Waiver Wire: Run to get Redman, Ridley?
Some key injuries are opening up opportunities for some sleepers, while others are forcing their way into action. Jamey Eisenberg scouts potential free agents available to you in Playing the Waiver Wire.
Prior to the season, we told you about the potential for Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall to break down after all his carries in 2010 in helping Pittsburgh reach Super Bowl XL. Mendenhall had over 400 touches last season.
Mendenhall suffered a right hamstring injury in Sunday's loss at Houston in Week 4. It could be unrelated, and we've seen plenty of players suffer injuries already this season, but this was something we warned you about. And now it could be time for Isaac Redman to shine.
There's no guarantee that Mendenhall is out in Week 5 against Tennessee, but you should prepare to add Redman in all leagues. He is owned in 33 percent of leagues on CBSSports.com.
Redman has gotten limited touches so far this year, but he had six carries for 40 yards and one catch for 12 yards against the Texans. His best game was Week 2 against Seattle when he had 10 carries for 49 yards and a touchdown.
The Steelers have had trouble running the ball this season with their offensive line woes. And their running game won't exactly thrive if Ben Roethlisberger (foot) is out against the Titans. But Redman could still find success against Tennessee since the Titans have allowed three running backs to reach double digits in Fantasy points this season (Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Rice and Willis McGahee). It could also help Redman that Mewelde Moore is dealing with an ankle injury.
If Redman gets the majority of touches this week he could thrive, and he's worth adding in case Mendenhall is out. It's not often you get a chance to add a potential starting running back, and if this is the beginning of a breakdown for Mendenhall, you'll want to have Redman stashed on your roster.
In case you haven't noticed … Eric Decker is quickly becoming a must-start Fantasy option in the majority of formats, but he's only owned in 77 percent of leagues on CBSSports.com. That percentage should be above 90 prior to Sunday, especially in point per reception leagues. He has at least five catches in his past three games, and he has four touchdowns over that span. He has been more impactful for Fantasy owners than Brandon Lloyd, and we don't see Decker slowing down barring an injury. Look for him to play well in Week 5 against San Diego.
Each Tuesday we will highlight players who might be available in your league and whether you should consider picking them up off waivers based on their recent performances. The players chosen are based on the percentage of ownership in CBSSports.com leagues.
Quarterback
Add 'Em
       Matt Hasselbeck, Titans 
 Owned: 62 percent of 
      leagues
 Week 4: Completed 10 of 20 passes for 220 yards, three 
      touchdowns and one interception at Cleveland.
 Analysis: It's 
      hard to overlook his production no matter how he's getting it done. He 
      had his third game with at least 20 Fantasy points against the Browns, 
      and his worst game so far this year has been 18 points in Week 2 against 
      Baltimore. Now, his performance against Cleveland was somewhat fluky 
      because he completed just 50 percent of his passes and relied on several 
      big plays, and he's obviously without No. 1 receiver Kenny       Britt (knee) for the rest of the year. He also has a difficult 
      matchup in Week 5 at Pittsburgh. But as we said in this spot last week, 
      stash him on your roster and hope these positive performances continue.
    
       Donovan McNabb, Vikings 
 Owned: 40 percent of 
      leagues
 Week 4: Completed 18 of 30 passes for 202 yards, two 
      touchdowns and one interception at Kansas City.
 Analysis: This 
      is not a joke, and we're fully aware the Vikings could bench McNabb in 
      favor of rookie Christian Ponder as 
      early as this week. But for one week, if McNabb remains the starter as 
      expected, he could be a useful bye week replacement against Arizona in 
      Week 5. The Cardinals have a terrible secondary, and McNabb is capable 
      of another game like he had against the Chiefs with 18 Fantasy points. 
      The Cardinals have allowed three of the four quarterbacks they have 
      faced to reach at least 20 Fantasy points, and McNabb could be useful in 
      deeper leagues if you're without Tony Romo, 
      Rex Grossman or Joe       Flacco this week because of a bye.
    
Avoid 'Em
       Tarvaris Jackson, Seahawks 
 Owned: 8 percent of 
      leagues
 Week 4: Completed 25 of 38 passes for 319 yards, three 
      touchdowns and two interceptions and had two carries for 16 yards vs. 
      Atlanta.
 Analysis: Jackson took advantage of a struggling 
      secondary for the Falcons to have his best game of the season, but don't 
      consider him a bye-week replacement in Week 5. Seattle has to go across 
      the country for a 1 p.m. ET start, which is never good for West Coast 
      teams. He also has a difficult matchup against the Giants, who have 
      allowed just one touchdown to opposing quarterbacks in the past three 
      games against St. Louis, Philadelphia and Arizona. If Jackson continues 
      to improve as the year goes on then he could be worth using in deeper 
      leagues, but keep him on the waiver wire for Week 5.
    
Scout 'Em
       Andy Dalton, Bengals 
 Owned: 20 percent of leagues
 Week 
      4: Completed 18 of 36 passes for 298 yards, one touchdown and two 
      interceptions and had three carries for 12 yards and a touchdown vs. 
      Buffalo.
 Analysis: Like most rookie quarterbacks, Dalton is 
      going to be inconsistent, and he has two games with 20 Fantasy points 
      and two games with 10 points or less. He also completed just 50 percent 
      of his passes against the Bills and looked lost at times. But he does 
      have the ability to make plays, and his receiving corps is improving 
      with rookie A.J. Green and second-year 
      tight end Jermaine Gresham leading the 
      way. Continue to monitor his performance, and if he develops some 
      consistency he could be worth using during bye weeks in deeper leagues 
      and two-quarterback formats.
    
Running back
Add 'Em
       Ryan Torain, Redskins 
 Owned: 18 percent of leagues
 Week 
      4: Had 19 carries for 135 yards and a touchdown at St. Louis.
 Analysis: 
      The last thing Tim Hightower and Roy       Helu owners wanted to see was Torain having a big outing 
      because now coach Mike Shanahan has exactly what he wants -- a guessing 
      game at running back. The Redskins have a bye in Week 5, so hopefully 
      this mess will get sorted out, but we can see Torain being a factor 
      going forward. He should be added in all leagues in case he takes the 
      lead role, but don't panic on Hightower just yet. Still, adding Torain 
      is the right move because the starter for the Redskins will have plenty 
      of value, and Torain could be in that role after his performance against 
      the Rams.
    
       Stevan Ridley, Patriots 
 Owned: 23 percent of 
      leagues
 Week 4: Had 10 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown at 
      Oakland.
 Analysis: We're waiting for Ridley to take over as 
      the starting running back for the Patriots since he's the most talented 
      rusher in the backfield, but he will remain in a secondary role as long 
      as BenJarvus Green-Ellis is healthy. 
      Still, Ridley's role continues to increase, and now with Danny       Woodhead (ankle) hurt, we could see Ridley getting increased 
      touches. He has 16 carries the past two weeks, and we'd love to see him 
      in a featured role. Stash him on your bench for now, and don't be 
      surprised if you can start him at some point in the future if he 
      continues to get double digits in carries.
    
Avoid 'Em
       Steve Slaton, Dolphins 
 Owned: 5 percent of leagues
 Week 
      4: Had one carry for 2 yards at San Diego.
 Analysis: The 
      Dolphins added Slaton prior to Week 4, but he was a non-factor against 
      the Chargers even with Daniel Thomas 
      (hamstring) out. Slaton would need Thomas to remain out for an extended 
      period of time and Reggie Bush to also 
      suffer an injury to gain Fantasy relevance. Don't expect him to revert 
      back to his 2008 form when he had 1,282 rushing yards and nine 
      touchdowns and catch 50 passes for 377 yards and a touchdown. He's not 
      the same running back as he was in Houston.
    
Scout 'Em
       Chris Ogbonnaya, Texans 
 Owned: 0 percent of 
      leagues
 Week 4: Had one carry for 4 yards vs. Pittsburgh.
 Analysis: 
       Ben Tate left the game against the 
      Steelers with a groin injury, so now Ogbonnaya is an Arian       Foster hamstring injury away from being the starter for the 
      Texans. If Tate's groin injury lingers then consider adding Ogbonnaya in 
      deeper leagues. For now he's just someone to monitor because Foster 
      looks fine, but if he goes down and Tate is out then Ogbonnaya could be 
      called upon to fill in.
    
Wide receiver
Add 'Em
       Jacoby Jones, Texans 
 Owned: 18 percent of leagues
 Week 
      4: Did not have a catch vs. Pittsburgh.
 Analysis: The 
      Texans lost Andre Johnson against the 
      Steelers with a hamstring injury, which will open the door for Jones and Kevin       Walter (8 percent ownership) to see an increase in targets if 
      Johnson is out for an extended period of time. Jones has more upside 
      than Walter, but both would be worth adding in the majority of leagues. Owen       Daniels and Foster would carry the offense with Johnson out, 
      especially in Week 5 against Oakland, but Matt       Schaub will still need to use his receivers. So keep an eye on 
      Johnson's status but plan on adding Jones and Walter this week.
    
       Victor Cruz, Giants 
 Owned: 31 percent of leagues
 Week 
      4: Had six catches for 98 yards at Arizona.
 Analysis: We 
      looked at Cruz's performance two weeks ago at Philadelphia when he had 
      three catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns as a product of Mario       Manningham (concussion) being out. Manningham returned against 
      the Cardinals, but Cruz was used ahead of Manningham opposite Hakeem       Nicks. If that continues then Cruz could be a useful Fantasy 
      option going forward, and he's worth adding in all leagues. He had nine 
      targets against Arizona, and it appears like Eli       Manning has his trust, which is more than we can say about 
      Manningham right now.
    
Avoid 'Em
       Devin Aromashodu, Vikings 
 Owned: 0 percent of 
      leagues
 Week 4: Had one catch for 34 yards and a touchdown at 
      Kansas City.
 Analysis: Aromashodu made a great play against 
      the Chiefs, but don't expect him to revert to playing like he did in 
      2009 with the Bears. He only had two targets in the game in Week 4, and 
      he has just two catches on the season. I'd like to see him be used more 
      in the offense, but the Vikings don't appear to trust him over Percy       Harvin, Bernard Berrian and Michael       Jenkins, who is worth a look in deeper leagues now. Even with a 
      good matchup in Week 5 against Arizona you can't consider Aromashodu as 
      a potential starting option.
    
Scout 'Em
       Laurent Robinson, Cowboys 
 Owned: 1 percent of 
      leagues
 Week 4: Had seven catches for 116 yards vs. Detroit.
 Analysis: 
      Robinson had 10 targets against the Lions and stepped up with Miles       Austin (hamstring) out. The Cowboys are off in Week 5, but if 
      Austin remains out in Week 6 then look for Robinson to play well again. 
      He's someone to keep on your radar since he will likely be the No. 3 
      receiver for the Cowboys going forward behind Austin and Dez       Bryant, who also has proven to be injury prone.
    
       Titus Young, Lions 
 Owned: 11 percent of leagues
 Week 
      4: Had three catches for 41 yards at Dallas.
 Analysis: The 
      Lions aren't getting the production they hoped for from Nate       Burleson, especially the past two weeks with four catches for 
      28 yards. That could change soon, but Young is being more involved. He 
      has at least five targets in each game for the past three weeks with 20 
      targets over that span, and a big game could be coming soon. With the 
      way Matthew Stafford is playing you 
      want all his main weapons, and Young is definitely one of his top 
      targets as his No. 3 receiver.
    
       Preston Parker, Buccaneers 
 Owned: 3 percent of 
      leagues
 Week 4: Had five catches for 70 yards and a touchdown 
      vs. Indianapolis.
 Analysis: Fantasy owners looking for help in 
      PPR leagues should add Parker now because he has two games in his past 
      three outings with at least five catches. He has established himself as 
      the No. 3 receiver for Tampa Bay, and Josh       Freeman is throwing plenty of underneath routes. We don't 
      expect Parker to score much since this was his first career touchdown, 
      but if he continues to play like this he could be worth adding in all 
      formats.
    
Tight end
Add 'Em
       Jared Cook, Titans 
 Owned: 18 percent of leagues
 Week 
      4: Had two catches for 93 yards and a touchdown at Cleveland.
 Analysis: 
      We told you to add Cook last week when Britt went down, and he had his 
      first productive game of the season against the Browns. He only had two 
      catches, but he had six targets. And his targets should continue to 
      increase since Hasselbeck can't only rely on Nate       Washington to now make plays. Add Cook as a No. 2 tight end on 
      your roster if you must, but he could turn into a potential starter if 
      he continues to be involved at this level.
    
       Jermaine Gresham, Bengals 
 Owned: 43 percent of 
      leagues
 Week 4: Had four catches for 70 yards and a touchdown 
      vs. Buffalo.
 Analysis: Gresham took advantage of a solid 
      matchup against the Bills, but he could continue to play well as the 
      season goes on. With Jordan Shipley 
      (knee) out for the season, Gresham is needed to make plays over the 
      middle of the field. And it appears like Dalton will continue to rely on 
      him since he has at least five targets in each game this year. He has 
      another quality matchup in Week 5 at Jacksonville, and we would 
      recommend adding Gresham and starting him this week.
    
Avoid 'Em
       Clay Harbor, Eagles 
 Owned: Not owned
 Week 4: 
      Had three catches for 55 yards and a touchdown vs. San Francisco.
 Analysis: 
       Brent Celek remains the No. 1 tight 
      end for the Eagles, and Harbor has just four catches for the season. He 
      also had just three targets in the game against the 49ers, and you're 
      not going to trust him as a potential starter going forward. The Eagles 
      have plenty of issues to fix after their 1-3 start, and keeping Harbor 
      involved on offense isn't one of them. Keep him on the waiver wire.
    
Scout 'Em
       Kevin Boss, Raiders 
 Owned: 9 percent of leagues
 Week 
      4: Had four catches for 78 yards vs. New England.
 Analysis: 
      Boss played well against the Patriots on five targets, and he could 
      continue to be a factor going forward. The Raiders have plenty of 
      receivers to stretch the field, but they need someone to catch passes 
      over the middle. Boss is averaging more than 18 yards a catch, and he 
      has a favorable matchup at the Texans. If you need a tight end this week 
      with Antonio Gates (foot) or Aaron       Hernandez (knee) out due to injury or Jason       Witten or Fred Davis on a bye 
      then consider taking a flier on Boss. If not, just continue to scout him 
      with the chance he continues to remain a factor on offense.
    
       Jake Ballard, Giants 
 Owned: Not owned
 Week 
      4: Had three catches for 33 yards and a touchdown at Arizona.
 Analysis: 
      The Giants need a tight end to help them in the middle of the field, and 
      Ballard had a good showing against the Cardinals. He just missed out on 
      a second touchdown when he was tackled at the 1-yard line, but this 
      could be the beginning of increased involvement on offense. The Giants 
      need someone to help them replace Boss, and Ballard could be the one to 
      fill that role.
    
       James Casey, Texans 
 Owned: 12 percent of leagues
 Week 
      4: Had one catch for 8 yards vs. Pittsburgh.
 Analysis: 
      Casey had a quiet game against the Steelers, but he could be asked to 
      play a larger role with Johnson out. The Texans used Casey quite a bit 
      in Week 3 at the Saints, and he responded with five catches for 126 
      yards and a touchdown. We don't expect Casey to become a primary target 
      for Schaub, but Casey is someone to keep on your radar depending on how 
      long Johnson is out.
    
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