2008 Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Award: QBs, WRs, Ks

No fantasy football owner drafts a team in August and wins with that same lineup of players 17 weeks later. It takes a few savvy trades, playing backups in favorable matchups, and, of course, making some great pick-ups from the waiver wire.

Every week this season the Bruno Boys brought you a new list of players available on the waiver wire that could be considered to be picked up, but now that the season has come to an end, we’re going to take a look at the best players that were plucked out of free agency during the 2008 season.

In the first installment, we’ll take a look at quarterbacks, wide receivers and kickers. Be sure to check back later this week for the top running backs, tight ends, and defenses.

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QUATERBACKS

Matt Cassel (New England Patriots)

The scenario couldn’t have been any scarier for the New England Patriots and their fans when quarterback and reigning league MVP Tom Brady took a shot to his knee in the first game of the season against the Kansas City Chiefs.

It was revealed Brady tore his ACL and MCL and would be out for the season, paving the way for Matt Cassel. Cassel had last started a game in high school and was suddenly thrown into the fire, yet amazingly, he didn’t only survive but he flourished.

Known as a game manager in the beginning of the season, Cassel scored three touchdowns against the Denver Broncos in Week Seven, then later had two 30-point performances and two 20-point performances in the final seven games of the season. He finished with 3,693 passing yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and also rushed for 270 yards and two scores.

Not only did Cassel prove he is starting material in the NFL, but he helped countless fantasy owners advance to the playoffs and ultimately win their leagues.

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Chad Pennington (Miami Dolphins)

Karma has a way of working itself in the oddest of places, including NFL locker rooms. Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington started training camp with the team that drafted him, the New York Jets. After the Jets traded for Brett Favre, Pennington was cut and eventually signed with the Dolphins in the middle of the preseason.

Pennington, who basically had to learn the playbook on the fly, then led the Dolphins to 11-5 record and a playoff berth while throwing for 3,653 yards with 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

To get to the playoffs, Pennington had to lead the team to a win over the Jets and the quarterback who replaced him in Favre. Pennington got his revenge, going 22-for-30 with two touchdowns in defeating the Jets 24-17 in Week 17. As for Favre, the man who replaced Pennington, he finished with 15 more interceptions, including nine in the last five games of the season. Karma is a b-word.  

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Tyler Thigpen (Kansas City Chiefs)

It was expected that the Kansas City Chiefs would have a difficult season with so many young players on the roster. Tyler Thigpen started the season as third string behind Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard. But then Croyle and Huard sustained season-ending injuries and the coaching staff decided to go with Thigpen to see what he had instead of brining somebody else in, such as Daunte Culpepper.

Coming out of Coastal Carolina, Thigpen was unheard of until he threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns in a win against the Jets in Week Eight. Following that game, Thigpen racked up 14 touchdowns against eight interceptions. He had double-digit fantasy performances in 10 of the 14 games he played in and had four 20-point performances.

And, if you're wondering about his versatility then look at the team’s week nine loss to Tampa Bay when Thigpen caught a 37-yard pass in double coverage for a touchdown. Thigpen finished with 2,608 passing yards and 22 total touchdowns.

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WIDE RECEIVERS

Antonio Bryant (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

The biggest knock on Antonio Bryant prior to this season was his inconsistency. He caught 58 passes in ’04, 69 in ’05, then 40 in ’06 before missing the 2007 season because of issues surrounding his arrest for misdemeanor reckless driving, driving under the influence, and resisting arrest.

It didn’t appear he would do too much for Tampa Bay as the Buccaneers opened the season with Joey Galloway, Michael Clayton, and Ike Hilliard as the team's top three receivers.

But then those three struggled with injuries and inconsistency issues, and Bryant was given a chance. He caught 10 passes for 138 yards in a win over the Chicago Bears in week three and never looked back as he finished the season with career highs in receptions (83), yards (1,248) and touchdowns (seven).

He had five touchdowns in the last five weeks of the season and had six 100-yard receiving games. He is proof of what somebody can do with a second chance.

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Kevin Walter (Houston Texans)

Houston Texans receiver Kevin Walter broke out last season with 65 catches after having never caught more than 19 in a season. But, with just four touchdowns Walter went undrafted in many fantasy football leagues this year. Walter was determined to prove he wasn’t a fluke and became a perfect complement to teammate Andre Johnson.

He became a big-play receiver who had three catches go for 58 yards or longer and he also had a pair of two-touchdown games. Altogether Walter finished with 60 receptions for 899 yards with eight touchdowns. He averaged a career-high 15 yards per reception and doubled his touchdown output from last season.

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Lance Moore (New Orleans Saints)

In his first two seasons in the league, New Orleans Saints receiver Lance Moore caught a combined 32 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns. But an injury to star receiver Marques Colston opened the door for Moore early in the season, and he blossomed. In Weeks Three and Four, Moore caught a combined 14 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns.

He had three 20-point performances and six double-digit performances on the year. Altogether Moore finished the season with 79 receptions for 928 yards and 10 touchdowns. Moore is longer a tertiary option in the Saints passing game.

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Eddie Royal (Denver Broncos)

It’s not often a rookie receiver makes an impact on the fantasy football world but that’s just what Denver Broncos wideout Eddie Royal did this season. He introduced himself to the world quickly, catching nine passes for 146 yards and a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders on Monday Night Football in the first week of the season.

Royal did encounter some periods of inconsistency, such as Weeks 11 and 12 when he had a combined six catches for 48 yards and no touchdowns. However, he finished with 91 receptions for 980 yards and five touchdowns. Not bad for a rookie.

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Isaac Bruce (San Francisco 49ers)

It was his 15th season in the league but his first not as a St. Louis Ram as Isaac Bruce signed a deal with the San Francisco 49ers in the offseason. Expected to provide leadership and stability to an otherwise young group of players on offense, Bruce continued to show why he’s been one of the best receivers in the league since 1994.

Bruce led the team in receptions (61), yards (835), yards per catch (13.7) and touchdowns (7). He may be entering his 16th season next year, but Bruce has showed no signs of slowing down.  

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KICKERS

Jason Elam (Atlanta Falcons)

Given that the Atlanta Falcons were starting the season with a rookie quarterback and a new head coach, kicker Jason Elam went undrafted in almost every league despite his track record of being a top 10 kicker.

But behind a strong running game and the quick emergence of Matt Ryan at quarterback, the Falcons' offense had no trouble moving the ball and likewise Elam had no trouble scoring points.

Elam hit on 29 of 31 attempts, good for a career-high 93.5 percent. He also hit all 42 extra point attempts to tie the second highest point total (129) of his career.

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Rian Lindell (Buffalo Bills)

Though Buffalo Bills kicker Rian Lindell went undrafted in most leagues he finished in the top 10 in those same leagues. The Buffalo offense was nothing spectacular to watch but it was good enough to get Lindell in field goal range where he made the most of his chances, connecting on 30 of 38 field goals and all 34 extra point attempts for 124 points, the most he's had in one season.

Though his percentage (78.9) was his lowest mark since 2003 (70.8), Lindell still managed to finish with more points than guys like Green Bay’s Mason Crosby, Chicago’s Robbie Gould and San Diego’s Nate Kaeding.

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Garrett Hartley (New Orleans Saints)

The New Orleans Saints started the season with Martin Gramatica, who was then lost for the season with an injury. The team moved to rookie Taylor Mehlhalf for a few games before cutting him and signing another rookie in Garrett Hartley in the 10th week of the season.

Obviously, Hartley’s total numbers won’t compare to the rest of the kickers who played a full season, but when he did play, he was one of the best from a fantasy perspective.

Hartley was perfect as he hit all 13 field goal attempts and all 28 extra point attempts he was given. He finished the season third (9.1) in average fantasy points per game for kickers. Behind that powerful Saints offense, Hartley will continue to be one of the kickers in fantasy football.

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