Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: RB - Week 8

October 28, 2009 @ 17:10:31

By Nicholas Minnix and Tim Heaney
Edited by Tim Heaney and Nicholas Minnix

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: QB | RB | WR | TE | PK | DT

If you are serious about winning your fantasy league football championship, stay on top of your fantasy football team throughout the year.

Each week during the NFL fantasy football season, KFFL brings you its Fantasy Football Waiver Wire, which breaks down players to pick up. Be aggressive when picking up fantasy football free agents. Even if you do not need a player, you can tuck him away for depth or block others from adding him to their fantasy football team.

Note: Percentage of polled leagues in which player is available in parentheses

Fantasy football free agents: Priority additions

The following players should be high on your radar and are worthy of being added immediately to your fantasy football team.

Beanie Wells, Arizona Cardinals (46 percent)

It was coming. The Ohio State product rushed 14 times for 67 yards and a TD and tacked on three catches for 10 yards against a tough Giants D. In Week 7 he nearly doubled Tim Hightower in utilizations (17 to nine). Arizona won't phase out Hightower, but Wells is more explosive and is demonstrating why KFFL has been promoting him as an ideal player to stash.

Shonn Greene, New York Jets (85 percent)

Non-Shonn owners Greene with envy

Leon Washington sustained a compound fracture to the fibula in his right leg Sunday and will miss the remainder of the season. The news immediately made Green a worthy addition to any fantasy football team. He sounded the alarm with his 144 yards and two end zone trips on 19 carries against the Raiders. The Jets were using Washington nearly as often as they were starter Thomas Jones, so Greene has serious upside.

Justin Fargas, Oakland Raiders (38 percent)

Fargas' 11 touches in Week 7 were only two more than Michael Bush had, but head coach Tom Cable has said he believes Fargas fits Oakland's system better. Fargas turned his work into 67 rushing yards and three receptions for 23 yards. Though he hasn't been given too many chances to do so, Bush hasn't made enough of an impression. Even after Darren McFadden (knee) returns, don't think Fargas won't see ample time in a tandem setup.

Fantasy football free agents: Watch list

These fantasy football free agents shouldn't be on your immediate list. They may have had a big week. They may have talent but are buried on the depth chart and merely awaiting an opportunity. Still, fantasy football players must know who they are for their potential contribution in the future.

NEW - Jamaal Charles and Kolby Smith, Kansas City Chiefs (58 percent, 99 percent)

Larry Johnson has been put on notice. After his comments following Week 7, Kansas City has told LJ to stay away from practice for now. It appears he'll miss Week 9, too. The Chiefs also are inquiring to see if they can cut him at a reduced rate because of contract violations.

Charles (5-foot-11, 199 pounds) and Smith (5-foot-11, 219 pounds) are the two options to replace Johnson. The former is averaging 5.0 yards per carry (23- 116-0) this year. He has also caught 14 passes for 120 yards. The latter has yet to come off the Physically Unable to Play list because of a knee injury. He'll need to do so in the next couple of weeks or sit the rest of the season.

The Chiefs have a few favorable matchups down the stretch; LJ owners will want to handcuff Charles to him now. Smith remains more of a flier. The offensive line has been atrocious in KC, and the rest of the offense hasn't helped, but you're mainly looking at utilizations here. Any other owners can probably wait until after the bye, but you'll want to keep your eye tuned to the news for any updates.

Fantasy football free agents: One-week plays

The following fantasy football pickups are for those who need injury or bye week replacements. They are not players you immediately acquire - unless your team is in dire straights. Some have, however, shown some life and should be followed in case they materialize as options beyond their temporary use.

NEW - Chris Brown, Houston Texans (92 percent)

Head coach Gary Kubiak still has confidence in Steve Slaton despite six fumbles, including three lost in the last four games. Whenever Slaton fumbles, Kubiak sits him on the bench and uses Brown for a series. Over the last three weeks, Brown has five, nine and five utilizations, respectively. Brown has also appeared in the red zone often this season.

On tap this week are the Buffalo Bills, who are allowing the most rushing yards (195.5) per game to this position over the last month. They've also allowed 1.25 rushing scores per game in that time. Brown is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry (36 for 120) and has one TD this season; if you are desperate....

NEW - Jerome Harrison, Cleveland Browns (64 percent)

Cleveland has to have their backs involved heavily; quarterback Derek Anderson and their passing game have been atrocious. Harrison has seen a varied workload over the last month with 36 (when Jamal Lewis was out), 10, five and seven utilizations, respectively.

The Browns are at the Chicago Bears this week; Chicago is allowing 108.0 rushing yards and 1.33 rushing touchdowns per game to enemy backs over the last month (three games). There should be plenty of room to run, and Harrison, the top pass-catching back in Cleveland, should be in line for quite a few receptions (6.00 allowed per game to this position since Week 4).

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire: QB | RB | WR | TE | PK | DT

KFFLians are saying....

Comment

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1

Sunny, at 04:01 on 10/26/09, says: You sure mean Chris Wells. Right?

Report!

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2

Phrank, at 08:10 on 10/27/09, says: Sunny, it's called a nickname. Most players have one. If you don't know that Beanie Wells and Chris Wells are the same person, you should study players a little more before you try to correct a website dedicated to fantasy football players and stats.

Report!

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3

brawlers, at 01:12 on 10/27/09, says: the only back i have availible is buckhalter playing Balt, I know balts d has been giving up the run lately but i should still try to pick up another rb for this bye my other backs have right?

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4

morningstar, at 05:34 on 10/27/09, says: Any thoughts about Jamaal Charles (KC)? Is he worth a pickup?

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5

micah, at 05:44 on 10/27/09, says: Yeah - I would recommend grabbing Charles if you need RB depth, he could end up starting in KC as soon as week 9 if the Chiefs finally push back on LJ...I've had Charles stashed for several weeks now.

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6

Brad, at 09:39 on 10/27/09, says: What are your thoughts on Antonio Bryant, TO, and Patrick Crayton? None of them are consistent and I need to make some moves. Who do you think is worth keeping and who is worth selling or dropping???

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7

dustin, at 10:36 on 10/29/09, says: I dropped T.O. a long time ago. Through 6 weeks, we haven't seen anything from him. His days as a fantasy football star are gone. Tampa Bay doesn't have an offense that is good enough to allow Bryant to get production. I think Crayton isn't going to be consistent enough by any means to even be considered to have fantasy value.

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Nicholas Minnix

KFFL's baseball editor plays in LABR and Tout Wars and won the FSWA Baseball Industry Insiders League in 2010.

The University of Delaware alum is a regular guest on Sirius/XM Fantasy Sports Radio and Baltimore's WNST AM 1570. Follow him on Twitter.

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Tim Heaney

Since the Boston University alum joined KFFL in 2006, his work has been featured by USA Today/Sports Weekly and Yahoo! Sports, among numerous publications.

Tim competes in Tout Wars and LABR and appears every Wednesday on 1570 AM WNST in Baltimore, as well as frequently on Sirius XM Fantasy Sports Radio.

Follow him on Twitter.

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