Mining for Paydirt: Week Nine

Chad Scott

kearseMining for Paydirt is a deep-sleeper article geared toward your average to larger sized leagues.  The players we focus on here are owned in less than 35% of myfantasyleague.com leagues – they are your blue collar workers.  I’m not going to give you names like Roy Helu or Joique Bell – those aren’t the droids I’m looking for.  I want the players who are on the radar of only the realest of degenerates.  Players you wouldn’t think of owning in a million and one years.  These will strictly be for injury and bye week fill-ins based on match-ups and situation.  Some may stick, some won’t.  It’s the nature of the beast and I’ll be thrilled to get one or two correct a week.

When I was eight years old, my best friend and his mom took my friends and I to the local bowling alley for some good old-fashioned bumper bowling.  We got to the counter, where to the right, stood a baseball card vending machine.  I never had much luck with that machine, but I had some spare change in my pocket so I inserted a quarter.  As I pulled the tab back, the machine spewed out three baseball cards.  I don’t remember the first one that revealed itself to me, but I vividly recall the second.

There it was, in all its glory, a 1989 Upper Deck, Ken Griffey, Jr. rookie card – in mint condition, even!  I struck gold with just 25 cents.  The male employee who took our money and shoe size wasn’t pleased.  Supposedly, the vendor had told this guy THIS card was somewhere within the inner workings of the machine.  I remember him mumbling curse words to himself – after all, this particular baseball card was worth upwards of $80 at the time.  The man gave me a death stare and reluctantly said, “Nice going.  I spent at least $50 trying to pull that card.  Enjoy your day, kid.”

Fast forward to Week Eight in 2013 and Marvin Jones.  If you grabbed Jones off waivers – or already had him and started him – you most likely won your fantasy matchup (as long as you didn’t face Calvin Johnson).  Jones was the epitome of Mining for Paydirt, hauling in all eight targets for 122 yards and FOUR touchdowns.

Here’s to you, Marvin Jones.  Let’s see if we can’t find another Griffey, Jr. rookie card this week…

Week Nine byes: Denver, Detroit, NY Giants, Arizona, San Francisco and Jacksonville

Make sure to get those players out of your lineups.  Don’t be that guy…

Brandon Bostick, TE GB vs CHI (28% owned)

The Chicago Bears have been dreadful against opposing teams’ tight ends this season, giving up the fourth most points to the position (16.6).  This isn’t the defense we’re accustomed to seeing.  Injuries to Lance Briggs, D.J. Williams and Charles Tillman has transformed this once great defense into a fantasy baller’s delight.

Jermichael Finley is out indefinitely after suffering a bruised spinal cord two weeks ago.  If you haven’t read his first-person account on the injury via SI.com, I strongly suggest you do.  Powerful.

This injury leaves the door open for Bostick to see some significant playing time for the foreseeable future.  Currently listed as the team’s #2 tight end behind Andrew Quarless, Bostick is the superior pass catcher of the two.

Last week, Bostick saw his first real taste of NFL action.  He played 26 snaps to Quarless’ 53, but word on the street is Bostick will be used on some of the seam routes Finley used to run.  Quarless is more of a blocker than a receiver, so depending on game flow, Bostick should see a few targets his way.

He’s a wide receiver-turned-tight end – a “move’” tight end.  Standing at 6’3”, 250 pounds, Bostick could be a nightmare matchup for the Bears.  During his Pro Day, he ran a 4.49 40-yard dash and recorded a 36” vertical jump.  Granted, that was about 20 pounds ago…

Even so, Bostick is a former basketball player – and we all know how well those types of tight ends have done this year.  Don’t expect the same production you’d get from former round ballers like Jimmy Graham, Julius Thomas or Jordan Cameron, but in a pinch, he could finally produce and give you some sort of vindication for why you’ve stashed this up and comer.

Paydirt Prediction: three receptions, 45 yards and one touchdown

Jermaine Kearse, WR SEA vs TB (6% owned)

I haven’t had much luck when selecting Seahawks for this article, but perhaps, third time’s a charm?

Sydney Rice is out for the season and Kearse is expected to start until Percy Harvin is ready to go.  Chances are, that won’t be this week.  This means an increase in snaps for both Kearse and Doug Baldwin (who I also like this week as Darrel Revis will be manning up on Golden Tate).

Yes, apparently, Greg Schiano has finally realized Revis is best used in man, not zone…shocker!

Kearse has flashed moments of brilliance this season in limited duty.  Going into this week, he’s caught eight of his 13 targets for 128 yards and two touchdowns.  He’s also on a two-game streak for dropped balls, unfortunately.

Most of these calls are luck-based, but as they say, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”  Your opportunity is nigh, Mr. Kearse.

Kearse has played roughly 40% of the team’s total snaps thus far, while Rice was playing approximately 70%, prior to the injury – can you smell the opportunity?

Kearse, a second year receiver from the University of Washington, has (mostly) capitalized on the small sample of opportunities given to him this season.  He’s averaging 0.36 points per opportunity.  Some names surrounding him include: Rueben Randle (0.36), Cecil Shorts (0.37) and Torrey Smith (0.34).  They’ve obviously had more chances this season, which is why Kearse and his increased role could be a solid contributor for your Week Nine lineups.

The Tampa Bay Bucs have allowed 13 touchdowns via the pass this season – including eight in their past three games.

I expect the Seahawks to make amends for the tragedy that was their running game last week by giving the Bacterianeers a healthy dose of Marshawn Lynch.  By doing this, it will open up the pass game for Russell Wilson and company at home.

Paydirt Prediction:  five receptions, 85 yards and one touchdown

What are YOUR predictions for this week?