Posted By:Bretsky on November 19, 2013

The trade deadline is in our rear view mirror and while the wave of injuries has (hopefully) calmed a bit, reinforcements are needed over these final few weeks to make a playoff push. As we’ve been doing the past several weeks, we’re going to look to the waiver wire and rank the top options out the in >50% of standard league to highlight the players best positioned to make an impact down the stretch. Consider this list a guide as if you were drafting today for the rest of the 2013 season. Obviously, positional needs could sway you one way or another, but if taking a flier, these are the players with the best chance to make an impact down the stretch.

Waiver Wire Shuffle

1. Bobby Rainey

Tampa Bay’s next big thing hit on Sunday: Bobby Rainey. We recommended Rainey as the back to own in this space last week and, like Mike James before him, Rainey was able to thrive where consensus first rounder Doug Martin had failed miserably. Rainey busted loose for 163 yards on 30 carries while scoring twice and leaving Brian Leonard owners grasping at air. Rainey shoots to the top of our pickup list this week, though the Bucs upcoming schedule (@DET, @CAR, vs. BUF, vs. SF, @STL, @NO) has us tempering expectations just a bit.

2. Jarret Boykin

Continues to impress with Scott Tolzien at the helm — 6 catches on 8 targets for 91 yards on Sunday — Boykin is a fine WR3 moving forward.

3. Donald Brown

Ahead of  last week’s contest, Brown checked in ahead of Trent Richardson in our weekly rankings. He responded with his best game of the season — 94 yards on 15 touches and two touchdowns — though the coaching staff continues to insist that they will get T-Rich right. We feel comfortable rolling Brown out there ahead of his more-highly touted running mate.

4. Marquis Goodwin

Taking advantage  of some added opportunity — both Stevie Johnson and Robert Woods missed the team’s Week 11 contest – Goodwin flashed his plus speed and playmaking ability while showing a nice rapport with quarterback E.J. Manuel. He reeled in six catches for 81 yards and a score on nine targets on Sunday while adding a 17-yard rush and proving that he deserves to be involved int he offense on a weekly basis.

5. Brandon Lafell

Cam Newtown dialed up Lafell a team-high eight times on Monday night and the emerging No. 2 did not disappoint. He reeled in seven of those passes for 59 yards and a touchdown, putting him on pace for a respectable 60 receptions, 734 yards and six scores.

6. Carson Palmer

That’s 4 of his last 5 games with a pair of touchdown strikes. When given time, Palmer has the look of a top-12 fantasy play.

7. Roy Helu Jr.

One of the most talented names on this list, Helu is stuck behind Alfred Morris. However, with Ben Tate now a starter in Houston, Helu is perhaps the most attractive handcuff in the league.

8. Santonio Holmes

Just two catches in his return despite eight targets, Santonio turned those grabs into 71 yards. We may doubt his character, but the talent is undeniably.

9. Heath Miller

Big Ben targeted his tight end 10 times on Sunday and that is no fluke. Heath may have a bone to pick with Jerricho Cotchery, stealing all of his red zone work, but with Ben playing well Miller is a solid weekly option.

10. Kenny Stills

He’s been a bust since that Week 9 BOOM, but we don’t mind rolling him out there Thursday night in place of Desean Jackson is you are struggling with the bye weeks.

11. Rishard Matthews

Followed up his breakout game with a workman-like 4-for-52 performance on six targets. The work should continue to come with Mike Wallace underwhelming on a weekly basis.

12. Jerricho Cotchery

Doing his best Eddie Royal impression, Cotchery has found the end zone five times in a span of three games and though he’s caught just five passes over the past two games, it’s hard not to buy into this production,a t-least a little bit. Big Ben has attempted 42 passes per game over the past four weeks and with the Steelers suddenly alive in a tightening AFC North, the team will continue to lean on the passing game. Don’t be surprised if Cotchery hasanother strong showing in the box score again while Antonio Brown has his hands full with Joe Haden in Week 12.

13. Mike Tolbert

Though he’s certainly not the most explosive back in the Panthers stable, Tolbett is the one most likely to find the end zone. He offers a nice bit of production for desperate PPR owners.

14. Brian Leonard

Took a back seat to Bobby Rainey in Week 11, but Leonard could slip back into his short-yardage/third-down role, making him a sneaky asset in deeper PPR formats.

15. Michael Crabtree

His return to practice late last week gives us confidence that the Niners will activate Crabby by the November 26 deadline, whether he’s ready to contribute is a different question altogether.

16. Ted Ginn Jr.

He stepped up in a big way when the Panthers’ needed a score in Week 11. A big play threat, Ginn’s targets have been a bit sporadic to invest in standard formats.

17. Cordarrelle Patterson

He’s got the talent and is finally running with the 1’s. Of course, that means that Christian Ponder is throwing him passes…

18. Daniel Thomas

Joe Philbin continues to flip-flop his backfield, rolling with the hot hand between Thomas and Lamar Miller. Consistency is a major question despite the fact that Thomas has looked good in spurts.

19. Mario Manningham

Slowly working his way back from injury and still waiting on Colin Kaepernick to break out of his funk.

20. Brian Bostick

Clearly, Bostick is a more able playmaker than “No. 1” Andrew Quarless and it shouldn’t take the Packers much longer to put that on display.

21. Miles Austin

Austin returned to practice during the bye week, but more notably, Terrence Williams has failed to completely separate himself on the depth chart. If healthy, Austin figures to get some run. When we are this deep, it’s worth a flier on the chance that he’s finally healthy.

22. Jonathan Stewart

Just four carries on Monday night speaks to a player who is more of a handcuff than a usable option.

Posted By:Bretsky on November 15, 2013

The bye weeks are beginning to lighten and daily fantasy owners will have a larger player pool to pick from, meaning that you need to be even more precise when selecting your lineup. If you are into the daily fantasy game, check out our new resource center here at BretskyBall, dedicated to daily fantasy sports play and also tune into the 4th Down Fantasy Football Podcast as hosts Wayne Bretsky and Michael Pichan recap the latest news and notes from around the league and also provide their weekly DFS sleepers and value plays.

So who are we rolling out there on Sunday?

Week 11 Sleepers and Value Picks

Quarterback

Matthew Stafford

Of the top tier QBs, Stafford would be the one to invest in. On paper, the Steelers have been great against opposing quarterbacks, allowing just 201 passing yards per game and 10 touchdowns on the year — with four of them came in a Week 9 thrashing by Tom Brady and the Patriots. Part of the reason these number are so solid, however, is that the Steelers run defense is just awful. The Lions won’t let the Velvet curtain off that easily and you can count on  35+ pass attempts (as he’s done every week) from Stafford and company.

Russell Wilson

Minnesota is allowing the second most points to opposing quarterbacks and have yielded 20 passing touchdowns this year (tied for second most in the league). Wilson finally gets to take his new toy Percy Harvin out for a spin and you’ve gotta believe that, even on a limited snap count, the coaching staff is going to look to get Percy a score against his former team. Wilson is cruising along with four straight multi-touchdown efforts and while his schedule stiffens quite a bit down the stretch, Russell will ride his hot streak right into Seattle’s Week 12 bye.

Nick Foles

The Redskins had no answer for the Eagles pace in Week 1, now they have a whole different beast to deal with. Washington has allowed the second most points to opposing quarterbacks so far this year.

Carson Palmer

Digging a bit deeper at just about 10% of your Week 11 budget, Carson Palmer looks ahead to a tasty matchup against the Jags this week. He’s tossed multiple touchdowns in three of his last four games and, when given time, Palmer still has the arm to make every throw. He rises to the top of the bargain bin at quarterback this week.

Running Back

Lesean McCoy

Though Shady has been on a bit of a scoring drought, the yardage has been there each and every week. McCoy is the league’s leading rusher and shredded those Redskins like a sack of  potatoes back in Week 1 (31 carries, 184 yards, TD)… mmmm… shredded redskin potatoes.

Jamaal Charles

If the Chiefs have any shot to keep up with the Broncos offense, it will be Jamaal Charles who gets them there. He’s been the best back in the league through 10 weeks and facing a Broncos defense that has allowed 226 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns in their past two games.

Darren Sproles

Sproles won’t benefit from a soft matchup this week with the Niners defense rolling into the Superdome for a showdown NFC contenders. Still, he’s a matchup nightmare and has the ability to blow up for 100 total yards and a couple of scores. At under 10% of your budget, Sproles is a solid buy in PPR formats.

Wide Receiver

Pierre Garcon

Averaging 11 targets per game in the five weeks since Washington’s bye and Pierre did it all for his squad in Week 10. He’s developing into on of the most dynamic after-the-catch receiver in the league and while the Eagles’ defense has been improving, the secondary remains a banged-up mess.

Antonio Brown

Leading the league with 67 receptions on the year, Brown looks like a solid WR1 against a shaky Detroit secondary in Week 11. He’ll come at a discount from some of the top-tier options, but represents one of the safest wideouts out there.

Marvin Jones

Jones’ teammate A.J. Green has the unfortunate circumstance of a date with Joe Haden — who has held him to just 51 yards on seven catches in an earlier meeting this year — the No. 2 will thrive against Cleveland once again.

Tight End

Rob Gronkowski

Neither of the top-tight ends has a great matchup this week, but if forced to choose, we’ll spend on Gonk over Jimmy Graham.

Antonio Gates

Digging a bit deeper, Antonio Gates comes at a great price in Week 11, representing just over 8% of your budget. Gates has not been the red zone threat we are used to, but he is seeing a hefty target volume, averaging 8.6 targets per game since Week 2.

Posted By:Bretsky on November 15, 2013

Week 11 Preview: Don’t Call it a Comeback

On the latest 4th Down Fantasy Football Podcast Wayne Bretsky and Michael Pichan get you look ahead to Week 11 of the NFL season, bringing you the latest news and notes and providing their top sleepers and value plays for daily fantasy contests. The boys debate their confidence in returning studs Shane Vereen and Percy Harvin as they make get set to return from injured reserve and also take a look at Dwayne Bowe’s mile-high preparation for the weekend. Bretsky and Michael also dive into Week 11 daily fantasy sleepers and value plays before finishing off the show with a dip in the mail bag.

Follow the guys on Twitter @BretskyBall and @FantasyNomad to join in on the action!

»Listen

First Down * News & Notes *

• Tony Gonzalez (toe) and Vernon Davis (concussion) cause some tight end issues
• Calvin Johnson, Harry Douglass and Stevie Johnson miss practive
• The Broncos open up as nine point favorite versus the undefeated Chiefs, even with a hobbled Peyton Manning

Second Down * Welcome Back*

• Andre Brown’s recipe for success
• Shane Vereen’s matchup with Carolina
• Percy Harvin debuts against his old squad
• Michael Crabtree update

Third Down *Week 11 Daily Fantasy Sleepers and Values *

• QB: Russell Wilson, Nick Foles, Carson Palmer, Matthew Stafford
• RB: Lesean McCoy, Jamaal Charles, Marshawn Lynch, Darren Sproles, Joique Bell
• WR: Antonio Brown, Pierre Garcon, Desean Jackson, Riley Cooper, Marvin Jones
• TE: Rob Gronkowski, Antonio Gates

Fourth Down * Mail Bag*

• Mail Bag!

The 4th Down Fantasy Football Podcast is part of the Armed Forces Radio Network Title Music: Summon the Rawk – Kevin MacLeod (http://incompetech.com)

Posted By:Bretsky on November 14, 2013

They say you can’t win your fantasy league in round one, but you certainly can lose it. Well they must have been thinking about the 2013 football season. Never, and i mean never, have we seen such attrition at the top. Injuries (Arian Foster, Doug Martin, Aaron Rodgers), inconsistency (C.J. Spiller) and just good ol’ fashion regression (Ray Rice, Trent Richardson) have plagued owners in a way that we have not seen to this point. If you managed to dodge a bullet in the first round, perhaps the injury imp has reared his ugly head and stole your top wideout (Randall Cobb, Julio Jones) or another valued piece of the puzzle (Reggie Wayne). Yes, the waiver wire has been kind for some (Zac Stacy owners, come on down), but others who thought they have found the answer, have only been disappointing once-again (yep, Doug-Martin-turned-Mike-Jones-owners, you’ve been bitten twice).

Still, you’ve managed to scratch and claw your way to .500 and with only a few short weeks left in the regular season, your ticket to the dance is in plain sight BUT with the bye weeks winding down, it’s time to retool your roster for the stretch run. That dead weight on your roster? Its time to move on. Reset. A short memory can be a wonderful thing in fantasy sports and we are gonna try and do just that.

Rambling aside, the trade deadline is fast approaching and whether your team has been touched by injuries, or you are sitting on some fortunate depth, the market is likely ripe with teams scrambling to fill some holes. And with that, we’re turning to the market to try and identify a couple of players to snag via trade. These guys aren’t “buy lows” per say and in fact, you may end up needing to “buy high” on some of them, but consider this a guide to players we are targeting for a playoff run. We’ll break ’em down in a couple of categories for you. The Stud is a player we are targeting no matter the cost… a must own player down the stretch. The Dud is a player who we’re expecting a swift turnaround and one you can perhaps buy low on. Additionally, we’ll toss out a couple of other targets at each position for whom we’ve got high hopes.

Quarterback

The Stud

Drew Brees – Continues to ranks as our No. 1 QB for the rest of the way. Don’t overlook the benefit of the dome as the weather gets nasty while making your play for Brees. And if I was a Peyton Manning owner, I’d offer him up for the Saints’ signal-caller.

The Dud

Colin Kaepernick – He’s faced with a daunting task this week, trying to keep up with the Saints’ high-octane offense on Sunday while also dealing with a much improved defensive unit in New Orleans. Kaepernick is coming off a brutal performance in Week 10, but the Carolina front seven is no joke. Vernon Davis‘ injury may drive the price down even further, but as the Niners’ sprint towards the playoffs, they will need to open up the offense quite a bit. Help is on the way with Mario Manningham now healthy and Michael Crabtree slowly inching his way towards a return, Kaepernick simply must do better. The schedule doesn’t help — save a matchup with Washington in Week 12 — but if the 49ers expect to make the playoffs, they will once-again begin to lean on their talented quarterback.

Also Targeting…

Nick Foles  -Finally got the nod from Coach Chip Kelly as the Eagles No. 1 moving forward, Foles finds himself at the center of an innovative offense with a trio of dynamic playmakers and improving defensive support. The schedule also looks like a slam dunk with Washington up this week followed with a bye and then ARI, DET, @MIN, CHI and @DAL.

Ben Roethlisberger – Very nice schedule in the short term, he’ll be hit or miss, but you can do worse.

Running Backs

The Stud

Adrian Peterson – It’s a lost season in Minnesota, but don’t tell that to All Day. He runs with a fury matched by few and while we love the prospects of Jamaal Charles and Lesean McCoy down the stretch, Peterson remains the top back in the NFL and in fantasy. On paper, the schedule doesn’t do AD any favors, but we’ve seen him beat a stacked box before.

The Dud

Andre Brown – Fresh off injury, Brown looked strong while proving that he could handle a hefty workload (31 carries for 115 yards and a score). He’s always an injury risk, but the G-Men — who have reeled of three straight wins — get to make their playoff push in a division that has been lacking on the defensive side of the football.

Also Targeting…

Shane Vereen – Fresh off the wrist injury, we’re curious to see how quickly the Pats’ ramp up his snap count. One thing we do know is that the 15-point Week 1 performance was no fluke.

C.J. Spiller – The price tag has likely never been lower and despite some workload worries, Spiller appears to be getting back to full strength. We’ll invest our faith in the talent and the cupcake schedule on tap following the Week 12 bye: ATL, @ TB, @ JAX, MIA.

Rashad Jennings – His production has been solid since Darren McFadden went down for the second time and with the starter likely nowhere near a return, Jennings is locked in as a RB2 down the stretch.

Wide Receiver

The Stud

Brandon Marshall – His quarterback situation may be a concern in the short term, but B-Marsh has shown that he can be productive even with Josh McCown slinging the leather under center. Marshall’s schedule is a fantasy dream — save a Week-15 date with Joe Haden — and with Alshon Jeffferey coming on as a reliable second option, the double-teams will come less frequently, leaving B-Marsh to carry you to a championship. Marshall is our No. 2 wideout for the rest of the way and we don’t mind at all sending any running back not names Peterson, McCoy or Charles and just about every receiver save Calvin Johnson. If your an A.J. Green owner looking ahead to a tough matchup with Joe Haden and a upcoming bye week, perhaps you should make a play for B-Marsh.

The Dud

Vincent Jackson – After starting the season on fire, V-Jax has turned ice cold of late, totaling just 10 fantasy points over this last three games. Mike Glennon has been solid under center, but the offense has certainly been lacking in explosiveness over the past couple of weeks. Jackson’s target total dipped in Week 8, but he jumped back up to eight targets in Week 9 and we expect that number to continue to rise back into double digits moving forward. V-Jax has the ability to light up the stat-tracker in any given week and now that Win No. 1 is out of the way, expect the Bucs to play with a little more confidence on offense as their top wide out re-inserts himself among the league’s elite fantasy plays.

Also Targeting..

Torrey Smith – Of course, touchdowns play a huge role in any player’s fantasy football value, but it’s typically more prudent to trust yardage production and have faith that the scores will come. Smith ranks in the top 15 in targets, yards and yards-after-catch among wide receiver, but has hit pay dirt just two times all season. Buy the yardage, profit when the score begin to pile up.

Tight End

The Stud

Rob Gronkowski – Finally, Gronk is flashing the form that owners were hoping for in late September. Given the lack of production early on, it’s quite possible that Gronk’s owners is i desperate search of some wins to make the playoffs. If you can trade from an area of depth to upgrade you tight end spot, Gronkowski is the man we are targeting.

The Dud

Jason Witten – It’s been an up and down fantasy campaign for Witten. He’s got three weeks so far with 16+ standard fantasy points, but has not broken five points in any of his other seven games. Oddly, one of the most reliable fantasy commodities of the season has become a boom-or-bust, touchdown-dependent player. We’re gonna go ahead and blame Tony Romo’s inconsistent play for his struggles  in Week 10 and expect much better with a number of great matchups as the ‘Boys come out of their Week 11 bye.

Also Targeting…

Coby Fleener – Andrew Luck’s play has dipped significantly since Reggie Wayne was lost for the season. Still, he’s paying an awful lot of attention to Fleener of late and we certainly like the 15 targets he’s seen in the two games since the Colts’ bye week. With that kind of volume, it’s only a matter of time before Fleener steps up as the No. 2 option in the Colts’ passing game.

Posted By:Bretsky on November 14, 2013

Each and every week our rankings team brings you position-by-position rankings for standard scoring fantasy leagues. Navigate below to find where your players slot in.

2013 BretskyBall.com Rankings Team

Wayne Bretsky – Follow @BretskyBall
Justin Bell – Follow @BellJr56

Week 11 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings

Posted By:Bretsky on November 14, 2013

Each and every week our rankings team brings you position-by-position rankings for standard scoring fantasy leagues. Navigate below to find where your players slot in.

2013 BretskyBall.com Rankings Team

Wayne Bretsky – Follow @BretskyBall
Justin Bell – Follow @BellJr56

Week 11 Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings

Posted By:Bretsky on November 14, 2013

Each and every week our rankings team brings you position-by-position rankings for standard scoring fantasy leagues. Navigate below to find where your players slot in.

2013 BretskyBall.com Rankings Team

Wayne Bretsky – Follow @BretskyBall
Justin Bell – Follow @BellJr56

Week 11 Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings

Posted By:Bretsky on November 14, 2013

Each and every week our rankings team brings you position-by-position rankings for standard scoring fantasy leagues. Navigate below to find where your players slot in.

2013 BretskyBall.com Rankings Team

Wayne Bretsky – Follow @BretskyBall
Justin Bell – Follow @BellJr56

Week 11 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings

Posted By:Bretsky on November 14, 2013

Each and every week our rankings team brings you position-by-position rankings for standard scoring fantasy leagues. Navigate below to find where your players slot in.

2013 BretskyBall.com Rankings Team

Wayne Bretsky – Follow @BretskyBall
Justin Bell – Follow @BellJr56

Week 11 Fantasy Football Defense Rankings

Posted By:Bretsky on November 14, 2013

Each and every week our rankings team brings you position-by-position rankings for standard scoring fantasy leagues. Navigate below to find where your players slot in.

2013 BretskyBall.com Rankings Team

Wayne Bretsky – Follow @BretskyBall
Justin Bell – Follow @BellJr56

Week 11 Fantasy Football Kicker Rankings