Weeding through those unwieldy waiver wires requires a keen eye and a quick trigger. Thus, Waiver Wire Wonders provides a weekly snapshot of players worthy of consideration who should be available on a good portion of league waiver wires.We're halfway home, folks, and if history has taught us anything, the second half of the season is when fantasy football requires the keenest attention. At this point, draft day means nothing. First-round draft picks mean nothing. It's the waiver wire that wins championships.
With that in mind, Week 8 leads us into the home stretch with a nice batch to consider. The key to note for this week's waiver wire action is that pickups will likely depend more on roster needs, as we did not see any glaring adds for those who are quick on the trigger. Still, consider a breakout running back performance by a backup including three touchdowns, the solidifying of a hot rookie prospect, and a good sign from one of the league's most popular rookie quarterbacks. Plenty to do, so don't get caught on your heels.
Ryan Moats (RB, Houston) - With Steve Slaton suffering from a bad case of plantar fumbliitis, Moats stepped in to carry the ground load. He managed to blow away any numbers Slaton posted thus far this season, so perhaps Moats will take on a bigger role in the offense. It's no secret that the Texans have wanted a second running back to split the load with Slaton -- given his size -- but nobody expected Moats to be that guy, considering that he has been in the league since 2005, started just one game, and never topped 300 yards in a single season. In fact, Sunday's game came just one touchdown shy of his career output thus far. I'd expect Moats to get the ball more often going forward, but a repeat performance of this magnitude -- or anything close to it -- will never happen.
Maurice Morris (RB, Lions) - Though most folks expected Kevin Smith to put up his first game-breaking performance fantasy-wise this week against the Rams, it was Morris who posted the best numbers -- carrying the ball 14 times for 63 yards and adding 19 yards on one reception. Frankly, if neither Smith nor Morris can post 100 yards rushing against the Rams, they don't deserve starts, though both make decent reserves at this point.
LeSean McCoy (RB, Eagles) - While anyone with half a brain already picked up McCoy going into this week, he still remains on far too many waiver wires, for some odd reason. In his first true start with Brian Westbrook recovering from a concussion, McCoy showed he can carry the load, gaining 82 yards on just 11 carries and adding 10 yards on two receptions. While the concussion should not keep Westbrook out too long, it looks like the old truck might finally be busted.
Michael Crabtree (WR, 49ers) - I think it's officially safe to say Crabtree has arrived. We're still waiting for the big breakout game and debutante touchdown dance, but he solidified his presence Sunday gaining 81 yards on six catches after five catches for 54 yards last week. These numbers should continue to grow.Leonard Weaver (RB, Eagles) - "Hi, I'm Leonard Weaver and I'd like to tell you about an amazing opportunity in the nanotechnology sector." It's not exactly a running back name, but another Eagles running back posted big-time numbers, courtesy of the Giants' defensive meltdown. The Eagles third-stringer ran for 75 yards and scored a touchdown. Attribute this to the blowout, so don't bother with Weaver, particularly since Westbrook should be back soon.
Mark Sanchez (QB, Jets) - The return of Jerricho Cotchery and recent addition of Braylon Edwards gives Mark Sanchez some of the best weapons in the NFL. While he has sputtered in terms of producing numbers for the better part of the season, look for Sanchez to become a pretty good fantasy option for the remainder of the season. He certainly makes a decent add for your backup. Sunday, he went 20-for-35 for 265 yards and two touchdowns, while scoring another one on the ground. I like Sanchez a lot down the stretch.
Malcom Floyd - Floyd caught just two passes, but notched 53 yards and, most importantly, started in place of Chris Chambers for the Chargers. Coming off a touchdown last week, Floyd looks to become an impact player for the Chargers down the stretch, so he makes a decent add in deep leagues.
Carolina (D/ST, Panthers) - You gotta love the NFL. One week the Cardinals waltz into the Meadowlands and beat one of finest teams in the league and the next they get trounced by one of the worst. Or maybe not? After an abysmal 0-3 start, the Panthers seem to be finding their sea legs, winning three of their last four games, due in large part to the defense. The Panthers intercepted Kurt Warner five times and scored a defensive touchdown. They certainly do not make a weekly play, but keep an eye on this unit for quality spot starts.
