Sometimes you have to admit when you're wrong. And it looks like I've been wrong on Kyle Orton.
I still think at some point the real Orton is going to show himself and return to being a mediocre quarterback. But right now the Bears starter is hot, and he could be a viable starting option for Fantasy owners given the state of quarterbacks around the league.
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You can bet Kyle Orton will be a popular man off the waiver wire entering Week 6.
(US Presswire)
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Since we're in the middle of bye weeks, finding a good backup Fantasy quarterback -- or for some owners a starter -- isn't easy if you had a bad draft or are dealing with injuries.
Ben Roethlisberger is on a bye in Week 6, and other potential starting options in
Matt Schaub (illness),
Brian Griese (elbow) and
Jon Kitna (back) could miss this week.
Trent Edwards (concussion) also got hurt, but the Bills are on a bye in Week 6, which should give Edwards time to recover.
If you factor in Derek Anderson, David Garrard, Matt Hasselbeck and Carson Palmer, who all have more interceptions than touchdowns, and Marc Bulger, who has also struggled, finding a good Fantasy quarterback has been difficult. That's where Orton comes in.
He is only owned in 41 percent of Fantasy leagues on CBSSports.com, but he has been solid the past three weeks. He had 268 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in a loss against Tampa Bay in Week 3 and 199 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in a win against Philadelphia in Week 4. He also rushed for 42 yards in those two games.
On Sunday, Orton set a career high with 334 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions at Detroit. This week, Orton will face Atlanta, which came into Week 5 at No. 13 in pass defense and then allowed Aaron Rodgers to pass for 313 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, so Orton could continue his hot streak.
He also has games against Detroit, Green Bay and St. Louis in November and New Orleans, Green Bay and Houston in December, so we could be talking about Orton a lot this season. Following his win against the Lions, Orton is currently the No. 11 quarterback in a standard-scoring league, ahead of Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning, Palmer, Anderson, Hasselbeck and Garrard.
And he is doing it with a suspect receiving corps of Marty Booker, Brandon Lloyd, Devin Hester, Rashied Davis and tight end Greg Olsen. Running back Matt Forte has also been a solid receiver out of the backfield.
It's hard to explain why Orton is playing this well, but he has put up good games against top defenses in Tampa Bay and Philadelphia and took advantage of a favorable matchup in Detroit. Now we'll find out if it continues, but it's time to add Orton if you're looking for help on your Fantasy team.
If you miss on Orton, some other quarterbacks who could help you this week are Garrard (73 percent) at Denver, Matt Cassel (70 percent) at San Diego or Chad Pennington (38 percent) at Houston. If Schaub is out again, which would be a surprise, Sage Rosenfels (5 percent) could be added against Miami.
JaMarcus Russell (39 percent) at New Orleans and Gus Frerotte (21 percent) against Detroit also have favorable matchups in Week 6. And if Jeff Garcia (12 percent) starts against Carolina with Griese hurt, he would be a decent last-minute replacement.
Also, don't be afraid to add Bulger (47 percent) again now that he's back as the starter. He has a tough matchup in Week 6 at Washington, but he could get going later this season.
In case you haven't noticed ... It's time to add Cardinals running back Tim Hightower. He remains one of the best Fantasy running backs this year because of his ability to score touchdowns, yet he's only owned in 71 percent of leagues. For the season, Hightower has 36 carries for 110 yards and five touchdowns and 10 catches for 92 yards. He is the No. 24 running back in a standard-scoring league, and he will remain in that range since he plays in a dynamic offense and is rewarded with goal-line carries. If Edgerrin James gets hurt, Hightower's Fantasy value would rise.
Each Monday we will highlight players who might be available in your league and whether you should consider picking them up off waivers based on their recent performances. The players chosen are based on the percentage of ownership in CBSSports.com leagues.
Add 'Em
Cedric Benson, RB, Cincinnati
Owned: 30 percent of leagues
Week 5: Had 10 carries for 30 yards at Dallas.
Analysis: Benson signed before the Cowboys game to give the Bengals depth at running back. Since Chris Perry has struggled, and he fumbled against the Cowboys for the fifth time this year, Benson could end up starting for the Bengals at some point in the near future. It's hard to imagine that Benson could play a role on your Fantasy team, but he's worth adding in case the Bengals increase his carries. Perry only had 13 carries for 31 yards at Dallas.
Steve Breaston, WR, Arizona
Owned: 48 percent of leagues
Week 5: Caught seven passes for 77 yards against Buffalo.
Analysis: We told you to add him last week after Anquan Boldin (head) got hurt at the Jets, and now Boldin is out indefinitely following surgery. Breaston played well against the Bills and started opposite Larry Fitzgerald. Even when Boldin returns, which should be relatively soon, Breaston will remain the No. 3 receiver for the Cardinals. He is a good Fantasy reserve in a No. 3 role, and when he's starting for Arizona, he could do the same for your Fantasy team.
Bobby Engram, WR, Seattle
Owned: 69 percent of leagues
Week 5: Caught eight passes for 61 yards at the Giants.
Analysis: Engram returned after missing the start of the season with a shoulder injury and played well in a blowout loss for the Seahawks. He was targeted 12 times, which shows he was immediately involved in the offense again. Last year, Engram was the best receiver for the Seahawks, and he has a great rapport with Matt Hasselbeck. If you're looking for a solid No. 3 Fantasy receiver, add Engram now. Seattle's offense will improve, so look for Engram to continue to play an important role.
Mewelde Moore, RB, Pittsburgh
Owned: 41 percent of leagues
Week 5: Had 17 carries for 99 yards and three catches for 17 yards at Jacksonville.
Analysis: Moore started against the Jaguars with Willie Parker (knee) out and Rashard Mendenhall (shoulder) lost for the year. Parker is expected to return in Week 7 after the Steelers bye week, but Moore is now the No. 2 option and also the third-down back. Since Parker missed the end of last year with a broken leg and has been bothered with the knee injury this season, Moore could continue to see action. And he proved against the Jaguars that he can run against a tough defense.
Avoid 'Em
Najeh Davenport, RB, Pittsburgh
Owned: 17 percent of leagues
Week 5: Had one carry for 3 yards at Jacksonville.
Analysis: With Willie Parker (knee) expected back following the bye in Week 6, Davenport could be released again. The Steelers will go with Parker, Mewelde Moore and Carey Davis (ankle) ahead of Davenport when all are healthy. Even if Davenport remains with the team, he won't see much playing time, so ignore Davenport unless Parker or Davis suffer a setback.
Chris Henry, WR, Cincinnati
Owned: 30 percent of leagues
Week 5: Had no catches at Dallas.
Analysis: Henry returned from his four-game suspension against the Cowboys but didn't factor into the game plan. That may change, but don't run out to pick him up just yet. Antonio Chatman has played well for the Bengals in the No. 3 role, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson remain the starters. Cincinnati also might start looking at Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell if the losses continue to mount, so don't expect much from Henry on a weekly basis going forward.
Mike Walker, WR, Jacksonville
Owned: 0 percent of leagues
Week 5: Caught six passes for 107 yards against Pittsburgh.
Analysis: The Jaguars passing game needed a performance like this, but don't expect Walker to develop into a good Fantasy option. Jerry Porter is still getting healthy, Matt Jones has been a solid contributor and the Jaguars still rely on Reggie Williams and Dennis Northcutt. David Garrard has also struggled this year, so the passes will be spread around, including Maurice Jones-Drew out of the backfield. Walker does have 11 catches in his past two games, but it's not enough to add him at this time.
Others to monitor ...
Greg Camarillo, WR, Miami
Owned: 2 percent of leagues
Week 5: Had six catches for 68 yards and a touchdown against San Diego.
Analysis: Camarillo leads the Dolphins with 17 catches for 214 yards and should continue to be a good source of catches. He's not going to post overwhelming stats most weeks, but he could be a decent bye-week replacement. The Dolphins obviously want to be a running team, but Camarillo has emerged from the pack as the best receiving option. If he continues to find the end zone, add him immediately.
Domenik Hixon, WR, Giants
Owned: 25 percent of leagues
Week 5: Had four catches for 102 yards and a touchdown and one carry for 15 yards against Seattle.
Analysis: With Plaxico Burress suspended for the Seattle game, Hixon stepped up to lead the Giants in receiving before leaving with a concussion. If Burress has any more disciplinary problems, Hixon could be a solid replacement again. But when everyone is on the field, Hixon will be the No. 3 receiver at best behind Burress and Amani Toomer. Still, with Burress' track record, he could miss another game sometime this season, and if he does add Hixon immediately.
Brandon Stokley, WR, Denver
Owned: 11 percent of leagues
Week 5: Had six catches for 52 yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay.
Analysis: If Eddie Royal (ankle) is expected to miss a significant amount of time, consider adding Stokley immediately. Stokley has 13 catches for 132 yards in his past two games, and Jay Cutler is starting to look in his direction more often. The Broncos passing game is one of the best in the NFL this year, so it's never a bad idea to have one of their top options. And Stokley has proven he can play well in a dynamic offense going back to his days with the Colts.
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