Fantasy Football Week 9 Waiver Wire Options
No season ending injuries or major in game benchings to talk about this week so let’s go straight to the players you should be targeting on your waiver wire this week…
QUARTERBACK
Nick Foles. Andy Reid has always been a coach willing to make bold moves when he had to. Trading Donovan McNabb, starting Kevin Kolb, signing Mike Vick, firing Juan Castillo, etc. It always seems that Reid needs to do something in order to light a fire under his team. This year we’ve already seen the Castillo firing and next on his ‘The Andy Reid Job Saving Tour of 2012’ could be the benching of the Eagles starting quarterback Mike Vick. The man to replace him would be rookie Nick Foles, who in the pre-season was 40 for 63 with 553 yards and six TDs.
August 30, 2012; Philadelphia, PA USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) on the sidelines during the first half against the New York Jets at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-US PRESSWIRE
Those numbers put a lot of hype on Foles and some assume he would automatically start producing for the Eagles and righting the ship. The one main drawing feature for fantasy football players looking for a bye-week QB replacement is that the Eagles play the Saints in Week 9. That would be a Saints team allowing over 300 yards passing to opposing quarterbacks and a team that has yielded at least 24 points each game. That’s as good a set-up Foles and the Eagles are going to get. If you own Vick Foles is a must add.
RUNNING BACK
Jonathan Dwyer. The running back fill-in once again produced for the Steelers when given a chance to start in place of the injured Rashard Mendenhall and Isaac Redman, as he gained 107 yards on the ground against the Redskins. In back-to-back starts Dwyer has rushed for 239 yards. There is no word yet on the statuses of Mendenhall or Redman but if Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was to ride the hot hand and give Dwyer another start you should do the same when it comes to your fantasy football line-up.
WIDE RECEIVER
Ryan Broyles. Titus Young has probably already been snagged off your waiver wire but if he hasn’t go pick him up. If you were too late to the Titus Young Sr. breakout party then you should consider the man behind the man behind the man in Ryan Broyles. At Oklahoma Broyles had an accomplished collegiate football career where he became the NCAA’s all-time leader in receptions. The second-round rookie finds himself third on the Detroit wide receiver depth chart behind Calvin Johnson and Young Sr. but being the slot man for a pass heavy team, especially a pass heavy team who’s star quarterback Matthew Stafford has finally found his groove is a pretty good position in both real and fake football to be in. Ever since Nate Burleson went down with a season ending injury Broyles has caught six passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns.
Cecil Shorts. Justin Blackmon might be the more heralded and well-known name on the Jags receiving depth chart but its Shorts who has been the one producing as of late. In his last two games Shorts has taken over the #1 WR spot for the team in the absence of Laurent Robinson to the tune of 12 receptions, 195 yards and one touchdown. If Robinson is yet again out this week pick up Shorts if you are in need of a bye week WR replacement.
TIGHT END
Greg Olsen. In a standard 12-team league Olsen ranks just outside of the top twelve so there’s a good chance he might be available in your league and probably is if you play in a shallow bench league. With the likes of Vernon Davis, Rob Gronkowski, and Aaron Hernandez on a bye Week 9 Olsen has a chance to be a top ten play at the tight end position. The Panthers play the Redskins Week 9 and the Skins this year have been pretty mediocre against Tight Ends, as they’ve allowed six different tight ends to score against them this season.
DEFENSE
San Diego Chargers. Not the best statistical season for the Chargers defense but this week they play the Kansas City Chiefs and defenses against the Chiefs this season have been doing a pretty good job. The Chiefs have been giving up sacks and interceptions all season long and the Chargers defense might need to take control of the game so they’re sputtering offense can take a break.