Oh, you thought I meant Christmas?

Ideally you’ve been shopping the waiver wire all season long and have picked up some bargains along the way.  But just in case you waited until the last minute, there are still a few options out there in your hour of need.

Alright, enough with the holiday metaphors, let’s check out a handful of guys on the waiver wire who just might put you over the top.  As always, players listed here are owned in fewer than 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups: QB

Matt Moore (18%), Miami

By now you know that it’s a sound practice to start the QB playing against the Patriots, who have routinely given up big fantasy numbers to opposing signal callers.  Moore has at least one TD in five straight games with nine total scores over that span.  New England has allowed multiple TDs to six of the last eight QBs they have faced, and they also allowed Chad Henne and the Dolphins to throw for 400 yards against them in Week One.

Rex Grossman (17%), Washington

I realize starting Grossman with your league title on the line seems like a suicide mission, but the matchup is almost too good to pass up.  After being shredded by Drew Brees and the Saints, the Vikings have now allowed 25 passing scores over their last nine games.  If nothing else, you may want to pick up Grossman to prevent your opponent from grabbing him.

Kyle Orton (17%), Kansas City

Moore and Grossman have better matchups, but Orton is another waiver wire option after throwing for 299 yards in KC’s upset win over Green Bay.  Orton faces an Oakland defense that has allowed multiple TDs to their last seven opponents.  Like the others listed here, he’s a solid QB2 based on the matchup and someone you could talk yourself into starting if your other options are struggling.

Image credit: Jamie Squires / Getty Images via B/R

Fantasy Football Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups: RB

Toby Gerhart (45%), Minnesota

With Adrian Peterson back, fantasy owners (myself included) moved Gerhart back to the bench and watched him catch two touchdown passes.  Still, he had just two carries on the day, so you shouldn’t expect a heavy workload going forward.  He’s only startable next week in deep PPR leagues, so don’t get carried away here based solely on his fantasy points from Week 15.

Jackie Battle (29%), Kansas City

As bad as the Raiders have been against the pass, they’ve also struggled against the run.  Since the Lions were playing from behind and generally have no interest in running the ball, they weren’t able to exploit that weakness.  However, the Chiefs are more likely to stick with the run after giving it to their running backs over 30 times against the Packers despite relatively limited success.  Battle did convert a short TD run and would be the goal line option this week as well.  Consider him a potential flex option in deeper leagues.

Donald Brown (21%), Indianapolis

Brown gained roughly half of his 161 rushing yards on an 80-yard scamper to seal the game, and he’s now scored a TD in three of the last four games.  He continues to outperform Joseph Addai and should continue to see a larger portion of the workload.  That said, the Texans have been among the stingiest defenses against opposing RBs, which makes Brown a flex option at best.

Lance Ball (12%), Denver

With Willis McGahee limited by a leg injury, Ball racked up 105 total yards and a TD against the Patriots.  If McGahee can’t go, Ball becomes a solid option against a Buffalo defense that has been getting shredded on the ground over the last seven games.

Kahlil Bell (8%), Chicago

Bell outplayed Marion Barber against the Seahawks, rushing for 65 yards on 15 carries to go with five receptions for 43 yards and a TD.  It was his second straight game with five catches, which makes him a solid flex option in PPR leagues despite a relatively tough matchup against Green Bay.  Still, it’s hard to see a scenario where he doesn’t get the bulk of the backfield touches in that game.

Chris Ivory (3%), New Orleans

Keep in mind that Ivory got most of his work when the Saints were essentially running out the clock against Minnesota, but he finished with 74 rushing yards on the day.  Things won’t be quite as easy against the Falcons, but it’s worth noting the Atlanta defense has allowed either 100 rushing yards or a TD to opposing runners in each of the last four games.  Even so, Ivory is only an option in very deep leagues with Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas also in the backfield mix.

Fantasy Football Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups: WR

Nate Burleson (42%), Detroit

After a disappointing performance against Minnesota last week, Burleson bounced back with seven catches for 81 yards and a TD against Oakland.  He has at least five receptions in five of the last six games, and you know the Lions will be airing it out with regularity.  Consider Burleson a WR3 in PPR leagues with the Chargers up next on the schedule.

Steve Breaston (37%), Kansas City

Breaston led the team in targets against the Packers and wound up with four receptions for 50 yards to go with a 25-yard run.  He now has at least four grabs in seven straight games, but keep in mind he’s been held to 50 receiving yards or less in five of those contests.  Breaston caught five balls for 64 yards in the first matchup with Oakland, which is probably a reasonable expectation for this game.  He’s consistent, but don’t count on a ton of upside here even with a great matchup.

Demaryius Thomas (34%), Denver

After another big game against the Patriots, Thomas now has 18 catches for 338 yards and three TDs over the last three games.  He was targeted a total of 13 times against the Pats and continues to be Tim Tebow’s go-to receiver.  Buffalo’s defense is reeling, which makes Thomas a solid option for your championship lineup.

Darrius Heyward-Bey (25%), Oakland

The Chiefs have been tougher against the pass than you might think, but DHB should enter that matchup with plenty of confidence after racking up eight catches for 155 yards and a score against the Lions.  He had five receptions for 89 yards against Kansas City in their first meeting and is a WR3 at best this week.  Despite his solid recent numbers, putting your fantasy fate in his hands is a pretty frightening proposition.

Fantasy Football Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups: TE

Brent Celek (36%), Philadelphia

Apparently Celek and the Eagles aren’t quite dead yet.  He caught five passes for 156 yards and a TD against the Jets and nearly missed a second score when he was brought down just short of the goal line after a 73-yard catch-and-run.  Celek has at least four grabs in eight of his last nine games, including a Week Eight matchup with Dallas where he posted seven receptions, 94 yards, and a TD.  He’s a borderline TE1 in a must-win game against the Cowboys.

Jared Cook (26%), Tennessee

After being held without a catch for two straight games, Cook had nine receptions for 103 yards against the Colts, most of which came after the Titans were forced to go to a pass-heavy attack.  Next week’s matchup with the Jaguars is a decent one, but starting the inconsistent Cook would be an extremely risky move.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Tennessee (41%) vs. Jacksonville

I won’t blame you if you don’t want to trust the Titans after they lost to Indy.  That said, outside of their “where the hell did these guys come from” performance against Tampa Bay, Jacksonville has scored more than 14 points just once since Week Five.

Washington (16%) vs. Minnesota

The Redskins held the Giants without a TD until the final minute and tallied three sacks and three interceptions.  Meanwhile, the Vikings have lost six straight and have turned the ball over 16 times and allowed four defensive/special teams TDs over that span.

*****

Finally, Happy Holidays and best of luck this week to all of you.  Hopefully we’ve been able to help you over the course of the season, and for those of you masochists out there who play in Week 17, I’ll be back with one last round of waiver wire suggestions next week.

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

No, I didn’t make the playoffs in all of my leagues, but I did get to enjoy a couple of Week 14 byes, and my teams that did play meaningful Week 14 games all did well.

Sure, it all could come crashing down this week, but I’m going to spend a few extra minutes studying stats and trends and matchups to ensure that I put myself in the best possible position for victory.

And it all starts with analyzing the waiver wire to see if there are any players out there who may be able to help me out now that the fantasy pressure is racheted up to its highest levels.

Here are this week’s waiver wire pickups, and as always all of these players are owned in 50% or fewer of Yahoo leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups: QB

Matt Moore, Miami (20%, at Buffalo)

Matt Moore did not have a great game in Week 14. This is surprising based on the previous several weeks, but coming into the year no one would have been surprised if the Eagles’ high-priced secondary had shut down the Dolphins’ backup QB.

Week 15 appears far more appealing for Moore owners – especially those who have him in two-QB leagues like I do. He is facing the Buffalo Bills, who are giving up big numbers to everyone. You wouldn’t want Moore starting in a single QB league, but he’ll put up sneaky good numbers this week.

Rex Grossman, Washington (13%, at New York Giants)

Did you see how many Cowboys wide receivers were running wide open in the Giants’ secondary last week? That’s been a weekly theme. Grossman proved in Week 14 that he can put up good numbers against a poor secondary, and he can and should do it again this week.

You might think I’m crazy to say this, but Grossman could very well be a top-10 QB this week. I know, I know. I’m not sure I could trust him either, but just don’t be surprised if it happens.

T.J. Yates, Houston (5%, v Carolina)

This is only for deep-leaguers and two-QB leagues, but T.J. Yates has been surprisingly serviceable in fantasy football and real life football since taking over for Matt Leinart taking over for Matt Schaub. Yates has 3 TDs and one pick in the his last two games. There is some value there, and we know that Carolina struggles to stop everyone.

Jake Locker, Tennessee (2%, at Indianapolis)

This assumes that Matt Hasselbeck is hurt and that you are terribly desperate at QB, but wouldn’t you want whoever is facing the Colts in at QB? I wouldn’t mind it. Don’t go crazy and start Locker in a one-QB league, but he could put up some numbers against the woeful Colts.

Fantasy Football Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups: RB

Toby Gerhart, Minnesota (47%, v New Orleans)

If Adrian Peterson doesn’t play, which seems unlikely since he was so close to playing this week, Gerhart has some value. If Peterson does play, then obviously Gerhart needs to go to your bench.

Ryan Grant, Green Bay (43%, at Kansas City)

Ryan Grant lives!

Grant hasn’t done much this year, but he burst back onto the scene in Week 14, filling in quite admirably for James Starks and making the Packers RB slot fantasy-relevant for the first time…pretty much all year. If Grant is slated to start again, with Kansas City up next on the schedule, he could provide some value again. Don’t go crazy with your expectations, but he’s at least worthy of giving you some depth as you approach the final week.

Donald Brown, Indianapolis (21%, v Tennessee)

Brown did very little in Week 14, but in his defense he plays for the Colts who were playing Baltimore. Did anyone really expect anything? Brown did lead the Colts in carries and yards, and there is value in that for those desperate for ball carrier, and Tennessee is not nearly as imposing against the run as the Ravens are.

Keiland Williams, Detroit (3%, at Oakland)

I’m not a huge fan of Williams, but he did lead a high-powered offense in carries in Week 14. With the quickly fading Oakland Raiders on the schedule in Week 15 – the same Oakland Raiders who made Ryan Grant relevant again – any running back slated to get 10-15 touches against them has some value.

Christopher Ivory, New Orleans (1%, at Minnesota)

Few things frustrate fantasy owners more than the Saints’ backfield, and it happened this week. Ivory led Saints backs in touches with 13, followed by Sproles’ 12. All of Ivory’s touches were carries, and he churned out 53 yards on them, looking pretty explosive with fresh legs. Who knows if he’ll get 13 more carries next week, but anyone getting that many touches for the Saints warrants mention.

Fantasy Football Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups: WR

JABAR GAFFNEY, WASHINGTON (49%, at NEW YORK GIANTS)

No, I did not mistakenly hit the CAPS LOCK button when typing Jabar Gaffney’s name. I just wanted to make sure you know exactly how much I love Gaffney this week. He was my start ‘em WR in Week 14, and he came through big time, and he should do the same this week against the Giants’ very generous secondary.

Nate Burleson, Detroit (43%, at Oakland)

Burleson didn’t do quite as well against the Vikings as I thought he might, but he has been pretty productive over the last month. As I mentioned above, the Raiders are terrible right now, so I want plays who are going against them in my lineup or at least on my team as an option.

Damian Williams, Tennessee (25%, at Indianapolis)

I expected more out of Williams than just two catches in Week 14 (though he did pop for 62 yards), but Nate Washington ended up playing and got the bulk of the catches and yards. Still, Williams has major potential in Week 15 because of the matchup.

Demaryius Thomas, Denver (13%, at New England)

Yes, Thomas struggled with drops in Week 14, but he also caught the huge 4th quarter touchdown, which to me helps validate his 144-yard Week 13 as more than just a fluke. With New England on the schedule, and their terrible pass defense tasked with defending Tebow and Co, Thomas could have another nice day.

Titus Young, Detroit (6%, at Oakland)

Yes, a second Lions WR makes the list because, again, they are playing Oakland. And I like Young more than Burleson. Young was better in Week 14 and at this point in their respective careers he is the more explosive player. Don’t be surprised he has another 4-catch, 87-yard, 1-TD day in Week 15. That’s what he did last week.

Fantasy Football Week 15 Waiver Wire Pickups: TE

Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati (48%, at St. Louis)

Greshman was okay in Week 14, but he faced a very tough Houston defense. His matchup in Week 15 is not nearly as tough, and Gresham looks like a good candidate to get back into the endzone to me. At the least, he should grab 4-5 balls and get 50-60 yards.

Jake Ballard, New York (46%, v Washington)

Ballard continues to be a solid under-the-radar option at tight end. He caught four balls in Week 14 and scored a touchdown. We saw what Rob Gronkowski did to the Redskins last week, and while Ballard may only be 25% of Gronk, 25% of what Gronk did v Washington would be pretty good for your TE spot.

Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville (17%, at Atlanta)

Apparently someone told Blaine Gabbert that he has a really talented tight end. After a very disappointing start to the season, Lewis is producing again. He had 77 yards on two catches in Week 14, coming on the heels of 14 catches over the previous three weeks.

Streaming Defenses of the Week

Seattle Seahawks (43%, at Chicago)

I don’t even know what Seattle will do against St. Louis on Monday Night Football, but I’m recommending them. It’s much less about my trust in Seattle and much more about my complete lack of faith in Caleb Hanie and Co. Seattle is a very safe option this week.

Tennessee Titans (27%, at Indianapolis)

All things considered, the Titans weren’t terrible against New Orleans in Week 14; and they have been a good defense at times this year. In Week 15, they may well look like a great defense going up against Indy. Again, another safe option.

Arizona Cardinals (16%, v Cleveland)

Arizona’s defense is not as bad as you might think, though they do struggle defending the pass. Well guess what? Cleveland can’t pass. And with a Patrick Peterson return TD always looming as a realistic possibility, Arizona has a shot to be a solid value this week.

If you have roster-specific questions, pose them below. Let’s all get Ws in Week 15!

For some of you, that means you have a team (or hopefully teams) on bye this week. If so, major kudos to you.

For others of you, Week 14 means that it’s the first week of the playoffs. If so, good luck, and hopefully the advice in this post will help you move on.

For others, Week 14 is the last week of your regular season. Maybe you’ve clinched a playoff spot or maybe you’re still scratching and clawing for one. Regardless, hopefully we can do you and your lineup some good with our picks in this week’s start em, sit em.

And for some of you this may be your first week without fantasy football – if your playoffs start this week and you did not make it; but if that’s the case, why would you be reading this?

Alas, if you’re here, you are looking for help in Week 14. And you’re in luck, because that is exactly what you’re about to get.

My apologies to those who came looking for Jon. I’m taking the start/sit reins today. I will do my very best to get you set up for success in this most pivotal of weeks.

Also, no looking back to Week 13, but not because it was a bad week. Frankly, I don’t know. I don’t even remember Jon’s picks. I assume some worked and some didn’t, like any week. But with the stakes now raised, there is no time for the rearview mirror. We look forward.

Here are your Week 14 start/sit picks:

Fantasy Football Week 14 Start em, Sit em QBs

Start Em QB: Matthew Stafford, DET (vs MIN)

Put this one in the no-brainer category.

Frankly, I feel a little bad making it the start em pick at QB, because it’s the equivalent of taking candy from a baby.  Nonetheless, it’s here, because if you own Matthew Stafford you absolutely must have him in your lineup this week.

And it all boils down to matchup.

If you watched the Broncos-Vikings game last week, you saw Broncos wide receivers running around wide open all day, providing easy pitch and catch opportunities for the not-so-renowned-as-a-thrower Tim Tebow. If Tebow, Demaryius Thomas, and Eric Decker could do that against Minnesota, what do you think Stafford, Megatron, Burleson, Titus Young, and Brandon Pettigrew will do?

Chances are they’ll pick up a few dumb penalties…and a lot of passing/receiving yards and touchdowns. Don’t be shocked if Stafford, at home in a must win game for the Lions, ends up as the top scoring player in fantasy football this week, even though I’m going to be a little conservative with my projection.

Matthew Stafford fantasy football Week 14 projection: 345 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT

Other start em QBs for Week 14:

• Rex Grossman faces a New England defense that made Dan Orlovsky startable last week. I would not start Grossman in a standard league, but he’s a solid two-QB league option this week; or a desperation fill-in with upside if your QB slot got hit by the injury bug.
• Philip Rivers looked like the old Philip Rivers Monday night, against a pretty good defense too. With his weapons healthy, and Buffalo on the schedule, Rivers is safe to deploy this week.
• Every week I scan for who is facing the Colts. This week it’s Joe Flacco. Play Joe Flacco. Even though the Ravens will likely run, run, run against Indianapolis, Flacco will throw enough to be useful. At the very least, he’s safe.

Sit Em QB: Michael Vick, PHI (at MIA)

Don’t do it. Don’t even think about it.

I know that Michael Vick owners are salivating at the thought of Vick returning this week and leading them to fantasy glory down the stretch, but in a one-QB league I wouldn’t even think about starting Vick unless I didn’t have another top 20 option. There are two good reasons:

1. Can you really trust Vick to stay healthy? No, you can’t. Really, you can’t trust him to stay healthy any week, but I’m especially leery about starting him without seeing him play a game since the rib injury.
2. Have you seen what the Dolphins are doing lately? They’ve won four out of five games, giving up a total of four touchdowns in that span.

With so many elite QBs outperforming Vick this season, and many marginal ones with good matchups, why would you risk your one QB spot on Vick?

Don’t do it.

Michael Vick fantasy football Week 14 projection: 200 passing yards, 55 rushing yards, 1 total TD, 1 turnover

Other sit em QBs for Week 14:

• Those of you who relied on Andy Dalton early in the season need to look elsewhere. He’s starting to hit a rookie wall…and this week that wall is Houston and its ball control offense and stingy D.
• I’m not necessarily telling you to sit Tim Tebow, because he always finds a way to put up at least serviceable fantasy numbers. That said, don’t expect a reprise of last week when he faces the Bears.
• Josh Freeman has been a major disappointment this year. I know that Philip Rivers torched Jacksonville Monday night, but the JAX defense has been pretty stingy overall this year. There is more reason to trust Jacksonville’s D than to trust Freeman.

Fantasy Football Week 14 Start em, Sit em RBs

Start Em RB: Ryan Mathews, SD (vs BUF)

As with the Stafford selection, I feel like I may be insulting your intelligence a bit with this pick; however, because Mathews has been so up and down, and because people always ask about him in the comment sections and live chats, I feel compelled to make my Week 14 love for him official.

First, consider that Mathews is red hot. He has two straight 100-yard games, and on Monday night he torched Jacksonville for 112 yards on a mere 13 carries. He also got into the end zone, which he doesn’t always do.

Second, consider his Week 14 opponent, the Bills, who are very generous to opposing running backs. And with Philip Rivers and the Chargers’ passing game getting going, there will be plenty of space for Mathews to roam; and we know how much he loves space.

Ryan Mathews fantasy football Week 14 projection: 115 yards rushing, 1 TD, 15 yards receiving

For the record, Mathews is clearly the #1 option in San Diego now over Mike Tolbert, though Tolbert still has some value as a flex option because he he’ll catch a few passes and get some goalline carries. But there is no debate right now between the two. Mathews is the guy.

Other start em RBs for Week 14:

• These should go without saying, but just to be sure: Ray Rice (v IND); Rashard Mendenhall v (CLE); Maurice Jones-Drew (v TB); Michael Turner (at CAR) – they are all top 10 options because of their proven ability and matchup.
• Adrian Peterson is supposed to play this week, at least that’s what I’m hearing. DO NOT ASK ME IF YOU SHOULD START HIM. Yes, you should. If he plays, he starts, even if the opponent is San Francisco (it’s not, it’s Detroit). End of discussion.
• Reggie Bush has to keep starting; and frankly, you should feel good about it at this point. With the Dolphins set to face the porous Eagles’ run defense, you should actually feel great about it.
• Shonn Greene is getting ready for another December heat up. He scored three TDs last week and faces the Chiefs this week. I like it.
• Looking deeper, C.J. Spiller is a decent option. He had 22 touches two weeks ago and 17 touches last week, and he’s picked up a few chunks under 200 yards with a TD during that span. You saw what MJD did the Chargers in a losing effort last week. Spiller could do about 75% of that…which is still good.

Sit Em RB: LeGarrette Blount, TB (at JAX)

Coming off of two 100-yard games, Blount looked like a surefire, slam dunk start against Carolina in Week 13. The Panthers have been the most generous defense to opposing running backs this year. What did Blount do? He punched 19 yards out of 11 carries. Yuck.

When it gets to playoff time, fantasy football is a lot like real football: you have to go with guys you can trust. It’s great that Blount has the potential for highlight reel leaps and thunderous trucks in any given week. He also can lay super eggs like he did last week. I don’t like kind of variance in my fantasy lineup in must-win scenarios.

Plus, I don’t like Blount’s matchup this week. Forget about what the Chargers did to the Jags last week. Jacksonville was dealing with turmoil galore and just happened to run into a Philip Rivers-led buzzsaw that was finally healthy. San Diego would have put up 20+ on San Francisco Monday night. Make no mistake: Jacksonville has a good defense, and they’ve been pretty stingy to opposing backs all year.

With Tampa Bay being frighteningly inconsistent as a team this year, and Blount dealing with a few unexpected distractions, I’m leaving him on my bench.

LeGarrette Blount fantasy football Week 14 projection: 13 carries, 40 yards, 0 TDs

Other sit em RBs for Week 14:

• Every week you should go down the list of running backs and see who is facing San Francisco. This week it’s Beanie Wells. Sit him. Even with the 49ers likely to be without Patrick Willis, they’ll shut down Arizona’s run game. Furthermore, it’s reasonable to fear Wells getting hurt mid-game. Add it up, and I don’t trust him this week, despite his strong play of late.
• Cedric Benson owners have a tricky decision this week. Benson faces a very good Houston defense, but he has also proven that he can produce against good defenses even when he isn’t racking up yards (see his 41-yard, 2-TD day versus Baltimore). Benson is not an automatic sit because of how big a part of Cincy’s offense he is, but he’s only a borderline top-20 guy because of the matchup, so if you’re loaded at RB he’d be the guy to leave on the bench.
• Did you know the Falcons have the 5th-stingiest fantasy defense against the run? It’s true. That means that there could be fewer points to go around for Cam, DeAngelo, and JStew this week. Since Cam seems to be the one who gets most of the TDs, I’d consider leaving the other two on my bench unless desperate. (Remember: all that production the last two weeks has come against Indy and Tampa.)

Fantasy Football Week 14 Start em, Sit em WRs

Start Em WR: Jabar Gaffney, WAS (v NE)

Yes, I realize that by telling you to start Jabar Gaffney that I am essentially asking you to have faith in Rex Grossman; but I urge you not to look at it that way. Think about it more in terms of me telling you to not trust a Patriots secondary that gives up more average points per game to opposing wide receivers than any other defense in football.

You read that right. In fact, the Patriots give up 2.3 more fantasy points to opposing WRs than even the moribund Vikings do! Here, I’ll prove it.

Plus:

• Gaffney has 12 catches for 187 yards over the last two weeks, including one touchdown.
• Santana Moss has been back for the last two weeks, but he only has nine catches for 71 yards; so clearly he is a) the second option for Grossman and b) helping to draw attention away from Gaffney.
• Fred Davis is suspended, meaning more targets to go around; and surely a few of those targets will go Gaffney’s way.

Gaffney doesn’t score with enough regularity to trust him for TD production, so that makes him barely a top-20 option; but I think you can trust him to give you 6-8 catches and close to 100 yards. If you play three wide receivers, it’s nice to be able to bank on that from one of them.

Jabar Gaffney fantasy football Week 14 projection: 7 catches, 90 yards, .5 TDs (because I think he’ll catch one, but it’s probably more likely that he doesn’t…so don’t expect it.)

Other start em WRs for Week 14:

• I like Torrey Smith this week. He’s struggled the last two weeks, but Baltimore has faced the 49ers and Browns, two teams that have been pretty good against opposing receivers. This week Baltimore faces Indianapolis. Yes, I just chuckled devilishly too.
• Laurent Robinson was finally held out of the end zone last week, but he still amassed 70+ yards on four catches. With Miles Austin slated to return this week, you might be tempted to sit Robinson. I wouldn’t. Tony Romo trusts him, and the Giants are generous to opposing wide receivers. Of the two, give me the guy who has been playing the last two months and caught seven TDs in six games.
• I wouldn’t get down on Steve Smith despite his decreasing production the last month. Atlanta will force Carolina to pass, and the Panthers are without Brent Grimes in the secondary. I expect fireworks from the original Steve Smith.
• When he’s healthy, all Malcom Floyd does is produce. He’s healthy, the matchup is good, and I don’t care if he’s third fiddle in SD’s passing game. Start him.

Sit Em WR: Brandon Lloyd, STL (at SEA)

I’ve been high on Lloyd ever since he came over to St. Louis, and most of the time I’ve been right. Even though the Rams’ offense sucks, Lloyd has been able to carve out a niche as the lone consistent fantasy producer. I’m not sure how he’s done it, but he has.

Last week, however, Lloyd tallied only one catch against the mighty 49ers, and things aren’t looking too good this week. Not only is Sam Bradford dinged up, but his normal backup A.J. Feeley is hurt too. That means that…wait for it…Tim Brandstater could be starting at QB for St. Louis.

Combine the Rams’ woeful offense with this QB uncertainty, and then mix in Seattle’s underrated defense at home, and you have a recipe for a sit ‘em.

Brandon Lloyd fantasy football Week 14 projection: 2 receptions, 40 yards

Other sit em WRs for Week 14:

• Dwayne Bowe is on Revis Island this week, and he still has Tyler Palko tossing him the pigskin. Just didn’t want you to forget.
• I’m not telling you to sit them automatically, because both have been consistently productive this year, but just know that Mike Wallace and Antonio Brown are facing the stingiest pass defense in the league. Granted, the Browns’ pass D numbers are skewed because teams just gash them with the run…but still, 12 weeks is a long time and receivers underperform against Cleveland on a weekly basis. If you have comparable options, go with them this week.
• The Redskins are stingier than you might think against opposing wide receivers. Play Gronk and Wes Welker for sure, but this is a week when Deion Branch doesn’t have a great deal of upside.
• Remember what I said above regarding my dislike for variance? Well, Julio Jones is the poster boy for wide receiver variance this year. Since Carolina is actually decent against the pass, Jones is another guy who is not an automatic sit…but who I’d have a hard time starting in a must-in situation because of how unpredictable he is.

Fantasy Football Week 14 Start em, Sit em TEs

Start Em TE: Kellen Winslow, TB (at JAX)

See, I don’t completely hate the Buccaneers (though I did decide to use a picture of Kellen Winslow in a Browns uniform…just because) nor irrationally love Jacksonville.

Despite their defensive consistency this year (minus Week 13) Jacksonville hasn’t been great against opposing tight ends. They actually give up the third most fantasy points per week to them.

Combine this with my distrust in the Bucs’ running game, and the Bucs’ inconsistency at wide receiver this year, and Kellen Winslow seems like, at worst, a safe and reliable option this week. You could do worse from your tight end in a big spot.

Kellen Winslow fantasy football Week 14 projection: 6 receptions, 60 yards, .5 TDs (again, I’m splitting the difference here; because of the matchup I think he can get one, but he only has two on the year.)

Other start em TEs for Week 14:

• If you’re desperate, consider Kevin Boss. The Packers give up more points to opposing tight ends than anyone, and the Raiders have had constant issues with their wide receivers this year.
• Tony Gonzalez and Vernon Davis are big but inconsistent names who I think you should trust this week because of matchups.

Sit Em TE: Jermaine Gresham, CIN (v HOU)

It’s tough to put Gresham here, because he’s been playing much better lately; and he really should have two more touchdowns if controversial calls had gone his way. Still, the Texans’ defense locks down opposing tight ends like few others, so as tough as Gresham is to sit, it’s even tougher to trust him.

Jermaine Gresham fantasy football Week 14 projection: 4 receptions, 35 yards

Other sit em TEs for Week 14:

• Scott Chandler has actually been decently productive without scoring touchdowns over the last few weeks. However, his production has come against the Jets and Dolphins, two teams that are more generous to opposing tight ends than the Chargers are.
• Aaron Hernandez is far from a must-sit, but he is no longer 1b to Rob Gronkowski’s 1a in New England. Gronk is clearly #1, with Hernandez picking up the scraps as #2. That still usually means 4-5 catches and 45-50 yards per week, but the touchdowns just haven’t been there. Project accordingly.

Fantasy Football Week 14 Start em, Sit em D/STs

Start Em D/ST: Seattle Seahawks (v STL)

The Seahawks have been a better fantasy defense than you might think this year, and they typically play better at home. Mix in a little Tim Brandstater (if Sam Bradford can’t go) and you have all the makings of a safe, potentially explosive fantasy defense for Week 14.

Seattle Seahawks D/ST fantasy football Week 14 projection: 10 or fewer points, several sacks, 2+ turnovers

Other start em D/STs for Week 14:

• The Broncos should get Von Miller back, and they get to face a Bears’ offense that is without Jay Cutler and Matt Forte.
• The New York Jets have fallen quite a way from the must-start-against-anyone status of a couple years back, but I do like them this week against the Kansas City Palkos.

Sit Em D/ST: Dallas Cowboys (v NYG)

The Cowboys have been too up and down for my tastes this year. While Demarcus Ware is always around to get some sacks, and Eli Manning could always revert back to 3-INT Eli, I think this game will be a shootout, and frankly I don’t really want any part of either defense.

Dallas Cowboys D/ST fantasy football Week 14 projection: 24 or more points, two sacks, 1 turnover

Other sit em D/STs for Week 14:

• Detroit’s defense might seem inviting against the 2-10 Vikings, but remember that Suh is out, Peterson is back, and Ponder-to-Harvin has become one of the most dangerous duos in the NFL.
• The Miami Dolphins have been playing pretty good defense lately; yet, even with that, and the fact that I’m telling you to sit Michael Vick this week, the presence of LeSean McCoy and Andy Reid still scares me enough to say that I wouldn’t want the Dolphins’ D starting for me in a must-win situation. The Eagles’ may suck, but they do have explosive capabilities that could, well, explode at any minute.

And that’s it! Another successful start/sit column in the books. Now it’s on to your questions. Have at the comment section, and we’ll be back all week to answer.

Also, since several of you have asked how you can help support MSF for the time we take, quite joyfully, to help you with your fantasy teams each week, I’ll just suggest checking out Daily Joust. You’ve seen me discussing them a lot this season, and they really do have a fun package of weekly fantasy games for you to play, from college to pro. Shoot, Keith Mullett thinks it’s “the best alternative to fantasy sports and gambling ever.“

Click here or on the image below, and if you become a paying member at Daily Joust we’ll end up getting a cut of the money. No pressure, just a suggestion that I’d make regardless of our affiliate status with them, and one that would help us out if you obliged.

Note: I used ESPN’s Points Against tool as a reference while writing this post.

**********

Quite frankly, I’m not sure any of these guys are plug and play options, but if you’re in a pinch and looking at the waiver wire for potential help this week or depth down the stretch, here are a few guys you might be considering.

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

Fantasy Football Week 14 Waiver Wire Pickups: QB

Matt Moore (18%), Miami

After passing for one score and running for another against the Raiders, Moore now has six total touchdowns over the last three games and nine scores over the last five.  He’s not going to put up gaudy yardage numbers, so even against the disappointing Philly defense, Moore is just a QB2.  However, he does have solid matchups against the Bills and Patriots the following two weeks.

Christian Ponder (14%), Minnesota

The Denver-Minnesota game featured some of the worst pass defense I have ever seen, so don’t go overboard when you look at Ponder’s 381 passing yards and three scores.

He still made some poor throws, and this was the first time he’s thrown for over 236 yards since being named the starter.  Ponder also turned the ball over three times for the second time in his last three games.  Like Moore, he’s a QB2 in a matchup with the Lions next week.

Rex Grossman (11%), Washington

If you’re looking for a pure matchup play this week, Grossman is the guy.  Yes, he was abysmal against the Jets on Sunday, going 19-of-46 for 221 yards.  But you know who else is abysmal?  Dan Orlovsky, who threw for the 353 yards and two scores against the Patriots, who just so happen to be Grossman’s next opponent.

A potential point of caution, in addition to the fact that it’s Rex Grossman, is that the Redskins may well be without tight end Fred Davis and tackle Trent Williams, who will be suspended according to some news blurbs I saw on Sunday.

Fantasy Football Week 14 Waiver Wire Pickups: RB

Maurice Morris (45%), Detroit

Kevin Smith reinjured his ankle, which opened the door for Morris to see 17 touches in the Detroit backfield.  He wasn’t particularly effective on the ground with 28 yards on 12 carries, but he did catch five passes for 47 yards and a score.

Assuming Smith misses Sunday’s game against the Vikings, Morris is in line to get the bulk of the workload.  Even though Minnesota has allowed a couple big games to opposing runners within the last few weeks, Morris seems best-suited as a flex option or maybe a low-end RB2 in PPR leagues.

Toby Gerhart (42%), Minnesota

After a disappointing performance in Week 12, Gerhart bounced back with 91 rushing yards to go with eight receptions for 42 yards against the Broncos.  There is some speculation that the Vikings will sit Adrian Peterson again next week, which would mean another heavy workload for Gerhart.

There obviously isn’t much to play for in Minnesota, so rushing Peterson back simply doesn’t make sense.  Gerhart would have a chance to run against the Suh-less Detroit defense, making him at least a flex play again.  Don’t count on a repeat of the eight catches though.

Marion Barber (38%), Chicago

I mentioned Barber as a potential add last week, and he’s sure to be a more popular selection this week after Matt Forte’s knee injury.  Nothing definitive has been released yet about Forte, but he’s most certainly out this week.

Barber faces a Denver defense that has been decent against the run in recent weeks and won’t have to respect the pass given what we saw from Caleb Hanie this week.  Still, Barber had at least six fantasy points in standard leagues in five of six games heading into Week 13, so he’s at least been consistent.  Consider him a flex option for this week in standard leagues.

Donald Brown (21%), Indianapolis

Once again, Brown garnered more touches than starter Joseph Addai, finishing with 56 total yards and a TD.  In PPR leagues, Brown now has at least eight fantasy points in six of the last seven weeks, and he’s posted double digit points in five of those contests.  That said, the matchup against the Ravens this week is not a favorable one, making him a flex play at best.  Brown has better matchup against the Titans in Week 15 though, so keep that in mind.

Ricky Williams (8%), Baltimore

This is definitely reserved for deeper leagues, but the Ravens came out determined to run it down Cleveland’s throat and they did just that with Ray Rice rushing for over 200 yards and Williams getting 76 yards and a TD as well.  Against the Colts, Chargers, and Browns, it’s not inconceivable that the Ravens use a similar gameplan (although with Cam Cameron you never know), which potentially gives Williams some value.  It would be an extremely gutsy move to play him, but he’s not a bad option to have on your bench in case of emergency.

Isaac Redman (5%), Pittsburgh

Pretty much the same story as Ricky Williams here.  Redman rushed for 51 yards as the backup runner this week, and the Steelers face Cleveland this week and St. Louis in Week 16.

Fantasy Football Week 14 Waiver Wire Pickups: WR

Johnny Knox (48%), Chicago

I realize that starting any Chicago wideout as long as Caleb Hanie is the QB seems like a suicide mission, but Knox was the most-targeted Bears receiver on Sunday, finishing with five grabs for 53 yards.  Chicago faces a Denver secondary that was embarrassed by Percy Harvin and the Vikings on Sunday.  Knox is certainly a risky play, but there is some upside here.

Robert Meachem (48%), New Orleans

While Meachem made a couple big plays en route to a 119-yard, one score game against the Lions, keep in mind that he had been shut out in two of the last three games heading into that matchup.  The Saints do have a couple decent matchups coming up, but this is a guy who hasn’t caught more than four passes since Week Three and has broken 70 yards just once.

Nate Burleson (39%), Detroit

When Burleson wasn’t getting flagged for offensive pass interference Sunday night, he caught five passes for 93 yards, his fourth straight game with at least five catches.  This week Detroit faces a Minnesota defense was ridiculously inept against the Denver passing game, which makes Burleson a potential matchup play. 

Damian Williams (25%), Tennessee

Williams continues to be Matt Hasselbeck’s favorite target, and the Titans have a couple favorable matchups coming up.  They face the Saints this week followed by the Colts in Week 15, and both of those defenses are among the ten teams allowing the most fantasy points to opposing wideouts.  In PPR leagues, Williams has double digit points in five of the last six games.

Riley Cooper (10%), Philadelphia

The good news is that Cooper led the Eagles with 94 receiving yards.  The bad news is that he could have done much more if not for a couple critical drops.  If Jeremy Maclin is out again this week, Cooper is a potential flex or WR3 option after posting at least 70 yards for three straight weeks.

Demaryius Thomas (4%), Denver

After catching a TD in Week Seven and prompting owners (myself included) to snatch him off the waiver wire, Thomas had posted four receptions for 76 yards in the five games since, but he took advantage of an Eddie Royal injury and abysmal secondary play on Sunday against Minnesota.  He finished with four catches, 144 yards, and two scores.

This week’s matchup against the Bears should be much tougher, and Thomas’ inconsistency makes him even riskier.  Denver takes on the Patriots in Week 15 and the Bills in Week 16, so he does have better matchups on the horizon.  He might be worth stashing on your bench, but you’re braver than I am if you put him in your lineup with your season on the line.

Brad Smith (3%), Buffalo

Smith was named a starter for the Bills this week and responded well with seven catches and 72 yards on 10 targets.  He now has at 149 yards in the last two weeks and looks like a potential flex option down the stretch, particularly in PPR leagues.  A matchup against Denver in Week 16 is particularly enticing.

Andre Roberts (2%), Arizona

For those tempted to pick up Roberts after his six-catch, 111-yard day against the Cowboys, let me offer a few words of caution.  First, the matchup against San Francisco next week is a brutal one.  Second, this was the first time Roberts tallied over 55 receiving yards this season, and it was only the second time with over four receptions.  Third, Kevin Kolb is his quarterback.

Golden Tate (1%), Seattle

With Sidney Rice on IR, Tate drew the starting assignment and did a nice job against the Eagles, finishing with four catches for 47 yards and a TD.  It was his second straight game with a score, and Pete Carroll said he expects his role to continue to increase down the stretch.  His best matchup is this week against the Rams, who are among the worst pass defenses in the league.  Games against Chicago and San Francisco in the following two weeks are much tougher, so if you want to use him, this is the week to do it.

Fantasy Football Week 14 Waiver Wire Pickups: TE

Heath Miller (47%), Pittsburgh

With just six catches and 63 yards over the past three weeks, this seems like a stretch, but the matchup with Cleveland has traditionally been a good one for Miller.  He has TDs in each of the past two games against the Browns and has scored five times in their last eight matchups.  He also has at least 50 yards in six of their last seven games against each other.  As with so many of these guys, there is risk involved, but at least in this case, history is on your side.

Jermaine Gresham (43%), Cincinnati

Gresham was robbed of a touchdown again this week due to a false start call, so he could easily have a score in each of the last three games if not for a couple odd plays.  The Bengals take on the Texans this week, and while Houston has been tough on opposing tight ends for most of the season, they just allowed seven catches and 100 yards to Tony Gonzalez.  Gresham continues to be the second most targeted Cincinnati receiver, making him a potential option this week.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Denver (40%) vs. Chicago

The Broncos gave up more points than in recent weeks, but they did manage to create three turnovers and score a defensive touchdown against the Vikings.  Von Miller should be back next week against a Bears offense missing Jay Cutler and Matt Forte, which as we saw on Sunday is not exactly a juggernaut.

Seattle (15%) vs. St. Louis

The Seahawks have held three of their last four opponents to 17 points or less and are coming off of a four-turnover effort against the Eagles.  Meanwhile, the Rams have scored over 13 points just three times this season.  Looking ahead, the Seahawks take on the Bears in Week 15, making them a viable option for more than one week.

**********

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

Unfortunately, at this point in the season there aren’t too many gems left out on the waiver wire with the exception of those who gain value because of injury.

Still, there are a handful of players out there who just might put you over the top based on their recent play, favorable matchups, or both.

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

Fantasy Football Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups: QB

Matt Moore (13%), Miami

Moore has four touchdowns and no interceptions in the last two weeks and has tossed seven TDs over the last month for the resurgent Dolphins.

The biggest reason to like Moore is this week’s matchup with Oakland, who has allowed at least two touchdown passes in each of the past four games and nine of the last ten. If your starter is banged up, he is definitely a strong play based solely on the matchup.

Rex Grossman (9%), Washington

With five total TDs and 606 passing yards over the last two weeks, Grossman is again putting up solid fantasy numbers. I’m not quite crazy enough to recommend starting him against the Jets next week, but matchups with the Patriots in Week 14 and the Vikings in Week 16 give him high upside as a backup and potential spot starter.

Fantasy Football Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups: RB

Roy Helu (45%), Washington

After running for 108 yards and a TD to go with seven receptions for 54 yards, even Mike Shanahan couldn’t dream up a reason not to use Helu as his workhorse going forward, right?

Obviously there is inherent risk in trusting Shanahan to do the rational thing, but Helu is absolutely worth adding to your roster if he’s available. He’s particularly solid in PPR leagues, and he’ll need to stay involved in the passing game with the Jets’ stout run defense up next on the schedule. Outside of that, his remaining matchups are better than average.

Maurice Morris (36%), Detroit

Depending on which reports you believe, Kevin Smith will either be back next week or will never walk again.  However, the Lions finally placed Jahvid Best on IR, so those holding out hope for a return can finally move on.

If Smith misses any time, Morris is a decent PPR league option and has solid upcoming matchups against the Saints, Vikings, Raiders, and Chargers, all of whom are among the bottom half of the league in points against fantasy running backs.

Toby Gerhart (33%), Minnesota

A short TD run against the tough Atlanta run defense salvaged an otherwise ugly fantasy day for Gerhart.  Adrian Peterson’s status for Week 13 is unclear, and the Vikings face a Denver defense that just got shredded by Ryan Mathews (again), making Gerhart worthy of a roster spot while you wait out AP’s availability.

Marion Barber (24%), Chicago

In standard scoring leagues, Barber has scored at least six fantasy points in five of the last six weeks. While that won’t blow you away, it’s also probably more consistent than other guys you have on your bench. And based on what Caleb Hanie showed on Sunday, the Bears would be well served to rely on the running game against Kansas City and Denver the next two weeks, both of which are decent matchups for the Barbarian.

Donald Brown (12%), Indianapolis

Even with Joseph Addai back in the lineup, Brown was the most productive Indy running back with 97 total yards and a score. Expect him to continue to get the bulk of the touches for the Colts, which makes him a potential flex play against the Patriots next week and the Titans in Week 15.

Fantasy Football Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups: WR

Johnny Knox (30%), Chicago

While Caleb Hanie was rather erratic in his first game replacing the immortal Jay Cutler, it’s worth noting that he targeted Knox 10 times, which resulted in four receptions, 145 yards, and a TD.  The big-play ability is there, but even with some decent matchups left on the schedule, I want to see Knox do it again before I consider starting him. Still, there’s upside here.

Damian Williams (23%), Tennessee

With the exception of 107 yards in Week 10 against Carolina, Williams hasn’t posted gaudy yardage totals, but he does have three scores in the past four weeks and has established himself at Matt Hasselbeck’s favorite red zone target.

The Titans face a Buffalo secondary that made Mark Sanchez look like a viable NFL quarterback next week, and they also play the Colts in Week 15, both of which make Williams worth a roster spot.  Ok, maybe viable is too strong a word for Sanchez, but the Bills did let him throw for four TDs.

Greg Little (16%), Cleveland

If your leagues are like mine, Little has been picked up and subsequently dropped by about half of the teams.  On Sunday, he caught his first NFL touchdown against the Bengals and posted at least five receptions and 50 yards for the third straight week.  Little did have a few ugly drops, but he continues to get consistent targets.

With the exception of a Week 15 game against Arizona, the matchups aren’t exactly inviting (two games each against Baltimore and Pittsburgh), but Little is still worth a look in PPR leagues.

Jason Avant (9%), Philadelphia

With Jeremy Maclin banged up, DeSean Jackson getting benched late in Sunday’s game, and Philly’s season pretty much over, Avant caught eight passes for 110 yards and a TD.  Some of that production came in garbage time, but someone has to catch passes for the Eagles, and on Sunday, the sure-handed Avant did just that.

His value is highest in PPR leagues, and while I find it hard to envision a scenario where you’d start him this week, his performance and the potential for future production are worth noting.

Fantasy Football Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups: TE

Jermaine Gresham (38%), Cincinnati

Gresham had one of his better games of the season with five catches, 68 yards, and a TD against the Browns.  Had it not been for a questionable call against the Ravens last week, he would have TDs in three straight games heading into next week’s matchup with Pittsburgh, against whom he caught a TD in Week 10.

Gresham is a tremendous talent who is starting to develop a strong rapport with rookie QB Andy Dalton. He’s a high-end TE2 at worst from here on out.

Brent Celek (36%), Philadelphia

Over the last six games, Celek is averaging 5.5 receptions and 64 yards with two touchdowns, so maybe there is something salvageable from Philly’s season after all.  The team’s next two opponents, Seattle and Miami, have both struggled to cover opposing tight ends, and a Week 16 matchup against Dallas is favorable as well.

Marcedes Lewis (17%), Jacksonville

This one is obviously a tough sell for anyone who watched Lewis drop one of easiest touchdown grabs he’ll ever have, but he does have 11 catches for 111 yards in the last two games.  He also has favorable matchups against Tampa Bay in Week 14 and Tennessee in Week 16, so file that away if you are thin at tight end.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Denver (13%) at Minnesota

The Broncos have held their last three opponents to 13 points or less, and the Vikings are averaging just 14 points over the same span.  I like some of what Christian Ponder has shown, but that offense simply isn’t scary without Adrian Peterson (at least not scary in a good way).  Add to that the fact that Denver’s offense minimizes possessions for the opponent, and the Broncos are an interesting sleeper defense.

San Diego (37%) at Jacksonville

Perhaps ESPN is paying me under the table to get people interested in this God awful Monday night game, but the Jags have scored more than 14 points twice in their last 10 games and have yet to score more than 20 points this season.  The Chargers have been anything but impressive this year, so proceed with caution.  But even the level of apathy/ineptitude they’ve shown may not be enough to allow Jacksonville to do anything on offense.

**********

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

This week we’ll look at not only guys who can help in the short-term but also those who may pay dividends when it matters most.

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

Fantasy Football Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups: QB

Alex Smith (48%), San Francisco

Smith’s 267 yards against the Cardinals represented his second-highest total this season, and it was his first multi-TD game since Week Five.  In a Thanksgiving Day tilt with the Ravens, Smith may need to air it out more often given Baltimore’s stout run defense.

That being said, the Ravens have been among the best at limiting the fantasy production of opposing QBs, so Smith becomes a risky play this week.  However, he faces the Rams and Cardinals the following two weeks, and then he finishes with the Seahawks and Rams in the season’s final two games.

Andy Dalton (42%), Cincinnati

It’s tough to draw a firm conclusion from Dalton’s performance against Baltimore on Sunday.  On one hand, he threw for 373 yards without his top receiver.  On the other, he threw three picks.  Still, Dalton now has multiple TDs in six of his last seven games.

Like Smith, his short-term schedule isn’t great with Cleveland (who is better against the pass than you might think), Pittsburgh, and Houston in the next three weeks, but fantasy playoff matchups against St. Louis and Arizona make him worth stashing.

Matt Moore (8%), Miami

The Dolphins are no longer sucking for Luck, and Moore is a big reason why. After tossing three TD passes on Sunday, he now has six scores during Miami’s three-game winning streak.  He’s also completing over 70 percent of his passes over that span, which should have him full of confidence heading into a Thanksgiving matchup with Dallas.  The Cowboys have been tough against opposing QBs, but Moore plays the more forgiving Oakland defense in Week 13 and has favorable matchups with Buffalo and New England during the fantasy playoffs.

Rex Grossman (6%), Washington

The good news is that he had three total TDs against the Cowboys, and he also has games remaining against New England and Minnesota. Grossman is also likely to throw plenty of passes next week given his team’s inability to generate a running game and Seattle’s tough run defense.

The bad news is that he’s Rex Grossman.

Fantasy Football Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups: RB

Ryan Grant (35%), Green Bay

James Starks left Sunday’s game with what the Packers are calling a knee sprain.  With a short week before Thursday’s game against Detroit, the likelihood that he plays isn’t terribly high.

Grant would be the main beneficiary, but keep in mind that Grant and Starks have scored only one TD between them, and that was in Week One.  With guys like B.J. Raji and John Kuhn tallying more TDs than Grant, he’s a flex option at best this week if Starks is out.

Chris Ogbonnaya (34%), Cleveland

For at least a couple reasons, Ogbonnaya reached the pinnacle of his fantasy relevance with 115 rushing yards and a score against Jacksonville on Sunday.  First, Montario Hardesty practiced during the week and should see some portion of the carries next week.  Most importantly, Cleveland’s schedule is brutal with the exception of a Week 15 date with Arizona.  Outside of that, the Browns face Cincinnati once and Baltimore and Pittsburgh two times a piece.

C.J. Spiller (16%), Buffalo

Given how little Spiller has shown when lining up in the backfield, any recommendation to add him is based solely on Fred Jackson’s health.  Jackson missed most of the second half against the Dolphins with a calf injury, which he says isn’t serious.  Spiller wasn’t particularly effective in his absence and was stuffed on a pair of goal line attempts.  However, he’s a potential flex play with a full workload, particularly in PPR leagues.

Joe McKnight (12%), New York Jets

With both Shonn Greene and LaDainian Tomlinson banged up, McKnight seized the opportunity with 121 total yards on 22 touches against Denver.  While Greene should play against Buffalo, McKnight’s play has likely earned him additional playing time, which against a Bills defense getting worse every week is a pretty nice matchup.  A number of the Jets’ final opponents have given up a lot of points to fantasy running backs, which makes McKnight a decent speculative add.

Kevin Smith (11%), Detroit

I mentioned Smith briefly last week, but he’s now gone from unemployed to the most sought after fantasy waiver wire addition in a matter of weeks.

Image Source: The Cover Two

Against Carolina’s porous run defense, Smith went off for 140 rushing yards, 61 receiving yards, and three total TDs.  His lengthy injury history makes you forget he’s just 24 years old, so there is plenty left in the tank.  Smith and the Lions have a few solid fantasy matchups down the stretch, and there continues to be no timetable for the return of Jahvid Best.

Donald Brown (8%), Indianapolis

Joseph Addai’s status is unclear coming out of Indy’s bye week, but whoever gets the starting nod against Carolina is a solid fantasy option given their complete inability to stop the run.  Brown started the last game for the Cols, so he’s worth a look if you need RB help.

Toby Gerhart (5%), Minnesota

The ankle injury to Adrian Peterson certainly didn’t look good, and the same could be said of Gerhart’s play after he replaced AP.  Gerhart managed just 18 yards on seven carries, so even if Peterson misses this week’s game with Atlanta, there isn’t a ton of upside here.  The Falcons have allowed opposing running backs to score just four touchdowns on the season and only two since Week Two.

Fantasy Football Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups: WR

Michael Crabtree (49%), San Francisco

Just when it seemed like Crabtree’s fantasy value was disappearing again, along came the Arizona secondary.  Crabtree lit them up to the tune of 120 yards on seven catches, and it could have been even more.

As I mentioned with Alex Smith, this week’s matchup will be challenging against the Ravens, but then again, Baltimore just gave up close to 400 passing yards on Sunday.  Throw in some additional late-season matchups against inferior defenses and Crabtree is back on the fantasy radar.

Earl Bennett (46%), Chicago

Bennett has at least 75 receiving yards for three straight weeks, with two touchdowns over the same span.  His chemistry with Jay Cutler dates back to their days at Vanderbilt, so the loss of Cutler is a blow to Bennett’s value.  That said, the Bears have plenty of favorable matchups down the stretch, so keep an eye on how he looks with Caleb Hanie under center next week.

Jabar Gaffney (41%), Washington

I touched on Washington’s upcoming schedule earlier, and with a number of injuries in the receiving corps, Gaffney is the de facto go-to guy.  He caught seven passes for 115 yards and a TD on Sunday, and he will continue to dominate the targets in the Washington passing attack as long as Santana Moss is out.

Nate Burleson (33%), Detroit

Over the last two games, Burleson has 15 grabs for 146 yards after being virtually invisible since Week Two.  Starting with Thursday’s game against Green Bay, the Lions have a number of games left against poor pass defenses, which makes Burleson an attractive option, particularly in PPR leagues.

Jerome Simpson (29%), Cincinnati

With A.J. Green out, Simpson stepped up for the Bengals on Sunday with season highs of eight receptions and 152 yards.  While it was his third 100-yard effort of the year, Simpson has been anything but consistent.  In the three games after his first time hitting the century mark, he totaled eight catches for 72 yards.  He was held to four receptions and 57 yards between his second and third 100-yard performances, so long story short, don’t bank on a repeat.

Fantasy Football Week 12 Waiver Wire Pickups: TE

Heath Miller (45%), Pittsburgh

He’s not a sexy pick, but Miller has traditionally been a steady producer for the Steelers.  The post-bye matchup with Kansas City is a decent one, particularly because the Chiefs may still be reeling after Monday’s matchup with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.

Jermaine Gresham (39%), Cincinnati

Sunday’s numbers could have been even better if his late TD had not been nullified, but he should be able to bounce back in Week 12.  Gresham faces a Cleveland defense prone to being victimized by opposing tight ends, including himself after he racked up six catches, 58 yards, and a score in the first meeting.

Marcedes Lewis (17%), Jacksonville

After a breakout performance last year, Lewis has been a huge disappointment in 2011, but he put that aside on Sunday against Cleveland, where he finished with seven receptions for 64 yards.  Rookie QB Blaine Gabbert seemed to look for him more this week, but beware of a matchup with a stingy Houston defense that has allowed just two opposing tight ends to find the end zone.

Jacob Tamme (1%), Indianapolis

I mentioned Tamme as a potential PPR league option last week given his previous performances when Dallas Clark has missed time.  And yes, I realize that I have now recommended two players from a winless team in the same column.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Seattle (12%) vs. Washington

Grossman is good for at least a couple turnovers, and the Seahawks have an underrated defense.  They’ve given up just 24 points in their last two games and should be able to use a normally boisterous home crowd to their advantage.

**********

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

Not that it needs to be noted but it seems as if the only thing going for the Eagles is LeSean McCoy.  First and foremost, as it cannot be stressed enough, this is a passing league now.  Running backs are such a replaceable piece that you see multi-million dollar players such as DeAngelo Williams and Chris Johnson putting up peasant numbers.  Owners, don’t pull your hair out yet as there are some pleasant surprises as well in this week’s stock report.

Stock Up

Cam Newton

In just the 4^th week of the season, the Panthers’ rookie is already at the 100% owned mark.  The sobering 14-point game could be justified in part because of the heavy rain but this week presents a brighter outlook.  The Bears have shown the inability to stop the downfield passing game so Cam could have his way.

Rex Grossman

He just has a love/hate vibe going on out here in the fantasy world and it comes with good reason.  One game you get the respectable 18-point game and then you get the 10-point question mark.  Cut him some slack because last week against the Cowboys, the game was wackier than ever with those 9 field goals.  Going to St. Louis should help out as the Rams are 31^st in total defense.

Tim Hightower

Nothing is going to help Grossman more than the versatile man behind him.  Not only will he run the ball adding to his numbers but the biggest thing is his production catching passes out of the backfield.  Already with 68 touches through the first three games, the Redskins look like they are going to invest a lot of the offense in what Hightower can do.

James Starks

Having to split time with Ryan Grant hurt his fantasy numbers just a bit, but now that Grant is banged up Starks receives more of the timeshare.  Also banged up is the Denver defense.  With all the focus on Aaron Rodgers, one can’t help but to think of Starks re-living his 2010 postseason.

Nate Washington

Owners of Nate Washington must be happy that he is going to be the focal point of the passing game for the rest of the season but please curb your enthusiasm.  Going up against Joe Haden and the Browns 3^rd ranked pass defense is no easy task, but when you are on a team where the star wide out is gone and the 2,000 yard back has yet to hit stride, expect many targets.

Lance Moore

One would think that with the addition of Marques Colston back in the Saints lineup would hurt Moore’s production.  Not a chance.  The defense in New Orleans is far from the best but a rookie quarterback could give their offense a couple more possessions.  As the running game falls more into the abyss each week, video game numbers could be expected.

Dustin Keller

A quarterback’s best friend is always said to be a strong running game.  While that may be true, Mark Sanchez is still going to have to throw the ball this week.  Nothing is better than a tight end who catches more than 5 balls a game and will prove to be the number one safety valve against a stingy Ravens defense.

Chargers D/ST

Ranking in the bottom third of fantasy defenses would scare most people away but look at it this way.  Negative 7 of their 7 points this year came against the Patriots and Tom Brady.  This week presents Chad Henne.  You should like your chances.

Stock Down

Tony Romo

The ribs are getting healthier but the same cannot be said for his receivers; at least for now.  No Miles Austin and a Detroit defense that is better against the pass than people expected.  A lot of the “experts” are calling for a classic shootout but for some reason this game is shaping up to have a similar outcome as last week’s 8 point outing.

Mark Sanchez

Oh what a bad week ahead for the “Sanchize”.  The only thing that ever gives Baltimore trouble on defense is that one playmaker who can do everything or who has the ability to make a play that deflates the defense.  LT needs to bring his skills of 5 years ago back on Sunday because when you look at the Jets offense as a whole it is really just average at best.

Reggie Bush

If you thought things were looking up for Reggie when the Dolphins first said they would put most of the workload on him then look away, quickly.  With an increased amount of carries going a different way and not very many targets in the passing game, his value is dropping very fast.

DeAngelo Williams

With the initial jolt of excitement over Cam Newton now passing along, is it time that we all see Mr. Williams take his place in the offense? Probably not.  Actually, not at all for the rest of the season.  It’s a simple matter of adding a couple of things up for an equation that most owners won’t like.  Like it or not, Cam Newton is the big dog in Carolina and with the Panthers expecting to play from behind a lot this year, the running game is going to take a backseat.  More like the last seat in an Astro van.

Plaxico Burress

Regardless of the fact that Burress gets a ton of red-zone targets and deep balls, the defense that the Jets are going up against this week just won’t let all of that happen.  Add to the fact that he won’t be 100% this week is cause for some red flags.

Mike Williams

This goes twofold for the player in Tampa Bay and the one in Seattle.  Tampa Bay Mike doesn’t have any teammates at the same position to take some of the defensive pressure off of him.  Seattle Mike has the opposite of that problem as the addition of Sidney Rice has made quarterback Tavaris Jackson look in the other direction a lot.

Owen Daniels

The last time these two teams faced off, the Steelers go the best of the Texans’ Daniels.  He may get a lot of targets (9 just last week) but we feel that this defense still has something to prove even if the first week of the season is in the past.

Bengals D/ST

This defense may be ranked number 6 as far as fantasy points go but they haven’t gone up against an offense that really puts up numbers yet.  That streak ends Sunday when the 3-0 Bills come to town with their new look spread offense.  Long story short, negative numbers could be on the horizon.

Knowing who to add and drop, and who to put on the bench and who to start each week, is the difference between winning and losing. Here is some help for both in the Fantasy Football Week 4 Last Minute Tips.

Week 4 Players to Start

Rex Grossman

Grossman has come out this season and proven why he deserves to be the starter in D.C. He has 846 yards and five touchdowns while leading the ‘Skins to a 2-1 record, which could easily be 3-0.

This week Grossman and the Redskins go up against a very disappointing St. Louis team that is 0-3, with all of their losses being by double digits. Rex should be able to throw for a minimum of two touchdowns, and the ‘Skins will most likely improve to a 3-1 record.

Mark Ingram

Ingram was finally able to get his first touchdown of the season last week, so there is no reason why he will not carry that momentum into Sunday’s game against the Jaguars. The Jags’ defense has not been terrible all year, but they have failed to do anything spectacular that would change my views.

Ingram will get the ball in the redzone, and should be able to continue his brand new touchdown streak.

Mike Williams

Williams is the top receiver on the Bucs, and he will definitely see the ball this Monday. The Bucs are going up against the Curtis Painter-led Colts, who get to be on primetime for the second week in a row. Williams has been limited due to double teams always being placed on him, but a player like Kellen Winslow is able to distract defenders from Williams. Josh Freeman and the Bucs will be 3-1 after this week, unless Curtis Painter and his lovely golden locks pull a miracle, and Mike Williams will have a lot to do with that.

Players to Sit

Michael Vick

Vick is trying to be Superman, but his injuries will be too much this week. He has a contusion on his non-throwing hand, which will certainly affect how he takes snaps and functions with the ball. The Eagles are not playing a tough opponent in the 49ers, but Vick will have trouble dealing with his injuries.

Felix Jones

Jones is already on the injury list due to a hurt shoulder, but he is expected to play on Sunday against the Lions. The Lions are 3-0 and have a certain Mr. Suh who anchors their defensive line. The Cowboys will try to run the ball early to try and take the stress off of the hurt Tony Romo, but they will have little success.

Roddy White

White and the Falcons are going up against a weak team in Seattle, but White has had problems with dropping passes this season. He has dropped several passes that are easy for any player of NFL caliber to catch, and this problem usually lasts a whole season. It happened with Braylon Edwards in Cleveland, and the result was less passes in his direction. I think White will fix the drop problem eventually, but just not this week.

The biggest question all week has been whether or not Cowboys QB Tony Romo will play despite a painful rib injury. He is officially listed as questionable and has only practiced on a limited basis, but he is expected to suit up and give it a go tonight.

Will he have enough healthy weapons around him to get the Cowboys above .500?

Cowboys-Redskins Injury Updates

The Cowboys will be without underrated stud WR Miles Austin, who is coming off a three-touchdown performance in Week 2. They will also still be without cornerback Orlando Scandrick, though the defensive secondary will be buoyed by the return of Terence Newman. Romo and the ‘Boys should have Dez Bryant and Felix Jones in the lineup, though both are dinged up and, like Romo, are listed as questionable.

The Redskins, on the other hand, are relatively healthy; and they are providing their fans with legitimate hope at the start of the season for the first time in a while.

Cowboys-Redskins Preview

Dallas very much deserves their 1-1 record after winning a game they should have lost (Week 2 v the 49ers) and losing a game they should have won (Week 1 v the Jets). Tony Romo has been his usually outstanding self overall, though hiccups late against the Jets and early against San Francisco have analysts and Cowboys fans a bit uneasy about his expected maturation into a top flight QB. Bringing the Cowboys back from the brink against the 49ers was key, and Romo delivered despite his injury. He will need to have a strong performance again tonight with Austin out and the Cowboys’ offensive line struggling to open holes for the running game; the problem is that no one really knows what to expect from Romo because of the injury.

On the other side of the field, no one really knows what to expect from Rex Grossman either, but that’s just the nature of Grossman. He can be spectacular and he can be awful, with rare performances that are in between. Week 2 was actually one of those rare in-between performances, with Grossman throwing two TDs and two picks, but still leading Washington to the victory. Grossman just needs to be solid tonight, because it’s reasonable to assume that the Cowboys will have some trouble putting points on the board. So long as Grossman doesn’t help them out with turnovers, the Redskins should be able to control the game.

Another factor in Washington’s favor is that they can actually produce on the ground. Tim Hightower has churned out some yards, though at a paltry per carry clip, with Roy Helu beginning to emerge as a dynamic playmaker out of the backfield. Look for him to get more touches tonight, and it will be imperative that the Cowboys make the Redskins one-dimensional on offense, which will increase the likelihood of Grossman making a game-breaking mistake.

Cowboys-Redskins Prediction

Frankly, I’m shocked that the Cowboys are three point favorites. They did not look good in the 49ers game, needing the injured Romo to bail them out, and their complete inability to run the ball makes me wonder how they plan to take pressure off of Romo and his tender ribs.

I don’t think the Redskins are any kind of world-beating team, but they have improved under Mike Shanahan. With an opportunity to seize early control of the NFC East, and to bury the Cowboys two games behind them with the Eagles, I expect a strong effort from the Redskins. Since their QB and top skill players are healthy, while the Cowboys’ are not, I think the ‘Skins leave Jerry World tonight with the W.

Washington Redskins 24 | Dallas Cowboys 14

• Redskins-Cowboys Spread Pick: Redskins +3
• Redskins-Cowboys Over Under: Under

Now it’s your turn:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys Game Info

• Redskins-Cowboys Date, Time, and TV: Monday, September 26th at 8:30 ET on ESPN
• Redskins-Cowboys Announcers: Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden, and Ron Jaworski
• Redskins-Cowboys Point Spread: Cowboys -3
• Redskins-Cowboys Over-Under Odds: 45

Because we at MSF try our best to get you our Start Em, Sit Em picks before everyone else, we have to take a few chances. One of the downsides to coming out with these picks on Tuesday is that we won’t know all of the injury updates that come out later in the week. We answer your questions and update our predictions accordingly as more information comes out.

However, a few predictions didn’t pan out this week because of injuries (either during the game, or because guys with nagging injuries didn’t end up suiting up on Sunday)…so out of fairness to me, we are going to throw out Michael Vick, Felix Jones, and Dez Bryant.

So besides those guys who caught the injury bug, I went 29 out of 46 overall…a little under 65%. I improved from week one…and that’s exactly what you should try to do from week to week in fantasy.

If you missed the $250 MSF Week 1 Freeroll Challenge at FanDuel, shame on you. But the good news is that we’ll be doing another one in Week 3! Details to come soon.

Click here to sign up at FanDuel to play the best weekly fantasy football game around.

Fantasy Football Week Three

Also, don’t miss Andy Bottoms’ Week 3 waiver wire advice!

Week Two Recap

Best Player Predictions: 2 for 3
Picks: Ray Rice, Megatron, and Jermaine Gresham (Michael Vick)
Calvin Johnson had two TDs, and Rice still put up 15 fantasy points in a horrible week for Baltimore. Gresham, however, was a complete no-show. Unfortunately for him, AJ Green announced himself to the world this week, and Gresham didn’t get a lot of targets.

Start Em Predictions: 2.5 for 4
Picks: Tony Romo, Shonn Greene, Jabar Gaffney, and Dallas Clark
Romo was an absolute “hit” of a pick…and he didn’t even play the whole game. However, Greene, Gaffney, and Clark were all lukewarm. None of them killed you if you started them, but none of them really went out and crushed it either. Greene and Clark both got TDs to salvage their days, and Gaffney had a solid amount of yards with no TDs. I’m giving myself 1/2 points for all three of them.

Other Guys I Liked Predictions: 13 for 17
Hits: Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Phillip Rivers, Matthew Stafford, Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Darren Sproles, LeSean McCoy, Hakeem Nicks, Miles Austin, Jason Witten, Dustin Keller, and Aaron Hernandez
Misses: Kerry Collins, Devin Hester, Jacoby Jones, and Ed Dickson

Worst Player Predictions: 3 for 4
Picks: Cam Newton, DeAngelo Williams, Mike Thomas, and Brandon Pettigrew
Completely missed on the Auburn alum…and completely nailed the other three. I still find it hard to believe that Cam Newton is going to be doing this all year, but he is definitely worth a look right now, especially if you need a solid backup. Also, since I live in Charleston, SC, and am forced to have every single second of every Panther game shown to me on tv, I have to say I’ve loved the young guy’s attitude in both losses this year.

Sit Em Predictions: 0.5 for 4
Picks: Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Santonio Holmes, and Scott Chandler
Holmes scored a TD to salvage an otherwise mediocre day, so I’m giving myself a half point on that one. Other than that, Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, and Chandler were all misses.

Other Guys I Didn’t Like Predictions: 8 for 14
Hits: Donovan McNabb, Sam Bradford, Colts’ RBs, LaDainian Tomlinson, Mark Ingram, Mike Thomas, Ben Watson, Greg Olsen, Todd Heap
Misses: Matt Hasselbeck, Sam Bradford, LeGarrette Blount, AJ Green, Steve Smith 1.0, and Dwyane Bowe.

On to Week Three!

Just a little clarification… “Top Performer” predictions can be anybody…I can put Tom Brady in there every single week if I want to (and by the looks of it, I may just have to do that). However, “Start Em” guys will be QBs/TEs outside of the Top 12 and RBs/WRs outside of the Top 25 at their position (unless, for some reason, a lot of people are predicting them to have a terrible week and I disagree). “Sit Em” guys will be QBs/TEs that are in the Top 12 and RBs/WRs that are in the Top 25 at their position.

Again, the goal of this article is to help you with the FRINGE guys…any idiot could sit down and predict, with great accuracy, that the top 10 fantasy QBs will have good weeks. At MSF, we try to help you with the difficult choices.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Start Em, Sit Em Projections: Quarterbacks

Projected Best Performer: Tom Brady
What? You were expecting someone else? It’s possible it will be incredibly windy in Buffalo this weekend…unfortunately, that is the Bills’ only hope at slowing down Justin Bieber on Sunday.

Tom Brady fantasy football Week 3 projection – 390 yards; 4 TDs, 1 INT

Projected Worst Performer: Matt Cassel
He’s been awful so far this year…and now he will be playing without his best offensive weapon against a team that will be trying to exact revenge after making so many dumb mistakes against the Pats last week.

Matt Cassel fantasy football Week Three projection – 195 yards; 1 TD, 3 INTs

Start Em QB: Rex Grossman
This is a combination of two things: I actually really like what Grossman has done so far this year; and the Cowboys’ secondary is terrible. The possibility exists that Washington will be in for a tough game on the road in Dallas, but I don’t think it will affect Grossman’s numbers very much on Monday Night.

Rex Grossman fantasy football Week 3 projection – 330 yards; 3 TDs, 1 INT

Other Start ‘em QBs for Week 3:

• Philip Rivers – Always.
• Matt Stafford – As long as he’s healthy.
• Cam Newton – Home against Jacksonville…he should have a very solid day again.
• Matt Ryan – Big game against Tampa Bay.

Sit Em QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick
This might not sound like a huge leap of faith, but Fitzpatrick is currently the fifth overall ranked fantasy QB, and New England’s pass defense isn’t exactly spectacular. Nevertheless, I really don’t like Fitzpatrick this week.

If the Bills end up trailing by 14 or more early on (I think they will), Fitzpatrick won’t have the time to sit back in the pocket like he did against Oakland this week. NE will get him uncomfortable, and force him into a few more mistakes than normal.

Ryan Fitzpatrick fantasy football Week Three projection – 230 yards; 1 TD, 2 INTs

Other Sit ‘em QBs for Week 3:

• Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler – (Relatively to what they will normally do)…I think the GB/CHI game will be a lot uglier than what people will be expecting.
• Donovan McNabb – Against Suh…yikes!
• Kerry Collins – Maybe the last game of his career.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Start Em, Sit em Projections: Running Backs

Projected Best Performer: Maurice Jones-Drew
Mo-Joe should get lots of carries if and when Blaine Gabbert starts on Sunday, and he will probably be fantastic until he dies in week 5 due to being unbelievably over-worked for the past twenty years.

Maurice Jones-Drew fantasy football Week 3 projection – 140 Rushing Yards, 1 TD; 85 Receiving Yards, 1 TD

Projected Worst Performer: Colts’ RBs
They are awful…and they will be playing Pittsburgh. There’s just nothing to like about the Colts’ offense this week.

Joseph Addai and Delone Carter fantasy football Week Three projection – 28 Rushing Yards TOTAL

Start Em RB: Rashard Mendenhall
I’m really down on Mendenhall this year, but against the Colts on Sunday Night, he will haul a lot people back onto his bandwagon.

Rashard Mendenhall fantasy football Week 3 projection – 115 Rushing Yards; 45 Receiving Yards, 1 TD

Other Start ‘em RBs for Week 3:

• LeSean McCoy – Maybe no Vick…maybe tons of stats for the RB.
• Fred Jackson – Gets a surprising amount of yardage on the ground against NE.
• Ray Rice – Could be the overall top performer against St. Louis.
• Shonn Greene – The second of like six or seven straight great weeks for him.

Sit Em RB: Jahvid Best
I think the Lions will do pretty well against Minnesota this week, but I don’t necessarily love the matchup for Best. The Vikings’ D-Line is still solid, but more importantly, they have shown to be vulnerable in the air. Megatron and his friends will be targeted early and often…and for good reason.

Jahvid Best fantasy football Week Three projection – 45 Rushing Yards; 45 Receiving Yards

Other Sit ‘em RBs for Week 3:

• Adrian Peterson – Ndomakong Suh (you’re still starting him of course, but temper expectations)
• Darren McFadden – Not against the Jets. He may break one big reception, but otherwise, he will be bottled up.
• Packers Running Backs – The platoon is killing both of them…and neither will run well in Chicago.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Start Em, Sit em Projections: Wide Receivers

Projected Best Performer: Brandon Marshall
Marshall will most likely be playing in an ugly game at Cleveland. Both teams will try to run the ball quite a bit in order to control the clock, and the passing games will be left out a little bit. That won’t be a problem for Marshall though. He will create matchup problems for the undersized Cleveland secondary all day, and while the Dolphins may lose, Marshall should have a big day.

Brandon Marshall fantasy football Week 3 projection – 8 Catches for 165 Yards and 1 TD.

Projected Worst Performer: Denarius Moore
Revis Island. Moving on.

Denarius Moore fantasy football Week Three projection – 1 Catch for 9 Yards

Start Em WR: Santana Moss
Moss is quietly having a very solid fantasy season once again. At this point, he is the 27th ranked WR, and he only has one TD meaning his value hasn’t been super inflated. He should have a great game against the soft Dallas secondary, and if the game turns into a high-scoring affair, Moss will get a lot of targets. Surprisingly, he’s still Washington’s big-play guy at this point in his career, and I expect him to break a couple on Monday Night.

Santana Moss fantasy football Week 3 projection – 9 Catches for 140 Yards and 1 TD.

Other Start ‘em WRs for Week 3:

• Reggie Wayne – The only Colt player that will have a good week.
• Larry Fitzgerald – He is becoming more comfortable with Kolb…look out.
• AJ Green – I think he’s one of the top 5 talented WRs in the league already…and I’m not kidding. Just watch this. Plus, it looks like Andy Dalton knows that now as well.
• Steve Smith 1.0 – If Cam has a big day, Steve will have a big day.

Sit Em WR: Dwayne Bowe
Just a bad day to be a Chiefs fan. Cassel will most likely struggle, and San Diego will concentrate on shutting Bowe and the running game down. Last year against San Diego, Bowe combined for 2 catches and 16 yards…that’s the TOTAL for both games. Be very careful before Tasting the Dwayne Bowe this weekend.

Dwayne Bowe fantasy football Week Three projection – 3 Catches for 30 Yards.

Other Sit ‘em WRs for Week 3:

• Julio Jones – I still don’t think he’s that good. He may break out in week 8, but he’s way too inconsistent to be looked at this early in his career. Just click on this article for proof.
• Jeremy Maclin – He and DeSean Jackson are just too inconsistent…but I think it’s Jackson’s turn this week to have a big week and Maclin will be left out.
• Santonio Holmes – Keller and Plaxico are options 1 and 2 in the red zone for the Jets right now. And Greene is probably #3.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Start em, Sit em Projections: Tight Ends

Projected Best Performer: Rob Gronkowski
This is a no-brainer. Hernandez is banged up and will miss a few games. Gronkowski may go for 400 yards in this offense right now.

Rob Gronkowski fantasy football Week 3 projection – 9 Catches for 145 Yards and 2 TDs.

Projected Worst Performer: Todd Heap
There is a reason that Baltimore let him go so easily…and you should let him go as well.

Todd Heap fantasy football Week Three projection – 0 Catches

Start Em TE: Brent Celek
If Vick is banged up and can’t go, or even if he is healthy but playing a little more conservatively, Celek should have a big game. Currently, he sits 30th overall in the TE rankings, but Celek owners should look forward to this Sunday.

Brent Celek fantasy football Week 3 projection – 8 Catches for 85 Yards and 1 TD.

Other Start ‘em TEs for Week 3:

• Dustin Keller – Quickly becoming the Sanchize’s favorite target.
• Tony Gonzalez – He’s still got a little left in the tank…I was wrong.
• Jermaine Gresham
• Owen Daniels – High scoring affair against New Orleans…Schaub will look to him often to beat the Saints’ blitz.

Sit Em TE: Dallas Clark
I just hate the matchup. Polomalu will be ranging all over the middle of the field, and Collins will be on his back for much of the game. Clark may be needed to pass block more than normal, and he just won’t be able to get into the game at all.

Dallas Clark fantasy football Week 3 projection – 5 Catches for 40 Yards and 1 Fumble

Other Sit ‘Em TEs for Week 3:

• Scott Chandler – Don’t chase Touchdowns! They will end up disappointing you.
• Jimmy Graham – One of those weeks that Brees finds everybody but him.
• Ben Watson – The classic “I scored a TD early and I look better than I really am” guy. Take it out, and you have a guy with 6 catches for 61 yards. Not terrible…but not a starter in a league with less than 25 teams.

Good Luck in Week Three!  As always, feel free to ask questions in the comment section, or on my twitter (@The_Dr_Twitch) or to our MSF Fantasy Twitter account (@FantasyMSF).

**********

Stay caught up with all of our Week 3 fantasy football analysis:

• Week 3 Start em, Sit em Projections
• Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 3 Stats to Know
• Week 3 Fantasy Football Talk Start/Sit Podcast
• Week 3 Player Rankings at QB, RB, WR, TE, K, and D/ST
• Week 3 Sleeper Picks

Luckily, a number of options emerged on Sunday, so here is the Week 3 list of potential pickups that are owned in less than half of Yahoo! Leagues.

Update: Jon’s Week 3 Start Em, Sit Em projections are posted. Click here!

If you missed the $250 MSF Week 1 Freeroll Challenge at FanDuel, shame on you. But the good news is that we’ll be doing another one in Week 3! Details to come soon.

Click here to sign up at FanDuel to play the best weekly fantasy football game around.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice: Quarterback

Rex Grossman (21%), Washington

While a pair of first half interceptions hurt his fantasy output (although Anthony Armstrong should have caught one of them), Grossman still threw for close to 300 yards and two scores.  In the last five games, he now has 1,436 passing yards and 11 touchdowns.

Next up for Sexy Rexy are the Cowboys, who got lit up by Mark Sanchez in Week One and gave up two TDs to Alex Smith this week.

Matt Hasselbeck (17%)

I threw out Hasselbeck as a waiver option prior to the season opener, and he has done nothing to change my opinion.  He threw for a pair of TDs against the Jags and then completed better than 70 percent of his passes against Baltimore for 358 yards and a score on Sunday.

Defenses continue to focus on stopping Chris Johnson, and Hasselbeck is taking advantage with Kenny Britt as the main beneficiary.  The Titans face Denver and Cleveland the next couple weeks, making Hasselbeck a potential option if you’re in a pinch.

Andy Dalton (5%)

Obviously this is only for those in deep leagues, but I was impressed with Dalton on Sunday.  A poor Denver defense also played a role, but Dalton deserves credit for playing through a wrist injury and racking up 332 passing yards and two touchdowns.  Most importantly, he didn’t turn the ball over and made a number of nice plays.

What makes him more intriguing is the list of his next five opponents: San Francisco, Buffalo, Jacksonville, Indianapolis, and Seattle.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice: Running Back

Thomas Jones (34%)/Dexter McCluster (24%)/Le’Ron McClain (0%), Kansas City

With Jamaal Charles done for the season pending MRI results, owners will be rushing to pick up his replacement.  And while the Kansas City offense has done little to make said replacement all that desirable, I’m here to talk you through it.

Thomas Jones seems like the obvious choice, but his ceiling is incredibly low.  His skills are clearly on the decline, and he is barely averaging over 3.0 yards per carry.

McCluster, who qualifies at both running back and wide receiver in Yahoo! leagues, is the closest thing to Charles in terms of big play ability.  He has 93 rushing yards on just 12 carries (although most on reverses or misdirection plays as opposed to straight handoffs) along with nine receptions for 23 yards.  McCluster is a potential homerun hitter, but he also has lost a fumble in both games this season.  He’s definitely worth a look in PPR leagues with the Chiefs likely to be frequently playing from behind.

Don’t count out McClain, who ran for 902 yards and 10 TDs for the Ravens in 2008.  He ran for 15 yards on four carries against the Lions and added a pair of receptions.  In deep leagues, he’s worth a prospective add at this point with the hopes he wrestles the job away from Jones and gets the goal line work.

Roy Helu (21%), Washington

Tim Hightower hasn’t really done anything to lose the starting job for the Redskins, but he found himself on the sidelines toward the end of the game in favor of the rookie Helu, apparently because Hightower was “tired.”  Hightower still saw 20 carries, but Helu’s explosiveness helped ignite the Washington comeback.  He rushed for 74 yards on 10 carries and added three catches for 38 yards.

Helu is absolutely worth a roster spot to find out if he can build on this performance and eventually overtake Hightower.  Inserting Helu into the starting lineup certainly wouldn’t be the craziest decision Mike Shanahan ever made.

Delone Carter (17%), Indianapolis

Another guy I listed leading up to Week One, Carter had 11 carries for 46 yards in the Colts’ loss to Cleveland.  The game, while ugly, was close, so the fact that Carter got nearly as many carries as Joseph Addai is a good sign for the rookie runner.  Addai was still relatively effective, but in what is going to be a lost season for Indy, they owe it to themselves to see what they have in Carter.  He’s an extremely tough runner who is worth stashing on your bench.

DeMarco Murray (9%), Dallas

According to Chris Mortenson, Felix Jones separated his shoulder against San Francisco on Sunday.  While Jones reentered the game, Murray and Tashard Choice would see increased workloads if Jones winds up missing any games, which is not outside the realm of possibility.  Both guys had seven touches in relief of Jones, but Murray was more effective on the ground and has more upside.  The team remains committed to Jones, but his injury history is enough to make Murray relevant in fantasy leagues.

Isaac Redman (2%), Pittsburgh

While most of his value comes as a handcuff to Rashard Mendenhall, Redman showed this week that he has the potential to produce even when Mendenhall is healthy.  Redman ripped off a 20-yard touchdown run in the first half and finished with 49 yards in a blowout win over Seattle.  It’s also worth noting that Mendenhall got stuffed on a couple goal line carries before eventually converting one, so keep an eye on Redman’s use in those situations.  Regardless, with the Colts up next, Redman has a great opportunity to get double-digit touches in what should be another mismatch.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice: Wide Receiver

Jerome Simpson (20%), Cincinnati

After a strong finish to last season, Simpson had just 44 yards in Week One.  Thanks in large part to an 84-yard grab, he bounced back with four catches and 136 yards against Denver.  He did have nine targets for the second straight week, but after a 10-catch performance it’s clear A.J. Green is the go-to receiver for Andy Dalton.  Still, Simpson has big play ability and has a favorable schedule coming up.  Just don’t expect a lot of consistency, and you won’t be disappointed.

Eric Decker (12%), Denver

With Brandon Lloyd inactive and Eddie Royal dinged up, Decker was virtually the only option left for Kyle Orton.  Decker caught three balls for 53 yards in the opener before blowing up for 113 yards and two scores against the Bengals.  Things will only improve for him once Lloyd is back to draw coverage from opposing defenses.  Royal has been a disappointment since his rookie season, so look for Decker to hang onto the starting job even when Royal gets healthy.

Denarius Moore (11%), Oakland

Much like the Broncos, healthy receivers were pretty hard to come by for Oakland.  Moore earned rave reviews in the preseason but was used sparingly in the opener.  Jason Campbell looked his way early and often against the Bills, resulting in a five-catch, 146-yard day for the rookie wideout.  He caught a 50-yard bomb for a TD and nearly hauled in a Hail Mary on the final play of the game.  Moore added 25 yards on the ground, and the Raiders would need to institute tougher drug-testing for their coaches if Moore isn’t in the starting lineup even once Darrius Heyward-Bey and Jacoby Ford are healthy.

Nate Washington (9%), Tennessee

As I mentioned above with Hasselbeck, there are plenty of opportunities for the Tennessee receivers given how much defenses are focused on Chris Johnson.  And with Kenny Britt drawing the bulk of the attention in the secondary, Washington has put together a couple good games.  He saw 11 targets on Sunday and now has 13 receptions for 166 yards this season.  Again, the schedule is favorable in the coming weeks, making Washington a solid option as an injury fill-in.

David Nelson (4%), Buffalo

Nelson’s game-winning TD capped a career day where he caught 10 balls for 83 yards in what was the most entertaining game of the day.  Nelson also had 66 yards in the opener, and he took advantage of an ankle injury to Roscoe Parrish, who is expected to miss at least a few weeks.

At 6-foot-5, Nelson has great size for a slot receiver and will benefit from playing alongside Steve Johnson.  Keep in mind that Johnson has also been nursing an injury and limped off the field late in the game on Sunday.  The Bills will need to throw it a lot against New England next week, making Nelson an intriguing pickup, particularly in PPR leagues.

Brandon LaFell (2%), Carolina

If there was any doubt after Week One, there is not anymore: Cam Newton is the real deal.  While he continues to feed the ball to Steve Smith, LaFell racked up 70 receiving yards in the opener and had 49 more to go with a TD against the Packers.  For now, he’s only rosterable in deep leagues, but if Newton is going to keep up his current pace, someone has to be on the receiving end.

Kevin Ogletree (0%), Dallas

I mentioned Ogletree last week within the context of Dez Bryant’s injury.  With Bryant sidelined for Sunday’s game, Ogletree caught two passes for 50 yards.  The most notable development from that game was Miles Austin re-pulling his hamstring.  According to Chris Mortenson, the Cowboys fear Austin may be out until after Dallas’ Week Five bye, which means more of Ogletree in the starting lineup.

Fantasy Football Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice: Tight End

Fred Davis (17%), Washington

I’m not quite lazy enough to just copy and paste what I wrote about Davis last week, but here are a few noteworthy points.  Davis has TDs in three of the last four games with Grossman as the QB.  He continues to see more targets than Chris Cooley and has shown the ability to be a consistent fantasy producer in the past.  On Sunday, he hauled in six of his seven targets for 86 yards and a score.

The Cowboys gave up solid fantasy numbers to Dustin Keller in Week One, so the matchup is decent next week as well.  He’s definitely an option for Aaron Hernandez owners since it sounds as if he will be out this week.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

Arizona (19%)

They play against Seattle and Tarvaris Jackson next week.  That’s all you need to know.

Tennessee (6%)

The Titans have allowed 29 points in two weeks and have tallied five sacks and four turnovers as well.  Denver is next up on the schedule, and the Broncos’ offense has been injury-riddled and inconsistent so far.

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

**********

Stay caught up with all of our Week 3 fantasy football analysis:

• Week 3 Start em, Sit em Projections
• Week 3 Waiver Wire Advice
• Week 3 Stats to Know
• Week 3 Fantasy Football Talk Start/Sit Podcast
• Week 3 Player Rankings at QB, RB, WR, TE, K, and D/ST
• Week 3 Sleeper Picks

LeGarrette Blount only given five carries?!

Steve Smith for 178 yards?! Listen, I knew that Arizona was trying to figure out their secondary and was very weak after getting rid of Rodgers-Cromartie, but I never would have recommended you play Cam Newton in his first game as a pro!

I have a friend, to save his identity we will call him Kentoso, who had a great draft and his team blew up this week which was expected, but he blew up in an unexpected spot. He had both Stafford and Calvin Johnson. While I thought both of them would do well, I didn’t think they would do that well together. Stafford is dedicated to getting the ball to his best receiver. Much like Stafford, Kentoso is dedicated to a few things; fantasy football, pairing a strong receiver/ QB together, and drinking until he has no shame.

This week’s predictions will look at QB dedications that they will try to exploit this week or lose trying.

That is right, Kentoso, this one goes out to you for all those nights you don’t remember, for the time you duct tapped all the beer cans you drank through the night together and made a “wand”, and for the time you woke up in the hospital with an IV in. Thanks for beating me Week 1!

To begin, I will go back with where I started last week.

Kerry Collins and Joseph Addai/Dallas Clark

I predicted Joseph Addai would have a solid game against the Texans. My thought was that Kerry Collins would be getting rid of the ball as soon as possible and Addai would have a lot of opportunities. He only had 8 carries and 2 receptions. Expect more this week.

First, the Browns defense isn’t very good. Second, every week that Collins is there the team is going to get more in tune with him. Indy wasn’t able to create drives last week. When you’re playing from behind and constantly going 3 and out, no one will have a chance to put up points. Look for Addai and Dallas Clark to be integral parts of the offense. Expect around 100 total yards from Addai, most of them coming off screen passes as Collins leans on him.

Cam Newton and Steve Smith/Greg Olsen

The first game with Cam Newton made Steve Smith look like he was back in stud form. I don’t believe it.

First off, just read above. Cam Newton is an upgrade on QB for sure, but Steve Smith scored half of the fantasy points he scored last year in this one game. This week will be a better judge of how the Carolina passing attack will be this season. I would start Steve Smith as a number 2 or flex at best and stay away from Newton. If anyone, I would be high Greg Olsen since Cam Newton will be trying to get rid of the ball in a hurry as Clay Matthews charges at him!

On an additional note, there were only 11 games last year where the QB threw for 400 or more yards. There were 4 during this first week. Tamper your expectations with Newton. He won’t always be throwing for 400 yards. In fact, probably not again this season.

Rex Grossman and Santana Moss

I live in Bloomington, Indiana. In fact, I live very close to Grossman drive. Before preseason I thought the most interesting thing about the Redskins QBs would be the fact that they just brought in Ben Chappell who came from the same high school (Bloomington South) as Rex Grossman. I was definitely wrong!!

Grossman looked smart inside the pocket and made some great passes in a route of the Giants. Just like we looked out above, the Cardinals helped Cam Newton look like the number one overall pick was worth it. Expect Grossman to hook up with Santana Moss for major yards and for Rex to look like the Grossman that took the Bears to the Super Bowl. Moss for 100 and a TD and Grossman for 300 or more, easy. Grossman is a sneaky play this week.

Jay Cutler and Matt Forte

Speaking of Bears, both Jay Cutler and Matt Forte are great plays this week. I really like Forte from a skills standpoint and he showed it in Week 1 with 68 yards rushing and 90 yards receiving. He led the team in both. The Saints love to blitz. Cutler takes a lot of sacks and dances in the pocket, but he is smart about getting the ball to his best playmaker in Forte. Forte will be able to bust through the Saints’ defense and bail out Cutler for some major yards again this week.

If there’s one piece of advice I can give you following Week One, that’s it.

If a player on your roster had an off week (yeah, I’m talking to you DeAngelo Williams), ask yourself whether you would dump them if they did the same thing in the middle of the season.  If so, cut away.  Otherwise, trust your draft research and strategy for another week or two.  Now, if you took a few late-round fliers and see someone on the waiver wire you like more, go for it.

If you missed the $250 MSF Week 1 Freeroll Challenge at FanDuel, shame on you.

Click here to sign up at FanDuel to play the best weekly fantasy football game around and so you don’t miss the next MSF Freeroll (likely Week 3)!

As always, I’m looking only at players owned in less than 50 percent of Yahoo! leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Waiver Wire Pickups: Quarterback

Ryan Fitzpatrick (46%), Buffalo

No team laid a bigger egg than the Chiefs on Sunday, and Fitzpatrick took full advantage, throwing for 208 yards and four touchdowns.  Keep in mind that he got off to a hot start once he became the starter last season, throwing for 11 TDs in his first four games.  The other 12 scores came over a nine-game span, so consistency isn’t necessarily his strong suit.  Still, Fitzpatrick has Oakland next up on the schedule, which makes him an option if your other matchups are bad or you had the misfortune of drafting Peyton Manning.

Cam Newton (33%), Carolina

When you see gaudy yardage totals like the 422 passing yards that Newton hung on Arizona in his first game as a starter, you may be inclined to chalk it up to garbage time.  Not the case here, as Newton was effective and productive throughout before coming up just short on the final drive.  In addition to the passing yards, Newton was used at the goal line on consecutive runs, the second of which he converted after diving over the pile like a running back.  A date with Green Bay next week may provide some “Welcome to the NFL” moments, but Newton has solidified his status as a QB2 and potential matchup play against the right opponent.

Rex Grossman (6%), Washington

Grossman has been basically a pigskin punchline, but over his last four games with Washington, he’s thrown for 1145 yards and nine touchdowns.  Who knows how long he remains the starter for the ever-fickle Mike Shanahan, but for now, it’s Rex’s gig.  Grossman faces the Cardinals next week – yes, the same Cardinals defense that gave up 422 yards to a rookie QB making his first start.  That’s fantasy gold for those in two quarterback leagues as well as those desperate for a starter in other formats.

Update: Since we pride ourselves on getting this out early, I submitted the Week 2 waiver wire advice column prior to the Monday night games. When applicable, I will submit updates to the column with any waiver-worthy players from Monday night.

So don’t start going Ron Jaworski on me and cussing about missing these games! I’ve got you covered.

As luck would have it, only one man stood out among the fantasy neglected on Monday night. And that man was none other than…Chad Henne of the Miami Dolphins.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Waiver Wire Advice: Running Back

Ben Tate (43%), Houston

With Arian Foster inactive, both Tate and Derrick Ward ran for touchdowns against the Colts.  Ward tweaked his ankle, so Tate got the bulk of the carries and finished with 116 rushing yards.  Foster is expected back next week against the Dolphins, but he’s one more hamstring issue away from missing a significant portion of the season.  It’s also not inconceivable that Gary Kubiak eases Foster back into the mix, which means more work for Tate and/or Ward.  With such a large lead, the Texans took the cautious approach with Ward this week, so the true extent of his injury is unclear.  However, if I’m going after one of these guys, it’s Tate at this point.

Deji Karim (10%), Jacksonville

I listed Karim last week due to my lack of faith in Maurice Jones-Drew’s knees.  That’s still a factor here, but even with MJD at full strength (albeit on some kind of snap count), Karim had 17 touches.  He ran 14 times for 33 yards and caught all three of his targets for 39 more.  The Jags ran the ball over 40 times, and if they continue to use that game plan (not a bad idea with Luke McCown at QB), Karim should see double-digit touches on a weekly basis.  Next week’s date with the Jets isn’t ideal, but his involvement in the offense proves Karim is worth owning in more than 10 percent of leagues.

Cadillac Williams (7%), St. Louis

Steven Jackson got the Rams’ season off to a quick start with a 47-yard TD scamper on their first play from scrimmage.  Unfortunately, he injured his quad in the process, which opened the door for Cadillac Williams to roll up 140 total yards.  He ran 19 times for 91 yards and caught six passes on a team-high 10 targets for 49 more.  If Jackson misses any time, Williams is in line to be the workhorse.  That workload only increases if Sam Bradford’s finger injury puts him on the shelf.  Next week the Rams take on the Giants, who surrendered 97 total yards and a TD to Tim Hightower in their first game.

Earnest Graham (1%), Buccaneers

This one is only for those in the deepest of PPR leagues, but Graham had eight receptions for 58 yards to go with 13 rushing yards in Tampa Bay’s loss to the Lions.  After falling behind, the Bucs went to a pass-heavy attack which rendered LeGarrette Blount virtually useless.  Graham has established himself as the team’s third-down back and was targeted nine times, mostly on short dump-off passes.  Keep an eye on him in the coming weeks to see if he’s able to sustain this kind of involvement in the offense.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Waiver Wire Advice: Wide Receiver

Devery Henderson (22%), New Orleans

It’s getting tough to find healthy wideouts for the Saints these days with Lance Moore missing the opener with a groin injury and Marques Colston out for at least a month with a broken collarbone.  Enter Devery Henderson, who most fantasy owners have rostered at one point or another, thinking he’s finally ready to become a consistent producer.  Many of you may even be in some Devery Henderson-related support group at this point based on the way he’s treated fantasy owners over time.  Anyway, he led the Saints with 100 receiving yards and a TD in the opener, and even if Moore is back this week, Henderson will remain a factor against Chicago.  Fellow wideout Robert Meachem missed the cut here since he’s owned in 54 percent of leagues, but he’s another strong waiver option if he’s still out there in your league.

Jacoby Jones (19%), Houston

The Texans didn’t need to throw it much against Indy on Sunday, but it’s worth noting that Kevin Walter has apparently broken his shoulder and is out for at least a few months if not the season.  Someone is bound to benefit from all the attention directed at Andre Johnson, and that would seem to be Jones.  He’s shown flashes but has been largely inconsistent over the course of his career.  Jones did catch at least five passes in the last four games last year, and he’s an excellent return man in leagues that use return yards.

Antonio Brown (27%), Pittsburgh

The bad news: Brown had just two catches for 14 yards, and Emmanuel Sanders caught Pittsburgh’s lone TD.  The good news: Brown was targeted nine times.  He simply isn’t startable in fantasy leagues at this point, but if you stick with him during the growing pains, it could pay dividends later this season.

Anthony Armstrong (5%), Washington

Armstrong finished with just two receptions for 24 yards on Sunday, but there is reason for optimism.  First, one of those grabs was a nice six-yard TD.  Second, he dropped a couple bombs that could have pushed his yardage total over the century mark.  Armstrong displayed good chemistry with Grossman toward the end of last season, and that continued today.  If you’re desperate for help at wide receiver, you could do worse.

Kevin Ogletree (0%), Dallas

Let’s look at a few things.  1) Dallas has virtually no depth at wide receiver.  2) Dez Bryant already got banged up with a quad bruise and leg cramps in the opener against the Jets, and the biggest question heading into this season surrounded his health.  3) The Cowboys are going to throw it a ton.  So all that said, Ogletree becomes a guy to put on your watch list just in case.

Greg Salas (0%), St. Louis

Danny Amendola dislocated his elbow and is out for a while, which leaves a huge hole in the Rams passing game.  While Mike Sims-Walker should benefit, don’t count out Salas, a rookie from Hawaii.  He caught one pass for 21 yards on Sunday, but if he slides into the slot with Amendola sidelined, he’s worth a look in PPR leagues.

Fantasy Football Week 2 Waiver Wire Advice: Tight End

Lance Kendricks (34%), St. Louis

I won’t sugarcoat it.  The stat line was ugly.  The drops (one of which would have been a TD) were ugly.  But Bradford wasn’t afraid to go back to him, and with Amendola injured, Kendricks may see even more targets.  I’m going down with the ship on this one.

Jermaine Gresham (15%), Cincinnati

There weren’t too many people investing heavily in the Cincinnati passing game heading into this season, and there wasn’t a ton I saw from either Andy Dalton or Bruce Gradkowski to make me reconsider that stance.  Except for their second-year tight end who hauled in six catches for 58 yards and a score.  He was targeted eight times and doesn’t have a murderer’s row coming up on the schedule.  Just another example of how deep tight end is this year.

Ed Dickson (2%), Baltimore

Take a wait-and-see approach here, but Dickson, who was a terrific tight end at Oregon, acquitted himself well in his first start.  He caught all five of his targets for 59 yards and a TD.  Dickson was unable to gain much separation from fellow TE Dennis Pitta in the preseason, but this performance could be enough.  Consider him a TE2 at best for now.

Fred Davis (1%), Washington

After catching a TD in each of the final two games last season, Davis and Rex Grossman picked up right where they left off, hooking up five times for 105 yards.  Davis saw twice as many looks than veteran Chris Cooley, and it’s worth noting that Davis did a terrific job when filling in for an injured Cooley in 2009, catching five TDs over one four-game stretch.  Again, he can’t be considered more than a TE2, but the upside is there.

Scott Chandler (0%), Buffalo

It seems like every year a tight end goes off in the first week that make everyone go “Who the hell is this guy?”  Chandler is that guy this year after catching five passes for 63 yards and two scores.  He entered the game with one reception for eight yards in his career.  Is it possible he’s a breakout candidate?  I suppose, but it’s more likely that the Chiefs were just that horrendous.

Streaming Defense(s) of the Week

I am a huge fan of streaming defenses based on matchups, so each week I will try to throw out one or two for those of you in the same boat.

Houston (23%)

It was hard to get a true read on just how improved this defense was given the junior varsity nature of their opponent’s play, but there is reason to be intrigued, particularly against the Dolphins.

Cleveland (23%)

Save for a TD pass to A.J. Green when the Browns had just started to break the huddle and a late TD to Cedric Benson, the Cleveland defense wasn’t terrible.  You know who was terrible?  The Colts, who Cleveland plays in Week Two.

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

Unfortunately, the eternal King of Pop is no longer with us (he would have turned 53 just a few days ago on August 29th), and he thus he will never be able to follow in the footsteps of Bruce Springsteen, The Who, John Mellencamp, and others who have taken to the Super Bowl stage as older musicians, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t weave the musical brilliance of Michael Jackson into a post about the National Football League.

So enjoy this homage to my favorite musician of all time, Michael Jackson, as we kick off our coverage of the 2011 NFL season. Here are all 32 Week One starting QBs in the NFL…as Michael Jackson songs.

AFC East

Tom Brady (NE) – “Blame It On The Boogie”

There are high hopes for the reigning NFL MVP heading into 2011. Coming off of the second best statistical season of his career, but yet another playoff loss, it feels like there is more urgency to capture Super Bowl #4 for he and Brilliant Bill. (How else do you explain bringing in a certified turd like Albert Haynesworth?)

However, if you are a Patriots fan, how much confidence can you have after seeing your quarterback dance like this during the offseason?

Is there any kind of historical precedent for a superstar NFL quarterback being videotaped dancing in such a sacless manner and then winning a Super Bowl? I can’t think of one.

So if things do not go as planned in New England this year – and let’s be honest, the plan is Super Bowl or Bust, as it always should be when you have Brady and Belichick – then Patriots fans can simply blame it on the (Brady) boogie.

———

Mark Sanchez (NYJ) – “Mama’s Pearl”

Ever since Jets mama bear Rex Ryan named Mark Sanchez his Week 1 starter before Sanchez’s rookie season, the coach has joined Jets supporters across the nation in making excuse after excuse for Sanchez’s overall poor play. For his career, Sanchez has completed just 54.4% of his passes and has thrown four more INTs than he has thrown touchdowns.

Of course, the immediate counter-argument is that Sanchez has also played in his conference’s championship games the last two season, something no other QB in the NFL can say. And as long as the Jets keep on winning, even if Sanchez’s stats and overall play remain underwhelming, in the eyes of mother bear Rex his young QB will undoubtedly remain mama’s pearl.

———

Chad Henne (MIA) – “Bad”

To say that Chad Henne has been a disappointment to Dolphins fans would be a gross understatement. His 27:33 career TD:INT ratio has been, in a word, bad. His inability to make good decisions in the red zone has been even worse.

But in Michael Jackson’s song “Bad” he is not singing about someone who sucks. MJ is singing about being a badass. And hey, despite being scrawny, certifiably kooky, and even at times somewhat effeminate, Michael Jackson was a badass.

But can Chad Henne come anything close to badass?

Chad Henne has two choices in 2011: he can either continue being bad in the literal sense of the word, or he can carry his impressive preseason play into the regular season and be bad. Like, say, Drew Brees bad (which actually means good, in this case). And there’s precedent, so says no less an authority than the great Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders and Grantland fame.

No pressure Chad; it’s only the entire Dolphins’ season riding on which “bad” you choose.

———

Ryan Fitzpatrick (BUF) – “They Don’t Care About Us”

Ryan Fitzpatrick is still the quarterback in Buffalo, and he is actually more productive than most people give him credit for. However, I’ll reiterate: he plays in Buffalo, which is why many people don’t give him or any other Bills player much credit.

The Bills and their fans would not be wrong to say they don’t care about us in relation to the attention they receive from the national football media at large. But, of course, it’s hard to garner much attention when you don’t win games.

Sure, people cared about the Buffalo Bills at one time, back when they were running roughshod over the AFC on their way to four straight Super Bowls, when the “K-Gun” offense was the cat’s pajamas. But now? Like I said, other than residents of Buffalo and Toronto, no one really cares.

———

AFC North

Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) – “Ben” and “Dirty Diana”

Obviously young MJ’s classic song “Ben” is a perfect fit for the player NFL analysts refer to simply by his first name, Ben. So let’s just get that out of the way right now.

But stopping at “Ben” for Ben Roethlisberger would be a copout. And we’re not coupouters here at MSF, so we’ll provide a second song for Mr. Roethlisberger aka Bathroom Ben.

And really, what song other than “Dirty Diana” would be appropriate for someone whose idea of a good time is getting drunk with random dirty Dianas and engaging in relations in the bathroom of a bar?

———

Joe Flacco (BAL) – “Beat It”

Do you realize that this Bert doppelganger has completed 62% of his passes and has a solid 60:34 TD:INT ratio for his three-year career? It’s quite possible, perhaps even probable, that Joe Flacco is the most underrated QB in the NFL.

But the stats are just a small part of it.

As we know, QBs are judged by wins and losses. Well, all Joe Flacco has done is beat it — the opposing team that it is — in two-thirds of the regular season games he has started. He has also won a playoff game in each of his three seasons in the NFL. Even the highly acclaimed Matt Ryan can’t beat that.

———

Colt McCoy (CLE) – “Little Bitty Pretty One”

The second-year player for the Browns stands just 6’1, which is just an inch taller than noted shorty Drew Brees. The cherubic McCoy also holds the Super Bowl (heck, Wild Card) aspirations of a starving Browns fan base on his little bitty pretty shoulders, as a town desperate for a solid QB and a winning team hopes that McCoy is the answer to its collective prayers.

And yes, I know that the Jackson 5 version of “Little Bitty Pretty One” is a cover of a Frankie Lymon song, but seeing as how Browns fans would be ecstatic if McCoy simply ends up being a cover of their beloved Bernie Kosar, it seems appropriate.

———

Andy Dalton (CIN) – “She’s Out of My Life”

In this case, it’s actually a he, not a she, that is out of Dalton and Bengals’ fans lives. And the he in question is Carson Palmer, who has chosen to retire rather than subject himself to anymore Bengals nonsense (assuming he doesn’t make a surprise 11th hour visit to camp).

Of course, while Bengals owner Mike Brown seems to be happily chirping He’s out of my life in reference to Palmer, other observers are criticizing Brown’s “damned indecision and cursed pride” seeing as how he could have traded Palmer and gotten something for him rather than wasting one of the team’s few valuable assets.

Now it’s up to the rookie Dalton to lead the Palmer-less and Ochocinco-less Bengals into 2011. For Bengals fans, it will probably just be another wicked season that “cuts like a knife”, and by Week 8 Bengals fans may be wishing the franchise, or at least the much-maligned Brown, was out of their life.

———

AFC South

Peyton Manning (IND) – “Smooth Criminal”

Is anyone smoother at running an offense than Peyton Manning? It’s almost criminal the way he picks apart opposing defenses as if he’s stolen their signals or planted a bug in their huddle.

Regardless, the reason why “Smooth Criminal” is the MJ song perfect for Peyton in 2011 is because all you have to do is substitute one word in the song to make it an almost perfect reenactment of every time the Colts QB has met with the press this offseason.

Peyton Are You OK?
So, Peyton Are You OK
Are You OK, Peyton
Peyton Are You OK?
So, Peyton Are You OK
Are You OK, Peyton
Peyton Are You OK?
So, Peyton Are You OK?
Are You OK, Peyton?
Peyton Are You OK?
So, Peyton Are You Ok, Are You Ok, Peyton?

Well Peyton? Are you? ARE YOU? We’ll find out Week 1.

And if Peyton is okay, and doesn’t miss a start, then the true “smooth criminal” will be Kerry Collins for getting paid $4 million to do…what, exactly?

Matt Schaub (HOU) – “Can You Feel It”

It seems like every year is the Texans’ year.

“No really, this will be the season that Kubiak, Schaub, Johnson, Williams, et al, finally put it together and make the franchise’s first playoff appearance.”

“No, no, this will be the year. Seriously!”

With questions surrounding Peyton Manning’s health, and vultures sure to circle Lucas Oil Stadium should Peyton have to miss any time, this year really could be the year in Houston.

Seriously. For real. I can almost feel it; can you feel it? This year actually will be THE year for the Texans. I even predicted it!

———

Matt Hasselbeck (TEN) – “One More Chance”

Matt Hasselbeck took the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl appearance and gave Seattle, for the most part, above average play at the QB position on a consistent basis for the better part of a decade. Yet despite leading the Seahawks to an unexpected playoff berth and an even more unexpected playoff win last year, he was jettisoned so that Seattle could move on to the…Tarvarlie Jackhurst Era. Win forever!

Hasselbeck landed on his feet though, taking over for the departed Vincerry Youngins in Tennessee. Sure, he’s just keeping the seat warm for Jake Locker, and may not even last the whole season as the starter, but at least Hasselback gets one more chance to lead a team.

Good for him. He’s earned it.

———

David Garrard (JAC) – “Somebody’s Watching Me”

Poor David Garrard. No matter what this guy does, he just can never seem to earn himself any job security.

Last year, Garrard completed 64.5% of his passes, threw 23 touchdowns, and had a QB rating of 90.8, keeping the Jags in the playoff hunt until their pathetic defense collapsed during a three-game skid to end the season. And how was Garrard repaid for his solid season? Jacksonville went out and drafted Blaine Gabbert in the first round, meaning Garrard gets to spend yet another season looking over his shoulder with somebody watching him.

Ironically, Jacksonville is one of the worst NFL franchises when it comes to attendance and avoiding blackouts, so perhaps a song called “Nobody’s Watching Me” would have been more appropriate; but “Somebody’s Watching Me” works because it’s one of Michael Jackson’s more recognizable yet underappreciated vocal performances, and Garrard similarly falls into that underappreciated category.

This song won’t make any MJ Greatest Hits CDs (hell, it’s not even his song, it’s Berry Gordy’s son Rockwell’s) just like Garrard won’t ever make an All Pro team, but both have their moments of greatness and are better than most people given them credit for.

———

AFC West

Philip Rivers (SD) – “You Wanna Be Starting Something”

Few players start more somethings on the field than Philip Rivers. It seems like he’s always barking at someone on the opposing team, talking trash, and just generally trying to stir things up.

Yes, Philip Rivers always wanna be starting something.

Relatedly, how great of a beat does this song have? It’s slick, quick, and sweet (just like Philip Rivers’ release, coincidentally). Damn the Thriller album was awesome.

———

Jason Campbell (OAK) – “Man In the Mirror”

“Man In the Mirror” is a triumphant song about change, and no quarterback I can remember has gone through more change than Jason Campbell.

I’m pretty sure that either Campbell’s head coach or coordinator has been different for each of his seasons in the NFL. Contrast that with the stability that guys like Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees have had, and it’s no wonder why the strong-armed Campbell has toiled in relative obscurity and frustrated his fan bases for the last half decade.

But when Campbell looks at the man in the mirror he’ll see a guy who has never had a season in which he’s thrown more picks than touchdowns and a guy who had improved his accuracy every season before dropping off last year. If the Raiders can develop a few receivers, maybe Campbell can make some change instead of just enduring it.

———

Kyle Orton (DEN) – “Human Nature”

It is to be expected that fans will want young first round picks who are upstanding citizens and who were Heisman Trophy-winning college football heroes to play over fully-formed veterans. Kyle Orton, a fully-formed veteran who has proven himself to be solid but unspectacular, needs to remind himself of that this year when, no matter what he does on the field, fans clamor for Tim Tebow to be given a shot as the starting QB.

Why? Why? Tell Kyle that it’s human nature…for fans anyway. Orton just needs to hope it’s not the nature of John Fox. (It’s not.)

———

Matt Cassel (KC) – “The Lost Children”

Matt Cassel was never the starting quarterback at USC. For the first several years of his NFL career, he was never the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots. When it came to game experience, Cassel was among the few lost children who had none, but who had enough potential to continue advancing through the ranks.

Then Tom Brady got hurt, Cassel excelled, and he moved on to the Chiefs. After a rough first season he played well last year, taking advantage of a weak schedule and an absurd season by Dwayne Bowe, leading the Chiefs to the playoffs.

Hopes are high this year, but will Cassel be up to the task? If he’s not, he may go back to being a lost NFL child if the demanding Todd Haley and the Chiefs lose faith in his ability to be the franchise’s QB of the future.

———-

Okay, we’re through the AFC. Deep breath. Only 16 more QBs (actually 17; you’ll see…) and songs to go.

One song that did not make the cut, despite being one of my favorite Michael Jackson songs of all-time, is “Rock With You.” It just didn’t seem to fit with anyone.

But since you, dear reader, have continued rocking with me through this long but hopefully entertaining post, I dedicate this classic MJ diddy to you.

———-

NFC East

Tony Romo (DAL) – “The Girl Is Mine”

This is a pretty simple one: Jessica Simpson; this cute but non-famous blonde; Carrie Underwood; former MSF writer (and Chiefs fan!) and current Mrs. Romo Candice Crawford.

It seems like in Tony Romo’s world, he can always say the girl is mine.

Plus, Michael Jackson never wrote a song about fumbling a snap to lose a playoff game. So really, this was the only choice.

(Also, Paul McCartney has played at the new, immaculate Cowboys Stadium, so there is that too.)

———

Eli Manning (NYG) – “Scream”

Last year, no quarterback made his team’s fans scream, in both joy and agony, more than Eli Manning. He threw 31 TDs and surpassed 4,000 yards, but he also tossed 25 interceptions. ‘Nuff said.

Except that simply listing off some scream-worthy stats is not enough, because this song is appropriate in yet another way.

Has there ever been a more successful sibling QB tandem in NFL history than Peyton and Eli Manning? They both have Super Bowl rings, so no.

Likewise, has there ever been a more successful sibling pop music tandem in music history than Michael and Janet Jackson? No.

Add it all up and this one just may be the most appropriate song choice of all 32.

———

Michael Vick (PHI) – “Thriller”

Did I say that last song was the most appropriate song choice? It’s only one song later and I’m already re-thinking that bold and possibly foolish statement!

Michael Vick’s name is almost synonymous with the word thriller at this point. What more can I say on this one?

———

Jex Beckman (WAS) – “Who Is It?”

See, I told you the NFC would have 17 QBs rather than 16, and it’s all thanks to Mike Shanahan and the Jon Beck/Rex Grossman duo in Washington (shortened above to “Jex Beckman” because that’s so much more fun). Leave it to Daniel Snyder’s franchise to F it all up.

Despite everyone wondering who is it going to be, Mike Shanahan has not officially named a starting QB for Week 1 as of me writing this. And even when he does name a starter, does anyone think that guy will start all 16 games? Hell no.

As the old saying goes, if you have two quarterbacks you really have none. In the case of the Redskins, that most certainly is the case.

———

NFC North

Aaron Rodgers (GB) – “Billie Jean”

In my opinion, “Billie Jean” is Michael Jackson’s greatest song and Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the NFL (right now), so this really was a perfect song-player match; but the match goes deeper than just that simple association.

Remember when Michael Jackson moonwalked to Billie Jean in 1983 at the Motown 25th Anniversary celebration? It was his coming out party as a solo artist, removed the shadow cast by his brothers, and established him as the King of Pop.

Similarly, when Aaron Rodgers guided the wild card Packers to the Super Bowl last year while playing near-flawless football, it was his coming out party as a superstar QB, removed the shadow of Brett Favre, and established him as the best quarterback going right now.

It was his Billie Jean moment.

This song is so good, as is Rodgers (did you know he has the highest QB rating of all-time?), that it deserves two videos. So here is the official video for “Billie Jean.”

Let me know when you’re done singing, snapping your fingers, and moonwalking around your house or office so we can continue.

…

Okay, onward we proceed.

Matthew Stafford (DET) – Will You Be There?

For the first time since Barry Sanders, there is legitimate, unmockable playoff hope in Detroit. And apparently I’m drinking the silver and blue Kool-Aid, because I predicted that it will happen*.

* – So, for the record, I officially picked the Lions and Texans to make the playoffs in the same season. Had I thought about in those absurd terms when I was making my picks, I doubt I would have gone through with it.

The biggest question mark on the Lions’ roster is their quarterback. Unfortunately, the Lions and their fans have legitimate reason to ask Matthew Stafford every week will you be there on Sunday? Despite his remarkable talent and big contract, he’s only played 13 out of a possible 32 games during his two-year career thus far.

On the plus side, Stafford did have a QB rating of 91.3 and six TDs against only one interception before getting hurt last year. Plus he’s been dynamite this preseason. Simply put, Stafford has to stay healthy and be there on the field for Detroit to have a shot; if he does, he and the young Lions are talented enough to finally be a force to be reckoned with.

———

Jay Cutler (CHI) – “Leave Me Alone”

Jay Cutler is renowned for his rocket arm, but he is not so renowned for his disposition. Of course, as Tom Fornelli points out, who cares if Cutler can be a jerk? If he treats people with a leave me alone attitude and doesn’t always act all Tebow rah-rah on the sidelines, what does it matter if he’s playing in the NFC Championship Game, right?

Hmm…about that whole playing part…

Let’s just say that I bet Jay Cutler wishes people like Maurice Jones-Drew would have kept their mouths shut and left he and his injured knee alone.

———

Donovan McNabb (MIN) – “Remember The Time”

Hey, do you remember the time when Donovan McNabb was one of the best QBs in the NFL? When he was leading the Eagles to NFC Championship Games (and even a Super Bowl) on a regular basis? When he was a perennial Pro Bowler?

Yeah, those were good times. Times the Minnesota Vikings are hoping they can relive this season.

Remembering McNabb’s ill-fated and short-lived tenure in Washington does not inspire much confidence, but hey, Eddie Murphy and Magic Johnson probably thought the same thing when they were pitched the idea for this video, yet it turned out pretty well. Maybe the Vikings 2011 season will as well. (Count Drew among those who thinks it could!)

———

NFC South

Drew Brees (NO) – “Heal The World”

Is any face more synonymous with the rebuilding of New Orleans in the post-Katrina era than that of Drew Brees? I say no.

A quarterback can’t heal the world, but he certainly can help heal a city, especially when he gives his time and resources to help out in the community and raises civic pride by leading the long-suffering home team to a Super Bowl championship.

The best way I can sum up the greatness of Drew Brees is to do so in the spirit of those ubiquitous Dos Equis commercials: I don’t always root for Purdue grads, but when I do, I prefer that they be truly awesome guys on and off the field…like Drew Brees.

Josh Freeman (TB) – “Dangerous”

Pretty easy, obvious one here right? Not only is this guy young, he’s got a strong arm, wheels, and similarly young and talented weapons to grow up with.

If I’m a defensive coordinator in the NFC South, knowing I have to face this guy twice a year for the next decade, there isn’t much I consider more dangerous than Josh Freeman.

———

Matt Ryan (ATL) – “Butterflies”

Though Matt Ryan always gets mentioned before Joe Flacco when people list out the best quarterbacks in the NFL, Ryan has won fewer games, completed a lower percentage of his passes, and amassed a lower QB rating then his 2008 draft classmate.

Most importantly, Ryan is 0-2 in the playoffs while Flacco is 4-3. And even though Flacco’s playoff stats are actually more putrid than Ryan’s own putrid playoff stats, we all know that quarterbacks are judged by wins in December, January, and February. So far, Flacco has gotten them. Ryan hasn’t.

So even though people are anointing Matt Ryan as the Next Great NFL QB, he still has to prove he can shake the playoff butterflies, like Aaron Rodgers did last year, before he can truly enter such a discussion.

———

Cam Newton (CAR) – “PYT (Pretty Young Thing)”

Some of these were so easy.

“PYT” is a kinetic, upbeat, exciting song…much like Cam Newton is a kinetic, upbeat, exciting QB (who just happens to also have a kinetic, upbeat, exciting smile that will make him a marketing darling should he be able to produce at all on the field).

And is the term “pretty young thing” more appropriate for anything in the NFL than a young QB filled with potential? Nope.

Winning franchises are built around winning QBs, and Cam Newton is the latest #1 draft pick to be his franchise’s pretty young thing upon which it constructs its hopes and expectations of future success.

———

NFC West

Alex Smith (SF) – “Never Can Say Goodbye”

The San Francisco 49ers drafted Alex Smith first overall in the 2005 draft. Since then, he has compiled a paltry QB rating of 72.1, has thrown more picks than TDs, and has been yanked in and out of the lineup like a yo-yo. Most importantly, the team has barely sniffed the playoffs during Smith’s time with the franchise.

Yet the 49ers simply never can say goodbye to one of the most disastrous draft choices in franchise history.

With Smith a free agent after last season, the 49ers had a chance to cut the cord for good. They even drafted a potential QB of the future in Colin Kaepernick. But when push came to shove, Smith couldn’t do better than the 49ers and the 49ers couldn’t do better than Smith. So he’s back. Fans of San Fran are just hoping that the final verse of this classic Jackson 5 tune does not prove apropos for 2011:

Keep thinkin’ that our problems,
Soon are all gonna work out,
But there’s that same unhappy feeling,
And there’s that anguish, there’s that doubt…

49ers fans can’t take much more anguish and doubt, but can anything else be expected until, one day, they finally do say goodbye?

Smith has one final shot this year to turn it around. Otherwise it most certainly will mean goodbye, for good, before next year.

———

Sam Bradford (STL) – “Hold My Hand”

In college, Sam Bradford completed 67.6% of his passes. This remarkable skill for throwing a football accurately was the main reason he was chosen #1 overall in the 2010 draft. As a rookie, he completed an impressive 60% of his passes, even with top target Mark Clayton getting injured early in the season. He also threw for over 3,500 yards and tossed more TDs than INTs. As a rookie. This is why so many people are predicting a breakout season from Bradford in 2011.

Another reason people are predicting a Bradford breakout is that Josh McDaniels is now coordinating the Rams’ offense. Yes, the same Josh McDaniels who coordinated the Patriots’ record-setting offense during their 18-1 season, and the same Josh McDaniels who made Kyle Orton a fantasy stud during the first half of last season. The man may be an idiot when it comes to personnel decisions, but he can coordinate a passing game.

Despite their lack of familiarity together, if the offensively brilliant McDaniels just says hold my hand to the prodigiously talented Bradford, and if Bradford acquiesces, these two could make sweet music together…kinda like MJ and Akon did.

———

Kevin Kolb (ARI) – “You Are Not Alone”

Last year, Larry Fitzgerald must have felt like an NFL wide receiving orphan. He went from having a potential Hall of Famer (Kurt Warner) throwing him on-the-money lasers and playing in the Super Bowl to having a trio of quarterbacking dipshits (Derek Anderson, Max Hall, and John Skelton) tossing him inaccurate ducks while playing musical chairs behind center. Has an elite wide receiver ever felt more alone? That Fitzgerald still caught 90 balls and over 1,000 yards is a testament to his remarkable skills and further emboldened my belief that he’s the best wide receiver in football today.

Enter the unproven but seemingly solid Kevin Kolb, and Fitzgerald has reason to smile again.

The long-rumored acquisition of Kolb by the Cardinals finally happened once the lockout ended, and I’m sure that Kolb’s first words to his new #1 wide receiver were something along the lines of “You are not alone anymore, Larry.” Now all Kolb has to do is live up to the pressure of playing with the league’s best receiver while being paid like a franchise quarterback. Otherwise he’ll be the one feeling alone after the honeymoon period inevitably ends.

But can he?

In limited action, Kolb’s numbers are decidedly Alex Smith-like (73.2 rating, 60.8 completion percentage, 11:14 TD:INT ratio); and those numbers were all accumulated while playing in the passer-friendly system of Andy Reid. So Kolb is far from a slam dunk, but he can’t possibly be worse than Anderson, Hall, or Skelton, whose collective play last year, in comparison to the rest of the QBs in the league, was akin to the difference between the following awful video in comparison to the rest of Michael Jackson’s immaculate video catalog.

———

Tarvaris Jackson (SEA) – “Black or White”

No need for me to ramble on and on for this one like I did for Kevin Kolb.

It’s pretty simple: it don’t matter whether Seattle’s QB is black (TJack) or white (Charlie Whitehurst)…the Seahawks are going to suck.

**********

Well, that’s it. I hope you enjoyed this post. I certainly enjoyed writing it. In fact, I’d rank creating this post among the five most entertaining posts I’ve ever had the privilege to create here at MSF. What could be better than listening to an artist I love while doing what I love? Nothing. Nothing at all.

But that doesn’t mean that I got ‘em all right.

• Are there any QB-song matches you disagree with?
• Any you’d switch up?
• Any Michael Jackson classics that you’re pissed didn’t make it and just want to embed the video for all to enjoy?

The comment section awaits.

So get up off the wall and comment!

I was not expecting to hear anything about Jerry Angelo.

I presumed he was still on vacation until September 1st, until football commanded his attention. The GM for the Bears was one of the most despised in the city, where falling on ill favor is not that easy. Fans, while loyal and passionate, are usually comfortable here. It is hard to find a terrible rant about a sports figure in Chicago. Jerry Angelo, however, was on the verge of finding Windy City protesters at his house.

The Bears’ 2008 season proved nothing, except that the Bears had a franchise that desperately needed help. Questions popped up everywhere and it seemed that we would have to wait for the draft to have any of those questions answered.

The I hear on 670 the Score immediately upon getting into my car, “The Sun-Times website is reporting that the Bears got Jay Cutler.” Terry Boers stays on the mic reporting the story, while Dan Bernstein clearly pushed the rolly chair back from the mic and said, “Good GOD!” You would think that a stripper walked into the studio with a huge cardboard check, with his name on it.

The news about Cutler coming to the Bears was shocking, an amazing franchise move, something warranting exaltations.

But I paused.

I paused because of my not-so-emotional connection to the Bears. I am a transplant, and while I love the team and the city, my mind immediately began to dissect the pick, the pros and cons. Here’s what I got:

PROS

1. Jerry Angelo is alive and cares about his job. In fact, he has an eye for football talent; in fact, he actually seems to understand the amazing loyalty of Chicago’s fans and will try to reward that by performing the duties of a competitive GM.

All kidding aside, this was huge for Angelo.

On ESPN radio The Afternoon Saloon declared April 2 “Jerry Angelo Day”. The GM has never been a fan favorite but won over hearts by making a decision that will help the franchise in the long term.

2. Jay Cutler. Dude is All-Pro. He’s up and coming at 25 and has proven his competitive edge in the AFC West with a team that struggled last year with injuries and a brutal defense. Finally a quarterback will actually hold the football for the Bears whose major value is not the jokes you can throw around about his neck beard or errant passes.

3. The fans get a shot of life at long last. Bears fans weren’t thrilled about the future of the franchise at the end of last season. The McCaskeys couldn’t hide behind the accidental NFC championship in 2005 and Brian Urlacher. Moves needed to be made, so they were.

CONS

1. When I think of Cutler, I think of the highlight reel of him hitting Brandon Stokely in the slot, Eddie Royal deep, and Brandon Marshall in the end zone. Then I thought about Rashied Davis tripping on poorly run routes, Devin Hester apologizing to Lovie on the sideline cause he can’t run anything but a streak, and Greg Olsen dropping balls.

Who the hell does Cutler throw the ball to?

Yes, Brandon Lloyd showed some talent last year and barring injury maybe he’ll do it again. Of course you hope that Hester and Olsen improve with a talented QB placing the ball or else they’re just more dead weight waving around their two handed “U” on MNF. I understand that things will have to build around him but with a great running game you hope that Cutler doesn’t waste that deadly arm on pitching the ball to Matt Forte 35 times a game.

2. The cost was monumental. It is a fact that the Bears have a terrible history with first round picks but you must understand the value of those picks for two years is humongous. You can kiss that chance at grabbing Jeremy Maclin or some other first round caliber receiver you desperately need (I won’t even consider Crabtree or Harvin, because that’s just unreasonable…)

Forget replacing the aging and injured line. Last year’s 1st rounder, the OT Chris Williams went down with a flimsy back before he even saw the inside of Soldier Field and now you got to look to the later rounds to find that kind of talent again. I’m sure it’s out there, but the Broncos certainly now have a monopoly on it.

3. The buildup could hurt. Let’s remember, Cutler had one All-Pro year. Yes, he is talented. Yes, he can play. Is he Jesus? Well, if you’re going on looks alone Kyle Orton was just as close to this team’s personal Jesus. The reality is, we know nothing yet and if it proves to be a whole lot of not-that-great then this city will have blue balls for the next decade.

4. IF JAY CUTLER IS INJURED OR HIS DIABETES ACTS UP, REX GROSSMAN IS REQUIRED TO PLAY QUARTERBACK, DUE TO THE LOSS OF KYLE ORTON. REXTASY REMAINS DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE FOOTBALL, FOLKS.

Are we excited? Damn right we are.

Football season has new blood in this city. Enough blood that I might start inviting people over to watch the games again because it’s worth getting excited about. Unfortunately, Jay Cutler hasn’t even been fitted for his jersey, and has a lot riding on him.

It was a great day in Chicago. For a city that has never had a quality QB, at least not a consistent one, loyalty was rewarded and fans are thrilled. Well done, Mr. Angelo. Perhaps if the Bears go 11-5 this year and win the division with Cutler, April 2nd 2010 will be Jerry Angelo Day. We’ll have to wait and find out, though, and now fans are happy to wait.