This article is part of our NFL Waiver Wire series.
Like last week, it seemed tougher to find viable options on the waiver wire with the lack of significant injuries or breakthrough performances. This week, we'll look at a few Oakland Raiders and discuss players you should be ready to spend on who are available in about half of all fantasy formats. Remember, there's no refund of your FAAB money at the end of the season, so spend it if the guy you want is available.
QUARTERBACK
Primary Targets
Ben Roethlisberger, PIT - Big Ben had another monster game and has four passing touchdowns in two of his last three games. Jerricho Cotchery has suddenly become a red-zone target and Antonio Brown scored two touchdowns from a distance. He has a set of receivers who are among the best gaining yards after the catch. What's really in play here is that the Steelers defense is terrible, and Ben is going to continue to have to throw 40-plus times per game. FAAB: $8-12
Hail Mary
Matt McGloin, OAK - I talked about McGloin a few weeks ago when Terrelle Pryor's knee concerns popped up. I watched him play a lot in college and was impressed with his decision making as well as his accuracy. After McGloin's three-touchdown performance Sunday, the Raiders would be wise to let Pryor take his time coming back and see what they have in McGloin. A 6.2 YPA is nothing overly impressive, though the Raiders receivers had some bad drops. He's a lottery ticket
Like last week, it seemed tougher to find viable options on the waiver wire with the lack of significant injuries or breakthrough performances. This week, we'll look at a few Oakland Raiders and discuss players you should be ready to spend on who are available in about half of all fantasy formats. Remember, there's no refund of your FAAB money at the end of the season, so spend it if the guy you want is available.
QUARTERBACK
Primary Targets
Ben Roethlisberger, PIT - Big Ben had another monster game and has four passing touchdowns in two of his last three games. Jerricho Cotchery has suddenly become a red-zone target and Antonio Brown scored two touchdowns from a distance. He has a set of receivers who are among the best gaining yards after the catch. What's really in play here is that the Steelers defense is terrible, and Ben is going to continue to have to throw 40-plus times per game. FAAB: $8-12
Hail Mary
Matt McGloin, OAK - I talked about McGloin a few weeks ago when Terrelle Pryor's knee concerns popped up. I watched him play a lot in college and was impressed with his decision making as well as his accuracy. After McGloin's three-touchdown performance Sunday, the Raiders would be wise to let Pryor take his time coming back and see what they have in McGloin. A 6.2 YPA is nothing overly impressive, though the Raiders receivers had some bad drops. He's a lottery ticket in most standard formats but has value in two-quarterback leagues. FAAB: $1 or FCFS
RUNNING BACK
Primary Targets
Bobby Rainey, TB - Rainey is owned in about 60 percent of all fantasy formats, so chances are more likely that he's not available in your league. If he is available, however, now is the time to blow your budget or top waiver priority on Rainey. He was an absolute beast against the Falcons and should carry most of the workload for the rest of the season. I discussed Rainey a little last week and thought that Brian Leonard was the better of the two to pick up. However, it's obvious now that Rainey has more upside and is worth starting as a flex at minimum. The only reason I'm a little wary here (to pump the brakes a little on his hype) is that his big day came against the Falcons, a terrible defense and team that looks like it's given up. Still, Tampa Bay is going to run the ball, and Rainey should be good for 20 touches a week. FAAB: $50
Secondary Targets
Montee Ball, DEN - Ball is available in more than half of all fantasy formats and should be on your bench. This is the last bye week, meaning you should have a spot or two on your bench the rest of the season for high-upside players in case the player in front of them gets hurt. Ball had two impressive touchdown runs Sunday night and was brought back into the game after fumbling. If anything happens to Knowshon Moreno in the upcoming weeks, Ball is the type who can put you over the top come fantasy playoff time. FAAB: $6-10
Hail Mary
Daniel Thomas, MIA - Thomas totaled only 59 yards from scrimmage Sunday but was able to plunge in for a score on a one-yard carry. The totals from Sunday were impressive considering the Dolphins were down a few players on the offensive line. He had the advantage in touches over Lamar Miller, a situation that seems to change weekly. Look for yardage to be tough to come by next week, though, as the Dolphins face the Panthers. FAAB: $2-4
WIDE RECEIVER
Primary Targets
Michael Floyd, ARI - Floyd had a career game against a weak Jacksonville defense, finishing with 193 receiving yards and a 91-yard touchdown catch. This was Floyd's first 100-yard game of the season and after an off week against Houston (two catches, 31 yards), Floyd landed on a lot of waiver wires especially with concerns over his shoulder injury. Floyd has legitimate No. 1 receiver upside and is looks like a much better draft pick than Justin Blackmon at this point. FAAB: $8-12
Secondary Targets
Rod Streater, OAK - Streater had a team-high eight targets Sunday that he turned into six catches for 84 yards and a touchdown. Streater has come on as lately as that was his second 80-yard game in his last three. The problem is that the game sandwiched in between was a one-catch-for-six-yards effort. The passing game may have turned a corner with Matt McGloin now under center instead of a gimpy Terrelle Pryor.FAAB: $4-8
Hail Mary
Andre Caldwell, DEN - Looking for my sneaky play of the week? This all is contingent on Wes Welker missing his homecoming game in New England, for which he has not yet been ruled out. Should that happen, though, Caldwell immediately comes onto the fantasy radar as Denver's third wide receiver. Peyton Manning and the offense runs a ton of three-receiver sets, and Caldwell would benefit from seeing much softer coverage than Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas. Again, this is all contingent on the health of Wes Welker, who could still play this week. FAAB: FCFS or $1
Tight Ends
Primary Targets
Garrett Graham, HOU - Graham finally had the breakout game fantasy owners had been waiting for since Owen Daniels went down. He finished the game with a whopping 136 receiving yards, including a long touchdown. The touchdown came on a broken play after Case Keenum eluded a defender along the sideline and hit a streaking Graham down the middle of the field. Daniels isn't expected back until Dec. 5, so Graham makes for a sneaky start the next two weeks. FAAB: $8-12
Secondary Targets
Joel Dreessen, DEN - Dreessen is in a similar situation to Andre Caldwell this week as the player ahead of him on the depth chart, Julius Thomas, is day-to-day with an uncertain status for this week. Manning loves to throw to his tight end, and Dreessen had several fantasy relevant games last season and when he was a Texan. Again, check the injury report, but Dreessen would be a top-8 tight end this week should Thomas miss the Patriots' game. FAAB $4-8
Mychal Rivera, OAK - Rivera had 54 receiving yards and a touchdown, catching a perfectly thrown ball on a seam route that could have been an even longer touchdown had he not run out of real estate. Rivera might benefit from the change to McGloin at quarterback as rookies tend to check down to the short, safe routes tight ends typically run. FAAB: $3-6
