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Halfway point of the NFL is here, and likely you're more than halfway through your fantasy season. Are you locked and loaded for a playoff run or are you building for next year? Either way, the waiver wire is your friend. Here are some great waiver wire finds this week.

QB
Nick Foles, PHI - There's talk of Mike Vick being benched, which I personally think is a big mistake. But, it's probably going to happen sooner than later, and in keeper leagues, Foles appears to be the quarterback of the future. Go ahead and grab him now, even if a QB changes isn't made yet in Philly.

Tim Tebow, NYJ - It seems like forever ago that Tebow was actually relevant. But, that falls on the Jets coaching staff who can't seem to figure out how to use Tebow. But, sooner than later, a switch will be made and the "Tebow Time" effect could be huge for your fantasy squad down the line.

RB
Mike Tolbert, CAR - Consider Tolbert more of a handcuff move or desperation move. The Panthers moved Jonathan Stewart to the starting role, and are moving Deangelo Williams. So, Tolbert makes a nice J-Stew handcuff and could be a touchdown vulture or bye week fill-in.

Jonathan Dwyer, PIT - He's probably already off your waiver wire, but if somehow he's still there, Dwyer is a great option to grab, and perhaps start. Dwyer looks like a Steeler-type of running back. There's been non-sensical comparisons to Jerome Bettis. He's not anywhere close to that, but he could be a nice flex/bye week fill-in option for the foreseeable future, even if Rashard Mendenhall returns.

WR
Cecil Shorts, JAX - I talked up Shorts as a deep sleeper last year, and that's finally starting to show why. Shorts is now a starter in Jacksonville and is coming off back-to-back double digit targets. In two weeks since being inserted in the starting lineup, Shorts has racked up double digit fantasy points. It's safe to grab him, and maybe start him.

Ryan Broyles, DET - Broyles was drafted in the second round and up until two weeks ago was a non-factor in the Lions pass-friendly offense. Now, with Nate Burleson out, Broyles has 2 TDs in his last two games. He's the Lions slot guy and this is a good position for him. I expect 4-5 catches per game from Broyles for the foreseeable future, and being that he's a rookie, he's a nice keeper option too.

TE
Marcedes Lewis, JAX - This is more of a gut call than anything. Lewis is a big target and the Jaguars are starting to throw the ball more. I anticipate Lewis to have a bigger role down the road as Blaine Gabbert gets more comfortable in the offense.

Contact Jimmy Dinsmore, The Fantasy Geek, on Twitter @fantasy_geek

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Week one is in the books. Many fantasy GMs are reacting (or overreacting) to their team's performance this week. Where are their deficiencies? Is it time to trade? Usually, I'm a proponent of holding pat, and not overreacting after one week. But, that does not mean you should ignore players who might be on your waiver wire. Here's a few players to watch and grab that might be on your waivers.

QB
Mark Sanchez, NYJ - I'm in four fantasy leagues, and Sanchez only got taken in one, and that's my deep 16-team league. Even Tim Tebow got taken before Sanchez. Everyone believed the inept performance of the preseason, and passed on Sanchez. If you need a backup QB (I still can't recommend starting Sanchez), I'm on board with picking up the Jets QB, especially after his 266 yards, 3 TD performance. Now, just be prepared for inconsistent play and know that he plays the Steelers this week.

RB
Alfred Morris, Was - Morris rushed for 96 yards and two TDs in his NFL debut. And head coach Mike Shanahan (who breaks the hearts of fantasy football owners) said that Morris is officially the starter, but then finished it off with "right now." Pay extra mind to those last two words. Shanahan cannot be trusted to care about your fantasy team, and Morris, can, at any time, lose touches to any of the other Redskins running backs. It is safe to pick up Morris, and start him - - - for now.

C.J. Spiller, Buf - Like GSI's own Dan Clasgens frequently said, Spiller should not have been considered merely a backup or handcuff option. Spiller showed why with a phenomenal week one performance. With Fred Jackson for a while, Spiller is the best waiver wire grab of the week, at a postion so thin as running back. Grab him and start him.

Dexter McCluster, KC - You gotta love when a waiver wire gem leads his team in targets. That's what McCluster did last week as he was targeted 10 times with 6 catches for 82 yards. He's qualified as a RB and a WR in most leagues. McCluster has value in deeper PPR-only leagues. In non-PPR formats, his value will be very limited.

WR
Kevin Ogletree, DAL - Remember how good Laurent Robinson was last year as Dallas' third WR? Yeah, well meet the new Robinson as Ogletree racked up 8 catches for 114 yards and 2 TDs versus the Giants. Most didn't have him, and even less started him. Owners will run to the wire to grab him, and may have already processed the claim, since he played nearly a week already. Expect more of the same from Ogletree who is now a WR3-type of fantasy player.

Stephen Hill, NYJ - Week one was the time for rookie WRs to break out. Hill busted out for the previously impotent Jets. He had two TDs, and 6 catches. He averaged 17.6 yards per catch, which shows his big-play potential. But, be weary of Hill. He's still an inexperienced rookie, who has a history of dropping passes even collegiately. His opponent gets much tougher this week. Hill has immense value in keeper leagues though as he has the makings of a future NFL talent.

Randall Cobb, GB - In my fantasy preview of the Green Bay Packers I touted Cobb as a nice bench builder. We saw flashes of his greatness last year. In week one, he had 9 catches for 77 yards and also returned a punt to the house. If your league rewards individuals for special team performances, Cobb is the guy to grab, and if you drafted someone like the over-hyped Devin Hester, go ahead and drop him, and pickup Cobb. In PPR formats, Cobb has more value.

Alshon Jeffery, CHI - As the Bears offense finally came alive, so did this rookie who went mostly undrafted in fantasy football. Jeffery had a 42-yard TD catch, 5 targets and 3 catches for 80 yards. I'd like more targets before I get excited for Jeffery, but owners who are desperate could do worse than snagging Jeffery. In dynasty leagues, Jeffery is a great grab. Do it now, before he breaks out again. But I'd hold off on starting him until he shows he can do it again, and more regularly.

Honorable mention (put on your watch list, but don't grab yet): Andrew Hawkins, WR Cin, Jeremy Kerley, WR NYJ, Knowshon Moreno, RB, DEN, Dennis Pitta, TE, BAL

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INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Quarterback Mark Sanchez posted career highs by passing for 26 touchdowns and 3,474 yards. With his six rushing touchdowns added (second in NFL by QB), Sanchez finished 2011 as a top 10 fantasy producer at the position. While he did have nine multiple TD pass games and eclipsed 300 yards passing three times, the Jets’ signal caller also have eight games where he failed to throw for at least 200 yards and a couple of scoreless efforts. He was intercepted 18 times during in the season and at least once in all but four games.

SCHEDULE
The Jets have the 20th ranked schedule in the league and only six matchups out of 16 come against teams that finished 2011 with a winning record. The bye week don’t come until November which should give fantasy owners time to deal with lineup quandaries. The first half is favorable with a stretch of 4 out 5 games at home included. The December slate of games vs. Arizona, at Jacksonville, at Tennessee, and vs. San Diego (Weeks 12-16) is fantasy friendly down the stretch.

STUD
While Shonn Greene lacks the break-away speed to be viewed as an elite playmaker or fantasy running back, he will be a workhorse in the Jets’ attack in 2012. He rushed for a career-high 1,054 yards a year ago despite another slow start to the season and caught a surprising 30 balls out of the backfield. The arrival of new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano suggests an even bigger workload for Green in the season ahead. His 10 rushing touchdowns through three seasons of play is a minus, but he should be viewed as a solid RB2 in 2012.

DUD
After coming into 2011 as a top 20 fantasy wideout in nearly everyone’s rankings, Santonio Holmes produced career lows in receiving yards (654) and receiving average (12.8 ypc). Part of that could be blamed on the inconsistency at the quarterback position, but Holmes also needs to shoulder some of the blame. His off-the-field antics and locker room squabbles have been a huge distraction. He did catch eight touchdowns last season, but failed to have a single catch of over 40 yards after posting six such receptions in the previous two years.

SLEEPER
Joe McKnight is the odds-on-favorite to be the Jets’ No. 2 runner after LaDanian Tomlinson’s retirement. He’s athletic and has the ability to be a nice change-of-pace back in a Jets’ system that could yield him 8-10 touches per game. He has the potential to be a RB4 or RB5 on any roster and will see his value skyrocket should Greene go down with an injury or struggle mightily.

NEW ADDITION
The Jets desperately needed a vertical threat in their passing attack and got one when they drafted wide receiver Stephen Hill with their second-round pick in April’s draft. His 4.3 40-speed at the combine coupled with his 29.3 yards per catch as a senior at Georgia Tech made him a logical choice for the Jets. His 6-4 frame makes him logical replacement for Plaxico Burress in the red zone and he’s expected to start opposite of Holmes in the team’s passing game. He’s a bit raw so his production may be limited as a rookie, but the upside is definitely there long term.

POSITION BATTLE
The team gave up a fourth-round pick to acquire Tim Tebow from the Broncos after they signed Peyton Manning free agency. With Sparano, who was the first to implement the “Wildcat” offense while the head coach in Miami, now the team’s offensive coordinator Tebow likely couldn’t haven’t found a better fit. Sanchez is still the starter and will get the bulk of the snaps under center, yet Tebow is going to get on the field. If the team flourishes under Tebow and Sanchez struggles a controversy could quickly develop in the Big Apple.

BENCH BUILDER
Dustin Keller enjoyed career highs last season with 65 receptions for 815 yards and five touchdowns. However, for the second straight year he started off hot before sputtering down the stretch. The off-season additions made by the Jets did little to help his value.  The potential has always been there for Keller, but for the most part he’s been viewed as a disappointment by owners. Still, if you miss out on one of the big name tight ends early on in your draft, you can get a low-end TE1 for next to nothing later on that will offer production in Keller.

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We look back at what proved to be a monumental news day in the NFL…

SAINTS PUNISHMENT DELIVERED
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced the verdict in the Saints’ Bountygate and delivered easily the harshest punishment of his tenure as commissioner and one of the most severe acts of discipline ever dealt to a professional sports franchise.

When the dust settled head coach Sean Payton was suspended without pay for a year, former defensive coordinator Greg Williams (now w/STL) was suspended indefinitely, GM Mickey Roomis was fined and suspended for the team’s first eight regular-season games and the team was stripped of 2nd Round picks in 2012 and 2013.

TEBOW DEALT TO THE JETS
One day after signing free agent quarterback Peyton Manning the Denver Broncos traded Tim Tebow to the New York Jets along with their seventh round pick in exchange for the Jets 4th and 6th Round selection. In addition, the Jets will reimburse Denver half of the $5 million advance on Tebow’s contract.

Shortly after the deal was announced there was a minor snag in the contract which opened the door for Jacksonville to re-enter trade discussions. However, in the end Tebow choose New York over his hometown Jaguars. He is expected to be the backup to Mark Sanchez, but will likely be used in some Wildcat-type packages by new offensive coordinator Tony Sporano.

BENGALS SIGN LAW FIRM
Two days after he visited the Queen City, the Bengals signed free agent running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis to a three-year deal.  The former Patriot will replace Cedric Benson on the team’s depth chart for the time being though the team could still add another running back in April’s draft.

Green-Ellis, 26, has scored 24 touchdowns over the past two seasons for the Patriots.  The team also welcomed Michael Bush to town earlier this week, but the former Raider has several suitors and is likely to command a larger contract.

SMITH STAYING IN SAN FRAN
The 49ers made it official on Wednesday that Alex Smith will remain under center for the foreseeable future in San Francisco. The team made a run at signing Peyton Manning, but quickly locked up Smith after the future Hall of Famer opted for Denver by agreeing to a 3-year, $9 million deal.

Smith posted career highs in 2011 by completing 61.4 percent of his passes for 3,144 yards and a 90.7 QB rating. He threw 17 touchdown passes and just five interceptions while starting all 16 games.

QUICK LINKS
--Ward Retires A Steeler
--Caldwell Headed To Denver
--Bills Sign DE Anderson
--Texans Deal Ryans

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The Broncos announced the signing of free agent quarterback Peyton Manning in a press conference at the team’s headquarters in Denver on Wednesday.

The five-year deal will pay Peyton Manning a total of $96 million, including $18 million guaranteed for 2012. If he passes a physical following the season another $40 million guaranteed will be kicked in for 2013 and 2014.

The veteran had spent his entire 14-year career in Indianapolis before being cut by the Colts earlier this month just before he was supposed to receive a $28 million signing bonus.  He missed the entire 2011 season due to neck injury that required three surgeries, but has now been cleared to play and is reportedly making great progress and throwing the ball well.

His arrival to the Mile High City makes the Broncos the clear cut favorite in the AFC West and greatly increases their chances of making a deep playoff run as soon as this season.

Manning’s decision to sign in Denver has created several ripple effects and some interesting subplots:

TEBOW ON THE BLOCK – With Manning in the fold John Elway will finally be able to rid himself of the Tebow situation he inherited. The Broncos have already begun fielding calls from teams about acquiring the popular player. If he is unable to be traded the fan favorite could simply be cut.

49ERS READY TO KISS AND MAKEUP – After losing out on Manning, 49ers and head coach Jim Harbaugh need to smooth things over with Alex Smith, who was instrumental in the team’s run to last year’s NFC Championship game.

TITANS LOOK TO REGROUP – Tennessee was hoping to lure Manning back to the Volunteer State where he played college ball.  With Manning going to Denver the Titans need to move on with their off-season objectives.

DENVER COULD BE COME INDY WEST – Several reports that with Manning now in uniform that Denver is talking to several of his former Colts’ teammates, who remain free agents.

MIAMI TURNS TO ANOTHER INJURED QB – Eliminated from the Manning sweepstakes early and missing out on other free agents Matt Flynn and Alex Smith the Dolphins signed David Garrard, who was cut by the Jaguars last year.

CARDS GIVE KOLB BONUS – Arizona couldn’t land Manning, leaving them to keep Kevin Kolb under center and give him his roster bonus. Kolb struggled during his debut season in Arizona after siging a big contract last year in free agency.

FANTASY IMPACT – With questions revolving around his ability to throw the ball needing to be answered, a new system with new receivers, a brutal schedule and the outdoor elements of Denver it’s hard to see Manning as a top 5 quarterback, but he still makes for a solid QB1. Chances are he’ll be drafted higher than his value should deem.

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The weekend featured four wildcard games and not single wildcard team advanced.  Here are some of my initial thoughts from the opening weekend of the playoffs:

Saints Looking Super - New Orleans broke the postseason mark for total yards with 626 and Drew Brees accounted for 466 of them through the air as the Saints pulled away from the Lions late.  With the team clicking on all cylinders, the Saints are going to be a tough out. They are the key challenger to the Packers in the NFC, but now have to hit the road to take on a rested 49ers’ team.

Tebow Stuns Steelers – The Broncos were eight-point underdogs at home to a beat up Pittsburgh team that lost even more key players during Sunday’s tilt at Mile High Stadium. Tim Tebow turned in his best effort in weeks, including a game-winning 80-TD strike on the first play of overtime as Denver dashed the Steelers’ playoff hopes with a 26-23 win. Ben Roethlisberger made it through the game on his bum ankle, but he was clearly limited. It will get much tougher next week for Denver as they head to New England.

A Giant Effort – If defense wins championships, you have to like what you saw from the Giants on Sunday in their 24-2 domination of the Falcons.  The G-Men got their ground attack going well too as Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs combined for 172 yards. Since dropping a 38-35 heartbreaker to the Packers on December 4th, New York has now won four of their last five including three straight. The latest run resembles made by the 2007 Giants’ squad on their way to becoming improbable Super Bowl Champs. They’ll have to play even better next week as they head to Lambeu Field to face to the top-seeded Packers.

Bengal Blowup – Making their third playoff appearance in seven years, the Bengals once again came up short as they to the Texans in Houston 31-10.  Kevin Watt returned the first of three Andy Dalton interceptions for a touchdown in the final minute of the first half as Houston took a 17-10 lead that they would never relinquish. The Bengals’ offense showed its inexperience as it struggled in a raucous environment.  Cincinnati was the surprise team of the season, but the loss dropped them to 0-8 against playoff teams and marked the sixth time they’ve loss over their past nine contests.

STAT PILE
*Texans’ RB Arian Foster picked up 102 of his 152 rushing yards prior to initial contact Saturday. That comes after getting just 17 yards before contact against the Bengals in Week 14.

* The Bengals are the 1st team in NFL postseason history to play 4 consecutive playoff games, score first in each and lose each of the four games.

* Saints’ QB Drew Brees finished the regular season with seven straight 300-yard or more passing games and finished Saturday’s contest vs. DET with 466 yards passing.

* Calvin Johnson is the third player since the merger with 200 receiving yards and 2 TD catches in a playoff game. It marks the third time over the past four weeks that Johnson has eclipsed the 200-yard mark. He has caught 36 balls for 771 yards and a six touchdowns in that span.

* Entering Sunday, Eli Manning had been flagged for intentional grounding 11 times in his career (since 2004). Only Matt Hasselbeck (12) had more during that span.

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Our guy Ryan Parker is back at with his latest song being about Tim Tebow...

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QB Game Ball - Tim Tebow, Denver - 13/27, 161 yards, 2 TD, 8 carries, 65 yards
After getting off to a shaky start against the Dolphins, Tebow eventually justified what many Bronco fans had been screaming about. The rookie QB threw two TDs in the fourth quarter including one with just over two minutes to play that tied the game. And while it certainly doesn't compare to 'The Drive' by a previous Denver quarterback, it certainly marked the beginning of a new era for the Broncos.

QB Honorable Mention - Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay - 24/30, 335 yards, 3 TD (now placed in the Game Ball Hall of Fame.)

RB Game Ball - DeMarco Murray, Dallas - 25 carries, 253 yards, 1 TD
Nothing like starting out the day with a 91 yard touchdown run. The Cowboys rookie back filled in nicely for Felix Jones against the Rams. And while it could be argued that Tony Dorsett, who is now 57, could have had a good game running against the Rams on Sunday, putting up 253 yards in your first start is pretty impressive. It's hard to say what will happen now in the Dallas backfield when Jones returns, but Murray has certainly made his case.

RB Honorable Mention - Arian Foster, Houston - 25 carries, 115 yards, 2 TD, 5 catches, 119 yards, 1 TD (healthy and studly.)

WR Game Ball - Steve Smith, Carolina - 7 catches, 143 yards
Things probably did not look too rosy for Smith before the season started. He was an aging wide receiver on a team rebuilding with a rookie QB who likes to run. But he may have been just what Cam Newton need - the veteran he can count on. Smith is having a great season and posted his fourth 100+ yard performance on Sunday. And more importanly for the Panthers, they are starting to win.

WR Honorable Mention - Marques Colston, New Orleans - 7 catches, 98 yards, 2 TD (clearly the best receiver on a team with a bunch of them.)

GAME-USED SOCK AWARD
Carson Palmer, QB, Oakland - 8/21, 116 yards, 0 TD, 3 Int
This Stinky Sock was a little too easy to give out this week. So let's give Palmer a little break. He has only been with the Raiders less than a week and he hasn't practiced or played with a team since last season. Of course, that was because he was holding out for a trade. But then again, he got his trade and still stunk it up. Yeah, he deserves to wear the rotten smelling sock this week.

Stinky Sock Honorable Mention - Any fans that watched the Browns beat the Seahawks 6 to 3.

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All right it’s Tuesday and that means it time to hit the waiver wire. Here’s guys you should look at listed in the order I like them position-by-position.

PICKUP OF THE WEEK
QB Tim Tebow (DEN) - It doesn't look pretty, but Tim Tebow puts up fantasy points and now that John Fox has named him the starter following the team's bye don't hesistate to grab him up.

QB
Matt Cassel (KC) - perhaps I wrote off the Chiefs' passing game too early
Alex Smith (SF) - Jim Harbaugh is so good of a coach he actually has Smith producing

RB
Earnest Graham (TB) - nice spot play if LaGarrette Blount (knee) is sidelined
Delone Carter (IND) - only matter of time before he gets the majority of carries
Jackie Battle (KC) - could emerge in Chiefs' running game; temper expectations

WR
James Jones (GB) - getting more looks in football's best passing offense
Darrius Heyward-Bey (OAK) - starting to come into form and his fantasy value rising
Greg Little (CLE) - role getting ready to expand as Browns come out of bye week
Doug Baldwin (SEA) - I'm going to play the wait-and-see approach

TE
Jared Cook (TEN) - Targeted 15 times over past two weeks since Kenny Britt went out
Heath Miller (PIT) - could be worth look for a bye-week filler
Ben Watson (CLE) - Expect his production to rise as season continues

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