Fantasy Football 2011: Week 11 Waiver Wire Scoops

The Houston Texans were dealt an enormous blow on Monday afternoon as it was announced that Matt Schaub will miss the of the season with a lisfranc injury. Many of you may remember Dwight Freeney a couple seasons ago dealing with this injury and it's one that resulted in the end to the season. Larry Johnson and Kevin Jones were also a couple of backs that dealt with this ailment. Basically, the lisfranc joint is where the front part of the foot meets the middle part of the foot and the injury results in a small fracture in that joint. Matt Schaub's injury is on his right foot, so when he transfers weight from his back foot with his hitch step to his front foot during the throwing motion, it should result in a lot of pain. The Texans have the AFC South locked up and it's a foregone conclusion that Matt Leinart will be their QB in the playoffs. All owners can do is cut Schaub in redraft leagues as he will likely have close to 10 months of time for treatment. Of course when the quarterback on an elite team goes down, there are going to be some ramifications for all the players in that offense. Let's go over them:

Matt Leinart- The former 10th pick in the 2006 draft is back in the saddle of being an NFL starter. He completely fell on his face in Arizona with a completion percentage of 57, a very low 6.54 YPA and a pedestrian passer rating of 70.8. How bad are those numbers? Based on the stats among the quarterbacks in 2011, his 57 percent ranks 28th, YPA at 25 and passer rating at 31st. Clearly. Terrible.

Leinart is thrust into a situation that he is not used to though. He has a phenomenal offensive line and arguably the best rushing attack in the league (an easy argument to make). In Leinart's two seasons where he has the largest sample size, 2006 and 2009, the Cardinals ranked 30th (2006) and 28th (2009) in rushing yards per game.

OK. So how does that affect his fantasy value? Well, defensive coordinators would be out of their minds not to put eight in the box and will likely keep the other safety in when they Houston goes to a two-wide set (which they should for the majority of the snaps). There's a good chance that guys like Andre Johnson could be in zero coverage (man coverage with no safety help) and if you've seen Andre play, you know he'll whip just about any corner nine times out of ten on a ball that isn't terrible.

The former Heisman winner has reportedly been outstanding in the Kubiak system and his preseason stats would support that statement. In his last two games of the 2011 preseason, he averaged a 77-percent completion rate and 8.2 YPA. Is Leinart going to be a QB that averages over 250 yards with three touchdowns per game? No. He does have a chance to be an efficient QB that can be a sneaky play a few weeks since he is equipped with a favorable schedule and one of the most talented receivers in league history.

Arian Foster- The most valuable player in all of fantasy is not likely to see much of a change in his sky-high value. He is absolutely rolling with four monster performances and even though his quarterback is gone, those five big and strong fellows in front of him will continue to pave the way for him. While the Texans are likely to score less than their current clip of 27.3 PPG, the fact that they're likely not going to blow out teams means Foster should get more carries. Expect him to be taking bows for the rest of the season as fantasy's best back.

Ben Tate- Tate also holds his value with the same type of logic. Since Arian Foster is likely going to get more carries, Tate's immediate value does take a hit since it's less likely for him to have a 100-yard game. However, the likelihood that Arian will get more carries is just rolling the dice more, therefore his chances of getting hurt (pulling his hamstring in particular) do increase. Tate remains a player that needs to be owned across the board because he will be a top-10 asset should Arian go down.

Derrick Ward- The Texans are going to be a run-first O and they could turn to Derrick Ward for up to six touches per game. He proved he was healthy on Sunday with a line of 11 carries for 36 yards and a score. If you think about what happened in Denver with both their backs getting hurt on the same day, it's not impossible that Foster and Tate, who missed all of 2010 with a broken ankle, could suffer the same fate. He's obviously a pickup in only the deepest of leagues.

Andre Johnson- This is the question that is on everyone's mind (at least it should be). Andre Johnson is all set to come back from his hamstring injury after the upcoming bye and he'll be receiving passes from a new guy. To be perfectly frank, Andre is no longer a top-three option at receiver. The Texans are going to run the ball too much for him to rack up those 100-yard games. Leinart had another prolific receiver in Larry Fitzgerald and in the three games Leinart started in 2009, Fitzgerald scored twice. On the downside, Fitz averaged below 50 YPG and five receptions in those games. The Texans O-line should do a much better job protecting Leinart and Andre should be able to flirt with a score per game and yardage in the neighborhood of 80 yards per game. Those are low-end WR1 numbers.

Jacoby Jones and Kevin Walter- Andre Johnson returns, so it's safe to return them back to the waiver-wire pool. The Texans are not going to be passing enough to have deep enough value for their elite WR, an above-average tight end and a second WR. Deep leagues can consider Walter since he gets most of the snaps on two-wide sets.

Owen Daniels- The play-action fake is going to be an extremely valuable weapon for Leinart and Daniels should be the first read on a nice chunk of them. The excessive run-stopping fronts should create a lot of open places to run in the flat and Daniels should hold his current value as a mid- to low-end TE1 in 12-team leagues.

Enough about the Texans. Let's get the scoop on which guys you should be targeting off the wire this week. The list below shows the players that are possibly worth an add for your team. Next to the player's name you'll see a number in parenthesis and that indicates the value of that player compared to the other players on the list. Remember though, that's all things being equal, so if you need a quarterback more than you need a running back on the bench, that changes things. You'll also find an explanation on that player below, too. Yeah, this is the probably the most information-packed waiver-wire article you'll see today.

You can always ask me any question about your lineup on Twitter @MikeSGallagher and follow me for updates throughout the week and plenty of instant analysis on Sunday. Don't forget you can check out my rankings for the rest of the year in this top 200 from last week. Not much has changed.

Quarterback

Matt Leinart (20)
Alex Smith (21)
Vince Young (29)
John Skelton (35)
Matt Flynn (38)

Running Back
Kendall Hunter (1a)
Lance Ball (6)
Chris Ogbonnaya (8)
Montario Hardesty (9)

Kevin Smith(11)
Joe McKnight (12)
Donald Brown (13)
Stevan Ridley (17)
D.J. Ware (18)
Kregg Lumpkin (19)
Jermiah Johnson (28)
Derrick Ward (37)

Wide Receiver

Denarius Moore (1b)
Laurent Robinson (3)
Greg Little (4)
Earl Bennett (5)
Damian Williams (7)
Vincent Brown (10)
Jabar Gaffney (16)
Chad Ochocinco (22)
Donald Jones (23)
Legedu Naanee (24)
Austin Pettis (26)
Steve Smith and Jason Avant (27, 30)
Andre Caldwell (31)
Arrellious Benn (32)
Mark Clayton (33)
T.J. Houshmandzadeh (34)
Harry Douglas (36)
Titus Young(39)

Tight End
Ed Dickson (14)
Jacob Tamme (15)
Delaine Walker (25)

Matt Leinart- See above.

Bottom Line: Leinart having a good offensive line and a fantastic running game makes him a backup in 12-team leagues and a guy worth grabbing in some two-QB leagues.

Alex Smith- Smith hasn't done much from a fantasy perspective. He has just 11 passing scores and just 189.9 passing yard per game. Those averages will get you about 15 points each game, so I wouldn't expect him to be your answer for the long haul (which explains why I like Leinart more). Smith does have a nice matchup against the Cardinals. The Cardinals are prone to giving up the long ball and at least Smith tried to connect with Braylon on a deep ball last week. If you're in a pinch and don't really feel like rolling the dice on some completely unproven guys, Smith could be your band-aid.

Bottom Line: Smith is a spot-start QB this week and is a backup in 12-team leagues.

Vince Young - It's a 2006 NFL Draft "bust" reunion with Young and Leinart! Party! Andy Reid would not commit on his starting quarterback for their upcoming division battle with the Giants of New York. Michael Vick is dealing with two broken ribs and with the Eagles reeling, he should be considered very unlikely for Week 11. Switching gears, Vince Young has completed more balls to the other team this year by throwing his only ball to DeAngelo Hall. Let's be honest, if you're going to add Vince Young it's not going to be for his passing prowess. V.Y. has a career YPC of 5.6 and Andy Reid has seen most of his quarterbacks use their legs with (a younger) Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick. Contrary to what Sunday's game may suggest, he has some nice weapons around him. If Michael Vick could do what he did last year, there's a chance that Young could emerge as a marginal fantasy asset in deeper leagues.

Bottom Line: There are a lot of quarterbacks going down and Young is a player to consider for owners scrambling for a QB in 12-team leagues.

John Skelton- Skelton is probably not in the good graces of many people that had the Eagles in their eliminator pools (just me?) for his performance to the tune of 315 yards, three scores and two picks in the shocking win as a 14-point underdog. Of course he was fortunate enough to have one of the most talented wide receivers the league has ever seen with Larry Fitzgerald saving his butt on multiple throws. The Cardinals do have a nice schedule coming up and of course they play in the friendly confines of the weatherproof University of Phoenix Stadium. Skelton did have a rough go of it last year with a poultry 62.5 passer rating and just 5.25 YPA. He did look like a whole new guy in the preseason with improved numbers and looks to have a grasp of the offense given his play on Sunday.

Bottom Line: When Larry Fitzgerald is the go-to guy, most quarterbacks have a shot of some value. Kolb will probably take his job back, but the Fordham guy could be helpful in 14-team leagues.

Matt Flynn- Stay with me here. The Packers are almost a lock to get the top seed early and there's a good chance Mike McCarthy would rest Rodgers because of how he was concussed last year (which is why he has that fancy new helmet). Flynn would make for a low-end QB1 for possibly Week 16 or if Mr. 130.7 Passer Rating suffers an injury.

Bottom Line: Rodgers owners in deeper leagues might want to handcuff him to Flynn. This is not a joke.

Kendall Hunter- Frank Gore is expected to play on Sunday even though he is dealing with knee and ankle injuries. The ankle injury has been nagging him for the past month or so and Gore has multiple knee injuries on his resume (including torn ACL injuries to his left and right knees in college). Hunter has been nothing short of impressive in his rookie campaign by ripping off runs at a 4.8-YPC clip with adept pass protection to boot. He has clearly shown that he would be the main man should Gore miss time this week and is easily a top-three handcuff. Furthermore, there's a decent chance the Niners get locked in as a two or three seed and they would obviously rest Gore for those games.

Bottom Line: Hunter should be owned in all competitive leagues.

Lance Ball- There is good news and bad news for the Bronco backfield. The good news for them is that Willis McGahee is just day-to-day with a hamstring strain and appears probable for Thursday's tilt with the New York Jets. The bad news, Knowshon Moreno is out for the rest of the season with the gruesome torn ACL injury. The combination of this news still means Ball is a very strong add in most leagues though. First and foremost, the Broncos are going to be running the ball constantly and Ball could become what some would compare to as Jonathan Stewart in Fox's system with the Panthers sans goal-line duties. More importantly, McGahee has a couple metaphorical fender benders with a broken hand and that aforementioned hammy. If Miles Austin and Arian Foster have taught us anything this year, it's that hamstrings are flaring up a lot in 2011. Also don't forget Willis is part of the torn ACL club, too. Ball has been a solid 4.1 YPC despite having his season long being only nine yards (so no big runs to throw off the average).

Bottom Line: There's only one more injury in the way from Ball becoming a possible RB2. He's also going to frequent low-end RB3 value in his current position. He should be owned in all competitive leagues.

Chris Ogbonnaya- One week after stinking up the joint with a 2.2-YPC average against the Texans, Silent G more than doubled that average with 4.7 YPC to finish with 109 yards from scrimmage on 21 touches. Yes, this did come against the hapless St. Louis run defense. That was enough to put to bed Thomas Clayton could be usurping the first-team carries sans Hardesty and Hillis. Speaking of Hillis, he has already been ruled out for Week 11 against the Jaguars (more on Hardesty below). OGB is the heavy favorite to carry the load against the Jags and could be a low-end RB2.

Bottom Line: He is the clear starter for now and has some skills as a pass-catching back. He should be owned in most 12-team leagues.

Montario Hardesty- While Hillis was ruled out, the calf injury that has keep Hardesty out of action for the past three games has not cost him another game.. yet. Hardesty does have a game as the workhorse this year with a 33-carry load against the Seahawks, so there's a very good chance he would be the lead back provided with a clean bill of health. Pat Shurmur said that he thinks Hillis should be back at some point, but his back-to-back early rule-outs suggest he might not. Hardesty is more of a speculative add at this point and he might require a week or two of patience.

Bottom Line: If your team needs some help in the RB department, Hardesty could be a proactive answer. He's worth thinking about in some 12-team leagues.

Kevin Smith- The Lions had a mildly surprising move by activating Kevin Smith for his first game since tearing his ACL in November of 2010. The Lions reportedly had no interest in signing Smith when they gave him an audition last week, but as it turned out, he looked so good that they took a flyer on him. On Sunday Smith got a piece of the action in garbage time to tally four carries for 14 yards and two catches for 10 yards. Silent Bob figures to see an increased load as he becomes more familiarized with his new team and he could be the lead dog in a matter of time. Before you go nuts, the Lions are a pass-first team and there's still a chance that Jahvid Best makes his return.

Bottom Line: The Lions can score points and Smith might be the in line for double-digit carries as soon as Sunday against the fantasy-friendly Panthers (allow the most fantasy running backs). Deep leagues should have added him (as mentioned on Twitter), but there should be several teams in your 14-team league (and some 12) that could use his services.

Joe McKnight (12)- Ladainian Tomlinson is not going to practice this week and his status is very much up in the air with sprain of his MCL ligament. The Jets have been using the former top prospect out of high school sparingly in their offense as a slot receiver and out of the backfield when Greene and L.T. need a breather. McKnight has been far from good in his small sample size by posting a meager 2.8 YPC. He could also get some action out of the slot with Jeremy Kerley (knee) and Patrick Turner (kidney) very unlikely to go on Thursday.

Bottom Line: McKnight becomes one more injury away from being the top dog on a team that projects to run the ball a lot. He should be owned by most Shonn Greene owners and in most competitive 14-team leagues.

Donald Brown- When you think of the Colts and say "Brown" chances are that running back may not come to mind. Gross. I know. Brown has seemingly a strong grip as the top running back on the worst team in the league as he racked up 14 carries for 53 yards compared to Delone Carter's six carries for 14. His upside is extremely low and he's even on a bye for Week 11.

Bottom Line: His low upside means he should only be on rosters for teams that are scrapping the wire for a spot-start back. That puts him in the 14-team neighborhood.

Stevan Ridley- Ridley got the early work in the SNF game on the first series and didn't do much with it. He finished with five carries for four yards. Nice. The weather is getting colder and the Pats could be taking their foot off the gas in their pass-happy O. BenJarvus Green-Ellis isn't at 100 percent and Ridley would likely be the primary ball carrier in the event Law Firm misses time.

Bottom Line: This one's about upside. The Patriots put points on the board and they haven't abandoned Ridley to this point. He's a lottery ticket in deep leagues.

D.J. Ware- Ware played most of the second half at tailback for the Giants in the bout with the 8-1 Niners. He accounted for nine carries for 34 yards and five receptions for 34 yards. Ware is not capable of being a feature back at this point and if for some reason Brandon Jacobs is befallen, then Da'Rel Scott would likely be promoted as a secondary action. The Giants' banged-up lead back, Ahmad Bradshaw, might not be too far off from hitting the field as his stress fracture is healing. Coach Tom Coughlin said he needs to see Bradshaw practice before sending him out there for a game. Ware is a low-upside guy with some PPR allure.

Bottom Line: With the way the Eagles have played, Ware is a weak flex in some formats. He should be owned in deep leagues.

Kregg Lumpkin- Hey do you know who drafted Tampa Bay's starting tailback LaGarrette Blount? That's right. Nobody. There's a reason why nobody took a chance on him in the draft and why the Titans cut him in 2010 before his breakout campaign in the second half of last season. He's really not that good. He only has one game over 81 rushing yards this year and is having trouble in hitting the holes on stretch plays. The Blount experiment could be coming to a close rather quickly and there's no other back behind him besides Mr. Lumpkin.

Bottom Line: Lumpkin can at least catch balls out of the backfield and it wouldn't be a shock if this becomes a time-share scenario. Owners in deeper leagues can give him a shot.

Taiwan Jones- Man, Taiwan sure can move when he gets in space. He is one of the better backs when he can get to the outside and it's more than just a conjecture that the Raiders would like to get him the ball more. He upped his total to seven carries for 39 yards on Thursday and he could hit the 10-tote mark against the Vikings.

Bottom Line: McFadden's return is on the horizon and it's going to be tough for Taiwan to conjure up some value. Feel free to try him out as a flex in deep leagues this week.

Derrick Ward- See above.

Bottom Line: Would you rather have a third-string back in an awesome running system or a backup in a crappy system? I'd rather have Ward for his upside and he's for deep leagues only.

Denarius Moore- Denarius Moore stole the show on Thursday by taking Quentin Jammer to the woodshed with his second monster game that included five catches, 123 yards and two touchdowns. Add him. Period.

Bottom Line: If you're set at running back, Moore is your man to put as your top priority.

Laurent Robinson- I've always joked about my receiver rating based on catches, yards, touchdowns and drops, without question, Laurent Robinson would have received a perfect receiver rating. He was targeted three times and caught all three to hand in 73 yards and two scores. He's another guy where there's no case to be made. Add him.

Bottom Line: He's going to be a solid WR3 at worst with Miles out. Add him.

Side Note: The Bills have one of the worst CB tandems in the league and I highly doubt Robinson scores twice again. If you have him, consider selling high.

Greg Little- Non-ideal passing conditions in Cleveland didn't stop Little from catching all six of his targets for 84 yards. He also had one carry for 10 yards. Little was on the field essentially for the entire game and has shown his skills as a receiver with several highlight-reel catches through the course of the season. The Browns did turn to the running game more than expected with 30 carries as a team and that's a number they won't likely be able to attain against teams that will overmatch them.

Bottom Line: Little is clearly the WR1 on his team and is primed for a strong finish. He should be owned in most leagues and it feels like he's one game away from busting out.

Earl Bennett- Another game, another time Earl Bennett caught all of his targets. Earl hauled in six passes this time for 81 yards with no scores though (he scored one two games ago). His snaps on the field alone won't make you run to the wire to get him since most of his damage comes on three-wide sets, but the fact that he's becoming a favorite target on third down for Cutler bodes extremely well for his value. Of course it doesn't help that he plays his home games in the Windy City, however, it's not like Bennett is a deep threat.

Bottom Line: We might have found our main man in the Chicago WR corps. He should be owned in most 10-team formats.

Damian Williams- Just when it seemed like it was safe to anoint Nate Washington as the primary pass catcher following the Kenny Britt ACL tear, it looks like Mr. Williams has surpassed him. There is a large enough sample size to just about seal the deal. He had 107 yards and a score on his five receptions against the Panthers on Sunday in a win and the USC Trojan has shown the full repertoire with toe-tap scores in the end zone and breaking the big play with his open-field, 43-yard score. The Titans have done a great job protect Matt Hasselbeck since he has only been sacked 12 times in their nine games (29th in the league) and he should be able to deliver the ball in the vertical passing game.

Bottom Line: He looks like a WR1 on his team and that title gives him value in most 10-team leagues.

Vincent Brown- I went on record multiple times in the middle of the week saying Vincent Brown was my WR sleeper for the week (here, here, here, here, here and here as well as being my cover boy here) and he came through with a beast of five catches for 97 yards and a score. Brown saw his targets increase by 50 percent with nine and was open for most of the game. It's tough to evaluate him with Malcom Floyd's future so cloudy, but we do know that he will have value as the WR2 in a Whale's Vagina San Diego. Brown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he has exceptional deep-threat ability which is something that Rivers used to have a knack for.

Bottom Line: Brown should be a high-end WR3 this week against Bears. He does need Malcom Floyd to be ruled out though. He's a decent add in 12-team leagues until further notice.

Jabar Gaffney- Leonard Hankerson is going to miss the rest of the season with a torn labrum. Gaffney should go back to his lead role in the Washington receiving corps and Grossman had gone to him quite a bit in the early part of the year with seven, eight, six and four targets before Sexy Rexy lost his job. That was also with Santana Moss in the lineup. Anthony Armstrong could also be someone to target in deeper leagues.

Bottom Line: Gaffney isn't sexy, but he doesn't have much in his way from being the top target getter with the struggling Skins. He should be owned in 12-team PPR leagues and is a decent start vs. the Cowboys.

Chad Ochocinco- Who the heck was that wearing 85 on the Patriots? Chad Javon Ochocinco caught both of his targets for 65 yards against the Jets on SNF. Could this be the start of a beautiful friendship with him and Brady? Eh. Probably not. Nevertheless, there could be something here and if he happens to score Week 11 against the Chiefs on MNF, he might have some value with the way ESPN will talk him up.

Bottom Line: He's just a flyer right now and he's really high on the list based solely on how there could be a sucker in your league that will overpay for him should he hit paydirt on primetime TV.

Donald Jones- With F.J. going off for 113 yards on the ground, D.J. outperformed S.J. in the ugly loss to the Cowboys on Sunday. By the way, if you have to ask how much it costs for a Z.J., you can't afford it. Beerfest jokes aside, Donald Jones proved he's going to be a staple in the starting lineup at the flanker position for Buffalo. He saw 10 targets and caught six of them for 51 yards. Many of those targets were of the deep variety too. The Bills D is flat out deplorable and Fitz will need to pass to keep them in games.

Bottom Line: Jones is a deep threat and could have score on TD bombs every other game or so. There's a good chance of that against the Miami Dolphins in Week 11. He's worth a shot in some 14-team leagues.

Side Note: Stevie Johnson was a bit under the weather and he tweeted how he was feeling late Saturday evening. His game has taken a nosedive this year and his value has likely hit its low point on the year. The Bills can't play defense and will likely have to air it out most of the time to try and come back. Johnson is an exceptional buy-low wide receiver.

Legedu Naanee- All season long we've been waiting for Brandon LaFell to leapfrog Naanee on the depth chart. Guess what? It hasn't happened as we approach Week 11. Naanee lead the team in catches with eight and was second in targets with nine. This is something new for Naanee since he has been known for getting targets and not making them count. LaFell hasn't eclipsed the two-catch plateau in any of his last five games and it looks like the starting job opposite Steve Smith is Naanee's to lose.

Bottom Line: The Panthers can go only as far as Cam Newton can take them. He is passing quite a bit and there's a chance Naanee has value in some PPR leagues now that it looks like he and Cam are on the same page.

Austin Pettis- There wasn't a whole lot of offense in Cleveland and Brandon Lloyd is clearly the go-to guy for Sam Bradford. For what it's worth, Pettis was second in targets with four, second in yards and tied for second in targets. At this point, it looks like he is the second option in the passing game. Things should turn around for him as the Rams won't have to deal with the elements at home for their next two games against the Seahawks and Cardinals. He should have more value in PPR leagues and could become one of Bradford favorite guys on third down.

Bottom Line: Pettis has upside in an offense that will need to throw the ball with their lowly run D. He's a decent guy to grab in deeper PPR formats.

Steve Smith and Jason Avant- This one is going to be tough to project. Jeremy Maclin figures to sit out with a sprained AC joint in his shoulder (the joint that allows you to raise your arm above your head). DeSean Jackson has made it abundantly clear that he is not capable of being a receiver that can take over a game with making first downs to complement his speed down the field on the fly routes. So why so tough to project? Vince Young. It's tough to say how Young will help or hinder the value of any of these receivers. Based on Smith improving and his team-high 10 targets vs. AZ, he figures to be the favorite for receptions among receivers in Maclin's absense. Avant wasn't much of a factor with his single target.

Bottom Line: This is a sticky situation with new receivers and a new quarterback under center. If you have to have one of these guys, Smith figures to be the guy. As you can see, there are quite a few guys I'd prefer as my WR4 or WR5 in deeper formats.

Andre Caldwell- A.J. Green is probably not going to miss any time with his most recent knee injury. Caldwell doesn't have much value with Green in the lineup, so maybe Green owners in deep leagues might want to view him as a handcuff. Caldwell looks to be in front of Jerome Simpson for Dalton's second favorite wideout though. He was targeted eight times on Sunday.

Bottom Line: The Bengals get some good teams coming up (not counting Cleveland) and they might be more apt to pass to keep pace. Caldwell could be a flyer for deep leagues.

Arrellious Benn- Benn has fallen off a lot since making noise with three games in a row with a 30-yard catch. Benn did have one of those on Sunday and led the receivers in targets. The Bucs are going up against some formidable offenses and are really struggling to move the ball on the ground. That means Josh Freeman could be looking up top for Benn when the situation dictates a quick strike.

Bottom Line: Flyer time! Guess who the Bucs get Week 11? Yup. The Packers.

Mark Clayton- Clayton made his debut on Sunday and did nothing with one target for a goose egg. It's a good sign for him to hit the field and he figures to see plenty more snaps as the season goes along. On paper, he's a better X or Y than Austin Pettis and may get more snaps than the Hawaii product. Although don't forget the Rams run a lot of three-wide sets and Pettis figures to be a more likely option as a hot route for Bradford since defense blitz the Rams a lot.

Bottom Line: He was solid last year before suffering an injury and the Rams get a nice schedule for the upcoming month. He's worth a shot in deep leagues.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh- Whosyourmomma and Carson Palmer got a few extra days to get on the same page following the big win on Thursday. The former Beaver was lining up at the X, Y and Z for the Raiders all game long and saw a decent amount of looks through Carson's progression. He might be a bigger factor in the O with Jacoby Ford likely out.

Bottom Line: You might want to add him just so you can say "T.J. Whosyourmomma... Championship!" Temper your expectations and this is just s speculative add with the Raiders lacking depth and continuity at the WR spots.

Harry Douglas- The Saints decided it was a prudent move to not cover Harry Douglas late in the fourth quarter, yet they were able to emerge victorious thanks to a silly call by Mike Smith. Douglas found himself in a good position to put up numbers since Julio Jones is dealing with a hamstring again. The Falcons did not update his status and he is likely going to be questionable. We've heard this song before with Julio and Douglas failed to produce.

Bottom Line: Feel free to handcuff Julio to Douglas as they'll take on a suddenly hot Titans pass D.

Titus Young- Maybe it was because the Lions got housed by the Bears, but Young saw nine targets and caught seven of them for 73 yards. The 7-of-9 was second on the team (with more than two targets) for the second-highest percentage catch-per-target ratio on the team. There isn't quite a changing of the guard yet as Burleson caught eight of his nine targets and also led the team in yards on Sunday.

Bottom Line: Young is a flyer at best.

Ed Dickson- Dickson went berserk with 10 catches, 79 yards and two scores in the loss to the Seahawks. His 14 targets also led the team in the most impressive tight-end performance of the weekend. Dickson had some value earlier in the year and we suggested him as a sneaky play against the Jags. As fate would have it, Dickson was a no-show and it subsequently led to many fantasy owners cutting bait. This line is too good to ignore and he might be a low-end TE1.

Bottom Line: It's been very tough to project tight ends this year. Dickson could be the next guy to put a string of games together or he could be a one-and-done guy. If you don't like your TE, maybe give him a shot? I'm Ron Burgundy?

Jacob Tamme- Tamme was one of about 18 guys we mentioned last week and he didn't disappoint by leading the team with the following stats: six catches, eight targets and 75 yards. He should be a fairly safe bet to catch five balls. Don't expect a lot of scores though.

Bottom Line: The Colts suck.

Delaine Walker- The Niners do not stretch the field at all and Walker has been a very reliable guy for Alex Smith in tough spots. This is a matchup call and I think Walker is a darkhorse for a score on Sunday against Arizona.

Bottom Line: The is my "Stewart-to-Westbrook Hail Mary in The Big House" play. I dare you to play him if Jimmy Graham is on a bye.

Well.. That's it. As always if you need any help feel free to post your comments below or send them to me on Twitter.