Week 9 Waiver Wire: Taiwan Jones and NFL's Best Kept Secrets

Unless a fantasy GM is really in a bind, he or she is most likely going to overlook the No. 2 (or three, or four) receiver or back on a given team. That is, unless an injury or other factor has propelled that player into the spotlight.

However, that's a good thing. If you can identify a true sleeper and give him a start against a choice matchup, you look like a genius with the foresight to not dismiss a player just because we don't hear his name exclaimed more than any other.

With that in mind, here are three sneaky-good players worth your waiver wire attention in Week 9 (and even beyond).

RB Taiwan Jones, Oakland Raiders (vs. Denver Broncos)

With it looking more and more likely that Raiders star running back Darren McFadden will miss Sunday's game with a hamstring injury, backup Michael Bush seems at first glance to be the more useful waiver wire replacement.

Not so. There's a good chance that rookie Taiwan Jones, not Bush, will make all the difference on the ground for the Raiders against the Denver Broncos this Sunday.

Sure, if one just takes his stat line into account, no signs particularly point to Jones having a dominating showing.

He has five rushes for 30 yards and two receptions for 25, while only seeing action in three games this season. However, with the Broncos fielding an ever-weakening run defense, Jones can easily make up for what he lacks in size with his considerable speed, which was on display all preseason long.

If you want to take a flier on a running back in Week 9, should you be weak at the position or if you're looking for a Raider to start in place of McFadden, I suggest giving Jones a go. I see a breakout performance looming for a running back who I think is a future star.

WR Braylon Edwards, San Francisco 49ers (at Washington Redskins)

Niners wide receiver Braylon Edwards returned to the field in Week 8 after missing four weeks with a knee injury. He saw 33 snaps, which was second to only Michael Crabtree, who had 38. He caught four passes for 42 yards and has eight catches on the year for a total of 90.

Now that he's healthy, he will factor into San Francisco's passing offense in a big way. He is a worthwhile add, should you be in a three wide receiver fantasy league.

His presence on the field gives quarterback Alex Smith another high-level target. While the team has been relying on the run game, led by Frank Gore, it's likely their pass numbers will increase with more receiving options.

This Sunday's game will likely be another run-heavy affair. However, just by glancing at the Redskins' defensive statistics, it's still going to be hard for them to effectively defend the pass with Edwards, Crabtree, tight end Vernon Davis and even Ted Ginn, Jr. as Smith's targets.

This will only benefit Edwards, and he's worth adding for the long-term and starting in the short. 

WR Lance Moore, New Orleans Saints (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Starting a New Orleans Saints wide receiver is akin to playing roulette with your fantasy team, unless that starter is Marques Colston. That's why Lance Moore is more often found on the waiver wire this season than in someone's starting lineup.

However, that shouldn't scare you off. A pass-first team with a high number of targets might be a source of risk, but it also provides clear rewards, especially when it comes to a team near the top in total passing offense like the Saints.

Moore has been up and down this year, depending on Brees' moods and the particular coverage the offense is facing. However, he did manage to lead the team in receptions and yardage in their Week 8 loss to the St. Louis Rams. This proves that Moore can still make an impact even if he's not seeing a comparable number of snaps as the team's other receivers.

Moore has 30 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns this season, with one touchdown and 74 of those yards coming from seven grabs last week.

With the Buccaneers far worse at defending the pass than the run, expect Moore to get a number of looks this Sunday. While he may not be a great start on an every-week basis, he's worth stashing on the bench for the times that advantageous matchups present themselves.