Week Six Waiver Wire Pickups

A trio of wideouts are highlighted as this week’s top free agent acquisitions as we try to find some guys that can step in as low-level starters to cover your bye weeks.  Don’t be afraid to turn over the last spot on your roster on a weekly basis to the hot waiver wire player(s) of the week. Even if you can’t use the player, you are keeping a player away from the opponents in your league. You always need to keep on the lookout for anything that can improve on your roster, no matter how good or bad the player might be.

We also dip way into the free agent pool, talking about a few guys that might be of interest to the dynasty leaguers. They are guys to grab and hold onto for 2009 as they could move into more prominent roles with another year under their belt.

And last week’s “Don’t Give Up On …” segment continues! As always, your comments are welcome, thanks!

Don’t Give Up On … QB Jon Kitna,

Detroit

Call me crazy, and many have called me that and worse, but as a Kitna owner, I’m not ready to release him. To say that it has been a frustrating season for all Detroit Lions fantasy players is really not saying enough. Yea, we knew the Lions wouldn’t be great, but fantasy leaguers were expecting great things from their offense, at least their passing offense. I can’t imagine that the shuffle in the front office is affecting the play on the field, but that is a possibility. Roy Williams wants to be traded? Or he doesn’t? When teams lose, the player’s frustration comes out in the papers, and one of the ways it comes out is talking about being elsewhere.

What I am seeing right now is a team that is way out of synch and the individual players involved don’t want to lose so things get printed in the papers. Nothing is going right, they’re in a rut and they are having a devil of a time getting things back on track. Many sites this week were reporting that Kitna was benched this week; my moles are telling me that he was having some issues with his back (which obviously isn’t a good thing either!). I’m guessing that the truth lies somewhere in between. 

I can’t sugar coat the numbers, only 146 yards against

San Francisco in week three?  Ouch! And now he’s taken out of the game in week five? Yuck. The Lions have one of the best 1-2 punches in the league in Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams. Throw in Shaun McDonald and Mike Furrey and you’ve got one of the best group of wideouts in the NFL. Right now, it’s just not working. They will come around; these guys are professionals, and they will find a way to get it done. Don’t give up on Kitna yet; keep an eye on how his back improves, and you don’t need me to tell you this part of it, keep him on your bench. But do keep him.

Solid Pickups

WR Brandon Stokley,

Denver

Eddie Royal has been white hot this season, but he came up with an injury and may be out for a couple of weeks. That creates an opportunity for Stokley, who had already been seeing some action. Six catches for 52 yards and a touchdown this week, seven for 80 the week prior. If Stokley wasn’t on your waiver wire radar, then he definitely should be now. Teams that are struggling at the position to cover a bye week could even get Stokley in their starting lineup while Royal is out.

WR Greg Camarillo,

Miami

I never thought at the beginning of the season that I’d be recommending anyone from the waiver wire associated with the Dolphins offense, but with five weeks in the books, I can no longer resist. I’ve seen enough from

Camarillo to recommend him, to the point he can get into your starting lineup as a WR3 to cover a bye week. Very consistent this season, including a six-catch, 68-yard, touchdown performance last week.

WR Devery Henderson,

New Orleans

The Saints have quite a few weapons they use at wideout, and

Henderson certainly hasn’t been consistent this year. If he is on your waiver wire, don’t hesitate to grab him. I’d like to see some more touches out of him (only 10 catches total on the season), but 100 yards and a touch this past week will certainly get him some attention. 

Henderson is a guy that you need to stash on your bench and hope that later in the season, he puts up the five catches for 90 yards on a weekly basis. 

On the Radar

WR Nate Washington,

Pittsburgh

The Steelers don’t go to their third wideout very often, so I wouldn’t expect a repeat of his six-catch, 94-yard, touchdown performance. That said,

Washington is capable, so if anything should happen to the guys in front of him on the depth chart, he’d step right in and perform well. For now, he remains on the radar only.

TE Donald Lee,

Green Bay

I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve put Lee in this column, but once again, I think he deserves a mention as I see him available in many leagues. He’s been the ultimate tease this season, especially since he entered the season with such high hopes. Four catches this past week, including his first touchdown of the season.  Those of you desperate for a starter off the waiver wire, or those of you with the patience and roster space to hold him as a backup need only apply here.

PK Shayne Graham,

Cincinnati

We continue to try and find a kicker that might be on the waiver wire, and this week we discuss Graham. After an extremely slow start that saw him only attempt two kicks in the first two weeks of the season (he missed one), the Bengals offense is starting to create some scoring chances for the kicker. Three attempts this past week, two the week prior, and three the week before that. Those are pretty good attempts for a kicker. He’s also going for distance, four in the 40s range in the past two weeks. If Graham is on your waiver wire, look to what you’ve got on your current roster.

Deep and/or Dynasty

RB Cedric Benson, Cincinnati

Going very deep here, but when a running back is promoted to #2 on the depth chart behind the starter, that has to be mentioned. The Bengals released Kenny Watson, freeing up room for Benson. Ten carries and 30 yards isn’t a lot, but he’s just getting used to his new team, and he’s got only Chris Perry in front of him.  Could he emerge as the starter in a few weeks??

TE Tom Santi,

Indianapolis

I’m looking to 2009 here. Santi certainly isn’t going to be worth anything in 2008, but he seems to be seeing the ball. Four catches and a touchdown this week lands him in this week’s article. Dynasty leaguers with space at the end of your roster that are hurting for a tight end might want to take a chance on the Indy backup.

WR Mike Walker,

Jacksonville

Of all the luck. The third wideout on the Jaguars rarely sees the ball, yet in the past two weeks,

Walker has caught five and six passes. This it was to the tune of 107 yards. Alas, it looks like he came away from this week with a knee injury, so that’ll keep him on the deep list for this week. Dynasty leagues only unless it looks like the injury is only minor.

WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, Oakland

Ok, I’ll admit it, the main reason Higgins makes the writeup this week is that, well, his name is Johnny Lee Higgins. His primary role in 2008 is returning both punts and kickoffs, but he’s shown a smidge of life on offense. A long 84-yard touchdown in Week 3, four catches in week four … yes, we’re reaching, but again we’re looking to 2009 here for those dynasty leaguers looking for a project to stash on their bench.