Hitting The Waiver Wire For Week 13; Matchups To Watch For

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Week 13 of the football season is upon us and week 13 of your fantasy season. Like last week I will go over the top five waiver wire acquisitions as well, the top three matchups I like that could potentially help you get a win over your opponent.

The first player I see jumping off the boards this week is Green Bay Packers quarterback Matt Flynn, who is owned in just over one percent of leagues. While I was not high on Flynn after he was benched in favor or Terrelle Pryor on the Oakland Raiders, I am high on Flynn running the Packers offense. Flynn has a positive track record, albeit a small sample size, it is positive. This week I like Flynn taking on the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. I think Flynn is worthy of a start if you have a bad matchup, or had one of the myriads of quarterbacks the Packers have started this year.

The second player I like this week is Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer, who is owned in just over 11 percent of leagues. Another former Oakland Raider I was not high on with his time in the Silver and Black has turned the page and regained his gunslinger form in Arizona. While Palmer had tossed quite a few interceptions this season, his rate is slowing down, not having thrown one in his last two weeks. I would spot start Palmer this week against the Philadelphia Eagles and stash him on your bench for starts down the road against the St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans.

The third player I see coming off the boards this week is Minnesota Vikings running back Toby Gerhart, who is owned in just over one percent of leagues. With Adrian Peterson dealing with some injury issues still, Gerhart is going to be the recipient of some extra carries. In the last two weeks Gerhart has only managed 15 carries, but made the most of it going for over 150 yards combined. If you ask me any running back that averages 10 yards a carry is worth a shot. So I like Gerhart if you have Peterson, or need a flex start.

The fourth player I like this week is Oakland Raiders wide receiver Rod Streater, who is owned in just over six percent of leagues. While Streater is not the a-typical number one receiver, he has been doing as much for the Raiders of the past few weeks, and I expect that to continue this week on Thanksgiving when the Raiders take on the Cowboys. I like Streater this week as a second receiver option of a flex, and like him going forward against the New York Jets, and San Diego Chargers.

The fifth player I would take a shot on this week is Houston Texans running back Dennis Johnson, who is owned in just over one percent of leagues. With Arian Foster done for the season, and Ben Tate dealing with some injuries, I could see Johnson taking the majority of the carries again this week as he did last week if Tate continues to perform below the norm. I like Johnson as a handcuff to Tate owners, or a flex start if you are in dire need of a running back.

Now that I have gone over the top five waiver wire pickups I will go over the top three matchups I think you could benefit from starting players in to get a jump on your opponent this week.

The first matchup I like this week is a Turkey Day special as the Oakland Raiders face off with the Dallas Cowboys. This has always been one of my favorite games as a Raiders fan. But the same can be said for Cowboys fans, when facing the Raiders since 2003. I expect this game to be another fun and challenging back and forth contest. While I don’t expect the teams to score in the 30’s, that’s not completely out the realm of possibility. One quirk could be the return of Darren McFadden, so I caution Rashad Jennings owners on the start. On the Raiders side I like Matt McGloin, Rod Streater and Sebastian Janikowski. On the Cowboys side I like Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray, Jason Witten and Dez Bryant.

The second matchup I like this week is another Turkey Day special as the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Baltimore Ravens. In this classic AFC North matchup, it’s a battle between two teams looking to fight their way into the playoffs. I could see this game being a shootout, which is no wonder I don’t like either of these defenses that are usually stout against one another. On the Steelers side I like Ben Rothelisberger, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders. On the Ravens side I like Joe Flacco, Ray Rice and Jacoby Jones.

The third matchup I like this week is a Monday night game as the New Orleans Saints take on the Seattle Seahawks. This is a potential playoff preview as the Saints travel into the Seattle to take on the Seahawks. On the Saints side you have a high powered offense that likes to spread the ball around, while on the Seahawks side you have a stout defense that is charged by the downhill running style of their offense. I could see this game going either way, but I do think the Saints are one for the upset here as the Seahawks are coming off a bye week. On the Saints side I like Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston. On the Seahawks side I like Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch and Percy Harvin.

That’s all for this week, check back next week when I go over the top five waiver wire pick ups and the top three matchups to watch for.

Hitting The Waiver Wire For Week Twelve; Matchups To Watch For

Welcome in week 12 of the football season and week 12 of your fantasy season. Like last week I will go over the top five waiver wire acquisitions as well, the top three matchups I like that could potentially help you get a win over your opponent.

The first player I see jumping off the boards this week is Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bobby Rainey, who is owned in just over 37 percent of leagues. Rainey ran wild last week against the Atlanta Falcons after a solid performance in relief during the Miami Dolphins contest. Back-to-back strong performances has me buying Rainey. I like Rainey as a second running back option or a flex from here on out.

The second player I like this week is Chicago Bears quarterback Josh McCown, who is owned in just over four percent of leagues. Jay Cutler is on the mend, and is scheduled to start next week, but this week McCown gets the start as the Bears face off with the St. Louis Rams. I like McCown for the start, and would be a good handcuff for Cutler owners going forward if he happens to get injured again.

The third player I see coming off the boards this week is Houston Texans tight end Garret Graham, who is owned in just over 23 percent of leagues. The Texans offense has been dysfunctional but Graham has been picking up where Owen Daniels left off. I like Graham this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars who have their own issues on both sides of the ball.

The fourth player I like this week is actually a defense, the Cowboys defense, who is owned in just over 35 percent of leagues. The Cowboys defense has allowed major points in a few games this year, but this week against the New York Giants I see a great game by the defense. I like the Cowboys this week as a spot start.

The fifth player I would take a shot on this week is Detroit Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson, who is owned in just over two percent of leagues. Coming off an injury where the wideout has not played since week three tempts me for all the wrong reasons. What can Burleson add to the Lions offense? I like Burleson as a spot start for a flex this week, and could be a solid contributor for the rest of the season if he picks up where he left off.

Now that I have gone over the top five waiver wire pickups I will go over the top three matchups I think you could benefit from starting players in to get a jump on your opponent this week.

The first matchup I like this week is the Minnesota Vikings at the Green Bay Packers. Divisional matchups are always fun, and this Vikings and Packers matchup is no different. In this pairing I see a high scoring game, at least for the Packers. The Vikings have been struggling all year so its no wonder I only like one player on their team, Adrian Peterson. On the Packers side I like Scott Tolzien, Eddie Lacy and the defense.

The second matchup I like this week is the Dallas Cowboys at the New York Giants. Another divisional matchup. This on is also a Sunday night game when the Cowboys travel to New York to face off with the Giants. In this game I see a Cowboys team running all over the Giants to keep within striking range of the Philadelphia Eagles for the playoffs. For the Cowboys I like Tony Romo, DeMarco Murray, Jason Witten, Dez Bryant and the defense.

The third matchup I like this week is the Denver Broncos at the New England Patriots. When Tom Brady and Peyton Manning take the field opposite of one another is has perennially been a good game, this week should be no exception as the Broncos are coming off a good win and the Patriots are coming off a bad loss. It is also the home coming for Wes Welker to face on his former team. On the Broncos I like Manning, Knowshon Moreno, Eric Decker and Wes Welker. On the Patriots I like Tom Brady, Stevan Ridley, Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola.

That’s all for this week, check back next week when I go over the top five waiver wire pick ups and the top three matchups to watch for.

Hitting The Waiver Wire For Week Eleven; Matchups To Watch For

Welcome in week 11 of the football season and week 11 of your fantasy season. Like last week I will go over the top five waiver wire acquisitions as well, the top three matchups I like that could potentially help you get a win over your opponent.

The first player I see jumping off the boards this week is Green Bay Packers quarterback Scott Tolzien, who is owned in just over one percent of leagues. With Aaron Rodgers down for a few more weeks, and Seneca Wallace likely out for the same time, Tolzien will be getting the nod in Green Bay. In his time last week Tolzien threw for 280 yards and a touchdown but did throw two interceptions. I would like to give him the benefit of the doubt and say the interceptions came as he was thrown into the fire against a hot Philadelphia Eagles squad, so I still like Tolzien as a spot start going forward against the New York Giants.

The second player I like this week is Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Brian Leonard, who is owned in just over three percent of leagues. With the Buccaneers original backup running back Mike James done for the season with a broken ankle, now its time for third down back Leonard to get his share of carries with the first team offense. While Leonard managed just 57 yards on 20 carries last week against Miami, I could see his value spiking this week against the Atlanta Falcons. Going forward the Buccaneers play the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints so I could see Leonard having sustainable value. I like Leonard as a bye week start this week or a flex start in deeper leagues going forward.

The third player I see coming off the boards this week is Cleveland Browns running back Chris Ogbonnaya, who is owned in just over three percent of leagues. With Willis McGahee not turning the page in his career as far as making an impact with the Browns offense, it looks like Ogbonnaya might start getting more plays. However, this might not mean Ogbonnaya will become the starting back, but will take some carries away from McGahee. So far on the season Ogbonnaya has topped out at five carries, with his best production coming in week six against the Detroit Lions with seven catches for 61 yards with a touchdown and five rushes for 24 yards. I could see this kind of production coming back to life as the Browns faceoff against the Pittsburgh Steelers twice and the Jacksonville Jaguars in the final weeks of the season. I like Ogbonnaya as a spot start for a flex in deep leagues.

The fourth player I like this week is New England Patriots running back Shane Vereen, who is owned in just over 70 percent of leagues. I like Vereen coming back this week on Monday night football against the Carolina Panthers. Despite being out of action since week one against the Buffalo Bills I have high hopes for Vereen. While I don’t expect Vereen to have a 100-yard showing in his first game back, I do expect him to have a good showing with a possible touchdown in the mix. I like Vereen as No. 2 running back or a flex start.

The fifth player I would take a shot on this week is Miami Dolphins wide receiver Rishard Matthews, owned in just over three percent of leagues. While I don’t see Matthews putting up quite the same numbers as he did Monday night in the Dolphins game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I do see his workload ramping up as the season progresses. I like Matthews as a spot play this week for a bye week receiver or a flex receiver in a deeper league.

Now that I have gone over the top five waiver wire pickups I will go over the top three matchups I think you could benefit from starting players in to get a jump on your opponent this week.

The first matchup I like this week is the San Francisco 49ers at the New Orleans Saints. Two NFC teams bound for the playoffs facing off in a week 11 matchup. The 49ers are coming off a loss in which they failed to reach double-digits in scoring while the Saints are coming off a blow out loss to the Dallas Cowboys. This game is going to be a good barometer for each team to see what they need to fine-tune going forward to the playoffs. While I don’t see this game going over 60 total points, I could see each team scoring in the high 20s. On the 49ers side I like Colin Kaepernick, Frank Gore and Vernon Davis. On the Saints side I like Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston.

The second matchup I like this week is the Kansas City Chiefs at the Denver Broncos. In an AFC West showdown the undefeated Chiefs go into Mile High to take on the Broncos. This matchup pairs up two teams looking to ride into the playoffs with the AFC West crown in their back pocket. The Chiefs are coming off a bye week in which they had two weeks to prepare for Peyton Manning’s aerial-assault, while the Broncos are coming off 28-20 win over the San Diego Chargers where Manning himself went down along with the collective breath of the fan base. I see this game being somewhere in the teens to low 20s favoring the Chiefs. On the Chiefs side I like Jamaal Charles and the Kansas City defense. On the Broncos side I like Peyton Manning, Knowshon Moreno and the Denver defense.

The third matchup I like this week is the Washington Redskins at the Philadelphia Eagles. The Redskins and their pitiful defense will travel to Philadelphia to take on the red shot Eagles. The Redskins are coming off a loss to the Minnesota Vikings while the Eagles are coming off back-to-back wins in which they were the underdog. Now the Eagles are favored, so time to stick with them and their red-hot backup gunslinger Nick Foles. On the Redskins side I like Robert Griffin III and Alfred Morris. On the Eagles side I like Nick Foles, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson.

That’s all for this week, check back next week when I go over the top five waiver wire pick ups and the top three matchups to watch for.

Hitting The Waiver Wire For Week Ten; Matchups To Watch For

Welcome in week ten of the football season and week ten of your fantasy season. Like last week I will go over the top five waiver wire acquisitions as well, the top three matchups I like that could potentially help you get a win over your opponent.

The first player I see jumping off the boards this week is Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles, who is owned in just over 30 percent of leagues. While I don’t think Foles will have another seven-touchdown game like he did against the Oakland Raiders last week, I think he can continue to have good games as he connects with his wide receivers like DeSean Jackson and Riley Cooper. I would grab Foles if you had Michael Vick, or need a bye week start at quarterback.

The second player I like this week is Houston Texans running back Ben Tate, who is owned in just over 69 percent of leagues. Tate was one of those guys drafted with the intention of holding onto him until Arian Foster went down. Well that time has come and Tate is making the most of it. Despite the quarterback quandary in Houston, Tate’s production should not vary. I would grab Tate if you had Foster or need a bye week start at running back.

The third player I see coming off the boards this week is Green Bay Packers quarterback Seneca Wallace, who is owned in just one percent of leagues. With Aaron Rodgers down and Wallace the only backup in site for Green Bay, he will be thrown into the fire again this week against the Detroit Lions. However, now with a week of play under his belt I feel confident that Wallace can deliver a good fantasy production. I would grab Wallace if you have Rodgers or need a bye week start at quarterback.

The fourth player I like this week is Houston Texans quarterback Case Keenum, who is available in just over six percent of leagues. Keenum had a huge game with Andre Johnson last week. While I don’t see them pairing for three touchdowns every week going forward, I could see Keenum tossing multiple touchdowns as he gets comfortable with the offense. I like Keenum going forward if you like the Texans offense, or just need a bye week start at quarterback.

The fifth player I would take a shot on this week is Green Bay Packers running back James Starks, who is owned in just over 24 percent of leagues. While Starks is still not the go to back in the Green Bay offense he has put together solid games in back-to-back weeks along side of Eddie Lacy. I like Starks going forward, especially if the injury to Aaron Rodgers goes on for more than one week, as the Packers will look to run the ball more with Lacy and Starks. I would take a shot on Starks if you have Lacy, or need a bye week flex start.

Now that I have gone over the top five waiver wire pickups I will go over the top three matchups I think you could benefit from starting players in to get a jump on your opponent this week.

The first matchup I like this week is the Philadelphia Eagles at the Green Bay Packers. In what was slated to be a matchup between marquee quarterbacks, it is now likely a matchup between backup quarterbacks as the Eagles Nick Foles will go up against the Packers Seneca Wallace. While I don’t see Foles tossing seven touchdowns again, I do see this game being a barnburner with the scoring in the high 20s to low 30s. On the Eagles side I like Foles, LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson. On the Packers side I like Seneca Wallace, Eddie Lacy, James Starks and Jordy Nelson.

The second matchup I like this week is the Dallas Cowboys at the New Orleans Saints. A pair of gun slingers who are used to playing in a dome, one offense with a go-to receiver and the other offense with a group of legitimate receivers and two top end tight ends. This is the story line of the Cowboys and Saints this week. On the Cowboys side I like Tony Romo, Dez Bryant and Jason Witten. On the Saints side I like Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston.

The third matchup I like this week is the Denver Broncos at the San Diego Chargers. There are not many better matchups all season than this when the Broncos travel to San Diego to take on the Chargers. The Broncos are sitting at second place in the AFC West, despite having what most talking heads called ‘the best offense in football.’ While the Chargers are somewhat of a revelation as throw to the curb Phillip Rivers is coming back to life as a top 10 quarterback. I expect a show down as the two teams battle for positioning in the AFC West. On the Broncos side of the ball I like Manning, Knowshon Moreno, Julian Thomas, and Wes Welker. On the Chargers side of the ball I like Rivers, Antonio Gates and Keenan Allen.

That’s all for this week, check back next week when I go over the top five waiver wire pick ups and the top three matchups to watch for.