4 Players Who Should Be on Your Fantasy Football Radar After Matt Forte Injury

Now that Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte is set to miss up to four weeks after suffering a grade two MCL sprain in his team's Week 13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, his fantasy owners must scramble to find a replacement, especially with the playoffs are looming.

While it's nearly impossible to replace Forte with another player who can do what he did—he was the league leader in yards from scrimmage, after all—that doesn't mean the waiver wire cannot be a source for an adequate fill-in.

Here are four players you should consider if you need someone to take Forte's place in your starting lineup.

Marion Barber, Chicago Bears (at Denver Broncos)

The first and most obvious choice for a fantasy replacement for Matt Forte is fellow Bears running back Marion Barber.

Barber, who will be taking over primary rushing duties in Forte's absence, had 14 carries for 44 yards in the team's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13. On the year, Barber has rushed 76 times for 281 yards and five touchdowns.

He's a bruising back but is less versatile than Forte. If you are in a PPR league, Barber won't be useful to you—he has just three catches for 18 yards on the year and is not an integral part of the Chicago passing game.

No matter what, the Bears need to focus on the ground game more than they've had to all year. Now that it's Caleb Hanie under center instead of Jay Cutler, the Bears' passing offense has done little more than struggle.

That means Barber is guaranteed a good number of carries as he takes over for Forte and he will likely score a few touchdowns along the way. If you're in a standard league, Barber should be your number one waiver wire target this week.

C.J. Spiller, Buffalo Bills (at San Diego Chargers)

If you're in a PPR league or just cannot grab Marion Barber, then the Buffalo Bills' C.J. Spiller is a great waiver wire option to replace the injured Matt Forte.

Spiller, who is now the Bills' feature back after Buffalo lost starter (and fantasy powerhouse) Fred Jackson to a broken leg, is a threat on the ground and in the air and increased playing time has only helped him improve.

He has 54 rushes on the year for 253 yards and two touchdowns and has caught 21 passes for another 116 yards. In his team's Week 13 loss to the Tennessee Titans, Spiller had 14 carries for 83 yards and a score and had three receptions for 19 yards.

The problem with Spiller's rushing production going forward is the Bills' need to abandon the run when playing from behind. Though Spiller is very active in the passing game, if you are looking for a traditional running back guaranteed to get 20 or more carries per game on an every-week basis, his team's troubles on defense makes him get an inconsistent number of touches.

That said, there are few better options on the waiver wire. Even if you weren't dealing with an injury to a starter like Forte, there is still quite a bit of upside to adding Spiller to fill in other holes on your roster. Should you need someone to assist your fantasy team's PPR efforts, give Spiller the add this week.

Maurice Morris, Detroit Lions (vs. Minnesota Vikings)

Should you require a PPR starter to replace Matt Forte and C.J. Spiller is already owned, then you might have better luck trying to nab the Detroit Lions' Maurice Morris, who seems on track to get the starting nod against the Minnesota Vikings this week as Kevin Smith heals from a re-injury to his ankle.

While Morris is less dynamic a runner than Spiller, he has clear upside, especially when considering his involvement in the Lions' short passing game. Morris rushed 12 times for just 28 yards against the New Orleans Saints in Week 13, but he also added five receptions for 47 yards and a score on his total for the day.

This season, Morris has rushed 67 times for 268 yards and a score and has caught 24 passes for 217 yards and that one aforementioned touchdown.

He should see a more successful day in the air than on the ground this week against the Vikings, as their 30th-ranked overall defense is far better at stopping the run than the pass. However, they do allow running backs an average of 38 receiving yards per game.

If Morris can manage a similar or slightly better performance this week than he had in Week 13, he's guaranteed to help your team. He's worth adding, even if you're not in a PPR league.

Brandon Saine, Green Bay Packers (vs. Oakland Raiders)

If your fantasy league has been particularly active on the waiver wire this season or you're in a deeper league, finding a replacement for Matt Forte is that much harder. If you're grappling for scraps on the waiver wire right now, I suggest you add the Green Bay Packers' Brandon Saine.

The rookie running back has only been used in two games, but he's shown some serious promise and may become a bigger and bigger player in the Packers' offense as the regular season winds down.

Saine had 10 touches in Week 13, compared to 14 for fellow back Ryan Grant and has eight rushes for 26 yards and five receptions for 38 more in his two games. He'll likely start alongside Grant this week against the Oakland Raiders while the oft-injured James Starks continues to recover from his latest ankle ailment.

In every league, Saine is worth a speculative add this week. But for those GMs dealing both with the loss of Forte and a dearth of proven talent on the waiver wire, Saine is both a must-add and a must-start. He's got the makings of being a future star; jump on his train early and you may be handsomely rewarded.