Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups: Week 11
While we’re still waiting on Sidney Rice to announce his official return, we can still look back at Week 10′s fantasy football waiver wire column that brought you a solid performance by Matt Hasselbeck, as well as quality efforts by Fred Jackson and Danny Amendola.
Bye weeks are over, so now it’s all about surviving the latest injury hits and making it through some tough stretches where over-hyped players are simply coming up short.
Take a break from scratching your head and see if this list doesn’t brighten your day. The following waiver wire pick-up suggestions are available in at least 51% of all standard Yahoo! Sports fantasy football leagues.
Note: Not all of these guys are locks to kill it this week, but all are worth a roster spot based on role, play, or potential.
Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys (Available in 66% of all standard leagues)
True, he’s still sidelined with a broken collarbone, and he’s not even guaranteed to return this season, but if there’s any hope, now is the time to snag him for nothing. If you’re a guy who has lost out to, say, Matthew Stafford going down or Chad Henne and Kevin Kolb losing their jobs, this is something you need to strongly consider.
Jon Kitna is playing fairly well, but with the resurgence (if only for one week) of the Dallas Cowboys, one has to imagine what the end of the season could be if Jerry Jones “okays” a return for Romo. If Jason Garrett is going to get a fair shake, we’d think it’s only the right thing to do. If you don’t have much to lose, grab Romo while he’s on the shelf.
Tyler Thigpen, QB, Miami Dolphins (99%)
No one is talking about this guy, and more importantly, just about no one is rostering him. He went 4-for-6 for over 60 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Titans last week, and looks to have the starting job going forward, for as long as he can hold onto it. Thigpen was a solid fantasy play back when he played for the Chiefs, and while he’s no lock to reclaim that “glory”, we do like his potential.
Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks (52%)
It’s a battle of mediocrity in Seattle, where neither Marshawn Lynch nor Justin Forsett are performing like fantasy studs, and no one outside of Seattle (or even in Seattle?) knows which one is the better back moving forward. Both scored a touchdown in Week 10, but we still think Lynch is the narrow winner going forward. With very little running back depth on the waiver wire, you have to keep rolling with the guy who touches the ball the most, and in Seattle, that’s still Lynch.
Marion Barber, RB, Dallas Cowboys (57%)
A Cowboy, that’s a running back? We know, it’s a tough sell, but with the Cowboys making what looks to be a bit of a turn around, there’s hope for even Marion Barber to rise in terms of fantasy value. It wasn’t a break-out game by any means, but Barber took eight carries for 47 yards, an impressive 5.9 yards per carry. It’s not elite production, but it’s a start. Keep your eye on Barber and the improving situation in Dallas.
Keiland Williams, RB, Washington Redskins (90%)
True, the Redskins as a whole were thoroughly embarrassed on Monday night, but if they can take anything positive out of it, it’s that they may have found a gem at the running back position. Clinton Portis is fighting his way back and Ryan Torain is still in the fold, but Williams’s 80 rushing yards and two scores should not go unnoticed. Keep an eye on him and monitor his role. If Torain or Portis go down or falter, Williams could shine in an expanded role.
Kevin Walter, WR, Houston Texans (63%)
The Invisible Man finally made an appearance after going without a reception in three straight games. Walter came out of nowhere to rank among some of the more solid fantasy performances in Week 10, as he hauled in an unlikely six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. With Owen Daniels out of the picture with an injury, Walter could continue to be involved in the offense.
Jacoby Ford, WR, Oakland Raiders (87%)
Everyone thought we’d be talking about Jacoby Jones around this time in the season, but instead it’s a Raiders rookie. Kudos to you, Al Davis, because one of your “measureables” players looks to be panning out just fine. He’s still raw and can’t be fully relied upon, but if Louis Murphy continues to struggle with injuries and no one else steps up, Ford could keep getting his name called. He may not be consistent yet, but he sure is explosive, and when discussing waiver wire options, sometimes that’s more than enough to go on.
Brian Hartline, WR, Miami Dolphins (96%)
We’ve been pumping blood into Hartline’s fantasy veins all season, and finally he hit it big enough for us to jump up one last time and shout. True, the loss of both Chad Henne and Chad Pennington (and insertion of Tyler Thigpen) could change everything, but we still like what we’ve seen, and we like what “could be”. Hartline was already pretty reliable of late, catching at least three receptions in every game but the season opener. His 98 yards off of five catches gave him his second straight game of at least 80 receiving yards, and showed that the defense focusing on Brandon Marshall makes him more valuable than some like to admit. Start looking at Hartline as a decent WR3 candidate.
Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots (83%)
We already knew Gronkowski was more likely to score a touchdown here and there, rather than rack up yardage. However, few up us really had any idea that he was capable of both. Gronkowski notched career highs in receptions (5), yards (72) and touchdowns (3) in Week 11, forcing fantasy owners everywhere to rethink his value. All this, while teammate rookie tight end sensation Aaron Hernandez was held to zero catches. Gronkowski isn’t likely to score three touchdowns in a single game again this year, but he’s clearly worth a look if you need help at tight end.
Anthony Fasano, TE, Miami Dolphins (83%)
Fasano is typically good for one big fantasy effort every season, and then fizzles the rest of the way. So, we can bank on that, or read a little bit more into last week’s performance. One thing that we should consider is that Fasano caught his third touchdown of the season from Tyler Thigpen, who will be starting under center in Week 11.
Take solace in Fasano’s somewhat steady play, too, as he’s had at least three receptions in four straight games. Even if he doesn’t get 100 yards and a touchdown again anytime soon, he could still be worth a look.
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