Hot Pickups – Week Eight
Mike James – With Doug Martin lost for the season Mike James appears to be the next man up in Tampa Bay. James had an exciting preseason and has every-down skills even if Brian Leonard rotated in on passing downs this past Sunday. James is a power back who will not exactly run away from anybody but he has decent lateral quickness and has showed better than advertised vision as displayed in the preseason. James will likely come in as a low end RB2/high end RB3 play going forward for as long as he keeps a stranglehold on the feature job.
Zac Stacy – Started in only 29 percent of leagues last week Stacy has emerged as a high end RB3 option with RB2 upside. Despite the tough match-up versus a rugged Panthers front seven Stacy managed to pile up 89 yards on 21 touches which included four receptions. Stacy has finally emerged and it is time to start him with confidence especially with Bradford lost for the season. Stacy is still available in 51 percent of Yahoo! leagues and needs to be owned in all league sizes and formats.
Jonathan Stewart – Stewart was eligible to come off the PUP list last week but is reportedly still feeling some discomfort in his foot. Stewart quite honestly has been banged up since he entered the NFL and has a high threshold for playing through pain so we were surprised he was not able to even golf and opted for surgery. Stewart remains a top ten talent at the running back position though in Carolina where he loses touches to DeAngelo, Cam and Mike Tolbert he only ranks as a upside RB2 play. Stewart is still available in 94 percent of Yahoo! leagues and should be stashed wherever rosters will allow.
Andre Brown – David Wilson is one of this years circa 2012 Ryan Mathews and with his latest injury expected to keep him out until and maybe past week ten Andre Brown is looking all the more appealing as a stash candidate. Granted in the most competitive leagues Brown will already be rostered, if you are in one of those shallow leagues I could only hope to be a part of Brown should be scooped up immediately. Despite the Brandon Jacobs flashback game in week six Brown remains the better bet for fantasy value when both are healthy as Brown is a plus blocker who will not tip the Giants hand when it the game. Brown has every down skills and should be the lead back and an RB2 option in the inevitable committee brewing in New York. Brown is still available in 87 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Peyton Hillis – Peyton Hillis should be owned in all leagues with Brandon Jacobs, David Wilson and Brandon Jacobs all on the mend. Brown should return when first eligible at which point Peyton Hillis can likely be dropped. Hillis has an every-down skill set and will be able to thrive on a team with elite receiver weapons to open un run lanes for this bruising back. Hillis is available in 91 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Hillis will be a RB4 option until Brown returns.
Percy Harvin – Coach Pete Carroll said Harvin is getting close. And while close may not mean close enough to play there is a growing sentiment that he may start practicing with the team this week. Harvin still has WR1 upside but we expect him to rank as a WR2 for most of this season though that can change in an instant if fastball pitcher Russell Wilson decides to lock on to Harvin throughout their games. Wilson has never had a weapon like Harvin and it will be interesting to note the weekly target volume and whether or not his role increases as the weeks progress. Harvin is still available in 56 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Shane Vereen – Shane Vereen has his cast off and should be ready to return to the Patriots after their bye week. Available in 66 percent of Yahoo! leagues Vereen has flashed the talent to be a fantasy game changer down the stretch for his owners. The Patriots badly need his playmaking skills and you can expect 12-15 touches right out of the gate. Vereen should be stashed wherever rosters will allow.
Darrius Heyward-Bey – Heyward-Bey should be an immediate add with the announcement that Reggie Wayne has been lost for the season. DHB is available in 80 percent of Yahoo! leagues and while he promises to be inconsistent due to untrustworthy hands he has been thrust into a big role and will see plenty of targets moving forward. Its true that a lot of us have long soured on DHB but he has always had potential and he flashed some of it this past Sunday night. Even if you do not believe in DHB, believe in Luck and make the add.
Kendall Wright – Kendall Wright showed up in a big way this past Sunday putting up nine receptions for 96 yards. With Britt officially no longer in the Titans long term plans Wright is now the Titans most talented receiver with Justin Hunter not too far behind. Wright has been relatively quiet but is on pace for close to 120 targets and 80 receptions making him a flex option in PPR and a flex2/3 in standard leagues. Add Wright where available as he has the tools to become the next breakout receiver and find a home in the WR2/WR3 range. Wright is available in
Terrence Williams – Terrence Williams continues to impress and it appears he has officially usurped Miles Austin for the number two receiver role in Dallas. Austin has been on the decline for years and it was expected Williams would be groomed to take Austin’s spot eventually but it is already apparent that Williams may be the better receiver at this point in their respective careers. Williams looks like an upside WR3 the rest of the way. Williams is still available in 51 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Chris Ivory – The Jets made Ivory a workhorse in week seven where he saw 34 carries in one game, or in other words as many carries as he has seen all year total, in one game. Ivory has a lot of talent as a running back but as he is not equipped to play on passing downs as well as Powell he has his snaps thus limited. When the Jets are up or are determined to ground and pound it is Ivory who will get the call. And after a victory over hated division rival Patriots expect Ivory to keep on getting the call. Ivory will be a RB3 with RB2 upside going forward.
Harry Douglas – Douglas shined in week seven in what may very likely go down as the best performance of his career. Douglas has been a mediocre player at best so far in his career albeit with spurts of playmaking ability. His career day was aided by the absence of Roddy White and we do not expect Douglas to repeat this performance, ever. With that said Douglas can still put up decent WR3/WR4 numbers the rest of the way as he showed us all a glimpse of his potential upside and should be added in the 51 percent of leagues he is still available in.
Roy Helu Jr – Roy Helu Jr. showed his fantasy upside to the world this past Sunday with an electric three touchdown performance as he played almost exclusively in Washington’s hurry up/’turbo’ offense. Helu is still nothing more than a high upside handcuff as Morris’ will be Washington’s starter for years to come. With that said until the time that Morris develops reliable hands in the passing game Helu will be the change of pace option with the potential for an increased role when they are playing from behind. Helu is still available in 79 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Jordan Reed – Jordan Reed worked himself into the TE1 conversation in week seven after impressing with nine receptions on nine targets for 134 yards and a touchdown. Reed is still available in 78 percent of Yahoo! leagues and should be a top waiver add this week for those in shallower formats. Reed’s big game came with Fred Davis inactive but he has emerged as the number two option in Washington’s pass game behind only Pierre Garcon and is worth a roll of the dice going forward. This week Reed faces off against the Broncos in a matchup where RGIII will be expected to have an above average amount of pass attempts.
Joseph Fauria – Fauria continues to impress and has emerged as a reliable passing game option for Matthew Stafford, who like other top tier QB’s can be a stud maker. Fauria has very little depth chart climbing left to do and appears to be the second option in the red zone passing attack behind Megatron. Fauria should be scooped by owners who have a tight end on bye or have uncertainty clouding Jermichael Finley and/or Jimmy Graham. Fauria is available in 82 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Drew Davis – Flopmode squad special Drew Davis drew the start in week seven but was blanketed by Darrelle Revis and saw only one reception on the night. Expect him to play much better in the coming weeks especially if Roddy White is out or at less than 100 percent. He is no more than a ocean deep league add but could be worth a stash in case Ryan develops a rapport with him moving forward.
Other names to consider: Tim Wright, La’Von Brazill, Rob Housler
