Every week, I highlight a few players that you should target in waivers. I use the ESPN league data when filtering players, so the only guys eligible for discussion here are those that are available on the waiver wire in at least 50% of ESPN’s leagues. I’ll list each player’s percentage-owned after their name so you have an idea of how available they are in leagues around the country. I’ll always try to mention a few players that are available in 90% of leagues for those of you in 12-team leagues or leagues with big rosters. I’ll rank them in the order I’d pick them up in a league with a high-performance, PPR scoring system.
Please note that these rankings are for total value through the end of the year. Players with particularly good matchups this week are in bold.
Matt Hasselbeck (24.6)
Fantasy owners were down on Hass this year because he has had trouble staying healthy, not because he isn’t a good fantasy QB when he is healthy. Right now, he’s healthy, and with the Rams on tap in Week 4, he’s a good start this week.
Mark Sanchez (34.9)
The Jets seem to be limiting him to short drops so that he gets the ball out quick. That keeps the pressure off of him and helps him avoid mistakes. 476 yards and six pass TD later, and Sanchez is looking like a viable QB2, and he has the Bills this week.
Josh Freeman (16.6)
Yes, he struggled in Week 3, but that was against the Steelers, who made Matt Ryan and Vince Young look foolish in Week 1 and Week 2. I still like him as part of a committee — he has great matchups in weeks 10-11 and 15-16. After his bye, things are pretty neutral, so he’d be a solid second guy in two-QB leagues.
Bruce Gradkowski (2.1)
He wasn’t bad against the Cardinals, but he did throw 2-3 passes that should have/could have been picked off. Still, with Louis Murphy, Zach Miller and Darren McFadden, he has enough weapons to look pretty good. With the Texans on deck, he’s a sneaky good start in Week 4.
Sam Bradford (20.2)
The rookie is a shoe-in for 20+ picks if he stays healthy, but he’s also on pace for almost 3,500 yards and 21 TD. With Seattle and Detroit on tap, he isn’t a bad short-term fix.
Matt Cassel (9.5)
Cassel’s 250 yards and 3 TD came out of nowhere against an underachieving San Francisco defense. A pretty nice upcoming schedule — HOU, JAX, BUF in weeks 6-8 — makes him an interesting start in two-QB leagues.
Alex Smith (14.0)
Well, he has thrown for at least 232 yards and a TD the last two weeks. But he’s also thrown five picks in three games. The 49ers just fired their offensive coordinator, so let’s see how Smith fares against the Falcons and Eagles before giving up on him.
Ryan Fitzpatrick (0.3)
Fitzy had a nice game against a very questionable New England secondary. With Jacksonville on tap this week, he should be a good start if you’re in a pinch.
Derek Anderson (7.2)
How long will the Cards put up with Anderson’s play with Max Hall waiting in the wings?
David Garrard (29.3)
He used to be the most underrated QB in fantasy football. But he’s been absolutely brutal lately and has a pretty tough matchup (IND) this week.
Shaun Hill (2.0)
Seneca Wallace (0.8)
Jimmy Clausen (1.7)
Boy, that first start didn’t go very well.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis (2.0)
Green-Ellis took advantage of a Fred Taylor injury to post 98 yards and a TD on 16 carries. Keep in mind that Bill Belichick isn’t going to feature a running back unless he has to, so don’t get too excited about the Law Firm.
Earnest Graham (0.9)
He’s not carrying the ball much, but he has 9-90-1 in the passing game over the last two weeks, so at least he’s involved.
LeGarrette Blount (0.4)
Six carries for 27 yards and a TD from a rookie playing behind a fragile vet (Carnell Williams) and people are going to notice. Worth a stash if you have the space, but Graham (and maybe Kareem Huggins?) will eat into his snaps.
Ryan Torain (0.2)
Keiland Williams was a hot pickup last week, but it was Ryan Torain (7 carries, 46 yards) who split time with Clinton Portis on Sunday. Portis is dealing with a wrist injury so expect a RBBC for the time being.
Kenneth Darby (0.2)
Steven Jackson has a groin injury, and until we know the severity, it’s hard to put a price tag on Darby, who performed reasonably well (14 carries, 49 yards, TD) in S-Jax’s absence.
Fred Taylor (49.2)
Fragile Fred left Sunday’s game with a toe injury.
Mike Goodson (0.7)
Goodson has quietly become the Panthers’ third-down back, and has cut into the value of both DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart. He has post 9-111 in the passing game over the last three weeks.
Bernard Scott (39.4)
The Bengals are saying they’re going to work Scott in more, and he’s averaging 5.2 ypc so there is reason for optimism, but he has just 13 carries to Cedric Benson’s 65.
John Kuhn (3.5)
He’s splitting time with Brandon Jackson in Green Bay’s potent offense and is probably going to see a few goal line opportunities every week.
Chris Ivory (0.6)
Had seven carries and a fumble backing up Pierre Thomas. He wasn’t impressive, but if anything happens to PT, he’s the next guy up (at least until Ladell Betts can get up to speed).
Louis Murphy (52.2)
In 1 1/2 games with Jason Campbell at QB, Murphy posted 5-55-0. In 1 1/2 games with Bruce Gradkowski under center, he has 10-173-1. Notice a trend?
Mike Williams (51.6)
The rookie didn’t catch a TD for the first time in three games, but he did manage 5-55 against the Steelers and is averaging 7.7 targets per game. So why is he still available in 49% of ESPN leagues?
Demaryius Thomas (33.4)
After destroying the Seahawks to the tune of 8-97-1 in his NFL debut, Thomas only managed 2-43 in a game where Kyle Orton threw for 845 yards. He’s dealing with a wrist injury and competition from Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Lloyd.
Jabar Gaffney (18.6)
Brandon Lloyd (13.1)
Just when you think Eddie Royal and Demaryius Thomas are going to slowly but surely take over the Denver passing game, Gaffney and Lloyd combine for 18-309-1 against a pretty good pass defense.
Lance Moore (2.3)
After three catches in the first two weeks, Moore exploded for 6-149-2 against an unsuspecting Falcons’ pass defense. With Reggie Bush out, can Moore keep this up?
Nate Washington (50.6)
After a strong first two weeks, Washington only posted 3-30 against the Giants in Week 3 as Vince Young re-established his connection with Kenny Britt.
Devin Hester (21.5)
Hester follows up his nice game in Dallas with a 1-16 clunker (though he did return a punt for a TD for the first time in a couple of years). Johnny Knox is the only wideout worth his salt at this point.
Kenny Britt (41.8)
The Kenny Britt Bandwagon has a pulse! 2-26-1 against the Giants after a 5-41 outing in Week 2. Unfortunately, he only saw two targets in Week 3.
Josh Cribbs (12.2)
It’s (almost) all in the targets. Cribbs had eight in Week 3 to Mohammed Massaquoi’s one. He turned those into five catches and 78 total yards.
Roy Williams (5.1)
He has been involved all season with at least three catches in all three games, but I think we’ll look back on his 5-117-2 and see that it was his best day as a member of the 2010 Dallas Cowboys. He’s good insurance for Miles Austin owners, however.
Brian Hartline (0.4)
After six targets in his first two games, Hartline saw 11 balls come his way against the Jets and managed 5-84.
Danny Amendola (2.1)
Davone Bess (1.8)
Jordan Shipley (4.3)
Mike Thomas (3.2)
Jerricho Cotchery (15.3)
Possession receivers that mainly have value in PPR leagues.
Deion Branch (1.6)
Believe it or not, he has been Seattle’s most consistently involved wideout, with at least three catches in each of the first three games.
Dexter McCluster (11.9)
Darrius Heyward-Bey (1.8)
Stephen Williams (0.0)
It looks like Steve Breaston is going to be out a while, and with Early Doucet also sidelined, Williams is the favorite to start opposite Larry Fitzgerald. He’s big and has good hands.
Josh Morgan (4.5)
Golden Tate (3.8)
Mohammed Massaquoi (19.0)
See Cribbs, Joshua. Massaquoi is not a favorite of Seneca Wallace and won’t have much value until Jake Delhomme gets back.
James Jones (1.7)
Deon Butler (1.3)
After some kind words from Pete Carroll, Butler put up a goose egg in Week 3. Great.
Earl Bennett (0.3)
Danny Woodhead (0.2)
The Patriots are trying to monopolize the market on quick little white guys, and Woodhead certainly falls into that category.
Dustin Keller (49.6)
It doesn’t take a fantasy expert to tell you to pick up a TE who posted 13-213-3 in the last two weeks.
Tony Moeaki (1.8)
12-123-2 given Matt Cassel’s struggles at QB? Imagine what he’ll do if/when Cassel wakes up…
John Carlson (26.1)
Even if the Seahawks aren’t going to score a whole lot, he’s the 6th most targeted TE, which makes him a solid TE2 in PPR leagues.
Aaron Hernandez (18.5)
12-166 over the last two weeks. He’s startable in PPR leagues.
Todd Heap (21.4)
See Carlson, John and replace 6th with 7th. Heap has nice chemistry with Joe Flacco and should find the endzone soon.
Jeremy Shockey (34.9)
With Reggie Bush out for a while, it appears Shockey is going to get extra work in the middle of the field. His 8-78-1 will likely make him a hot pickup this week.
Jermaine Gresham (12.2)
4-59 against the Panthers and the 8th most targets amongst TEs.
Tony Scheffler (2.6)
Kevin Boss (11.6)
3-88 after missing Week 2 with an injury. He’ll be involved in the Giants’ passing game and Eli tends to look for him in the redzone.
Rob Gronkowski (4.8)
Benjamin Watson (3.6)
9-109-1 over the last two weeks is nothing to sneeze at.
Brandon Pettigrew (2.6)
17 targets over the last two weeks have resulted in 13-152. The Lions lack a WR2 right now, so Pettigrew and Scheffler are filling that role.
