Dec. 22, 2008

Waiver Wire: The best pickups of '08

By Jamey Eisenberg | Senior Fantasy Writer

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All Antonio Bryant was looking for was a chance. All the Buccaneers were looking for was a productive wide receiver. It was the perfect match.

Bryant, who missed 2007 for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, signed with Tampa Bay in the offseason. The Bucs had Joey Galloway at wide receiver and little else with Ike Hilliard, Michael Clayton and Maurice Stovall.


Antonio Bryant is the latest example of a player posting huge stats in a contract year. (US Presswire)

When Galloway got hurt in Week 2, Bryant got the opportunity he was waiting for, and he didn't look back. Those of you who took advantage of Bryant's increased playing time in your Fantasy league benefitted, which is why Bryant earned the award for the best in-season addition.

Every Monday on CBSSports.com, we tried to help Fantasy owners with a column called Playing the Waiver Wire, which highlighted players to add, avoid and keep an eye on. The basis for finding players to mention was their ownership percentage in Fantasy leagues.

Bryant started the season at 8 percent but climbed to 53 percent in Week 4 and is at 96 percent heading into Week 17. His start percentage has climbed to 82 percent.

Bryant has helped Fantasy owners at the most important times. His first game without Galloway was Week 3 at Chicago, and Bryant had 10 catches for 138 yards.

He came on strong in October with 20 catches for 231 yards and a touchdown, but he turned into a star in November with another 20 catches for 285 yards and two touchdowns. And in crunch time, Bryant has been the best receiver in every Fantasy league.

Through three games in December heading into Week 17, Bryant has 23 catches for 435 yards and four touchdowns. As a free agent this offseason, Bryant has earned himself a nice raise.

Heading into Week 17 against Oakland, Bryant has 80 catches for 1,171 yards and seven touchdowns, which are all career highs. Some team will sign him to a new contract hoping he can produce on this level, and he's played well with inconsistent quarterback production from Jeff Garcia and Brian Griese, so a stable quarterback could help his value in 2009.

When choosing candidates for the Waiver Wire awards, we looked at players who weren't drafted this season in the majority of leagues on CBSSports.com. That's why you won't see players like Kurt Warner, Steve Slaton, Eddie Royal or Dustin Keller since they were all drafted.

Fantasy Football - Waiver Wire: The best pickups of '08 : FantasyNews.CBSSports.com

But other players like Matt Cassel, Pierre Thomas, LeRon McClain and Lance Moore were standout Waiver Wire additions. All have been potential starters for Fantasy teams this year, and all were undrafted in the majority of leagues.

Bryant took the award over the rest of these players because he helped Fantasy owners over a longer period of time and has been crucial at the right time. There were weeks when you questioned starting Cassel, Thomas, McClain or Moore, but Bryant has been started in 60 percent or more of leagues from Week 11 on.

The key to a successful Fantasy season is not only drafting well but picking up the right free agents. Bryant, Thomas, McClain and Moore came out of nowhere this season, and Cassel started for an injured Tom Brady. If you added these players, you probably enhanced a good lineup and competed for the playoffs and a possible championship.

Making the right moves could be the difference between a Fantasy title or the first-overall draft pick next year. So hopefully you took some chances and chose wisely, like adding Bryant in Week 3 just when his impressive season got started.

Feel free to send me an e-mail with the waiver wire moves you made this year. Let me know when you picked up that player and what impact they made on your team.

Here are the best free agent pickups we suggested this year in Playing the Waiver Wire. We ranked them based on a standard Fantasy team.

First team

Quarterback

Matt Cassel, New England
We said to add him: Week 2
Comment: It took Cassel almost two months to prove he was a worthy replacement for the injured Tom Brady, but he has closed the season in November and December on a tear with 16 total touchdowns and five interceptions in his last eight games. He will finish as a top 10 Fantasy quarterback.

Running Backs

Pierre Thomas, New Orleans
We said to add him: Week 3
Comment: Thomas did a stellar job filling in for the injured Deuce McAllister, Reggie Bush and Aaron Stecker and will finish as a top 20 Fantasy running back. He will head into next year as a sleeper since he's expected to start for the Saints and continue this role.

LeRon McClain, Baltimore
We said to add him: Week 4
Comment: McClain has been the most consistent running back in Baltimore with Willis McGahee and Ray Rice struggling with injuries and poor play all season. McClain went from a goal-line back to a featured option and will finish as a top 24 Fantasy running back this year.

Wide Receivers

Antonio Bryant, Tampa Bay
We said to add him: Week 4
Comment: When Joey Galloway got hurt, Bryant took over and never looked back. He was consistent for most of the season but took off recently with 26 catches for 498 yards and five touchdowns in the four games prior to Week 17. Bryant has a chance to finish as a top 10 Fantasy wide receiver.

Lance Moore, New Orleans
We said to add him: Week 5
Comment: Moore was a nice replacement for owners who lost Marques Colston to a thumb injury. Moore had six touchdowns in a five-game stretch from the end of October into November. While Moore cooled off toward the end of the season, he was a great Fantasy receiver during the weeks he was hot.

Tight End

John Carlson, Seattle
We said to add him: Week 2
Comment: Despite Matt Hasselbeck missing most of the season with injuries, Carlson still finished as a top 10 Fantasy tight end this year. He had 10 games with either 50 yards receiving or a touchdown and should enter 2009 as a No. 1 Fantasy option at his position. Hopefully his quarterback situation will improve.

Flex

Derrick Ward, N.Y. Giants
We said to add him: Week 3
Comment: Ward has a chance to finish with 1,000 rushing yards and is already over 1,300 total yards, which is impressive for a true backup running back. Ward has done well as a complement to Brandon Jacobs and has been a solid flex option for many owners this season.

Second team

Quarterback

Tyler Thigpen, Kansas City
We said to add him: Week 10
Comment: The Chiefs were looking for a franchise quarterback and found one in Thigpen, who has a chance to finish as a top 12 Fantasy quarterback. Thigpen goes into Week 17 with more touchdowns than Matt Ryan in less starts, which is why he gets the nod over Ryan in this spot.

Running Backs

Kevin Faulk, New England
We said to add him: Week 9
Comment: With Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan all missing time with injuries, Faulk had one of his best seasons with the Patriots. He is a great receiver out of the backfield and played well when given increased carries. Faulk will finish as a top 30 Fantasy running back this year.

Mewelde Moore, Pittsburgh
We said to add him: Week 6
Comment: Moore was one of the best injury replacements this season when Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall got hurt. Moore is a good receiver out of the backfield and played well as a starter when given the chance. Moore has a chance to finish as a top 30 Fantasy running back this season.

Wide Receivers

Steve Breaston, Arizona
We said to add him: Week 5
Comment: The third receiver for the Cardinals turned into a No. 2 Fantasy wide receiver this year. Breaston took advantage of playing in a dynamic offense with Kurt Warner, Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald. Breaston will enter 2009 with the chance to be a third-year breakout, so he could be even better for Fantasy owners.

Matt Jones, Jacksonville
We said to add him: Week 5
Comment: Jones was expected to be suspended early in the year for an offseason incident, but he played most of the season and posted good stats. He was a good No. 3 Fantasy wide receiver and finally lived up to the hype. Jones could have finished as a top 30 Fantasy wide receiver, but he finally was suspended for the final three games.

Tight End

Visanthe Shiancoe, Minnesota
We said to add him: Week 11
Comment: Shiancoe has the chance to be a top 5 Fantasy option based on a breakout season. He has seven touchdowns heading into Week 17 and has done well with Gus Frerotte and Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback. He could have made the First Team, but John Carlson was more consistent all season. Still, Shiancoe had a great year.

Flex

Sammy Morris, New England
We said to add him: Week 2
Comment: If Morris didn't miss three games with a knee injury he might have been a top 20 Fantasy running back this season. As it is he should crack the top 30 and has been a good goal-line option with seven touchdowns heading into Week 17. Injuries to Laurence Maroney and LaMont Jordan helped Morris play well this year.

Honorable mention

Donnie Avery, WR, St. Louis (We said to add him: Week 7); Cedric Benson, RB, Cincinnati (Week 6); Davone Bess, WR, Miami (Week 14) ; Deion Branch, WR, Seattle (Week 2); Greg Camarillo, WR, Miami (Week 5); Tashard Choice, RB, Dallas (Week 13); Anthony Fasano, TE, Miami (Week 2); Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore (Week 9); Devery Henderson, WR, New Orleans (Week 9); Shaun Hill, QB, San Francisco (Week 9); Domenik Hixon, WR, N.Y. Giants (Week 6); Kyle Orton, QB, Chicago (Week 6); Michael Pittman, RB, Denver (Week 3); Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta (Week 2); Bo Scaife, TE, Tennessee (Week 11)

Do you have a question for Jamey? Send your thoughts to DMFantasyFootball@cbs.com and we'll get to as many as we can. Be sure to put Attn: Waiver Wire in the subject field. Include your name, hometown and state.

PUP list in Mendenhall's future
Rashard Mendenhall, RB, PIT
2/13/2012

News: Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said Monday that there's a good chance RB Rashard Mendenhall will start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. If so, he'd be forced to miss at least the first six games of the regular season. Moreover, Colbert is not convinced that Mendenhall will be able to contribute at all in 2012. "I never feel good about an ACL for a year," Colbert said according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Mendenhall tore his right ACL in Week 17 of last season; recovery time for such injuries is anywhere from nine months to a year.

Analysis: With Mendenhall iffy, it's time to start giving some legit consideration to Isaac Redman as the primary rusher for the Steelers in 2012. Redman started the Steelers' playoff game at Denver and had 121 yards on 17 carries and 21 yards on two catches. He'll likely get the first crack at starting in place of Mendenhall. There's still a lot of time between now and the regular season, but for now it's probably safe to expect Mendenhall to not be at even close to 100 percent to start the year, which will absolutely impact his Fantasy value. By August, you might be drafting Mendenhall as a middle- to late-round sleeper you'll have to sit on for a while. We'll keep you posted on Mendenhall as best as we can.

Moss: I'm coming back
Randy Moss, WR, TEN
2/13/2012

News: Randy Moss took to UStream on Monday morning to announce that he plans to return to football in 2012. Moss didn't play last season after fizzling out with the Titans during a tumultuous 2010. Moss answered fan questions on the live video site and made it clear at the end of his web stream that he intends to play again after stepping away for personal reasons. "Your boy will be back for the upcoming season," he said. "Hopefully I can get on a team and finish this thing the way I want to." NFL Network reports that teams have already been calling his agent following the news.

Analysis: Most people remember Moss for his incredible big plays and ridiculous stats, such as the 17 touchdowns he scored as a rookie, or the record-breaking 23 touchdowns he caught in 2007, or the 14,465 yards he gained from 1998 to 2009. But some will remember him for a very counterproductive 2010 in which he caught just five touchdowns on 28 grabs with three different teams. If he does indeed return to football, where he plays and how quick he is will ultimately determine whether he's worth a late-round flier or something far more substantial.

Lions want to lock up Megatron
Calvin Johnson, WR, DET
2/13/2012

News: Lions president Tom Lewand, who controls Detroit’s salary cap compliance, says the team has had positive negotiations with WR Calvin Johnson over a contract extension. “(Johnson’s) got a good relationship with Matthew (Stafford),” Lewand told a local radio station in Detroit. “There’s a desire to keep that (relationship) together. When that desire exists, you can get deals done.” Johnson is entering a contract year in 2012 and is coming off a sensational season, finishing the regular season with 96 catches for 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns with another 211 yards and two touchdowns in one playoff game against the Saints.

Analysis: Johnson is not going to leave the Lions if Detroit has anything to do with it, and we expect him to get a big deal soon. Regardless of if he's in a contract year or not in 2012, it's clear Johnson is the No. 1 WR in Fantasy, and he should be drafted in Round 1 in all formats.

Eagles could franchise D-Jax
DeSean Jackson, WR, PHI
2/13/2012

News: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the Eagles are going to use the franchise tag on WR DeSean Jackson. The report says the Eagles will not let Jackson, whose contract is set to expire, walk without getting something in return. Feb. 20 is the first day NFL teams are permitted to franchise one player before he reaches free agency. March 5 is the deadline. At 4 p.m. on March 13 the league year starts and players with four or more years of service who are not under contract are eligible to become unrestricted free agents. Jackson, who signed a four-year, $3 million deal as a rookie in 2008, will not reach the open market because the Eagles are expected to franchise him. The receiver would stand to earn approximately $9.5 million - nearly $9 million more than he made in base salary last season - if he played next season under the tag. Jackson said immediately following the season finale that he would be fine with the franchise designation.

Analysis: Jackson's play slipped some last season, partly due to his distraction over his contract, but he still caught 58 passes for 961 yards and four touchdowns. His deep routes and ability to take multiple defenders often opened up the Eagles offense underneath. Keep an eye on what happens with Jackson and where he ends up in 2012. With the Eagles he would be considered a No. 2 Fantasy WR with upside, but if he leaves Philadelphia then his value will be determined by who his quarterback is and his contract. He will likely be drafted around Round 5 in most leagues.

Redman in line to start for Steelers?
Isaac Redman, RB, PIT
2/13/2012

News: Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said Monday that there's a good chance RB Rashard Mendenhall will start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform list. If so, he'd be forced to miss at least the first six games of the regular season. Moreover, Colbert is not convinced that Mendenhall will be able to contribute at all in 2012. "I never feel good about an ACL for a year," Colbert said according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. That would open the door for Isaac Redman to be the starting rusher entering training camp.

Analysis: With Mendenhall iffy, it's time to start giving some legit consideration to Isaac Redman as the primary rusher for the Steelers in 2012. Redman started the Steelers' playoff game at Denver and had 121 yards on 17 carries and 21 yards on two catches. He's also stepped up while working with Mendenhall and without him, though his one other start in 2011 was a flop (61 total yards, no touchdowns vs. Tennessee). By August we might recommend drafting Redman with a pick in Round 6 or 7 as a good early-season starting option with potential to be a quality Fantasy choice for the entire season. We'll see how the Steelers' run game shakes out.

Slaton, Dolphins likely parting ways
Steve Slaton, RB, MIA
2/13/2012

News: The Palm Beach Post reports that RB Steve Slaton is not expected to return to the Dolphins in 2012. Slaton played in three games this season with zero starts after being picked up on waivers before Week 4. He had 17 carries for 64 yards (3.8 average) with one touchdown and a long of 28 and also returned three kickoffs for 85 yards. Slaton was signed as insurance early in the season when both Reggie Bush (groin) and Daniel Thomas (hamstring) battled injuries.

Analysis: Keep an eye on where Slaton plays in 2012, but he likely has minimal Fantasy value. Ignore him in all leagues on Draft Day.

Baldwin already working hard
Doug Baldwin, WR, SEA
2/13/2012

News: The Tacoma News Tribune reports that Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin is already working out with the hope of building on an impressive rookie season. As an undrafted rookie free agent out of Stanford, he was a long shot to make the team last season, let alone lead Seattle in receiving. But that’s what Baldwin did. He finished with a team-high 51 receptions for 788 yards and four touchdowns, good enough for fourth in the league among rookies in receptions and yards. Baldwin also finished 11th in the league in percentage of receptions caught for first downs (78.4 percent), and fourth in the league with 23 catches on third down to move the chains. The hard-working Baldwin said he thinks he can do better. “I felt like the stats and everything (were) real average,” he said. “But you’ve got to have that sense of confidence about yourself when you step out on the field. To be honest with you, I didn’t think I’d have the opportunity to step out on the field that early. And with that, the transition wasn’t really that difficult because we have such a great coaching staff and they explain everything so well that it makes it easier for you to understand it and grasp the offense.”

Analysis: Baldwin’s production in 2011 secured his spot as Seattle’s slot receiver. But Baldwin wants to be considered a compete receiver. “They say that I’m the slot guy, but every year they’re bringing somebody in to try to take your job – that’s the upper management’s job,” he said. “So my job is to make sure that whoever they bring in doesn’t have a chance. That’s why I’m here, to be honest with you. “I want to be known as the greatest receiver who ever played the game, and it’s going to be hard to do that strictly out of the slot.” We like the way Baldwin is talking, and he has plenty of potential heading into 2012. Plan on drafting Baldwin as a sleeper with a late-round pick in all leagues.

Ward hopes to remain with Steelers
Hines Ward, WR, PIT
2/13/2012

News: Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said Monday that no decision has been made on the future of Hines Ward. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported previously that if the Steelers did decide to release Ward, he was unaware of it. NFL Network reported that Ward won't be back with the Steelers in 2012 but a source close to Ward refuted the report. Ward's 2012 salary is high and he's expected to at least take a significant pay cut, if not get released altogether. Ward has said many times that he wants to end his career in Pittsburgh but he is determined to play somewhere in 2012, even if the Steelers do not want him. Ward, who turns 36 March 8, has played all 14 of his seasons in the NFL with the Steelers and holds nearly every team receiving record.

Analysis: Keep an eye on what happens with Ward and where he ends up in 2012. No matter where Ward plays, however, he would have minimal Fantasy value, and he is not worth drafting in the majority of leagues.

Morgan fine, looks at future
Josh Morgan, WR, SF
2/13/2012

News: The Sacramento Bee reports that 49ers WR Josh Morgan left the team facility after a workout Thursday as if there was nothing wrong with him. Morgan broke his lower right leg on Oct. 9 and was placed on injured reserve. He told the Associated Press that he's begun sprinting again, and he promises to be at full speed in the spring. Coach Jim Harbaugh has said the 49ers want to re-sign Morgan, who is a good fit for their power-based West Coast offense. Morgan, however, likely will test the market in free agency before agreeing to a new deal in San Francisco.

Analysis: Keep an eye on where Morgan ends up in 2012, but he has minimal Fantasy value in the majority of leagues. Morgan is the type of player who is more valuable to his team than Fantasy owners.

Panthers could bring back Shockey
Jeremy Shockey, TE, CAR
2/13/2012

News: The Charlotte Observer considers re-signing free agent TE Jeremy Shockey a "high priority" this offseason. Shockey was the No. 2 TE for the Panthers behind Greg Olsen, and he had a productive season when he caught 37 passes for 455 yards and four touchdowns and missed only one game to injury.

Analysis: Though not the same receiver he was a decade ago, Shockey still is a dependable target, particularly in the red zone. If his asking price is too high, Panthers could turn to Gary Barnidge, who was having a great 2011 camp before breaking his ankle. Keep an eye on what happens with Shockey, and if he returns to the Panthers as expected he would be a No. 2 Fantasy TE on Draft Day worth a late-round pick in deeper leagues.

More Updates

1	Aaron Rodgers, GB, QB
2	Drew Brees, NO, QB
3	Tom Brady, NE, QB
4	Cam Newton, CAR, QB
5	Matthew Stafford, DET, QB
6	Philip Rivers, SD, QB
7	Eli Manning, NYG, QB
8	Tony Romo, DAL, QB
9	Michael Vick, PHI, QB
10	Peyton Manning, IND, QB
All Rankings

1	Arian Foster, HOU, RB
2	LeSean McCoy, PHI, RB
3	Ray Rice, BAL, RB
4	Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC, RB
5	Matt Forte, CHI, RB
6	Marshawn Lynch, SEA, RB
7	Ryan Mathews, SD, RB
8	Chris Johnson, TEN, RB
9	Adrian Peterson, MIN, RB
10	Steven Jackson, STL, RB
All Rankings

1	Calvin Johnson, DET, WR
2	Wes Welker, NE, WR
3	Roddy White, ATL, WR
4	Larry Fitzgerald, ARI, WR
5	Hakeem Nicks, NYG, WR
6	Greg Jennings, GB, WR
7	Victor Cruz, NYG, WR
8	A.J. Green, CIN, WR
9	Mike Wallace, PIT, WR
10	Miles Austin, DAL, WR
All Rankings

1	Rob Gronkowski, NE, TE
2	Jimmy Graham, NO, TE
3	Aaron Hernandez, NE, TE
4	Antonio Gates, SD, TE
5	Jason Witten, DAL, TE
6	Tony Gonzalez, ATL, TE
7	Vernon Davis, SF, TE
8	Jermichael Finley, GB, TE
9	Brent Celek, PHI, TE
10	Fred Davis, WAS, TE
All Rankings

1	Stephen Gostkowski, NE, K
2	Mason Crosby, GB, K
3	Sebastian Janikowski, OAK, K
4	David Akers, SF, K
5	Garrett Hartley, NO, K
6	Dan Bailey, DAL, K
7	Jason Hanson, DET, K
8	Neil Rackers, HOU, K
9	Alex Henery, PHI, K
10	Nate Kaeding, SD, K
All Rankings

1	49ers, DST
2	Texans, DST
3	Ravens, DST
4	Giants, DST
5	Steelers, DST
6	Seahawks, DST
7	Eagles, DST
8	Packers, DST
9	Jets, DST
10	Patriots, DST
All Rankings