Waiver Wire Warriors

A lot of fantasy football games are won and lost based on how you treat waivers. Completely ignore them, and you're either not very involved, you're incredibly lucky that you drafted the perfect team, or you don't plan on winning your league. Here are a few players that based off of their Week 1 performances can probably help most teams out. Also, if they can't help you now, think about bye weeks as well as trade bait.

Kevin Ogletree-Unless you're 1st or 2nd on the waiver priority, you can probably forget about this guy. He's owned in about 26% of ESPN leagues, and that number will skyrocket later this week. He had 2 TDs last week and went for 114 yards. Don't expect him to duplicate those numbers again this year though. Witten wasn't healthy last game, and assuming he's back to normal, Ogletree's targets will go down. That being said, he's a viable option. Dez Bryant and Miles Austin will get the majority of coverage, so Ogletree will find himself open. If you're lucky enough to have a high waiver spot and you need a WR, Ogletree may help you. 

Alfred Morris-He may be listed as the Redskins number 3 running back on their official website, but make no mistake, he's their number 1 runner. He had 2 TDs and nearly 100 yards last week, and with teams focusing on RG3 and Pierre Garcon, he could be in for a decent year. He's owned in just under 16% of ESPN leagues too, so he's probably available. Don't forget though, Mike Shanahan is known for throwing just about anyone in the backfield, so don't say I didn't warn you. But as long as Morris continues to produce, he should remain the starter.

Randall Cobb-He was much more involved in the GB offense than anyone expected him to be. He had 9 receptions for 77 yards and a punt return TD. We all know Cobb is a dangerous return man, but to see him getting so much attention as a WR makes him even more attractive. Also, it should be noted that there are reports that Greg Jennings may miss Thursday's game against Chicago, increasing Cobb's role. He's only owned in 14% of ESPN leagues, so if you need some WR help, check him out too.

Scott Chandler-While 4 catches for 38 yards and a TD doesn't exactly scream pickup, it's not terrible for a TE that is only owned in 3.3% of ESPN leagues. He'll be a huge Red Zone target for the Bills, and he has a good relationship with Fitzpatrick. If for whatever reason you need a second TE, he's definitely worth a look.

I'm going to try to get a post about decent waiver options up about once a week. Going forward it is going to be more difficult as players get picked up, but we'll see how it goes. Have any questions about a player, feel free to send them my way and I'll do my best to give you a somewhat educated answer.

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[UPDATE] Saints Bounty Scandal Penalties Overturned

About 20 minutes ago, Sports Illustrated senior writer Jim Trotter tweeted, "BREAKING: A 3-member appeals panel has overturned the player suspensions in the Saints bounty case, says a source. Details coming." I for one, am shocked.

I thought for sure the players suspensions would be upheld, obviously there was much more to this story than was originally reported. Trotter went on to say the commissioner Goodell can reconsider the penalties only if there is evidence of intent to injure beyond just the performance pool, according to a source. What that boils down to is that Goodell will have to find something else in order to keep the players out of the game. Details are still coming out on this, and there has been no official word from the NFL as of yet.

Like I said, I'm shocked by this. This whole ordeal has made Goodell look like a hard-nosed commissioner who isn't going to allow a bounty program and is willing to severely punish those who participate in one. The appeals board has pretty much undermined this whole idea. According to them, simply being part of a bounty program isn't enough to warrant suspensions. Either that, or there was new evidence that what we all thought went on in New Orleans didn't really happen the way it was reported. Whatever the case may be, I'm sure this isn't over, not by a long shot. Also, it should be noted that the coaches have not been mentioned whatsoever, only the player's suspensions have been overturned. Again, that may change, so stay tuned for updates.

UPDATE- Here's the full statement from the NFL: "Consistent with the panel's decision, Commissioner Goodell will, as directed, make an expedited determination of the discipline imposed for violating the league's pay-for-performance/bounty rule. Until that determination is made, the four players are reinstated and eligible to play starting this weekend."


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Cowboys Start The Year Off Right

One streak continued while another ended on Wednesday night. Defending Super Bowl champions had been 8-0 since the current format of them playing the season opener began. The Cowboys ended that streak by beating the Giants 24-17. But the Cowboys unbeaten streak against the Giants in season openers was extended and they are now 6-0 in those games. But what does it all mean?

First off, let me say that I'm not surprised by this outcome. The Cowboys weren't expected to win this game. Vegas had them as 3.5 point dogs, and given the 'Boys habit of giving up leads last year, twice to the Giants I might add, it was easy to see why New York was favored. Add on the fact that Jason Witten was doubtful for the game, it was even more clear why most people picked the Giants. But here's the thing, Romo, and it seems the Cowboys entire team, plays a whole lot better when people aren't expecting much from them. It's when the expectations are high and the pressure is on that they crumble. I'm not saying that wasn't a pressure packed game by any means. I'm saying there was far more pressure on the defending Super Bowl champion to beat a division rival whose owner had called them out, then there was on Dallas.

While the Cowboys did win, and look like the better team, they are nowhere near where they need to be. The secondary was still soft on 3rd down coverage, there were way too many penalties, and Romo didn't look as great as everyone is making him sound. I'll be the first to admit that the defense did look better than it has in a while. Coverage was adequate down the field, but still not where it needs to be. I'm glad to see they're playing man coverage, but there were still times when they were clearly beaten. Had the Giants receivers actually held on to the ball tonight, the score line probably would've looked much different. Luckily for the Cowboys there were several drops. I know I'm overly critical of the defense, but with the kind of talent Dallas has on the field now, there is no reason to get beat consistently down the field. The defensive line looked great, they managed 3 sacks, and forced a fumble.

As for the penalties, ugh. 13 penalties for 86 yards is awful, especially considering how many false starts there were. I know it was loud and they were in hostile territory, but come on. I'm hoping this was a first game jitters kind of thing and doesn't carry over to the rest of the season. Which brings us to Romo. Now let me be the first to say that I'm a die-hard Cowboys fan. Have been my whole life. But I'm not a Romo fan. He's got as much talent, if not more, than the top QBs in the NFL. What he lacks is the mindset, or clutch gene as I like to call it. Under pressure, he terrifies me. Yes there are times when he comes through, like the 38-yard completion to Dez Bryant. You won't find anyone else who could've made that pass look any better. But when he has to make a short dump-off pass because he's under pressure and there isn't anyone open down field, he can't do it. At least twice during the game he failed to complete a short 2-4 yard pass that would've come close to a first down. This is what kills me. Sure, he threw for 3 scores, was 22-29 and had 307 yards. But he also had a stupid interception, and he threw another ball in the endzone that had he made a better pass would've been TD number 4, and he was lucky that one actually didn't get picked off as well.

I know I'm overly critical of Romo. I have been since day 1. A lot of it has to do with the media shoving him down my throat. I'm sorry, I grew up watching Troy Aikman under center. So when people try to tell him how good Romo is, and how he's great for the Cowboys, I want to puke. Not his fault necessarily, but whatever. I don't want to sound like I wasn't impressed by the Cowboys though. They played well enough to win, they looked better than I expected on defense, Murray showed just how good he can be, and they didn't blow a 4th quarter lead. Oh, and Kevin Ogletree, yeah, he's like, good and stuff.

All in all, this was a big win for Dallas. They beat a division rival on the road. Last year they only won two divisional games, both against the lowly Redskins. So while this is week 1, it does have implications. There are still some areas that need improvement, but I was pleasantly surprised by their performance. Yeah the first quarter was ugly, the whole first half wasn't great from an offensive standpoint. But hey, I'll take it.

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Bobby Valentine Fired (I Hope)

As I'm writing this rather late, I doubt that I'll be among the first to hear the news I'm hoping for. Rumors started swirling last Sunday evening that Bobby Valentine would be relieved of his managerial duties on Monday. How true are these rumors? It's impossible for me to know. How true to I want these rumors to be? It's impossible for me to explain just how badly.

Valentine and Boston weren't cut out for each other from the get go. He's a guy better suited for managing a team like the Royals, Padres, or Astros. Teams that have a fanbase, but nowhere near the size of a team like the Red Sox. In Boston, everything you do as a member of the Red Sox is scrutinized by the media (who has been about as bad as they possibly could be this season) and the fans. As much as the folks of Boston love the Bruins and Patriots, it will always be a baseball town. So when ownership went out and hired Bobby V, we all groaned. We knew it wasn't a good idea. We knew it wouldn't work out. We just had no clue it would be as bad as it has been.

Valentine warred with Youkilis. Valentine warred with Pedroia. Valentine warred with just about anyone he could it seemed. Instead of taking responsibility for mishaps, which there have been numerous, he's just tried to laugh things off. That doesn't work in Red Sox Nation. The expectations may be unfairly high, but it is what it is. Red Sox baseball is a lion's den. Valentine either thought he could change that culture, I doubt it though he's not that dumb (well maybe), or figured he had a good enough team to coast to a playoff berth. Obviously that wasn't the case.

Honestly, from a baseball standpoint, there is no reason Valentine should have a job right now. The Sox are 62-73 at this point, and I'll be shocked if they make it past 70 wins. Granted, they traded away a TON of talent, and the pitching has been, to put it bluntly, atrocious all season. Did Beckett need to go? Probably. Gonzalez I don't understand, Crawford obviously makes sense, and as for Youkilis, I just don't know. They thought they had their 3rd baseman of the future in Will Middlebrooks, but then he got hurt. But it's not like he was blowing the doors off Fenway before that. He was hitting a respectable .288 when he went down but his defense wasn't all that great. Maybe I'm biased because I loved watching Youk day in and day out. But I think letting him go for what amounts to NOTHING was the second biggest mistake the Red Sox made this year. The first of course was hiring Valentine to begin with.

So will Bobby V have a job when I wake up? No idea. I find it odd, and kind of disturbing, that I'm rooting for someone to be unemployed, but he's really given me and Red Sox fans everywhere no other choice. Bobby Valentine doesn't belong in the Red Sox dugout. If that was ever more apparent then right now, please fill me in as to when that was. I'll update this as soon as news breaks one way or the other.

UPDATE-So it appears that the dreams of Red Sox Nation will be unfulfilled. While owner John Henry is in Seattle today, which we all thought surely meant Valentine was on his way out, that just doesn't look like it's going to happen. Henry said Valentine will finish the season and he's there to evaluate the pitching. To be perfectly honest, keeping Valentine doesn't mean anything in terms of baseball. But it does show the ownership couldn't be less connected with the fans. I know the fans don't run the team, nor should they. But the owners have a responsibility to them. By keeping Valentine it shows that they really have given up on this season and they don't care who knows it.

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