Ted Ginn Jr. led the NFL in receiving yards Sunday, but the majority of Fantasy owners didn't take advantage of his big game.
Ginn had seven catches for a career-high 175 yards against Buffalo, but he was only started in 3 percent of leagues on CBSSports.com -- probably by owners who forgot to set their lineups and got lucky. Ginn is only owned in 17 percent of leagues as of Monday.
Now, before you run out and spend all your bid points on Ginn, keep this in mind: Prior to Week 8 against the Bills, Ginn had 20 catches for 177 yards all season.
This was the first time Ginn was featured in the game plan because Miami is predominantly a running team with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams and has been getting by with the "Wildcat" offense. Remember, Patrick Cobbs also had a big game in Week 6 at Houston with three catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns.
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Ted Ginn is coming off a breakout game, but you should probably wait to see a little more.
(US Presswire)
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Ginn is obviously more talented than Cobbs, and Ginn played well in the preseason so hopefully this is a sign of things to come.
Chad Pennington has also emerged as a solid quarterback, which should help in Ginn's development.
But he could also be a one-week wonder, with Greg Camarillo still Miami's best receiver and Anthony Fasano the red-zone threat. Add Ginn if you have a roster spot, but he's not the only receiver that could be on the waiver wire heading into Week 9.
If Steve Breaston (76 percent) is still out there, pick him up. Even with Anquan Boldin back, Breaston will remain a vital part of Arizona's passing attack. He had nine catches for 91 yards at Carolina.
Devery Henderson (63 percent) and Lance Moore (63 percent) aren't going anywhere in New Orleans even with Marques Colston back. Henderson had three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown against San Diego and has either a touchdown or 60 yards receiving in his past five games. Moore had six catches for 90 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers and has established himself as the No. 2 receiver in the offense. With Reggie Bush (knee) out, Moore should see more passes in his direction.
Kevin Walter (63 percent) is part of the hottest offense in the NFL right now in Houston. He had five catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns against Cincinnati and should be added immediately. Walter is the No. 3 option in the passing game behind Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels, but he could be a solid No. 3 Fantasy wide receiver most weeks.
If you haven't noticed Donnie Avery (51 percent) by now, you haven't been paying attention to this column. Avery was right behind Ginn this week with six catches for 163 yards and a touchdown at New England.
Avery has scored in his past two games and has at least 55 receiving yards in his past three. He is worth using as a low-end No. 2 Fantasy wide receiver in Week 9..
Some other receivers to monitor or add depending on your needs include Kevin Curtis (62 percent), Devin Hester (55 percent), Joey Galloway (47 percent), Donte Stallworth (39 percent), Nate Washington (39 percent), Matt Jones (33 percent) and Reggie Williams (14 percent). Curtis and Galloway are proven commodities, but they are coming off injuries and could take some time to return to form. The same goes for Stallworth, who returned two weeks ago but scored a touchdown Sunday at Jacksonville.
Washington's status is tied to Santonio Holmes and what happens with him following his deactivation Sunday, and Williams could see a boost if Jones is suspended in Jacksonville. There's a chance Jones might not be suspended, so he could be worth a roster spot in some leagues.
In case you haven't noticed ... It's time to add New England running back Kevin Faulk. The Patriots running backs are a mess with Laurence Maroney out for the season and Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan injured. The one constant, however, is Faulk, who is only owned in 45 percent of leagues on CBSSports.com. Faulk led the Patriots with 13 carries for 60 yards against the Rams and had four catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. Rookie BenJarvus Green-Ellis scored a rushing touchdown, but he only had nine carries for 16 yards. Faulk has at least 50 total yards in five of six games with three touchdowns and can be a solid flex option the rest of the way even when Morris and Jordan return. Faulk should be added ahead of Green-Ellis.
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
Marc Bulger, QB, St. Louis
Owned: 49 percent of leagues
Week 8: Completed 18-of-34 passes for 301 yards, one touchdown and one interception at New England.
Analysis: Bulger is starting to look like the quarterback we all remember, and this was his best game of the year. He has some favorable matchups the next few weeks against Arizona, the Jets and San Francisco, so it might be time to count on him again, especially if he can play like this outdoors, which has been his problem recently. Donnie Avery's development has helped, and once Torry Holt gets going, the old Bulger could be back.
Chad Pennington, QB, Miami
Owned: 61 percent of leagues
Week 8: Completed 22-of-30 passes for 314 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo.
Analysis: Pennington has been impressive the past three weeks, so it's time to add him if you need a quarterback. He has 893 passing yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in his past three games against Houston, Baltimore and Buffalo. The Dolphins are a running team first, but Pennington is putting up enough positive stats to help your Fantasy team. And he has favorable matchups ahead with Denver and Seattle the next two weeks.
Derrick Ward, RB, Giants
Owned: 55 percent of leagues
Week 8: Had 13 carries for 37 yards and five catches for 43 yards at Pittsburgh.
Analysis: Ward continued his streak of at least 50 total yards in every game this season and has been a solid contributor for the Giants. Brandon Jacobs remains the starter, but Ward could still be used as a flex option for Fantasy owners. At the end of the Steelers game, it was Ward on the field to close out the game, not Jacobs. Ward also has at least three catches in three games this season. And if Jacobs gets hurt, Ward would become the starter for the Giants, so he's a good handcuff option.
Leon Washington, RB, Jets
Owned: 37 percent of leagues
Week 8: Had three carries for 67 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown against Kansas City.
Analysis: We expected Washington to play well against the Chiefs, and he did. But Washington could still be a good Fantasy option going forward because the Jets like to throw, which means more time on the field for Washington. And in games where Thomas Jones stalls, Washington provides a change of pace. Washington is a good flex option during the bye weeks and is good insurance in case Jones gets hurt.
Avoid 'Em
Billy Miller, TE, New Orleans
Owned: 8 percent of leagues
Week 8: Had seven catches for 82 yards against San Diego.
Analysis: Miller has been solid the past four weeks with 18 catches for 252 yards. He has played well with Jeremy Shockey out, but Shockey returned last week and was limited. With the bye week, look for Shockey to come back in Week 10 at close to 100 percent, which should limit Miller's Fantasy value. If Shockey is still not ready to go at top speed, then Miller could be a decent starter if you need help at tight end.
Tyler Thigpen, QB, Kansas City
Owned: 2 percent of leagues
Week 8: Completed 25-of-36 passes for 280 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions against the Jets.
Analysis: Thigpen could start for the rest of the season with Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard out, however don't count on him to help your Fantasy team despite the good outing against the Jets, who have a terrible pass defense. This was also Herm Edwards facing his former team without Larry Johnson, so the Chiefs came out throwing. Don't expect that to continue once Johnson returns, and Thigpen likely won't reach these stats again.
Leonard Weaver, RB, Seattle
Owned: 0 percent of leagues
Week 8: Had two carries for 13 yards and four catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns at San Francisco.
Analysis: When you think of Weaver, think back to Miami running back Patrick Cobbs in Week 6 at Houston. Running backs that don't typically catch passes then all of a sudden have big receiving games don't usually do that again. Weaver is behind Julius Jones, Maurice Morris and T.J. Duckett when it comes to touches, so don't get excited about his big game against the 49ers. It won't become a regular occurrence.
Others to monitor ...
Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore
Owned: 17 percent of leagues
Week 8: Completed 12-of-24 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown and had four carries for 23 yards and a touchdown against Oakland.
Analysis: Flacco isn't at Matt Ryan's level yet, but he's playing better the past two weeks and could be worth using if you're desperate for a quarterback. Flacco has 372 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions and one rushing touchdown against Miami and Oakland. He goes on the road the next three games at Cleveland, Houston and the Giants, and if he comes out of those games playing well, you know he's headed in the right direction.
Shaun Hill, QB, San Francisco
Owned: 1 percent of leagues
Week 8: Completed 15-of-23 passes for 173 yards and a touchdown against Seattle.
Analysis: Hill replaced the benched J.T. O'Sullivan and could be worth adding in Fantasy leagues now that the move is permanent. The 49ers are off in Week 9, so Hill will have two weeks to get comfortable as the starter. Last year, Hill came on at the end of the season and played well with 501 passing yards, five touchdowns and one interception in four games. He could be a decent Fantasy quarterback since he plays for offensive coordinator Mike Martz.
Cadillac Williams, RB, Tampa Bay
Owned: 9 percent of leagues
Week 8: Did not play.
Analysis: Williams returned to practice for the Bucs and could be activated off the PUP list if Tampa Bay plans to use him this season. It's unlikely he would replace Earnest Graham or Warrick Dunn in the lineup, but Williams could get some carries if he's activated. He was once a featured running back for Tampa Bay and has talent, so it's worth keeping an eye on what happens with Williams and if he's healthy enough to play this year.
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