Waiver Wednesday: The Hot 8
...And just like that the waiver wire becomes your best friend once again. Just when pickings were getting slimmer and slimmer all hell breaks lose on valuable fantasy property and suddenly some little known backups are commanding big time attention. With the injuries to Brian Westbrook, Ronnie Brown, Julius Jones, Michael Turner, Marion Barber Kyle Orton and many others, there is suddenly a wealth of players on the waiver wire this week. Quite a bit of these players have already been featured here in The Hot 8 this season (take a look through the archive!) so if there is a name missing chances are I have grown tired of telling you about him this season. Here are this weeks top picks:
RED HOT
1) Ricky Williams -- RB -- Dolphins -- I know this is a bit of a longshot that he is available but my investigating has shown Williams is only owned in 65% of leagues right now. Ronnie Brown is now out for the season with a severe foot injury leaving Boy Ricky as the clear RB1 in Miami. Williams has been running very well as it was this season and his newfound playing time will allow him to be a very good contributor to both the Dolphins and fantasy teams fortunate to have him now. This is the clear #1 waiver wire play to make this week and hopefully your fellow owners weren't stashing him and he is now available to you now.
2) Jason Snelling -- RB -- Falcons -- Michael Turner suffered a high ankle sprain last week and will miss at least 1-2 games. The Falcons are already without backup RB Jerious Norwood who's missed the past few weeks with a hip injury. This leaves fullback Jason Snelling as the main ball carrier now for Atlanta and he is definitely worth a roster addition for what should be a pretty solid stretch these next couple weeks. Snelling carried the ball 18 times for 61 yards last week against Carolina and also found the endzone. An interesting fact about Snelling, he is the only epileptic RB in the NFL and is an spokesperson and activist for the disease. This weeks game against the Giants isn't the greatest of matchups but in Atlanta's system the RB is always a safe bet for fantasy production. Oh, and the big payoff of Snelling may very well be in week 12 when he takes on the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
3) Brandon Gibson -- WR -- Rams -- Well that sure didn't take long! Last week in this very article I wrote that most football fans had never heard the name Brandon Gibson. Then poof! Keenan Burton goes down with a serious knee injury and Gibson takes the opportunity and catches 7 balls for 93 yards against the Saints. I really like this kid and believe he has all the tools to be a starting WR in the NFL for a long time. The Rams were wise when they got him from Philly at the trade deadline for LB Wil Witherspoon. With improved offensive line play, Steven Jackson's never say die spirit and a few under the radar receivers the Rams actually have the makings of a real NFL offense. You could be using Gibson as a WR2 in the weeks ahead.
WARMING UP
4) Justin Forsett -- RB -- Seahawks -- Just another RB that I've had here in The Hot 8 several times this season. In fact, I feel that I shouldn't even be recommending Forsett anymore because he should be owned in most leagues already, right? Well he's not and after last weeks breakout performance he is probably the hottest waiver claim this week. But I am asking you to use caution with Forsett at this time. He is a very good third down back type who is great on draws, delays and in passing situations. However, I just don't see Forsett as a full time RB in the NFL. He is a smaller guy who's body doesn't seem as if it'd be able to take the constant punishment of a 20+ carry RB. Also, there is another runner in the Seattle backfield that I see as a potential home run threat every time he touches the ball...
5) Louis Rankin -- RB -- Seahawks -- I had Rankin in The Hot 8 last week as well as a guy to follow for a few weeks in case he gets a chance. Well, that chance seems to be coming a lot quicker now that Julius Jones is out for a few weeks with a bruised lung and ribs. Rankin has got such great quickness and raw speed that he makes defensive tacklers look goofy. I am sure he will get at least a few carries this week against the Vikings and on that turn against a very aggressive defense I can see a couple of long runs out of him. The ideal situation for the Seahawks is to have Rankin as the primary ball carrier and Forsett as the third down RB.
6) Josh Freeman -- QB -- Buccaneers -- I watch every single NFL game every single week without missing a single one. How? I have a wall of 5 TV's in my basement, have multiple laptops at my disposal and have the quickest remote trigger in all of Chicagoland. The difference in the Buccaneers offense from the Byron Leftwich and Josh Johnson weeks to the current Josh Freeman era is unbelievable. Maybe it is a coincidence but whatever it is Freeman looks like a much more polished NFL QB than anybody thought he was coming out of school this spring. Freeman is using his main weapon in Kellen Winslow often and making plays with his legs that are keeping drives going and putting more points on the scoreboard. One more solid week and he may have to be considered a sleeper for your lineups in good matchup weeks. For now, I think adding Freeman as a backup QB for your team wouldn't be a bad idea.
SCORCHING SLOT WR'S
7) Lance Long -- WR -- Chiefs -- Long almost made it the cut as well last week after an impressive 8 catch performance against the Jaguars. Now with Dwayne Bowe suspended for the next 4 games, I see the Chiefs and Matt Cassel leaning heavily on Long in the short passing game. Cassel is comfortable and proven to be effective when using his slot WR's in a short quick passing scheme as he did with Wes Welker and the Patriots last year. Long is the Welker of the Chiefs and is very sure handed and an effective route runner. Cassel has come out publicly and praised Long's hands and his work ethic which is a great sign that he is quite comfortable with Long.
8) Julian Edelman -- WR -- Patriots -- Just a few weeks ago it was Edelman who was out of the picture as I talked up both Sam Aiken and rookie WR Brandon Tate as a possible sleeper for the Pats. Now Edelman is back and recovered from a fracture in his wrist and Tate is out for the season with a knee injury and Aiken is questionable with a hip injury. This leaves Edelman to step back into a prominent role in the Pats offense for rest of the season.
That is The Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think? Agree? Disagree?
Send me an email at thefantasyscout@gmail.com or leave your comments down below.
RED HOT
1) Ricky Williams -- RB -- Dolphins -- I know this is a bit of a longshot that he is available but my investigating has shown Williams is only owned in 65% of leagues right now. Ronnie Brown is now out for the season with a severe foot injury leaving Boy Ricky as the clear RB1 in Miami. Williams has been running very well as it was this season and his newfound playing time will allow him to be a very good contributor to both the Dolphins and fantasy teams fortunate to have him now. This is the clear #1 waiver wire play to make this week and hopefully your fellow owners weren't stashing him and he is now available to you now.
2) Jason Snelling -- RB -- Falcons -- Michael Turner suffered a high ankle sprain last week and will miss at least 1-2 games. The Falcons are already without backup RB Jerious Norwood who's missed the past few weeks with a hip injury. This leaves fullback Jason Snelling as the main ball carrier now for Atlanta and he is definitely worth a roster addition for what should be a pretty solid stretch these next couple weeks. Snelling carried the ball 18 times for 61 yards last week against Carolina and also found the endzone. An interesting fact about Snelling, he is the only epileptic RB in the NFL and is an spokesperson and activist for the disease. This weeks game against the Giants isn't the greatest of matchups but in Atlanta's system the RB is always a safe bet for fantasy production. Oh, and the big payoff of Snelling may very well be in week 12 when he takes on the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
3) Brandon Gibson -- WR -- Rams -- Well that sure didn't take long! Last week in this very article I wrote that most football fans had never heard the name Brandon Gibson. Then poof! Keenan Burton goes down with a serious knee injury and Gibson takes the opportunity and catches 7 balls for 93 yards against the Saints. I really like this kid and believe he has all the tools to be a starting WR in the NFL for a long time. The Rams were wise when they got him from Philly at the trade deadline for LB Wil Witherspoon. With improved offensive line play, Steven Jackson's never say die spirit and a few under the radar receivers the Rams actually have the makings of a real NFL offense. You could be using Gibson as a WR2 in the weeks ahead.
WARMING UP
4) Justin Forsett -- RB -- Seahawks -- Just another RB that I've had here in The Hot 8 several times this season. In fact, I feel that I shouldn't even be recommending Forsett anymore because he should be owned in most leagues already, right? Well he's not and after last weeks breakout performance he is probably the hottest waiver claim this week. But I am asking you to use caution with Forsett at this time. He is a very good third down back type who is great on draws, delays and in passing situations. However, I just don't see Forsett as a full time RB in the NFL. He is a smaller guy who's body doesn't seem as if it'd be able to take the constant punishment of a 20+ carry RB. Also, there is another runner in the Seattle backfield that I see as a potential home run threat every time he touches the ball...
5) Louis Rankin -- RB -- Seahawks -- I had Rankin in The Hot 8 last week as well as a guy to follow for a few weeks in case he gets a chance. Well, that chance seems to be coming a lot quicker now that Julius Jones is out for a few weeks with a bruised lung and ribs. Rankin has got such great quickness and raw speed that he makes defensive tacklers look goofy. I am sure he will get at least a few carries this week against the Vikings and on that turn against a very aggressive defense I can see a couple of long runs out of him. The ideal situation for the Seahawks is to have Rankin as the primary ball carrier and Forsett as the third down RB.
6) Josh Freeman -- QB -- Buccaneers -- I watch every single NFL game every single week without missing a single one. How? I have a wall of 5 TV's in my basement, have multiple laptops at my disposal and have the quickest remote trigger in all of Chicagoland. The difference in the Buccaneers offense from the Byron Leftwich and Josh Johnson weeks to the current Josh Freeman era is unbelievable. Maybe it is a coincidence but whatever it is Freeman looks like a much more polished NFL QB than anybody thought he was coming out of school this spring. Freeman is using his main weapon in Kellen Winslow often and making plays with his legs that are keeping drives going and putting more points on the scoreboard. One more solid week and he may have to be considered a sleeper for your lineups in good matchup weeks. For now, I think adding Freeman as a backup QB for your team wouldn't be a bad idea.
SCORCHING SLOT WR'S
7) Lance Long -- WR -- Chiefs -- Long almost made it the cut as well last week after an impressive 8 catch performance against the Jaguars. Now with Dwayne Bowe suspended for the next 4 games, I see the Chiefs and Matt Cassel leaning heavily on Long in the short passing game. Cassel is comfortable and proven to be effective when using his slot WR's in a short quick passing scheme as he did with Wes Welker and the Patriots last year. Long is the Welker of the Chiefs and is very sure handed and an effective route runner. Cassel has come out publicly and praised Long's hands and his work ethic which is a great sign that he is quite comfortable with Long.
8) Julian Edelman -- WR -- Patriots -- Just a few weeks ago it was Edelman who was out of the picture as I talked up both Sam Aiken and rookie WR Brandon Tate as a possible sleeper for the Pats. Now Edelman is back and recovered from a fracture in his wrist and Tate is out for the season with a knee injury and Aiken is questionable with a hip injury. This leaves Edelman to step back into a prominent role in the Pats offense for rest of the season.
That is The Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think? Agree? Disagree?
Send me an email at thefantasyscout@gmail.com or leave your comments down below.
posted by Jeff Mans at
5:31 PM
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