Pickups

DeMarco Murray, RB, DAL – In most leagues he was picked up last week, but you need to check and make sure that he was picked up after a 253 yard outing against the Rams yesterday.  Murray set the Cowboys single game record for rushing yards and if he can remain a productive back for another week or two, he will be a serious threat to Felix Jones’ workload the rest of the season.

Michael Jenkins, WR, MIN – Christian Ponder impressed me against the Packers yesterday. With a back like Adrian Peterson for defenses to worry about, they are not able to devote much time to puzzling the rookie QB. Jenkins only caught three passes on eight targets but had 111 yards and a TD. It is not clear whether or not Jenkins is going to be able to continue this production, but Ponder gives him enough upside that I think you should go pick him up and leave him on your bench till we see if Jenkins and Ponder can put together a repeat performance.

Roy Helu, RB, WAS – With Hightower out for the rest of the season, Helu is due to see a big increase in work. I believe things will start with Torain as the main guy and Helu as the 3rd down/change of pace, but Torain is injury prone and Helu could be a feature back before long.

Fred Davis, TE, WAS – Cooley has been out a lot with injury and at his age, I think Davis is the better player.  The value of either guy is pretty dependent on the QB play in Washington, but Beck had a pretty solid second half and Davis was able to rack up 80 yards and a score on 6 catches. Almost all of which was in the 2nd half.  Santana Moss is also going to miss a month or two and Davis should see some significant production in his absence.

Michael Bush, RB, OAK – Darren McFadden has a sprained foot, which is good for his owners because it is NOT a high-ankle sprain.  The Bye week comes up next week for the Raiders and they will have time to get Carson Palmer acclimated to the offense and DMC healthy again.  But it is far from a lock that DMC is back in week 9 and Bush ran very well this week in his absence with simply TERRIBLE quarterback play. Look ahead to week 9 and if you need an RB, pick up Bush.

Antonio Brown, WR, PIT – Brown is battling it out with Emmanuel Sanders for fantasy relevance right now. Brown currently has the edge in my eyes though because he was targeted more against the Cardinals on Sunday, but I am not sold that either guy is someone worth a start.  This was a good match up for the Steelers against a soft secondary and lack luster pass rush, so Ben was able to take the time and find the open receiver deep.  The main issue I have with starting either guy is that Ben typically doesn’t have time to hit a receiver deep down the field with his offensive line playing as poorly as they have this season.  Stash Brown on your bench for now, but you shouldn’t leave him on the waiver wire either!

Dump List

Jacoby Jones, WR, HOU – The passing game production has been down since the emergence of Arian Foster last year.  This was a blow to Schaub’s value and it looks as though without Andre Johnson in the lineup, no one will be a consistent producer at receiver.  It looks as though AJ will be back for week 8 and even if he misses time, I would try to look somewhere other than Jones.

Santana Moss, WR, WAS – I don’t see it worth the roster spot to hold Moss for 5-7 weeks unless you team looks stacked and your worst bye weeks are behind you.

Tashard Choice, RB, DAL – It’s clearly Murray who will see the lion’s share of the work load while Felix Jones is out.  Jerry Jones was shopping Choice for a possible deal before trade deadline passed.  Clearly he isn’t a big part of their plans unless Murray and Jones are both out in any given week or maybe if they really want to fumble.

Greg Little, WR, CLE – I know there isn’t a clear #1 receiver on this team talent-wise and Little IS the guy that I would want to own… but if you can’t get more than 6 points against the Seahawks, I am not at all confident in your ability to turn things around too much.  Watson is still the most valuable receiver that Colt McCoy has at his disposal.

Dallas Clark, TE, IND – Talent isn’t enough on this apparently awful Colts team.  Clark will have a decent game or two this season but I am treating him as another of the many potential weekly pick-ups that you should be choosing from based off match up.

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Texans at Titans

Houston failed to run away with the division as I had thought they would and Tennessee actually sits in first at 3-2 with the Texans at 3-3.  The Titans got off to a VERY fast start when Kenny Britt was healthy and even with VERY limited production from Chris Johnson over the first three weeks. Johnson HAS had 12 fantasy points in two consecutive games to start to recoup some of his value but with where you drafted him and the size of his contract, I think we ALL can agree that one 100 yard rushing game is not good enough. Both defenses here are allowing just over 100 yards on the ground per game and I think that the Tate and Foster combo will prove to be too much for Tennessee to deal with.  Matt Schaub is listed as Questionable at the moment but assuming he plays, I like the Titans to win this game handily. I think Chris Johnson and Arian Foster are must starts this week, as per the usual. And Nate Washington and Jacoby Jones are viable plug-in guys for an owner in Bye week hell.  In deeper formats Hasselbeck might be OK, but this Texans secondary is legitimate under Wade Phillips and you should look elsewhere if possible.

Chargers at Jets

With the Chargers’ record being this good, this early and the fact that the Jets have gone to two straight AFC championship games… I could see this being a preview of the AFC Championship game.  One thing needs to happen in order for us to get to that point though; The Jets need to play a LOT better. Both on offense and defense, the Jets are not the team I thought they would be and it all starts with the running game. The recipe for playoff success is simple; Run the ball and stop the run. Obviously you need to be able to stretch the field vertically to compete with the Drew Brees’, Aaron Rodgers’ and Tom Brady’s of the world, but nothing shuts these elite QBs down like a lot of time on the sideline. This is exactly why the Chargers are going to win this game and I am not convinced it will be close.  The Chargers are healthy on offense again with Antonio Gates looking to rejoin the list of Rivers’ targets on offense and the Bye week helped Ryan Mathews and Mike Tolbert get back into playing shape.  With two backs that are more productive than Shonn Greene and the Jets defense appearing unable to contain the running game, I think that we will see very limited fantasy production from all of your New York Jets.  The one guy I do want to start from New York is Santonio Holmes because of junk-time stats after the Chargers have already run away with it. Bye weeks might force you to use Greene, but I feel like you are hoping for a goal line carry or two here so that you can at least get a TD out of him. I think Mathews and Gates are in for big games for San Diego, but don’t expect too much from VJax and Rivers despite the fact that your going to be playing them.

Bears at Buccaneers

This game, if you didn’t know, is being played at Wembley Stadium in London. Tampa has made this trip to play in London and they learned a thing or two the last time they did it. Don’t travel to London late in the week and face jet lag as well as your opponent… Tampa has been in London since Monday and holding practices in England all week. Chicago waited until today to make the trip and as a result, I think Tampa Bay has a serious advantage in this game.  You couldn’t make me bench Matt Forte at all this season but since Cutler and his receivers are risky under ideal circumstances, just leave them on the bench this week. Mike Williams clings to a top 20 spot in the rankings despite his hugely disappointing season thus far, but if this advantage holds true, one step is all a receiver needs to beat coverage deep and Freeman is still more than good enough to to recoup his fantasy value.  Earnest Graham is worth a play to fill-in for a bye week despite the weak match-up should Blount sit and it looks like he will. You shouldn’t look to this game for any deep or sneaky plays, but you should see solid outings from the guys that you have been counting on all year long.  I think Tampa gets the win as the “home team” and stays on top of their division.

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Pickups

Earnest Graham, RB, TB – Graham did a great job filling in for Blount this week and solidified his spot in this article today by gaining 131 yards Sunday. I expect Blount back, but even as a backup Graham has value in PPR formats. Graham is 4th in the NFL in receptions among RB’s, which puts him above Chris Johnson, Fred Jackson and Ray Rice. Take note PPR players.

Jacoby Jones, WR, HOU – Houston is not the same team without Andre Johnson but as I thought, Jacoby Jones is the guy you want to take a chance on in Johnson’s absence. This week Jones was able to haul in 4 catches on 7 targets for 73 yards and a score. This is more than acceptable for a flex play.

Dallas Clark, TE, IND – Clark was targeted 7 times in this game and managed 53 yards and a score. Losing a fumble kept him out of double digit points, but I think he still needs to be owned. Without Manning he is no better than a top 10 guy, but last I checked that makes him a weekly starter and a lot of people dropped him too soon.

Danario Alexander, WR, STL – I’ve made my choice for which Rams receiver I would want to start should I need to. It’s nothing more than apparent trust with Bradford either. While three different receivers were targeted exactly 10 times, Alexander hauled in 6 of them for a team-high 91 yards receiving.

Arrelious Benn, WR, TB – The Buccs made a statement when they beat the Saints in Tampa on Sunday afternoon. After being dismantled by the 49ers last week, many people (myself included) were questioning whether they would have what it takes to be a playoff contender late into the season. The answer is in: maybe. Tampa is a young and dangerous team, they beat an NFC powerhouse with a total team effort. Back up RB Earnest Graham proved he has fantasy value, especially in PPR leagues by doing a great job filling in for LeGarrette Blount. The defense intercepted Brees 3 times and Tampa put themselves on top of the NFC South. Benn has made some explosive plays and is worth a roster spot to me in some deep formats.

Dump List

Denarius Moore, WR, OAK – I do a lot of warning about Raiders receivers lately. I am OK with picking one up after a big game if you have an open roster spot, but don’t not pick up someone on my pickups list to save room for any Raider receiver not named Jacoby Ford.

Pierre Thomas, RB, NO – Sproles has been the surprise stud of the Saints’ running backs and with Ingram handling most of the traditional carries, Thomas just doesn’t have enough work left over to be much of a factor. Unless someone gets hurt, you can’t risk starting Thomas.

Chad Ochocinco, WR, NE – He’s still owned in almost half of leagues. Really? When will you guys finally give up!? It’s definitely time to drop this once great receiver.

Thomas Jones, RB, KC – Still owned in a quarter of all leagues. Jackie Battle is the guy and Jones is done. McCluster has the 3rd down back duties and I wouldn’t even start Jones if Battle went down for the season next week.

Johnny Knox, WR, CHI – Cutler actually had time to throw this week and Knox STILL couldn’t get it done. I’m more than OK with dropping Knox at this point… I recommend it.

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Studs

Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN – You drafted him for consistency and that is why he has stayed at the top of my rankings all this time.  Many of his owners were upset that he hasn’t had a really big game yet this season. So please, stop now! Three TD’s in the first quarter definitely qualifies as a HUGE game and was enough to earn more fantasy points than any other player in week 5.

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT – About time right? Ben finally blew up and threw for 5 TD’s and 1 INT on Sunday to go along with his 228 yards. Most impressively was completing 25 of 35 passes with a poor offensive line protecting him. He was never someone I would consider dropping and I won’t let one game pull him outta the doghouse, but if he can get back to 20+ fantasy points next week I will have to bring him back into the top 8 or so at QB.

Matt Cassel, QB, KC – Cassel waited until roughly every single fantasy owner had jumped ship and dropped him to finally have a good game. Cassel threw for 257 yards with 4 TDs and was tied for the 2nd best fantasy QB of the week. This was a fluke. There is no need to go pick him up, but it does make me like Steve Breaston a little bit more. The bottom line is that unless Jackie Battle is able to keep up such a productive rushing attack, the passing game is just not going to be able to get going.

Pierre Garcon, WR, IND – I have a hard time viewing this as not a fluke. Maybe it’s because he beat me this past week with his 125 yards and 2 TDs, but it also might be because i’ve seen this before.  Garcon does a good job of getting open and has plenty of upside, but he is inconsistent and frequently struggles with drops. This is compounded by Painter being a consistency issue as well. The stars have been aligned for these two the past two weeks, but I couldn’t start Garcon next week unless I was desperate.

Victor Cruz, WR, NYG – There are a lot of people who want to call this a fluke. I will agree that the TD catch WAS a fluke, but Cruz is not. He led the Giants in targets with 11 last week and hasn’t been behind ANYONE other than Nicks since week 3. Eli trusts him and is looking for him.  Cruz is a play maker and as long as he is being thrown to, he will be able to keep putting up numbers. I think Cruz has passed Manningham in my rankings and I don’t see that changing. If you didn’t see the catch, make sure you watch it below. (I hope you don’t mind salsa music…)

Duds

Mike Williams, WR, TB – I guess it really is time to panic. The 49ers should have been a very beatable team for the Buccaneers, but instead Tampa Bay just got crushed. They couldn’t stop the run or the pass on defense and the offense was not able to get ANYTHING going. I can’t in good conscience keep him in my top 20 at WR any longer. You should be looking for a long term replacement, but don’t drop him from your team just yet.

Josh Freeman, QB, TB – See Mike Williams.

Stevie Johnson, WR, BUF – I’m not worried at all about Johnson, but two points is lower than you were hoping for in week 5.  Whether they are winning or not, the Eagles have some great corner backs and I won’t even expect a big performance from a receiver against that group.

Jacoby Jones, WR, HOU – Walter definitely saw an increase in stats after Andre Johnson was inactive for week 5. I expected Jones to be the guy that filled in and I still think he will be the better start for the next few weeks. Walter is just not as good of a red zone target, though if it was a PPR league I would give the nod to Walter.

Matt Ryan, QB, ATL – I know it was against Green Bay, but the Falcon’s week 5 loss really makes me nervous. I thought they were a MUCH better team at home?! Michael Turner was the only guy that looked good for Atlanta in this game as Matt Ryan didn’t even pass 200 yards.

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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

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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Pickups

James Jones, WR, GB - If you are in a very competitive league with people that do their homework, Jones will not still be available.  He had a huge day filling in for Driver this week and if he can keep it up while Driver gets back to 100% it is entirely possible that Jones becomes the new #2 receiver for Rodgers and the Packers. Don’t let him remain unowned in your league for another day.

Mike Tolbert, RB, SD - With Ryan Mathews leaving this game after re-aggravating the same injury that has been hampering him all season, it is easy to see a scenario where Tolbert takes the reins of this rushing offense and with him already getting the goal line carries he will be a top 20 RB if Mathews does miss time after the Chargers week 10 bye.

Mike Goodson, RB, CAR - Admittedly, you are going to need to be pretty desperate to pick up and start Goodson.  But, with DeAngelo Williams being out for 2 weeks in a row, Jonathan Stewart leaving this game with a concussion and Tyrell Sutton unable to finish the game either… Goodson could see 20 plus carries next week if Williams is not able to go.

Nate Burleson, WR, DET - This may all be a waste since Stafford is hurt again and has been the reason that Burleson has value.  But, if you are in a PPR league you should go for it anyways.  Calvin Johnson runs the deep routes all game and Burleson handles all of the possession routes.  In standard formats you should watch to see if Stafford is going to be OK before making a move on Burleson.

Bernard Berrian, WR, MIN - Anyone who thought Brett Favre was done was mistaken.  There is no quit in that senior citizen and that is demonstrated by him putting up a career-high 446 passing yards in a tough overtime victory over the struggling Cardinals.  This value will only hold until Sidney Rice returns and that could be as soon as this week.

Jacoby Jones, WR, HOU - With a game coming up against the Jaguars, who can’t cover receivers to save their lives, Jones is a sleeper pick for Week 10.  Jones is a big, physical receiver much like Andre Johnson and this is one of the only weeks left on the schedule that is favorable for the Texans passing attack.

Mario Manningham, WR, NYG - The Giants are an incredibly streaky team that goes from looking like an elite Super Bowl contender to looking inept on both sides of the ball.  For now, they look more like one of the best teams in the NFC and with a game against the Cowboys coming up in week 10, all their receiving threats get a significant upgrade in the rankings this week.  Manningham should be able to cover for you as a flex play this week if your having injury or bye-week issues.

Mike Thomas, WR, JAC - Thomas is my third option as a injury/bye-week fill-in this week.  The team that allows the second most points per week to the WR position is the Houston Texans.  This game should be filled with big passing plays due to how inept each secondary is and before their last game in week 8, Thomas was the best receiver for the Jaguars.

Dump List

Darren Sproles, RB, SD – It really looked like Sproles was going to go back to being used by the Chargers offense this week considering all the injuries to receivers and how effective he is in the passing game.  Unfortunately even when Mathews was knocked out of the game, Sproles did not get used and shouldn’t be trusted at all the rest of the year.

Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR – He just doesn’t have it in him anymore.  The Panthers offense is struggling and there is no telling who will lineup at QB for them any given week.  That inconsistency and the below-average play of Stewart make him a complete bust for this season, so get out while you still may be able to salvage your team!

Brent Celek, TE, PHI - Vick just doesn’t look for Celek with any regularity.  You may not be able to find a better option on free agency, but if you can then don’t feel bad about dumping Celek.

CJ Spiller, RB, BUF - I don’t care how dynamic of a play maker he is, you can’t wait forever for this guy to prove his worth.  He is on a bad team, with an inconsistent offense and since he has only had one decent week all year, you can’t trust him to start him… so just drop him and let him be someone else’s headache.

Marion Barber, RB, DAL - The Cowboys are a bad team.  It may not have looked like it going into the season, but as they fight with the Bills for the number 1 draft pick and are completely unable to run the ball, there is no reason to hold on to their number 2 RB.

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Peyton Hillis, RB, CLE – Active
Calvin Johnson, WR, DET – Active
Jacoby Jones, WR, HOU – Active
Legedu Naanee, WR, SD – Inactive
Mike Williams, WR, TB – Active

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