second week in a row where I thought Ridley looked better than Law Firm and I am starting to get concerned for the value of both Woodhead and Law Firm.  This week Woodhead was almost completely irrelevant and both Green-Ellis and Ridley saw double digit carries as well as found the end zone.  On six fewer carries, Ridley out rushed Law Firm by 22 yards. I would pick up Ridley but I am not excited to need to use any of three Patriot backs until we can be sure how they will be used.

Eric Decker, WR, DEN – Lloyd was back and he was still putting up numbers.  Why Decker is only owned in just over 60% of leagues is beyond me. 5 catches for 56 yards and two TD’s adds up to a quality outing for fantasy owners. As we head into the bye weeks, you can do a LOT worse than starting Decker in your flex.

Steve Breaston, WR, KC – The Chiefs brought in Breaston to be a complimentary deep threat to play opposite Dwayne Bowe.  Now that Charles is gone and the running game is lacking, Breaston is forced to play the role of possession receiver. I wouldn’t recommend picking him up unless your in a deeper PPR league… but he has value going into 4 straight weeks of 6 teams on bye.

Victor Cruz, WR, NYG – This guy just looks like a play maker on the field. You get the sense that anytime the ball gets into his hands, he has a chance to take it all the way. Apart from a bonehead play that almost backfired big-time, his 6 catches for 98 yards looks pretty impressive with both Nicks and Manningham in the lineup. And for the record, I DO think he gave himself up on that play. He didn’t trip, he just flopped down face first between two defenders and left the ball there as he went back to the huddle. He likely assumed someone touched him as the defenders were RIGHT there and I highly doubt he’ll make that mistake again.

Dump List

Scott Chandler, TE, BUF – He is a fine play if your guy is on a bye week or even in a TD only league, but after this week we know that Buffalo is not yet an elite offense and Chandler has only REALLY been effective around the goal line.  There is really no reason to hold a bench spot for Chandler in your standard league.  I just find it too hard to trust a guy with one career catch before this season.

Johnny Knox, WR, CHI – With the woes that the Bears offensive line is trying to fight through, the Bears’ passing game won’t be more than mediocre this season and Cutler only has time to find an open receiver or check down to Forte in the flat. I don’t think you should drop Knox unless you really like a free agent, but I don’t see starting him anytime soon so don’t be afraid to in order to make room.

Chad Ochocinco, WR, NE – He still might find a way to a productive part of Brady’s offense but I don’t see it happening anytime soon and even when it does, after so many weeks of no production he needs to build trust with a couple of solid performances in a row.

Hines Ward, WR, PIT – I still see Ward on some rosters and unless your league counts points for Dancing with the Stars, this is crazy. Ben can’t stay on his feet OR healthy this season and Ward has lost his touch due to age. Get him off your team already folks!

Carnell Williams, RB, STL – Steven Jackson sure looks to have lost a step, but he is still better than Cadillac Williams. Now that Jackson is healthy again, you can drop Williams. He is not worth the bench spot.

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Pickups

David Nelson, WR, BUF – He should have been picked up already, but he hasn’t been in the vast majority of leagues. Let’s face it, he is the real deal. He will catch a lot of balls for owners in PPR leagues and in this suddenly explosive Bills offense, he will rack up plenty of yardage and TD’s too. GO GET HIM OFF WAIVERS RIGHT NOW.  After beating New England to sit alone at 3-0 atop the AFC East, people will not be dismissing the Bills as a fluke anymore.

Torrey Smith, WR, BAL – Smith caught his first three NFL passes early on in the first quarter. All of them were TDs.  What a breakout, complete surprise performance here from Smith.  He has to be owned in every league because he might just push past Lee Evans on the depth chart and the Ravens have been dying for a receiver to break out and take over games.  If they think Smith might be that guy, he will get a chance to prove it.

Stevan Ridley, RB, NE – Ridley was the most productive rusher for the Patriots in the shootout in Buffalo. He has 7 touches to BenJarvus Green-Ellis’ 9 and out rushed him 44 yards to 16. Let’s be realistic, at best we are hoping that the rookie gets moved into the rotation and helps to destroy the value of Law Firm and Woodhead. However if you have a bench spot open, go pick him up.  He is likely to touch the ball some more and if he remains more productive than Green-Ellis, he could become a viable flex play by the end of the year.

Nate Washington, WR, TEN – Who is going to step up and fill in for Britt now? Well, Washington has been with the team a bit and has  had some chemistry with Matt Hasselbeck this season. Washington is immediately the most fantasy-relevant player on the Titans and he is probably a decent flex play in PPR formats without Britt on the field.

Alfonso Smith, RB, ARI – I thought that Chester Taylor was going to get the work with Beanie Wells and LeRod Stephens-Howling out for this game on Sunday. I was wrong and it was Smith that saw the lion’s share of the carries.  It is a pretty safe bet that Wells misses some time again later this season and I would say that Smith will be the every down guy even if Stephens-Howling is active.

Victor Cruz, WR, NYG – Manningham is going to come back and he will get his #2 job back opposite Nicks. But the Giants are still thin at receiver and Cruz is likely to jump up and play in the slot now. I am not big on Manning and do not think Cruz will be overly successful at this point but if the Giants can keep on the right track, Cruz just may end up being a good bye-week plugin.

Dump List

Jacoby Jones, WR, HOU – Walter is back and Jones is banged up. He won’t be productive enough from #3 on the depth chart at receiver so you do not need to hold him any longer.

Deion Branch, WR, NE – I think we know what your going to get from Branch and that is a lot of bad games and few great ones.  Unfortunately, this makes him VERY scary to start any given week and really only allows him to post numbers on your bench.  If your in a 10-team league, go ahead and get someone else.

Carnell Williams, RB, STL – He ran well against the Ravens this week, but Steven Jackson came back and will take the lead role back.

Braylon Edwards, WR, SF – I am surprised to see that he is still owned in 40% of leagues. This should not be. The 9ers offense does not feature a vertical passing attack and has a mediocre at best QB. I expect Edwards to be slow to return from surgery and even when he is 100% he will not be overly productive with Alex Smith at QB.

Jerome Harrison, RB, DET – Best has been doing well and Maurice Morris seems to be the primary guy. Go get Ridley instead of holding Harrison another week.

Emmanuel Sanders, WR, PIT – The Steelers offensive line is a mess and they were barely able to beat the Colts without Peyton Manning on Sunday night. Sanders has not been able to get much going this season and he definitely wont be able to be even remotely consistent this season.

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Pickups

Denarius Moore, WR, OAK – Going into this game, with the top 3 receivers on the depth chart declared inactive, I thought the Raiders were doomed.  One player stepped up and gave the Raiders offense a spark and made HUGE plays when they were needed in this game.  Moore was that player.  There is a LONG list of Raiders receivers that have broken out only to be complete fantasy-busts and Moore might join that list, but watching him jump to grab that go-ahead TD in between Leodis McKelvin and George Wilson with just a few minutes to go sealed the deal for me.  This kid’s upside is high and he should be owned in every league in case he can manage to sustain production for any length of time.

Cam Newton, QB, CAR – If you aren’t convinced now, I don’t know what the guy has to do. A second straight 400 yard passing game from this rookie is shocking and after the second one was against the Packers, it absolutely cannot be ignored. It’s weird to say, but consider Cam a #2 QB option until further notice. I am VERY impressed.

Eric Decker, WR, DEN – With Moreno and Lloyd inactive, there were targets up for grabs in the Bronco offense. Decker hauled in 5 catches for 146 yards and a TD. The Broncos offense looked like it had balance to me in this game and I think Decker is worth a spot on your bench while they figure out how to play in their new John Fox led system.  He won’t have too many games like this if Lloyd has anything to say about it though.

Ben Tate, RB, HOU – I certainly never thought Derrick Ward was going to be the guy to carry the load while Foster was out, but maybe the people in your league did?  Tate was very well thought of by the Texans prior to his injury and the sudden emergence of Foster last season. I can very easily see a two-back system from Houston as each guy has durability concerns. I also think it will be very successful, so scoop up Tate if he is still out there.

Delone Carter, RB, IND – The Indy offense was able to move the ball and Carter saw 11 carries for 46 yards in this game.  Addai got 14 carries and it is obvious that this will remain a time-share scenario as the Colts now want to run much more than with Peyton Manning at QB. The Colts will need some time to square away how exactly they should scheme with this new offense and Collins has not been on the roster that long.  They are going to get better, not worse and Carter appears to be a quality young prospect.

Dexter McCluster, RB, KC – I expect Thomas Jones and McCluster to share the load for KC in the absence of Jamaal Charles, but Jones is too old for me to think he is going to be effective on a regular basis and McCluster has big-play ability. I don’t expect much from the KC offense anymore but if you have a bench spot available, we know this guy will touch the ball a fair amount at least.

Dump List

Matt Cassel, QB, KC – I own him. I started him the past two weeks. I am 0-2. Without Jamaal Charles, this offense is not going to be near as effective as we saw last season.  They are getting decimated by injuries and I have no issues jumping ship.

Pierre Garcon, WR, IND – He has had issues with drops and while both he and Collie had 3 catches for around 25 yards a piece, Collie was targeted 10 times. Garcon was thrown to just 5. With Manning gone, there is no way three guys are fantasy relevant and I pick Garcon to be the odd man out.

Derrick Ward, RB, HOU – Even with Foster getting a little more banged up in the game, you want Tate.

Mike Thomas, WR, JAC – This is a bit hasty if your in a deep league but if your in a 10 or even 12 man, your better off with someone that has a real QB. McCown looked absolutely terrible and I don’t trust Gabbert when he takes over either.

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Pickups

Cam Newton, QB, CAR – The though of drafting Newton was absurd to me a week ago, but after a rookie debut record 422 yards and two TDs, he MUST be owned.  I won’t pretend like I thought there was a chance that Newton would blow up at any point this season, but regardless of who your starting QB is, your backup spot is about upside. Newton has the potential to be a HUGE surprise as a top10 QB on the season and with bye weeks a bit away, feel free to drop your backup on the off-chance you get to trade Newton away for a starting WR or RB.

Randall Cobb, WR, GB – This rookie receiver for the Packers tied an NFL record for longest play with is 108 yard kick return for a TD in the kickoff game on Thursday night. I didn’t think of him as much of a sleeper before he demonstrated how dynamic of a playmaker he is due to the resigning of James Jones and the lack of a retirement announcement from Donald Driver.  We can be sure that the Packers will be looking for ways to get the ball in Cobb’s hands now and he is worth a spot on your bench to see how he develops over the next few weeks.

Scott Chandler, TE, BUF – I’ve gotten a few questions about Chandler already as a Buffalonian.  People have expected me to have inside info about this guy but honestly, I don’t have much.  He had, I believe, just one career reception before this 5 catch 63 yard performance in which he also caught two TD passes. The TE position is pretty wide open and since there are only 4 or 5 of them who I am comfortable starting on a week-to-week basis, I think Chandler is a risky pickup and start this week.  The reason im willing to do it after just one good game is because of the match-up against Oakland being decent.

Jacoby Jones, WR, HOU – Kevin Walter hurt his collar bone in week 1 and I believe he will miss some extended time early in this season.  With Jones at number two on the Texan’s depth chart, I think he is going to see enough targets that he will be worth a shot in deeper leagues and as an injury/bye week fill-in.

Cadillac Williams, RB, STL – If your draft didn’t pan out at the RB position, Williams may make a good fill-in next week as Steven Jackson appears to be unlikely to play in week 2 against Carolina. He has no value when Jackson is active though in my opinion, so don’t think of it as an long-term solution.

Robert Meachem, WR, NO – I don’t like Saints receivers for fantasy purposes. A lot of people think the Colston injury is going to open up room for either Meachem or Henderson, but the absence of Lance Moore is the most intriguing absence to me. Colston was best utilized as a goal line target and none of these receivers can fill that void in my opinion, so that work will go to Jimmy Graham. Meachem will benefit from increased targets in the short to intermediate passing game where both Colston and Moore were used.   I think when Moore is back, Meachem and Henderson are very probably not going to be at all reliable enough to start again.  Until then, don’t leave them on free agency for an opponent to use.

Fred Davis, TE, WAS – Rex Grossman impressed a lot of people this weekend.  He looked like an effective leader of the offense and led his team to a win against their division rival New York Giants. I don’t think Davis is as good a pick up as Chandler, but if you had Cooley and there isn’t much talent on waivers, I would probably grab Davis.

Dump List

Peyton Manning, QB, IND – This one is fairly obvious but I don’t believe in over reacting to a poor week 1 and dropping someone because of one bad or mediocre performance so I have to have SOMETHING for this list. If you don’t have an IR spot and aren’t in a keeper league, there is no reason to hold Manning any longer. He will not likely see the field this season unless the Colts are somehow still in the playoff hunt late.

Thomas Jones, RB, KC – Dexter McCluster seemed to be the secondary back in week 1 for the Chiefs as Jones only saw two carries throughout the game.  His age made him a late round pick in drafts and I’m convinced that it is now the Jamaal Charles show in KC.

James Jones, WR, GB – Jones was, I thought, no lower than 4th on the depth chart at receiver for the Packers.  This made him an ownable player to sit on your bench but with the emergence of Randall Cobb in week 1, I see no reason to hold Jones any longer.

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No matter who you are, or what format league you are in… If you are still alive this week then you are playing for the championship.  Going into the last week of the season, the strategy for pick ups changes and it becomes more about screwing over your opponent than bettering your own team.  Many leagues also limit free agent additions in the post season and then you would only be able to make a move in the event of an injury on your team.  By playing with fire and placing your league’s Super Bowl in week 17 you also need to consider the fact that certain teams will be resting their starters to remain healthy for the playoffs.  The teams that we know are in this situation already are the Patriots, Jets and depending on tonights game, the Falcons.

Pickups

Jerome Simpson, WR, CIN – This is a bit mind-boggling to me, how can the Bengals play the best game of the season as soon as they are lacking their two pro bowl caliber receivers?  They faced one of the best defenses that the league has to offer and yet this unknown talent pulled off 6 catches on 7 targets for 124 yards and two TDs.  Even if Ochocinco is back for Week 17, Simpson has likely earned the right to start opposite him and Palmer will look to him for a repeat performance.

Rashad Jennings, RB, JAC – I have been calling Jennings a handcuff to Maurice Jones-Drew for a few weeks now and after a mildly disappointing performance from Rashad this week, he remains someone worth grabbing if you’re having any depth issues.  The Jaguars still have an outside chance at winning their division and making the playoffs, but they do need some help.  With that said, you can count on them fighting and clawing for the win next week against the Texans terrible defense. If MJD is out again next week, Jennings will be a top 20 guy and even better in PPR formats.

David Garrard, QB, JAC – Like I said, the Jags face the Texans!  Houston has been a mind bogglingly bad pass defense and should set the record for the worst defense EVER in respect to passing yards against. If you have been alternating Quarterbacks based off match up, then Garrard is the guy this week.

Jacoby Jones, WR, HOU – The Texans are out of the playoff hunt and if Andre Johnson couldn’t go this week, I would be surprised to see him risk further injury in week 17. Ford topped 100 yards receiving this week and you can expect him to be heavily involved in this offense next week against Jacksonville if Andre indeed can not make the start.

Zach Miller, TE, OAK – He finally has shown enough for me to return him to my top 10 tight ends.  He had suffered a couple injuries in the middle of the season that killed his production, but with 66 yards and a TD this week, I think you can count on him next week as well.

Davone Bess, WR, MIA – Bess has been a PPR diamond in the rough this season and with a match up against the Patriots weak secondary that will likely rest their starters at the end of this game, Bess is a sneaky player to use in your flex.

Dump List

It is a little counter-productive for me to list players that are worth dropping in the last week of the season.  The reason is, ANYONE that you don’t plan to use is a viable drop.  There is no danger of facing him next week and if you are sure that your opponent wouldn’t pick him up and start him right away… go for it.

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As we head into the championship week for the vast majority of leagues, there are fewer players worth the risk of starting and this severely limits the list of potential pickups.  Upside is a largely useless consideration at this point, unless you are desperate (but if you are desperate, you’re probably no longer in the running for your league’s championship).

Pickups

Donald Brown, RB, IND - Before the season, I liked Brown quite a bit.  He looked to get a fair share of the work and was a bargain on draft day in the very late rounds.  The reason for him being expected to see a lot of work is the contract situation for the aging and injury-prone Joseph Addai.  This is the last year of his current contract and there would be little reason to sign him again if you have a guy worthy of the starting job already on your roster.  Since Brown was a round 1 draft pick, there were high hopes that he would have a breakout year but that was not the case.  He racked up 18 points this week when everyone had given up hope and now, if Addai misses another week, Brown will be a worthy start in your flex spot.

Jacoby Ford, WR, OAK - He is still very risky, but he is a game-changing talent that the Raiders try to get involved in a variety of ways.  He is a threat to run (71 yard TD run this week), catch a big pass, or return a kick for a TD whenever the ball is in his hands.  As long as Oakland looks to get him involved, he is a risky flex play in deep formats.  Even if you don’t plan to use him yourself, don’t leave him to your opponent who might get a big game from him.

Colt McCoy, QB, CLE – With Grossman and Tebow each VASTLY exceeding our expectations for how they would perform, why is it McCoy on my list of pickups? Well it came down to McCoy or Grossman for me, so if you can’t get Colt, then you know who you should target next.  McCoy has seen extended playing time in 6 games this season and in all but one of them, he put up double digit points… including a week 6 loss to the Steelers.  He does play against the Ravens next week (compared to Grossman vs. Jacksonville), but the Baltimore defense has not been lights-out like it has in the past and they currently are ranked 14 against the pass.  This makes him the guy with the least risk involved, if you have to get one of the newly-starting signal callers for your two-QB league to make your championship run.

Kevin Walter, WR, HOU - Next week the Texans play against the Tim Tebow led Denver Broncos.  Champ Bailey might be getting old, but he is still among the best corner backs in the league and with some help from the safety position, he can take some of the better receivers out of the game.  Andre Johnson will not be shut-down but with all the attention that is sure to be paid to him, Walter will see a lot of man coverage and is likely to have a decent game.

Derrick Ward, RB, HOU - Arian Foster left this game early with a muscle spasm.  It is still not yet clear the extent of the injury, but a muscle spasm doesn’t sound severe.  If he is to be limited or miss any time, then Ward is savvy veteran worth a start in your flex position.

Josh Morgan, WR, SF – This is Morgan’s 2nd straight game where he has been the top-producing receiver as he catches 7 passes on 9 targets for 106 yards.  The 49er offense was struggling against the league’s top defense, but Alex Smith played decent and since they are still alive in the playoff race, you can count on them pulling out all the stops and playing for their entire season next week.  I would still rather start Crabtree, but Morgan has certainly earned some attention in deeper formats.

Dump List

Austin Collie, WR, IND - He suffered his third concussion on a hard hit in this game and after a great first half in this week’s game against Jacksonville, it really is a shame that he cannot stay healthy for very long. Blair White should be the slot receiver for the Colts the rest of the fantasy-season.

Shonn Greene, RB, NYJ – Even though the Jets got a huge win this week and produced against the most talented defense in the league, Greene has a tough outing next week against the Bears stout run defense. Given he will be splitting carries, he really just doesn’t have the chance to produce like you need in your fantasy super bowl.

Keiland Williams, RB, WAS – Torain is the guy, enough said.  This would be a completely wasted roster spot, should you hold Williams.

Anquan Boldin, WR, BAL - I will like him next year, but Mason is the top guy in Baltimore this season and until he retires I do not think that will change.  If you own him, you need little prodding to at least leave this inconsistent threat on your bench.  I am also aware that in his last game against the Browns he had 3 TDs.  That was too long ago to think it will happen again.  Only drop him if there is someone worth playing, but you definitely shouldn’t start this guy.

Steve Smith, WR, CAR – Even in a win, when the offense looked as sharp as it ever has… he was barely able to produce.  He is still their best red zone passing target, but expect the running game to continue the heavy lifting.

Robert Meachem, WR, NO – This goes for Lance Moore as well, the Saints receivers (other than Colston) are too hit or miss for playoff consideration.  They have 0 points or 20 points, so with what looks like a 50% chance to get you a goose-egg, get these guys off your team or at least on the bench.

Visanthe Shiancoe, TE, MIN - He may as well be inactive for fantasy-owners… at least then we wouldn’t be tempted to start him.  Get yourself a new TE if you have made it this far with Shiancoe.

Jahvid Best, RB, DET - The only way you own this guy and are still in the playoffs is if you haven’t been using him!  He still has not had a double digit fantasy performance since week 2 and there is no reason to expect that to change against the Dolphins next week.

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Week 14 was a disaster for many fantasy owners as most of the elite talent in the league fell victim to bad weather, QB injuries, dropped passes and just plain getting shut down by opposing defenses. Out of these mediocre performances a few waiver wire gems appear, and here they are:

Pickups

Tim Hightower, RB, ARI - 18 carries for 148 yards and 2 TDs is like a dream for Hightower owners who were hoping for a third of that production from him this week.  Skelton at QB is not something that should scare us anymore as he has been the only guy to march the Cards down the field and balance out their mediocre offense.  If you’re still alive on your league, then look for Hightower to have another good performance next week against the Panthers inept rush defense.

Anthony Dixon, RB, SF - Dixon was by far the 49ers most productive runner in what was essentially a playoff game for the 49ers.  He saw the most carries (14) and racked up 60 yards, while Westbrook primarily contributed in the passing game with 6 grabs for 87 yards and a score.  Westbrook will remain the top ranked RB in San Fran due to his pass catching ability, but Dixon is startable in the flex position in Weeks 16 and 17 against the Rams and Cardinals.

Ryan Torain, RB, WAS – It appears as though we have found the Redskins RB for the rest of the season as Torain had 24 carries for 172 yards.  He didn’t find the endzone, but the Skins are bad and if he is able to produce like this right after coming back from an injury… then I see no reason he can’t be a flex starter the rest of the playoffs.  He won’t likely rise above that level any time soon, because you can’t trust Shanahan to follow common sense with his RBs.

Josh Morgan, WR, SF – After Crabtree was a non-factor in what was a great game for Alex Smith, there is little trust to be had in any of the 9ers receivers… but if you are in a deep format there is plenty of upside for a team looking to stay productive after losing Frank Gore.

Arrelious Benn, WR, TB – Another deep league guy, especially considering Mike Williams is clearly the bigger threat on the Buccaneers offense… but Benn was the guy that I liked in the preseason (until we found out Williams was going to be the starter anyways) and he demonstrated why with 4 catches for 122 yards.  You can ignore him in standard leagues, but he makes an interesting choice for Williams owners in those deeper formats where the options are minimal.

Rashad Jennings, RB, JAC - Jennings took just 5 carries and racked up 109 yards and a score this week against a soft Raiders run defense.  Rashad is the best handcuff you could possibly have and if you own MJD, then he should have been on your team for a couple weeks now.

Toby Gerhart, RB, MIN - Another one of them handcuffs, Adrian Peterson owners should not wait until he gets hurt to try and scoop him up… do it now!

Dump List

Shonn Greene, RB, NYJ – The playoffs is not really the time to play a guy who has been a disappointment and is a part of a team that is collapsing.  While he could end up being a big part of any resurgence that the Jets may have in coming up, he has to earn a starting job and go on a hot streak… and do it all inside the next two weeks.  Since that isn’t going to happen feel free to drop Greene if there are any good options left.

Johnny Knox, WR, CHI - You probably can’t find better on free agency or waivers… but with Earl Bennett emerging as Cutler’s new favorite weapon, Knox falls under the category of people you wouldn’t want to start… so go get Bennett or someone with more upside that could provide a better value if he does well.

Steve Smith, WR, CAR - Well, you probably don’t still have him and you definitely aren’t starting him… but with no signs of life coming from the Panthers now that Clausen is back, you can safely drop Smith and not be worried about anyone using him against you.  They truly are the worst team in the league and I do not expect that to change in the remaining few weeks of the season.

Braylon Edwards, WR, NYJ – There are some very serious issues that the Jets offense has to over come and since you really can’t count on him for the next couple weeks… go ahead and drop him.

Kyle Orton, QB, DEN - Oh how quickly the mighty have fallen… Studesville was chosen to be the interim because he will not be the new Head Coach next season.  After 6 years in Buffalo, I think the Broncos want to keep him as a part of their staff and since he is the only guy where this is the case, he was the logical choice.  I wouldn’t trust anyone but Knowshon Moreno now that the running back coach is in charge and don’t be surprised to see Tebow start or two to end the season.

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What a crazy week… With all the duds this week (more to come on them tomorrow) a LOT of people missed the playoffs and just as many people snuck their way in! If you are one of these fantasy-ninjas, then congrats and let’s take a look at how you can bolster your roster moving into the playoffs!

Pickups

Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR - After last week’s game I was torn… Stewart looked like the more complete RB, he ran hard and hit holes quickly.  Goodson looked good too however, slightly less polished… but he contributed a lot in the passing game and looked to have the most fantasy value of the duo.  Not anymore! Stewart saw 21 carries to Goodson’s 3 and he also was able to rack up 91 yards. While both backs found the end zone in this game, the staggering difference in the number of carries make the decision on who to own a no-brainer.  I wouldn’t drop Goodson yet, especially in PPR formats, but I also wouldn’t trust him next week!

Tashard Choice, RB, DAL - Tashard Choice gave the Cowboys balance.  Felix Jones saw more touches, but he wasn’t able to find the end zone like Choice did.  We should expect this to continue and probably trend more towards Felix, as was the case this week.  One thing you should count on is Tashard Choice being the one to see the work at the goal line.  Choice is a flex play at best, but he has to be owned after a performance like this because if he follows it up with another good game, you will be able to count on him against Washington and Arizona in Weeks 16 and 17.

Donald Driver, WR, GB – I had my concerns about Driver being able to return to the same level of play he had demonstrated earlier in his career, but if you have seen his TD catch this week… then you wont have any more worries either.  If you didn’t see it, I will let the highlight reel provide all the evidence you will need to grab this guy off waivers… if he was dropped that is!

Anthony Dixon, RB, SF – There is a disclaimer that comes with this one: Brian Westbrook SHOULD be the guy!  Westbrook was quicker into the hole and looked to be a much more complete back on the carries that he received.  With that said, Singletary and the 49ers split carries evenly between Dixon and Westbrook.  Until we see that they will make a commitment to the injury-prone veteran, Dixon has to be owned too as he will see more of the goal line carries.

Earl Bennett, WR, CHI – We really can’t treat Bennett’s production as an anomaly any longer.  He is as close to a big and physical wide receiver as the Bears have, so he is likely to see the most red zone targets of any of the WRs on the Bears.  This week Bennett led the team in targets with 8 and hauled in 7 of them for 105 yards.  Assuming Driver was never let go in your league, Bennett is by far the best option available for pickup at WR this week.

Anthony Armstrong, WR, WAS – If you have to start a Redskins receiver, it looks like it should be Armstrong.  He was an unknown talent before the season and because of this we have been (correctly) suspicious about adding this guy to our fantasy teams.  Now however, the Redskins have lost hopes for a playoff run and are turning to their younger players so they can be developed for the future.  Since they are a bad team, the Skins will be down and throwing… so it seems like you should be able to count on their young, deep threat!

Roy Williams, WR, DAL – With Dez Bryant’s ankle broken and him being out for the season, Roy Williams will return to fantasy-relevance.  The whole reason he fell in value was due to the injury to Romo and Kitna not being good enough to keep THREE receivers valuable to their fantasy owners.  Since Williams is back to the 2nd spot on the depth chart, he is likely to be a worthy flex play for the fantasy playoffs.

James Starks, RB, GB – Who the hell saw this coming!? Starks saw by far the most carries of any Packer this weekend and performed well with them totaling 73 yards on 18 carries.  John Kuhn saw the 2nd most carries with just 6, but he maintained his role as the goal line back and was able to punch one in.  With Starks looking to take the lead carries and Kuhn sure to get the work at the goal line, Brandon Jackson may not have any value left outside of PPR leagues.  Wait a week to drop him, but I wouldn’t start Starks or Jackson until we see if this was just a one week thing, or a new trend.

Benjamin Watson, TE, CLE – TEs are a mess this season… now Heath Miller and Todd Heap join the list of injured players at this position.  Watson had 100 yards receiving with Jake Delhomme at QB this week.  Colt McCoy loved Watson before his injury and he has been a consistent producer for fantasy owners in deep leagues.  It’s time to call him up to be used in standard leagues with the injuries stacking up!

Rashad Jennings, RB, JAC - We are moving into the playoffs for fantasy owners and handcuffs are a must-have if your lucky enough to have one of the few studs left at RB.  The trend in the NFL is to split RB carries to ensure long careers out of their highly paid young prospects.  This is not beneficial to fantasy owners who have a late draft pick. However, what is worse is when your star goes down with an injury late in the season… just like Michael Turner did last year!  If you own Maurice Jones-Drew, Jennings is a must-add for your team to ensure that this aging star doesn’t go down and leave you SOL.

Dump List

Randy Moss, WR, TEN – In the playoffs, fantasy owners must rely on their trusted players to make it through each week.  Since one loss ends your season, you have to ask yourself if you can live with your decision through the entire off season should it go the wrong direction!  After an entire season of disappointments, Moss is not able to be trusted so you may as well get someone who actually has upside.

Mike Williams, WR, SEA - His injury isn’t likely to be season ending, but with it being his 2nd one in a row… he is likely to need a game or two to get used to the speed of a live game again.

Justin Forsett, RB, SEA – There are no really good match ups left on the Seahawks schedule and since Forsett was so far behind Lynch in production this week, there just isn’t enough time left in the fantasy season for Forsett to be a factor again.

Keiland Williams, RB, WAS – It was a short run… but Williams’ ride is over. Torain is about to come back from injury and James Davis appears to be the guy that Shanahan wants to see get the work.

Ryan Mathews, RB, SD – See Randy Moss.

Donald Brown, RB, IND – There just doesn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel for Brown.  He hasn’t had a break out performance all year and Javarris James is the guy getting the goal line work with Addai being out.  The Colts are DYING for Addai to return and when he does, Brown will only be used when necessary.  Expect Addai to make it into the lineup for week 14, but even if he isn’t, don’t leave your season in the hands of Brown.

Blair White, WR, IND – Collie is expected to return from injury this week and that will kill White’s value.  You may want to hold him for a week to see if Collie can stay healthy, but definitely don’t start White when he is 4th on the depth chart.

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Pickups

Mike Goodson, RB, CAR – We are back to a two-headed beast at RB for the Panthers, but now Goodson is the lead back.  He has a lot of value added from his involvement in the passing game, so even though Stewart was the better rusher this week… Goodson scored the TD and racked up 81 receiving yards.  Stewart and Goodson must be owned but if you got them both, Goodson is the guy you want to start.

Deion Branch, WR, NE - This guy is only owned in 53% of Yahoo leagues and I heard a rumor once that Tom Brady is pretty good.  This type of performance can not be expected weekly, the reason being he only saw 5 targets on the entire game.  On his 5 targets, he caught 3 passes for 113 yards and found the end zone on 2 of them.  He is a flex play in deep formats, but quality depth for your bench in a standard league.

Maurice Morris, RB, DET – Jahvid Best’s turf toes are too much to keep him on the field for the Lions’ thanksgiving day loss to the Patriots. Maurice Morris saw just 9 carries for 55 yards, but he scored twice.  I expect him to keep getting the goal line work and with the Lions offense being more than capable of moving the ball down the field, he should maintain some value the rest of the time that Best and Smith are injured.

Ben Obomanu, WR, SEA – Mike Williams was out in week 12 and Obomanu caught 5 balls for 159 yards and a score.  That makes 3 TDs in his last 4 games and an average of 85 yards per game over the same time frame.  Ben’s value takes a hit when Williams comes back, but he should be sure to see snaps as a slot receiver when he is back and is worth owning in standard formats as well as deep leagues.  Also Seattle is in a weak division, so their schedule the rest of the way is favorable and they will be clawing for their division title.

Mike Tolbert, RB, SD – I know your thinking that he shouldn’t be on this list, because he isn’t available… but in about 20% of Yahoo leagues he is unowned.  After back to back 100 yard performances, I am not even too scared about Mathews coming back and eating away at his workload.  Tolbert has been by far the best running back on the Chargers and should still see a lion’s share of the carries when their number 1 draft pick returns.

Toby Gerhart, RB, MIN - He is one of the best handcuffs in fantasy football.  The AP injury doesn’t seem to be bad, so I wouldn’t rush to go and pick him up… unless you own Peterson.  If your a Peterson owner, you are asking for trouble if you don’t go pick up Gerhart right now.  Moves like this ensure depth going into the playoffs and can save your season from ending early due to injury.

Jacoby Ford, WR, OAK – Ford racked up 324 all-purpose yards in a loss to the Dolphins on Sunday.  The concern here is always consistency, The Raiders went with Bruce Gradkowski at QB in this game and the pressure came early and often to force Bruce to have just over 50% completion percentage.  Also, over 200 of Ford’s yards came from kickoff returns, so if your league counts those… then Ford is a flex start for you right away, go scoop him up!

Dump List

Michael Bush, RB, OAK - If you are fighting for a playoff spot in your league, then you can’t afford the hold onto a handcuff like Bush.  The Raiders have a carousel at the QB position and Bush has not been able to contribute to their rushing attack since DMC (Darren McFadden) returned from injury.  If your a McFadden owner, and have your playoff spot locked up, then hold him… or go out and pick him up!

Zach Miller, TE, OAK – Planar Fascia injuries are really painful, and now he has added a fibula injury to the mix.  Expect him to miss some time and once he is back, the playoffs are not the time to take a risk on an injured guy.

Steve Smith, WR, CAR - In a week where playoff hopes hang in the balance, feel free to cut this under achiever from your team in favor of someone you might actually want to start.  The QB position is the reason for his downfall in production, but since the running game is clicking and he still isn’t able to produce… I don’t know what the Panthers could fix to change this.

Jerome Harrison, RB, PHI - Record-setting performances can make a lot of people look good.  Harrison hasn’t been able to be productive since the huge game against the Redskins and I can’t see a situation where he is again, apart from McCoy getting hurt.

Donald Driver, WR, GB - He is old and slowed by his injury.  He is still the 2nd WR on the depth chart, but I expect James Jones to take most of the targets and eventually the starting job from Driver over the course of the season.

Keiland Williams, RB, WAS - If you’re clawing for a playoff spot, Williams is probably too risky for you to trust as a starter.  Don’t worry about dropping him after a terrible performance, Torain will be healthy soon enough!

Vincent Jackson, WR, SD – Early reports today say that Jackson has suffered injuries to both of his calves.  We don’t yet know how severe it is, but he is clearly not in game shape.  He is just too risky for my liking this late in the fantasy-season.

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