Well…that certainly was an interesting week, wasn’t it? The Lions comeback in the waning moments of the 4th quarter to prevail over the embarrassing Browns—despite a 300+ yard, 4 TD performance out of Brady Quinn— and of course the Chiefs shocked the Steelers with a win while knocking out not one, but two of their QBs.
But that’s not all is it?
Last week quickly became an infirmary for quarterbacks as at least 5 of them went down or were knocked out of the game entirely; an ironic occurrence considering earlier that day it was Michael Strahan who, on Fox NFL Sunday, eloquently said in a very TV friendly way that: “quarterbacks better mind their P’s and Q’s or someone’s gonna get hurt out there.” (To paraphrase)
Well, he wasn’t just whistling Dixie now was he.
But despite the strange attack on the various helmsmen this week, it was the myriad of defensive players that overloaded the waiver wire list; much remains the same and will for the next couple of weeks.
Although we highlight both positions, I want to again stress the importance to IDP players as they have been just as significant as offensive players, and IDP players are just as easy to plug and play situationally as any offensive player is.
So let us gaze into the vast and ever growing waiver wire, and let us see just who is out there.
THE OFFENSIVE PROSPECTS:
| RB – Brandon Jackson – GB: Jackson is a very underestimated waiver pickup this week due largely to the fact Ryan Grant is dealing with a stinger, and Ahman Green has a groin injury. Although both injuries aren’t that severe, you have to consider him simply due to the Packers having the short week. I will bet you Jackson will get some time and could be a sleeper pickup vs. the Lions on turkey day. |
| WR – Mohamed Massaquoi – CLE: Massaquoi has been literally silent for the past couple of weeks and I believe a lot of that had to do with Quinn getting benched; that should change going forward. Massaquoi was put back on waivers as quickly as he was scooped up in the long, long ago, but there is something about this kid that Quinn loves. Remember, the last time Massaquoi played the Bengals he was good for 148 yards, and usually once a rookie scores his first NFL TD, there’s plenty more to come. |
| WR – Brandon Gibson – STL: Last week I mentioned this kid and he came through in a big way, and in two weeks now Gibson has put together 154 yards on just 12 grabs. Marc Bulger is inevitably going to be out this week against Seattle but don’t underestimate Kyle Boller. The other factor you should consider is that the Seahawks are incredibly banged up in the secondary, and can be exposed by pretty much anyone. |
| RB – Rock Cartwright – WSH: Cartwright finally gets his chance to shine and be a fruitful contributor to the anemic Washington offense this week vs. the Eagles. The Birds are suffering on the defensive side of the ball shuffling around their linebackers more than a dealer does with cards so Cartwright could be a huge pickup this week if you’re thinking on a gamble. |
| RB – Chester Taylor – MIN: There is no longer any reason why you shouldn’t own Taylor and it’s amazing how little ownership he actually has right now. The Vikings are making no secret over the fact that literally everyone gets a shot on offense, and they are backing it up with solid play from just about anyone who touches the ball. Whether it’s in real time or garbage time Taylor is a PPR waiver dream come true. |
OFFESNSIVE PLAYER HIGHLIGHT:
Jeff Garcia
The Steelers suffered multiple blows in KC this weekend when they not only lost Roethlisberger (concussion) but also lost Charlie Batch (wrist) probably for the year. The report now is that they will entertain an interview with journeyman Jeff Garcia which means you might wanna go get him now if you are in need of a QB.
Garcia is one of those weird guys that simply produces in any system, on any team, no matter where he goes and considering the type of talent the Steelers have at WR, he is a must grab.
Since Big Ben has already had a sorted past with concussions there is a chance he could miss this week’s showdown with Baltimore. But if he does play and get’s wacked again, Garcia (if he gets signed) could be a great start considering they face Oakland and Cleveland after Baltimore.
This may not be a plug and play situation, but keep in mind that the other masterful way to utilize the waiver wire is to grab insurance policies as they come to be; Garcia could be one of those policies.
THE DEFENSIVE PROSPECTS:
| LB – Brad Jones – GB: Well it’s official, Aaron Kampman is out for the year and Brad Jones is in; it’s probably for the best though, and if you’re hurting at LB Jones will be a nice addition. The Packers rely heavily on their linebackers, flowing a ton of traffic to their notice, and Jones will not be as disgruntled as Kampman has been at the OLB spot. The Lions make a great team to test drive him against. |
| DB – Macho Harris – PHI: Harris will be a fill in for Quinten Demps (high ankle sprain) and the likelihood of him producing is very high, especially if your league grants point for KO returns. Last week he recorded 5 solo tackles, one pass deflection and 126 KO return yards. |
| DB – Pierson Prioloeau – NO: The Saints continue to get thinner in their secondary department as they are now basically down to their 5th string. The good news is that any guy who comes in plays pretty well, which speaks volumes for Gregg Williams’ ability to coach. Now Priloleau, another journeyman-student of Williams, will inevitably get his shot and he will have a ton of work come his way when Brady and company come to town. Remember it’s the work load along with the play that provides IDP points so grab him while he’s hot. |
| LB – Chase Blackburn – NYG: Antonio Pierce is out and Blackburn is in which is neither an upgrade nor a downgrade, so basically you are getting a quality LB who is capable of playing the run and is a bit quicker than Pierce. |
| DB – Lardarius Webb – BAL: Fabian Washington is out for the rest of the year with a torn ACL and should be dropped right now in favor of his promising replacement Lardarius Webb. Washington will probably find a new home next year, and Webb is already looked at as the future replacement. When he has played he has shined as a cover man and will make an excellent pickup especially in deeper leagues, and Dynasty leagues. The consensus around the Fantasy web is that Webb is an excellent prospect with a huge upside. A lot of points can come from a CB that can also be used in the DP slot, so you would be wise to grab this guy now. |
DEFENSIVE PLAYER HIGHLIGHT:
Leigh Bodden
Leigh Bodden is probably the most underrated CB in all of football, and in Fantasy, and one of the reasons for that is the way the Patriots shuffle them around; making managers shy away for a more consistent player.
But it isn’t always consistency that garners points, rather good old fashion performance.
Bodden has been absolutely stellar for the Pats all year, and he finally broke through with a 3 INT game vs. Mark Sanchez last week; one was returned for a TD.
Nearly every week this guy puts up numbers and amazingly— even being ranked in the top 50 in ESPN leagues— he still has a miniscule 5.4% ownership.
Here is Bodden’s season stats.
|
Solo Tackles |
Assists |
Interceptions |
INT TDs |
Rec. Fumbles |
Pass Deflects |
|
33 |
5 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
Now, for a guy who plays in a rotating system, that’s a pretty good stat line, and as we all know, if you play well every week for Belichick you will eventually be rewarded—his time is coming very fast—but until then, there is no reason at all NOT to join the ride. He is an incredibly worthy pickup in IDP leagues.
There we are everyone, but remember, if you have some waiver questions, or are curious about players who weren’t mentioned here, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Good luck this week everyone!
