Week 6 Waiver Wire: Darrius Heyward-Bey Is Finally a Safe Pickup

For the second week in a row, I find myself writing about Darrius Heyward-Bey's fantasy stock. And to be totally honest, I wasn't very nice to him the last time I wrote about him.

He responded by catching seven passes for 99 yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans, brutally debunking all the mean things I wrote about his utter inability to produce points on a consistent basis.

Somewhat shamefully, I am ready to admit that I have learned my lesson. Whereas in the past I would have advised against picking DHB up off the waiver wire, I suggest you do so now before somebody beats you to him.

There are a couple reasons I have come to my senses.

The first has to do with simple numbers. I'm perfectly willing to look the other way when a wide receiver has one big game, but looking the other way is much harder to do when a wide receiver has two big games in a row.

DHB had over 100 yards receiving in Week 4, and he had 99 and a TD in Week 5. These are good numbers for any receiver, and that they came from DHB is a pleasant surprise.

More importantly, though, is what the eye test revealed about DHB on Sunday.

Having watched DHB closely for a couple years now, I'm used to seeing him catch just a couple passes per game, and the ones he does catch usually involve him being wide open after running a simple route against disinterested defenders.

That's not what I saw on Sunday. DHB ran some sharp routes, and he made several catches with defenders bearing down on him. His touchdown was one of these, and it was nice to see DHB break a tackle and then use his speed (4.25-second 40-yard dash) to get into the end zone.

In essence, what I saw was a player that is starting to transition from being a mere sprinter into being a true wide receiver. I had my doubts about DHB's ability to do this, but he is turning into what the Raiders hoped he would be before our very eyes.

Of course, all of this could end up being mindless pontification in week's time. Shoot, that's more or less what happened with the last crap I wrote about DHB. It could happen again.

But for the first time ever, I don't think I have to worry about DHB. He's rounding a corner, and it's time to jump on the bandwagon.