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Week 2 was full of successes and missteps, as it always is. It was also a week that included tons of unexpected wins or losses for teams with different expectations (here's looking at you, Eagles). It's important to remember that the first few weeks of every NFL season are filled with turmoil, and should be treated as such. Don't make any rash moves by dropping under-performing players just yet, but absolutely scoop up and stash a few of our weekly waiver picks while they are still available. The trick is to get these guys while the getting is good. Good luck!

Tyrod Taylor, BUF – (owned in 15% of leagues) Taylor impressed in week 1 and was included in our initial waiver wire picks. Week 2 only brought more production from the rookie QB as he ended the day with 3 passing TDs and ran one in himself as well. There are downsides still, though, and Taylor did have 3 INTs in week 2. As he gains experience those mistakes should be tempered but the upside is what we're looking for here. Taylor likely won't be available in most leagues after this week.

Andy Dalton, CIN – (owned in 30% of leagues) Dalton is the line by which we generally measure all of the other QBs in the NFL. The 'Andy Dalton Line' determines whether a QB is above or below average. This year may change that, though, as Dalton has thrown 5 TD passes and no INTs over 2 games and the Bengals' passing offense looks to be running on all cylinders in 2015. Barring injuries to guys like Green, Kelce, Jones and Bernard, Dalton could make a case to be started on a week-to-week basis going forward.

Other players to consider are Blake Bortles (owned in 9%) who has developed great chemistry with Allen Robinson and Julius Thomas's impending return to the field will also add value. Derek Carr (owned in 14%) will likely be throwing passes from behind for most of the season and that generally bodes well for some garbage time touchdowns. Amari Cooper is also coming into his own on the Raiders.

Running Backs

Matt Jones, WAS – (owned in 23% of leagues) Jones was drafted to be the passing down complement to Alfred Morris's early down role, but his current trajectory has him on course to eclipse Morris's touches eventually. In week 2, Jones was just a few touches shy of Morris and he continues to impress not only in 3rd down situations but also in early down use, spelling Morris. A pickup on the waiver wire now may be the only time that Jones is available for the rest of the season.

David Johnson, ARI – (owned in 34% of leagues) Johnson was billed as the bigger, faster version of Andre Ellington and he has certainly proved to be a valuable commodity on the Cardinals so far this season. Johnson has the highest points per touch in the NFL so far this year and the only issue is how much production Bruce Arians will allow him to have on a weekly basis. If there is any time to play him, though, it's now - when Johnson needs to prove his worth while Ellington is out.

Other players to consider are James Starks (owned in 11%) because Eddie Lacy exited the game in week 2 with an ankle injury and is not a lock to play in week 3. If Lacy should be inactive this week, Starks is immediately a RB2. Ronnie Hillman (owned in 36%) could take over the lead back role in Denver if C.J. Anderson continues to struggle after his week 1 injury. He's worth a pickup because whoever ends up with that job will get enough work to be an every week starter.

Wide Receivers

Travis Benjamin, CLE – (owned in 14% of leagues) Benjamin has scored 3 TDs on only 6 receptions over the past two weeks. His stats are gaudy and he is worthy of a pickup in every league, but you must be wary with this sort of situation: not only does Benjamin seem like a boom or bust player, but the Cleveland offense is very much not locked in to any kind of rhythm. Still, even if you're not starting Benjamin you need to put in a claim for him if you are needy at wide receiver.

Michael Crabtree, OAK – (owned in 23% of leagues) As I mentioned earlier, Derek Carr is definitely an up and coming QB in the league and his main weapons (Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree) will enjoy a high amount of targets in most games this season. Crabtree is a talented receiver with a good pedigree who only really broke out in 2012 while playing for the 49ers. He has the opportunity in 2015 to become fantasy relevant once more, now that he is playing across from the newly drafted Amari Cooper, who should draw the coverage away.

Marvin Jones, CIN – Jones had more snaps than Mohamed Sanu this past week, and things look good for Jones to finally make an impact. Remember, Jones was playing out of his mind in 2013 and scored 10 TDs before being lost for the entire 2014 season due to the same kind of injury that Dez Bryant suffered in week 1. With all of the weapons that Dalton has, Jones should have the opportunity to get free downfield on a regular basis and turn that into fantasy points.

Other players to keep an eye on are Dorial Green-Beckham (owned in 19%) who has monster size, speed and potential, and Rishard Matthews (owned in 2%) who is becoming a favorite of Ryan Tannehill's when he can't find Landry downfield.

Tight Ends

Crockett Gillmore, BAL – (owned in 4% of leagues) Gillmore is a big target that didn't get much of an opportunity to produce last year, but is being leaned on big time in 2015 with Breshad Perriman sidelined until next month. Here is a guy that could solve your TE woes, at least until the Ravens get Perriman back from injury. I'm betting that Gillmore will still have a fantasy impact as a high end TE2 even afterwards, though.

Other players to look for are Richard Rodgers (owned in 8%). The appeal of "Rodgers to Rodgers" is just too seductive. But seriously, Rodgers impressed me with his physicality in his week 2 start against Seattle.

Kickers

Josh Brown, NYG – (owned in 25% of leagues) Brown performed well last week, and the Giants will be facing the Redskins in week 3 who have a fairly formidable rushing and passing defense so far in 2015. This translates to more field goal opportunities for a Giants team that can move the football downfield but may have trouble getting it into the end zone this week.

Josh Lambo, SD – (owned in 3% of leagues)

Defense/Special Teams

Cincinnati Bengals – (owned in 13% of leagues) The Bengals are among the top 10 defensive units in fantasy right now but are only owned by 13% of teams. This week, they play the Baltimore Ravens, who have provided a ton of fantasy points to defenses so far in 2015.

The injury bug continues to sting the NFL. Ben Roethlisberger and Marshawn Lynch highlight the week 3 injury report. We are already starting to see the waiver wire slim as sleepers are at a premium by this point in the season. Streaming plays is still important so continue to look for favorable matchups on a weekly basis.

Quarterbacks

Tyrod Taylor, BUF – The Buffalo Bills were largely ignored from a fantasy stand point heading into this season. You’ll notice a heavy contingent of Bills players in this week’s waiver picks. It all starts with quarterback and Tyrod Taylor has been impressive through 3 weeks. It really is hard to believe he is only owned in 38% of leagues. The caution surrounding him is clearly over as he has been let loose to make 59 attempts in his last two games. He’s out scoring guys like Andrew Luck, Eli Manning and Matt Ryan. There really is no reason for fantasy owners not to snatch him up this week.

Derek Carr, OAK – Oakland is 2-1 on the season and while that means little to fantasy owners it should be noted that Derek Carr has had 2 great fantasy days in those victories. Unlike Tyrod Taylor I don’t see Carr being a guy that you’ll roll with the rest of the season. What I do like about Derek Carr heading into week 4 is his matchup with the Chicago Bears. The Bears are 0-3 with little hope of being relevant and have questionable corner backs. Carr is a great streaming option this week and maybe a guy you want to stash if you drafted guys like Matt Stafford or Colin Kaepernick.

Running Backs

Karlos Williams, BUF – LeSean McCoy owners were feeling the frustration before news came out that Shady might grab some pine to get his hamstring healed in week 4. Karlos Williams has a touchdown in each of the first 3 games of the season. Last week he made the most of his 12 attempts with 110 yards. The increased roll plus the news that Shady may be used sparingly makes Williams a no brainer pick up this week. He is only owned in 25% of leagues.

Thomas Rawls, SEA – One man’s loss is another man’s gain. Thomas Rawls stepped up when Marshawn Lynch left the game with a hamstring injury. It’s a wait-and-see situation with Lynch, but if you own Marshawn or could use a plug and play RB in week 4 then Rawls is easy pickings. His matchup with Detroit is favorable and he has clearly beaten out Fred Jackson.

Alfred Blue, HOU – The Texans must have finally realized their quarterback situation is futile. Alfred Blue was given the rock 31 times in week 3 as Houston looked to get some sort of spark going on offense. Blue did not disappoint with 139 yards and a touchdown. Arian Foster will be back soon, but Blue’s performance makes him worth a pickup in case Foster takes another week healing his groin.

Wide Receivers

Rishard Matthews, MIA – It’s ok if you didn’t hear about Rishard Matthews before the season started. He has come out of nowhere with 262 yards and 3 touchdowns on this young season. He saw 10 targets in week 3 and is clearly going to continue to be involved in the Miami offense. We aren’t talking about an Odell Beckham here, but there are plenty of WR2’s and WR3’s that have disappointed to this point. Matthews is available in 77% of leagues.

Marvin Jones, CIN – Heading into this season I was way up on Marvin Jones. Week 1 was unsettling but Jones has proven that going with your gut is sometimes more important than one week’s worth of stats. In weeks 2 and 3 his role has increased with 13 targets. More important from a fantasy stand point are his two consecutive weeks finding the end zone. He is the #2 receiver in Cincinnati at this point and a strong WR3 option moving forward.

Ted Ginn Jr., CAR – The Panthers have a serious lack of targets this season. Ted Ginn Jr. is the wide receiver that appears to be the best target behind Greg Olson. He has a promising 22 targets through 3 weeks and if that completion percentage can come up he will be dangerous. I like him this week against the Tampa Bay defense and you can stash him on the bench to play match ups as the season goes on.

Tight Ends

Charles Clay, BUF – The tight end position is one where it’s rare to find lightening in a bottle. Charles Clay is certainly not going to be a game changer, at least not at this point. I like Clay because the Bills are a hot team right now and he is playing a role. He has two consecutive games with a touchdown and a good matchup against the Giants in week 4.

Kickers

Chandler Catanzaro, ARI – The Cardinals have a very good defense to this point this season. That has hurt Chandler Catanzaro to this point as he only has 2 field goals on the year. I still like having kickers on an offense that moves the ball over a guy like Robbie Gould, who is accurate but was blanked in week 3. If you are streaming kickers Catanzaro is my pick this week as the Rams present the toughest defensive match up Arizona has seen all season

Defense/Special Teams

Indianapolis Colts – Week 4 is a rough week if you are streaming your defenses. Indianapolis is best available mostly due to a favorable match up with the Jaguars. The Colts have a tough start to the season defensively, but they have had some pretty good talent going against them too. They have a lot to prove and a coach’s job in their hands.

Grab’em while they’re hot! Week 5 is getting ready to start and the waiver wire continues to bear fruit. Bye weeks are in full swing this weekend too with Carolina, Miami, Minnesota and the New York Jets all off. My recommendation is to dig deep this week. The season is really starting to take shape and waiver wire gold tends to get slim in the middle of the season.

Quarterbacks

Jay Cutler, CHI – The Bears are not staging a comeback or anything this year but fantasy value can still be found on losing teams. Jay Cutler came back last week and had his best game of the season despite his bum hamstring. The Andrew Luck and Drew Brees injuries should be a wake-up call to all owners. Stashing a good streaming QB on your bench is valuable and Jay Cutler has yet to really hit his full stride this season. Playmaker Alshon Jeffery should be returning soon too giving him another dynamic player to target. He is only owned in 25% of leagues.

Brian Hoyer, HOU – Houston plays on Thursday and that might be the only reason Brian Hoyer doesn’t replace Ryan Mallett in week 5. Mallett is too inexperienced and immature to handle his poor play and benching properly so I do expect Hoyer to win back the starting position soon. Houston isn’t setting any offensive records but Hoyer does have DeAndre Hopkins to target. Plus, we haven’t really seen the full impact of Arian Foster returning. Foster should open up the field a bit more and Hopkins continues to play very well despite his QB handicap. Hoyer is wide open and only owned in 1% of leagues. He must have a lot of family playing fantasy football.

Running Backs

Duke Johnson Jr., CLE – We knew Duke Johnson Jr. was going to find his way onto the field this season. Though he remains the backup - for now - the Browns have found a way to use him effectively. In his last 2 games Johnson has 15 catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. He’ll continue to get some touches too, but his impact in the passing game is obviously a big plus for a guy only owned in 31% of leagues.

Charles Sims, TB – The RBBC approach is starting to take on a bit of a new look this season. Players like Lance Dunbar, Duke Johnson Jr. and now Charles Sims are finding success through the air when they sub in. Sims has 10 receptions for 108 yards and 2 touchdowns. His value is further increased based on the fact that he is the third down back for Doug Martin. I will point out too that I like him in DFS lineups, especially as a FLEX. He is only owned 11% of leagues.

Wide Receiver

Allen Hurns, JAX – The waiver wire gold is few and far between this late into the season, but I believe Allen Hurns has just that type of value as a WR3. He has made the most of his opportunities early, racking up 13 catches for 186 yards and 2 touchdowns. Hurns narrowly missed making my waiver picks last week and quite honestly I am disappointed in myself. He is still only owned in 19% of leagues. That won’t last long after putting up two consecutive weeks of WR3 numbers.

Willie Snead, NO – A new name that should make his way onto everyone’s radar is Willie Snead. He has overtaken Brandon Coleman as the 3^rd wide out in New Orleans. The amount of playtime he is seeing gives him good enough upside to make my picks this week. He also plays in the Saints pass happy offensive system. For now he is a streaming option with high upside. I predict his ceiling will continue to rise as the season moves on. He is only owned in 3% of leagues.

Leonard Hankerson, ATL – Atlanta is rejuvenated under new Head Coach Dan Quinn; especially on the offensive side of the ball. Julio Jones was predicted to dominate, and he has, but Roddy White was a question heading into this season because of his age. Enter Leonard Hankerson to offer the Falcons another option in the passing game. Through the first 4 weeks he has been boom or bust, but is seeing a good number of targets for a guy only owned in 19% of leagues. Whether or not he gains more consistency is still up in the air, but don’t pass up on the number 2 wideout in a top 5 passing yards per game offense.

Tight Ends

Gary Barnidge, CLE – After the two weeks the 30 year old Gary Barnidge has had I would be an idiot not to recommend picking him up. He has 12 catches in his last two games for 180 yards and 2 touchdowns. The tight end position continues to be a popular streaming position as the talent pool has large gaps between tiers. Injuries are another issue with the TE position; see Jordan Reed (SHOCKER). Barnidge is a bright spot on an otherwise dismal Browns team. His is only taken in 9% of leagues.

Antonio Gates, SD – Injuries are starting to mount up for the San Diego offense with Stevie Johnson exiting in week 4 and Malcom Floyd going through concussion protocol. That is why it surprises me that Antonio Gates is still only owned in 54% of fantasy leagues right now. Gates is finally back after serving his 4 game suspension and will no doubt make an immediate impact. Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates have long been a great fantasy marriage. The injuries only boost his ceiling in his week 5 return.

Kickers

Cairo Santos, KC – Kansas City’s losing streak continued in week 4 but Cairo Santos had a hell of a game. Most kickers are lucky to see half the number of field goals Santos made last week. His 7 field goals were good for 27 fantasy points. Streaming kickers is popular because, well, they’re kickers. Kansas City plays Chicago next week and it’s a favorable matchup for Jamaal Charles. That said, Alex Smith handicaps drives and an improved Bears defense should be good enough to keep the Chiefs out of the end zone.

Robbie Gould, CHI – The only game in which Robbie Gould has yet to put up favorable kicker numbers is the Seattle game where Chicago was shut out. He has 41 points on the season despite that, and is one of the most accurate kickers in the NFL. Jay Cutler is back and Matt Forte hasn’t been traded yet so I like the Bears ability to move the ball against Kansas City next week. Gould is owned in 18% of leagues which is just ridiculous considering his history and the numbers he has put up this season.

Defense/Special Teams

New York Giants – If you are heading into week 5 and find yourself in need of a defense then the New York Giants offer a good matchup option. There are two huge advantages to their week 5 matchup. One, San Francisco is traveling across the country. Two, and most important, San Francisco is the worst offense in the league led by an increasing disappointing Colin Kaepernick and coached by an increasingly greasy Jim Tomsula. Coach and Quarterback aside, you can’t ignore the numbers. The Giants have yet to put up big numbers as a D/ST this season, but they are 3 of 4 on the season in maintaining double digit fantasy points.

Working the waiver wire is an important skill for all fantasy team managers, regardless of their team's record. Sure, it may be easier to sit back and relax if your team has been performing at a high level these past several weeks - but that's exactly what you shouldn't be doing. There is always someone who is not performing up to expectations and there are always up and coming players on the wire to bring onto your roster and hope that they will end up being the Victor Cruz or Devonta Freeman of that year. Generally, we recommend not sticking with players week after week who are under-performing and instead picking up one of our waiver wire picks and crossing your fingers. On the other hand, teams that have been performing poorly can catch back up with a great pickup like Charcandrick West or Brandon LaFell. So choose wisely this week as you're browsing the waiver wire and keep our picks in mind. Happy hunting!

Quarterbacks

Josh McCown, CLE – Wasn’t this guy coaching high school football like 3 years ago before the Bears called? It really should come as no surprise that a journeyman QB like Josh McCown is finding success with the Browns. In any case it doesn’t really matter who it is or what team. The bottom line is that in his last 3 games he has 1154 yards with 6 touchdowns and 1 interception. There are plenty of underperforming quarterbacks with better names out there. You know who they are and if you’re one of them then you should pick up McCown.

Jay Cutler, CHI – He makes his second consecutive appearance this week. While his fantasy scores have yet to truly impress his attempts and consistency are important to look at. The Bears continue to battle and Adam Gase seems to be getting the most out of Jay Cutler. His numbers are also being hindered by the fact that he is working with inexperienced WR5’s and 6’s. I really like Jay Cutler’s matchup next week against a dismal Detroit Lions team.

Running Backs

Charcandrick West/Knile Davis, KC – It’s always a sad day when a top running back goes down. At least for the owner who drafted him it is. This one is a double dose but I am leaning towards Charcandick West as the pick up here. West proved himself and was the backup before Jamaal Charles went down. Knile Davis will no doubt see an increased roll as well. Andy Reid seems to like West more at this time and he should be targeted first.

Charles Sims, TB – The second repeat of the week. Charles Sims is still only owned in 19% of leagues. He now has 3 weeks of consistent numbers to go on. He added four more receptions in week 5 for 85 yards. While Doug Martin continues to impress in Tampa Bay I don’t see them changing what’s working. That means Sims remains a high end prospect when it comes to RBBC players as he continues to hit double digit fantasy points three weeks in a row.

Wide Receivers

Jamison Crowder, WAS – Over the last 3 games Jamison Crowder has 197 yards on 21 receptions. Much of his usage is due to DeSean Jackson and Jordan Reed being sidelined with injuries. That being said in week 5 he caught all 8 of his targets and is developing great report with Kirk Cousins. It would be nice to see him get in the end zone. Again, it’s week 6 and the pickings are getting slim as we focus on less than obvious waiver targets. Jamison Crowder is a good pick up that you can stash when Jackson comes back. Honestly I could see his value stay strong even on Jackson’s return as the field will be spread more.

Brandon LaFell, NE – It is that time to consider reaching out for Brandon LaFell. He is still on schedule to return in week 7 or 8. He was the clear number 2 in New England last year as he set personal bests in receptions, yards and touchdowns. The way the Patriots continue to play (cheat) makes LaFell a much anticipated return for fantasy owners.  If you have the room on your bench and can wait a couple of weeks for his return then go ahead and grab him early.

Tight Ends

Jacob Tamme, ATL – A prime example of week 6 thin pickins. Tamme had a great week last week with Leonard Hankerson exiting the game and Julio Jones nursing an injury. Those injuries are exactly why I like Tamme for one more week at least. It’s a Thursday night game so the Falcons have little time to rest their wounds. The New Orleans defense is also pathetically bad this season.

Kickers

Robbie Gould, CHI – Chicago has surprised the last two weeks with comeback victories. Robbie Gould is actually the 7^th best kicker when you look at fantasy points this season. The Bears have an ability to move the ball, without actually getting in the end zone; A big plus for fantasy kickers. He is also one of the most accurate kickers in the game today. It’s pretty offensive he is only owned in 23% of leagues.

Defense/Special Teams

Atlanta Falcons – Streaming defenses is a fickle thing. You’re going to have a better idea in your individual leagues depending on who is available. If you are looking for a little advice heading into week 6 then my suggestion is Atlanta. They have New Orleans on Thursday night in week 6. Traditionally Thursday Night Football is underwhelming due to lack of preparation so it’s a plus for defenses. They also have a pretty nice schedule over the next four weeks with New Orleans, Tennessee, Tampa Bay and San Francisco.