Week 13 Waiver Pickups

Black Friday. Cyber Monday. How about Waiver Wire Tuesday? Now that’s a shopping day we can all appreciate. Put down those scissors. No coupon necessary. No crowded parking lots or endless lines either. Not sure why this shopping phenomenon hasn’t caught on.

Topping my shopping list this week is Colin Kaepernick, who delivered once again for San Francisco. If rules permitted, I’d buy him in bulk form. A surprise find is Mohamed Sanu, who scored twice within the 5-yard line. Never heard of him? It’s OK. I’ll explain below. I also found a three-pack special on Jacksonville Jaguars. I can’t help it. They’re on sale!

I know you’re all teed up and ready to shop, so without further adieu, let the games begin.

Mohamed Sanu, WR, Cincinnati Bengals – The Cincy wide receiver now has four touchdowns in three games. On Sunday, he caught five receptions for only 29 yards, but found the end zone twice. And did I mention that one of those was with one hand tied behind his back? Two observations: 1) Sanu becomes a bigger threat as A.J. Green gets double coverage, and 2) Start all receivers against the Raiders. Always.  Available in 97 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers – Wow. He can play. No QB controversy here with stats like this. In two starts, he has 474 yards and four touchdowns. Understandably, there were doubters, wanting to see more than one impressive start. Convinced yet? Available in 64 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Michael Bush, RB, Chicago Bears – Matt Forte’s injury means more Michael Bush, who took advantage with 60 yards on 21 carries, including two scores. Not worried about the Seahawks matchup this week. Did you see what Miami did? Available in 44 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts – Hilton has impressed with back-to-back, two-touchdown performances. Consider him a strong WR3 and climbing. Keeper league owners take note – Andrew Luck and Hilton have only just begun. Available in 57 percent of Yahoo! leagues.  

Cecil Shorts, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars – Yes, I realize he’s a Jag, but their offense is hot! Get him while you can. Shorts has quietly put together some strong numbers, and expect for those to maintain – if not improve – with Chad Henne at the helm. On Sunday, Shorts reeled in four passes for 105 yards. Next up, Buffalo. Yummy. Available in 40 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Justin Blackmon, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars – Equally aware he’s a Jag too. Blackmon scored again to make it two straight weeks. He’s on a roll! Let this ride, and start him again on Sunday against the Bills, who surrender the 11^th most fantasy points to wide receivers. Available in 40 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Chad Henne, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars – I’m running out of ways to brag about the Jags. Credit the new starter Henne, who is throwing magic bullets to his receiving corp. On Sunday, Henne was 17-of-26 for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Take the hot hand as it shuffles into Buffalo. Available in 89 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Rashad Jennings, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars – This is one Jag you can pass on. Just wanted to make sure you were reading carefully. At 2.7 yards per carry, no thank you.

Knowshon Moreno, RB, Denver Broncos – Did I say Ronnie Hillman last week? I meant Knowshon Moreno! In all fairness he hadn’t played since week 2 and was inactive prior to week 12. But yes, there was a hint that he would start. Just maybe, somehow, he’d get the nod. And he did. Toting the ball 20 times for 80 yards, he’s a good start this week in your RB2 or RB3 spot. Available in 80 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Justin Forsett, RB, Houston Texans – Talk about a fantasy touchdown. A fake touchdown delivered real points in fantasyland last week. While Forsett is mostly used as a breather for Arian Foster, look for Forsett to shoulder more of the load as the Texans inch closer to the end of the season, Keep your eye on Ben Tate too, who is nearing a return. Both are widely available.

Pittsburgh Steelers – While their price tags have been slashed, just keep walking. Good grief. Are they the new Chiefs?

Erin Skelley joins Texans Radio every week on SportsRadio 610. Follow her on Twitter @erinskelley. She’ll babble fantasy to anyone who will listen.

 

Week 12 Waiver Pickups

‘Tis the season for giving thanks. Matt Schaub, I am thankful for you. I am thankful for your 43 completions for 527 yards against a feisty Jaguars defense. I am wildly thankful for each of your five touchdowns. Of course, the final touchdown, while its fantasy value is the same as any other touchdown, certainly felt more special as the Texans overtime game winner.

 

And wow, Andre Johnson! I am thankful for you too. Even in your 10^th year, you showed ageless speed and grit as you mustered 273 yards, including a 48-yard dash to clinch the win. Happy Thanksgiving, indeed!

 

All this thankfulness is making me rather full. Especially with the giant portion of turkey I’ve swallowed all season. Yes, my fantasy turkeys, your fantasy turkeys – we all have turkeys who have ruined our cornucopia of wins. Ahem, Cam Newton and Darren McFadden, you’re featured on the fantasy failure menu. Michael Vick, Greg Jennings and Calvin Johnson deserve a seat at this table too, as do most Chiefs, Jets and Jags.

 

I could get carried away but I won’t. In the spirit of the holidays, I invite all my players to my faux Thanksgiving table. Even Chris Johnson. As we share in our gratitude, all I ask if you give me a double helping of touchdowns. Each of you. Is that too much to ask? I assure you, it’s what the pilgrims had in mind.  

 

As promised, here are a few yummy waiver dishes. Load up. Overindulging is encouraged.

 

Chad Henne, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars – I am thankful for Jags coach Mike Mularkey too, as he declared Henne the starter on Monday. That’s like a secret shout out to fantasy owners, as we typically have to wait for crucial decisions like this. He totally gets us! Henne was a mastermind on Sunday, putting up 354 yards and four touchdowns against a hardy Texans defense. Stats like that are difficult to repeat, but he faces a Titans defense that’s vulnerable against the pass. Available in 97 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

 

Danario Alexander, WR, San Diego Chargers – We can all agree Phillip Rivers hasn’t done much this year. But the last two weeks, he’s connected with Alexander for 230 yards including three touchdowns. Alexander becomes a big threat against the Ravens this week, who will be without Ed Reed. Available in 75 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

 

Justin Blackmon, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars – Henne’s receivers came alive under his command. Blackmon especially impressed with 236 yards and a touchdown. This is fantastic! Unless you already dropped him. Like Henne, duplication of this performance will be difficult. This week, however, Blackmon is matched up against a Tennessee defense that is generous to wide receivers. Start Blackmon. Available in 72 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

 

Ronnie Hillman, RB, Denver Broncos – With Willis McGahee sidelined for 6-8 weeks, Hillman is the man to plug in. While you can’t expect the production of McGahee, he will reap the rewards of being part of a solid Denver offense. The Broncos take on the Chiefs this week, who have given up the seventh most fantasy points to running backs. Available in 81 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

 

Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers – He can do more than run, that’s for sure. In fact, Kaepernick only ran four times for 12 yards. His arm, however, lit up the Bears for 243 yards and two touchdowns. It was a different – and improved – offense with Kaepernick at the helm, so QB controversy is already buzzing. Worth a gamble to pick up this kid. And by the way, San Francisco plays New Orleans this week. Perfect. Available in 95 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

 

Beanie Wells, RB, Arizona Cardinals – He’s back! Expect Beanie to start Week 12, instead of the ho-hum LaRod Stephens-Howling. While he’ll probably share some of the carries this week, Wells workload should increase moving forward. Get him if you can. Available in 72 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

 

Erin Skelley joins Texans Radio every week on SportsRadio 610. Follow her on Twitter @erinskelley. She’ll babble fantasy to anyone who will listen.

Week 11 Waiver Pickups

Michael Vick took a hit. Jay Cutler went down too. Even Big Ben crumbled. But the one with the biggest, most crushing hit of them all – my fantasy team, which suffered a helmet-to-helmet blow on Sunday. And I don’t think smelling salts or mandated rest is going to revive this little underachieving squad. Fortunately, I have so many teams that I can just dump this lineup of regrets at the nearest curbside and hope someone finds it as useful as a stinky couch.

With injury – even the temporary variety – comes opportunity. It appears Roethlisberger is out for the regular season, which declares Byron Leftwich the starter on Sunday. And Nick Foles, whom many Eagles diehards have been warmly suggesting, will be promoted to starter as well. If you’re in a super deep league, as I am, these backup quarterbacks create a waiver wire frenzy.

Week 10 seemed to bring us an unusual amount of injuries. Perhaps I’m just hypersensitive because my team was struck hard by the pandemic. It’s always worse when it happens to you. But that’s what the waiver is for. Pick smart and pick often. Good luck to all.

Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles – It was probably time anyway with Vick’s repeated lackluster performances. Foles impressed during pre-season (completing 40 of 63 passes for 553 yards and six touchdowns), but keep in mind he’s a rookie and Sunday will be his first career start. I worry about the spotty pass protection too. Still, for all you deep leaguers, grab him. Philly draws a good matchup this week vs. the Redskins soft pass defense. Available in 96 percent of Yahoo! leagues. 

Chris Ivory, RB, New Orleans Saints – New Orleans stockpiles running backs the way New England loads up on tight ends. Ivory is back in the mix after rushing for 72 yards on seven carries, and a touchdown on Sunday. He showed signs he was back in Week 9 when he tallied over 11 fantasy points including a 56-yard run. But he was largely overlooked because he didn’t have many carries. That will likely change now. Consider Ivory a good pickup for deep leagues, and a decent start at the RB3 position if Darren Sproles remains inactive. Available in 88 percent of Yahoo! leagues.  

Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Oakland Raiders – Say hey to DHB, who reeled in five catches for 82 yards, including a touchdown. Over the last four weeks, Heyward-Bey has shown steady production with at least nine points per game, including Sunday’s 16-point performance. Up next is New Orleans, where the defense has the blues, especially against wideouts. Available in 46 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

James Starks, RB, Green Bay Packers – The Packers changed starting running backs again, this time, Starks winning the job over Alex Green in Week 9. Starks finished with 17 carries for 61 yards and will remain the starter; however, the Starks-Green duo is expected to remain a timeshare. Pluck Starks for your RB3 or flex position. Available in 86 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Marcel Reece, RB, Oakland Raiders – Reece, who made the list last week, tallied 104 yards on Sunday, and clearly the favorite over Tawain Jones. The backup to the backup RB rushed for 48 yards, while catching seven passes for 56 yards. With Darren McFadden’s return looming, Reece is likely just a spot starter. Take advantage while you can. Still unsure? This week, the Raiders take on the Saints, who yield the second most fantasy points to running backs. Available in 67 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Carson Palmer, QB, Oakland Raiders – I’m not going to apologize for listing another Raider. Look at his stats: Completed 29 of 45 passes, 368 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. And you know he is salivating over this week’s start – the Saints, who surrender the most fantasy points to quarterbacks. Available in 42 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Erin Skelley joins Texans Radio every week on SportsRadio 610. Follow her on Twitter @erinskelley. She’ll babble fantasy to anyone who will listen.  

Week 10 Waiver Pickups

Remember those television commercials promoting fantasy football play? I know you saw them. They were on a constant loop on the NFL Network, even after the season started. They still aired in Week 3, and then Week 4. Even Week 8. Come on, who would join this late?

Me. Naturally.

It’s not too late, apparently. Nor is it too many. Nor too ridiculous. As Chester Pitts ribbed me during the Houston Texans pre-game show, I realized I’ve never said no. I have never ever turned down a fantasy football invite. This story is getting more pathetic.

It’s not that I just wanted more, but I wanted a chance to start over. We all want do-overs, right? And this was a chance to do that. Of course, I really wish I could apply this little magic mulligan to other parts of my life. Oh where to begin…

Obviously, guys like Adrian Peterson, Alfred Morris, Robert Griffin III and Houston Texans’ own Owen Daniels were all taken much higher in this re-draft. Pretty cool to see Arian Foster standing firm at the No. 1 position.

I’m guessing most owners stick with their one team, perhaps two. And that’s fine. If you’re maxed out already, this means you better nurture the one you have. And what a perfect segue into this week’s waiver pickups. Of course, if you do choose to start another league, can you send me an invite?

Marcell Reece, RB, Oakland Raiders – Down goes Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson too. Reece and Taiwan Jones will share duties in replacing DMC, as they take on Baltimore this week. While the starter has not yet been named, it appears Reece will get the nod. He’s worth an RB2 spot, if he starts. Remember, this isn’t the 2011 Ravens run defense. Available in 96 percent of Yahoo! leagues. 

Isaac Redman, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers – Guessing the Steelers’ backfield starter each week isn’t easy. But this week, it’s Redman, with injuries to Rashard Mendenhall and Jonathan Dwyer. Count on Redman, who tore up the Giants last week with 26 carries for 147 yards and a score. Now imagine he’s playing the Chiefs. Available in 49 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Danny Amendola, WR, St. Louis Rams – The PPR standout is set to return from a dislocated shoulder Week 10 when the Rams travel to San Francisco (gulp). His point production varied when healthy, but he appeared to be on an upward climb and developing a strong rhythm with quarterback Sam Bradford before he injured himself. Consider Amdendola a strong No. 3 play this week, as he faces one of the toughest pass defenses in the league. If you hold Chris Givens, sorry; it was nice while it lasted. Available in 39 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buffalo Bills – You may have laughed when I mentioned the Amish Rifle on Texans Radio last week as a future pickup. And you may have laughed again after seeing how Fitzpatrick fared in Sunday’s contest at Reliant Stadium. But wait, this Sunday he faces a Pats defense that surrenders the fifth most fantasy points to quarterbacks. Are you still laughing? Consider Fitz a good pickup in deep or 2-QB leagues. Available everywhere outside of Buffalo.

T. Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts – Donnie Avery’s injury gave opportunity for Hilton, who pored in 102 yards on six receptions, plus a touchdown on Sunday. Hilton appears to be a huge playmaker just waiting to bust out. Thursday’s matchup is generous against the Jags defense. If Avery rests with the early game, consider Hilton an even bigger play. Available in 92 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Brandon Myers, TE, Oakland Raiders – With so many standouts at tight end, Myers has gone largely overlooked – in part, because he had only one score prior to Week 9’s contest. He’s certainly getting attention now, as he reeled in eight passes for 59 yards and a touchdown – and saw the team’s most targets (13) on Sunday. He’s a steady producer in terms of targets and yardage, so you’re unlikely to get blanked. If he scores against the Ravens, consider it a bonus. Available in 78 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Erin Skelley joins Texans Radio every week on SportsRadio 610. Follow her on Twitter @erinskelley. She’ll babble fantasy to anyone who will listen.