Week 5 Waiver Wire Report

QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
The Irish offense isn’t quite hitting on all cylinders, but they turned in a solid performance against Purdue. Clausen has thrown nine touchdowns in four starts and threw for a career-high 275 yards against the Boilermakers. The Irish have some favorable fantasy match-ups in the coming weeks, so Clausen may be worth an add if you are shorthanded at quarterback.

QB Boo Jackson, Ohio
We mentioned Jackson in this section last week and the junior college transfer produced a 287 passing yard and two touchdown effort against VMI. The Bobcats have favorable match-ups left on the schedule and Jackson is also a nice backup to stash in case of injury.

QB Chris Jacquemain, Akron
This isn’t Jacquemain’s first appearance on our waiver wire report and if he continues his solid play, he’ll likely make another appearance in the coming weeks. The junior threw for 254 yards and a touchdown against a tough Cincinnati defense, giving him at least 200 yards and a touchdown in every game this season. The numbers aren’t flashy, but Jacquemain’s getting the job done.

QB Robert Marve, Miami, Fla.
Marve has consistently gotten better each time out, and Miami fans are definitely glad to see Kyle Wright and Kirby Freeman no longer in the lineup. Marve’s numbers aren’t huge, but his value lies in keeper leagues and in favorable match-ups the rest of the year.

QB Kevin Moore, Tulane
Moore isn’t going to post huge statistics each week, but you have to like his consistency. In all four games, Moore has thrown for more than 225 yards and at least a touchdown in three of games. The sophomore blistered SMU for 254 yards and three touchdowns. Keep him in mind in deep leagues if you need a quarterback.

QB Giovanni Vizza, North Texas
The North Texas-Rice match-up was quite a shootout in the first half, but eventually Vizza was unable to keep up with Owl quarterback Chase Clement. Vizza should improve upon last year’s numbers, especially as Sun Belt play begins with a match-up against Florida International.

RB Curtis Brinkley, Syracuse
The Orange are struggling, but Brinkley has been one of the few bright spots for this team. The senior has three 100-yard performances in his last four games. With the passing game unable to get going this year, expect Brinkley to see 20-30 carries each week.

RB Bryce Beall, Houston
With starter Andre Kohn sidelined with a knee injury, Beall has pieced together solid back-to-back performances. The freshman rushed for 91 yards against Colorado State and followed that up with 132 yards and two touchdowns against East Carolina. Beall’s worth a look until Kohn returns.

RB Kahlil Bell, UCLA
The UCLA offense finally got their running game going this week, as Bell returned to the lineup after nursing an ankle sprain. Against a tough Fresno State defense, Bell accounted for 73 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. The senior has been a productive back in his career and he’s worth a look in leagues where running backs are thin.

RB Glen Coffee, Alabama
There is no shortage of capable rushers in the Alabama backfield. Coffee, Mark Ingram, Roy Upchurch and Terry Grant form one of the deepest backfields in the country. Coffee tops the depth chart, but rely on him as a flex or bench option for now.

RB Darren Evans, Virginia Tech
Evans has moved from the worth monitoring to the must-add section. The redshirt freshman back tallied 72 yards and two touchdowns against Nebraska, giving him six scores on the season. He’s yet to top 100 yards, but you have to like his redzone ability.

RB Devin Moore, Wyoming
Through five games, Wyoming has thrown 10 interceptions and scored only six offensive touchdowns. Yikes. Moore has been the lone bright spot for this offensive unit, rushing for 506 yards and three touchdowns. Considering the struggles of the passing game, the Cowboys would be wise to rush a little Moore.

RB Antone Smith, Florida State
Florida State fans had to wonder if that was really Antone Smith running in Saturday’s win over Colorado. The senior back rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns against a solid Colorado defense, which was his first 100-yard effort since rushing for 156 yards against Kentucky in last year’s Music City Bowl. Was this a sign of things to come for Smith?

RB Curtis Steele, Memphis
The Memphis coaching staff has high hopes for Steele and after spending last season redshirting, the Tigers have to like what they see. In Saturday’s win over Arkansas State, Steele rushed for 203 yards and a touchdown. Through five games, Steele has 477 yards and one touchdown, but there's a warning involved with this pickup. Teammate Charlie Jones gets a good chunk of the goal-line carries, as evidenced by his six rushing touchdowns this year.

RB Vai Taua, Nevada
With Luke Lippincott out of the year and Brandon Fragger nursing an injury, somebody is going to emerge as the go-to back in Nevada and Taua looks like that player. Taua racked up 123 yards and a touchdown in Saturday’s 49-27 win over UNLV, as the Wolf Pack took the Fremont Cannon back to Reno. Consider Taua one of this week’s top additions.

WR Marcus Anderson, New Mexico State
Anderson got a mention in last week’s waiver wire report, after scoring three touchdowns against UTEP. The junior college transfer followed that up with four catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns against New Mexico. We know the Aggies are going to throw it around, so Anderson’s worth the gamble.

WR D.J. Boldin, Wake Forest
With the exception of a two-catch performance against Florida State, Boldin has been a dependable fantasy option. Boldin has 28 receptions for 276 yards on the season and it’s only a matter of time before he reaches the endzone.

WR Deryn Bowser, Akron
With the Zips battling injuries to a couple of running backs, expect the passing game to see a little more action. Bowser and quarterback Chris Jacquemain hooked up 10 times for 72 yards and a score against Cincinnati, giving him 30 receptions for 366 yards and a touchdown on the year.

WR Vincent Brown, San Diego State
Going into Saturday’s game against Idaho, San Diego State coach Chuck Long promised he’d let quarterback Ryan Lindley throw more – and that’s exactly what happened against the Vandals. Brown blistered the Idaho secondary for 183 yards and three touchdowns on eight receptions. If Lindley continues to throw 40-plus times a game, look for Brown to catch at least six passes every week.

WR Briggs Orsbon, Ball State
Replacing Dante Love won’t be easy, but Orsbon turned in a solid performance in Saturday’s win over Kent State. The freshman grabbed 10 receptions for 112 yards against the Golden Flashes, which makes him one of the top pickups this week.

WR David Richmond, San Jose State
Kevin Jurovich continues to miss time with mono, opening the door for Richmond as the top receiver. The senior recorded five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown against Hawaii and he’s worth a look as a bench/spot start receiver at this point.

WR Josh Smith, Colorado
Smith has pieced together three consecutive games with a touchdown catch and has extra value in leagues that allow kickoff and punt return yardage. Don’t expect huge numbers each week, but look for Smith to be quarterback Cody Hawkins’ top weapon.

WR Desmond Tardy, Purdue
As we’ve mentioned in previous waiver wire reports, Tardy or Keith Smith is going to emerge as a solid No. 2 option for quarterback Curtis Painter. After the last two weeks, Tardy looks like he’s the better wavier wire pickup. In Saturday’s loss to Notre Dame, Tardy grabbed 10 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown.

WR Golden Tate, Notre Dame
The Irish offense is certainly showing signs of life and Tate has three of Jimmy Clausen’s nine touchdown passes this year. The sophomore is also averaging an impressive 18.4 yards per catch through four games.

WR Jeremy Williams, Tulane
Williams has been the main benefactor of quarterback Kevin Moore’s improvement in the passing game. Williams has back-to-back six catch performances, and his two touchdown performance against SMU gives him four touchdown receptions on the year. Look for this Green Wave receiver to emerge as a solid backup or WR3 for some weeks.

Going fast

QB Hunter Cantwell, Louisville
We keep mentioning Cantwell in this report, but now is the best time to grab him. The Cardinals have match-ups against Memphis and MTSU in weeks seven and eight.

QB Omar Clayton, UNLV
Somehow, Clayton is still on the waiver wire in a good chunk of U-Sports leagues. The former walk-on quarterback has thrown for 12 touchdowns and over 1,000 yards this season. If you don’t add him now, he’ll likely be on someone else’s roster by the end of this week.

QB Jamie Hampton, Troy
Hampton had a respectable showing in Saturday night’s loss to Oklahoma State. The sophomore quarterback completed 24 of 45 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns. With match-ups against FIU, North Texas and UL Monroe in the next couple of weeks, Hampton could be among the top 25 fantasy quarterbacks.

QB Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
Pryor continues to grow as a quarterback, but he’s posted seven scores in the last two weeks. He’s a must-add for any team in need of a quarterback.

RB Victor Anderson, Louisville
It’s pretty clear Anderson will split carries with Brock Bolen or Bilal Powell, but this redshirt freshman is the most explosive runner out of this backfield. In his last three games, Anderson has totaled at least 100 yards and one touchdown.

RB Jourdan Brooks, Rutgers
Keep an eye on Mason Robinson and Kordell Young, as they will continue to get carries in the Scarlet Knights backfield. However, Brooks has five touchdowns in two games and appears to be the running back atop the depth chart going into Saturday’s game against West Virginia.

RB DeLeon Eskridge, Minnesota
Even in a losing effort against Ohio State, Eskridge rushed for 75 yards and caught eight passes for 57 yards. Expect this freshman to only get better as the season progresses.

RB Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
If this five-foot-seven (maybe that’s a little generous) running back is still on the waiver wire in your league, add him immediately. Rodgers gashed the USC defense for 186 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries and is quickly emerging as a must-start every week.

WR Doug Beaumont, Louisville
Beaumont has yet to find the endzone, but is averaging seven receptions per game. His value is especially high in PPR leagues right now and it’s only a matter of time before he finds the endzone.

WR Tyron Carrier, Houston
Carrier and teammate Patrick Edwards have a lot of value in PPR leagues and we recommend adding both. Carrier caught nine passes for 65 yards against East Carolina, giving him 33 receptions for 293 yards and three touchdowns on the year.

WR Quan Cosby/Jordan Shipley, Texas
Quarterback Colt McCoy is having a great start to the season and the Longhorn offense has been clicking on all cylinders. McCoy has at least three touchdown passes in every game, while Cosby and Shipley have at least one touchdown reception in the last three games.

WR Patrick Edwards, Houston
We expected a Houston receiver to emerge as a fantasy option and Edwards looks to be filling that role. In a huge win over East Carolina, he nabbed 11 receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown. On the season, Edwards has 33 catches for 408 yards and two touchdowns, and he should be one of the top options for quarterback Case Keenum the rest of the year.

WR A.J. Green, Georgia
Another week, another solid performance for this freshman receiver. Green caught six passes for 88 yards and a touchdown against Alabama. We’ve seen the freshman emerge as potentially a solid week-to-week option, but he’s definitely worth a spot on your bench as a fourth receiver.

WR James Rodgers, Oregon State
The Rodgers’ brothers came up huge in Thursday’s upset over USC and James appears to be finding his rhythm going into Pac-10 play. Against the Trojans, Rodgers caught two touchdown passes, giving him three on the season. Some owners may have dropped him after a slow start, but expect him to get more touches out of the backfield in the coming weeks. Anytime you can get rushing yards from your receiver, it’s a huge plus.

WR Damian Williams, USC
This Arkansas transfer continues to be the favorite target for quarterback Mark Sanchez. In Thursday night’s loss to Oregon State, Williams caught six passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. Look for Williams to continue posting solid receiving totals for the remainder of the year.

WR Ryan Wolfe, UNLV
37 receptions, 474 yards and three touchdowns…and he’s still on the waiver wire in some leagues?

Worth Monitoring

QB Stephen Garcia, South Carolina
South Carolina fans eagerly awaited the debut of Garcia and while there were a few lumps, the redshirt freshman wasn’t bad. Garcia threw for 131 yards and a touchdown, along with adding 86 yards and a touchdown on the ground against UAB. Definitely worth a look in keeper leagues, but not much value in 120 leagues at this point.

QB Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech
The Hokies have struggled to establish offensive consistency, but Taylor turned in one of his best performances of the year against Nebraska. The sophomore passed for a season-high 171 yards and added 87 yards on the ground. Taylor’s dual threat ability is intriguing, but needs to show a little more progress before adding him in 120 leagues.

RB Lamark Brown, Kansas State
Kansas State fans had to adjust their vision on Saturday afternoon. One week after nearly abandoning the run against Louisville, the Wildcats found a little balance against UL Lafayette. Brown rushed for 137 yards and a touchdown, along with catching five passes for 36 passes. Keep an eye on him in the coming weeks.

RB Me’Co Brown, Northern Illinois
The Northern Illinois backfield has been a source of frustration for several fantasy owners this year. Justin Anderson was coming off a 1,000-yard season last year and was expected to be one of the top 30 fantasy running backs. However, Anderson doesn’t exactly fit what coach Jerry Kill is looking for and a committee approach has taken over. Brown rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown against Eastern Michigan, but also suffered a foot injury.

RB Montel Harris, Boston College
Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski indicated Harris, Josh Haden and Jeff Smith will likely share carries the rest of the year. Harris has back-to-back efforts and would see an increase in fantasy value if he wins the majority of carries. 

RB Marcus Thigpen, Indiana
Thigpen has been hit or miss this year. However, if he could put it together every Saturday, he would be a solid waiver wire pickup.

WR Kris Adams, UTEP
Jeff Moturi was expected to be the top Miner receiver this season, but Adams leads the team in receiving yards after four games. With quarterback Trevor Vittatoe getting healthy, Adams’ value could increase the next couple of weeks.

WR Sam Dibrell, North Texas
Now that the Mean Green have hit conference play, keep an eye on their receiving options. Dibrell is the No. 2 option, but could be a solid play some weeks.

WR Ray Fisher/Andrew Means, Indiana
At some point, Fisher or Means will emerge as the go-to guy for Indiana quarterback Kellen Lewis. Fisher had a solid performance against Michigan State, catching eight passes for 64 yards and a touchdown. Means only caught one pass against the Spartans, but led the team in receptions going into Week 5.

WR Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
A.J. Green and Julio Jones may have the most thunder from the 2008 recruiting class, but Floyd is quietly having a good year. The freshman has 16 catches for 218 yards and two touchdowns in four contests. He’s not a week-to-week option right now, but it’s pretty clear he’s a solid keeper and someone who could make some noise in favorable match-ups.

WR Eric Peterman, Northwestern
The Wildcats have some options at receiver, but Peterman appears to be the top redzone threat for this team. In Saturday’s win over Iowa, the senior grabbed two touchdown receptions, along with five catches for 47 yards. Peterman and teammate Rasheed Ward are definitely worth watching over the next couple of weeks.  

WR Jacory Stone, Eastern Michigan
Back-to-back weeks of nine catches should have Stone on the fantasy radar. The Eastern Michigan quarterback situation is in flux with two injured players, but Stone continues to produce.

WR Derrick Williams, Penn State
Williams has always possessed the potential, which is why his three touchdown performance against Illinois was no surprise. Is Williams finally ready to be a consistent week-to-week touchdown producer?

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