“Waivering” Hope, Week 9

By Jordan Jackson

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Monday Night Football at Jerryworld capped off a great week of football in a great way. Just as people were beginning to proclaim the Dallas Cowboys as the best team in the NFL, America’s Team got upset by none other than Native America’s Team. But before you go hastily adding Colt McCoy to your fantasy team, here are some better options off the waiver wire this week.

If Carson Palmer has not been re-added in your league yet, he needs to be immediately. The Cardinals—not the Cowboys—are the best team in the NFC, and Carson Palmer is on fire. He is not lighting up the stat sheet like Luck, Rivers, Manning, or Rodgers, but he consistently throws two touchdowns per game, and does not turn the ball over. His yardage totals are a little less consistent, but he could drop 400 in any given game. He is a very solid QB2.

The job turnover rate among NFL running backs this season is astounding—so many injuries. The season-ending knee injuries sustained by Patriots running back Stevan Ridley, for instance, have opened the door for Jonas Gray, a rookie power back who led New England in carries against the Bears, racking up 86 rushing yards in the process. Gray will henceforth be taking over the carries once intended for Ridley, making him a good flex or even RB2 play.

Meanwhile, we are waiting to see what becomes of Buccaneers one-season wonder Doug Martin. He has had injury trouble in his young career, but even when healthy, Martin has been terribly ineffective. Part of this could be due to Tampa’s woeful offensive line. Whatever the cause, Lovie Smith’s coaching regime has no use for Martin, and I am expecting him to be traded before today’s deadline. When/if this happens, Charles Sims needs to be added to your fantasy roster, as he will immediately become the Bucs’ No. 1 back coming off of short-term IR.

I’ve got a couple of rookie wide receivers for you. First, Martavis Bryant of Pittsburgh. Bryant has pretty much supplanted the awful Markus Wheaton as Pittsburgh’s starting wideout opposite Antonio Brown. In two games, he has hauled in seven passes for 123 yards and three touchdowns. With the way Pittsburgh is suddenly passing the ball, Bryant’s skill set makes him impossible to ignore for fantasy purposes.

To a lesser extent, I also like the Colts’ Donte Moncrief. Leading up to Week 8, Moncrief’s sparse use had increased proportionately to the decreasing usage of Hakeem Nicks, then, with Reggie Wayne out with an elbow injury against Pittsburgh, Moncrief finally assumed a starring role. In that role, Moncrief exploded for 7-113-1. After a performance like that, he is bound to factor into the Colts’ prolific passing game even when Wayne returns.

At tight end, you can do no better than a couple shot-in-the-dark bye-week replacements.

First is Tim Wright, who finally got a full serving of targets against Chicago this past Sunday. This came on the heels of a big, fat goose egg against New York in Week 7, so it goes without saying that Wright’s production is unpredictable—or, as they say in Fantasyland, “boom or bust.” Wright has drawn an intriguing amount of red-zone targets since being added to the offensive gameplan a few weeks ago, but he is still way behind Rob Gronkowski in most situations. It is also notable that Tim Wright’s best game came in garbage time against Chicago. Like I said, boom or bust.

Heath Miller is another boom-or-bust bye-week replacement at tight end. Miller has mostly been a bust this whole season, but has had two “booms” at totally unpredictable intervals: against Tampa Bay and then last week against Indianapolis. Analyze that. Miller’s status transcends “boom-or-bust”; Miller is an “add-and-pray.”

Kicker streamer of the week: Shayne Graham of New Orleans. He has had three big games in a row and it appears that the Saints offense is finally starting to click. That’s enough for me.

Your defense streamer is the Washington Redskins. Washington’s next game is against Minnesota. Minnesota managed only 13 points on offense against Tampa Bay! Tampa Bay cannot do anything right! The Redskins are coming off of arguably their finest defensive performance of the season. Allowing only 17 points to DeMarco Murray, Dez Bryant, and the Cowboys offense is a spectacular feat, indeed.

I’ve got to give a shoutout to Bashaud Breeland for his shutdown performance against Bryant. That was truly amazing to watch, as Breeland had Bryant on an island for most of the night, and more than held his own against the all pro. Another guy deserving of mention is inside ‘backer Keenan Robinson, not because he almost broke Tony Romo, but because he has been a sideline-to-sideline beast in recent weeks. If these guys play half as well against Minnesota as they did versus Dallas, they will be a great fantasy D for Week 9.

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Jordan Jackson is a writer for Scouts Alley. You can follow him on Twitter @JordanJackson1.

NFL Week 8 Mission Briefing

By Jordan Jackson

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MVP Race: Andrew Luck, DeMarco Murray, Philip Rivers, Aaron Rodgers, J.J. Watt.  Am I forgetting someone?

Ah, yes! The quarterback for the Denver Broncos, Peyton Manning. You know, the guy who came after Tebow.

As he races by the all-time touchdown mark set by Brett Favre—a mark they said would never be surpassed when Dan Marino set it in 1984—Manning continues to not only survive past his athletic prime, but thrive; he continues to school men 10 and 15 years younger than he.

Before Thursday’s game, I would have said Philip Rivers was the frontrunner in the 2014 MVP race. Even if Manning did not straight-up pass him, Rivers’ two good-not-great performances in a row set him back a little.

Moving on to the rest of Week 8:

Sure Bet: This is a bad week for survivor pools. The number of lopsided matchups is few. After looking at the odds and over the schedule several times, the best I can come up with for a “sure bet” is the Cleveland Browns in Oakland. I know I choose Oakland’s opponent almost every week (hey, it’s worked so far, hasn’t it?), but there simply are not better options. Seriously, what are the chances that Cleveland allows Jacksonville and Oakland their first wins in consecutive weeks? Pretty low, I would say.

I understand, however, if you are not comfortable putting your survival hopes in the Browns after their atrocious outing a week ago. Maybe you would prefer the Texans in Tennessee, or the Patriots at home against the Bears. We don’t know what to expect from Zach Mettenberger, or when/if the Bears will show up, but otherwise the Texans and Pats are probably pretty safe bets.

Not So Fast: I am not bold enough to choose the Bears in their aforementioned matchup, but I will take Zach Mettenberger and the Titans to win in the rookie QB’s first career start. They are playing the Texans, who are riding a three-game losing streak, in which their turnover-proneness has reared its ugly head. The Texans seem to looooove fumbling the ball, and Ryan Fitzpatrick’s inability to win close games is all the more apparent in recent weeks. The Texans simply aren’t good enough to have a game-manager as their quarterback; they need a hero with a square chin, not Grizzly Adams with a bearded one.

Whereas I struggled to uncover a “sure bet,” upsets abound this week.

I like the Panthers to hand the defending champs their third-straight loss. Carolina’s defense is eventually going to get it together, and Seattle is clearly fallible on not only offense and defense, but perhaps more so than either, special teams, as proved by Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, and Johnny Hekker.

I also like Jacksonville to win a second game in a row. They host Miami. I like Pittsburgh at home against the Colts. And, finally, if it can even be considered a true “upset,” the Ravens to win in Cincinnati.

Surprise Performer: Larry Fitzgerald has come a long way from the glory days of 2008 and 2009, in which he could be a shoo-in for a score every week. In 2014, the future Hall of Famer has found the end zone only once and been largely underwhelming most weeks, including last week against Oakland’s porous secondary, against whom Fitzgerald recorded only 21 receiving yards.

The thing is, Arizona had little need for Fitzgerald’s pass-catching abilities as Andre Ellington and Stepfan Taylor found a lot of success via the ground. That won’t happen this week against Philadelphia, as the Eagles look to get their starting middle linebacker, Mychal Kendrick, back on the field. This game could be a shootout, which would greatly benefit Fitzgerald and his fantasy owners. Carson Palmer (as opposed to Drew Stanton and Logan Thomas), seems to be more inclined to getting Fitzgerald involved. I like Fitz to finally put a good game together this weekend

Disaster Waiting to Happen: My “disaster” comes from the same game and team as my surprise performer, and that is Andre Ellington. I expect the Cards/Eagles game to be a shootout, and for the return of Mychal Kendricks to give the Eagles run defense a boost. But, hey, you knew that already.

Furthermore, we saw last week that Ellington has a touchdown vulture over his head in Stepfan Taylor. Ellington claims that he voluntarily exited the game against Oakland in red-zone situations because he felt Taylor “deserved” the reps. I don’t buy it. Even if there is some truth to that, Taylor was great in the red zone, and it might establish a longstanding trend, much to the chagrin of Ellington’s fantasy owners.

Best of luck in all your football endeavors, and enjoy the games.

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Jordan Jackson is a writer for Scouts Alley. You can follow him on Twitter @JordanJackson1

“Waivering” Hope, Week 8

By Jordan Jackson

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This edition of “Waivering” Hope is going to feature some familiar names, as most of the following players have been featured on the series before but somehow have still not been picked up in most fantasy leagues.

Beginning, as usual, with the quarterbacks, the usual names still float around the top of the free agent list: Eli Manning and Joe Flacco, notably. Then there is Mike Glennon. I really like Glennon because of his immediate schedule: Minnesota, Cleveland, Atlanta, Washington, Chicago, Cincinnati—six weeks in which you can expect reasonably good fantasy numbers from the Bucs QB—especially since they will often be playing from behind (that is, passing).

At running back, again, I advise you to pick up Jerick McKinnon of the Vikings. He dropped 100 rushing yards on a top-five run defense this past Sunday in Buffalo, and has firmly overtaken Matt Asiata as Minnesota’s No. 1 tailback.

Also keep an eye on the Bills’ running back situation. In a matter of minutes, the Bills lost Fred Jackson for up to four weeks with a groin injury, and C.J. Spiller with a broken clavicle on Sunday.

The third back in the rotation was Anthony Dixon, a bruiser of 49ers fame, who said in light of the injuries that he will now be in the “workhorse” role in Buffalo. That might be a little bit hasty. Though he has been a weekly scratch so far this season, it is possible that Bryce Brown could get early-down work with Dixon in more of a big-back role a la LeGarrette Blount in Pittsburgh. Wait for clarity on the situation before you add either.

Before you wonder why I haven’t said anything about Tre Mason, the Rams have a brutal schedule coming up, Mason is in a three-way committee, and, if I know Jeff Fisher, Mason’s almost game-losing fumble might cost him some carries going forward. It’s too soon, and the schedule is too tough. He is a trendy add, but I say stay away for now.

Add Odell Beckham right now. Don’t make me tell you again. Right now, Beckham is touchdown-dependent, as he still has a hard-time getting open between the 20s, but he has been Eli Manning’s favorite red-zone target for the past three weeks with Victor Cruz lost to injury and Larry Donnell suddenly declining. He has three touchdowns in three weeks to show for it, and a better touchdown celebration than Victor Cruz.

Keep an eye on Doug Baldwin and Steve Johnson. I am not sold on either yet. At first glance, one would expect Baldwin’s looks to go up after the trade of Percy Harvin, but the fact is that Harvin was only playing on something like 60 percent of snaps anyway, with Baldwin (and Jermaine Kearse) firmly ahead of him on the depth chart. I attribute Baldwin’s suddenly stellar performance against the Rams on Sunday not to the Harvin trade, but to the fact that, for once, Seattle was playing from behind, forcing Russell Wilson to throw rather than rely on the ground game. I don’t expect Seattle to be playing from behind all that much going forward, so I am still hesitant to add Baldwin.

As for Steve Johnson, he has scored in three of four weeks, but had not really done much in terms of yardage until Sunday night against Denver—in garbage time. The scores are promising, yes, but as long as San Francisco is still competitive in their games, Johnson will be behind Michael Crabtree, Anquan Boldin, and Vernon Davis in the passing game. It is unusual for the 49ers to get beat so drastically so early (as they did in Denver), so to expect similar performances from Johnson in the future would be foolish. Hold off on adding him for now, too.

Finally, I have another great strategy at kicker. See, no one wants to carry two kickers, so a lot of really good kickers get released when their bye weeks come around. Case in point: Cody Parkey. His bye is behind him now, and he is still a top-ten fantasy kicker. Playing behind a good offense, Parkey is an awesome add. Snatch him up while/if you can.

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Jordan Jackson is a writer for Scouts Alley. You can follow him on Twitter @jordanrjackson1

Fantasy Football Trimester Review: AFC, NFC West

By Matt Graber

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Who’s been getting it done out West? Part 3 of our trimester review. 

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals

Stud: Andre Ellington is finally healthy, and he’s beginning to really produce for fantasy owners. He’s getting the vast majority of the team’s carries, including in the red zone, and his involvement in the passing game makes him a deadly dual-threat, especially in PPR leagues.

Dud: In what’s becoming a theme in these reviews, Larry Fitzgerald is yet another former stud receiver who seems to be on a bit of a decline. He finally had a strong outing last week against the Redskins (another theme), but he’s more of a WR3 or flex at this point, and the emergence of Ellington means the Cardinals will likely throw a bit less than before.

Sleeper: John Brown has cooled off after a solid start, but he still has more fantasy points then Fitzgerald so far, and the return of Carson Palmer should improve the team’s passing attack.

Seattle Seahawks

Stud: Marshawn Lynch has been getting it done in the receiving game as of late, with 3 TDs in his last four games, adding another facet to his game to complement his typically solid rushing stats. He’s by far the Seahawks’ most reliable producer.

Dud: Percy Harvin hasn’t been the versatile weapons that the Seahawks were hoping for, and his fantasy value has plummeted despite solid efforts to get him the ball. The big plays just aren’t happening.

Sleeper: Ricardo Lockette won’t get a lot of targets in this offense, but he does have a couple of touchdowns, and he’s arguably been the teams best deep threat so far, with big plays in wins against the Packers and Seahawks.

San Francisco 49ers

Stud: Colin Kaepernick isn’t the most consistent fantasy option at QB, but his 343-yard, 3-TD performance against the Rams was yet another example of his tantalizing potential. He has weapons in Anquan Boldin, Michael Crabtree, Stevie Johnson and Brandon Lloyd, and he’s one of the best dual-threats at his position.

Dud: Vernon Davis has been a non-factor aside from a two-TD performance in the team’s opener. With questionable health and inconsistent production, he’s a risky tight end option at this point.

Sleeper: Carlos Hyde is behind Frank Gore on the depth chart, but Gore is hardly injury-proof. Hyde has been solid when given carries and is one of the better handcuffs at RB.

St. Louis Rams

Stud: Brian Quick has quietly put together a productive season, with 22 catches and 3 TDs in five games. He’s Austin Davis’ favorite receiver, so the targets will be there.

Dud: Zac Stacy is ceding a lot of carries to Benny Cunningham and has struggled with nagging injuries throughout the season. With Tre Mason starting to emerge in the backfield, he’s not in a great fantasy situation.

Sleeper: Mason looked like the Rams’ best back against the 49ers, with 62 yards on 7 touches in only 9 snaps. The former Heisman finalist has the talent to surpass Stacy and Cunningham eventually.

 

AFC WEST

Denver Broncos

Stud: Julius Thomas has been historically great this season, and he’s on pace to shatter Randy Moss’ single-season receiving TD record. Whether he’ll get there or not remains to be seen, but as Peyton Manning’s go-to guy in the red zone, he’s one of the best players in fantasy football, regardless of position.

Dud: Montee Ball was disappointing even before his groin injury forced him out for a few weeks, as he didn’t look like the top-5 fantasy back owners were hoping he could become.

Sleeper: The Broncos like Juwan Thompson a lot, and he’s a good fit for their offense. Look for him to get more work alongside Ronnie Hilman with Ball Out.

San Diego Chargers

Stud: Philip Rivers is orchestrating the Chargers passing attack to perfection, spreading the ball around and playing with a rare blend of production and efficiency. He’s proven to be a top-5 QB regardless of the matchup, as evidenced by his performance against the vaunted Seahawks secondary.

Dud: Keenan Allen has failed to build on his Rookie of the Year campaign, as he’s only had one great game so far. He isn’t getting as many targets as last year and he’s been bothered by a bum quad, but there’s a good chance he can turn things around.

Sleeper: A popular preseason breakout candidate, Ladarius Green hasn’t really gotten his shot with Antonio Gates playing so well, but he has freakish speed and athleticism for his position, and with the way Rivers is playing, anyone on the team seems capable of a breakout.

Kansas City Chiefs

Stud: Now that he’s healthy, Jamaal Charles is staring to remind fans of the ridiculous talent that made him a top-5 fantasy pick. He has legitimate big-play ability, he’s a big factor in the passing game, and it doesn’t look like Knile Davis will cut into his carries.

Dud: Dwayne Bowe is getting targets, he’s just not getting any big plays or touchdowns. He’ll get you a few catches but not much else, and he doesn’t seem a likely breakout candidate due to the  Chiefs’ conservative passing game.

Sleeper: DeAnthony Thomas won’t get more than a couple of touches in any given game, but if your league gives points for kick or punt returns, then this dangerous return man is worth consideration for desperate owners.

Oakland Raiders

Stud: Derek Carr has probably been the most impressive rookie signal caller this season, and he’s coming off a four-TD performance. He seems more confident now, and more importantly, the team seems more confident in him, so he should have plenty of opportunities to air it out.

Dud: Maurice Jones-Drew has been virtually nonexistent so far and is well behind Darren McFadden in terms of carries and production. He’s not worth owning at this point.

Sleeper: He may not qualify as a true sleeper at this point, but if Andre Holmes is still out their in your league, he’s definitely worth a look. His size and big-play ability give him massive upside.

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Matt Graber is a writer for Scouts Alley and Air Alamo and an editor at Wizards 101. Follow him on Twitter @Matt14Graber

 

Fantasy Football Trimester Review: AFC, NFC East

By Matt Graber

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We head East for part two of our Fantasy Football Trimester Review. 

AFC EAST

New England Patriots

Stud: It appears that reports of Tom Brady’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Back-to-back strong performances against the Bengals and Bills have pushed Brady back into fantasy relevancy. The Patriots offense is still a question mark, but Brady has proven in the past that he doesn’t need top-shelf receivers to produce.

Dud: It’s not entirely his fault, but Shane Vereen hasn’t produced like his owners have hoped he would this season. He’ll get more carries with Stevan Ridley injured, but don’t expect him to be a 20-carries-a-game bell cow all of the sudden.

Sleeper: Brian Tyms has one reception this season, but it was an impressive 43-yard touchdown grab. He has the speed to become the team’s premier deep threat.

Buffalo Bills

Stud: Fred Jackson has outperformed backfield mate C.J Spiller and has been the best and most consistent fantasy performer for the Bills this season. His reliability and receiving skills make him a solid RB2.

Dud: E.J Manuel has gone from fantasy sleeper to benchwarmer, replaced by Kyle Orton despite the team’s strong start. He has talent but he just hasn’t looked like a starting NFL QB. If he doesn’t start for his NFL team, there’s no way he can start for your fantasy team.

Sleeper: Robert Woods had a strong outing against the Pats last week, with 78 yards and a touchdown. He’s a good route runner and could develop into a nice complement to Sammy Watkins.

Miami Dolphins

Stud: Lamar Miller has impressed after a disappointing start to his career. He’s averaging over 5 yards per carry, and with Knowshon Moreno out for the year, he seems to have the starting running back job locked up.

Dud: Charles Clay has been seemingly nonexistent this season after a strong 2013 campaign where he caught 69 balls. With zero touchdowns and no 50-yard games so far, he’s no longer a starting option, and he’s really not even a great backup.

Sleeper: Jarvis Landry is a playmaker, and after last week’s performance he could surpass Brian Hartline in the pecking order. He’s worth keeping an eye on.

New York Jets

Stud: There isn’t really a fantasy stud on this roster, but Jace Amaro had a nice breakout game last week, and if he keeps getting targets, he could quickly become a starting option at a thin position.

Dud: Chris Johnson has seen his carries steadily decline in recent weeks, to the point where he’s no longer a significant factor in the Jets running came. He’s a far cry from the player that once had a 2,000-yard season.

Sleeper: Again, hard to find a true sleeper on this team. If Johnson keeps losing carries and Chris Ivory continues to underwhelm, Bilal Powell could start getting more carries.

NFC EAST

Philadephia Eagles

Stud: This may seem like a weird pick on a team with so much offensive talent, but the Eagles D/ST has been the rare defense that can actually swing a fantasy game. They keep finding ways to score touchdowns, and their pass rush looked great against the Giants, so they should provide plenty of sacks.

Dud: McCoy finally broke out against the Giants, but he’s not forgiven for the preceding weeks. He did have to work with a patchwork offensive line, but weeks with 1, 2 and 6 points are hard to stomach from a top-5 fantasy pick.

Sleeper: Jordan Matthews has cooled down since his two-TD performance against the Redskins, but he does have at least 4 catches in his last 4 games. He gets targets and he has the size to become a red-zone threat.

Dallas Cowboys

Stud: This one is a no-brainer. DeMarco Murray has been dominant this season, with at least 100 yards in every game he’s played, plus 6 TDs. He’s running behind a monster offensive line in an offense that seems committed to the run. The only concern is that he may wear down from so many carries.

Dud: With Tony Romo throwing less, and with Dez Bryant and Terrence Williams entrenched as his top two receivers, Jason Witten doesn’t see a lot of targets these days, and he’s no longer a good source of touchdowns.

Sleeper: Murray probably can’t run the ball 25 times a game all year, and if Joesph Randle falls out of favor due to his arrest, Lance Dunbar could be used to spell Murray when needed. He can also contribute in the passing game.

New York Giants

Stud: Outside of duds in Weeks 1 and 6, Eli Manning has been solid, with at least two touchdowns in the other four games, including a 5-TD performance against the Redskins. He looks more comfortable in Ben McAdoo’s offense, and even without Victor Cruz, he has weapons.

Dud: It seems unfair to givethis to a guy who just suffered a serious injury, but Cruz wasn’t having a great season before his injury, with four games of 6 or less fantasy points. Here’s hoping he has a full and speedy recovery, as he’s one of the game’s most exciting players.

Sleeper: Everyone knows about Reuben Randle and Odell Beckham at this point, but don’t sleep on Corey Washington. The 6’4″ receiver caught four touchdowns this preseason.

Washington Redskins

Stud: The Redskins brought in DeSean Jackson to make big plays, and he’s done just that, with three games of 100 receiving yards and a TD. He’s a bit hit-or-miss, but his big-play potential is undeniable. He only needs one touch to change the complexion of a game.

Dud: Pierre Garcon hasn’t exactly been a dud, but he hasn’t come close to replicating last year’s numbers. There’s a lot of variance in the Redskins’ passing attack, so he’s not as reliable as he once was. He could catch 10 passes or 2 passes any given week.

Sleeper: Roy Helu isn’t going to replace Alfred Morris as the team’s go-to back barring injury, but he’s a skilled receiver out of the backfield, and he’s made some big plays this season. He’s worth consideration in PPR leagues.

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Matt Graber is a writer for Scouts Alley and Air Alamo and an editor at Wizards 101. Follow him on Twitter @Matt14Graber

“Waivering” Hope, Week 7

By Jordan Jackson

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It’s that time of the season—if you’re going to turn your season around, something must be done now. Ideally, you are not in win-now mode already, but if you are, the waiver wire is plentiful this week. Let’s look at QBs first. Two names jump out at me, but both come with caveats.

First is Joe Flacco. Flacco popped off in Week 6 with his five touchdowns, but he has literally zigzagged from good game to bad game this whole season. It is a disconcerting trend if you are thinking about picking him up, but Flacco has Atlanta next week. Atlanta’s pass defense this season is a poor work of fiction. Flacco might be too inconsistent to be a long-term pickup, but as a streamer or bye-week replacement, he looks like a favorable add for this week’s matchup with Atlanta’s 29th-ranked pass defense.

The other guy who caught my eye was Carson Palmer in his triumphant return from a nerve injury that, still, nobody understands. Palmer tossed two TDs with 250 yards and no picks against Washington’s air-landing zone of a secondary. He brought Larry Fitzgerald back into the fantasy picture, too. Palmer’s proneness to injury is a concern, obviously, but the bigger suspicion arises from the fact that he has only played two games this season. Palmer played well in both, but it is a small sample size to risk dropping a productive player for. Don’t make any rash decisions when adding Palmer; he has yet to prove anything.

Surprise! Jerick McKinnon (making his second “Waivering” Hope appearance) is now Minnesota’s starting running back. He didn’t have a great game against Detroit, but he did out-snap presumed starter Matt Asiata 48-15, and had 17 touches to Asiata’s three. Though he plays for a fairly stagnant offense, McKinnon, being the new No. 1 back, is a must-add.

I also like Browns backup Isaiah Crowell. Crowell has passed rookie Terrance West on the depth chart (West was a healthy scratch against Pittsburgh), and assumed COP duties behind Ben Tate. Crowell does have a pair of red flags though: fumbles (two on Sunday, one lost), and the loss of dominant run-blocker Alex Mack at center. The reason I still like him as an add is because Ben Tate is so likely to get injured again, which would thrust Crowell into Cleveland’s lead back role. Only if you have an immediate opening do you add Crowell.

Flashback to “Waivering” Hope, Week 6:

“Odell Beckham intrigues me as a sleeper… it might be too late for you to reach him next time he hits waivers.”

I did not forecast the fate of Victor Cruz, whose career may be in jeopardy, but you can’t say I didn’t tell you to add Beckham last week, regardless of my reasoning. He will be claimed quickly when waivers are processed this week, so you have probably missed your chance if you didn’t snatch him up a week ago.

If you miss out on Beckham, be careful—don’t be fooled by Andre Holmes or Brandon LaFell. Holmes went nuts in Week 6 against San Diego with 121 yards and a pair of TDs, but as long as he suits up for the silver and black, I am skeptical. The Raiders seem to have new life under interim coach Tony Sparano, but I need to see consistency from Holmes before I can condone rostering him. As for LaFell, who also turned in a mesmerizing, two-touchdown fantasy performance in Week 6, he plays in a more reliable offense than Holmes, but Tom Brady spreads the wealth too much for my liking; Julian Edelman and Gronk are still his favorite targets. Any touchdowns LaFell scores this season (and there will be more, certainly) will be fluky; he isn’t reliable.

I am a little bit higher on Malcom Floyd of the Chargers. Floyd, too, has the fantasy disadvantage of playing in an offense with an assorted weaponry, but if Eddie Royal misses any time with a rib injury, Floyd’s targets will rise, and he will be more likely to reproduce his impressive 5-103-1 statline from Sunday’s bout with Oakland.

Floyd would not be the only beneficiary from an Eddie Royal absence, as Ladarius Green saw increased playing time after Royal’s departure in Week 6. Even more so than with Floyd, Green is only worth adding if Royal misses time, which is yet to be determined.

In Jacksonville, where, yes, there is still a professional football team, tight end Clay Harbor is emerging as one of young quarterback Blake Bortles’ favorite targets. In the past three games, Harbor has played almost every snap, and been targeted 16 times (catching 14) with one touchdown. That’s more than Tim Wright can say.

After scoring for the second consecutive week, Wright will, again, be a trendy add this week, but the fact remains: he plays fewer than 20 snaps per game, and actually had only one target on Sunday. Add at your own risk; I would pass on him.

As he has been for the past three weeks, my kicker pick-up/streamer is Chandler Catanzaro. The guy is a stud, and he doesn’t miss. With Carson Palmer back, the Arizona offense will only get better, providing CC with even more scoring opportunities. He deserves to be owned over a lot of more popular kicking options.

My defense streamers for week 7 are the Cleveland Browns (at Jacksonville), and the Chicago Bears (hosting Miami). Basically, any defense playing a team from Florida is a safe add/start.

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Jordan Jackson is a writer for Scouts Alley. You can follow him on Twitter @JordanJackson1.

Fantasy Football Trimester Review: AFC, NFC South

By Matt Graber

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Week 6 is in the books, and now that each NFL team has played at least 5 games, it’s as good a time as any to take a look at the fantasy football landscape. Here’s a breakdown of each team’s fantasy producers, including who’s hot, who’s not, and who’s poised for a breakout. We begin in the South.

AFC SOUTH

Indianapolis Colts

Stud: Andrew Luck has made the transformation from breakout candidate to full-fledged fantasy god. He’s thrown for 370 yards and three touchdowns three times already this season, and the Colts passing attack seems unstoppable right now. He’s the clear-cut fantasy MVP so far, and he could easily throw for 5,000 yards and close to 50 touchdowns this year.

Dud: It’s time to accept that Trent Richardson just isn’t a very good football player. He’s getting plenty of carries, but he’s averaging a measly 3.2 yards per carry, and he’s been clearly outperformed by Ahmad Bradshaw.

Sleeper: Dwayne Allen has very quietly posted solid numbers this season, with 4 touchdowns and about 40 yards per game. He won’t get a ton of catches or yards, but he’s one of Luck’s favorite red-zone targets.

Houston Texans

Stud: Arian Foster is once again a top-5 fantasy back, and he’s coming off two monster games. The Texans will lean on their running game in their conservative offense, and, so as long as he stays healthy, Foster will put up big numbers.

Dud: Andre Johnson had a breakout game last week, but he only has one touchdown on the year, and he seems to be falling behind DeAndre Hopkins in the pecking order. He’s solid, but no loner spectacular.

Sleeper: Alfred Blue is clearly behind Arian Foster on the depth chart, but he’s been decent when given substantial carries. If Foster goes down, or the Texans are forced to run even more, he could surprise some people.

Tennessee Titans

Stud: Delanie Walker has become a top-10 tight end and the Titans’ top offensive weapon. The Titans QB situation isn’t great, but regardless, he’s a strong producer at a thin position.

Dud: Jake Locker looked like he was finally coming in to his own after Week 1 but he can’t seem to stay healthy, and even when he’s on the field, he tends to make a lot of mistakes.

Sleeper: Bishop Sankey looks like he’ll be the starter at RB going forward, and the second-round pick could become a potential flex option based on opportunity alone.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Stud: It’s a bit generous to call Blake Bortles a fantasy stud at this point, but with the Jaguars likely to be trailing in every game they play, he’ll get the chance to throw a lot, and he should cut down on the picks as he gains experience.

Dud: Drafted as a potential RB2, Toby Gerhart has severely underwhelmed this season, and he’s now dealing with injuries. Even when healthy, he lacks the speed, vision and shiftiness to be the lead back on an NFL team.

Sleeper: Clay Harbor has posted two nice games in the last three weeks, and he seems to have the starting tight end job locked up for the time being. He’s becoming a weapon for Bortles.

NFC SOUTH

Carolina Panthers

Stud: The perpetually underrated Greg Olsen is once again having a monster season, with five touchdowns and four 6-catch games. He’s Cam Newton’s favorite target and an elite option at TE for the rest of the season.

Dud: The Panther’s running backs share this one, as no one can stay healthy and no one has been a consistent producer. Newton will likely receive the bulk of the Panther’s carries for the foreseeable future.

Sleeper: Darrin Reaves hasn’t exactly set the world on fire this season, but at least he’s healthy. He should get carries by default, which could make him a serviceable option for desperate teams.

Atlanta Falcons

Stud: While Matt Ryan has been very productive, Julio Jones gets the nod for his consistency. He’s clearly Ryan’s top target, and besides Sunday’s 68-yard performance, he’s had either a touchdown or at least 80 receiving yards in every game this year.

Dud: Roddy White looks like he’s done as an elite receiver, as he’s failed to eclipse 5 catches or 75 yards this season. He isn’t getting the targets needed to put up big numbers, and it seems like he always has a nagging injury.

Sleeper: Antone Smith has been electric this season, averaging 52.5 yards on his four touchdown. He’s proven that he doesn’t need a lot of touches to be productive.

New Orleans Saints

Stud: He’s injured right now, but when healthy, Jimmy Graham is an absolute stud and the best tight end in the league. He’ll get more yards and receptions than anyone else at the position, along with plenty of touchdowns.

Dud: Former fantasy stalwart Marques Colston isn’t ranked among the top 50 of his position right now, and it seems like he’s behind Graham and Brandin Cooks on the WR depth chart. With the way Drew Brees likes to spread the ball around, it doesn’t seem like he’s due for a big game any time soon.

Sleeper: Cooks hasn’t provided the big plays that his owners were hoping for, but he’s on pace for over 100 catches this season, and the Saints are determined to get the ball into his hands. There’s too much potential to give up on him now.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stud: It’s slim pickings with the Bucs, but Mike Glennon has actually played pretty well since taking over for Josh McCown, averaging 288 yards and 2 TDs in his three starts. The Bucs will air it out, so if you need a backup or a spot starter, you could do a lot worse than Glennon.

Dud: Doug Martin is looking more and more like a one-hit wonder, as he’s not come close to replicating the success of his rookie year. Even with 10+ carries the last three games, he’s failed to eclipse 50 yards.

Sleeper: Louis Murphy has scored at least 9 points in his three games since signing with the Bucs, and he seems to be carving out a nice little role in their passing attack.

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Matt Graber is a writer for Scouts Alley and Air Alamo and an editor at Wizards 101. Follow him on Twitter @Matt14Graber

NFL Week 6 Mission Briefing

By Jordan Jackson

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Just when it looked like we would have to bear witness to another terrible Thursday night massacre, Ryan Fitz-magic rallied the Texans and made a game out if it.

Actually, Fitzpatrick had very little to do with Houston’s comeback. That can be attributed to J.J. Watt and Arian Foster.

Regardless, it was finally a good opening to the week of football—a close game to start a week that I fear will feature a lot of uncompetitive games.

Sure Bet: I anticipate a lot of lopsided wins this weekend, so be prudent with your survivor pick. I think your safest bet is the Packers visiting Miami. Miami has had two weeks to get that defense ready for Aaron Rodgers, but Green Bay’s most recent game was a Thursday nighter in week 5, giving the Packers extended preparation time as well. I cannot think of any way that Miami could possibly pull the upset this weekend with Rodgers having a 10-day study period.

If you already played your Packers card in week 2 or 5, you have plenty of other options, and interestingly, they are mostly away teams. I like Denver, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, New England, San Diego, and San Francisco all to win easily on the road. If away games scare you, go with Arizona at home against Washington. That’s the best you can do.

If you are targeting Oakland on a weekly basis, you’ve got the red-hot Chargers coming to town this weekend. Oakland’s week-5 victory over the Bolts knocked me out of my pool a season ago, so I’m a little wary, but I think San Diego is a pretty safe bet this time ’round.

Not So Fast: Notice I said nothing above about picking against the Jaguars. Like Oakland, they are weekly targets in survivor pools, but I would suggest avoiding that strategy this week, because Jacksonville’s first victory is just around the corner

Though he is no Austin Davis, rookie QB Blake Bortles has made Jacksonville a much better team than they were with Chad Henne under center. It is only a matter of time until he puts together his first ‘W’.

Their opponent, Tennessee, is terrible. You don’t need me to tell you that. With Jake Locker most likely out again this weekend, I have to pick the Jags in Nashville as my upset pick. Even if Locker does take the field, I still like Jacksonville.

Surprise Performer: If you still have Markus Wheaton on your team, I applaud your patience.

Antonio Brown dominates targets in Pittsburgh’s offense. Wheaton is the starter opposite Brown, but has not eclipsed 100 yards or single-digit targets in any game this season. Worse yet, Wheaton has not scored. However, Wheaton’s best game to date came against Cleveland in week 1, in which he caught six passes for 97 yards, including the clutch reception that lined up the Steelers for the game-winning field goal.

Not only has Wheaton enjoyed success against Cleveland before, but, as opposed to the opener in Pittsburgh, when the Steelers meet the Browns for the second time this weekend, Cleveland could be without shutdown corner Joe Haden. Haden obviously would have been matched up against Brown, but in his potential absence, rookie Justin Gilbert will be assigned the suicide mission of attempting to cover Brown, while Wheaton will get his looks against either Buster Skrine or Pierre Desir. Either one is a favorable matchup.

Brown will still be the dominant receiver, but I think Wheaton will finally find the end zone and/or break the century mark in this game.

Disaster Waiting to Happen: This week’s disaster is the 49ers defense. Coming off a one-sack performance against one of the worst offensive lines in football (the Chiefs), San Francisco now heads home to host Missouri’s other team, the Rams. And folks, these ain’t your older brother’s Rams. Quietly, rookie sensation (yes, I went there) Austin Davis has led the Rams to eighth in the NFL in yards per game, and sixth in points per game. Davis, individually, has put up 702 yards and six touchdowns in the past two games.

The key factor here will be turnovers. Though the Rams put up great numbers in yards and points, they also have a tendency to turn the ball over. ESPN.com and NFL.com differ on the Rams’ turnover differential—one says -2, the other -3—but regardless, eliminating the turnover would immediately make the Rams an offense to be reckoned with—something nobody expected even before Sam Bradford went down with a torn ACL.

If San Francisco’s defense doesn’t get turnovers in this game, its fantasy performance will be very disappointing, because, believe it or not, St. Louis is going to put up some impressive offensive numbers.

“Waivering” Hope, Week 6

With only two teams heading into their bye in week 6, and relatively few injuries occurring recently, the decision to drop or add a player this week will probably be a tough one. Hopefully you are not among the unfortunate few who jumped the gun and cut Tom Brady or the Panthers defense. If you do make a move this week, use discretion, be patient, and look for some of these names:

I am officially impressed with Austin Davis. He has thrown three touchdowns in two consecutive games now, exceeding 300 passing yards in both. As much as I like Davis, I like Brian Hoyer more because of scheduling. While Davis has San Francisco, Seattle, Kansas City, Arizona, Denver, and San Diego on the immediate horizon (sheesh, poor guy), Hoyer has a take-it-or-leave-it matchup with Pittsburgh in week 6, followed by Jacksonville, Oakland, and Tampa Bay. Hoyer has found the end zone in every game this season and is responsible for only one turnover so far. His comeback victory over Tennessee on Sunday proves that he can flat-out sling it when needed. With Cleveland likely to be playing from behind more times than not this season, Hoyer will probably be asked to air it out often.

Montee Ball is going to miss some significant time with a groin injury he suffered on Sunday. The next man up is Ronnie Hillman, who actually looked decent once he entered the fold against Arizona. Though Denver is not involving the run game the way they did in 2013, feature backs are hard to come by these days, and Hillman is going to get plenty of opportunities with Ball out.

To a lesser extent, I like Branden Oliver. Who doesn’t? This kid made a resounding entrance into Fantasyland on Sunday, popping off for 182 combined yards and a pair of touchdowns, one through the air, one on the ground. He is a fantastic short-term option with San Diego headed to Oakland next week, but the fact is that San Diego prefers to put the ball in the air, and in two weeks, Ryan Mathews will return to the San Diego offense, relegating Oliver to change-of-pace duties at best. Donald Brown, meanwhile, is no longer a fantasy factor even if he does gain clearance in the concussion protocol. Oliver has won the starting tailback job until Mathews’ return.

With the way the Giants’ offense has been playing lately, I have to say that rookie wideout Odell Beckham intrigues me as a sleeper. Despite good numbers including a touchdown in his first game as a pro, Beckham is probably no higher than the fourth option in Eli Manning’s receiving Rolodex, but this team has been passing the ball extremely well recently. Victor Cruz and Larry Donnell got a lot of attention from Atlanta’s defense on Sunday, and that will probably continue throughout the season, giving Beckham (and Rueben Randle) favorable matchups. He may be a risky add right now, but if he has another productive day in week 6 against Philly’s suspect secondary, it might be too late for you to reach him next time he hits waivers.

With the quarterback changes in Tampa and Jacksonville, Louis Murphy and Allen Robinson have emerged in their respective passing games. Murphy has nine catches on 18 targets filling in for Mike Evans, while Robinson has a comparable 10 catches on 18 targets of his own, filling in for Cecil Shorts. The two have only one touchdown between them, but the targets are the telling stat. Both offenses are on the rise, and Murphy and Robinson could benefit greatly.

The tight end section of Waiverland is a wasteland, but you might be able to squeeze some production out of the Ravens’ Owen Daniels before he inevitably gets injured. Daniels was targeted seven times on a down offensive day for Baltimore, and came away with five grabs for 70 yards.

Don’t be fooled by Tim Wright for New England. He is not Aaron Hernandez’s replacement yet. Though he recorded five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown, Wright played on only 19 snaps (out of 84) Sunday night against Cincinnati. That scares me, considering many of those snaps also came in garbage time. This performance gets the “fluke” stamp.

Don’t discredit me for saying this, but kicker might actually be the position I am most excited about this week as far as waivers are concerned. Why? Because I have a theory, and a strategy. Listen closely: the Detroit Lions cannot buy a kicker. First, Nate Freese missed 4-of-7 kicks before Alex Henery was signed to replace him; since then, Henery has been even worse, hitting only one field goal on five attempts, and getting waived on Monday. How fortuitous that Denver cut the best kicker in the NFL last week! Denver chose to stick with the cheaper option of Brandon McManus and let the NFL’s record-holder for longest field goal, Matt Prater, hit free agency. The Lions will work out Prater today.

Matt Prater in a dome? That is just scary. Hey, why not pick up Matt Prater just in case he ends up in Honolulu blue this week? If he doesn’t, just pick up Arizona’s Chandler Catanzaro or Buffalo’s Dan Carpenter.

Arizona’s offense should get a boost from Carson Palmer (most likely) returning in week 6, and Dan Carpenter—what can you say about the guy? Carpenter got cut from Miami, turned away by three different teams, and has now settled in Buffalo as one of the NFL’s most reliable kickers. Despite laser beams, he almost single-handedly won Buffalo’s bout with the Lions on Sunday (with some help from Alex Henery, too, as discussed above). I don’t know how much Buffalo’s offense will improve with E.J. Manuel on the bench and Kyle Orton under center, but Carpenter’s huge leg and clutch composure compensate for Buffalo’s offensive ineptitude to some degree.

NFL Week 5 Mission Briefing

By Jordan Jackson

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Another Thursday night game, another beatdown. Maybe that should just become my new sign-on.

I’m sure CBS is just elated by the quality of Thursday night games in its first season televising the matches. In three games, the Bucs/Falcons, ‘Skins/Giants, and Pack/Vikings games, respectively, have set the records for largest, third-largest, and second-largest margins of victory in the eight-year history of Thursday Night Football. Next week, we might get the fourth-largest as Houston tries their deceptive 3-1 record against the NFL’s best offense: the Colts. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First things first…

Sure Bet: You would be safe taking either team from Pennsylvania in your survivor pool this week.

The Steelers, coming off an embarrassing home loss to “one of the worst NFL teams,” will be out for blood as they pay a visit to another one of the worst NFL teams—the Jacksonville Jaguars. I am still having a hard time making sense out of Pittsburgh losing to Tampa Bay, but I highly doubt the Steelers would be caught with their pants down twice in a row. There is no way of knowing if and when Blake Bortles is going to begin to demonstrate why he was the top quarterback chosen in the draft; it could be this weekend, but for now, I feel pretty safe betting against him.

As for Pennsylvania’s other team, the Eagles play host to the St. Louis Rams, whose own rookie starter, Austin Davis, has quietly been the NFL’s most accurate passer through four weeks. Unfortunately, Davis has also made a few back-breaking mistakes. The Eagles’ defense is very opportunistic, and they will probably make a few plays at Davis’ expense this weekend en route to a rebound win.

Not So Fast: Maybe Atlanta? Maybe Arizona? What the hell—they say go big or go home. I’m going big: I’m going to take the poor ol’ pitiful Washington Redskins to upset the defending champs, and I cannot think of a single damn reason why. Maybe there’ll be something in the air. Or on the field, like last time these two teams met at FedEx. Remember? If you don’t, I am sure RGIII and Chris Clemons do. The terrible turf at FedEx caused them both serious knee injuries in the 2012 NFC Wild Card Playoffs.

Maybe, just maybe, something crazy and/or supernatural will occur on Monday night. Something in the wind, or in the crowd will just cause things to go Washington’s way.

Probably not, but maybe. Just think how smart I’ll look if it does.

Surprise Performer: Had you asked me yesterday, I would have said Jerick McKinnon. I’m glad you didn’t ask me yesterday. Today, I am not so sure.

I think I am going to go with Panthers QB Cam Newton.

Normally, we would simply expect Newton to put up big numbers, but this season Superman is noticeably hobbled by a bum ankle, and the Panthers coaching staff has held his playmaking potential accordingly in check to prevent further damage to their franchise quarterback. After two humiliating losses in a row though, Ron Rivera said on Tuesday that the team wants to “unleash” Cam, but that they must do it in the right way.

With the defense stumbling without Greg Hardy and Thomas Davis, and the running game on the rocks (Darrin Reaves is the Panthers’ starting tailback this week, folks), the time is now. The Panthers are out of other options to depend on. If the Panthers are going to make a serious attempt to defend their NFC South title from a season ago, they will have to do it on the strength of Cam Newton.

Newton has not been a fantasy disappointment so far; I think he gets back to his old ways this weekend against Chicago’s 23rd-ranked defense.

Disaster Waiting to Happen: Le’Veon Bell against Jacksonville.

The Jaguars are real bad against the run, yes, but they are even worse against the pass. They have been scored on a lot—mostly through the air. What’s more is that Le’Veon Bell doesn’t score. Despite being one of fantasy’s best performers through four weeks, Bell has only found the end zone once this year, and it was in week one.

A large part of this is due to Mike Tomlin’s preference for LeGarrette Blount in goal-line situations. I am certain that Bell will still gain plenty of yards in Jacksonville this weekend, but I don’t see him scoring. Furthermore, there is a chance that Pittsburgh’s starters get pulled for garbage time this weekend, meaning Bell could get less than a full game’s workload. It doesn’t smell right.

I know it is next-to-impossible to sit Le’Veon Bell on your fantasy team, but if and when he turns in a bad Week 5 performance, you heard it here first.

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Jordan Jackson is a writer for Scouts Alley. You can follow him on Twitter @JordanJackson1.