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Week 16 Waiver Wire Reportby Bob Henry, Exclusive to Footballguys.com
Quarterback Add Immediately (Impact potential)
Collins returned to the starting lineup this week, but the outcome was the same, a disappointing home loss to the Browns. Collins faces a Broncos secondary this coming week that can be thrown upon. It’s quite likely he was cut in many leagues after Norv Turner pulled the plug on him two weeks ago. Now that he’s back, he could be worth a 1-2 week rental against Denver and the Giants. He threw for 310 yards with 2 TDs and 3 INTs the last time they played Denver.
The Bears turned to Grossman this week and he provided the offense with a much needed spark. He could get the starting nod for the next week against the Packers, but it’s too early to tell. The last two games against GB and Minnesota don’t look like great spots for fantasy production, but Grossman was more effective than Kyle Orton on Sunday night. If he gets the starting nod from Lovie Smith, then he might be worth a flyer in some deeper leagues.
It’s too early to tell if Martin or Ryan Fitzpatrick will get the start next week against the 49ers, but Martin replaced Fitzpatrick this week after the rookie QB started slowly and couldn’t get anything going. Martin could regain the job and start next week, and if he does, he could be worth a shot in the lineup if you’re desperate.
Kurt Warner is done for the year after spraining his MCL this week against the Texans. McCown appeared briefly this week, but he was sick (flu) and was quickly replaced by third stringer John Navarre. Navarre proved to be a perpetual sack after taking over, but he still managed to throw for 174 yards and a TD in garbage time. McCown could be worth a flyer against the Eagles and Colts. The Cardinals are still producing plenty of passing yards, but that’s about the extent of it. Add For Depth (Starter potential)
Don’t look now, but Bollinger was one of the top fantasy QBs this week throwing for 327 yards and 2 TDs without committing a turnover. He’ll face a Patriots defense that’s on fire next week, but he could still be quite productive knowing that the Patriots are still giving up a decent amount of fantasy points to opposing QBs.
For better, worse or injury, Todd Bouman will be starting at QB for the Saints in the last two games. Aaron Brooks is benched for the “rest of the season”. Bouman threw 4 interceptions against the Panthers on Sunday and he lost a fumble. However, if he can improve and turn things around in one week, then you may take solace knowing the Saints host the Detroit Lions this coming week. Bouman could possibly be the best QB available at this stage, so if you’re looking for a one week prayer, maybe he could be your answer.
Frye may not be spectacular, but he’s playing good football for a rookie in the NFL. He threw for only 198 yards with no TDs and two turnovers, but he kept the team in the game and he also ran for 12 yards on the day. Frye got them into a position to win the game and they did just that. The last two games on the schedule don’t look too favorable, but at least he’s starting. That’s half the battle.
Holcomb threw for 202 yards and a TD against the Broncos on Saturday night. If he keeps the starting job for next week, he could be a sleeper against a Bengals team that is sure to make the Bills chase them on the scoreboard. Otherwise, if J.P. Losman is healthy enough to play, then he could get the call and Holcomb could return to the bench.
Once again, Rosenfels replaced an injured/ineffective Gus Frerotte making some big plays happen in relief duty. Rosenfels hooked up with Marty Booker on a 50 yard TD leading the Dolphins to a 24-20 win over the Jets. Once again, we don’t know if Rosenfels will get the call next week, but if he does, then keep him in mind against the Titans. Running Back Add Immediately (Impact potential)
Kevan Barlow was inactive this week giving Frank Gore his first NFL start against the Jaguars. Gore broke loose down the sidelines for a 47 yard catch and run providing the 49ers with their biggest play of the game. Gore finished with 136 combined yards (79 rushing, 57 receiving) but didn’t cross the goal line. If Barlow remains sidelined next week, Gore could be worth a look. The 49ers close the season against St. Louis and Houston, both of which are nice matchups on paper.
Houston is getting almost all of the carries for the Jets with Curtis Martin out for the last two games. He ran for 84 yards against Miami on 15 carries while catching 4 balls for 40 more yards. He’s splitting some carries with B.J. Askew and Derrick Blaylock could return to cut into his workload as well, but all indications are that Houston will continue to get sort of an extended interview for a possible larger role next year even though Martin says he’ll be back. The Jets face New England and Buffalo to close out the season. The Patriots are picking up the intensity of late, but if Houston starts in week 17, he could be a nice sleeper against a beaten down Bills run defense.
Moats provided the Eagles with a spark for the second week in a row dashing 59 yards for a score in the 1st quarter and giving Philly a 7-3 lead at the time. He finished with 78 yards on 12 carries. He’s looking like a Brian Westbrook clone because of his squatty build, but he’s yet to make an impact like Westbrook as a receiver. Against Arizona next week, Moats could once again be a nice surprise and a good source for fantasy production.
Taylor has a good opportunity to produce some nice stats tonight against the Packers on MNF. Jamal Lewis has been pushed to the side with a “hand injury”, but probably more so because he and Brian Billick are at loggerheads. The funny thing is that Billick, Lewis and Taylor might all fly the Ravens coop this off-season. Taylor could get the bulk of the workload the last two weeks as well against the Vikings and Browns, both of which are solid matchups.
Tomlinson was forced to the sidelined in Sunday’s win over the Colts in the fourth quarter due to an unspecified injury. LT did not return to the game and Michael Turner took over finishing the game, but not before exploding for an 80 yard TD romp to put the game firmly in hand for the visiting Chargers. If LT can’t go next week, grabbing Turner is an obvious move whether you have LT or not. Add For Depth (Starter potential)
Bennett continues to start for the Vikings even though Mewelde Moore’s apparently healthy again (or healthier). Bennett has a tough road to hoe the last two weeks against Baltimore and Chicago, so even if he remains in a starting capacity, he’s not likely to generate a lot of points. Against the Steelers he managed 38 combined yards and no TDs.
Even though Fred Taylor played this week, it looks like Jack Del Rio is going to run with a 2 dog sled the rest of the way. Taylor and Jones split carries this week. Taylor ran 17 times for 61 yards and Jones 12 times for 44 yards. Neither back scored. The Houston Texans are next on the schedule. This should be a nice matchup, but temper whatever enthusiasm you might have knowing that Taylor and Jones will both get some work and limit each other’s upside.
J.J. Arrington has been a bust as a rookie, but Shipp hasn’t been much more productive either. Arrington started this past week, but left the game with an injury and Shipp took over running six times for 28 yards and catching 2 balls for 14 yards. It probably doesn’t matter who plays, because the Cardinals have no ground game and there’s very little light at the end of the tunnel right now. That said, Shipp is a deep sleeper against the Eagles next week and the Colts in week 17. Add for Insurance (Backup Plan for playoffs)
Those of us speculating that Fason could see an expanded role down the stretch probably doesn’t have much of a leg to stand on right now. Fason lost a fumble this week and only carried the ball three times, so whatever momentum he was trying to build down the stretch took a hit. Barring injury, Fason probably won’t be taking on an expanded role, but he’s worth keeping an eye the last two weeks. Obviously, he’s a much better prospect in dynasty leagues.
Faulk is healthy and playing the change of pace role to Corey Dillon again. If Dillon gets hurt yet again, then Faulk would most likely be the featured Patriots runner with Patrick Pass and/or Heath Evans also seeing some action. Faulk is worth a roster spot if you are relying heavily on Dillon the last two games. Otherwise, he doesn’t offer much value at this point.
Steven Jackson was sidelined briefly Sunday with a hip pointer as Marshall Faulk replaced him against the Eagles. Jackson is said to be fine and shouldn’t be sidelined next week, but keep Faulk in mind if Jackson isn’t as ready as he claims he’ll be. Playing on relatively fresh legs, Faulk combined for 108 yards on 16 carries and 2 receptions.
Stephen Davis was placed on IR ending his season making Goings the primary backup to DeShaun Foster. Goings was extremely productive when thrown into a featured role last season, so if you own Foster and want to secure the fantasy points from the Panthers productive running attack, then grab Goings as insurance.
Shaun Alexander owners should already have Morris in hand on their roster. If not, it might be too late. The Seahawks could leverage Morris in the last two games in order to rest Shaun Alexander for the playoffs. How much Alexander rests, or not, is a guess at this stage, but if you are relying on Alexander to win your league, then grabbing Morris a no-brainer. The Seahawks still have something to play for since the Bears won, but don’t wait around if you need to play Alexander or Morris for week 17.
Thomas Jones is healthy, but Cedric Benson probably won’t return to the field during the last two games meaning that Peterson remains the Bears primary backup behind Jones. If it makes sense, grab him for insurance.
Kevin Jones was inactive this week leaving the Lions running duties to the combination of Pinner and Shawn Bryson. It’s hard to gauge what the heck is going on with the Lions offense, but Pinner could be a deep sleeper if Jones isn’t able to play next week against the Saints.
Now that the Colts have lost a game it could be Dominic Rhodes time as they might not want to take any chances with Edge down the stretch in a couple meaningless games.
Wells started against the Cardinals for the injured Domanick Davis and once again he did a solid job running for 87 yards on 28 carries scoring 2 TDs and catching one ball for 11 yards. If Davis can’t go next week against the Jaguars, and Wells is still available, then grab him and feel reasonably safe starting him (as long as Davis isn’t active).
Willis McGahee continues to suffer through a tough 2005 season with nagging injuries and poor play all around him. McGahee did not finish this week’s game and Shaud Williams took over rushing 5 times for 40 yards and catching 2 passes for another 15 yards. If McGahee isn’t able to play next week, then Williams is probably worth grabbing. The Bills close out the season against Cincinnati and the Jets. Williams, if starting, could be a solid sleeper in both games, but let’s see what McGahee’s status is before taking the bait. Wide Receiver Add Immediately (Impact potential)
Once Clayton got healthy and took over the starting job for the Ravens he became a productive receiver. The last two games are against Minnesota and Cleveland, neither of which are outstanding matchups, but he could still be a decent sleeper worthy of consideration in a WR3/WR4 capacity if needed.
Givens blew up on Saturday catching 6 balls for 137 yards and a TD while running the ball twice for another 13 yards. When healthy, Givens is usually a productive WR, but he’s struggled to stay on the field this year, so his stats have suffered. Now that he’s back in the fold he could finish with
Jackson is back. He started this week and picked up right where he left off. If he’s available, don’t hesitate to grab him and possibly even start him the last two games of the year against Indy and the Packers. Jackson caught a TD and finished with 6 catches for 72 yards against the Titans on Sunday.
Parker has been steadily productive over the last month and he figures to remain busy in the last two games, especially if Eddie Kennison is limited (he appeared to be hurt on Saturday at the end of the game). Parker caught 6 balls for 87 yards. If he’s available, snag him and consider him a viable alternative in your lineup as a WR3/WR4/flex. Add For Depth (Starter potential)
The Packers have a tough matchup against the Bears next week followed by the season ending game against Seattle. That’s the week where Ferguson could be worth a serious look as a spot starter knowing that the Seahawks are without two of their top three corners. Jordan Babineaux is starting opposite Marcus Trufant and he’s been targeted frequently since getting on the field. Unless he quickly improves, he could be targeted frequently by Favre and likely will draw coverage on Ferguson more often than not.
Hilliard has been productive of late and the Bucs end the season with a couple of matchups against Atlanta and New Orleans. Hilliard pulled in five balls this week for 50 yards. Hilliard is a veteran WR with limited upside, so don’t expect much more, but he could be useful in a pinch if you’re reaching hard for a player of any significance.
Robinson cooled off a bit this week against a tough Steelers defense finishing with 34 yards on 3 catches. The Vikings close the season against Baltimore and Chicago, so don’t look for any huge rebound out of Robinson down the stretch either. He could surprise us all, but the matchups are tougher than usual and Robinson shouldn’t be considered anything more than a reach in either situation if needed.
Despite being a rookie, Roby might be the Titans best deep threat right now thanks to the numerous injuries to hit the Titans WR corps. Roby caught 3 balls for 54 yards this week. The Titans face the Dolphins and Jaguars in the next two weeks. Miami has been a good matchup for passing stats, so Roby might be a decent reach in deeper leagues if you can grab him.
The Falcons finish the season against two strong defenses (TB and Carolina) so it’s tough to look towards any of their WRs with hopes of some late season fantasy production. White has tremendous upside as a dynasty prospect and he’s looked very good in the last month, but the outlook for the Falcons passing stats the next two weeks is comparable to this week’s – 122 yards and no TDs for Vick. White managed one ball for 19 yards. Add for Insurance (Backup Plan for playoffs)
Eric Parker hurt his foot this week against the Colts, so keep an eye on the situation. Caldwell has been productive when given the opportunity to play a lot and he could be worth a look in the last two games if Parker is limited. Caldwell caught 4 balls for 25 yards against Indy while Parker finished with 3 catches for 63 yards.
The Bengals are getting to a point where they might begin resting their starters for much of the last two games giving Kevin Walter and Kelley Washington a chance to get on the field and make plays. Look for week 17 against KC as a viable spot to possibly use Walter or Washington. Kitna can throw the ball as well as any backup in the league, so if these guys are scheduled for half of the game or more, they could be solid reaches. Others to Keep an Eye On
Berrian is finally healthy again and he produced a couple big plays on Sunday night against the Falcons. Berrian is a good deep threat who could have some value in the last two weeks if the Bears can breathe some life into their passing game either with Rex Grossman or Kyle Orton. The Packers are a poor matchup (next week) and the Vikings aren’t a great matchup either, but Berrian at least is getting an opportunity now. He produced 2 catches for 20 yards and he also broke loose on a 31 yard end around.
Jackson finally got some extended playing time on Sunday catching 2 balls for 41 yards. He’s still a long-term project and a decent dynasty league sleeper, but as a prospect for the next two weeks, he’s still a reach (at best). What might help Jackson earn more playing time is Eric Parker’s injured foot. If Parker is unable to go next week, then Jackson would certainly see more snaps and possibly be worth a look in really deep leagues. Jackson has excellent size/speed, but he’s still the 4th option even in that scenario with Parker inactive.
The Bengals are getting to a point where they might begin resting their starters for much of the last two games giving Kevin Walter and Kelley Washington a chance to get on the field and make plays. Look for week 17 against KC as a viable spot to possibly use Walter or Washington. Kitna can throw the ball as well as any backup in the league, so if these guys are scheduled for half of the game or more, they could be solid reaches. Tight End Add Immediately (Impact potential)
It seems like we’ve been waiting all season for Jolley to breakout with a solid game and he’s finally came thru. Against the Dolphins, Jolley caught 9 balls for 102 yards including a 60-yard TD. Picking him up and playing him might wreak of chasing points, but why not, if you are truly desperate.
Troupe is on fire right now and it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone considering the Titans usage of their TEs all year long combined with Erron Kinney being out with a knee injury. Troupe, of course, is the best of the group athletically. His upside is tremendous. Now, he’s finally getting the stage to showcase his immense talent. He caught 6 balls for 116 yards this week. If you can still get him, don’t hesitate and do it. Add For Depth (Starter potential)
After stringing together three straight productive games, the other foot (called reality) touched down on Sunday as Hilton caught just one pass for 7 yards. Hilton is still a decent player to pick up if you need a stop-gap player for the last two weeks, but it’s hard to say if Todd Bouman will look his way as often as Aaron Brooks was before being benched.
Martin might be the best option in most leagues to claim off the waiver wire. The Packers are using their TEs a lot this year, but it’s just tough trying to predict which one will be getting the ball since all three are targeted frequently enough. Bubba Franks has been sidelined giving Martin a better opportunity than usual. If that continues, then look for Martin to end the season on a high note.
Putzier caught 3 balls for 56 yards against the Bills. He’s caught at least three balls in four of the last six games and he’s produced 50+ yards in three of the last four games.
The Bucs starting TE Anthony Becht was dinged up after Sunday’s game and Alex Smith produced a solid game catching four balls for 26 yards. If Becht is unable to go this week, then Smith could be inline for more targets and perhaps better numbers. He’s been mostly invisible since catching 2 TDs in week one, but it’s not because he lacks talent. Add for Insurance (Backup Plan for playoffs)
If the Colts rest their starters in the last two games then Bryan Fletcher immediately becomes a solid sleeper who could step in and produce 30-40 yards and a TD. He scored three TDs in as many games recently, but he’s stuck behind Dallas Clark on the depth charts, so if Clark sits, then Fletcher could do some damage. Kicker Defense Add Immediately (Impact potential)
The Patriots are available in many leagues after underperforming over the first 10 or 12 weeks of the season. However, since getting Tedy Bruschi back the Patriots defense has been improving almost weekly and over the last four games they’re simply on fire. The Patriots play the NY Jets next week on the road and then close the season against Miami. They could be extremely productive in both games. Add For Depth (Starter potential)
Mike McMahon is coming to the desert this week. That means if you can grab the Cardinals then consider doing it. The Eagles offense is routinely self-destructing under McMahon’s guidance making even the most average of defenses look good in the process.
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