Waiver Wire Advice: Week Eight

Ken Kelly

cumberlandWe’ll be covering some of the hot names on the majority of dynasty league waiver wires each week for our premium content members.  These players will likely be owned in a minority of dynasty leagues. We won’t waste your time with bigger names who are likely owned in your league like Kenbrell Thompkins, or the likely one week wonders like Dallas Clark or Vonta Leach because you guys are just too good for that.  We’re simply going to cover some players who could be targets this week if you have an open roster spot and are willing to throw a dart with the hope of getting lucky.

Mainstream waiver wire articles will be posted all over the Internet this week begging people to pick up obvious players, but our job is to give you information to make informed and educated decisions and stay ahead of the curve, not on it.

Just remember one other very important thing – you’re in a dynasty league, not a re-draft league. Don’t get too enamored by the one hit wonders and drop your young projects in a quest to find lightning in a bottle. Savvy dynasty league owners will tell you the best players on the wire each and every year end up being the ones dropped by impatient owners, not the ones who suddenly break out. We won’t repeat many names here, so check out the list from prior weeks as we move along.

With that being said, here are this week’s picks in order of priority:

1.)   Mike James, RB TB

Another week, another set of big injuries.  This week Doug Martin falls to injury and Mike James immediately sees a spike in value.  He’s not the runner that Martin is, but he’s got soft hands and showed some level of ability in the preseason.  With Martin’s outlook uncertain for the remainder of the season due to a torn labrum, don’t delay in adding James for an emergency fill-in as needed.

2.)  Michael Cox/Peyton Hillis, RB NYG

No Brandon Jacobs, no David Wilson, no Da’Rel Scott, so who’s left.  Peyton Hillis and Michael Cox.  Neither are a great add unless you’re exceedingly desperate, but the rookie Cox does have some allure. He’s got good size, uninspiring feet but he’s starting.  Why not?  At 1-6, someone has to carry the rock.  In the end, Hillis had the better night.  Take your pick.

3.)  Andrew Quarless, TE GB

With JerMichael Finley uncertain to return any time soon, Quarless will immediately step into the starting role for an offense badly needing healthy receivers.  He’s not the receiving threat that is Finley, but with still some level of octane left in the offense, he’s got upside.  Athletically he’s a lower end TE2 but he’ll get looks from Aaron Rodgers.

4.)  Jon Bostic, LB CHI

Lance Briggs suffered a fractured shoulder and will be sidelined 6+ weeks.  High upside rookie Jon Bostic should see the field plenty during that period and can be added in deeper IDP leagues.  He’s got MLB potential and could be starting in the middle for D.J. Williams in 2014.

5.)  Kellen Clemens, QB STL

Sam Bradford exits 2013 with a torn ACL and Clemens looks to be in-line as the next starter for the flagging Rams.  Clemens has had his moments but they haven’t been big enough to suggest he’ll be anything other than an emergency starter out of desperation in fantasy.  At the age of 30, however, and with experience under his belt, anything is possible.  He’s intelligent and his arm is better than advertised.

6.)  Josh McCown, QB CHI

Jay Cutler went down and will be out a minimum of four weeks.  McCown is his backup.  That’s more words than need to be written about this situation.

Previous week’s suggestions:

  1. Terrelle Pryor, QB OAK
  2. Julian Edelman, WR NE
  3. Kellen Winslow, TE NYJ
  4. Jermaine Kearse, WR SEA
  5. LeGarrette Blount, RB NE
  6. Harry Douglas, WR ATL
  7. Alfonso Smith, RB ARI
  8. Charles Clay, TE MIA
  9. Eddie Royal, WR SD
  10. James Starks, RB GB
  11. Mike Glennon, QB TB
  12. Ace Sanders, WR JAX
  13. Austin Pettis, WR STL
  14. Ted Ginn, JR. CAR
  15. Matt Simms, QB NYJ
  16. Andre Ellington, RB ARI
  17. Khiry Robinson, RB NO
  18. Da’Rick Rogers WR IND
  19. Brandon Bolden, RB NE
  20. Chris Polk, RB PHI
  21. Brian Hoyer, QB CLE
  22. Theo Riddick, RB DET
  23. Rashad Jennings, RB OAK
  24. Sean McGrath, TE KC
  25. Chris Owusu, WR TB
  26. Kris Durham, WR DET
  27. Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB TEN
  28. Deonte Thompson, WR BAL
  29. Tashard Choice, RB BUF
  30. Nick Foles, QB PHI
  31. Garrett Graham, TE HOU
  32. TJ Yates, QB HOU
  33. Marcel Reece, RB OAK
  34. Da’Rel Scott, RB NYG
  35. Thad Lewis, QB BUF
  36. Jeff Maehl, WR PHI
  37. Jarrett Boykin, WR GB
  38. Timothy Wright, TE TB
  39. Jeff Cumberland, TE NYJ
  40. Mario Manningham, WR SF
  41. Case Keenum, QB HOU
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