Fantasy Football Week 17 Waiver Pickups

There are two kinds of people reading this article right now. Those lucky enough to be competing in their fantasy league Super Bowl. And my parents. It’s a grueling 16-week battle to make it this far. And while the number of fantasy enthusiasts still enthused is dwindling, those who do care are on hypersensitive fantasy mode. In fact, I recommend keeping your distance from anyone near a Stat Tracker on Sunday. Take it from me, we can be downright annoying.

Congratulations to those still in it! And for those who didn’t make it, why are you reading this?

Here are this week’s recommended waiver pickups:

Edwin Baker, RB, Cleveland Browns – The Browns reached way back to the practice squad for this young pup. Going against a stout Jets run defense, Baker rushed for 64 yards on 17 carries, plus a touchdown. Baker is projected to be the starter this week when the Browns take on the Steelers who are only average against the run. Available in 99 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Marcedes Lewis, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars – A disappointing year for Lewis, but he’s beginning to become fantasy relevant right as the season ends. On Sunday, Lewis reeled in four catches for 50 yards and a score. Lewis has four touchdowns in the last five games. Available in 96 percent of Yahoo leagues.

LeGarrette Blount, RB, New England Patriots – Look, I can’t say this with absolute certainty, but it appears that just maybe Blount is the favorite back in New England. On Sunday, Blount rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns, and more importantly made me feel better about benching Shane Vereen. Available in 90 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Donald Brown, RB, Indianapolis Colts – No stranger to this list, Brown continues to improve over the course of the season. Brown rushed for 79 yards and a rushing touchdown, while adding another 31 in the air with another score. On Sunday, he faces a Jags defense that allows the 11^th most fantasy points to running backs. Available in 57 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Blitzen – Underrated reindeer, feared by most quarterbacks. 

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

Fantasy Football Week 16 Waiver Pickups

If you have Jamaal Charles, congratulations on your Super Bowl berth. Oh yeah, I have him... and nearly - and should have - lost. Check out these waiver wire pickups and good luck, fantasy footballers!

Fantasy Football Week 15 Waiver Pickups

If every game were like the Vikings-Ravens showdown, I wouldn’t even need fake football. Fantasy nurtures my need for drama, glory and apparently anxiety. Turns out, all I need is two minutes of snow football, with two teams who don’t play defense in purple outfits.

If you haven’t heard by now, you must must must find the highlights. Six fourth-quarter lead changes. Four touchdowns in the final 125 seconds. And a lot of disheartened Vikings fans when Joe Flacco connected with Marlon Brown in the final 4 seconds for the win.

 I hope Minnesota has a sense of humor.

As if that weren’t enough, just minutes later, the poor Browns almost pulled off an upset but fell to the Patriots 27-26 after losing an onside kick that gave Brady the chance to do what he does best. Win. I was rooting for the Browns so I didn’t find that game as riveting. But wow. I’m sure Boston fans everywhere are toasting chowda, proclaiming how wicked awesome that was. 

So how did your fantasy teams do? Big disappointments for those who own Matt Stafford. And yikes, Adrian Peterson and Rob Gronkowski left early with injuries. Josh Gordon amazed. Again. I don’t have his stats at my fingertips, but I’m pretty sure he has 10,000 yards over the last four games. Or pretty close to it.

Congratulations to those still alive in the playoffs. Here are this week’s waiver pickups: 

Toby Gerhart, RB, Minnesota Vikings – Peterson’s injury may only be a mild sprain, but Gerhart is worth the gamble, as he becomes the hottest waiver add if Peterson doesn’t play. After Peterson exited early, Toby put together a respectable performance with 15 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown… and a fumble, but that’s ok. It was slippery. Available in 46 percent of Yahoo leagues. 

Daniel Thomas, RB, Miami Dolphins – Impressive performance for Thomas, who collected 105 yards on 16 carries in relief for Lamar Miller, who left the game early with a concussion. Thomas also added a 4-yard touchdown run. If Miller can’t go, Thomas is a solid replacement. Available in 89 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Marcel Reece, RB, Oakland Raiders – Reece became a hot waiver add just seconds before the early games began on Sunday. Once again, Reece looked good in relief with 123 yards on 19 carries. I don’t love the Kansas City matchup this week, plus Rashad Jennings will likely be back. Keep your eye on this one. So yeah, Reece is my list fave RB on the list. Available in 88 percent of Yahoo leagues. 

Joique Bell, RB, Detroit Lions – Argh. I would have lost anyway, but I choose to blame Reggie Bush’s pre-game calf injury. Bell stepped up with 69 yards on 23 attempts, plus a touchdown. Bush is day-to-day. Bell becomes a must-start if Reggie sits. Available in 34 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Cordarrelle Patterson, WR Minnesota Vikings – I don’t care that the defenders were on a Slip’N Slide surface, Patterson blazed pass them with 141 yards on five receptions, including a touchdown. This week, the speedy wideout faces the Eagles who are weak against the pass. Available in 74 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Sunday Ticket – Thank you, Sunday Ticket. I don’t share my appreciation enough. But you earned your keep today in a single game. I will never ever question you again.

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

Fantasy Football Week 14 Waiver Pickups

Should I congratulate or console you? Is it a high-five or a shoulder to cry on? I’m talking about fantasy playoffs, of course, as most of us in fantasyland learned our playoff fate this weekend. If you own Alshon Jeffery, Josh Gordon or Eric Decker, then I’m guessing you had a very good day… unless of course, your opponent also had one of those guys. Yikes, talk about cruel.  

If you’re lucky enough to have Peyton Manning at the helm, then talk about anticlimactic. You should have clinched weeks ago! In fact, if you have any losses this year – at all – you are a terrible, terrible game manager. No one with Peyton should ever lose. Ever. Ok, I’ll give you a pardon week 9, his bye week. But that’s it.

Congrats to the very lucky (and skillful) who clinched a playoff berth! Now let’s go shopping the waiver wire:

Donald Brown, RB, Indianapolis Colts – It’s about time, right? Brown delivered on Sunday with 14 carries for 54 yards, and a touchdown. By comparison, Trent Richardson only saw five carries. Count on Brown continuing as the favored back moving forward. Available in 56 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Ladarius Green, TE, San Diego Chargers – Unless you already own Antonio Gates (or bleed powder blue), then you may not be familiar with the second-string tight end. Meet Ladarius Green, the fairly anonymous Charger who is beginning to gain attention in the fantasy world after back-to-back-to-back weeks of fantasy goodness. Over the last three weeks, Green has posted 81, 80 and 45-yard performances, while also finding the end zone in weeks 12 and 13. Greener pastures ahead! Available in 92 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals – Ok. If you overlook his fumble and two interceptions, he had a great game. Really, not kidding about that. On Sunday, Palmer boasted 302 passing yards and three touchdowns. And yes, three turnovers. BUT, he still got a ton of fantasy points. I love, love, love his matchup this week against the Rams, who are vulnerable against the pass. Available in 54 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco 49ers – Yep, not a stellar performance. Add him to your bench, and watch him improve each week. Available in 52 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Jared Cook, TE, Tennessee Titans – If I had owned him, I would have dropped him months ago. But he’s showing promise. Cook mustered only 49 yards on Sunday, but look at his matchup this week. No team gives up more fantasy points to tight ends than the Arizona Cardinals. Available in 42 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Montee Ball, RB, Denver Broncos – You hate this if you own Knowshon Moreno. Ball has become fantasy relevant over the past few weeks, with 13 carries for 117 yards on Sunday. Moreno is still the starter, but if you coached the Broncos wouldn’t you also rest Moreno down the stretch? 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.

Fantasy Football Week 13 Pickups

I have lots of teams. Lots and lots of teams. Comes in handy when one (or more) is just plain lousy. And that happens every single year. Like this year.

Fortunately, I had the foresight to hedge my losses. I drafted one team that is really special – so special, it has already secured a bye in the playoffs. I think I did this after week 3. Not really, but I like to think so.  

I have other squads in the hunt. Just barely. And I don’t even think I deserve it. Can you relate? You’re pretty good, but not great. Just good enough… and will need some smart pickups, and a lot of luck to get you to the promise land? Sound like you?

That’s me too.

It’s cool. They can’t all be awesome. After all, that would make awesome, uh, average. But it’s ok being average. Just be better than the guy you’re facing. Sounds so simple. You can start by taking a look at these waiver studs, and then add to your shopping cart. As always, hit me up on Twitter with your questions @erinskelley. Good luck, and happy turkey day… and in my case, Tofurky.

Bilal Powell, RB, New York Jets – Right when I started carving this turkey, Powell returns to relevancy after Chris Ivory injures his ankle in Sunday’s Jets-Ravens game. While he managed to gain only 41 yards, he added 24 in the air. And keep in mind, this is while Ivory was playing through the pain. Obviously, it’s too early to tell Ivory’s fate, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Powell start next week against the generous Miami run defense. Available in 61 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Benny Cunningham, RB, St. Louis Rams – Zac Stacy’s early exit provided opportunity for Cunningham who delivered with 109 yards and a touchdown. Of course, estimating Stacy’s return from a concussion is tricky, and really a guess at this point. If you’re thin at RB, he’s a good add, as even before Stacy’s injury, Cunningham was getting more carries. Available in 95 percent of Yahoo leagues.  

Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals – I’m totally serious. His 314 yards and two-touchdown performance against the Colts makes Palmer a credible pickup. Really. Love the upcoming matchups too: Eagles and Rams. Available in 60 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Mike Glennon, TB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Before you claim him, please read the warning label. Yes, he had another solid day with 247 yards and two touchdowns. And he has shown consistency over the last several games. But he does face a tough matchup against the Lions. Claim him as a backup, or a QB2 starter only. Available in 80 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Dennis Johnson, RB, Houston Texans – Not a lot went right for the Texans on Sunday. Except for Dennis Johnson, who ran for 74 yards on 13 carries. Starter Ben Tate was only able to muster 1 yard on 7 carries. Johnson will continue to share the load, but with this kind of success, Johnson should see more touches. Available in 89 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Minnesota Vikings – He’s not just a kick returner anymore. Patterson is becoming a bigger part of the offense, with eight catches for 54 yards on Sunday. I realize his quarterback isn’t very reliable and he hasn’t been consistent, but he’s a good grab on a depleted wire. Available in 81 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Mashed potatoes – Yum. This side dish is greatly underrated to the ho-hum Turkey that everyone yaps about. Potatoes makes everything better. Everything. Guaranteed to deliver a Thanksgiving win. Available in grocery stores everywhere.

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

Fantasy Football Week 12 Waiver Pickups

Fantasy analysts have a purpose. We dig through the statistics, the articles, the updates – the good, the bad, and the nonsense. We do the work to make your decisions easy. Cheers to analysts. But it comes with a price. If you follow any of us on Twitter (and ahem, please follow me… but not in a stalkery way), it can become almost unbearable reading all the “I told you so” tweets. Pretty, pretty annoying.

Of course, you have to be right to do that. And um, yes, I am working on that.

Enter Tampa Bay running back Bobby Rainey, who was touted by every fantasy analyst last week as a waiver wire grab. Kudos to the experts. Most of us also said Brian Leonard was the favorite to start, favorite to score. Rainey – 35.70 points. Leonard – 5.70 points. Experts – 0 points. 

As you hit the waiver wire, here is this week’s shopping list. And true to form, I must point out that last week, right here on HoustonTexans.com, I gave Rainey the edge.

Bobby Rainey, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – It was a coin flip call, that’s for sure. And if you called Rainey over Leonard, you won big with 163 rushing yards and three touchdowns. As long as fickle Bill Belichick or Mike Shanahan isn’t coaching Tampa Bay next week, look for Rainey to tote the rock again. Available in 74 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Jarrett Boykin, WR, Green Bay Packers – Another solid performance for the Green Bay receiver who reeled in eight catches for 91 yards. And this was with Scott Tolzien at the helm! Aaron Rodgers is scheduled to come back in the next two weeks, which should boost Boykin’s value even higher. Boykin is a solid WR3 play, on the verge of WR2. Available in 50 percent of Yahoo leagues. 

Donald Brown, RB, Indianapolis Colts – It’s Brown – and not Trent Richardson – who has emerged as the lead back for Indy. On Thursday, Brown finished with 80 yards on 14 carries, nearly twice as many as Richardson. It’s definitely a timeshare, but with Brown as the lead back. Consider Brown an RB2/3 start. Available in 74 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Jericho Cotchery, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers – Another touchdown for Cotchery puts the Pittsburgh receiver back on this list. His score did come with a short-handed Emmanuel Sanders, but Cotchery has five touchdowns in the past three games. Hard to ignore. Consider Cotchery a strong add for deep leagues. Available in 79 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco 49ers – It’s speculated that this is the week that Crabtree makes his return. Like Percy Harvin, he will likely ease back into his role. I wouldn’t expect a lot the first week, but he should earn a WR2 spot within a couple of weeks. Crabtree is still available in 72 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Dallas Cowboys, DEF – The Cowboys face the New York Giants, who are 23^rd in the league in total offense. Add to that, the Giants O-line has allowed 26 sacks to Eli Manning, tying Eli for ninth in the NFL. If you need a defense, I like this matchup. Available in 58 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.

 

Fantasy Football Week 11 Waiver Pickups

So now do you feel my pain? Most of us in fantasyland deal with the weekly ups and downs of our players. From injuries to slumps to stupid penalties, it’s part of the game. All of us deal with this. Show me someone, anyone not impacted.

Oh right, almost all of us.

That is, unless you own Peyton Manning. That lucky little elite club is coasting through a peachy 2013 season with a playoff berth already secured. I mean, what could possibly derail Peyton’s season? He doesn’t slump, so yes – yikes – an injury is the only answer. During Sunday’s Broncos-Chargers contest, Manning received a questionable blow to the leg. As he gripped his ankle, Broncos’ fans and Manning owners could be heard across the country. NOOOOOO!

Don’t worry, he’s fine. Might have a little limp as he torches his next opponent for 400 yards. Might have a little skip in his step as he throws for 200 more touchdowns this year. Blindfolded. But he’ll be just fine. You can exhale. 

I do want to remind you that most of the faux football community deals with drama like this EVERY SINGLE WEEK. So, of course, I’m glad your little trophy quarterback will rebound. But please, for Peyton’s sake, I insist that you rest him the duration of the season. You know, for Peyton.

Here are this week’s waiver wire pickups for poor fools, like me, whose teams are battered, bruised or just not performing:

Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles – This is a repeat automated announcement. Pick up Foles. So he didn’t toss seven touchdowns this time, but I’ll settle for three. Next up is Washington who has a weakness for quarterbacks. Available in 33 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Andre Brown, RB, New York Giants – I can’t keep up with all these Giants running backs either. The Giants desperately needed Brown to rebound from a pre-season leg injury, as their other running options have disappeared. Brown answered the call with 115 yards and a touchdown. Strong recommendation on this guy. Available in 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Bobby Rainey and Brian Leonard, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Which one do you choose? Tampa Bay backs contributed Monday night when Mike James left early with a season-ending ankle injury. Leonard looked like the early favorite, finishing with 57 yards on 10 carries. But Rainey dazzled with a 31-yard run, and a 1-yard touchdown, totaling 45 yards and a touchdown on 8 carries. It appears to be timeshare, with Rainey being the favored back. Rainey and Leonard are respectably available in 97 percent and 95 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Riley Cooper, WR, Philadelphia Eagles – I know he made the list last week, but I only kinda meant it. Now it’s legit. His 139 yards and 3 touchdowns last week were respectfully matched with 102 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. Thinking Foles has a favorite target. Available in 49 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Case Keenum, QB, Houston Texans – Another tough loss for the Texans but another solid outing for Case, who threw 201 yards for three touchdowns. Lots of good matchups ahead for the second-year Coog, including week 11 opponent, the Raiders, who surrender the ninth most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. Available in 70 percent of Yahoo leagues.  

Tavon Austin, WR, St. Louis Rams – And that’s why he’s a first-round draft pick. Like you, I’ve been scratching my head all season wondering when we’d see the speedy rookie do something. So yes, two receiving touchdowns on 138 yards, and a 98-yard punt-return TD are fantastic. But buyer beware, prior to Sunday he had only 207 yards and one touchdown. Deep leagues only. And P.S., he’s on a bye this week. Available in 56 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.

Fantasy Football Week 10 Waiver Pickups

In a game that left Texans fans disappointed – and even scared – it’s easy to overlook a bright spot in an otherwise heart-wrenching Sunday night. Case Keenum electrified Reliant Stadium, leading the Texans to 21-3 half-time lead on three touchdown passes, all of them to Andre Johnson.

Unfortunately for Case and the Texans, they were met after the half with a rejuvenated Indy defense, and eventually fell to Colts 27-24 in their sixth straight loss. Still, Keenum dazzled with 350 yards, completing 20 of 34 passes. He launched deep, deep touchdown passes to Andre. And zero interceptions, zero fumbles.

Keenum’s performance is worthy of a waiver grab this week. Below, in my waiver gems, I break down his upcoming matchups and how the University of Houston product can be a nice spot start. Check out this week’s waiver wire adds:

Case Keenum, QB, Houston Texans – Quarterback is a deep position this year, which is why Keenum won’t be a bigger draw at the wire this week. But he has shown in consecutive weeks that he can produce – 271 yards against Kansas City, the top-ranked fantasy defense, and 350 yards vs. Indy. And when you look at his remaining matchups, four of them (Arizona, New England, Oakland and Denver) are very generous against the pass. Plus, he plays the Colts again. Giddy up. Available in 90 percent of Yahoo leagues.  

Rashad Jennings, RB, Oakland Raiders – Here we go again. Find and replace. Darren McFadden out, Jennings in. The McFadden handcuff has always been a reluctant replacement, but he showed on Sunday that he’s a viable backup with 102 rushing yards and a score. He also added 74 receiving yards. Yes, some of those yards were during garbage time, but even half that production is worthy of a look at RB3. Available in 91 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles – Let me list his stats for you: 406 yards on 22-of-28 passing for seven touchdowns and zero interceptions. Those are video game numbers. Those are Peyton Manning video game numbers. Admittedly, he was facing the woeful Raiders secondary. And understandably, he can’t play Oakland every week, but his performance in week 9 tells me he’s a top 15 guy. This week he faces a tough Green Bay pass defense, but next up is the yummy Washington secondary. Available in 75 percent of Yahoo leagues. 

Riley Cooper, WR, Philadelphia Eagles – Foles was very generous to Cooper, gifting him three touchdowns in his romp over Oakland. Cooper hasn’t done much this year, and so I have less confidence in his ability to pile on the fantasy points. But he’s a good deep- league add as long as Foles is at the helm. Available in 89 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Chris Ivory, RB, New York Jets – Think he enjoyed pummeling his former employer for 141 yards and a touchdown? Wish I could say with confidence he’ll do that again and again and again, but he’s another chancy add. If your wire is thin at RB, then I probably don’t need to convince you. Available in 55 percent of Yahoo leagues. 

Mike Brown, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars – I admit, I thought Brown coached for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Turns out, he also plays for the Jags. Will he really replace Justin Blackmon? No. But again, if you’re deep or desperate, why yes. Brown looked good in week 8 with 43 yards and a touchdown. Available in 93 percent of Yahoo leagues. 

Note to self: Must brush up on the Jags’ depth chart. 

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

 

Fantasy Football Week 9 Waiver Pickups

Thank you, Marvin Jones. You are why I love the waiver wire. As last week’s chancy little waiver claim, you paid off with big – I mean BIG – rewards. Before Sunday, the second-year wide receiver was fairly anonymous outside of Cincinnati and even the fantasy community.  You look back and you see there were signs Jones was emerging as a threat. His touchdowns in back-to-back games garnered him some waiver wire interest. But Jones’s four touchdowns – yes, four touchdowns! – earned him a bronze bust for week eight. And maybe even a parade.

The lesson I’m hoping you’ll glean from Marvin’s little miracle is that the waiver wire is full of hope. Dig around the little island of misfit players and you might just find a Julius Thomas or a Phillip Rivers. Here are this week’s waiver gems:

Marvin Jones, WR, Cincinnati Bengals – Um, consider this my official recommendation to claim him. Four touchdowns and 122 yards last week, and six touchdowns in the last three weeks. Pretty, pretty good. Available in 74 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Darius Heyward-Bey – With the injury to Reggie Wayne, the DHB will shoulder some of the load. In week 7, the speedster had four receptions for 44 yards and a touchdown.  Remember, TY Hilton’s stock also rises, so I hardly call Darius a Harry Douglas. Available in 54 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Harry Douglas, WR, Atlanta Falcons – Speaking of Douglas, let me get this straight. Matt Ryan is intercepted four times, yet Douglas still musters 12 receptions for 121 yards? His availability is shrinking. Grab him while you can. Available in 23 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Andy Dalton, QB, Cincinnati Bengals – We can’t forget who fired the ball into Marvin’s hands. Check out Dalton, who has 1,024 yards and 11 touchdowns in the last three games. I know he isn’t widely available (23 percent), but he is starting in about a third of all leagues. It’s time to give him the nod.

Shane Vereen, RB, New England Patriots – I understand why you dropped him. The bye weeks are brutal, as are all the injuries that force you to dump your players. It’s time to reclaim Vereen, who could return as soon as week 11, after the Pats’ week 10 bye. Available in 61 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona Cardinals – I’ve been pleading his case for weeks. Finallly, Ellington earned the start, as Rashard Mendenhall was sidelined with a toe injury. Ellington rushed for 154 yards and one touchdown, which certainly deserves consideration for starting next week. Unfortunately, Bruce Arians said that Mendenhall will likely resume the starting role when he returns. Stay patient. This will pay off eventually. Available in 46 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.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Waiver Pickups

Arian Foster’s injury hurt. Brian Cushing’s too. As Texans fans – and fantasy owners – we held our collective breath waiting for updates on Sunday. We had a hunch, which was later confirmed, that Cushing’s injury was serious. Out for the year. Sigh.

It was a brutal Sunday around the league. Reggie Wayne and Sam Bradford – done for the season. Jay Cutler and Lance Briggs will miss 4-6 weeks. And Doug Martin should miss an extended time. If you escaped with your fantasy team intact, consider yourself lucky.

I don’t like writing about injuries. But it’s part of the game. And with fantasy, like the actual game, there are roles to fill, and questions to answer. Consider me your answer gal, here to help. Here are this week’s waiver pickups.

And yes, I am wearing a helmet and shin guards right now. Can’t be too careful.

Mike James, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Meet Doug Martin’s backup, Mike James. Tampa’s backup running back, James delivered with 14 carries for 45 yards on Sunday. I don’t love this week’s matchup against the Panthers, but he’s a starter. And if you’re reading this, you need him. Available in every single Yahoo league.

Ben Tate, RB, Houston Texans – Foster’s prognosis is day-to-day, and with a bye week ahead, it could be business as usual week 9. But you can’t wait until then to claim Tate. Consider Tate a viable RB2 if Foster sits. And yes, Tate did break four ribs! I might ask for a sick day or two if that happened to me, but Tate is expected to play week 9. Available in 41 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Percy Harvin, WR, Seattle Seahawks – Percy is back, and could be in the lineup as soon as this week against the St. Louis Rams. We won’t know for sure until later this week, but keep your eye on him. Harvin would be a great waiver add down the stretch. Available in 38 percent of Yahoo leagues.   

Harry Douglas, WR, Atlanta Falcons – For two weeks in a row, I insisted you claim him. I wasn’t kidding. With seven receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown, you know what has to be done. Available in 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Zac Stacy, RB, St. Louis Rams – The Rams will continue to keep Stacy as the lead back as long as he puts up 70+ yards each week. And with Bradford out, the run game should increase. Count on Stacy as a solid RB2 option, even this week against Seattle. Available in 50 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Roy Helu Jr., RB, Washington Redskins – Nope, Alfred Morris feels just fine. Except for perhaps the dagger in his heart for losing all his touchdowns to Helu. It might be a little hasty to pick up the three-touchdown vulture. But if Mike Shanahan continues this little nonsense, then Helu becomes fantasy relevant. Available in 77 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.

 

 

Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Pickups

As much as it is a science, it is also a guessing game. I admit it. Fantasy analysts use the numbers to form opinions and predictions, but we get it wrong. This is at least what I’ve been told. Take this weekend, for instance. Knowshon Moreno led all running backs with three rushing scores and 42 yards rushing. Who predicted that? Vincent Jackson caught nine passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns, while Nick Foles was among the top quarterbacks with three touchdowns on 296 passing yards. And a rushing touchdown. Indeed, that Nick Foles, Michael Vick’s backup.  

But certainly Peyton Manning was, well predictable Peyton Manning, right? What, no? Only two touchdowns? A pick six too? To the Jags?  

See. Sometimes it’s just a guessing game.  But I’ll still stick with the numbers. They make me a better guesser.

Here are this week’s waiver picks:

Nick Foles, QB, Philadelphia Eagles – Four touchdowns should have been enough to get your attention. Even better, the Eagles face the Cowboys, who are terrible against the pass. And Vick has said himself that he won’t come back until he’s 100 percent. All good signs for Foles. Fly Eagle fly! Available in 84 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona Cardinals – As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, it’s only a matter of time before he steals the starting role from Rashard Mendenhall. In week 6, Ellington ran for 56 yards with a score, while pulling in five receptions for 36 yards. And let’s see, Mendenhall rushed for 40 yards on 10 carries. What are you waiting for? Available in 63 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Harry Douglas, WR, Atlanta Falcons – Roddy White is out for the season. Julio Jones pulled a hammy. And somehow, Douglas is still available in 64 percent of Yahoo leagues. But zero percent of my leagues. Of course.  

Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants –  Pretty, pretty good, Brandon Jacobs. 106 yards and two touchdowns will earn Jacobs the starting job once again. Yeah, and David Wilson is out for a very long time, and maybe even Da’Rel Scott. If you overlooked Jacobs last week, I understand. But he’s worth reconsideration. Available in 75 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Kris Durham, WR, Detroit Lions – Keep your eye on Calvin Johnson’s injury status. It may be Durham, and not Ryan Broyles, who takes Johnson’s targets (so temping to say lion’s share here). On Sunday, Durham caught three passes for 30 yards and a touchdown. Someone to monitor. Available in 99 percent of Yahoo leagues. 

Rueben Randle, WR, New York Giants – While Randle only caught three receptions, he was managed 75 yards including a 37-yard touchdown. And make this two games in a row with scores. Available in 48 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Cowboys running backs – Yikes. Avoid this situation. Joseph Randle is the likely backup if DeMarco Murray can’t go on Sunday, but honestly none of the options intrigue me.

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

Fantasy Football Week 6 Waiver Pickups

Things don’t always go according to plan. Apparently. And that’s why you need backup plans. Lots of them. Drafted David Wilson? Look at Brandon Jacobs. Counted on Maurice Jones-Drew, pick up Willis McGahee. And how about Mike Wallace? A guy like Justin Blackmon can help.

Fantasy success starts with your draft day wizardry. But you also need calculated game planning. And you need quick, resourceful thinking when nothing goes to plan, when injuries or mediocrity plagues your team. Or in some case, multiple teams. I mean, hypothetically, of course.

For the frustrated and annoyed, here are this week’s waiver wire gems:

Willis McGahee, RB, Cleveland Browns – Look, I never intended to write about the Browns in this many consecutive articles, but it’s open waiver wire season and Cleveland players are everywhere. On Thursday, McGahee ran the ball 26 times for 72 yards and a score. His YPC, I know, was not particularly impressive. But they kept giving McGahee the ball, and he kept piling on the yards. With Brian Hoyer out, McGahee’s workload should increase. Available in 52 percent of Yahoo leagues.   

Legarette Blount, RB, New England Patriots – His fumble led to benchwarming in Week 5, but keep him on your radar if Stevan Ridley’s thigh bruise keeps him out of Sunday’s contest. Available in 62 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Alshon Jeffery, WR, Chicago Bears – Alshon, wow. You outperformed your spectacular Week 4 performance with an even more spectacular performance in Week 5, totaling 218 yards and a touchdown. Awesome, super, wonderful, amazing! I could go on. Let me just say this. Stop whatever you’re doing and claim him while you can. Available in 32 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona Cardinals – Ellington is on his way to becoming the Cards’ featured back, outperforming Rashard Mendenhall on Sunday with 83 combined yards. While only an RB3/flex play right now, he’ll be promoted once the Cards do the same. Available in 77 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Justin Blackmon, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars – Nice debut for Blackmon, who reeled in five receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown. Blackmon had been overlooked because of the suspension, but not any longer. Available in 38 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Brandon Jacobs, RB, New York Giants – Why so many running backs on this list? Because you can never have too many. Jacobs didn’t impress on Sunday with 37 yards and a fumble. But if David Wilson is sidelined on Thursday with a neck injury, then Jacobs is the guy. Yes, it has come to this. It’s a bye week, so consider the waiver wire skimpy. Available in 94 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.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Pickups

Week 1 would have been too soon. Even week 2. But with four games behind us, it’s exactly the right time. Go ahead. Panic.

Panic? Yes. That 0-4 record isn't going to turn itself around on its own. But after your little meltdown, you need a plan. Just moaning about your embarrassing fantasy team is no fun for anyone. Not even me! 

But as you look at your underperformers and your options – do nothing, shop the waiver wire, offer a trade or simply quit – you can get dizzy pretty quickly. What to do, what to do… My general rule of thumb is pay attention to how the head coach is dealing with the slumping player. Take David Wilson, for instance, who has 130 yards and zero touchdowns through four games. Four games! Think Tom Coughlin is happy about that either? This little slump doesn’t seem to be improving. In fact, Wilson didn’t even start in Sunday’s contest, nor did he play third downs. I wouldn’t start Wilson another game until he does something. Not worth the heartache.

It’s a tougher call with quarterbacks. If you own San Francisco’s Collin Kaepernick, how much longer do you hold on? His 856 yards, four TDs and five interceptions are a far cry from his pre-season projections. But I’m sure it’s hard to simply bench him. You keep wondering, thinking, hoping he’ll turn it around. In a situation like this, I would pick up another quality QB and play the matchups week-to-week. It sounds easy because it is. The quarterback position is so loaded that you can pick up someone who is putting up serious points.  

And then there are the injuries. This is perhaps the trickiest situation of all. Of course, you want to hold on as long as you can, but with bye weeks upon us, your bench is getting crowded. So agonizing. The further the hole you’re in, the bigger the chance you take. So trading or dumping may be the extreme measure you’re forced to deploy to get yourself back in the race.

While you chew on that, here are some waiver picks widely available:

Brian Hoyer, QB, Cleveland Browns – Who is Brian Hoyer? Good question two weeks ago, but now he’s one of the hottest fantasy commodities. Hoyer is coming off another incredible performance with 269 yards and two touchdowns. And the Browns are winning! Hoyer is a really good QB2 start, and even a viable QB1 start if your current one is ailing. Available in 94 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Rashad Jennings, RB, Oakland Raiders – Coming off an impressive performance with 116 total yards, the backup to the backup running back will get the nod again on Sunday with both Darren McFadden and Marcel Reece out. Another 100-yard performance is wishful thinking, but do you have a better plan? Available in 92 percent of Yahoo leagues.    

Danny Woodhead, RB, San Diego Chargers – I’d feel a lot better about this pick if Phillip Rivers didn’t rotate favorite receivers every week. Still, it should be noted that Woodhead caught two touchdowns on 54 receiving yards, while also rushing for 32 yards. Think deep leagues only here. Available in 58 percent of Yahoo leagues.  

Colby Fleener, TE, Indianapolis Colts – See what Owen Daniels and Garrett Graham did to the Seahawks last week? Matchups matter. Available in 67 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Le’Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers – Ok, Bell is not widely available like most of these guys. But he deserved a spot on this list! In his debut on Sunday, Bell scored two touchdowns on 57 yards rushing and 27 receiving yards. He will get a ton of carries. Pittsburgh desperately needs him. Not widely available, but worth a glance at the wire. Keep in mind, he has a bye this week, but still worth stashing away. Available in 28 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Alshon Jeffery, WR, Chicago Bears – What a day for Alshon. The second-year player reeled in five receptions for 107 receiving yards and a touch down, while also rushing for 27 yards. I don’t want to overreact to just one great day, but I will. My reasoning, the potential shootout with New Orleans. Love him as your WR3. Available in 53 percent of Yahoo leagues.

Carolina DEF – Ranking 10^th in the league is a good start. But they play Arizona too. What’s not to like? Available in XX 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 4 Fantasy Football Waiver Pickups

Fantasy team stinking it up? Try more Browns and Bills in your lineup. I'm serious. Check out these waiver picks. 

Week 3 Fantasy Football Waiver Pickups

Oh, Vanilla Ice. Thank you for inspiring week 3 fantasy football waiver finds. If you wanna "flow like a harpoon daily and nightly," check them out here. 

Week 2 Fantasy Football Waiver Pickups

Not sure which is worse... not drafting Peyton. Or losing to so many teams that also didn't have Peyton. Time to rebound. Check out these waiver picks.