Pickups After Week 8 - Waiver Wire-  10/30/12

 

Pickups After Week 8 - Waiver Wire

 

 

Tony Moeaki - TE - Kansas City Chiefs

Tony had eight targets this week and caught four of them for 57 yards. Not exactly mind-blowing stats, but they show signs of a guy that once had some promise of heading in the right direction. Kevin Boss is done for the season and for the moment, it appears that Matt Cassel is back under center, so if you need tight end help, keep this option on the table. If he gets a bunch of targets again this week, it's a nice trend to consider.

Nick Foles - QB - Philadelphia Eagles

Nick Foles may look more like a body-surfer from Virginia Beach than a NFL QB, but on the other hand, Mike Vick looks more like Rodney "career clipboard-holder" Peete so far this season as well. The Eagles are sticking with Vick for Week 9, but the leash (pun intended) is short. Don't forget, not only was Nick was absolutely lighting it up in the preseason, but the youngster plays the position in a more traditional manner which MAY be just what the doctor ordered for an Eagles team that needs a fresh start. If you have Vick as your QB and have some bench space, grabbing Nick Foles is a no-brainer from our standpoint.

 

Randy Moss - WR - San Francisco 49ers

Let's be honest, Randy's touchdown last night looked like a Randy Moss play from 2000. They haven't used him much so far beyond a decoy to take the top off the defense, but that may change. The way that team spreads it around, he's just as likely to goose as he is to get you fantasy points, but he's a great bye week option that could put up some nice points for your team on a whim.

 

DeAngelo Williams - RB - Carolina Panthers (at the moment)

I think he'll be traded this week and frankly, will be shocked if he isn't. If it happens, who knows where he'll land, but it will be better than where he is currently playing (expensive third-string behind Stewart & Tolbert). If the Panthers are idiots and don't take whatever they can get for DeAngelo, then he isn't worth a roster spot on your team.

 

Shane Vereen - RB - New England Patriots

Being a Stevan Ridley owner, it sure seems like Shane has more than just two touchdowns this season, but he doesn't. If you make this pick-up, please make sure you are aware that it is really just a security blanket for the Riddler in case he either gets injured or fumbles again and finds himself stuck in BB's doghouse.

 

 

Mike Tolbert - RB - Carolina Panthers

This pickup is fully predicated on the notion that DeAngelo Williams will be traded this week. Tolbert only has 17 carries so far this year, but that number will rise big time if #34 is out of the picture!

Cecil Shorts or Justin Blackmon - WR - Jacksonville Jaguars

With MJD out for an extended period of time, this team will need to pass to stay in games. I like Blackmon more due to his high draft-status and overall talent, but through seven games, Cecil has more than twice as many yards receiving (400 to 193) while putting up three touchdowns to Justin's zero. Despite this being one of the worst offenses in the NFL (even WITH MJD playing) and my dislike of having players on crappy teams, if you are in need of a WR due to injury or bye weeks, keep these two on your radar. 

 

Danny Amendola - WR - St. Louis Rams

Mr. Slot Machine Jr. surprised people by practicing last week for the Rams… so if someone dropped him after his injury and he's available in your league, make sure you grab him! It could still be two to three weeks until he's catching passes again, but if he's practicing, he's obviously getting real close to being healed.

 

Beanie Wells - RB - Arizona Cardinals

We've been talking about picking Beanie up on our Pyro Podcast for weeks. He's still three or four weeks away from returning, but if you have bench space now, he could be just what the doctor ordered down the stretch to help your depth.

Daniel Thomas - RB - Miami Dolphins

It's safe to say that the Dolphins are a more complete football team than anyone gave them credit for. Daniel Thomas got one carry more than Reggie Bush did against the Jets this past week, plus the ex-Kansas State baller appears to be the goal-line back for Coach Joe Philbin. Ryan Tannehill is hurting at the moment, but Matt Moore has shown to have what it takes to be a serviceable starting QB at this level, a fact which only helps Thomas' chances. Daniel seems to be one of those players who is repeatedly dropped and picked up in every league, so if you need help at running back - he's an option worth considering.

Ronnie Hillman - RB - Denver Broncos

This electric youngster is just the type of player that could make the Broncos far more explosive as they round into championship-caliber form. He had 14 rushes this past week and while it may have been garbage time in many regards, he still averaged 6.1 yards a carry. Willis McGahee looks great, but he's over 30 and injury-prone. The more this offense gets rolling, the more new wrinkles the Broncos will need to unveil to keep opposing defenses on their heels which means Ronnie Hillman COULD turn out to be a great pickup. Better to have him on your bench when his breakout game happens than to have to fight a potential bad spot in the claims order of your waiver wire AFTER he arrives.

Donald Driver - WR - Green Bay Packers

Are you in a deep league? With Greg Jennings out for at least three to four more weeks and Jordy banged up enough to miss a game, suddenly the Dancing With The Stars champion is a viable option at WR for the Packers. There are a lot of mouths to feed on this team, so I'm not sure how much the old man will bring for you, but the Packers simply do not run the ball and DD just had a touchdown this past week. If you're desperate, this fella may be a nice fit.

Dustin Keller - TE - New York Jets

After an injury-marred start to the season for DK, this overrated TE has 14 catches on 18 targets the past two weeks. If you need help at tight end and have any faith that the Jets can turn it around offensively with either Sanchez or Tebow at the helm, then Dustin Keller might be your guy. He actually does have upside, we'll admit, but he's never really been a favorite of PYRO's, so grab him at your own risk!

Matt Cassel - QB - Kansas City Chiefs

It would suck to have to start this guy as your QB any week, but things happen and he's gotten it done before. Some experts called the Chiefs a Super Bowl contender before the season, which even close to what they are, but they have the talent on offense to score points. Maybe getting benched for Brady Quinn lights a fire under #7's ass and he turns things around for the whole team? Stranger things have happened...

Daryl Richardson &/or Isaiah Pead - RB - St. Louis Rams

If Steven Jackson gets moved, one or both of these guys is in for a major spike in production. With both guys being rookies, dynasty-leaguers need to keep their eyes on the news about #39 on whether or not he sticks on the Rams for the rest of the year. We're not sure what the market would be out there for a guy like Jackson, but a contender could use him much in the same way the Patriots used Corey Dillon during their championship run in the mid 2000s.

 

 

Clyde Gates - WR - New York Jets

Seven catches on 11 targets for the Jets… just sayin'.

 

 

 

 

Read our Pickups after Week 7:

http://www.pyromaniac.com/op_eds/pickups-after-week-7-waiver-wire 

 

Read our Pickups after Week 6:

http://www.pyromaniac.com/op_eds/pickups-after-week-6-waiver-wire 

 

Read our Pickups after Week 4: 

http://www.pyromaniac.com/op_eds/pickups-after-week-4-waiver-wire

 

Read our Pickups after Week 3:

http://www.pyromaniac.com/op_eds/pickups-drops-after-week-3-waiver-wire

  

Read our Pickups after Week 2:

http://www.pyromaniac.com/op_eds/pickups-drops-week-2-waiver-wire 

 

Read our Pickups after Week 1:

http://www.pyromaniac.com/op_eds/2012-fantasy-football-pickups-drops-after-week-1 

 

 

BY d-Rx® 

 

 

- 10/30/12