QB Carson Palmer, RaidersIt’s hardly a surprise that Palmer’s decision-making and accuracy have been issues as he shakes off the rust in his first two games of the season. There are plenty of reasons for optimism, though, after a 332-yard, three-touchdown performance in Week 9. Palmer’s arm looks stronger than the 2010 version, and the Raiders are getting explosive talents Jacoby Ford and Denarius Moore involved just in time for a slate of plus matchups against the Chargers, Vikings, Bears, Dolphins and Packers. With offensive focal point Darren McFadden out again, Palmer may be asked to throw more again Thursday night.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.
Complete Waiver Wired Column
QB Sam Bradford, RamsI’m not going to hold last week’s performance versus Arizona against Bradford after he beat his recovery timetable on a high-ankle sprain. Bradford won’t be recommended against a strong Cleveland pass defense this week, but there are plus matchups against the Seahawks and Cardinals in Weeks 11 and 12. I still expect Bradford’s production to spike with Brandon Lloyd making plays down the field.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.
Complete Waiver Wired column
QB Matt Cassel, ChiefsCassel took a step back against the Dolphins, showing poor pocket presence while failing to lead a touchdown drive. Week 10 represents a fine bounce-back opportunity against a Broncos defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks -- including 332 yards and three touchdowns to a rusty Carson Palmer last week.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play.
Complete Waiver Wired column
QB Christian Ponder, VikingsPonder was a recommended add in 12- and 14-team leagues heading into the bye week. This is a reminder that he posted a more than respectable 22 fantasy points against the Packers in Week 7, and he gets a healthy Percy Harvin back for the rematch. Green Bay is surrendering the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks after a big game from Philip Rivers in Week 9.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 14-team leagues.
Complete Waiver Wired column
QB Matt Moore, DolphinsMoore was the one quarterback to top Aaron Rodgers’ 146.5 passer rating as fantasy’s No. 3 quarterback for Week 9. While Moore can’t be recommended as a weekly option in any format by two-quarterback leagues, it’s worth noting that he’s incrementally increased his fantasy output in each of the past five games.
Recommendation: Worth a look in two-quarterback leagues.
Complete Waiver Wired column
RB Roy Helu, Redskins
Coach Mike Shanahan named Helu the starter Sunday morning, and the rookie responded with 14 receptions and 146 total yards due in large part to John Beck’s checkdown tendencies. The newest Shanny backfield edict is that Ryan Torain will only play when Helu needs a breather. Helu played on 64-of-67 snaps against the 49ers, suggesting that he will join the ranks of the three-down backs going forward. Even in a subpar offense, there’s plenty of breakout potential here over the final two months.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
RB Donald Brown, Colts
Coach Jim Caldwell confirmed that Delone Carter landed in fumble jail after coughing up his second carry against the Falcons. Playing as well as he has since entering the league as a busted first-round pick, Brown took over as the featured back in comeback mode. The workloads in this backfield are unpredictable due in large part to Joseph Addai’s (knee, hamstring) uncertain week-to-week status. Brown is worthy of a stash to see if the Colts can recoup some value on this investment down the stretch of a lost season, but he can’t be trusted as a weekly fantasy option just yet.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues.
RB Chris Ivory, Saints
Mark Ingram’s injury replacement got the nod as the Week 9 starter, leading the backfield with 67 rushing yards and 15 carries. Ivory has no role in the passing game, so he’s not going to be ranked higher than Darren Sproles or Pierre Thomas even if Ingram misses another week. Between his talent and the Saints’ high-scoring offense, Ivory is worthy of a stash for as long as Ingram sits out.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues.
RB Chris Ogbonnaya, Browns
Filling in as the starter last week, “Silent G” fumbled his first carry, failed to make tacklers miss and managed a paltry 2.2 yards on 13 carries. In other words, keep expectations low even though Peyton Hillis and Montario Hardesty have already been ruled out of an attractive matchup against the Rams. It’s quite possible that Thomas Clayton could end up with more touches than Ogbonnaya.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a desperation spot start.
RB Marion Barber, Bears
Monday night’s game proved once again that Marion the Barbarian is entrenched as the Bears’ goal-line back. He’s now scored in four of the five games he’s been active this season, which certainly earns him a long look in touchdown-heavy leagues. Those in standard-scoring leagues should feel no obligation to add Barber.
Recommendation: Worth a look in touchdown-heavy leagues.
RB Joe McKnight, Jets
The Jets coaching staff has promised increased offensive workloads for McKnight all season, and they finally followed through with a season-high nine carries against the Bills. McKnight isn’t going to hold fantasy value barring a Shonn Greene injury or extended slump, so he’s purely a deep-league pickup.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.
RB C.J. Spiller, Bills
Spiller is returning to the backfield now that Donald Jones is healthy. The 2010 first-rounder is not going to have value unless Fred Jackson goes down with an injury, but there’s breakout potential in that scenario.
Recommendation: Worth a look as injury insurance.
RB Toby Gerhart, Vikings
Much like Ricky Williams and Kendall Hunter, Gerhart should be added as an obvious handcuff for a stud starter. Only four more teams have byes (in Week 11), so it’s time to add that injury insurance before another owners swoops in and starts stashing high-upside backups.
Recommendation: Worth a look as injury insurance.
WR Laurent Robinson, Cowboys
A fine fallback option for those owners losing out on Roy Helu, Robinson will step into the starting lineup once again for Miles Austin. Returning to his promising early-career form, the brittle but talented Robinson has cleared 100 yards in two of the past five games -- the first two 100-yard performances of his career. Robinson clearly has the trust of his quarterback, and Romo showed a willingness to stand in the pocket and make throws down the field last week. Robinson has the look of an every-week starter for the next three weeks against the Bills, Redskins and Dolphins -- all of which rank in the bottom half of the league against opposing wide receivers.
Recommendation: Should be owned in all leagues.
WR Jacoby Ford, Raiders
Coach Hue Jackson won’t explain why Ford and Denarius Moore displaced Darrius Heyward-Bey coming out of the bye week. I can only surmise that Carson Palmer had better immediate chemistry with Ford and Moore than he did with DHB. Ford started against the Broncos while racking up 105 yards and a touchdown on five catches in an ascending passing offense. With Darren McFadden expected to sit again in Week 10, Ford is back on the radar as a WR3 option Thursday night.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues.
WR Denarius Moore, Raiders
The Oakland coaching staff ostensibly worked on getting the talented Moore and Jacoby Ford more involved in the offense during the bye week, the results were telling. Moore was all over the field with 12 targets and four punt returns against the Broncos. We can’t say with any degree of certainty how the receiving corps will shake out in Week 10, but Moore has plenty of upside if that Week 9 role carries over.
Recommendation: Worth a look in 12-team leagues.
WR Steve Breaston, Chiefs
Dropped in quite a few leagues after Jonathan Baldwin’s Week 8 breakout, Breaston is now owned in less than 50 percent of CBSSports.com leagues. He’s coming off his best game of the year with a team-high 11 targets, seven receptions and 115 yards. While never a good bet to find the end zone, Breaston has 50 or more yards in six of his past seven games. Week 10 brings a plus matchup against a Denver secondary that has struggled against No. 2 receivers.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.
WR Early Doucet, Cardinals
Feasting off the single coverage provided by Larry Fitzgerald’s presence, Doucet continues to produce as an under-the-radar top-30 fantasy receiver. More consistent than expected, Doucet has topped 50 yards or found the end zone in 6-of-8 games this year. The upside is low, but Doucet is worth a look as a WR3 in PPR formats.
Recommendation: Should be owned in PPR leagues.
WR Santana Moss, Redskins
The Redskins’ No. 1 receiver is entering the third week of a 5-7 week recovery timetable on his broken left hand. With bye weeks winding down, he should be owned in more than 50 percent of CBSSports.com leagues. Stash him at the end of your roster if he was dumped.
Recommendation: Should be stashed in 12-team leagues.
WR Earl Bennett, Bears
After missing the majority of the first half with a chest injury, Bennett immediately returned as Jay Cutler’s security blanket and Chicago’s most effective receiver versus the Eagles. Even if he is as reliable as a Bears receiver gets at this point, just keep in mind that Bennett has never been much of a fantasy asset. I wouldn’t bother with him outside of PPR formats.
Recommendation: Worth a look in PPR leagues.
WR Austin Pettis, Rams
The Rams have now lost Danny Amendola and Greg Salas for the season, leaving Pettis as the default starter in the slot for Week 10 against the Browns. Mark Clayton (Achilles, knee) is expected to be activated from the PUP list this week, and he could end up battling for snaps inside as well. Pickup Pettis in PPR formats, but keep an eye on Clayton.
Recommendation: Worth a look in PPR leagues.
WR Leonard Hankerson, Redskins
We advised last week that Hankerson’s role was due to increase, and he ended up being named a starter by Sunday morning. Better yet, the third-round rookie led all Redskins receivers by playing in 63-of-64 offensive snaps. Don’t expect much in a declining offense, but Hankerson has talent worthy of a stash in deeper leagues.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.
TE Heath Miller, Steelers
A fantasy afterthought as an extra blocker early in the season, Miller has regained relevance since Max Starks returned to solidify the offense line. Miller is fantasy’s No. 2 tight end over the past five weeks and the No. 3 tight end over the past three. A 73-yard performance against the shut-down Ravens defense bodes well for Miller’s production regardless of matchup going forward.
Recommendation: Should be owned in 12-team leagues.
TE Brent Celek, Eagles
The good news is that Celek has drawn exactly nine targets in three consecutive games. The bad news is that the Eagles have been taking advantage of matchups against teams that don’t defend tight ends well. Though Celek has been a top-10 fantasy tight end over the past three weeks, the matchups aren’t nearly as friendly over the next month.
Recommendation: Worth a look in deeper leagues.
TE Visanthe Shiancoe, Vikings
The Packers allow the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends, and Shiancoe managed a 4/45/1 line against them three weeks ago on a season-high eight targets. He’s a borderline top-15 option for Week 10.
Recommendation: Worth a look as a matchup play.
TE Jacob Tamme, Colts
A hot waiver pickup at mid-season last year, Tamme averaged nearly seven catches and 65 yards down the stretch with Peyton Manning. Dallas Clark, a superior player, was averaging just three catches and 32 yards with Curtis Painter this year. The math tells us Tamme won’t be good for more than 25-30 yards per week as long as Clark is out. Don’t waste a roster spot.
Recommendation: Worth a look only in deeper leagues.
Dolphins Defense/Special Teams
As Adam Levitan pointed out in Monday’s Daily Dose, Miami is allowing just 13.6 points over the past three games while the Redskins have managed a total of 11 in their last two outings. The Dolphins defense is starting to play up to its talent level.
Jaguars Defense/Special Teams
Jacksonville quietly boasts a top-eight NFL defense heading into a matchup against Indy’s 30th-ranked offense. The Colts have multiple turnovers in four consecutive games, and a regressing Curtis Painter has led the offense to less than a touchdown per game over the past three.
Eagles Defense/Special Teams
This defense failed to record a sack Monday night, but the Week 10 matchup is setting up perfectly with Kevin Kolb’s status in doubt. The Cardinals fly to the east coast with a quarterback possessing an Orlovskyan sense of his own end zone and a feature back on a bum wheel. The Eagles should have little trouble shutting down this offense.