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.
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