Fantasy Football Week 8: Get Your Claims In On These Waiver Gems
Whether it's injuries, poor play or just a younger guy getting more reps, by this point in the season, your fantasy football roster needs to change.
Last weekend's slate of games gave us a few new wrinkles to the fantasy football season, and if you hurry to make these additions, it could benefit your team greatly.
You never know!
No. 10: Kris Wilson, TE, San Diego Chargers
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Antonio Gates started and even scored a touchdown on Sunday, despite a very sore and hampering big toe. But that type of injury—especially for a 260-pound player who sprints a good portion of the game—could linger and become a chronic problem for the All-Pro.
If the Chargers continue to slide, they may shelf their best player in favor of rest then potentially surgery.
Wilson is Gates backup. He wouldn't post the same numbers, but that offense is designed around Gates. Wilson would benefit from that and see several looks.
No. 9: Kenneth Darby, RB, St. Louis Rams
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Feature back Stephen Jackson has been the focal point of the offense since he arrived in 2005. But yesterday he had two pins put into his left ring finger to fix a break.
He hasn't been ruled out of the Rams game on Sunday against Carolina, but there's a pretty good chance Darby will get more touches.
He's only 27 and a former member of the Crimson Tide: that school has produced a few good NFL players running backs over the years.
No. 8: Cleveland Browns D/ST
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They have one of the greatest returners in the NFL today, who holds the record for most touchdowns ever. But for years now, the Browns defense wasn't good enough to warrant starting them for your D/ST.
That might be different now. Even if you forget about the two touchdowns the defense scored last week, their defense deserves consideration.
They totally bottled up the Super Bowl champs, forcing two interceptions in addition to the two returned for touchdowns by David Bowens. And although their overall yardage rankings are terrible (19th against the run, 26th against the pass), they have been a quality team.
Cleveland has forced 15 turnovers this season, they have 13 sacks, and they've kept their opponent to 20 or fewer points in six of their eight games.
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No. 7: Fred Jackson, RB, Buffalo Bills
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The Bills are awful. But they did manage to put up a boat load of points against a very good Baltimore defense, one that had Ed Reed for the first time all season.
That may seem like a total aberration but it was actually the second such offensive explosion by the team, and the second one against a so-called great defense. Remember back in Week 3 when they put up 30 against the Patriots.
Ryan Fitzpatrick got most of the attention for last week's near miracle on the road against the Ravens. But he wouldn't have had so many chances to throw downfield if the running game wasn't pretty decent.
The Bills shipped away Marshawn Lynch because they like Fred Jackson. And C.J. Spiller might be their future, but right now it's Jackson. During the past two weeks, Jackson has carried the ball 35 times for 146; Spiller, 12 carries for 64 yards.
Yes, it's the Bills, but there are only 32 starting running backs out there; 32 guys who you know will get the most chances to carry the ball for his team. Jackson is worth the risk.
No. 6: David Gettis, WR, Carolina Panthers
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The Panthers offense has all kinds of problems, ranging from the quarterback to the offensive line, to the injury to Steve Smith. And now it seems DeAngelo Williams is questionable for Sunday.
But David Gettis (who?) did have an outstanding game last week in the win over San Francisco. The sixth-round pick out of Baylor caught eight passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns.
On a 1-5 team that has a tough schedule waiting for them at the end of the season, Gettis is a good player to gamble on. At least for a week: Sunday, Carolina goes to St. Louis to play on the carpet against a very average Rams secondary.
No. 5: James Jones, WR, Green Bay Packers
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The rate at which Green Bay Packers are dropping like flies adds some luster to Jones, a four-year veteran out of San Jose State.
Jones had a great rookie season in 2004, catching 47 passes for 646 yards in Brett Favre's last year with the Pack. But he struggled a bit in 2008 with injuries and wasn't that productive last season, although he did catch five touchdowns.
And he got off to a fairly slow start in 2010. But last week against Minnesota, Jones caught four passes for 107 yards. Donald Driver is still nursing a sore thigh, so look for Jones to be one of Aaron Rodgers' prime targets this week against the Jets. Especially if Greg Jennings is covered by Darrelle Revis.
No. 4: Mario Manningham, WR, Giants
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Because Hakeem Nicks has eight touchdowns and Steve Smith has 43 catches, Manningham is almost totally forgotten...except by the Monday Night Football crew, who last night thought "Jet Blue" was sooooooooooo clever.
Eli Manning is now comparable to his big brother in terms of input in the offense and value through the passing game. What does that mean? The Giants are now pass first, run second.
Nicks and Smith are the top options but if Manningham continues to get the type of coverage he got last night against a good Cowboy defense, he will be a great third option and should catch 40 passes in the second half of the season.
And did you see that move he made last night to score his touchdown?
No. 3: Tavaris Jackson, QB, Vikings
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A few years ago, adding Brett Favre's backup would be one of the more stupid moves an owner could make.
But when you add the avulsion fracture to the laundry list of things that might sideline Favre (poor play, a going-nowhwere season, the elbow, the Jenn Sterger scandal), Jackson is a good bet to get action.
Two years of learning and practice and the additions of Randy Moss and Percy Harvin should make Jackson a much better quarterback than he was in 2008.
No. 2: Jordan Shipley, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
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Overshadowed by his reality-show-hosting diva teammates T.O. and Ochocinco, Shipley is easy to forget about.
But he is fast, reliable, tough, young and seems to have a good chemistry with Carson Palmer. He missed the Bengals game two weeks ago with a concussion, but had a huge return.
Against the Falcons, he caught six passes for 131 yards and scored his first career touchdown, just blazing right by the Falcons secondary for 64 yards.
Passes his way will be hard to come by, but Carson Palmer seems to be returning to form, which means he'll have plenty of 40-attempt days. Shipley should be targeted on eight of those.
No. 1: Jon Kitna, QB, Dallas Cowboys
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Look, he's not a great quarterback. He might barely pass as a capable quarterback. But he's worth signing up unless you've got...well, who is "elite" these days.
Did Drew Brees look great on Sunday? Tom Brady hasn't had a 300-yard passing day yet this year. What about last year's dynamos Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers?
It's a gamble to start a guy like Kitna, but for the next six weeks, he'll be in a great situation. He has Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, Roy Williams, Jason Witten, two good running backs and a coach on the hottest seat imaginable. They will be throwing the football a lot.
Even if he tosses two picks, he still might throw four TDs in a losing effort.
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