Get your waiver claims in quickly this week as there are 3 games this Thursday.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYBODY!!


1) Rock Cartwright -- RB -- Redskins -- With Clinton Portis and LaDell Betts out for an extended period the RB1 job in Washington falls to the Rock. Although I like both Quinton Ganther and Marcus Mason better, the Redskins coaching staff has faith in Cartwright and appears ready to give him a heavy workload this week against the Eagles. The good news is that Cartwright is a powerful runner who excels in short yardage situations which is ideal for goal line duty. This is a good pickup if you are desperate for a RB this week or just want to keep a desperate opponent from claiming him and getting steady points.


2) Kyle Boller -- QB -- Rams -- I've said all season long that I like Boller far better than Marc Bulger and I strongly believe he is a better QB overall than Bulger is. Boller is a smart player with a very strong arm and the ability to escape pressure and make plays with his feet. While I expect the Rams to continue leaning on Steven Jackson and the run game, I believe Boller can get the ball to developing WR's like Brandon Gibson and Donnie Avery in situations where they can produce. This is the best QB option you are going to get on the free agent wire until Kurt Warner goes down for good and Matt Leinart is again usable.


3) Kevin Boss -- TE -- Giants -- I have to admit that I have not been high on Boss all season. But it is clear that he is now a major factor in the Giants red zone passing game and Eli Manning has gone to him a ton in recent weeks overall. Boss is a solid backup TE at least and can definitely be used as a starter in favorable matchups.


4) Chris Jennings -- RB -- Browns -- I've said all season long that the Browns offensive line is actually pretty darn good. Even mediocre RB's could run well behind it and that is basically what Jamal Lewis is at this point. Enter Chris Jennings who is a solid talent and has gained the confidence of the coaching staff and thus more playing time. Expect Jennings to see the majority of carries going forward as the Browns find out what exactly they have in him as they play for the only thing they have going for them...the future!


5) Daunte Culpepper -- QB -- Lions -- One week start alert! Culpepper will start this week against the banged up Packers on Thanksgiving Day. As you all know by now my official policy is any QB throwing to Calvin Johnson is a QB worthy of fantasy consideration. If Megatron indeed plays on Thursday and you are desperate for a QB and are looking for big upside, Culpepper is your man.


6) Ernest Graham -- RB -- Buccaneers -- I'm starting to feel the Bucs resurgence of sorts as Josh Freeman has really motivated this offense to the brink of mediocrity. Head coach Raheem Morris is looking to solidify the running game and came out this week saying that Ernest Graham will no longer be needed as a blocker and will see an increase in carries starting this week against the Falcons. I believe that Graham makes the most of this opportunity and takes over as the primary ball carrier and short yardage/goal line back. He's worth an addition in deep leagues or by those who like to play aggressive.


7) Jason Avant -- WR -- Eagles -- There are those who would never recommend an Eagles WR but I ask you this: Why would you not want a receiver whose team throws the ball 40+ times in most games? Especially when that receiver has been seeing more and more targets and receptions the past few weeks and is getting red zone opportunities as well? Never say never in fantasy football my friends because in order to win you have to think unlike your opponents. Avant is a guy to stash for now and could be a weekly starter very, very soon.


8) Marcus Mason -- RB -- Redskins -- Well, in the beginning of the season I had Mason on my deep sleeper radar. The Redskins cut him back in October but now with Portis and Betts being out, there is a legitimate opportunity for someone to step up and show what they can do. If Mason is active this Sunday, it means he will see carries because he is no special team player like Quinten Ganther. Mason has a great skill set Speed, reckless cut-back ability and an eye for the endzone no matter where on the field he gets the ball. This is a homerun pick. Rock Cartwright is the primary guy for now but a few carries from Mason could change that dramatically.






That is The Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think? Agree? Disagree? Post your comments below or email me at thefantasyscout@gmail.com

...And just like that the waiver wire becomes your best friend once again. Just when pickings were getting slimmer and slimmer all hell breaks lose on valuable fantasy property and suddenly some little known backups are commanding big time attention. With the injuries to Brian Westbrook, Ronnie Brown, Julius Jones, Michael Turner, Marion Barber Kyle Orton and many others, there is suddenly a wealth of players on the waiver wire this week. Quite a bit of these players have already been featured here in The Hot 8 this season (take a look through the archive!) so if there is a name missing chances are I have grown tired of telling you about him this season. Here are this weeks top picks:


RED HOT

1) Ricky Williams -- RB -- Dolphins -- I know this is a bit of a longshot that he is available but my investigating has shown Williams is only owned in 65% of leagues right now. Ronnie Brown is now out for the season with a severe foot injury leaving Boy Ricky as the clear RB1 in Miami. Williams has been running very well as it was this season and his newfound playing time will allow him to be a very good contributor to both the Dolphins and fantasy teams fortunate to have him now. This is the clear #1 waiver wire play to make this week and hopefully your fellow owners weren't stashing him and he is now available to you now.

2) Jason Snelling -- RB -- Falcons -- Michael Turner suffered a high ankle sprain last week and will miss at least 1-2 games. The Falcons are already without backup RB Jerious Norwood who's missed the past few weeks with a hip injury. This leaves fullback Jason Snelling as the main ball carrier now for Atlanta and he is definitely worth a roster addition for what should be a pretty solid stretch these next couple weeks. Snelling carried the ball 18 times for 61 yards last week against Carolina and also found the endzone. An interesting fact about Snelling, he is the only epileptic RB in the NFL and is an spokesperson and activist for the disease. This weeks game against the Giants isn't the greatest of matchups but in Atlanta's system the RB is always a safe bet for fantasy production. Oh, and the big payoff of Snelling may very well be in week 12 when he takes on the lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

3) Brandon Gibson -- WR -- Rams -- Well that sure didn't take long! Last week in this very article I wrote that most football fans had never heard the name Brandon Gibson. Then poof! Keenan Burton goes down with a serious knee injury and Gibson takes the opportunity and catches 7 balls for 93 yards against the Saints. I really like this kid and believe he has all the tools to be a starting WR in the NFL for a long time. The Rams were wise when they got him from Philly at the trade deadline for LB Wil Witherspoon. With improved offensive line play, Steven Jackson's never say die spirit and a few under the radar receivers the Rams actually have the makings of a real NFL offense. You could be using Gibson as a WR2 in the weeks ahead.



WARMING UP

4) Justin Forsett -- RB -- Seahawks -- Just another RB that I've had here in The Hot 8 several times this season. In fact, I feel that I shouldn't even be recommending Forsett anymore because he should be owned in most leagues already, right? Well he's not and after last weeks breakout performance he is probably the hottest waiver claim this week. But I am asking you to use caution with Forsett at this time. He is a very good third down back type who is great on draws, delays and in passing situations. However, I just don't see Forsett as a full time RB in the NFL. He is a smaller guy who's body doesn't seem as if it'd be able to take the constant punishment of a 20+ carry RB. Also, there is another runner in the Seattle backfield that I see as a potential home run threat every time he touches the ball...

5) Louis Rankin -- RB -- Seahawks -- I had Rankin in The Hot 8 last week as well as a guy to follow for a few weeks in case he gets a chance. Well, that chance seems to be coming a lot quicker now that Julius Jones is out for a few weeks with a bruised lung and ribs. Rankin has got such great quickness and raw speed that he makes defensive tacklers look goofy. I am sure he will get at least a few carries this week against the Vikings and on that turn against a very aggressive defense I can see a couple of long runs out of him. The ideal situation for the Seahawks is to have Rankin as the primary ball carrier and Forsett as the third down RB.

6) Josh Freeman -- QB -- Buccaneers -- I watch every single NFL game every single week without missing a single one. How? I have a wall of 5 TV's in my basement, have multiple laptops at my disposal and have the quickest remote trigger in all of Chicagoland. The difference in the Buccaneers offense from the Byron Leftwich and Josh Johnson weeks to the current Josh Freeman era is unbelievable. Maybe it is a coincidence but whatever it is Freeman looks like a much more polished NFL QB than anybody thought he was coming out of school this spring. Freeman is using his main weapon in Kellen Winslow often and making plays with his legs that are keeping drives going and putting more points on the scoreboard. One more solid week and he may have to be considered a sleeper for your lineups in good matchup weeks. For now, I think adding Freeman as a backup QB for your team wouldn't be a bad idea.


SCORCHING SLOT WR'S

7) Lance Long -- WR -- Chiefs -- Long almost made it the cut as well last week after an impressive 8 catch performance against the Jaguars. Now with Dwayne Bowe suspended for the next 4 games, I see the Chiefs and Matt Cassel leaning heavily on Long in the short passing game. Cassel is comfortable and proven to be effective when using his slot WR's in a short quick passing scheme as he did with Wes Welker and the Patriots last year. Long is the Welker of the Chiefs and is very sure handed and an effective route runner. Cassel has come out publicly and praised Long's hands and his work ethic which is a great sign that he is quite comfortable with Long.

8) Julian Edelman -- WR -- Patriots -- Just a few weeks ago it was Edelman who was out of the picture as I talked up both Sam Aiken and rookie WR Brandon Tate as a possible sleeper for the Pats. Now Edelman is back and recovered from a fracture in his wrist and Tate is out for the season with a knee injury and Aiken is questionable with a hip injury. This leaves Edelman to step back into a prominent role in the Pats offense for rest of the season.




That is The Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think? Agree? Disagree?

Send me an email at thefantasyscout@gmail.com or leave your comments down below.

This is an admittedly weak list of sorts mostly because at this point I have already uncovered most of the impact free agents that you guys are now adding to your rosters and using to win you games. At this point in the season, the waiver wire starts to become less about upside and more about instant impact. Therefore, you'll be seeing me recommend some really iffy players at least on the surface but usually these guys will have premium matchups or opportunities right away. On this weeks Hot 8 however, I have included 2 players who I really want you guys to watch out for over the remainder of the season. These are guys who won't make an impact quite yet but may be poised to do so in weeks #14-17 which may be after your leagues waiver move deadline.


STARTABLE RIGHT NOW

1) LaDell Betts -- RB -- Redskins -- I like Betts a lot and at this point I actually rate him as a better RB than Clinton Portis. Portis has lost a step, become too much of a character and hates his coach so much that he's become barely usable even when healthy. Portis will be taking at least a week off after being knocked unconscious early in last weeks game. Betts takes over the feature RB role and should be a decent low RB2 this week. Betts runs hard and picks up good yardage after contact. He also is a threat out of the backfield which is good for PPR leagues. Best of all there is nobody else to steal carries away from him so make sure he is your top priority if you need a RB this week.

2) Bo Scaife -- TE -- Titans -- That's right, Bo Scaife is startable this week. He has always been Vince Young's favorite target since their college days together and that hasn't changed a bit. Since Young has taken over, Scaife is the only Titans TE to see any significant playing time. Though he's only caught 6 passes in the past two weeks, he's also been targeted 14 times, dropped 2 catches and had a short TD pass called back for holding last week. I think Scaife is a very solid start in week 10 against the Buffalo Bills as Vince Young stays away from the Bills ball hawking defensive backs.


PROCEED WITH CAUTION

3) Chris Chambers -- WR -- Chiefs -- I am the only person I know who actually liked Chambers fit in K.C. Now, in no way do I expect him to be the TD machine he was in his first game with the team, but I do believe he offers a decent second option opposite Dwayne Bowe for Matt Cassel and this pass heavy offense. Guys like, Bobby Wade, Mark Bradley, Terrence Copper and Lance Long are below mediocre as far as skill level goes and Chambers at least offers experience, size and good hands when he does get the ball. People have overreacted to what happened to him in San Diego. He isn't quite the receiver he was in his Miami days, but he isn't a total lost cause either. He can become a solid flex option here in Kansas City and may just play well enough to be back with the Chiefs in 2010.

4) Chaz Schilens -- WR -- Raiders -- Is this the week Schilens finally comes back? Yeah I think this time we will see the big man back on the field. I honestly believe that if Schilens would have not broke his foot in the last week before the season, JaMarcus Russell wouldn't suck this bad. Schilens is an incredible talent who possesses all the skills you want in a WR. The only questions that linger are can he stay healthy and can Russell get him the damn ball? If so, you will be getting yourself a pretty darn good WR for the stretch run.

5) Josh Freeman -- QB -- Buccaneers -- Freeman had himself a big first start in the NFL but I must warn everybody that he is still a long term project. Freeman is going to be erratic as a passer for the foreseeable future but will make some plays with his legs that will keep his fantasy points very close to respectability. I recommend taking a shot on him as your QB3 if you have deep enough rosters. He has a few decent matchups remaining on the schedule and even if you don't start him you don't want one of your opponents to pick him up and beat you with him now do you?

6) Kolby Smith -- RB -- Chiefs -- My buddy and Fantasy Football Tonight co-host Ted "Hawkeye" Schuster loves Jamaal Charles and is telling anyone who will listen that he's the impact RB you want for the rest of this season. But what I saw on Sunday was Kolby Smith not only getting a bit more playing time but also receiving all of the red zone carries for the Chiefs. Charles is a good pass catcher and has blazing speed but also is a notorious fumbler and is obviously not trusted anywhere near the goal line. Smith is going to be a factor in the K.C. backfield and may be worth an end of the roster flier right now. I wouldn't get my hopes up for him necessarily but if you are in need of RB help there are worse options than Kolby Smith already on fantasy rosters.


BOOM or BUST

7) Brandon Gibson -- WR -- Rams -- Another player you probably won't hear about anywhere but on The Hot 8. Gibson was a 6th round pick of the Eagles in this years NFL draft and was traded at the deadline for LB Wil Witherspoon. Gibson is a very talented WR and would have been a possible first day pick if he'd have left Washington St. after his junior year. Instead, he stayed in school and his stock plummeted as the team took a major nose dive and thus his production tumbled. Gibson is a professional WR in many ways. He has natural instincts and mechanics that just cannot be taught. He has a nose for the football and adjusts his body real well to make difficult catches look easy. He has above average height and speed for an NFL WR and is very strong to fight off even the most aggressive defensive backs. I strongly believe in this kid and his pro potential going forward. Whether that happens this season or not I cannot say. But he is in a great situation here in St. Louis to at least get some looks this season. The team obviously must see what I see in him or they would not have paid such a high price to acquire him. Don't be surprised to see him starting for the Rams by season's end.

8) Louis Rankin -- RB -- Seahawks -- I almost put Rankin in The Hot 8 last week when the Seahawks let go of Edgerrin James but figured I had at least another week or two before the glut of fantasy football band wagon jumpers even knew his name. Leave it to loyal reader and listener, Corey Benjamin (CB31 for those who know!) to ruin that for me last week when he brought up Rankin during my LIVE Seahawks game chat right here on Fantasy Football Search. This kid is the real deal. As we've learned with the Titans Chris Johnson, speed kills in the NFL and Rankin has plenty of it. I first learned of Rankin's NFL prospects when my Chicago Bears sent some scouts out to work him out before the draft and eventually brought him in for a visit to Halas Hall. When he wasn't drafted, Rankin had a choice of several invitations to camp and he chose the Oakland Raiders. In his first preseason game with the Raiders Rankin took the ball and busted something like a 60 yard TD run on his first carry. He was eventually cut and hooked onto Seattle's practice squad for the beginning of the season. I am pretty sure that my beloved Bears started sniffing around and forced the Seahawks to protect Rankin and thus cut Edgerrin James loose. Rankin nearly busted 2 kickoffs for touchdowns in the game against the Lions last week but got caught once by a diving arm tackle and another time by the kicker. He is an explosive player who deserves your attention right now. I wouldn't use a roster move on him quite yet (COREY!), but keep watching for Rankin's playing time to increase. It is possible that he gets some serious action in the final few weeks of this season and I will bet you anything that he puts up numbers.




That is The Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think? Agree? Disagree? Leave your comments below or email me at thefantasyscout@gmail.com

Hear Jeff Mans every Tuesday & Sunday Morning on Fantasy Football Tonight.

If you are a loyal reader of The Hot 8 first of all, thank you. Secondly, you'll notice some very familiar names on this weeks list in Ryan Moats, Justin Forsett and Vince Young. As many rush out to their waiver wires this week to get one of these emerging stars, you should be either kicking yourself or sending me a six pack of Bud Light Lime depending on if you took my advice weeks ago. Every week I compile The Hot 8 with a couple of obvious choices and give you my expectations for them and also fill it with guys who are closing in on being the next big fantasy free agent. You come here to get this knowledge first. So please, stay ahead of the curve and read through all the names and breakdowns on this list and be ready to pounce on these guys before they have their breakout week.


SURE BETS

1) Ryan Moats -- RB -- Texans -- I really like him in the Texans one-cut zone blocking system. It fits his skills perfectly and Moats showed exactly what he is capable last week against Buffalo. Don't expect him to take over the feature RB role just yet, but he's earned himself a solid share of the carries going forward. If Steve Slaton doesn't step up his performance or continues putting the ball on the ground then Moats will continue to take carries and eventually be the man in Houston.

2) Malcom Floyd -- WR -- Chargers -- With the release of Chris Chambers, the Chargers have made Floyd their WR2 as he continues to impress the team with his sure hands and bit target. at 6'5", Floyd creates a mismatch for any cornerback in the league. This is especially useful in the red zone, an area where the Chargers have been struggling as of late. Phillip Rivers is an every week starting QB in fantasy football and so is Vincent Jackson. If Floyd continues to make plays he will not only be a must have on your roster but also a good flex start week in and week out.

3) Vince Young -- QB -- Titans -- I promise this is the last week for Vince Young. What I really want to say right now is, "I told you so" to those emailers who rode me for the past 2-3 weeks saying there was no way the Titans turn back to Young to be their QB. While he will not produce the kind of passing numbers Kerry Collins would, Young makes up plenty of ground using his feet. That is a big bonus in fantasy, when your QB can pick up bonus points with rushing yards and TD's as well as passing one's. Take a shot...the upside is big and who the heck else do you have as your backup QB, Trent Edwards? Give me a break!


GOOD ODDS

4) Justin Forsett -- RB -- Seahawks -- The release of Edgerrin James gives Forsett the clear RB2 job in Seattle for now with sights set on overtaking the ineffective Julius Jones soon enough. Forsett is a great pass catching RB who has the speed to take it to the house at any given time. He is very similar to Darren Sproles actually but has better balance and vision and a bit less speed. I like his upside potential and believe Forsett is on the verge of putting together some very impressive weeks this season.

5) Ted Ginn Jr. -- WR -- Dolphins -- What are you guys doing? Stop buying into every single story you read on Rotoworld cause Ginn is still very much a part of the Dolphins offensive plans. Sure, they "benched" him and all that last week but that was just another attempt to motivate the speedy WR and not necessarily a mark against his skills. I am confident that Ginn will find his niche as a downfield threat now with strong armed Chad Henne at QB for the Dolphins. Ginn is the only WR on the team who can stretch the field and give both Henne and both the Dolphins RB's some breathing room. He has been dropped in far too many leagues I am noticing and he is a guy you can scoop up off the waiver wire right now and have it pay off in a big way down the road.

6) Bo Scaife -- TE -- Titans -- A recent emailer of mine commented that there were very few usable TE's left in most leagues right now. That got me to thinking about what TE's are about ready to bust out and become fantasy worthy very soon? That brought me to Bo Scaife who, when Vince Young is his QB, becomes a frequent pass target. Young is good friends with Scaife and the two are former teammates in college and have a long history together. Look back at when VY was the Titans starter a few years back and notice how Scaife was also a top fantasy TE at that time too. Scaife is only owned in 7% of Yahoo leagues and 10% of CBS leagues right now meaning he is readily available for anybody looking for a productive TE right now.


LONG SHOTS

7) Brandon Tate -- WR -- Patriots -- Everything I hear about Tate out of Patriots staff and New England reporters says he is impressing the hell out of everybody. His knee appears 100% healed and he doesn't seem to have lost any of his top end speed during his recovery. This kid would have been a top 10 draft pick had he not blown out his knee so you know that the talent is there. I am hearing he has already passed up Sam Aiken for the WR3 gig and is going to give Tom Brady yet another strong option to throw to in the passing game.

8) Chris Chambers -- WR -- Chiefs -- I haven't been impressed with Chambers for going on 2 years now. He's lost some speed and just isn't playing as tough as he had in his finer days in Miami. Still, the Chiefs are desperate for a WR who can catch the ball and head coach Todd Haley is good at getting the most out of his WR's. The potential for Chambers in K.C. is as good as it would be anywhere and if the veteran wideout has any intention of resurrecting his career he will be going all out to make a statement with the Chiefs the rest of the way. There is some solid potential here with Chambers so don't give up on him quite yet. Maybe, just maybe all that he needed was another chance.




That is The Hot 8 for this week. What do you guys think? Agree? Disagree?

Post your comments below or email me at thefantasyscout@gmail.com