Week 7 waiver wire: Shonn Greene has arrived
Who doesn’t love running backs who break onto the scene like Shonn Greene did this week?
I’ll tell you who, the people with crud filling their RB slots who didn’t heed my advice the last couple of weeks to get him before he had a shot to do anything. Well, with Leon Washington’s season-ending broken leg, Greene will now get plenty of touches.
Get on your waiver wire and start bidding and prioritizing to get the Jets back, especially you dynasty-leaguers. Thomas Jones had another good game this week, but the Jets’ future running back is Greene.
Greene isn’t the only back you should target heavily this week, I’d go after Jamaal Charles, too. You see, Larry Johnson is a problem child. He’s going around tweeting bad things about his coach and Twitter fans. And through it all, LJ displayed elementary school-level grammar errors.
Now I’m no NFL analyst, and I don’t live in Kansas City, but if I’m a member of the Chiefs ownership I’m not happy that an overpaid and underproducing running back is being an ass in a public forum like Twitter. That unlocks the door for Charles.
Charles is better, faster, more explosive than Johnson. He averaged 8.3 yards per carry, gaining 33 yards on just four carries on Sunday. LJ was given the ball 16 times and managed 49, just 3.1 per clip. That should open the door.
This seems like the perfect opportunity for Todd Haley to relegate LJ to the back end of the RBBC and get Charles some more opportunities. A Google search a few minutes ago unearthed a headline that says Johnson has been banned from practice and team activities, so target Charles fast.
What other players should you target in trades and on waivers this week? Here are just a few to target, and a couple to avoid:
Quarterbacks
Alex Smith – His performance Sunday – 15/22, 206 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT – was enough for Singletary to make a change at QB. Could be a decent play in Week 8 against Indianapolis.
Matt Guttierez – Went 1-for-1 for 3 yards. It’s just a blip. Matt Cassel is still the starter in that fantasy wasteland they call Kansas City. Until there’s more talent than just Dwayne Bowe, we’ll never know what Cassel is capable of post-New England.
Josh Johnson – I’ve been saying he’s someone to watch, and I’m not going to jump off the ship just yet after his terrible performance against the Patriots. He completed just nine of 26 for 156 yards and three interceptions, though he did have one TD pass. I’m not jumping off, but I am standing next to the railing
Bruce Gradkowski – Gradkowski replaced JaMarcus Russell and went 10-for-19, for 97 yards. Those aren’t Tom Brady-esque, but they’re not Russell-esque either. Gradkowski’s rating was 67.2, which is awful, but twice as good as Russell’s 31.1. I wouldn’t waste waiver priority on him, but if you have some turd holding your No. 3 QB slot in deep leagues, Gradkowski might be a little less awful considering the supposed skill position talent in Oakland.
Ryan Fitzpatrick – Wasn’t great, 11-for-22 for 123, but threw a TD. He’ll probably get another start this week, but Edwards is the starter and will retake his spot when he returns. I’m not so sure that’s the best move.
Jason Campbell – Impressed against a crumbling Giants defense, threw 43 times, completed 29 for 284 and 2 TDs. He was picked off once, but Devin Thomas and Fred Davis were the best receivers in the game for the Redskins. If they can emerge and displace some of the coverage on Santana Moss and Randle-El, this offense could start to live up to it’s potential.
Jake Delhomme – Threw for 325 yards! You should pick him up. Just kidding, he also threw three picks. Jake, you are predictable.
Running backs
Donald Brown – While Joseph Addai had a solid fantasy game with 64 yards and a TD, it took him 20 carries. Brown had two carries for 58 yards, including a 45-yarder. He’ll continue to steal carries, but I expect him to be the first Colt out of the block in a RBBC, or the outright starter, next year.
Justin Fargas – The Raiders were in rally mode for a long time against the Jets, but Fargas still managed 67 yards rushing on just eight carries. He added 3 catches for 23 yards, and earned more carries even when Darren McFadden returns from his injury. In related news, Michael Bush did much less (25 yards) with the same amount of carries as Fargas.
Jason Snelling – Read some things on Snelling in the preseason about how he was going to steal some carries from Turner and Norwood. His performance Sunday – 68 yards on 7 carries and 1 catch for 10 yards – explains why. With Norwood’s injury, Snelling might be a viable flex play against the right matchup.
Mike Bell – The Bell rings again. He had 12 carries on 80 yards, including a 35 yarder. He did that in just 1-1/3 quarters against the Dolphins. If you own one of the starters, Pierre Thomas or Reggie Bush, and Bell is available, you should own him as insurance if you can.
Beanie Wells – Show of hands, who was hoping Beanie would fall on his face all year, then re-invent himself in 2010 as CHRIS Wells? Welp, that ship has sailed. Wells had 14 carries for 67 yards and three catches for 10 yards. Meanwhile “starter” Tim Hightower had four carries for nine yards and a TD and two catches for 11 yards. Wells should only get better as the season progresses.
LeSean McCoy – Westbrook suffered a concussion and McCoy got to be the backfield’s big dog. He had just 37 yards on 14 carries and 30 yards on five catches. Blame it on the Redskins defense. McCoy shouldn’t be available in any leagues.
Wide receivers
Josh Morgan – Had four catches for 62 yards. Does Alex Smith’s return boost Morgan or Michael Crabtree more? Stay tuned, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to hold Morgan as your No. 5 receiver.
Mohamed Massaquoi – While he managed just one 22-yard reception, it was because Derek Anderson struggled mightily heaving the pigskin. MM was targeted eight times to lead the team. I didn’t see the game, but the numbers alone tell me Massaquoi is being given routes that will get him open and is getting open but that Derek Anderson is holding him back.
Bobby Wade – Eight targets, four catches, 66 yards. But he’s a Chief, there are only a handful of Chiefs worth owning, and Wade isn’t one of them.
Austin Collie/Pierre Garcon – Because my love affair with the No. 3 Colts receiver runs so deep it hurts. Collie had four catches for 36 yards and a TD and Garcon had three catches for 24 yards. on the surface it would appear that Collie is pulling away, but Garcon (8) was second to Reggie Wayne (9) in targets. Collie had six, but did more with his.
Danny Amendola – Look, he’s a Rams receiver, so please understand that I cannot recommend him without many warnings. But if you play in a league that rewards individuals for returns, Amendola will do that. He also had five catches for 389 yards and five targets, more than No. 1 receiver Donnie Avery. He has 14 catches and 115 yards so far this season.
Sidney Rice – A while back, I said Rice should not be available on any waiver wires, despite his sharing targets with Percy Harvin and Bernard Berrian. he led the team with 14 targets, 11 catches and 136 yards on Sunday.
Percy Harvin – Targeted 10 times, Harvin only came down with three of them for 42 yards. He also had one run for seven yards. But, has been the case several times this year, he proved his worth as a special teams monster with an 88-yard kickoff return for a score.
Mike Wallace – Out Percy-Harvin’ed Percy Harvin on the offensive side Sunday. Wallace had 2 carries for 19 yards and three catches for 72 yards and a TD on just four targets.
Sam Aiken – With Joey Galloway and Julian Edelman licking wounds, Aiken could get some more looks going forward, but I wouldn’t expect him to break a 54-yarder or even finish with 66 yards and a TD very often.
Sammie Stroughter – Another guy who has more value if you get points for returns. But unlike Amendola, he has shown some flashes outside of special teams. He had three catches for 63 yards and has 16 for 214 on the season. I’d hold him as a No. 5 or 6 receiver in deep leagues, and he could be a little higher in leagues that reward returns.
David Clowney – This is Jerricho Cotchery’s and Braylon Edwards’s team for now, but Clowney is a receiver worth monitoring. There aren’t enough passes to go around that offense for three guys, but dynasty leaguers shouldn’t let Clowney sit on waivers.
Louis Murphy – Another Raider on this list? Yes, I am ashamed. But, if Gradkowski can improve the offense and get the ball to some playmakers, things could get interesting. Murphy was targeted 10 tims and finished with four catches for 58 yards.
Lee Evans – Evans had five catches for 75 yards and a TD. But his nine targets were a more interesting statistic. It seems as though the backup QB likes throwing to Evans.
Eric Weems – Ok, he caught his only two targets for 33 yards and a TD. I know he’s competing with Tony Gonzalez and Roddy White for the targets, but there are only so many double-teams a defense can throw around and there should be guys open in the Falcons passing game. Maybe Weems emerges as the compelling third threat that Michael Jenkins, Brian Finneran and Marty Booker haven’t been so far this season.
Devery Henderson – Had four catches for 71 yards. Lance Moore’s over in the corner pouting because he thought it was his turn to get the other catches in New Orleans this week.
Brian Hartline – So the Dolphins have this rotating wide receiver thing that is really not fun for fantasy owners. Brian Hartline was the main dude this week, catching 3 for 94 yards on five targets. He had a 67-yarder. He’s got 10 catches for 157 yards this season. That’s a pretty good average out of a less-than-explosive offense. Hartline is worth a waiver pickup.
Greg Camarillo – His six targets and five catches for 55 yards were far from exciting, but compared to the numbers put up by Davone Bess and Ted Ginn Jr., two guys drafted ahead of him in a lot of leagues, he’s John Taylor to Hartline’s Jerry Rice.
Anquan Boldin – Hah, found him on the waiver wire because of his “injury.” That high ankle sprain must really have hurt him on that 44-yard catch. Boldin was targeted 7 times and caught three for 75 yards. Boldin plays hurt. Trade him if you don’t like it, but you should never drop a player that talented. Ever.
Hakeem Nicks – Has emerged as the big-play threat to go with the catcher-of-all-passes Steve Smith. Nicks has a TD in four straight games, he made four catches for 80 yards on four targets on Sunday.
Steve Smith – Led the Giants with 10 targets and finished with four catches for 69 yards
Mario Manningham – Manningham had more targets than Nicks (8) and the same number of catches (4). He had an unspectacular 47 yards and a really bad drop that would have put the Giants in position to score.
Jeremy Maclin – Led the Eagles with seven targets and finished with five catches for 53 yards. Emerging compliment to DeSean Jackson. That’s going to be a terrifying combo for teams to gameplan against for years.
Santana Moss – Targeted nine times and made six ctaches for 74 yards. For years, Moss has either had 3 catches for 12 yards or 4 catches for 278 yards and 4 TDs. What’s with the averageness?
Devin Thomas – Second-year player out of Michigan State had three catches for 45 yards and a TD against the Eagles. He’s got offensive skills and great size for wide receiver. He could be ready to break out, but I wouldn’t expect huge numbers out of the Redskins offense.
Tight ends
Michael Gaines – The new Browns TE had two catches and 30 yards on two targets Sunday. Don’t go get him now, but keep an eye on him. If his targets increase as he gets more acclimated, contemplate an add.
Spencer Havner – Had two catches for 59 yards, including a 45-yarder, and a TD. He’s not a tight end, he’s a linebacker. You probably can’t pick him up in your league, and probably don’t want him either.
Gary Barnidge – Played in 15 games last year and didn’t have a single catch. But like Dante Rosario’s out of nowhere arrival last year, Barnidge had three catches for 77 yards and 6 targets. One of his catches was a 52-yarder. I wouldn’t waste waiver priority on him, but his performance is worth monitoring because he had a 52-yard catch and could emerge as a more consistent threat than Rosario.
Fred Davis – Chris Cooley’s injury opened the door for a monster game – well, monster for a tight end, that is. He had eight catches for 78 yards and was targeted 10 times to lead the Redskins. Cooley will be out 6-8 weeks with a chipped ankle – that sounds painful as hell, doesn’t it? – so Davis could see more opportunities in the future. There is one catch, the Eagles haven’t exactly been good against tight ends this season, so hope he can repeat his performance Sunday but don’t expect it.
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