With the bye weeks behind us and a number of teams in most leagues out of fantasy playoff contention, we run down the top pickups on a now thin waiver wire.
Barry Sanders Lions Jersey . WR Michael Crabtree (vs Rams)Last week: Injured A solid WR2 last year, Crabtree is expected to make his 2013 debut against St. Louis this weekend. Coming off a tough Achilles injury, and likely to be worked into the 49ers game plan slowly at least to start, dont expect Crabtree to hit his 2012 numbers right away. Hes still worth a pickup however as a possible WR3/flex play off the bat and possibly more moving forward this season. WR Miles Austin (vs Raiders)Last week: 1 catch, 17 yards Austin made a less than impressive return from a three-game absence Sunday against the Giants, but it should only get better from here. If the 29-year-olds hamstring holds up down the stretch, the hope is he supplants Terrence Williams in terms of usage in the Cowboys offence. While he may be more useful in real football, drawing attention away from Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, his play could warrant five-plus targets in a strong offence. WR Rod Streater (at Cowboys)Last week: 5 catches, 93 yards Two things conspire to make Streater worth a look if youre in need of help at WR. One, Matt McGloin providing a better pass game than the less-accurate, more prone to run Terrelle Pryor in Oakland, and two, Denarius Moores injury which elevated Streater to McGloins top target. McGloin looks to have secured the Raiders QB job at least for the time being and playing on a short week, Moore may not be ready to return until Week 14. Streater should see a similar workload on American Thanksgiving against a Cowboys defence that can certainly be scored on. RB Rashard Mendenhall (at Eagles)Last week: 13 carries, 54 yards, 1 TD Mendenhall had become the forgotten man in Arizona with fantasy players leaning more towards Andre Ellington of late. And while its clear the two are locked in a timeshare in the Cardinals backfield, its one that sees Mendenhall receive all the red zone touches. The two had similar workloads and totals in Arizonas big win over the Colts on Sunday, the only difference – and its a big one – was Mendenhalls touchdown. Take the veteran over the rookie in Arizona, hell score you more touchdowns. QB Matt Flynn (at Lions)Last week: 21/36, 218 yards, 1 TD The quarterback with nine lives appears to be in the best possible situation. Green Bay has something that Seattle, Oakland, and Buffalo doesnt and it makes Flynn look like a serviceable NFL QB. Flynns play in relief of Scott Tolzien against Minnesota warrants another start, unless of course Aaron Rodgers returns from injury. And do you remember the last time Flynn played Detroit while wearing a Packers jersey? It earned him a lot of money. Green Bay – and desperate fantasy owners – can only hope for a similar outcome this Thursday. TE Rob Housler (at Eagles)Last week: 4 catches, 51 yards Housler has flown under the radar all season and while that was certainly justified the first few weeks of the season, for desperate fantasy owners, hes been at least worth a look ever since. Housler scores very few touchdowns so hell never be mistaken as a TE1, but hes steady in averaging 50+ receiving yards per game of late. Arizona has been hot as of late and while thats unlikely to last too much longer, Housler is a viable injury replacement during their run.
Will Harris Jersey . Lawrie was hit on the hand by Cincinnati pitcher Johnny Cueto in the second inning of Sundays 4-3 loss to the Reds.
Jahlani Tavai Womens Jersey .com) - The Hatch Attack is back in the Southern Conference.FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - Todd Bowles and Mike Maccagnan might have once shared a golf cart, making small talk during an uneventful ride around Washington Redskins training camp 25 years ago or so.The details are fuzzy, but Bowles was a safety in the prime of his playing career and Maccagnan, an eager intern in the front office.I probably checked Todd into training camp, Maccagnan recalled Wednesday.Little did the two know that they would someday share the spotlight as the leaders of the New York Jets new regime — Bowles as coach and Maccagnan as general manager.Although we never really interacted a lot, its kind of ironic our paths have crossed even though we are from two different backgrounds, 40-something miles apart, Maccagnan said at the teams introductory news conference.This is a homecoming of sorts for both Bowles, who grew up in Elizabeth, about 19 miles southeast, and was the Jets secondary coach in 2000, and Maccagnan, whos from Hightstown, about 50 miles south of team headquarters. They both know the history of the franchise, from Broadway Joe making good on his Super Bowl guarantee in 1969 to the failure to make the big game since.Were going to try to build a championship team here, Bowles said. Thats my only job.Funny thing is, Maccagnan thinks theres a good chance the two actually first crossed paths in the late-1970s. Maccagnans father was a teacher at the Peddie School, while Bowles played football at Elizabeth High School. When Maccagnan picked up Bowles from the airport for his second interview with the Jets last week, the two talked about their New Jersey roots.Maccagnan realized that Bowles football team would often have preseason practices at Peddie in 1978 or 79. And thats when it hit the new Jets GM.I actually went out there and probably watched their practices, Maccagnan said, not realizing that 50 yards away, Todd was running around as a junior or senior in high school.Now, theyre on the same team, two Jersey guys aiming to turn around the Jets fortunes after four straight years without making the playoffs.It was just one of those situations that just felt right, Maccagnan said.Maccagnan was hired last Tuesday to replace the fired John Idzik. Bowles was signed a day later to replace Rex Ryan.Ive been at it 15 years now and hopefully,, Im making better decisions or good decisions because, yeah, you have to win these games and you have to get to the next level, owner Woody Johnson said.
Kenny Golladay Womens Jersey. Each of the gentlemen sitting to my left are, in my estimation, the people to do it.And unlike Ryans first brash, headline-making news conference with the Jets in 2009, Bowles offered no Super Bowl guarantees but rather modest goals focused on restoring a winning approach.Were going to be a tough team, Bowles promised, an intelligent team.A few months into his tenure, Ryan declared that he didnt come to New York to kiss (Bill) Belichicks rings. Bowles was asked about those same rings, and managed not to provide the New England Patriots with any bulletin board material.Im going to work on getting my own rings, he said.The 51-year-old spent the last two seasons as Arizonas defensive co-ordinator. Before that, he worked with some of the games most successful coaches — Bill Parcells, Joe Gibbs and George Seifert to name a few — first as a player during his eight-year NFL career and then as an assistant coach.As you get older, you evolve and you learn more of the football game, Bowles said. And in 2007, maybe 2007-08, I started to think, OK, Im starting to learn the game pretty good. If I can get some things down, if Im good enough and somebody is lucky enough to see me as a head coach, it was about that time.Maccagnan, 47, had been with the Houston Texans since the franchises inception in 2000, brought on board by Charley Casserly — who Johnson tapped as a consultant in the Jets hiring process. Maccagnan had carved out a reputation as a tireless scout who identified key players for the Texans over the years.People in my profession work their entire career to get an opportunity like this, Maccagnan said. This is my lifes passion, my dream. And to actually have this opportunity, basically 50 miles from where I grew up is truly a dream come true.After that car ride together last week, it didnt take long for Bowles and Maccagnan to feel comfortable tackling a new challenge with the Jets — together.We hit it off, Bowles said, smiling. So, going forward, its going to be a dream working with this guy.___AP NFL website:
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