Fantasy Football Week 11 Waiver Wire (Midseason Recap: Part Two)

With just a few weeks left before the fantasy football playoffs start, and with the bye weeks coming to a close, it’s imperative that you have your roster streamlined and ready.

Around this time every year many owners ask themselves what they can do to better their team, but most owners are afraid of trading. That’s why the Fantasy Football Waiver Wire is our friend. There are still plenty of good free agents available that can help out your team.

Here is the second of two parts of a list of all the players that are free agents worth picking up. Some of these players are more available than others, but all can be found as a free agent in multiple leagues. This second part will take a look at Tight Ends, Kickers, and Team Defenses.

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TIGHT ENDS

Visanthe Shiancoe (Minnesota Vikings)

Minnesota Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe has yet to catch five or more passes in a game this season, but he has played well in the few times the ball has been thrown his way. He’s got 21 catches on the season so far and four of those have been touchdowns. Expect three more touchdowns in the team’s final seven games this season.

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Anthony Fasano (Miami Dolphins)

Miami Dolphins' tight end, Anthony Fasano, caught eight passes in the first game of the season and has caught no more than three in a game since then. However he’s averaging a nice 13.9 yards per reception and has three touchdowns on the season. He’s certainly worth a look in 12-team or deeper leagues.

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Greg Olsen (Chicago Bears)

With 29 receptions Chicago Bears tight end Greg Olsen ranks second on the Bears in catches behind running back, Matt Forte. The Bears aren’t a team that lives and dies by the pass, so Olsen won’t finish the season with a ton of catches. Still, expect about 20 more catches and two more touchdowns the rest of the way.

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Billy Miller (New Orleans Saints)

New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey has come back from injury, but he’s quickly getting in quarterback Drew Brees’ doghouse by not knowing the plays and dropping passes. Meanwhile, Billy Miller has caught 28 passes for 388 yards, but has yet to catch a touchdown. Expect him to catch a couple in the final seven games.

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Kevin Boss (New York Giants)

Giants tight end Kevin Boss has just 19 catches this season, but four of them have been for touchdowns. As teams continue to focus red zone efforts on receivers Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, Boss should find himself in favorable matchups.

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KICKERS

Ryan Longwell (Minnesota Vikings)

The Vikings aren’t exactly known for their powerhouse offense, but they move the ball well enough to get into field goal range. Once they’re in range, Longwell’s capable of hitting anything. He’s connected on 16 of 19 field goals with a long of 53 and has hit all 18 extra point attempts. He’s worth looking at in any size league.

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Matt Bryant (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Tampa Bay Buccaneer kicker Matt Bryant may not always be as accurate as some other kickers, but the guy has a good leg. He’s hit on 20 of 23 field goal attempts this season with a long of 48. He’s another good option in any size league.

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John Kasay (Carolina Panthers)

Panthers kicker John Kasay does not get as many opportunities as Bryant or Longwell, which is why he has less points. But, he has yet to miss a kick this season. If that’s the type of accuracy you’re looking for, then Kasay is your guy.

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Jay Feely/Mike Nugent (New York Jets)

Jets kicker Jay Feely has been solid in the absence of Mike Nugent, who’s out with an injury. Feely’s only hit 12 of 16 field goals, but he’s on this list because the Jets are starting to score more points. So, whether it’s Feely or Nugent, the Jets kicker should have good fantasy value down the stretch.

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DEFENSES/SPECIAL TEAMS

New York Jets

There’s no reason why the Jets DEF/ST should be available in free agency, but if so, then it would behoove you to at least consider picking them up. The Jets get a lot of sacks (31) and interceptions (9), plus they’re good about scoring defensive touchdowns.

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Carolina Panthers

The Panthers DEF/ST is solid across the board. Not only are they second in the league in allowing opponents just 14.8 points per game, but they are also one of the best teams in the league in terms of yardage allowed, giving up just 290.4 yards per game.

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Arizona Cardinals

Arizona does not possess a great defense, but it is one that manages to score fantasy points. They get a lot of sacks (21) and are very good about causing and recovering fumbles (10). Steve Breaston is a good threat to return kicks and punts as well.

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Indianapolis Colts

The return of safety Bob Sanders has really helped the Indianapolis defense. The last two weeks the Colts have earned wins over Pittsburgh and New England in large part because of the defense. In those two games, the Colts had four interceptions and two sacks. They should be alright the rest of the season.

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Miami Dolphins

This is more of a risky pick than the rest on the list simply because it is the Miami defense we’re talking about. However, the Dolphins generate a lot of sacks (21), especially with linebacker Joey Porter, and still get a decent number of interceptions (7) and fumble recoveries (8).

If you’re looking to play matchups, the Dolphins have remaining games against weak offenses in St. Louis and Kansas City as well inconsistent ones in Buffalo and San Francisco.

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