Week Four begins the bye week schedule in the 2009 NFL season, and there are some popular fantasy rosters taking time off. The Panthers, Eagles, Falcons and Cardinals are all rosters loaded with players on fantasy teams, and now owners are searching for a rental replacement.
Some players that might be viewed as rentals might become players that land on a fantasy roster and stick Let's take a look at some fantasy players that need to be replaced this week, and some options to cover those roster gaps this week.
Quarterback
Bye: Jake Delhomme, Kevin Kolb/Donovan McNabb, Matt Ryan and Kurt Warner
Potential Rentals: Brett Favre, David Garrard, Shaun Hill, Chad Henne
Frankly, I would hope nobody is worried about covering for Delhomme. If you are, sober up and check your fantasy team; you're probably 0-3 by now.
I know looking at Favre as a "replacement quarterback" might feel patronizing on the surface, but he's only owned by 72 percent of fantasy teams on Yahoo. He's also throwing against a Green Bay defense that will be focused on shutting down Adrian Peterson on Sunday, just like the 49ers did last week.
Garrard, owned by 57 percent of Yahoo leagues, has an intriguing fantasy matchup against Tennessee this weekend. If the Titans stack the box to stop Maurice Jones-Drew, Garrard might be putting the ball up a lot in a game the Titans desperately need to win.
Hill plays the Rams at home. That should be enough reason to play him, especially with Frank Gore being out and Glenn Coffee getting banged up last weekend. And Henne is the wild card pick. His arm strength might allow the Dolphins to open up their passing game and push Ted Ginn up the field this weekend against Buffalo.
Wide Receiver
Bye: DeSean Jackson, Steve Smith, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston, Roddy White
Potential Rentals: Johnny Knox, Pierre Garcon, Nate Burleson, Derrick Mason
Knox has become a trendy favorite in Chicago because of his speed. He's been a solid yardage play in the return game, and has a touchdown catch in each of the past two weeks. He's becoming a good target for Jay Cutler, and might have a good weekend against Detroit in Chicago this weekend. Knox is only owned by 53 percent in Yahoo leagues.
Garcon and Burlesonwill face each other this weekend and are owned by less that 55 percent of Yahoo fantasy rosters. With Anthony Gonzalez out for a while, Garcon has become a trendy pick and has quickly become a touchdown target opposite Reggie Wayne in Indianapolis, while Burlesonworked well against Chicago with Seneca Wallace in Seattle. With both Seattle and Indianapolis' defenses full of injuries, these two receivers might be good scores off waivers.
Mason is owned by nearly 75 percent of fantasy teams, but the evolution of Joe Flacco as a legit fantasy quarterback (two 300-yard games already), the once-retired receiver has become a solid option. New England hasn't been a dominant defense, and but their focus on stopping Ray Rice and Willis McGahee might get Mason some yards and a score this weekend.
Running Back
Bye: LeSean McCoy/Brian Westbrook, DeAngelo Williams, Tim Hightower, Michael Turner
Potential Rentals: Derrick Ward, Donald Brown
The running back position is one that fills a lot of fantasy benches, so finding a gem on the waiver wire is tough. Ward, in a banged up backfield in Tampa Bay, has Redskins this weekend. I'm not sure, with Josh Johnson under center, what to expect from Ward against a good and angry Washington defense, but Ward's only owned by 73 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Brown, however, has become a good option in Indianapolis. He'll be going up against a Seattle defense that's just a couple weeks removed from giving up over 200 yards to Frank Gore. Brown's owned in 50 percent of Yahoo leagues, and might be a nice option for double-digit points this weekend.
Tight End
Bye: Tony Gonzalez, Brent Celek
Potential Rentals: Dustin Keller, Vernon Davis
Keller is a solid red zone target for rookie Mark Sanchez with the Jets, who faces New Orleans this weekend. If the Jets take a ball control approach to keep Drew Brees off the field, Keller might benefit. He's owned in only 71 percent of Yahoo leagues.
Davis, meanwhile, is coming off a two-touchdown performance and faces the Rams at home. He's owned by 60 percent of Yahoo leagues, a number that could increase with his productivity. He could be a solid play in Gore's absence.
