Did you miss me?

Jon has himself a busy schedule this week, so he texted me this morning and asked if I’d be up for reprising my role as the author of our weekly Start/Sit column here at MSF. I have to admit, as soon as I saw his text I was pretty pumped.

Doing these posts every week, week after week, can admittedly be a bit of a grind, as I learned over the last couple of years; so I was happy to let Jon take it over this year and focus my efforts in other areas. But I’ve missed the weekly challenge of poring over matchups and stats and trends to figure out which players to recommend to you as starts and sits.

So it’s good to be back in the saddle.

Anyway, It’s not like I’ve been totally absent. I still offer commentary on Jon’s posts, answer questions in the comment sections, and monitor the @FantasyMSF Twitter account. So I haven’t really given you a chance to miss me even if you wanted to. Now though, for the first time all year, I have to go on record with start and sit picks.

I’m ready. Let’s roll.

First up, let’s take a quick old school look back at how Jon did with his top-line start/sit picks last week:

• Start ‘em hits: Ben Roethlisberger, Dwayne Bowe, Fred Davis
• Start ‘em misses: Ryan Torain
• Sit ‘em hits: Vincent Jackson, Willis McGahee, Dustin Keller
• Sit ‘em misses: Cam Newton

Other suggestions he was slam-dunk correct on: sit Philip Rivers and Kevin Kolb; sit Larry Fitgerald and Brandon Lloyd

Other suggestions he was dead wrong on: start Matt Hasselbeck; sit Mark Sanchez; sit Jonathan Stewart; that Visanthe Shiancoe would be the “worst” tight end

Overall, a decent week for Jon. His top-line picks were solid, but some of his bolder “other” suggestions went awry. Jon has had a very strong track record this season though, so the bar is high for my relief appearance.

Here are my thoughts on who you should start and who you should sit in Week 8.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start Em, Sit Em
Lineup Advice and Projections

Remember that the following teams are on bye in Week 8:

• Falcons
• Bears
• Packers
• Jets
• Raiders
• Buccaneers

Several startable QBs are out this week (Rodgers, Ryan, Freeman), as are some RBs that teams have come to count on (Turner, Forte, DMC), and some top flight WRs (R. White and the Packers crew, among many others). That means that not only do you need to bone up on your waiver wire knowledge, you need to be prepared to make the key start/sit decisions at the fringes of your roster that will be the difference between winning and losing.

Lucky for you, that’s why we’re here.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start Em, Sit Em Picks: Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em QB: Joe Flacco, Baltimore (v Arizona)

Know that I am currently writing this at 6:23 pm Central time on Monday evening. So the Monday night game between Baltimore and Jacksonville hasn’t even started. Thus, there is a chance that Flacco throws up one of his patented stinkers tonight against Jacksonville’s better-than-you-think pass defense (210 yards per game, 9 TDs heading into week 7).

Even if he does, I don’t care. You start him against Arizona and expect top 5 stats.

Here are some numbers:

• Cam Newton: 422 yards
• Rex Grossman: 291 yards
• Eli Manning: 321 yards
• Ben Roethlisberger: 361 yards

These are the yardage numbers that four of the Cardinals’ opponents have hung on their pass D this year. The two I left out were Minnesota and Seattle, because neither team had competent quarterbacking when they faced the Cardinals. Joe Flacco may not be a superstar, but he is certainly competent, and he has been a guy in the past who has put up huge numbers against inferior defenses. Consider his performance against St. Louis earlier this year, one of the few pass defenses that could be considered as bad as Arizona’s: 389 yards, 3 TDs for Flacco.

Flacco’s overall numbers are somewhat depressed by some tough matchups early in the season (Jets, Texans, Titans when they were actually trying), but don’t forget that this is a guy who has tossed at least 21 TD passes the last two seasons and who tends to get them in bunches when they come. This week will be one of those weeks when they come in bunches. Start Flacco.

Joe Flacco fantasy football Week 8 projection: 275 yards, 3 TDs

Other start ‘em QBs for Week Eight:

• Eli Manning isn’t sexy from a fantasy perspective, but you can win with him. And you can certainly win with him when he has tasty matchups like the one he has this week against Miami.
• You realize Cam Newton is a top 10 option at QB now, right? Okay, just checking. Make sure he’s in your lineup.

Sit ‘Em QB: Tim Tebow, Denver (v Detroit)

Yep, I’m going to throw some cold water on Tebowmania.

Despite finishing with respectable fantasy numbers in Week 7 (2 TDs, 200+ total yards), you really have to have watched the full game to put those numbers into context. Through 55 minutes, Tebow was hovering around negative fantasy points when you take into account his fumble, but then he led a furious five minute comeback that included most of his passing yards and both of his TDs.

A few things to keep in mind as you analyze Tebow’s chances against Detroit:

• Miami has given up 12 TD passes and picked off only two through six games, so the matchup was very favorable. Detroit, on the other hand, gives up barely 200 passing yards per game, has picked off opposing QBs ten times, and has allowed only 8 TD passes in 7 games. This matchup is not favorable.
• Miami only had eight sacks coming into Week 7 before amassing seven against on Tebow. Detroit has 17 sacks in 7 games thanks to a ferocious defensive line that makes indecisive quarterbacks pay. Tebow looked very indecisive in Week 7, which will not bode well at all for him against Suh, Avril, and Co.

I do like Tebow as a solid fantasy backup this season. He’ll be able to produce decent fantasy stats when the matchup is favorable. This one absolutely is not. In fact, it’s just about the worst matchup for Tebow at this stage in his career, especially with Willis McGahee being out and removing the Broncos’ only consistent rushing threat.

Stay far, far away…this week at least.

Tim Tebow fantasy football Week 8 projection: 125 yards passing, 45 yards rushing, 0 TDs, 2 INTs

Other sit ‘em QBs for Week Eight:

• What the hell is wrong with Philip Rivers? I know Jon is as baffled as anyone. He thought Rivers would be the best fantasy QB this year, but Rivers has just 7 TDs through six games to go along with 9 INTs. He now has to face a Kansas City secondary that picked Oakland QBs off six times last week (I know it was Boller & Palmer, but still) and who Rivers hasn’t lit up historically (only 17 TDs in 12 career games). Plus the game is at Arrowhead, always a tough place to play. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think if you have a reasonable alternative, it’s time make Rivers (and by extension Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson) prove that he’s the Rivers of old before you start him with confidence.
• Be wary of Ryan Fitzpatrick this week, despite what Cam Newton did against the Redskins last week. Washington has problems, but pass defense hasn’t been one of them. The ‘Skins, now desperate after another loss, have given up only five TD passes all season long. Fitzy doesn’t pose the running threat that Cam did, so Washington should have an easier job containing him.

Jon’s thoughts:

I really don’t have much to disagree with here…although I would say I am even higher on Eli Manning than Jerod is.  He should absolutely light up the Miami secondary.

One other guy I would definitely look at starting would be Matt Hasselbeck…he will be playing against the Colts.  All I really need to say here is, “62-7.”

One more under-the-radar guy I would look at is Andy Dalton.  The Seattle secondary is nearly as bad as Arizona’s, and at this point, it looks like the Red Rifle might just be good.  Plus, he has the Rookie of the Year Runner-Up (AJ Green) on his team.  You all know how much I love him…start the Red Rifle if your guy is on a bye.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start Em, Sit Em Picks: Running Backs

Start ‘Em RB: Chris Johnson, Tennessee (v Indianapolis)

Longtime readers know that when I do these start/sit posts, I try to never make my top-line picks obvious ones. Why would I tell you to start Adrian Peterson or Aaron Rodgers? That offers no one any value. So how crazy is it that in Week 8, former fantasy super-duperstar Chris Johnson warrants mention in the start ‘em category?

What’s even crazier is that some of you may think I’m crazy for trusting CJ268 (his actual rushing total this year) as my start ‘em RB!

But there is plenty of reason to expect the long-awaited CJ breakout this week, and it has everything to do with the matchup: Indianapolis. The Colts make every opposing running back look like Gale Sayers. Through seven games this year Indy is allowing 150.9 rushing yards per game and has allowed 9 touchdowns. If CJ can’t have a fantasy-relevant day against them then the Titans need to sue him for fraud immediately. I’m only half joking.

With that said, keep this in mind: just because Johnson torches Indy’s run D (which I expect), it doesn’t mean he’s “back”. It just means he has a pulse. On the bright side, there are some tasty matchups upcoming on the schedule (Carolina, Tampa Bay, Indy again, Buffalo, all in the bottom third in the league in run D), so feel free to enjoy a bit of optimism if the old CJ returns on Sunday.

Chris Johnson fantasy football Week 8 projection: 140 yards rushing, 2 TDs, 5 receptions, 45 yards

Other start ‘em RBs for Week 8:

• Mark Ingram and Darren Sproles are both definite starts this week, and in deeper leagues or on teams especially decimated by injury or bye weeks Pierre Thomas has some value as well. It all comes down to the matchup. New Orleans faces St. Louis in Week 8, the team with by far the worst run defense in the NFL. Last week the Saints faced the team with the second-worst run D in the NFL, Indiacrapolis, and all three of these guys put up solid fantasy numbers. Sure, it’d be great if there was one guy racking up all the fantasy goodness that Sean Payton and Drew Brees create, but come 6-team bye weeks like this one, just be thankful that the Saints will give opportunities to three running backs against a team like the Rams. 
• I can’t believe I’m doing this, but Ryan Torain is probably a top 20 back in Week 8. Despite two straight awful outings after his supposed breakout a few weeks back, Torain has a) a good matchup (Buffalo, 30th against the run) and b) the starting role with Tim Hightower injured and Roy Helu apparently not yet in good enough graces with Mike Shanahan to warrant the starting nod. We’ve seen Torain produce before in Shanahan’s system when given the chance, so you can start him with some measure of confidence…but don’t come blaming me if he ends up getting five carries and doing nothing. You and I both know we’re playing with fire talking about starting a Shanny RB, but the circumstances do seem to make the risk worth the potential reward in this case.
• I probably don’t need to tell you to start DeMarco Murray after his performance last week, but just in case you were worried that he only succeeded because of the matchup, his matchup is pretty good in Week 8 too. Philly gives up 123.8 rushing yards and a TD per game. With Felix Jones expected to still be out, Murray should get the lion’s share of the work. But take note: if you can, now isn’t a bad time to try to sell high on Murray’s inflated value.

Sit ‘Em RB: Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty, Cleveland (at San Francisco)

I don’t care who is healthy, who starts, or even if Cleveland signs Jim Brown for the week to come play. San Francisco has the best front 7 in football right now. Yes, I’m serious…watch them. Remember how we all used to look at Pittsburgh, and still do with Baltimore, and consider sitting even our studs against them? If you’re not thinking of San Fran in that light now, you’re mistaken. Just trust me. I’ve watched every minute of every one of their games this year. They are legit.

Plus, even when healthy Hillis has been far from a stud this year. Not only is he not nearly as effective this year as he was for much of last year, the Browns offense has regressed, leading to very few scoring opportunities for the backs. The ceiling for Cleveland’s RBs right now is quite likely what Montario Hardesty put up in Week 7: 122 total yards on 35 touches with no TDs. And that was against Seattle, a decent but not great run D. The 49ers are giving up just 74.7 rushing yards per game and have not allowed a running TD all season. Yikes.

Unless Cleveland signs the young Jim Brown to play on Sunday, sit whoever is carrying the ball for them. And against this 49ers run D, rested after the bye, even a young Jim Brown might have trouble finding holes.

Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty combined fantasy football projection for Week 8: 65 rushing yards, 40 receiving yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em RBs for Week 8:

• Willis McGahee is out, which will lead some people to get excited about Knowshon Moreno, as will the matchup against Detroit’s less than stellar run D. I disagree. Granted, he’s not a terrible option if your lineup is decimated, but I’m waiting until he does something positive to trust him with a starting slot. Detroit will be able to stack the box against Tebow, which will make the going tough for Knowshon.
• That’s it. I’m off the DeAngelo Williams train. I’ve given him plenty of chances, and he always seems to repay me with flaming piles of turd like his 10-carry, 35-yard performance in Week 7, which was made even more frustrating by the fact that Cam Newton and Jonathan Stewart ran wild against the Redskins. Make this guy have two straight solid weeks before you trust him. (And for the record, I’m not all that high on Jonathan Stewart either this week. Minnesota is good against the run.)
• Don’t get too excited about Bernard Scott, who will be filling in for the suspended Cedric Benson this week. Not only is Seattle decent against the run (105 yards per game, 5 TDs allowed) but Brian Leonard is there to siphon carries. Plus, offensive coordinator Jay Gruden clearly has confidence in Andy Dalton, AJ Green, et al, and he won’t hesitate to keep airing it out.

Jon’s thoughts:

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ryan Torain this week.  Start him with confidence!

Also, let me pass along a quick story for all of you Knowshon Moreno lovers (I am one by the way…but this may make you wary of him as an NFL back).  Allegedly, the kid had never even played football until one day, his high school coach saw him playing tag with a bunch of kids and nobody could touch him.  He thought to himself, “Wow…that kid would make a great running back.”  The legend was born.  Anyway, Know (I have it on very good authority that this is what all of his friends call him) began torching people in high school, and even excelled in college because of his shear athletic ability.  However, he doesn’t really LOVE football like a lot of these guys, and he has never been a guy that people would describe as a “workout warrior.”  Now that he’s in the NFL, he can’t beat people just based off of his talent anymore.  Really, he’s a lot like Julio Jones.  Add all of this to the fact that the Broncos aren’t very good, and a 30-year-old with a blown apart knee has been BETTER than him all season…and I would stay away from Knowshon…maybe forever.

As for the Panthers’ running backs, I’m actually much higher on Jonathan Stewart (and not just because I own him in my league).  Minnesota is great against the run, so Williams will be neutralized.  However, Cam Newton LOVES throwing to Stewart out of the flat, and with Minnesota’s pass rush, I expect Newton to make a lot of quick, short throws to his tight ends and Stewart.  Stewart may not have a lot of yards on the ground, but I could see him approaching triple digits through the air.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start Em, Sit Em Picks: Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em WR: Brandon Lloyd, St. Louis (v New Orleans)

Regardless of whether Sam Bradford plays or not, I like Lloyd this week. In his first start with his new team last week, he compiled 6 receptions for 74 yards with A.J. Feeley at QB. That was in a blowout against Dallas. Clearly the potential for a blowout is there this week with the awful Rams going up against the juggernaut that just obliterated Indy to the tune of 62 points.

It is safe to assume that St. Louis will be passing a lot to try to keep with Brees and Co, and if they are, either St. Louis QB will surely continue to target their new toy. Plus, the Saints have given up 12 TD passes in 7 games, so they can be had through the air.

Lloyd proved last year that he’s a top flight wide receiver in Josh McDaniels’ system. He’s back with McD now, and I think he’s a possible top 10 WR from here on out, especially when you consider that St. Louis’ schedule eases up in the second half.

Brandon Lloyd fantasy football Week 8 projection: 7 receptions, 90 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em WRs for Week Eight:

• After two very subpar weeks, Antonio Brown took advantage of a favorable matchup against Arizona to bust out with 7 catches and 102 yards. He has another favorable matchup against New England in Week 8. Seeing as how Bill Belichick likes to take out the other team’s #1 offensive option, the focus of the Patriots D will likely be Mike Wallace. That should provide opportunities for Brown to make a few big plays, which he’s proven he can make.
• Michael Crabtree is quickly becoming Alex Smith’s go-to guy. He had his best game of the season in Week 6 when he snared 9 passes for 77 yards. With Braylon Edwards expected to return and stretch the defense, Crabtree should have even more room to do his Cris Carter impression. Cleveland’s pass defense stats are pretty solid from a yardage perspective, but they have given up 8 passing TDs in 6 games. I have a suspicion Crabtree makes his first venture into the end zone in Week 8.
• I haven’t been very complimentary of Steve Breaston over the past few weeks, but he is starting to win me over with his consistency. Breaston has at least 50 yards in four straight games and scored two TDs against Indy in Game 5. He faces a San Diego defense in Week 8 that allowed three TD passes to the Jets’ #2 receiver, Plaxico Burress. Though Dwayne Bowe will always be the top red zone option for Matt Cassel, the QB is clearly gaining trust in Breaston, so it’s time I do too. (Take note: just because Breaston is listed doesn’t mean I consider him a slam dunk start, but as a guy that may be on your waiver wire he offers some value for those desperate with six teams on bye.)

Sit ‘Em WR: Deion Branch, New England (at Pittsburgh)

I had a really, really hard time coming up with a sit ‘em WR for this week. With six teams on bye, it’s hard to say that any top 40 WR is a sit, especially in leagues where three wide receivers start. But I didn’t want to tell you to sit someone obvious or from a crappy offense, so I’m going to step out on a limb with Branch.

I’ll give you my reasons for suggesting Branch as a sit candidate so you can see if you agree with my thinking or not:

• Pittsburgh is #1 in the NFL against the pass this year, giving up just 171.9 yards per game and only 8 TDs in 7 games.
• Branch is the fourth option in the New England passing attack behind Wes Welker, Aaron Hernandez, and Rob Gronkowski.
• Despite his ballyhooed rapport with Tom Brady, Branch has one game with zero receptions this year, another with one reception, and another with three catches. Yes, he’s had at least 69 yards receiving in four of his six games, and he’s caught two TDs, but there is a lot of inconsistency here.
• In his career, Branch averages just over 5 catches and 61.5 yards per game and against Pittsburgh, which is decent, but he’s only hit paydirt once.

I would not be shocked at all if Branch ends up having a good or even great game on Sunday. Such is the nature of New England’s offense. But I think there are plenty of reasons to think this will be another of Branch’s off weeks, so if you’re blessed with four or five good options this week despite all the byes, consider those options strongly.

Deion Branch fantasy football Week 8 projection: 4 receptions, 45 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit ‘em WRs for Week Eight:

• Tim Tebow is my sit ‘em QB, so clearly I don’t have much confidence in the Denver passing game. Thus, stick Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas on your benches. If you have to play one of them, Thomas is the guy I’d want based on what I saw in Week 7. 
• Reggie Wayne is really struggling. He hasn’t eclipsed 77 yards or scored a touchdown since Week 1. Tennessee may or may not be a good matchup, it just depends on which Titans team shows up, but Pierre Garcon remains the Colts WR to start right now anyway, and I’m waiting until Wayne can string together a few solid weeks in a row before thinking of him as a must-start WR again.
• Sidney Rice had a stellar 8-catch, 109-yard performance in Week 3, but his numbers have gotten steadily worse in every week since. Seeing as how he is no longer playing with his Viking buddy Tarvaris Jackson, and how not every pass D is as friendly to opposing WRs as Arizona’s is, it’s not a surprise. As long as Charlie Whitehurst is playing QB and the opponent is halfway competent against the pass, sit all Seahawks WRs unless you’re desperate.

Jon’s thoughts:

How are you not starting Steve Smith?  After watching Greg Jennings run all over the field against the Vikings, I am supremely confident that Steve Smith (a guy who plays very similarly to Greg Jennings, but is even more explosive) will have a MASSIVE day.  Steve Smith has been carrying terrible quarterbacks for…well…for forever, and now that he has someone that is better than competent, he is better than ever.  Most people probably don’t realize this, but Smith is the #4 WR in fantasy this year…yet he STILL ISN’T OWNED IN EVERY LEAGUE IN YAHOO!!!  This is unacceptable.  Start Smith with confidence this week…he could very well have the best week of anyone not named Megatron.

Jerod’s rebuttal thoughts:

Excuse me, but where did I say I’m not starting Steve Smith? Of course you start Steve Smith. I don’t want to patronize our readers, so I assume they can make obvious decisions like that. Although your note about him not being owned in all Yahoo leagues is concerning and ridiculous, so I’m glad you pointed Smith’s greatness out for the few who are unaware. But believe me, Smith is starting on any team I have.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start Em, Sit Em Picks: Tight Ends

Start ‘Em TE: Jake Ballard, New York Giants (v Miami)

Do you realize that Jake Ballard has caught 11 balls for nearly 200 yards and two touchdowns over the Giants’ last three games? It’s true. Many were lamenting the fact that Kevin Boss left for Oakland, and the effect it would have on Eli Manning’s stats, but Manning seems to have found a nice rapport with the Boss-like Ballard.

Fortuitously, Ballard’s Week 8 matchup is solid. Miami is one of the worst defenses in the league in terms of points given up to opposing tight ends. Add it all up, and Ballard is an outstanding start candidate this week.

Jake Ballard fantasy football Week 8 projection: 4 receptions, 55 yards, 1 TD

Other start ‘em TEs for Week Eight:

• The Browns are also very bad at containing opposing tight ends. That means Vernon Davis needs to be playing on all rosters who have him. 
• The Cowboys are another teams that has given up a decent amount of fantasy points to opposing tight ends this year. With Brent Celek coming off of his first good game of the year (4 catches, TD) he is a sneaky start if you’re desperate.
• By now, you shouldn’t need me to tell you to get Fred Davis in your lineups…do you? If so, get him in your lineups.

Sit ‘Em TE: Dallas Clark, Indianapolis (at Tennessee)

Clark did not record a catch on Sunday night after having his first Clark-like game of the season in Week 6 (6 catches, 53 yards). Tennessee is a middle-of-the-pack team in terms of holding down opposing tight ends, but this selection is more based on lack of faith in the Colts offense than any confidence in the Jekyll and Hide Titans.

Clark has only scored two TDs this year and has only one game with more than four catches or 46 yards. The safer bet this season has been to take the under on those numbers, which is just about the floor for being considered a solid start option in a standard fantasy league. Let someone else pretend Dallas Clark is still the Clark of old. Don’t you make that mistake.

Dallas Clark fantasy football Week 8 projection: 3 catches 35 yards, 0 TD

Other sit ‘em TEs for Week Eight:

• Heath Miller‘s production has been steadily increasing, but I’m a bit worried about him in Week 8. New England is pretty good against opposing tight ends, and Miller has to score TDs to have value, as his yardage totals rarely will get you excited.
• Scott Chandler has four TDs this season, which looks really good when you’re sorting your waiver wire in desperate need of a fill-in. Don’t be fooled. Chandler hasn’t scored since Week 3 and and he has a grand total of 1 yard receiving over the last two games.

Jon’s thoughts:

It’s very hard to find tight ends who are going to have bad games from week to week, however I would consider sitting Owen Daniels as well.  Jacksonville’s defense has been very good (even though the rest of their team is awful), and even though Houston has been very good this year, Schaub hasn’t necessarily been lighting anybody up through the air.  He’s been good, but not great every week, and he’s only thrown 12 touchdown passes.  With all of that said, there may not be a better option than Owen Daniels…but I think he will have a down week on Sunday.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start Em, Sit Em Picks: Defense/Special Teams

Start ‘Em D/ST: Detroit Lions (at Denver)

If you want a full explanation for why I’m recommending Detroit’s D this week, just scroll up and read what I wrote about Tim Tebow. I like him, I’m rooting for him, but this is just a great matchup for Detroit’s defense in terms of what they do well.

You beat Detroit on the ground, and the Broncos will struggle to run with McGahee out. That means Tebow will have to try to win the game through the air and, well, Ndamukong Suh and Co could have a lot of fun.

Detroit Lions D/ST fantasy football Week 8 projection: 13 or fewer points, 5+ sacks, 1 turnover

Other start ‘em D/ST units for Week Eight:

• Houston’s defense continues to surprise me with how well it’s playing under new coordinator Wade Philliips. Jacksonville and rookie QB Blaine Gabbert, who will be coming off of a Monday night game, should be a tasty matchup.
• Cincinnati’s D will be a popular choice this week going up against Seattle, and it’s a good choice. Just be wary of those tricky Seahawks at home. They will often surprise teams that are traveling over a couple of time zones to play them in their very loud stadium. That said, Charlie Whitehurst is Charlie Whitehurst.

Sit ‘Em D/ST: Pittsburgh Steelers (v New England)

The Steelers’ defense is starting to play better as of late, but they are far from the dominating unit we’re used to. Wheras a Pittsburgh-New England game might once have been a battle of top defenses, it is now a meeting of two of the top passing attacks in football.

Between Tom Brady, Big Ben, Mike Wallace, Wes Welker, et al, this should be a fun game to watch…so long as you’re not starting either defense.

Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST fantasy football Week 8 projection: 27 or more points, 2 sacks, 1 turnover

Other sit ‘em D/ST units for Week Eight:

• Don’t get too excited about Kansas City’s defense after what they did to Oakland. Kyle Boller and Carson Palmer were predictably awful and the Chiefs took advantage, but I expect more out of Philip Rivers and a Chargers team smarting after a tough, embarrassing loss to the Jets. It may not be enough to make Rivers a sure-fire start (as I mentioned above), but I do think the balance of the Chargers’ offense should allow them to put up points against KC.
• Minnesota’s defense is still pretty good against the run, but they are getting torched through the air. And after what Cam Newton was able to do against a very good Washington defense last week, the whole “play any D going against a rookie QB” adage does not work when he’s involved. In fact, it’s becoming start to avoid defenses that are going up against the amazing Cam.

Jon’s thoughts:

I would start the NY Giants this week.  While it’s true that they are not the Giants’ defense of old, they have an unbelievably favorable matchup against the Dolphins…who barely scored 15 points against Denver last week.

Don’t be depressed by their lack of production so far…they could have a 3 or 4 turnover week in Week 8.

**********

There they are. My Week 8 start/sit picks are in the books and on the record. That was fun! My thanks to Jon for ceding his start/sit saddle this week and giving me the opportunity to give it another go.

Now hopefully all of these picks work out for everyone who visits this week.

As usual, we’ll be answering your questions all week. So drop them below, and then stay tuned to the site for the rest of the week as we post new fantasy content every day.

As always, players listed here are owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups: Quarterback

Carson Palmer (40%), Oakland (bye)

With three interceptions in less than a half, I haven’t seen Palmer play this poorly since, well, last year.  Is he an upgrade over Kyle Boller?  Of course, but then again Jeff George would be too.  Many will chalk this debacle up to rust or a lack of familiarity with his receivers, and while that played a role, it’s not as if Palmer was lighting up opposing secondaries last season.  The matchup against Denver following this week’s bye looks tempting, but nothing I saw yesterday gives me confidence in the newly unretired Palmer.

Sam Bradford (37%), St. Louis

Perhaps Sunday’s performance from A.J. Feeley will give people a new appreciation for Bradford’s talents and willingness to take a beating behind a woeful offensive line.  His ankle injury is a concern, but as I mentioned last week, there are plenty of good fantasy matchups left on the St. Louis schedule, particularly now that Brand Lloyd is in the mix.

Alex Smith (22%), San Francisco

Smith entered San Fran’s bye with six passing touchdowns in his last three games.  The 49ers face Cleveland in Week Eight, but don’t read too much into the Browns’ gaudy numbers against opposing quarterbacks.  Their opponents haven’t exactly been a who’s who of prolific signal callers.

Andy Dalton (20%), Cincinnati

I’ve listed Dalton in each of the last two columns, and I still like his matchup against the Seahawks this week.  Their pass defense isn’t as good as the numbers indicated against Cleveland, and their tough run defense, coupled with the absence of the suspended Cedric Benson, should give the “Red Rifle” opportunities to air it out.

John Beck (9%), Washington

In his first start of the season, Beck ran for one touchdown and threw for another while racking up 279 passing yards.  That’s now two straight weeks with a rushing score, and his ability to move around and extend plays stood out.  Next up for Beck is a Buffalo pass defense who has allowed at least 292 passing yards in each of the last five games.  That said, the loss of Santana Moss to a hand injury is a potential red flag.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups: Running Back

Knowshon Moreno (46%), Denver

With Willis McGahee’s broken hand almost certain to keep him out of action this week, Moreno is sure to be a hot waiver wire target.  He rushed for 28 yards on seven carries in relief of McGahee this week, but he has failed to show any ability to live up to his lofty draft status over the course of his brief career.  The Broncos take on Detroit next week, who has been victimized on the ground the last few weeks, but I have a hard time recommending Moreno outside of PPR leagues.  It’s also worth noting that Lance Ball and Tim Tebow are more likely options around the goal line.

Ben Tate (42%), Houston

Obviously Arian Foster looks as healthy as ever, but Tate’s 104-yard performance on Sunday proved his value as a handcuff should Foster suffer any setbacks.  Keep in mind that the Texans face Carolina and Indianapolis in Weeks 15 and 16, giving Tate even more value.

Montario Hardesty (36%), Cleveland

The good news is that Hardesty held up under a heavy workload on Sunday and compiled 122 total yards against a solid Seattle defensive front.  The bad news is that he averaged fewer than three yards per carry and had just one run of over eight yards.  If Peyton Hillis misses next week’s game against San Francisco, Hardesty would still be a flex option based on the workload despite a tough matchup, but that’s about it.

Maurice Morris (35%)/Keiland Williams (3%), Detroit

Morris and Williams essentially split the backfield touches with Jahvid Best out on Sunday.  Morris got 31 of his 50 rushing yards on one play, but he was more involved in the passing game.  Williams also looked decent on the ground and looks like the better short yardage option.  Given the rumors about Best potentially missing the rest of the year, it’s worth stashing one of these guys just in case.  Those rumors have obviously been denied, but you have to acknowledge Best’s lengthy injury history.  Next week’s matchup with Denver isn’t quite as good as it may seem since the Broncos have yet to allow an opposing running back to rush for a score.

Delone Carter (19%), Indianapolis

With Joseph Addai aggravating his hamsting injury, Carter stepped in and ran for 89 yards and a TD on 10 carries while the Colts were being dismantled by New Orleans.  The game was already out of hand when Addai was injured (yes, I know it was only the first quarter), so the severity of the injury is unclear.  However, the Colts face a Tennessee defense that was just shredded on the ground and has allowed a 100-yard rusher in each of their last two games.

Bernard Scott (9%), Cincinnati

With Cedric Benson serving his suspension this week, Scott will get the start against Seattle.  I like Scott’s skill set, but the Seahawks have been tough on opposing runners this year.  Based on his workload, Scott becomes a decent flex option as a bye week fill-in.

Alfonso Smith (1%), Arizona

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Beanie Wells got dinged up this week.  With Wells on the sideline, Smith stepped in and rushed for a score against the Steelers.  He finished with 17 rushing yards on five carries, and he also filled in for Wells in Week Three with 75 total yards.  Wells has typically been a slow healer, but Smith isn’t a particularly attractive option with the Ravens up next on the schedule.  LaRod Stephens-Howling will also take over on passing downs, further limiting Smith’s value.

Kregg Lumpkin (1%), Tampa Bay (bye)

Early reports are that Earnest Graham has a torn Achilles, which would end his season.  The Bucs have the bye week for LeGarrette Blount’s knee to get healthy, but if that isn’t enough time, Lumpkin would be the de facto starter.  He struggled on the ground against the Bears, tallying just 15 yards on eight carries.  Lumpkin did catch six balls for 37 yards, which makes him far more intriguing in PPR leagues should Blount remain out.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups: Wide Receiver

Michael Crabtree (38%), San Francisco

I’ve been on the Crabtree bandwagon for a couple weeks, and even with Joe Haden looming on Sunday, his ownership percentage is way too low.  It’s probably a week where you think twice about starting him, but his foot seems healthy and there are a number of great matchups left on the San Francisco schedule.

Steve Breaston (29%), Kansas City

With five catches and 64 yards on Sunday, Breaston has at least 50 yards in four straight games.  One of those games was against the Chargers, who just gave up three scores to a number two wideout and travel to Arrowhead on Sunday.

Antonio Brown (29%), Pittsburgh

Brown had a career day with seven catches for 102 yards against the woeful Arizona secondary.  With Hines Ward banged up, Brown seized the opportunity as the Steelers went to more wide open offensive sets.  The Steelers continue to struggle at establishing the run game (as my fellow Rashard Mendenhall owners can attest), which could mean more big games from Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh passing attack.

Greg Little (29%), Cleveland

The rookie receiver now has at least five catches in three straight games and led the Browns with seven targets on Sunday.  The yardage was disappointing, but he’s emerging as a strong PPR league option and remains a solid red zone target.  Beware this week, as the 49ers have given up just one TD to an opposing wideout since Week Two.  Still, the Browns are sure to force feed Little the ball either way.

Jabar Gaffney (19%), Washington

With Santana Moss out with a hand injury, Gaffney will be asked to step up as the number one wideout.  He has significantly more value in PPR leagues, but with the exception of a matchup with the 49ers, there are some decent matchups on Washington’s schedule over the next month or so.  Terrence Austin has also showed some chemistry with Beck, so keep an eye on him as well.

Demaryius Thomas (9%), Denver

The numbers, three catches for 27 yards and a score, don’t necessarily stand out.  But the 10 targets do.  Thomas did have a couple drops, but he’s sure to be a huge part of the Denver passing game with Brandon Lloyd now in St. Louis.  He’s worth adding in any format.

Michael Jenkins (7%), Minnesota

As I said four weeks ago, the numbers might be tempting, but don’t go pick him up.  Sometimes old advice is the best advice, like never eat yellow snow.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups: Tight End

Jermaine Gresham (42%), Cincinnati

As I mentioned above, I think the Bengals will be forced to throw it a decent amount against Seattle.  While that is good news for Gresham in and of itself, it’s worth noting that the Seahawks have given up a touchdown to an opposing tight end in two of the last three games.

Heath Miller (31%), Pittsburgh

Always one of Roethlisberger’s favorite red zone targets, Miller now has touchdowns in two of the last three weeks.  The Patriots have given up a couple big games to opposing tight ends, making Miller a decent bye week fill-in.

Visanthe Shiancoe (19%), Minnesota

A solid tight end can be a young quarterback’s best friend, which could help Shiancoe re-emerge as a fantasy factor over the remainder of the year.  Next week Minnesota takes on a Carolina defense that just got lit up by Fred Davis, which makes Shiancoe a reasonable option if you’re desperate.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Cincinnati (24%) at Seattle

The Bengals have been a terrific fantasy defense this season, and words can’t do justice to the ineptitude of the Seattle offense on Sunday.  Charlie Whitehurst actually made Seattle fans pine for Tarvaris Jackson, maybe even Dan McGwire from the early 90s.  That Seahawks-Browns game could have single-handedly killed any interest for football in London.  Hell, it almost killed interest in my own home.

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Have any questions or feedback?  Leave them in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter (@andybottoms).

Fantasy Football Week 7: Under-the-Radar Players to Consider

John Beck

Beck will make his first start of 2011 today against the Panthers. Carolina has the 11th ranked pass defense in the league, but they have allowed at least 17 points in all of their five losses this season.

Beck has not been a regular starter since 2007 in Miami, but he came into this season as the presumed favorite for the job in Washington. After Rex Grossman’s four interception performance last week, Beck takes over at quarterback, and he takes over a Redskins’ offense that is much better than it has been in recent years.

Beck has weapons in Santana Moss and Jabar Gaffney, and also Fred Davis at tight end. He is a good pick-up to replace your quarterback if he is on a bye week.

Montario Hardesty

Peyton Hillis is likely out for today’s game against the Seahawks, which puts Hardesty at the top spot on the depth chart at running back for Cleveland. He has 143 yards on 40 carries this year, but he has only had one game where he was the starter. In Week 3 against Miami, Hardesty ran for 67 yards on only 14 carries in a 17-16 win.

The other problem has been the fact that the Browns have been running the West Coast offense this year, which results in passes on most downs. However, coach Pat Shurmur has hinted this week that the Browns will be pounding the ball on the ground against the Seahawks defense. Look for Hardesty to have a breakout game this week, while also recording his first touchdown of the year.

Dane Sanzenbacher

The Bears are going up against the Bucs this week, who have the 26th overall pass defense in the league. Sanzenbacher has the most receiving touchdowns on the Bears, with three, and is tied for second in receptions with 17.

He is becoming the main red zone target for Jay Cutler, which is great news for any fantasy owner. Look for Sanzenbacher to continue to be targeted in the redzone, and record at least once touchdown against the Bucs.

Fantasy Football Week 7: Stars Who Could Disappoint

Mark Sanchez

Sanchez is projected to have a sub-par game today against San Diego, and for a good reason. The Chargers have the second ranked pass defense in the NFL, with just over 179 yards a game.

Sanchez has gone two straight games without an interception, but that should change this afternoon. He should be able to throw for a few touchdowns, but his interceptions will bring unwanted negative points in the fantasy game.

Adrian Peterson

Peterson is owned in every fantasy league known to man, and those who have him on their team know how he has been having a down year. This is not entirely his fault, as the Vikings are 1-5 and are now starting rookie Christian Ponder at quarterback.

Last week against the Bears, Peterson only have 39 yards on 12 carries in a 39-10 loss. Once the Vikings get down by a large margin, they focus on the passing game. This week they go against the Packers, who have scored at least 24 points in every game this season.

The Packers will surely get out to a lead early, which will take away any hope of the Vikings establishing a ground game. It is tough to put Adrian Peterson on the bench, but it may not be a bad idea this week against the Packers’ fourth best rush defense in the NFL.

Larry Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald and the Cardinals are going up against Pittsburgh and their top ranked pass defense, which only allows an average of 158 passing yards a game.

The Cardinals are currently 1-4 with Kevin Kolb at the helm, and will most certainly fall to 1-5. Fitzgerald is usually a sure bet to get at least 60 yards per game, as he has done all year, but without any touchdowns he is doing little to help a fantasy team.

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Lee Evans has not played most of the season because of an ankle injury. However, the Ravens are confident he will return this season. When that will be is another story. He’s not quite ready yet.

Running back Peyton Hillis of the Cleveland Browns missed his third straight practice Friday and is looks questionable for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. Hillis is dealing with a hamstring issue that has plagued him for awhile. Montario Hardesty would start in his place.

Mike Wallace and Rashard Mendenhall of the Pittsburgh Steelers are listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.

AFC South

Sorry Andre Johnson owners. The Houston Texans wide receiver will not play against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Indianapolis Colts running back Joseph Addai practiced on Friday but is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. It’s a prime time game, so the best you can do is check before the noon games on Sunday and hope they’ve decided before you set your roster. Grab Delone Carter or even Donald Brown if you’re counting on Addai, so you can make a last minute switch if need be.

AFC East

Miami Dolphins running back Daniel Thomas is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos. Thomas continues to suffer from a hamstring injury, but he is expected to play. Wide receiver Brandon Marshall is expected to play as well.

AFC West

Antonio Gates is expected to play Sunday against the New York Jets. This will be Gates first appearance since week 2.

NFC North

There are mixed reports for Chicago Bears wide receiver Earl Bennett. He is listed as probable. However, most reports note that his chest is still an issue he’s dealing with and that he will likely not play on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Jahvid Best has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons due to a concussion.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions. Jones is suffering from a strained hamstring. Tight end Tony Gonzalez, who was experiencing issues with his elbow, is listed as probable.

Tight end Jimmy Graham of the New Orleans Saints was limited in Friday’s practice because of a sore ankle. He is listed as probable for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen is listed as probable, after dealing with a toe injury. However, he practiced in full on Friday should play Sunday against the Washington Redskins.

LeGarrette Blount, running back for the Tampa Bay Bucs, is out for Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears. Blount is dealing with a knee injury.

NFC West

St. Louis Rams quarterback, Sam Bradford, suffered an ankle sprain and is listed as a game time decision for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Alright fantasy fans. Get to it! And good luck!

Staying on the topic of quarterbacks, this week we will see some newcomers who will be thrust into the starting role. Though you shouldn’t hold your breath waiting for Christian Ponder to make headlines in Minnesota, we’ve got other names to know for you in this week’s Stock Report.

Fantasy Football Week 7 Stock Report: Stocks Up

Tim Tebow

As a real football player, there really is not a lot to like about Tebow; but this is the fantasy world.  Regardless of how many passing yards he throws for, his legs are your best asset.  Down on the goal line he is realistically a better option than any other Bronco running back, so if you are in a league with 10+ teams, don’t be afraid to start him.

Jay Cutler

The offensive line did OK against Minnesota last week and should do better when they travel to London to face Tampa Bay.  Look, Jay is just as skilled as any quarterback in the league when it comes to throwing the ball, but he needs time to do so.

Curtis Painter

Now, in a week where arguably 4 of the top 10 fantasy quarterbacks are on a bye, the field is wide open for options of who will fill that spot on your roster.  The stock of Painter is only up for logistical reasons: going on the road and facing a New Orleans team who will most likely have the Colts down 14 or more at half will prompt Painter to take control and throw the ball a lot.

DeMarco Murray

Felix Jones is hurt, so it looks like Murray should get the start.  I’m getting the feeling that after a loss, bye week, and another loss, the Cowboys may want to get their running game going if they wish to be relevant in 2011.

Montario Hardesty

Young backs are another trend this week as Montario Hardesty looks like a valuable option.  Yes, the Seahawks are one of the most underrated defensive teams in the league, but someone has to take the carries with Peyton Hillis sitting out with that hamstring injury.  10 points in a standard scoring league seems reasonable.

Kevin Walter

While he does not command a double team quite like the injured Andre Johnson, Walter does get some respect from defenses.  Regardless, he will be targeted early and often whenever Houston does decide to throw the ball.

Doug Baldwin

There may be two 6’4” receivers in Seattle, but this little 5’10” guy is playing bigger than everyone else.  While the Browns do have the 4^th ranked pass defense in the league, Seattle is still going to put up some numbers at home.  Add to that the fact that top cornerback Joe Haden is likely to sit again with a knee injury, and Baldwin could be Cleveland’s toughest matchup.

Kevin Boss

His production has not been stellar thus far, but his role could be increased greatly very soon.  With Carson Palmer getting off the couch and onto the field, the best friends for a new and/or rusty quarterback like that is a running game (check) and a tight end to throw to.  Let’s see how this goes. (And surely Kyle Boller, who will likely start this week as Palmer gets acclimated, will look to his tight end too.)

San Diego D/ST

This matchup looks very good if you have this defense.  The Chargers are good against the run, something that the Jets feel they need to establish but haven’t so far this year.  Mark Sanchez has inconsistencies that fall into the lap of the defense if they are able to establish a decent pass rush.  Ignore the coast to coast travel and start San Diego. Go Chargers! Go!

Fantasy Football Week 7 Stock Report: Stocks Down

Matt Ryan

Sorry Matty Ice, but you just haven’t performed well against the defenses of the NFC North this year.  Is it a coincidence that the Bears and Packers were the only teams to hold him to under 10 fantasy points this year?  Maybe, but the Detroit defense as a whole will bring problems for the Falcons.  That pass rush is vicious. Nobody has been doing well against it and I just don’t see it starting now.

Joe Flacco

I love Joe Cool as much as anybody, but this week he falls victim of the circumstance.  The Jags couldn’t stop the Steelers’ running game last week, and in football if a team can’t stop the run, then the ball will just continue to be shoved down the throat of the defense, lowering Joe’s value this week.

Maurice Jones-Drew

Can you name a significant playmaker on the Jags’ offense besides this guy?  Seriously.  Obviously there is nobody else but MJD, and going against the best defense in the NFL, things are looking bad.  If there is anything positive about his numbers it is that he is averaging 95 yards a game, but if you are looking for a 15 point performance, that’s not happening, because he just doesn’t get into the end zone enough anymore.

Willis McGahee

Yes, he has been very impressive ever since he took over the starting duties in week 2, but with Tim Tebow on the field, his value drops as the Broncos get closer to the end zone.  This is a very unfortunate situation given the fact that he had been playing so well, but this league is a business and people want to see Tebow with the ball.  It’s just Tebow fever for Denver (and you can tell as I used his name more than Willis in his own paragraph).

Larry Fitzgerald

The Vikings held Larry to 6 points last week and you can expect a similar score this week against Pittsburgh.  Even though the schemes are different, the two defenses are structured closely in terms of talent and what they do.  The other problem facing Arizona as a whole is that it doesn’t look like they know what to do with some decent talent on that offense.

Brandon Lloyd

Not 100% sure why Denver pulled the trigger on this deal because it looked as if Lloyd and Decker could coexist.  Regardless, he is in St. Louis now, but don’t expect much from him fresh off of the trade.  He needs to learn some things about the offense and Sam Bradford is ailing as well. Lower the expectations if you can.

Dustin Keller

When you do the math, Keller seems like a good choice for a starting tight end, but not so fast my friend.  With the dysfunctional Jets offense, it’s hard to think that Keller will see any real involvement.  For New York this year it has been either ground and pound or airing it out with very little to the tight end.

Atlanta D/ST

I don’t like to harp on teams, but didn’t a lot of people pick this team to go to the Super Bowl?  Maybe it is their schedule that puts them up against team’s with a lot of fire power on offense or is it that they just aren’t that good?

As always, players listed here are owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups: Quarterback

Sam Bradford (47%), St. Louis

It’s tough to blame people for giving up on Bradford after an ugly start to the season for both him and the Rams.  While the team didn’t fare any better against Green Bay, Bradford showed signs of life with 321 passing yards.  His receivers have consistently let him down with drops (and continued to do so on Sunday), but the Rams have also faced one of the tougher schedules in the league.

Next week Bradford takes on the Cowboys, who have allowed four of five opposing quarterbacks to throw for two touchdowns.  He also has four games left against Arizona and Seattle, so there should be better days ahead.

Tim Tebow (46%), Denver

Just in case you’ve been on a six-day bender, John Fox announced last week that Tebow will start Sunday’s game against Miami.  Through their first four games, the Dolphins have given up the second most points to fantasy quarterbacks.  And while everyone has their opinion of Tebow, he has produced solid fantasy numbers whenever he has played.  He’s absolutely worth adding to see how he responds this week.

Matt Cassel (34%), Kansas City

To rehash a few of the numbers I referenced on Cassel last week, he has seven touchdowns compared to just one interception over his last three games.  He also faces an Oakland defense that has allowed 11 passing touchdowns in the past five games, which makes him a prime replacement for any of the bigger name quarterbacks on bye this week.

Andy Dalton (20%), Cincinnati (bye)

The “Red Rifle” couldn’t extend his streak of two-TD games, but he did complete nearly 80 percent of his passes for 264 yards and one score against the Colts.  The surprising Bengals are on bye this week, but they face Seattle in Week Eight.  The Seahawks have allowed their last four opponents to throw for at least 252 yards, and given their solid run defense, Dalton may need to air it out.

John Beck (1%), Washington

We had started to see signs of it the past couple weeks, but Rex Grossman is, in fact, Rex Grossman.  Beck completed 8-of-15 passes for 117 yards and ran for a score in relief of Grossman, and it would be surprising if he wasn’t under center for Washington’s next game against Carolina.  He’s not an option outside of two quarterback leagues, but he does have a few decent matchups over the remainder of the season.

Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups: Running Back

Jackie Battle (36%), Kansas City

Even during KC’s bye week, Battle’s ownership percentage skyrocketed in preparation for next week’s matchup with the Raiders.  Oakland’s run defense has shown improvement over the past couple weeks, but don’t forget that they allowed opposing ball carriers to run for 465 yards over the previous three weeks.  Todd Haley has talked about getting Battle more involved and did just that against the Colts in Week Five.

Image credit: AP Photo/Bill Kostroun via Arrowhead Addict

Delone Carter (31%)/Donald Brown (5%), Indianapolis

With Joseph Addai sidelined, Carter got 14 carries compared to just five for Brown, but it was Brown who found the end zone.  The Bengals have a solid run defense, so that played a role in Carter’s struggles, but Brown did show some ability in passing situations and as a change of pace for the bruising Carter.  Addai’s status for next week is unknown, but the Colts face a New Orleans defense that is allowing 5.1 yards per carry.  They were victimized this week by a bigger back (Earnest Graham), which might bode well for Carter if the Colts can keep from getting too far behind.

Montario Hardesty (16%), Cleveland

There weren’t many key injuries on Sunday, but Peyton Hillis had to leave Cleveland’s game against Oakland with a bum hamstring.  There were initial reports that he was pulled as a coach’s decision, and rumors continue to fly in Cleveland that he may be traded due to the lack of progress in contract discussions.  Hillis is set to have a MRI to assess the damage, but Hardesty should see a fair amount of work.

The bad news for Hardesty is that he has continued to drop passes and botched a handoff that resulted in a turnover.  Seattle’s run defense is also one of the better units in the league, so while his touches may increase, don’t bank on a breakout performance from Hardesty in the short-term.

DeMarco Murray (5%)/Tashard Choice (5%), Dallas

Felix Jones sustained an ankle injury and has taken up permanent residence in the trainer’s office.  The Cowboys kept Jones on the sidelines for the entire second half against the Patriots, which opened the door for Murray and/or Choice to make an impression.  Neither really seized the opportunity, with Murray tallying 32 yards on 10 carries and Choice rushing for 14 yards on five attempts.  Choice was more involved in the passing game, but Jerry Jones said after the game he would entertain trade offers for him.  Murray looked like the more effective runner, and if I had to choose one to pursue, that’s who I would go with.

If Jones is out next week, either of these runners have a nice matchup against a St. Louis defense that has routinely been shredded on the ground.  Of course, they’ve also been shredded through the air, but you get my point.

Maurice Morris (1%), Detroit

Lost amidst the post-game shenanigans and tomfoolery between Jim Schwartz and Jim Harbaugh was the fact that Jahvid Best sustained a concussion in the fourth quarter.  He actually returned to the game after hitting his head, but given his history of concussions both in the NFL and at Cal, there’s a better than average chance that he doesn’t play against Atlanta this week.

Compared to fellow reserve Keiland Williams, Morris is the best bet to earn the bulk of the backfield touches, as he is the better receiver of the two.  The Falcons are holding their opponents to under 90 yards per game on the ground, but given his involvement in the passing game, Morris has value as a bye week fill-in.

Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups: Wide Receiver

James Jones (47%), Green Bay

I said last week that it’s tough to predict which Packers wideout not named Greg Jennings is the safest to start, and despite the fact that Jones has now scored in three straight games, that remains the case.  Jones saw just one target against St. Louis, which he converted to a 35-yard touchdown.  He’s not an every week starter, but he’s a solid guy to gamble on given how prolific Green Bay’s offense has been.

Darrius Heyward-Bey (45%), Oakland

After another solid game on Sunday, DHB now has 17 receptions for 296 yards over the past three weeks.  Quite frankly, I would have thought I had a better chance of recording an album of duets with Mike Tyson than advocating DHB in fantasy leagues.  The loss of Jason Campbell hurts his ability to keep the streak going, but Oakland’s next two games are against Kansas City and Denver, who are among the worst in the league at limiting the fantasy production of opposing wide receivers.

Torrey Smith (42%), Baltimore

Following Smith’s breakout game in Week Three, I asked that you temper your expectations due to his inconsistency.  In the two games since, he caught one pass for one yard before reeling in three passes for 84 yards against the Texans.  Smith will certainly have other big games this year, but next week the Ravens take on a Jacksonville secondary that has allowed just two receiving touchdowns to opposing wideouts in the past four weeks.

Michael Crabtree (42%), San Francisco (bye)

Crabtree showed no ill effects from his previous foot injury, and he continues to show flashes of the ability that earned him his lofty draft status.  Crabtree was targeted 15 times against the Lions on Sunday and finished with nine receptions for 77 yards.  He narrowly missed catching a touchdown and has a number of favorable matchups following the bye this week.

Jacoby Jones (34%), Houston

After laying an egg in Houston’s first game without Andre Johnson, Jones bounced back with four catches, 76 yards, and a score against Baltimore.  However, he was still targeted fewer times than Kevin Walter and faces a Tennessee defense that has limited opposing wideouts pretty well this year, at least those not wearing Steeler uniforms.

Doug Baldwin (24%), Seattle (bye)

I mentioned Baldwin last week following his big game against the Giants.  He has at least 83 yards in three of Seattle’s five games this season, including the last two contests.  It’s uncertain who will be under center for the Seahawks next week, but Baldwin has shown decent chemistry with both Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst.  Even if Joe Haden is back for Cleveland, he’s likely to spend most of his time on Sidney Rice, leaving Baldwin with a much more favorable matchup.

Early Doucet (23%), Arizona

Like Baldwin, I touched on Doucet last week heading into Arizona’s bye.  He is routinely being targeted in the passing game, and with the Cardinals consistently falling behind, they will be forced to air it out.  Against a stout Steelers pass defense this week, he’s not a great option, but he does have a number of good matchups in the coming weeks.

Steve Breaston (22%), Kansas City

Breaston has at least 50 receiving yards in three straight games, and as I mentioned above with Cassel, this week’s matchup against Oakland is favorable for the KC passing attack.

Jerome Simpson (18%), Cincinnati (bye)

It’s been feast of famine for Simpson this season.  In his two good games, he’s totaled 10 catches for 237 yards.  In the other four, he has 12 receptions for 116 yards.  Even on the heels of Sunday’s 100-yard effort, Marvin Lewis was critical of his play, particularly his continued struggles with dropped passes.  With Cincinnati heading into their bye and a number of challenging matchups looming, there are certainly better options out there.

Greg Little (16%), Cleveland

The Cleveland coaching staff talked about wanting to get Little more involved following their bye week, and they made good on that promise on Sunday, targeting him 12 times.  He converted those looks into six receptions and 72 yards, and had he not slipped just short of the goal line, Little would have scored his first NFL touchdown.  He is by far the most talented wide receiver on the team and should continue to play a major role in the passing game.  Pick him up before it’s too late.

Danario Alexander (12%)/Greg Salas (0%)/Mark Clayton (0%), St. Louis

As I mentioned above with Bradford, the Rams have some nice matchups remaining this year, but someone has to become a consistent threat as a receiver.  Alexander was promoted to the starting lineup on Sunday and finished with six catches for a team-high 91 yards on 10 targets.  He dropped what could have been an 81-yard touchdown, but if he can stay healthy, he should remain a starter.  Salas shook off a terrible start to his NFL career and bounced back on Sunday with eight catches for 77 yards.  With Danny Amendola out, the Rams have been searching for a slot receiver, and Salas has now staked his claim to that role.  He’s most valuable in PPR leagues.  Clayton has been on the PUP list and can’t play until Week Eight at the earliest.  Still, he put up huge numbers over the first four weeks of last season and was recently cleared to start practicing with the team.  Clayton is at minimum a name to file away.

Arrelious Benn (4%), Tampa Bay

Benn showed his big-play ability as he got wide open on a 65-yard TD, but he’s behind Mike Williams and Kellen Winslow (and maybe even Preston Parker) in the pecking order.  Benn has some terrific skills in the open field, but he’s isn’t consistent enough to warrant picking up just yet outside of deep leagues.

Jason Hill (2%), Jacksonville

That’s now back-to-back games with TDs for Hill, but in a passing offense that has shown so little, it’s tough to recommend owning any part of the Jacksonville passing game.

Fantasy Football Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups: Tight End

Fred Davis (42%), Washington

Davis feasted on the Eagles defense to the tune of six catches for 95 yards, and now Chris Cooley is expected to miss time with an injured finger.  The potential insertion of John Beck into the starting lineup doesn’t hurt Davis’ value, and he has a few games coming up against teams who have been recently victimized by opposing tight ends.

Jared Cook (32%), Tennessee

I mentioned last week that I expected the Titans to use their bye week to find more ways to get Cook involved following his two best games of the season.  This week should be a solid test against the Texans, who have done a nice job of limiting tight ends not named Jimmy Graham so far this year.

Lance Kendricks (11%), St. Louis

Following his four-catch, 71-yard performance against the Packers, Kendricks should be starting to rebuild his confidence after a shaky start to his NFL career.  Still, the talent is there, as is a matchup with a Dallas defense who is among the worst at defending opposing tight ends.  Obviously it’s a huge gamble, but as I mentioned with the other Rams, better days are to come.  They have to be.

Jake Ballard (10%), New York Giants (bye)

He now has three straight weeks of at least eight fantasy points in standard leagues, so perhaps the bye doesn’t come at the best time for Ballard.  Still, he’s clearly become a part of the offense and is posting Kevin Boss-esque numbers for the Giants.  No need to pick Ballard up while he is off this week, but he’s a potential fill-in going forward.

Brent Celek (9%), Philadelphia (bye)

Celek came into Sunday’s game with nine receptions for 73 yards, so you can understand why the Redskins seemed ill-prepared for him to the lead the Eagles in targets.  The matchup against Dallas following Philly’s bye is a decent one, but very few things point to a repeat performance of Sunday’s 42 yards and a score.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Dallas (43%) vs. St. Louis

The Rams have yet to score more than 16 points this season, and the Cowboys are coming off of their best defensive effort of the year against the potent Patriots offense.

Cleveland (4%) vs. Seattle

The Seahawks are among the worst at giving up points to opposing fantasy defenses, and they’re heading east for an early start.

Don’t miss the rest of our Week 7 Fantasy Football coverage:

• Week 7 Start em, Sit em

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Have any questions or feedback?  Leave them in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter (@andybottoms).

To a certain extent, you’re right.  There are very few must-adds this week, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t guys out there who can help your team the rest of the way, possibly as soon as this week. (For more Week 6 analysis, here is this week’s Start/Sit column.)

As always, the players listed here are owned in fewer than 50% of Yahoo! leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Waiver Wire Advice: Quarterback

Colt McCoy (33%), Cleveland

The Browns head to Oakland next week to face a Raider defense that has allowed at least two touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks for four straight weeks.  McCoy is also coming off of a career-high 350 passing yards, although much of it game in garbage time.  Still, he makes for a solid spot start, and you may keep him around thanks to some enticing upcoming matchups.

Matt Cassel (31%), Kansas City (bye)

After tossing four scores against Indy, Cassel now has seven touchdowns compared to just one interception over his last three games.  Dwayne Bowe and Steve Breaston are playing well on the outside, and Cassel finally looks comfortable (and by comfortable, I mean competent).  After a bye this week, Cassel and the Chiefs face the aforementioned Oakland defense in Week Seven.

Cassel's turnaround started after a shouting match with his coach. Kudos Todd Haley?

Andy Dalton (14%), Cincinnati

The “Red Rifle” now has two touchdowns in two straight weeks, and while the overall stats aren’t awe-inspiring, the matchup with the Colts secondary is.  He’s not a guy I’m going out of my way to get in my lineup, but he’s a good matchup play if you’re in a pinch.

Alex Smith (14%), San Francisco

When I mentioned Smith last week, I said it would be interesting to see what he could do with some confidence.  Apparently the answer is throw three touchdowns.  Smith now has seven passing TDs in his last four games compared to just one pick.  He’s completing better than 65 percent of his passes heading into a matchup with Detroit.  The Lions have amassed some decent pass defense numbers through their first four games, albeit against some inferior and/or struggling quarterbacks.  Again, it’s not a phenomenal matchup, but you could do worse than riding the hot hand.

Tim Tebow (7%), Denver (bye)

Many expected the Broncos to make a quarterback change during their bye week, but apparently they couldn’t wait.  John Fox yanked an ineffective Kyle Orton in favor of Tebow in Sunday’s loss to the Chargers.  Tebow completed just four of his 10 passes, but he threw for one TD and ran for another.  For all his mechanical faults, he racked up huge fantasy numbers late last season, so he’s worth picking up to see if he can do it again following a bye this week.  He has by far the most upside of any of the waiver wire signal callers this week.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Waiver Wire Advice: Running Back

Ryan Torain (49%), Washington

Maybe Torain slipped under the radar since the Redskins were on bye this week.  If you need a reminder, he has a sweet matchup against the woeful Eagles run defense this week.  That’s all you really need to know.  And as an Eagles fan, that’s really all I can say without using excessive amounts of profanity.

Kendall Hunter (24%), San Francisco

Hunter’s emergence has led to Frank Gore’s resurgence, but he’s still valuable as a handcuff.  The 49ers have talked of giving Hunter a third of the backfield touches, and on Sunday he ran for 65 yards on just nine carries, including a 44-yard scamper.  Hunter’s explosiveness, coupled with injury concerns for Gore, make him worth a roster spot.

UPDATE:

Earnest Graham (14%), Tampa Bay

Monday didn’t bring definitive news on LeGarrette Blount’s status for Sunday’s game with New Orleans, but it certainly didn’t sound promising. If Blount can’t go, Graham would draw the start against a Saints defense that has allowed three rushing TDs to opposing running backs through the first five games. To this point, Graham’s biggest fantasy contributions have come via the passing game with 23 receptions on the year. He was actually shutout as a receiver against the 49ers, but his pass-catching ability makes him a RB2 in PPR leagues and a flex option in others.

Montario Hardesty (13%), Cleveland

There were rumors out of Cleveland last week that Peyton Hillis may request a trade due to the lack of progress in contract negotiations.  While that seems a bit extreme, Hardesty was already starting to see more touches, and the Browns definitely want to see what kind of workload he can handle as they determine their future with Hillis.  The Raiders give up plenty of points to opposing running backs both on the ground and through the air, as Arian Foster showed this week.  Keep in mind Hardesty was the target of a number of passes in Cleveland’s Week Four loss to Tennessee.  If he can actually catch those targets this week, the potential is definitely there.

Delone Carter (11%), Indianapolis

This is one of the few guys on this week’s list I would look to add in pretty much all leagues.  Joseph Addai’s injured hamstring should keep him out at least a few games, and Carter earned 12 carries compared to five for Donald Brown.  The only bad news is that Brown outgained him, but Carter is the goal-line option as he proved on a short TD run.  The Colts have already given Brown a number of chances to prove he was worth a first round pick, so they figure to see what Carter can do in what is already a lost season.  Beware of a tough matchup next week against Cincinnati’s solid run defense though.

Jackie Battle (7%), Kansas City (bye)

Todd Haley said earlier in the week that Battle would get more carries going forward, and he made good on that promise Sunday. Battleheld up his end of the bargain with 119 rushing yards on 19 carries to go with 21 receiving yards.  There’s a reason Battle averaged fewer than 3.0 yards per carry over the last two seasons, but there’s more upside with Battle than the aging Thomas Jones.  It’s worth noting that Jones also averaged better than 5.0 yards per carry against a poor Indy run defense on Sunday, so their ineptitude played a role in Battle’s emergence.  He does have a nice matchup with the Raiders after the bye.

Jonathan Dwyer (1%), Pittsburgh

This one is only for deep or dynasty leagues, but Dwyer racked up 107 rushing yards against Tennessee, doing most of his damage on a 76-yard run in the first half.  He still played behind Isaac Redman, and Rashard Mendenhall should be able to start next week.  However, he did show the ability to contribute when called upon, so keep him in mind going forward.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Waiver Wire Advice: Wide Receiver

Michael Crabtree (41%), San Francisco

Despite his two-catch, 36-yard performance, I am still optimistic about Crabtree’s prospects.  He had the second-most targets on the team and continues to show no ill effects of his foot injury.  The 49ers didn’t need to throw a ton with a comfortable lead, but that won’t always be the case.

Antonio Brown (34%), Pittsburgh

Brown’s streak of 60-plus receiving yard games came to an end on Sunday, but he seems to have clearly passed Emmanuel Sanders on the depth chart.  The Steelers have some good WR matchups in the coming weeks against Jacksonville, Arizona, and New England, making Brown a guy worth hanging onto.

Early Doucet (24%), Arizona (bye)

Before the season started, I profiled Andre Roberts as the guy who could benefit from Larry Fitzgerald drawing so much coverage.  Turns out that Doucet is the beneficiary.  The 16 targets on Sunday were inflated by the fact that the Cardinals got down 28 points in the first quarter, but he has at least six targets for four straight weeks, culminating in this week’s eight receptions and 92 yards.  Doucet also had a TD called back due to a penalty, so things could have been even better.  Thanks to a porous defense, Arizona should be playing from behind much of this season, leading to plenty of garbage time opportunities for Doucet.

Steve Breaston (15%), Kansas City (bye)

Breaston now has at least 50 receiving yards in three straight games, but the two touchdowns on Sunday were particularly surprising given that he had just one score all of last season.  Still, Cassel is improving as I mentioned above, and the post-bye week matchup with Oakland is a decent one.

Kevin Walter (13%), Houston

While Jacoby Jones had more targets, Walter had significantly better numbers with five catches, 81 yards, and a score.  He won’t wow you, but someone has to catch the ball for the Texans.

James Jones (10%), Green Bay

With Aaron Rodgers adeptly spreading the ball around, it’s tough to know which Green Bay wideout not named Greg Jennings is the safest to start each week.  Jones now has touchdowns in two straight games heading into a great matchup with St. Louis, which makes him worth a look if you need a bye week fill-in.  He’s by no means a sure thing, but you could also do a lot worse than investing in the potent Packer passing game.

Darrius Heyward-Bey (6%), Oakland

It was only fitting that one of Al Davis’ most maligned draft picks had a big game the day after his passing.  DHB followed up his 115-yard effort in Week Four with seven catches for 99 yards and a score against the Texans.  It’s certainly a high risk move, but if he can avoid Joe Haden when he faces the Browns next week, the potential is there.  I actually feel dirty after saying that.  Excuse me while I go shower.

Doug Baldwin (4%), Seattle (bye)

After 83 yards and a score in the opener, Baldwin posted just 27 yards over the next two games, making him look like a one week wonder.  Since then he racked up 84 yards against Atlanta and broke out for eight catches, 136 yards, and a TD in the upset win over the Giants.  The touchdown came on a play where the Giants essentially stopped playing after jumping offsides, but fantasy owners could care less.  The Seahawks have a bye next week, but Baldwin is looking like a solid PPR league option at the very least.

Jason Avant (2%), Philadelphia

The good news is he caught nine balls for 139 yards to give him 15 receptions and 208 yards in the past two games.  The bad news is he lost a key fumble and had Michael Vick’s final interception glance off his hands (and then his feet) on a drive that could have tied the game.  Avant is typically sure-handed, so the Eagles won’t give up on him after this performance.  Besides, with their defense scuffling, they are sure to be in plenty of shootouts over the remainder of the year.

Fantasy Football Week 6 Waiver Wire Advice: Tight End

Jared Cook (40%), Tennessee (bye)

Cook saw nine targets on Sunday and posted 59 yards against the Steelers.  With Kenny Britt out, he’s easily the team’s most talented receiver, so look for his involvement in the offense to continue to increase following Tennessee’s bye week.

Fred Davis (38%), Washington

One of the few things Philly’s defense did well on Sunday was to limit Buffalo tight end Scott Chandler.  That doesn’t erase the fact that they’ve been abused by opposing tight ends on multiple occasions this year.  Or the fact that their linebackers and safeties have been generally awful at every phase of the game.  Yes, that’s my Eagles fan bitterness showing through.

Heath Miller (17%), Pittsburgh

The Jaguars have given up a touchdown to opposing tight ends for four straight weeks.  It’s up to Miller to keep that streak alive, and he should come in with some confidence after 46 yards and a score this week.

Ben Watson (17%)/Evan Moore (2%), Cleveland

The Raiders gave up a number of big plays to Houston’s TE duo of Owen Daniels and Joel Dreessen, who combined for 12 catches and 201 yards on Sunday.  With few proven receivers, the Browns throw to their tight ends regularly, which may bode well for Watson and Moore this week.

Ed Dickson (15%), Baltimore

After 12 targets against the Jets last week, Joe Flacco has now looked Dickson’s way 32 times in Baltimore’s four games.  He has at least four catches and 45 yards in three of those contests, which makes him a decent PPR league option at minimum.

Jake Ballard (2%), New York Giants

He now has a TD reception in two straight weeks and seems to be developing a nice rapport with Eli Manning.  The Bills have given up three touchdowns to opposing tight ends over the last three weeks, so if you want to roll the dice, Ballard is an option if you are desperate.

Joel Dreessen (0%), Houston

I listed James Casey last week as a potential offensive option with Andre Johnson out, but it was Dreessen who stepped up with five catches for 112 yards, including a 56-yard TD where he slipped out the back side of the play.  He entered the game with just three receptions and 44 yards on the season, but he has filled in admirably (at times) for Owen Daniels in the past.  He’s a huge gamble against a Ravens team giving up virtually nothing to opposing tight ends.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Cincinnati (25%) vs. Indianapolis

The 20 points allowed to Jacksonville was a season high for the Bengals, but they made up for it with three sacks, two fumble recoveries, and a TD on the final play of the game.  Another solid matchup awaits with the Colts this week.

Buffalo (11%) at New York Giants

The Bills have scored a defensive touchdown in three straight games, and Eli Manning is coming off of a four turnover effort on Sunday.

Have any questions or feedback?  Leave them in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter (@andybottoms).

Six teams (Baltimore, Cleveland, Dallas, Miami, St. Louis, and Washington) have a bye in Week Five, so many fantasy owners will be hitting the waiver wire in search of one week rentals to fill out their rosters while others are trying to fill holes created by injuries or ineffectiveness.

As always, the players listed here are owned in less than 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire Advice: Quarterback

Matt Hasselbeck (38%), Tennessee

At this point, Hasselbeck has become a fixture in this column, and his three-touchdown performance against Cleveland did nothing to change that.  He attempted just 20 passes thanks to a comfortable Tennessee lead, but he was still able to put up solid fantasy numbers.

Hasselbeck is now averaging 288 passing yards per game with eight touchdowns and a 66.7 completion rate.  Things get tougher with the Steelers up next on the schedule, but their pass defense numbers are inflated thanks to having faced the Colts and Seahawks.  Hasselbeck won’t light them up, but he won’t kill you either.

Donovan McNabb (24%), Minnesota

Yes, he has been abysmal so far this season, but so has Arizona’s pass defense.  They’ve allowed at least two passing TDs to three of the four QBs they’ve faced, with the aforementioned Tarvaris Jackson the only exception.  You’re obviously not starting him over any other established guys, but if you’re desperate, he’s an option based on the matchup assuming he can hold off Christian Ponder for one more week.

Alex Smith (9%), San Francisco

Speaking of desperate, here’s another guy to consider as a bye week fill-in.  Smith actually threw the ball down the field in San Fran’s comeback win over the Eagles, which apparently took the Eagles by surprise.  The 49ers face a Tampa Bay defense that has allowed two 300-yard passers in their first three games and has been fairly solid against the run.  Smith actually has some confidence, so now we get to see what he does with it.

Matt Moore (0%), Miami (bye)

The Dolphins are off this week, but for those in two-QB leagues, Moore is someone to look at after Chad Henne left Sunday’s game with a left shoulder injury.  Moore acquitted himself well, with his only interception coming on a forced throw late in the game.  Henne’s status for Week Six is unknown, but at this point, don’t the Dolphins know what he can (or can’t) do?

Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire Advice: Running Back

Michael Bush (47%), Oakland

With Darren McFadden excelling, Bush is only seeing around 10 touches per contest, but he found the endzone for a third straight game on Sunday.  He has also become a bit more involved in the passing game with six receptions for 90 yards in the past two weeks.  Bush injured his ankle late in Sunday’s game, so keep an eye on his injury status before picking him up.

Kendall Hunter (29%), San Francisco

Even with Frank Gore active, Hunter started for the 49ers on Sunday and totaled 100 yards on 11 touches.  Gore finished with more carries and more yards, but Hunter has proven there is a place for him in this offense.  Gore isn’t exactly the picture of health, so Hunter’s role could increase as the season wears on.  For now, he’s worth owning just to see what happens.

Montario Hardesty (18%), Cleveland (bye)

The Browns gave Hardesty a healthy dose of snaps even with Peyton Hillis back at full strength.  Unfortunately, Hardesty dropped nearly as many passes (four) as he caught (five) and averaged just over three yards per carry.  Still, it’s encouraging news for Hardesty owners, and should Hillis’ reckless running style lead to an injury, Hardesty is poised to step in against a relatively easy upcoming schedule after the bye.

Ryan Torain (18%), Washington (bye)

Oh, Mike Shanahan, we should have seen this coming.  He hinted at nearly pulling Tim Hightower for Torain in Week Three, and sure enough Torain burst back onto the fantasy scene in Week Four with 135 yards and a score on 19 carries.

For now, it looks like Hightower is on the way out in favor of Torain, who has long been a Shanahan favorite.  He’s worth a pickup even with a bye for the Redskins next week, but Torain’s injury history is nearly as long as Shanahan’s reign of fantasy terror.  Don’t get too attached.

Stevan Ridley (11%), New England

I highlighted Ridley last week, and after another impressive performance, the line to pick him up just got a bit longer.  Ridley again outplayed BenJarvus Green-Ellis, rushing for 97 yards and a score on 10 carries.  The Pats aren’t going to turn into a grind-it-out team anytime soon, but their backfield has traditionally produced some solid fantasy performers.  For now at least, Ridley is the guy to own.

Isaac Redman (6%), Pittsburgh

With Rashard Mendenhall’s status in question due to a hamstring injury, Redman is poised to assume the starting role in the Pittsburgh backfield.  With their line in shambles and Ben Roethlisberger banged up, that might be less enticing than in years past, but Redman ran hard against the Texans and has impressed in limited action.  The Titans have been strong against the run after being carved up in Week One, but Redman would make a solid bye-week option if Mendenhall is out.

Brian Leonard (0%), Cincinnati

At this point no one knows when (or if) Cedric Benson will start serving his suspension, but Leonard was more effective than Bernard Scott on Sunday.  At minimum, the two backs would be part of a committee in Benson’s absence, with Leonard the goal line option.

Chris Ogbonnaya (0%), Houston

Apparently Texans running back is one of the most dangerous jobs in America.  Arian Foster’s injuries early on were well publicized, Derrick Ward has missed a couple games with a bum ankle, and now Ben Tate sustained a groin injury.  So while Foster looked terrific with a full workload on Sunday, Ogbonnaya is a name to remember in case his hammy flares up again.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire Advice: Wide Receiver

Michael Crabtree (40%), San Francisco

Crabtree and Alex Smith have never seemed to develop any chemistry (or even a tolerance for one another), but he saw a team-high nine targets, which he parlayed into five catches for 68 yards.  The upside is enough to consider picking him up to see if he can string together another solid performance or two.

Victor Cruz (33%), New York Giants

Most of Cruz’s headlines will be about him getting away with a fumble by “giving himself up,” which apparently is code for “tripping over your own feet.”  If that’s true, I have given myself up on the dance floor at a few wedding receptions.  Anyway, Cruz caught six passes for 98 yards and vastly outplayed Mario Manningham.  With Domenik Hixon out for the year and a couple good games under his belt, Cruz is worth a roster spot, particularly with Seattle up next on the schedule.

Antonio Brown (26%), Pittsburgh

This hinges largely on Roethlisberger’s status, but Brown has consistently been among the most targeted Steelers this season.  He led the team with 10 targets on Sunday, which he converted into five receptions for 67 yards.  Roethlisberger overthrew him on what would have been a touchdown, and he now has at least 67 receiving yards in three straight games.

Randall Cobb (20%), Green Bay

Outside of leagues that count return yardage, Cobb is an inconsistent fantasy option, but he does have a few things working in his favor.  First, Donald Driver is clearly slowing down, so the opportunity to earn more playing time is there.  Second, Cobb is still learning how to play the position after playing quarterback during much of his college career at Kentucky.  Third, the Packers have a lethal passing game, which means anyone involved in their aerial assault can emerge as a viable fantasy option.  The best is yet to come for Cobb, so stash him away now if you can.

Kevin Walter (5%), Houston

The good news is that Andre Johnson didn’t injury his knee, but a non-contact injury doesn’t bode well for his status over the next week or two.  That should mean more targets for Walter, who isn’t exactly a game changer, but somebody has to be on the receiving end of Matt Schaub’s passes.

Laurent Robinson (2%), Dallas (bye)

With Miles Austin injured, I expected Kevin Ogletree to step up.  As it turns out, Ogletree’s core competencies appear to be dropping passes and lining up in the wrong place on virtually every play.  That opened the door for Robinson to earn more playing time against Detroit, which he took advantage of to the tune of seven receptions and 116 yards.  He has shown flashes before but could never stay healthy long enough to establish himself.  Austin is expected back after Dallas’ bye this week, but Dez Bryant has also been hobbled, which means Robinson is an injury away from a starting role.

Darrius Heyward-Bey (1%), Oakland

Don’t do it.  I know he had 115 yards, but don’t do it.  You’re better than that.

Fantasy Football Week 5 Waiver Wire Advice: Tight End

Jared Cook (28%), Tennessee

The Cook bandwagon all but emptied after a slow start to the season, but as I mentioned last week, someone has to pick up the slack with Kenny Britt out.  Cook had a team-high six targets and tallied two receptions for 93 yards and a score.  He presents a real mismatch for opponents and should continue to see his role expand.  The Steelers have surrendered a couple double-digit fantasy point performances against opposing tight ends this season, making Cook an interesting bye week option.

Jermaine Gresham (26%), Cincinnati

Like Cook, I listed Gresham as a solid add last week, and he backed that up with 70 yards and a touchdown.  Next week the Bengals face a Jacksonville defense that has allowed 29 receptions, 330 yards, and three scores against opposing tight ends over the last three weeks.

James Casey (18%), Houston

As I mentioned above with Walter, someone will have to step up in the passing game for however many games Andre Johnson is out.  Owen Daniels seems the most likely candidate, but defenses will focus their efforts on taking him away.  So don’t rule out Casey, who had 126 yards and a score against New Orleans in Week Three.

Clay Harbor (0%), Philadelphia

This one is only for deeper leagues, but Brent Celek’s breakout season in 2009 is now a distant memory and apparently a complete aberration.  With Celek struggling, Harbor stepped in with three receptions for 55 yards and a score on Sunday.  The Bills, who have surrendered three TDs to opposing tight ends in the past two games, are up next on the schedule.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Houston (37%) vs. Oakland

Outside of a second half meltdown against the Saints, the Texans have been impressive defensively, allowing just 30 points over the other three games.  The Raiders have an improved offense, but they don’t have the kind of passing game that could really expose the Texans.

Tennessee (15%) at Pittsburgh

This hinges largely on Ben Roethlisberger’s status, but the Titans have been stingy defensively.  They have yet to allow an opponent to score over 16 points and have done a nice job creating turnovers.

Cincinnati (2%) at Jacksonville

Anyone who can slow down The Amish Rifle deserves some credit.  All kidding aside, the Cincinnati defense is underrated and faces a rookie quarterback and an offense that is averaging fewer than 10 points per game.

Have any questions or feedback?  Leave them in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter (@andybottoms).

Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice: Quarterback

Matt Hasselbeck (29%), Tennessee

After another solid performance with 311 yards and two scores on Sunday, Hasselbeck has now completed nearly 70 percent of his passes this season while averaging 311 yards.  The loss of Kenny Britt is obviously huge, but he spread the ball around nicely once Britt went down, hitting 11 different receivers over the course of the game.

While his ceiling lowers without his go-to receiver, Hasselbeck still has some good matchups over the next few weeks, the Week Five tilt with Pittsburgh notwithstanding.

AP Photo/Mark Humphrey

Vince Young (3%), Philadelphia

While Michael Vick’s broken hand is not his throwing hand, I have a hard time thinking he will be able to receive snaps from center effectively enough to play next week.  [Update: The latest is that Vick's hand is not broken. More about his status will be known as the week goes on.] Given Mike Kafka’s struggles in limited action against the Giants, and the fact that Young’s injury hammy was healed enough for him to be available on Sunday, my money is on Young to get the nod against San Francisco next week.

Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg did a nice job of tailoring the offense to Vick’s strengths in the past, and they should be able to do the same for Young.  Given the matchup, he’s a decent fill-in option for at least a week.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice: Running Back

Montario Hardesty (21%), Cleveland

Peyton Hillis was a surprise scratch with strep throat, so the Browns got to give Hardesty a long look against Miami on Sunday.  While his numbers weren’t gaudy, they had to like what they saw with 67 yards on 14 carries to go with three receptions for 19 yards.

The Browns have made it no secret that they want to monitor Hillis’ workload to keep him fresh later in the season, and a performance like this from Hardesty makes that easier to do.  So even though Hillis’ ailment won’t cause him to miss additional games, Hardesty is worth a roster spot, particularly with some favorable matchups looming on the schedule.

Bernard Scott (12%), Cincinnati

This one depends solely on the outcome of Cedric Benson’s appeal of his three-game suspension, but assuming that is upheld, Scott will be the starter for the Bengals.  Scott performed well as Benson’s replacement for a couple games in 2009, and I am interested to see what he can do if given that opportunity again.

Cincinnati’s next three games are against Buffalo, Jacksonville, and Indianapolis, which makes Scott a bit more enticing if he receives a relatively full workload.

Kendall Hunter (7%), San Francisco

Even before Frank Gore’s ankle injury, his performance was starting to make Hunter an intriguing pickup for those trying to stay a step or two ahead of their leaguemates.  Now that Gore’s status for next week is in question, Hunter becomes a must-add, particularly with Philly’s woeful run defense up next on the schedule.

Hunter had 38 total yards and a score in relief of Gore on Sunday and earned the nickname “Big Game Hunter” in college at Oklahoma State.  He has shown good burst and elusiveness and can also be an effective receiver in the passing game.

I like his chances to continue to earn more playing time, and he’s clearly ahead of Anthony Dixon, who didn’t touch the ball even with Gore hurting.

Stevan Ridley (3%), New England

It’s only one week, but Ridley was considerably more effective than BenJarvus Green-Ellis on Sunday.  While BJGE managed just 16 yards on nine carries and was stuffed at the goal line, Ridley rekindled shades of his preseason performance with 44 yards on seven carries.  At the very least, he’s earned himself a larger share of the backfield touches in the short-term with the potential to wrestle the job away for Green-Ellis for good.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice: Wide Receiver

David Nelson (49%), Buffalo

By the time you read this, Nelson may well have climbed over the 50 percent ownership mark.  I listed him after a breakout performance in Week Two, and he followed that up with a solid showing against the Patriots, catching six of his eight targets for 84 yards.

Nelson remains a strong PPR league option while catching passes from The Amish Rifle, and he has another good matchup against the Bengals next week.

Nate Washington (27%), Tennessee

I included Washington in this column last week, and his performance on Sunday, coupled with the injury to Kenny Britt, reaffirms his place here.  He caught eight passes on a team-high nine targets for 92 yards and a score.  Washington has at least six receptions in each game and has eclipsed the 90-yard mark the past two weeks.

The past has taught us that he is miscast as a number one receiver, but there aren’t exactly a ton of options in the Tennessee passing game at this point.  Look for consistent targets from here on out for Washington, who should see his ownership skyrocket this week.

Steve Smith (14%), Philadelphia

Lost amidst the injury news on Vick was the fact that Jeremy Maclin left the game with a hamstring injury.  Early indications are that he won’t play next week, and with Riley Cooper also banged up, Smith may be a starter by default.  The quarterback situation is up in the air, but the opportunity will be there alongside Desean Jackson.  Smith is still working his way back into shape, and his targets are on the rise.

Torrey Smith (9%), Baltimore

The Ravens drafted the speedy Smith to help them stretch the field, but when he struggled with drops in the preseason, the team went after Lee Evans instead.  With Evans sidelined, Smith stepped into the starting lineup and went off for five catches, 152 yards, and three touchdowns.

He is sure to be snatched up in most leagues this week (and rightfully so), but before you go overboard remember a couple things: one, he had zero catches the first two weeks; two, the knock on him has been his ability to consistently catch the ball; three, the Jets are up next on the schedule.  Again, not saying you can’t go after him, but temper your expectations.

Brandon Gibson (5%), St. Louis

There were very few bright spots for the Rams on Sunday, but Gibson did catch the team’s lone TD pass.  He now has at least 50 receiving yards in all three games this season, and the Rams will be forced to keep airing it out with Steven Jackson banged up and their defense in shambles.

Victor Cruz (4%), New York Giants

The only thing tougher to come by than a healthy Giants wideout is someone who actually wants to see Real Steel.  Cruz, who starred in the 2010 preseason, caught three passes for 110 yards and two scores against the vaunted Eagles secondary.  The first score, a 74-yard catch and run, was helped by some shoddy tackling, but he certainly showed he can be a viable receiving option for the Giants.

If Mario Manningham misses additional games (or maybe even if he doesn’t), Cruz has some value thanks to upcoming games against Arizona, Seattle, and Buffalo.

Michael Jenkins (2%), Minnesota

You might see the nine catches and 88 yards and be tempted to go pick him up.  Don’t.

Donald Jones (2%), Buffalo

With The Amish Rifle under center (yes, I love that nickname), there are intriguing options abound in the Buffalo passing games.  Jones tied Steve Johnson with a team-high 10 targets on Sunday, which he was able to parlay into five catches and 101 yards.  The aforementioned David Nelson will be the far more consistent of the two options, but Jones does have some big play ability for those in deeper leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice: Tight End

Jared Cook (30%), Tennessee

With Britt out, it’s now or never for Cook.  Tennessee coaches talked about getting him more involved in the offseason, but so far he has just five receptions for 56 yards.  Cook is an athletic freak and has the size to take over for Britt as a prime redzone target.  Based on that opportunity, he’s worth a prospective add to see if he can become a larger part of the gameplan.

Jermaine Gresham (26%), Cincinnati

Things have been up and down for Gresham this season, but he has three matchups coming up against teams who have been victimized by opposing tight ends in recent weeks.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Atlanta (44%) vs. Seattle

I honestly don’t know how the Cardinals allowed Seattle to get a touchdown and score 13 points, but the Falcons are better defensively and can’t afford to fall to 1-3.

Tennessee (16%) at Cleveland

The Titans have yet to allow more than 14 points to an opponent this season, and it’s not as if the Browns have been lighting up the scoreboard.

Tampa Bay (9%) vs. Indianapolis

It was a spirited performance by the Colts on Sunday night, but they are ripe for a letdown as they head down to Florida.  No matter who suits up a quarterback, turnovers are pretty much a given, which makes the Bucs a solid option after they played so well against Atlanta on Sunday.

Have any questions or feedback?  Leave them in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter (@andybottoms).

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Don’t miss the rest of our Fantasy Football Week 4 coverage:

• Week 4 Start Em, Sit Em Projections
• Week 4 Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 4 Rankings

UT Running back Montario Hardesty suffered a knee injury last week against Ohio. Hardesty has been limited in practice but expects to play Saturday. This season has been a coming-out party for Hardesty and the Vols will need him to carry the football.

Nearly the entire Tennessee defense is dealing with minor injuries. Monte Kiffin will have to prepare this unit to face a high-octane Tigers offense. Auburn has scored over 35 points in each of their games so far.

However, everything isn’t as doom and gloom as it sounds for Tennessee.

This Auburn team remains largely untested and hasn’t proven if they are for real yet. So far Auburn has only played one SEC opponent, when they blew out a mediocre Mississippi State team.

Auburn runs a spread offense that has racked up high yardage and a ridiculous amount of points so far. The advantage Tennessee has in this game comes from playing Florida already. Monte Kiffin’s defense held the Gators to 23 points and as far as spread offenses go, Florida’s is the best.

The Vols will have the toughest defense Auburn has faced yet and the numbers should reflect that.

The one offensive guarantee Tennessee has in this game will be their running attack. The Vols have been able to run the football effectively against everyone they have faced.

Even if Hardesty’s injury holds him back, freshmen backs Bryce Brown and David Oku should be able to pick up the slack. Tennessee should be able to rush for 150+ yards as a team.

The biggest question mark for the Vols in this game, as it is in every game, will be the play of Jonathon Crompton.

The Vols’ aerial attack has been up and down all season. If Crompton can manage the game and be accurate on important passing downs, Tennessee will be able to walk away with a win. But with the inconsistency Crompton has played with, it will be either hit or miss.

Just like any SEC matchup, this game could go either way. Auburn comes into this game undefeated but may be exposed as a pretender. The Vols gained some of their confidence back after keeping it close against Florida.

This game is a matchup between an over-achieving team and an under-achieving team. Whichever team plays to their full potential should come out on top.

My Tennessee-Auburn prediction: Tennessee – 27 | Auburn -21

Here are the particulars for tomorrow’s matchup:

Auburn Tigers (4-0) at Tennessee Volunteers (2-2)

• Auburn-Tennessee Kickoff Time: 7:45 PM ET
• Auburn-Tennessee TV: ESPN
• Auburn-Tennessee Location: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee
• Auburn-Tennessee Point Spread: Tennessee -1.5

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* – Jonathan Crompton photo credit: Rumors and Rants

No, that wasn’t a typo.

Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton really threw 5 TD’s in a single game. (A short pause for you to google this if you still can’t believe it.)

Crompton and the Vols steamrolled right over the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers 63-7 on Saturday, racking up 657 yards of total offense. Crompton had a career day with 233 yards passing to go along with his 5 TD’s. He showed maturity and, unlike last season, appears comfortable in Lane Kiffin’s pro-style offense.

However, the Volunteers’ running back corps refused to be shown up by their senior quarterback. As a team Tennessee rushed for 380 yards and 4 TD’s, averaging over 8 yards per carry. Senior running back Montario Hardesty had 160 yards on 18 carries, with a huge 43-yard TD run.

Tennessee’s offensive “Freshman Four” also played well, having a coming out party against Western Kentucky.

Running back Bryce Brown scored UT’s first TD of the season and finished with 104 yards on 11 carries. His fellow frosh back David Oku had 42 yards and 2 TD’s on 8 carries. Marsalis Teague was the leading receiver for the Vols. Teague caught 6 passes for 86 yards and a TD. Nu’Keese Richardson made an impact all around, catching passes, returning kicks, and even running the wildcat formation.

Lane Kiffin’s focus, however, is not on the blowout victory of last week.

The Vols are preparing for a rematch against UCLA after losing a heartbreaker in Pasadena last season. As a former USC coach, Kiffin is no stranger to the Bruins either. Thus, there are plenty of storylines heading into Saturday’s game in Knoxville.

Before we break down the matchup, here are the particulars:

UCLA Bruins at Tennessee Volunteers

• UCLA-Tennessee Date: Saturday, September 12th
• UCLA-Tennessee Location: Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee
• UCLA-Tennessee Kickoff Time: 4:00 ET
• UCLA-Tennessee TV: ESPN
• UCLA-Tennessee Point Spread: Tennessee -7.5
• StubHub: Tennessee-UCLA tickets
• StubHub: Tennessee football tickets
• StubHub: UCLA football tickets
• StubHub: All college football tickets

The matchup between Tennessee and UCLA is completely different than last season. In ’08 the Vols were a team searching for an offensive identity and UCLA was lucky to scrape out a win.

This season the Vols appear rejuvenated on offense with their explosive young talent and offensive mastermind Lane Kiffin at the helm. And though the offense has improved vastly, the strength of this Vols team is still the defense, led by its all-world safety Eric Berry.

In Monte Kiffin’s first game as UT defensive coordinator, the Vols held Western Kentucky to 83 yards of total offense. The Hilltoppers only managed 34 yards rushing, averaging a laughable 1-yard per carry. The scary part of UT’s defensive performance is that Berry didn’t play all that well and the defense still held strong.

Berry and the Tennessee defense could have a field day against UCLA’s freshman quarterback Kevin Prince, who threw two picks against San Diego State in the Bruins opener. Prince doesn’t seem experienced enough to go up against a top-level SEC defense and will likely turn the ball over multiple times.

The Vols will have to be careful of their own turnovers however. Jonathan Crompton will have to keep an eye out for UCLA safety Rahim Moore, who had three interceptions last week against SDSU.

Lane Kiffin, though, appears to be more than capable of putting together an effective offensive game plan. And if Tennessee’s offense can produce even half as well as they did last week, the Neyland faithful should once again be singing Rocky Top at the top of their lungs.

And the Vols, coming off one of the most disappointing seasons in school history, should be 2-0.

My prediction for Saturday’s game: Tennessee- 31 UCLA- 17