As a quick recap of the Week 6 edition, I suggested Jacoby Ford, Donald Brown, Devin Aromashodu, Naaman Roosevelt and Kregg Lumpkin as potential stash picks. Of that group I feel like Ford and Brown proved me right, and Roosevelt made enough of an impression to give him another look prior to this week.
For Week 7, if there's dead weight on your roster, I've once again got five names worth taking a flier on prior to kick off to beat the waiver crowd leading into Week 8. Any of these guys could turn out to be a valuable part of a playoff push now that we're hitting the midway point of the fantasy season.
So take a gander and don't be afraid to take a gamble.
1. Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN – No more Brandon Lloyd pretty much assures Thomas of a starting spot opposite Eric Decker this week. And though he's struggled with numerous injuries in his short pro career, Thomas remains a physical freak. He's a 6-3, 230 lbs. beast with great athleticism, strong hands and above-average after-the-catch ability. He was hurt at the beginning of his rookie season—coming back from an offseason foot injury—and after missing Week 1, all he did was post eight grabs for 97 yards and a score in his NFL debut. Now he's once again coming back from an injury and should be featured heavily in the pass attack. Tim Tebow may not throw the prettiest ball but he sure will sling it and take shots downfield. That could translate to Thomas having a breakout over the second half of the season. He's easily worth a flier pick-up on upside alone.
2.Tashard Choice, RB, DAL – One of the hottest waiver pick-ups this last week was DeMarco Murray. With Felix Jones expected to miss 2-4 weeks, the popular belief is that Murray will take on the biggest workload of the remaining Cowboy backs. But it's Choice that brings three years of experience. It's Choice that, as a rookie in 2008, stepped in when Jones was already out and Marion Barber got injured and piled up three straight games with well over 100 total yards in each and a touchdown in two. So while Murray may even be the favorite of the Dallas coaches coming into this week's game, it could just as easily be Choice that emerges as the lead back. It could be that Murray was not the right waiver choice between the Cowboys backs.
3. Keiland Williams, RB, DET – Everyone seems to be jumping on the Maurice Morris train, assuming him to be the feature back while Jahvid Best is out. And yes, he has a history of successfully stepping in for Detroit. Last year Morris scored five touchdowns over the final six weeks while splitting carries with a turf-toe-slowed Best. And he stepped in last week versus San Fran for the concussed Best, netting 20 yards on five carries. But don't count out Williams. He's six years younger than the 31-year-old Morris and 15 lbs. heavier. And Williams is not exactly a slouch. He had his own fantasy darling moment last year with a 139-total-yard, three-touchdown game against Philly. On the season he's second on the team with 19 carries and 49 yards, while Morris has only nine attempts for 20 yards. So don't rule out the hard-charging young back. Morris may want to cling to his youth, but I could just as easily see the bigger, stronger Williams steal it from him.
4. Terrell Owens, WR, FA – I have been a major T.O. hater for years now. Never liked him, dating way back to "The Catch II" that knocked my Packers out of the '98 playoffs. But I can't deny the old guy's still an amazing athlete and a gifted receiver. We all saw what he did last year. And I for one would not be shocked if he looks like a 25-year-old going through a routine workout next Tuesday when he auditions for whatever teams will show. If there's room on your bench now, he's worth stashing for a week just to see if he's in playing shape and can land in a promising situation. If that occurs, he could be a huge asset down the stretch run of the season.
5. Chris Ogbonnaya, RB, CLE – I am still of the belief that Montario Hardesty will break himself at some point this season. Throughout his college and NFL careers he has proven to be the proverbial Mr. Glass. And with Peyton Hillis likely out this week, Ogbonnaya, the odd man out from Houston, could spell Hardesty for a few carries and possibly play his way into a role in the offense. That way, when Hardesty and Hillis are both down and out for the year, he can get his shot at being a feature back. His only chance in such a role saw him post 104 total yards and two touchdowns this preseason versus the Jets. Sure it's a long shot, but hey, crazier things have happened. I mean, it took Steve Slaton going down to make Arian Foster. So why can't Ogbonnaya become a household name?