Fantasy owners were nervous about drafting Chris Johnson this season following his holdout, but none of us expected him to struggle this much. Through the first eight weeks of the season Johnson has been the biggest bust of the year.
And now we enter Week 9, where Johnson will be sharing carries with Javon Ringer. Titans coach Mike Munchak said Monday that Johnson will remain the starter, and rightfully so based on his potential and what he was paid this offseason. But it's time to consider adding Ringer since he has played better than Johnson.
Ringer, who is owned in 21 percent of leagues on CBSSports.com entering Week 9, has as many games with double digits in Fantasy points on the season as Johnson, who has gone from CJ2K to CJ0K. In Week 8 against the Colts -- who have been abused by nearly every starting running back they have faced -- Ringer had twice as many total yards as Johnson, who looks tentative and appears afraid of contact.
If Ringer starts to get increased carries then he could surpass Johnson in playing time, and you should at least stash him on your bench in case his value continues to rise while Johnson continues to fall.
In case you haven't noticed ... Antonio Brown is starting to look like the next standout receiver for the Steelers. Brown, who is owned in 74 percent of leagues, has double digits in Fantasy points in his past two games. He had seven catches for 102 yards in Week 7 at Arizona and nine catches for 67 yards and a touchdown in Week 8 against the Patriots. With Hines Ward (ankle) at less than 100 percent, Brown has turned into a viable weapon. He has 24 targets in his past two games and should be on every Fantasy roster heading into Week 9 against Baltimore.
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 Cassel, Chiefs
Owned: 65 percent of leagues
Week
8: Completed 19 of 32 passes for 261 yards, one touchdown and two
interceptions and had two carries for 14 yards and a fumble vs. San
Diego.
Analysis: Cassel is not an add based on his previous
two games against Oakland and San Diego but rather for his matchup
against Miami in Week 9. The Dolphins have allowed multiple touchdowns
or 300 passing yards against every quarterback they have faced this
season with just two interceptions. Cassel would be a great bye-week
replacement for Cam Newton or Matthew Stafford this week.
Andy Dalton, Bengals
Owned: 65 percent of leagues
Week
8: Completed 18 of 29 passes for 168 yards, two touchdowns and two
interceptions at Seattle.
Analysis: Dalton struggled against
the Seahawks, but he has six touchdowns in his past four games and nine
touchdown passes on the season. He has a tremendous weapon in A.J. Green and solid complementary options in Jermaine Gresham and Jerome Simpson. He
faces the Titans in Week 9, and Tennessee has allowed three quarterbacks
to throw multiple touchdown passes in the past five games.
Avoid 'Em
Colt McCoy, Browns
Owned: 61 percent of leagues
Week
8: Completed 22 of 34 passes for 241 yards, one touchdown and one
interception with eight carries for 30 yards and a lost fumble at San
Francisco.
Analysis: This isn't an avoid for the rest of the
season, but this is an avoid for Week 9 at Houston. Not only is this a
tough matchup for McCoy since the Texans have only allowed one
quarterback to reach 20 Fantasy points, but McCoy has struggled of late
with just 21 Fantasy points combined in his past two games. We expect
McCoy to play well in Week 10 against St. Louis, but we would ignore him
in Week 9 based on his recent play and a tough opponent.
Scout 'Em
Sam Bradford, Rams
Owned: 44 percent of leagues
Week
8: Did not play.
Analysis: Bradford has been out for the
past two games with an ankle injury, but hopefully he can return in Week
9 at Arizona. He should be able to finish the season strong, especially
with a new weapon in Brandon Lloyd and
some new confidence in his teammates coming off an upset victory against
the Saints. The Rams have a favorable schedule ahead with matchups
against Arizona (twice) and Seattle (twice) in four of their next six
games, and Bradford could end up as a starting option in deeper formats.
Tarvaris Jackson, Seahawks
Owned: 8 percent of
leagues
Week 8: Completed 21 of 40 passes for 323 yards and
one interception vs. Cincinnati.
Analysis: Jackson came back
against the Bengals after sitting out in Week 7 at Cleveland with a
pectoral injury and showed flashes of potential by getting the ball to Sidney Rice, Ben Obomanu and Doug Baldwin. Jackson now has at least 300 passing yards in two of
his past three games with four touchdowns and four interceptions over
that span. He has a decent matchup in Week 9 at Dallas and still faces
St. Louis twice and Arizona to close the season. Jackson could be a
useful starting option in deep two-quarterback leagues if he continues
to play at this level.
Running back
Add 'Em
Maurice Morris, Lions
Owned: 68 percent of leagues
Week
8: Had 13 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown and one catch for 7
yards at Denver.
Analysis: We'll find out if Jahvid Best (concussion) can return in Week 10 after Detroit's bye in
Week 9, but Morris is worth adding or holding onto until Best is
cleared. Morris has plenty of potential as a low-end No. 2 running back
or flex option if he remains the starter for the Lions, and it was good
to see him get a goal-line carry instead of Keiland Williams.
Kregg Lumpkin, Bucs
Owned: 10 percent of leagues
Week
8: On bye.
Analysis: We'll find out this week if LeGarrette Blount (knee) is able to return after missing the past two
games, but if he remains out then Lumpkin would be the starter for the
Bucs with Earnest Graham (Achilles'
tendon) done for the season. Even if Blount is back, Lumpkin is worth
adding in point-per-reception leagues since he will be in on passing
downs, and he had six catches for 37 yards against the Bears in Week 7
after Graham got hurt.
Chris Ogbonnaya, Browns
Owned: 1 percent of
leagues
Week 8: Had 11 carries 37 yards and five catches for
24 yards at San Francisco.
Analysis: It's funny how things
work that Ogbonnaya could be the starting running back in Week 9 against
the Texans, his former team. Peyton Hillis
(hamstring) remains day to day after being out the past two games, and Montario Hardesty (calf) was injured against the 49ers. Ogbonnaya would
have a favorable matchup against Houston, and he has proven to be a
solid receiver out of the backfield the past two weeks with 10 catches
for 67 yards.
Curtis Brinkley, Chargers
Owned: Not owned
Week
8: Had 10 carries 43 yards and a touchdown and three catches for 24
yards at Kansas City.
Analysis: Brinkley would be considered a
must-add running back if he's healthy and Ryan Mathews (groin) and Mike Tolbert
(hamstring) are out in Week 9 against Green Bay. Brinkley played great
against the Chiefs, but he left the game with a concussion. He is worth
taking a flier on, especially if you own Mathews or Tolbert, but his
status is up in the air following the head injury. It's also a difficult
matchup for him against the Packers.
Avoid 'Em
Bernard Scott, Bengals
Owned: 75 percent of
leagues
Week 8: Had 22 carries for 76 yards and three catches
for no yards at Seattle.
Analysis: Scott was a good
replacement for the suspended Cedric Benson
at the Seahawks, but with Benson back in Week 9 at Tennessee, Scott will
return to his reserve role. He has minimal Fantasy value as the backup
to Benson since he combined for 13 Fantasy points in the six previous
games this year when Benson was active.
Chris Ivory, Saints
Owned: 4 percent of leagues
Week
8: Had six carries for 18 yards at St. Louis.
Analysis:
Ivory could be a solid Fantasy running back in all leagues if he played
for a different team, but he is the No. 4 option in the Saints'
backfield behind Darren Sproles, Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas. He
got an opportunity to play against the Rams with Ingram (heel) out but
he failed to produce, like most of his teammates, in an easy matchup.
Unless Ingram is out for an extended period of time and Thomas gets hurt
also you should leave Ivory on the waiver wire in most formats.
Scout 'Em
Tashard Choice, Redskins
Owned: 16 percent of
leagues
Week 8: Did not play.
Analysis: Mike
Shanahan got a new toy to play with after the Redskins added Choice off
waivers following his release from Dallas. Choice has done nothing this
season as the No. 3 running back for the Cowboys with five Fantasy
points on the season, but the Redskins need a spark in their backfield
after losing Tim Hightower (knee) and
watching Ryan Torain struggle, with
rookie Roy Helu not ready for a
featured role. The addition of Choice makes it difficult to trust any of
Washington's running backs now, but if Choice ends up in a featured role
he could be valuable as the season goes on.
Phillip Tanner, Cowboys
Owned: 7 percent of
leagues
Week 8: Had one carry for 2 yards and two catches for
19 yards at Philadelphia.
Analysis: With Choice gone and Felix Jones (ankle) out, Tanner is now the No. 2 running back for the
Cowboys behind DeMarco Murray. If
something happens to Murray then Tanner would see a significant boost in
Fantasy value, and he is worth keeping an eye on in all leagues. In
deeper formats you might want to add Tanner now just in case Jones
remains out for another week or two. As Tanner showed in Week 7 against
St. Louis, he could be productive behind Murray when he has a quality
matchup.
Kevin Faulk, Patriots
Owned: Not owned
Week
8: Had six carries for 32 yards and five catches for 20 yards at
Pittsburgh.
Analysis: Tom Brady
got his security blanket back in Faulk, who came off the PUP list prior
to the game against the Steelers and was the most productive running
back for New England. His return will hurt all the Patriots running
backs, and he is worth adding in PPR leagues. Faulk had five targets
against the Steelers, and Brady will continue to look for him often as
the season goes on.
Wide receiver
Add 'Em
Michael Crabtree, 49ers
Owned: 57 percent of
leagues
Week 8: Had five catches for 54 yards and a touchdown
vs. Cleveland.
Analysis: Crabtree is starting to look like a
quality receiver the past two games with 14 catches for 131 yards and a
touchdown, and he has 24 targets over that span. Alex Smith appears to finally feel comfortable with Crabtree, and
his foot problems are hopefully over. He has a favorable matchup in Week
9 at Washington, and Crabtree could be a potential starter in all
Fantasy leagues against the Redskins.
Jerome Simpson, Bengals
Owned: 35 percent of
leagues
Week 8: Had one catch for 14 yards and a touchdown at
Seattle.
Analysis: Simpson continues to play well as the No. 2
receiver for the Bengals behind Green. He only had two targets against
the Seahawks, but he now has at least seven Fantasy points in his past
two games. Because Dalton is inexperienced, Simpson will have some
inconsistent performances, but he is worth stashing on your bench as a
reserve receiver who you could start in the right matchup.
Emmanuel Sanders, Steelers
Owned: 32 percent of
leagues
Week 8: Had five catches for 70 yards vs. New England.
Analysis:
As we said with Brown -- and about Sanders last week -- as long as Ward
is out then Sanders will have increased Fantasy value. He now has 10
catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in his past two games and 15
targets over that span. Brown has more value, but Sanders can be a
quality Fantasy reserve going forward and a spot starter in the right
matchup.
Jon Baldwin, Chiefs
Owned: 3 percent of leagues
Week
8: Had five catches for 82 yards and a touchdown vs. San Diego.
Analysis:
Baldwin had his first significant game for the Chiefs and Fantasy owners
against the Chargers on Monday night. He had eight targets and showed a
glimpse of why the Chiefs selected him in the first round of the NFL
Draft. While we still have minimal expectations for Baldwin going
forward, his big performance comes at the right time with a matchup
against the Dolphins in Week 9. If you need help at receiver for this
week then take a flier on Baldwin.
Avoid 'Em
Laurent Robinson, Cowboys
Owned: 2 percent of
leagues
Week 8: Had five catches for 103 yards and a touchdown
at Philadelphia.
Analysis: Ignore the final stat line with
Robinson because he caught a 70-yard touchdown against the Eagles in the
fourth quarter of a blowout loss. Robinson played well when Miles Austin (hamstring) was out, but in his previous two games prior
to Week 8 he had six Fantasy points. He's just too low on the pecking
order behind Jason Witten, Dez Bryant and Austin to have any significant Fantasy value.
Scout 'Em
Ben Obomanu, Seahawks
Owned: 1 percent of leagues
Week
8: Had four catches for 107 yards vs. Cincinnati.
Analysis:
Rice remains the best receiver for the Seahawks, but Obomanu might be
No. 2 in the pecking order along with Doug Baldwin (40 percent ownership). The only difference between
Obomanu and Baldwin is Obomanu might be more consistent. He has at least
eight Fantasy points in three of his past four games, while Baldwin's
Fantasy value depends on the health of Mike Williams. Still, both could be worth owning as Jackson
continues to improve for the Seahawks. And Obomanu continues to benefit,
which is why his Fantasy value is on the rise.
Titus Young, Lions
Owned: 6 percent of leagues
Week
8: Had four catches for 66 yards and a touchdown at Denver.
Analysis:
Young scored his first touchdown of the season Sunday and we hope he can
build on this performance. With Nate Burleson
struggling, Young has the chance to become a viable option for the Lions
and Fantasy owners. Detroit is on a bye in Week 9, but if you need help
at receiver in Week 10 then take a flier on Young now and hope he can
string together some consistent performances to close the year.
Tight end
Add 'Em
Brent Celek, Eagles
Owned: 22 percent of leagues
Week
8: Had seven catches for 94 yards and a touchdown vs. Dallas.
Analysis:
Celek is starting to play better in his past two games with 11 catches
for 136 yards and two touchdowns with 18 targets over that span. Michael Vick said before the season his goal was to get Celek more
involved, and that's finally coming to fruition. He has a great matchup
against the Bears in Week 9, and Celek is an excellent bye-week
replacement this week based on his recent production.
Avoid 'Em
Tony Scheffler, Lions
Owned: 2 percent
Week
8: Had three catches for 38 yards and a touchdown at Denver.
Analysis:
Scheffler scored against the Broncos (his former team) in Week 8, but he
has minimal Fantasy value going forward. This was his first touchdown
since Week 2 and he is clearly entrenched as the No. 2 tight end for the
Lions behind Brandon Pettigrew. Detroit
is on a bye in Week 9, and even with a favorable matchup in Week 10 at
the Bears, Scheffler would only be worth owning if Pettigrew suffered an
injury.
Scout 'Em
Scott Chandler, Bills
Owned: 26 percent of leagues
Week
8: Had two catches for 35 yards and two touchdowns vs. Washington.
Analysis:
Chandler was back to Fantasy relevance in Week 8 with his performance
against the Redskins, but this was the first time he had any Fantasy
points since Week 3. He's a boom or bust tight end, and if he doesn't
score then his production is limited. In a good matchup you can plan on
using Chandler, but otherwise he won't help you much if he can't find
the end zone.
Joel Dreessen, Texans
Owned: 5 percent of leagues
Week
8: Had two catches for 19 yards and a touchdown vs. Jacksonville.
Analysis:
Dreessen has been the player to benefit the most with Andre Johnson (hamstring) out. Since Johnson was hurt in Week 4
against the Steelers, Dreessen has three touchdowns in three of the last
four games. The Texans have done a nice job of using both tight ends
with Dreessen and Owen Daniels, and
Dreessen can be added in deeper leagues as long as Johnson remains out.
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