Fantasy Football 2011 Waiver Wire: Week 3

If your fantasy league is anything like mine, the free agent pool is pretty shallow right now - filled with a bunch of "what ifs" and "never-will-bes." That said, there are a couple of a guys worth looking at, especially if lost someone to injury in week two.

Dexter McCluster, RB, Kansas City
With Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles out for the season with a torn ACL, Kansas City and fantasy owners are searching for a replacement. The guys best-equipped to replace Charles is McCluster. While Thomas Jones will likely get more carries at first, I see McCluster as the guy with more upside. However, despite his big play potential, he doesn't have the frame to withstand the every-down pounding of a featured back. I'm not sure McCluster is a fantasy starter right now, but he worth a roster spot, especially for Charles owners.

Roy Helu, RB, Washington Redskins
The more touches Helu gets the more he looks like an emerging NFL running back. Helu played much of the second half in Sunday's win over the Arizona Cardinals and looked solid in relief of Tim Hightower. I'm ready to say Helu should replace Hightower as the starter in Washington, but if Hightower get injured or his fumbling problem returns, Helu will be an exceptional replacement. Stash him on your roster now before his value gets too high.

David Nelson, WR, Buffalo Bills
After a ten catch performance in week two, Nelson is officially on the fantasy football radar. So far this season, Nelson has 14 catches for 149 yards and a touchdown. The Bills have quietly become a very good offensive team with a solid quarterback in Ryan Fitzpatrick. Nelson gives the Bills a nice complementary wide receiver opposite Steve Johnson. Nelson is big (6'5") slot receiver who will see his fair share of targets this season. Nelson is more valuable in PPR leagues than in standard leagues.

Denarius Moore, WR, Oakland Raiders
After a sensational preseason, Moore (pictured) proved he's no fluke by catching five passes for 146 yards and a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. Moore took advantage of his opportunity to play with Jacoby Ford and Darrius Heyward-Bey inactive on Sunday. Moore looks like a guy who's the most ready to be a fantasy starter. Even when Ford and Heyward-Bey return to the field, the Raiders would be dumb to keep Moore on the sidelines (draw your own conclusions on that one).

Eric Decker, WR, Denver Broncos
Much like Moore, Decker took advantage of his increased playing time with Denver's top wide receivers on the sideline. Decker caught five passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns with WRs Brandon Lloyd and Eddie Royal both nursing groin injuries. It looks like Lloyd (Denver's top target) will be back this week, but Royal could be out for several more weeks. With Royal out, Decker will likely start opposite Lloyd and he's a good option for fantasy owners. My one concern with Decker is he has a history of injuries, so use him now.

Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Tennessee Titans
If Cam Newton or Ryan Fitzpatrick are still available in your league, pick them up immediately, if those guys aren't available go with Hasselbeck. The former Seattle QB has found his groove in Tennessee, a lot sooner than most expected. Hasselbeck dazzled in week two, torching the Baltimore Ravens for 358 yards and a touchdown (he threw two TDs in week one). With defenses focused on stopping RB Chris Johnson, Hasselbeck should find plenty of space to get the ball to WRs Kenny Britt and Nate Washington. If you're (really) desperate for a QB, Hasselbeck is you guy (especially the next two weeks: vs. Denver and at Cleveland).

Fred Davis, TE, Washington Redskins
I told you to pick-up Davis last week after his five catches for 105 yards in week one. Davis followed that up with a week two performance that included six catches for 86 yards and a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals. Look for Davis to play a big role in the Redskins offense this year, especially with TE Chris Cooley playing with an injured knee. If you're league requires you start a tight end, Davis needs to be on your roster. Even if your league doesn't require a tight end, Davis is a solid waiver wire option (again) this week.

2011 Fantasy Football: Tuesday Takeaways

Every Tuesday The Source takes a look back at the weekend (and Monday night) that was in the NFL. Here are The Source's ten takeaways from week two.

1) Kansas City is the latest franchise to enter the Andrew Luck sweepstakes. The Detroit Lions destroyed the Chiefs on Sunday 48-3. The worst part of that loss for the Chiefs, their all-world running back Jamaal Charles (pictured) tore his ACL and is done for the season. If you're looking for a replacement for Charles, here's a list of guys in line to replace him for the Chiefs (in order of pick-up): Dexter McCluster, Le'Ron McClain and Thomas Jones.

2) Cam Newton is great for fantasy football owners, but not so good (yet) for his real team. In two games, Newton has thrown for over 800 yards and has four total touchdowns (3 passing/1 rushing). While those numbers are great for fantasy, his three interceptions Sunday against the Green Bay Packers doomed the Panthers again. Newton may not be ready to lead Carolina to close-game victories, but he's ready to lead your fantasy team. If he's still on the waiver wire, pick him up.

3) The future looks bright in Cincinnati after rookie quarterback Andy Dalton nearly led his team to victory over the Denver Broncos on the road on Sunday. Dalton looked in command most of the game, especially at the end. Fellow rookie A.J. Green was spectacular as well catching 10 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown (which was amazing by the way). Dalton also found a groove late in the game with WR Jerome Simpson, who caught 4 passes for 136 yards. Dalton is the opposite of Newton right now, good for his team, but not necessarily for you fantasy team. As for Simpson, give him a long look if you need a wide receiver replacement. If you have Green, make sure he's in your lineup weekly.

4) Mike Tolbert, Ryan Mathews, Mike Tolbert, Ryan Mathews - this is going to be a tough to sort out all season. Tolbert was great in week one, Mathews was great in week two, that makes for a fantasy football dilemma. The thought after week one was that Tolbert would be the lead man in San Diego. However, after a dud of a performance Sunday against New England, Tolbert isn't the clear-cut favorite anymore. Mathews looked like the better runner in week two, he ran tough, he was more decisive and he caught the ball nicely. Tolbert still has value, but after watching him get stuffed (multiple times) at the goalline and lose a costly fumble, one can only wonder if the pendulum has swung back in Mathews' favor. Keep both in your lineups this week as the Chargers host the lowly Kansas City Chiefs.

5) MVP voting after two weeks: 1) Tom Brady 2) Everyone else

6) The Buffalo Bills erased an 18-point first half deficit on their way to a 38-35 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday. The Bills are now 2-0 this season and QB Ryan Fitzpatrick is the main reason for the early success. Fitzpatrick is the most underrated quarterback in the NFL and now has a seven touchdowns on the year (30 TDs in his last 15 games). Fitzpatrick has brought stability to Buffalo's offense and he's made a star out of WR Steve Johnson (and maybe WR David Nelson and TE Scott Chandler). Fitzpatrick turns 29 in November so his career still has some legs. The Bills need to do the right thing and reward Fitzpatrick with a new contract for his solid play. Fitzpatrick has several good fantasy match-ups coming up, against teams with shaky pass defenses. That's good news for Johnson, Chandler and Nelson (who you should be picking up this week). Side note about the Bills: RB Fred Jackson is leading the NFL in rushing. Their offense is pretty good.

7) The Minnesota Vikings are off to a 0-2 start, but don't blame WR Percy Harvin. The team's most talented wide receiver has played well this year, despite being on the field only a fraction of the snaps as his fellow (less talented) wide receivers. ESPN1500's Tom Pelissero did his weekly breakdown of the Vikings game and the tape doesn't lie - Harvin is being grossly under-utilized by the Vikings. According to Pelissero, Harvin played just 30 of the team's 68 offensive snaps in Sunday's 24-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That means that Harvin was on the sidelines (55% of the plays) more than he was on the field (45% of the plays). Despite his lack of playing time, Harvin still led a below-average wide receiver group in catches and yards (7 catches for 76 yards). Also according to Pelissero's report, Harvin's not being used in the red zone either, in fact the numbers are much worse. Against the Bucs, Harvin was on the field for just three out of the Vikings 17 red zone snaps. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the Vikings need to get Harvin on the field more, which is good news for Vikings fans considering early returns suggest new Vikings offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave is not a genius.

8) The Green Bay Packers have the offensive fire power to outlast most opponents, but their defense has some major flaws. A year after ranking near the top of the league in total defense, the defending champs are near the bottom after two weeks this year. They're giving up nearly 500 yards a game and they've surrendered back-to-back 400-yard passing games to start the season (Drew Brees and Cam Newton). Things won't get easier for the Packers after it was revealed this week that Pro Bowl safety Nick Collins will miss the entire season with a neck injury. The Packers defense is still a solid fantasy play because of their big play potential, but in reality, they have major issues.

9) It's time to show some respect to Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo. After getting lambasted by virtually every fan and member of the media after the Pokes week one loss to the New York Jets, he led his team to victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday with a broken rib and a punctured lung. Physicians will tell you, doing anything with a punctured lung can be potentially life-threatening. So let's back-off Romo a little bit and give the guy his due. If you have him on your fantasy team you'll want to monitor his progress throughout the week and prepare for him to be out. Just because he played through the pain Sunday, doesn't mean he'll be good to go Monday night against the Washington Redskins.

10) The Tennessee Titans gave in to RB Chris Johnson's demands for a new contract, but he's hardly repaying them on the field. In the first two weeks, Johnson has 77 rushing yards on 33 carries, that's a 2.3 yard average and to make matters worse for Johnson owners, Titans head coach Mike Munchak now says he wants back-up RB Javon Ringer to get more touches. There are two ways to approach this situation if you own Johnson in your fantasy league: 1) Stand pat and hope he regains his form or 2) trade him. I recommend holding on to him - but only because his trade value is so low right now.

2011 Fantasy Football: Week 2 NFL Preview

It happens every year, and I'm guilty of it, fantasy football owners jump to conclusions after just one week. While there are some situations that become more clear once real football starts (i.e. Mike Tolbert > Ryan Mathews, James Starks > Ryan Grant), it's too soon to consider your season a disaster just because Matt Ryan melted in Chicago or Chris Johnson ran like a guy who's still holding out.

As you're watching the games this weekend, here are five things to keep your eye on. They aren't the sexiest topics and Terry and Howie won't be tackling them on Sunday morning, but they might just give you an advantage in your fantasy league going forward. And really, that's what's most important.

The Atlanta Falcons offense vs. Philadelphia
Falcons QB Matt Ryan threw for over 300 yards in Atlanta's opening weekend loss to Chicago, but failed to toss a touchdown. Ryan also looked shaky in the pocket throwing an interception and losing a fumble. I'm sure if the Bears defense is that good or if I've overstated Ryan's fantasy value. One thing I noticed from the cheapseats (and again, maybe it was the Bears defense) was the Falcons offense needs to get more creative and less conservative. I'd like to see Ryan force the ball downfield more to Roddy White and Julio Jones. Also, ten carries for Michael Turner won't cut it. He's the guy who helps the passing the most. When he's running well defenses are on their heels. Again, all this may have been the result of Chicago's defensive scheme - that's why I want to see this game this week.

Greg Salas replaces Danny Amendola in St. Louis
I'll be watching this game primarily because it's the only game on TV at the time. St. Louis and the New York Giants play on Monday night and I'll be watching to see if Rams rookie Greg Salas (pictured) can be a PPR machine like Danny Amendola was before his elbow injury. Amendola suffered an elbow injury in week one that could keep him out a couple of a weeks (six weeks was the last I read). If Salas can fill that slot role for St. Louis, he has value in PPR leagues. More importantly I want to watch this game to see if the Rams passing offense can get on track. QB Sam Bradford looked like a lost man on the field throwing for 188 yards and zero touchdowns. The Rams have a brutal schedule ahead, a ton of injuries and an offense that is still new. I want to see how they respond against a very good Philadelphia team.

Cam Newton vs. Green Bay's defense
Newton threw for 400 yards in week one and the Packers gave up 400 yards through the air in week one to Saints QB Drew Brees. This match-up intrigues me for a couple reasons, first, I want to see how Cam Newton handles the Packers' complex defensive schemes. You can count on Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers to mix-up coverages and personnel to try and confuse the rookie QB. If Newton can handle the Packers pressure and keep the Panthers close in this game, then I have high hopes for the young man. The Packers are much better than the Arizona Cardinals who Newton torched last Sunday. The other reason why I'm interested in this game is because the Packers defense showed very little resistance against a very good New Orleans offense in week one. I want to see if the Saints were that good or if the Packers were that bad. Sunday's game at Carolina should provide us with some clarity.

Cincinnati's WRs
This is probably the least sexy topic of the bunch, but I want to see what Cincy's WR Jerome Simpson and rookie A.J. Green do this week against the Denver Broncos. Simpson led the post-Chad Ochocinco/Terrell Owens/Carson Palmer-era Bengals with nine targets in week one and could be a PPR league sleeper. As for his running mate Green, he was quiet for most of the last weekend's game until the third quarter when caught his only pass (4 total targets), a 41-yard game-winning TD (from QB Bruce Gradkowski not Andy Dalton). In Green's defense he was being covered most of the afternoon by Cleveland's Joe Haden, who's one of brightest young cover corners in the league. I want to see if Dalton and Green can establish a rapport - and maybe the rookie duo can connect on their first pass.

Rex Grossman and the Washington wideouts (and tight end)
Rex Grossman is a poor man's Eli Manning, at least when it comes to his standing in the court of public opinion. Not sure why people dislike Grossman so much, especially when you consider in his last four games (including the three he started last season), he's thrown for more than 280 yards per game on average and two touchdowns. This week, Grossman and the Skins face an Arizona defense that got shredded by a quarterback who is nine months removed from kissing the Waterford Crystal football after leading Auburn to a national championship (Cam Newton's line vs. AZ: 422 yards passing, 3 TDs (2 pass/1 rush). Grossman is a sneaky fantasy play this week, but I'm more interested to see which one of his receivers he targets the most. Santana Moss led the way with 8 targets (6 catches for 76 yards), Jabar Gaffney was next with 7 targets (3 catches for 54 yards) and Fred Davis, who looks like a real player, had 6 targets (5 catches for 105 yards). These are all guys you should look at in PPR leagues, Moss and Davis should be considered in most standard leagues as well.

2011 NFL Schedule: Week 2

SUNDAY, SEPT. 18  (All Times ET) 
Kansas City at Detroit  1:00 PM
Baltimore at Tennessee  1:00 PM
Cleveland at Indianapolis  1:00 PM
Oakland at Buffalo  1:00 PM
Tampa Bay at Minnesota  1:00 PM
Chicago at New Orleans  1:00 PM
Jacksonville at NY Jets  1:00 PM
Seattle at Pittsburgh  1:00 PM
Arizona at Washington  1:00 PM
Green Bay at Carolina  1:00 PM
Dallas at San Francisco  4:05 PM
San Diego at New England  4:15 PM
Cincinnati at Denver  4:15 PM
Houston at Miami  4:15 PM
Philadelphia at Atlanta  8:20 PM

MONDAY, SEPT. 19
St. Louis at NY Giants  8:30 PM

Week 2: Good calls, bad calls

If you checked out this blog last week, then you probably did okay this week in your fantasy football league. It was one of those good weeks where many of the predictions came true. It won’t happen every week, so help me celebrate a successful week two.

Bad Calls:
Jahvid Best – RB Detroit
I was very high on Best entering the season. I had no idea that he would have the kind of impact he’s had less far. My bad call on Best this week was, I left him off my week top 40 RB rankings. So technically, I had 40 other RBs ahead of Best this week. I missed him completely and he had a huge week. You can bet I won’t miss Best again.

Randy Moss – WR New England
I thought Darrelle Revis’ hamstring injury was a ploy and he would shut Moss down. It turns out Revis was gimpy and unable to completely shut down Moss. Moss made a terrific one-handed catch for a long TD. I hope you kept Moss in your line-up (my opponent didn’t. Thanks for reading my blog).

Tim Hightower – RB Arizona
You won’t find this one on my blog, but on Twitter I told a fantasy football owner to consider Arian Foster over Hightower (sorry Justintime56). Hightower scored an 80-yard TD against the Atlanta Falcons. I have no read on Hightower. I advise you to never ask me about him again.

Good Calls:
Ahmad Bradshaw – RB New York Giants
I warned Brandon Jacobs’ owners his days may be numbered in New York, but man, I didn’t see this coming. The big RB went off Sunday night, accidently tossing his helmet into the stands in disgust. Bradshaw is the Giants best option going forward, look for him to continue to carry the load.

Kansas City Defense
I proclaimed the KC defense back, and in week two they held up their end of the bargain. I said the new Chiefs defense had “an active secondary that could make plays.” Wouldn’t you know it, Brandon Flowers intercepted a pass and returned it for a TD. Add Dexter McCulster, Javier Arenas and Eric Berry to the mix and KC is a pretty good defensive option in your starting line-up.

Mark Clayton – WR St. Louis
After a solid week one performance, I targeted free agent Clayton in my league. I hope you did too. Clayton finished week two with two TDs. As I predicted, Clayton is on pace to score more fantasy football points than TJ Houshmanzadeh, who replaced him in Baltimore. If Clayton’s still available in your league, stop wasting time and go get him.

Shonn Greene – RB NY Jets
I made the statement that Greene may have peaked as a RB. While I'm not ready to write his professional football obituary, I am looking pretty good on that call. Greene's running mate, LaDainian Tomlinson, is looking more like the Jets go-to RB. Tomlinson is averaging more than six yards per carry in the first two games and has outrushed Greene 138 yards to 70 yards (virtually same amount of carries: LT: 22, Greene: 20). Look to dump Greene to someone who doesn't know any better.

Percy Harvin - WR Minnesota
I have warned you about Harvin and his injury risk. If it's not his migraines (he missed another practice Wednesday because of a migraine), it's his hip; if it's not his hip, it's something else. This guy will keep frustrating you all season long. He's a long way from being a weekly fantasy football contributor and it might be time to cut ties, at least sit him on your bench. As for my other prediction about the Vikings receiving corps, Visanthe Shiancoe led the team in receiving for a second straight week. The big TE is the only Vikings receiver worth a look at this point. Bench Brett Favre too, if you haven't already.

Adrian Peterson vs. Chris Johnson
You had the feeling Peterson was due for a big game, and he certainly didn't disappoint. He out rushed Johnson (AP: 145 yards, 1 TD; CJ: 34 yards) and added five catches for 51 yards. Look for Peterson to have another big game this week against the Detroit Lions. And we should cut Johnson some slack, he did face a stout Pittsburgh defense. He should bounce back nicely with a game against the New York Giants. I give the week three (slight) advantage to Peterson again.

Michael Vick – QB Philadelphia
Most people picked Vick to have a solid game against the Detroit Lions, but few expected him to be named starter in week three. I'm not ready to call him an every week starter yet, but he's looking a lot like the Vick of old, and that's a good thing.

Jerome Harrison – RB Cleveland
After just nine carries for 52 yards in the first game, the Browns vowed to get Harrison the ball more. In week two Cleveland did just that, handing the ball to Harrison 16 times. Harrison responded by rushing for a dismal 33 yards. Now he's battling a thigh injury, expect less from Harrsion and more from Peyton Hillis.

Put It In Print: Week 2 Predictions

If you're going to say it, why not put it in print. Throughout the week I have a tendency to throw out random NFL predictions to anyone who will listen. Fortunately, most of my friends are fantasy football owners. This post is a snapshot of what's going on in my head.

•The Jets are losing faith in Shonn Greene and now it’s in the young RBs head. Greene fumbled twice against Baltimore and was quickly replaced by LaDainian Tomlinson, who led the Jets with 62 yards rushing. It’s clear now that Greene should get used to splitting carries with LT for the entire season. Greene should no longer be considered a number one fantasy football RB.

•Percy Harvin was a wasted pick this year. He has missed more practices this season than he’s attended. Harvin is plagued by another injury, this time it's his hip. Harvin should get comfortable on your fantasy football bench, because he's not worth a spot in your starting line-up. There are other WRs out there who are better, and don’t require your attention every day of the week. Let Harvin find a new home. Visanthe Shiancoe is the only Vikings receiver I’d want on my team.

•The battle over who’s the best RB went to Chris Johnson in week one, but that will change in week two. Look for Adrian Peterson to get the ball a lot in the Vikings home opener against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Peterson said he wants the ball 40 to 50 times a game. He’ll take 20+ carries this week on his way to a monster week 2.

•Michael Vick is back in the starting QB role and the situation couldn’t be better. Vick, who looked sharp in relief of concussed Kevin Kolb last week against Green Bay, faces a Detroit defense that gave up 372 passing yards to Chicago’s Jay Cutler last week. Vick’s in line for a big game, feel good about starting him over more established QBs.

•Jerome Harrison is going to aggravate fantasy football owners all season. He looked like a great match-up in week one against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, only to get 9 carries for 52 yards. Sell this guy to an owner that doesn’t know any better.

•Mark Clayton impressed me during the preseason with the Baltimore Ravens. He was a good compliment to Anquan Boldin and Derrick Mason. The TJ Houshmanzadeh deal makes no sense to me. I expect Clayton, who’s now catching passes from St. Louis Rams’ rookie Sam Bradford, to have a better year than Houshmanzadeh.

•If you think Darrelle Revis’ hamstring is bothering him, don’t buy it. My guess is it’s a ploy to get Tom Brady to throw his way on Sunday. Expect Revis to be locked on Randy Moss the entire game and shut him down. Unlike Joe Flacco in week one, Brady will take his shots against Revis, but that won’t last long. On the other side, Wes Welker will have a field day with Antonio Cromartie and Kyle Wilson covering him. Welker is the Pats number one WR this year.

•If you think Arian Foster’s 231 yards week one performance was a fluke, think again. This guy is very capable of grabbing the rushing title this season. He plays in a great offensive system that mixes run and pass extremely well. If someone in your league is looking to sell Foster at his peak, make an offer because Foster will be a solid #1 RB all season long.

•When you drafted Malcom Floyd this season, you probably envisioned Vincent Jackson type numbers from him. I hate to tell you this, but Floyd is the number three receiving option in San Diego behind Antonio Gates and Legedu Naanee. Yes, Naanee will have a better fantasy football year than Floyd. Get Naanee if you still can.

•The ‘D’ is back in Kansas City. It wasn’t long ago that the Kansas City Chiefs were a highly sought after fantasy football defensive squad. They had Dante Hall returning kicks and an active secondary that could make plays. With the arrival of rookies Dexter McCulster, Javier Arenas and Eric Berry, it appears those days are back in KC. Feel good about having KC as a defensive option in your starting line-up.

•This is not breaking news, but Peyton Manning is in for a monster season. The Colts have issues on defense and running the ball, and that will lead to more Manning. What you expected from Manning, stats wise this season, you can up that by about 500-600 yards and 5-8 TDs. If the Colts make the playoffs, he’s MVP again because his numbers are going to be ridiculous.

•There is one RB that is running away from the dreaded ‘running back by committee’ tag and he plays in a great offensive system. Ahmad Bradshaw has emerged as the go-to guy for the New York Giants. Look for his role to grow starting Sunday night against the Indianapolis Colts. Brandon Jacobs’ owners don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Week 2: Fantasy Football Rankings -- QB, RB, WR/TE

You will find some new names on the ranking's list this week. Injury has landed a new Green Bay Packer on the list, Michael Vick is a hot property once again and a St. Louis Rams WR is also in higher demand. Here are the week 2 rankings.

QB
1. Peyton Manning vs. Ny Giants
2. Philip Rivers vs. Jacksonville
3. Aaron Rodgers vs. Buffalo Bills
4. Drew Brees at San Francisco
5. Michael Vick at Detroit Lions
6. Tom Brady at NY Jets
7. Tony Romo vs. Chicago
8. Joe Flacco at Cincinnati
9. Matt Schaub at Washington
10. Matt Ryan vs. Arizona
11. Donovan McNabb vs. Houston
12. Eli Manning at Indianapolis
13. Jay Cutler at Dallas
14. Brett Favre vs. Miami
15. Kyle Orton vs. Seattle
16. Jason Campbell vs. St. Louis
17. Carson Palmer vs. Baltimore
18. Matt Cassell at Cleveland
19. Derek Anderson at Atlanta
20. Vince Young vs. Pittsburgh

RB
1. Adrian Peterson vs. Miami
2. Steven Jackson at Oakland
3. Frank Gore vs. New Orleans
4. Michael Turner vs. Arizona
5. DeAngelo Williams vs. Tampa Bay
6. Jamaal Charles at Cleveland
7. Chris Johnson vs. Pittsburgh
8. Maurice Jones-Drew at San Diego
9. Ray Rice at Cincinnati
10. Rashard Mendenhall at Tennessee
11. Ahmad Bradshaw at Indianapolis
12. Arian Foster at Washington
13. Brandon Jackson vs. Buffalo Bills
14. Ryan Mathews vs. Jacksonville
15. Darren McFadden vs. St. Louis
16. Pierre Thomas at San Francisco
17. LeSean McCoy at Detroit
18. Knowshon Moreno vs. Seattle
19. Shonn Greene vs. New England
20. Joseph Addai vs. NY Giants
21. Brandon Jacobs at Indianapolis
22. Matt Forte at Dallas
23. Tim Hightower at Atlanta
24. Jerome Harrison vs. Kansas City
25. Clinton Portis vs. Houston
26. Ronnie Brown vs. Minnesota
27. Cadallic Williams at Carolina
28. Marion Berber vs. Chicago
29. CJ Spiller at. Green Bay
30. Thomas Jones vs. Cleveland
31. Felix Jones vs. Chicago
32. Justin Forsett vs. Denver
33. Jonathan Stewart vs. Tampa Bay
34. LaDainian Tomlinson vs. New England
35. Peyton Hillis vs. Kansas City
36. Ricky Williams at Minnesota
37. Reggie Bush at San Francisco
38. Fred Taylor at NY Jets
39. Willis McGahee at Cincinnati
40. Chester Taylor at Dallas

WR/TE
1. Roddy White vs. Arizona
2. Miles Austin vs. Dallas
3. Reggie Wayne vs. NY Giants
4. Wes Welker at NY Jets
5. Andre Johnson at Washington
6. Larry Fitzgerald at Atlanta
7. Greg Jennings vs. Buffalo
8. Marques Colston at San Francisco
9. Steve Smith (Car.) vs. Tampa Bay
10. Antonio Gates vs. Jacksonville
11. DeSean Jackson at Detroit
12. Anquan Boldin at Cincinnati
13. Hakeem Nicks at Indianapolis (nursing ankle injury)
14. Calvin Johnson vs. Philadelphia
15. Austin Collie vs. NY Giants
16. Randy Moss at NY Jets
17. Jeremy Maclin at Detroit
18. Brandon Marshall at Minnesota
19. Malcom Floyd vs. Jacksonville
20. Santana Moss vs. Houston
21. Dallas Clark vs. NY Giants
22. Visanthe Shiancoe vs. Miami
23. Steve Smith (NY) at Indianapolis
24. Jermichael Finley vs. Buffalo
25. Dez Bryant vs. Chicago
26. Steve Breaston vs. Atlanta
27. Chad Ochocinco vs. Baltimore
28. Pierre Garcon vs. NY Giants
29. Mark Clayton at Oakland
30. Mike Williams (TB) at Carolina
31. Dwayne Bowe at Cleveland
32. Robert Meachem at San Francisco
33. Jabar Gaffney vs. Seattle
34. Legedu Naanee vs. Jacksonville
35. Devin Aromashodu at Dallas
36. Donald Driver vs. Buffalo
37. Hines Ward at Tennessee
38. Vernon Davis vs. New Orleans
39. Johnny Knox at Dallas
40. Mohamed Massaquoi vs. Kansas City
41. Michael Crabtree vs. New Orleans
42. Louis Murphy vs. St. Louis
43. Greg Camarillo vs. Miami
44. Zack Miller vs. St. Louis
45. Brent Celek at Detroit
46. Lee Evans vs. Green Bay
47. Sammie Stroughter at Carolina
48. Mike Williams (SEA) at Denver
49. Mike Wallace at Tennesee
50. Chris Cooley vs. Houston

Working the Waiver Wire

It's extremely rare to go the entire fantasy football season with the team that you drafted. Working the waiver wire is one of the most important things you will do during the season. While most of the stars are already on rosters, a few prize free agents will emerge throughout the year. The biggest news from week one is the season-ending ankle injury to Ryan Grant. The injury leaves the Packers, and Grant owners, with a big hole to fill in their roster. If you're looking to freshen up your team, here are some guys that might do the trick.

Pick Up of the Week:
Brandon Jackson – RB Green Bay – With Ryan Grant out for the season with an ankle injury, Jackson sets into the starter role. When the Packers drafted Jackson in the third round four years ago, they thought they were drafting their starting RB. Jackson never panned out as the starter, but has become a serviceable 3rd down RB for Green Bay. While Jackson will be a household name in fantasy football circles, consider this, Jackson has never played in all 16 games during a season. My point, find out whom Jackson’s back-up will be and keep an eye on him (Packers just signed Dimitri Nance off the Atlanta Falcons practice squad and rookie James Starks is on the PUP list—back after week 6).

Mark Clayton – WR St. Louis – Lost in the Jackson extravaganza are some good WR options, starting with Clayton. With 16 targets in week one, Clayton looks to be settling into a role as Sam Bradford’s go to guy. Clayton is not going to be a fantasy football stud each week, but a #1 WR is worth a roster spot. Consider dropping someone like TJ Houshmandzadeh or Laurent Robinson.

Legedu Naanee – WR San Diego - With Vincent Jackson nowhere to be found, Naanee has emerged as a solid contributor to the Chargers offense. In a wet and nasty Monday night opener, Naanee hauled in 5 balls for 110 yards and a TD over 50 yards. With Malcom Floyd and Antonio Gates getting most of the defense’s attention, Naanee could be in for a big year. He has more upside than guys like Lee Evans and Bernard Berrian at this time.

Mike Williams – WR Seattle – Pete Carroll turned Williams into a star at USC, and he’s trying to do the same in the Emerald City. QB Matt Hasselbeck targeted Williams more than any other WR (6 targets), and Williams is by far the biggest red zone threat the Seahawks have. By into the early season hype and grab this #1 WR on the Seahawks.

Peyton Hillis – RB Cleveland – I’ve been on the Hillis bandwagon from early on in the football season. He is a different kind of runner for Cleveland, a hard-nosed RB who can be shifty. Hillis got 13 touches in Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, taking one in for a TD. Hillis will be used around the goal line and to wear down defenses. I like Hillis as a back-up RB, with the potential to start in deeper leagues.

Jermaine Gresham – TE Cincinnati – It’s hard starting a rookie on your fantasy football team, but sometimes a guy will enter the NFL and enter the mix right away. Gersham appears to be that type of player and he’s landed in a pretty good spot. The TE is sandwiched between Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco in Cincinnati’s line-up. In his pro debut, the rookie was targeted ten times by Carson Palmer, including one catch for a touchdown. Hold off for now, unless your league requires that you start a TE. He will be a good option going forward.

Jason Avant – WR Philadelphia – Avant was the best WR for Philadelphia on Sunday, and he worked well with Michael Vick. Avant had 4 catches for 41 yards, all coming in the second half with Kevin Kolb on the bench. As more teams focus on shutting down DeSean Jackson, look for Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant become more involved in the offense. Avant is also a big target around the end zone. I’d wait on Avant at this point, but be ready to grab him if you need a WR.

Sneaky Pick of the Week:
Kenneth Darby – RB St. Louis – Darby is not going to steal carries from Steven Jackson, but with Jackson’s knee bothering him, Darby may be in play sooner than we think. Jackson had an MRI on his knee on Monday, which revealed no damage. But just the fact that Jackson is getting his knee looked at tells me something is bothering him. If you have a roster spot you can spare, sneak him on your team just in case. Darby will be a hot commodity if Jackson does go down.

Other notable pick-ups:
-Danny Amendola – WR St. Louis – If you’re in a PPR league, he’s worth a roster spot. Poor man’s Wes Welker (w/o Tom Brady).
-Greg Camarillo – WR Minnesota – The Vikings need to find a WR for Brett Favre. Camarillo is another PPR guy who is also a poor man’s Wes Welker (w/o Tom Brady).
-Laurence Maroney – RB Denver – Just traded to the Mile High City to be Knowshon Moreno’s back-up most likely. If you have Correll Buckhalter, look at swapping him for Maroney.
-Matt Hasselbeck/David Garrard/Vince Young – I lumped these guys together because they’re all similar fantasy players. They are good options if you drafted Alex Smith, Matthew Stafford or Mark Sanchez.