Hot Pickups – Week Four
Bilal Powell – Powell is still available in 52 percent of Yahoo! leagues, an ownership number that is just ridiculous. There is no other starting running back that is available in more than 50 percent of leagues and the fact he was named starter before the season even started and is still unowned in over half of Yahoo! leagues is baffling. Powell should be atop all of you waiver claim lists this week after busting out with 149 rushing yards while adding two receptions for nine yards. Yes, it is true that he only saw this many touches because Ivory suffered a hamstring injury, but he is expected to miss a couple of weeks giving Powell the opportunity to prove his week three performance was not a complete fluke. Powell is a solid RB3 during the bye weeks until Ivory returns and should be added wherever available.
Jacquizz Rodgers/Jason Snelling – We suggest Snelling before Rodgers much as we did last week as S-Jax is expected to be out through the Falcons bye week. Snelling piled up 111 yards from scrimmage this past weekend with 53 yards on the ground and 58 yards through the air off of four receptions. Snelling is a flex option until Jackson returns. Rodgers had a big day on the ground, leading the backfield in carries to the tune of 86 yards from 18 carries. Rodgers looks like a solid flex2 for as long as S-Jax is on the mend. Rodgers is available in 63 percent of Yahoo! leagues while Snelling is available in 81 percent of leagues.
Santonio Holmes – After a tumultuous start to the season Santonio Holmes’ is available in 88 percent of Yahoo! leagues. There are no other number one receivers available in this many leagues and after showing vintage form Holmes should be snapped up in all leagues as a flex3/bye week filler. Holmes has obvious WR3 upside when Geno is throwing the ball well and after leading a balanced attack against the Bills, we believe that Geno will get more opportunities to test coverage to find his receivers. Holmes will remain a boom or bust fantasy play but for someone you are picking up off the wire he is worth the risk.
Stephen Hill – Despite a strong start to the season Stephen Hill is available in 92 percent of Yahoo! leagues. There is no reason for his ownership numbers to be so low as he is targeted relentlessly by quarterback Geno Smith and has only 20 more yards to go to set a new career high. Hill is far from a finished product but should have some more big games in store this season after seeing his production steadily increase until his 108 yard, one touchdown performance this weekend.
Donnie Avery – Andy Reid knows how to utilize speed….in space. Avery has always been a burner and he was able to torch the Chiefs defense repeatedly on his perfect seven of seven receptions this last Thursday. Avery’s big game coincided with a dud from Dwayne Bowe and we will likely see this scenario play out a few more times this season. Alex Smith likes to check the ball down when nothing materializes downfield and having speedy Avery waiting in the flat will present a lot of big play opportunities. Avery has emerged as a flex2 option for bye weeks and should be added where available. Avery is available in 88 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Kendall Wright/Nate Washington/Justin Hunter – All three of these players are owned in less than half of Yahoo! leagues with Washington at 94 percent availability, Wright at 79 percent available and Hunter at 99 percent. Kenny Britt has been ineffective and may be being phased out of the offense which increases the value of all three Titans receivers. Wright and Washington are flex/flex2 options during the bye weeks while Hunter who should have been drafted in all dynasty leagues qualifies as a bye week filler in deep 14 team and deeper leagues.
Denarius Moore – Terrelle Pryor proved that he can push the ball downfield this past week on Monday Night Football spiking Denarius Moore’s value. A WR3 lock based on sheer talent Moore has found his way back into flex territory after a six reception, 124 effort against the Broncos. This more encouraging news here is that Moore was targeted 11 times suggesting that some semblance of flex value can be maintained during the bye weeks. Moore is available in only 52 percent of Yahoo! leagues, just meeting the cutoff to be included on this list.
Danny Woodhead – If you drafted him, you drafted him for a reason. Woodhead was heralded as a solid PPR sleeper all off season but at only 36 percent owned it seems a lot of owners must have cut bait after just one week. Two weeks later and Danny Woodhead is the Chargers leader in receptions and is second on the team in targets behind Antonio Gates’ 21 by only one. Woodhead has long been a solid flex option in PPR and this year is no different. Add Woodhead in all PPR formats and he makes for an upside bye week filler in standard leagues.
Aaron Dobson – For one reason or another Dobson is still available in 81 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Dobson has immense WR2 upside but is currently no more than a flex2 in deeper leagues. Dobson is an ideal high upside bye week filler, where he will hold upside WR4 value some weeks. Add him if you need a receiver for the bye week crunch or have room on your bench to stash him. Dobson is a solid buy low candidate in dynasty leagues.
Johnathan Franklin – With Eddie Lacy out with a concussion and James Starks leaving the game with an injury Franklin was the next man up for the Packers and proceeded to highlight why we weren’t as high on Lacy as others in the fantasy football community. Franklin went off for 103 rushing yards and a TD on 13 carries while adding three receptions for 23 yards. Available in 90 percent of Yahoo! leagues, owners need to remember that the Packers are on bye this week and Eddie Lacy and perhaps James Starks are set to return in week five stymying the value of this potential pickup. Dynasty league owners will want to check their waiver wire as he may have been dropped by an impatient owner in the first couple of weeks.
Isaiah Pead – With Daryl Richardson proving that he is nothing more than a change of pace back we like Pead even if Richardson returns for this Thursday’s matchup with the 49ers. None of these two running backs are very talented and neither should be an NFL starter but that is the position the Rams are in as they failed to address the position despite ‘moving on’ from franchise player Steven Jackson. Pead is the more dynamic of these two players and operates better in space. Pead has the makings of an upside bye week filler in PPR leagues and is rock solid bench stash in standard leagues. Pead hauled in seven receptions for 43 yards and added a meager 20 yards on six carries despite a long run of 11 yards. Pead is available in 87 percent of Yahoo! leagues and should be added where your roster will allow.
Brian Hoyer – Those in deeper leagues or two QB leagues will want to add Hoyer to the end of their bench as a bye week filler. Hoyer was much more impressive than Brandon Weeden has ever been as a Brown and though it has not been made official yet, he probably secured the starting job for the rest of the season. Hoyer’s 3 TD’s were very impressive even if he threw three interceptions on the day as well. Hoyer is nothing more than a bye week filler but should provide solid value in his spot start.
Heath Miller – Heath is still floating on the wire in 73 percent of Yahoo! leagues and has some value as a flex2/TE2 option. Miller will be leaned on with the Steelers struggling and should provide decent value during the bye weeks. He had only three receptions in his first game back but should see four to six going forward.
