Scouting Notebook: Buc up

Fantasy points were at a premium in Week 8, especially for those having players toiling in the wind-swept New Meadowlands Stadium.

LeGarrette Blount(notes) is the story in the Bucs-Cardinals game. Raheem Morris still refuses to anoint him the starter. But that's a meaningless distinction. Blount was undrafted due to character issues (punching an opponent after a game last year). But he would have been drafted by a team looking to use his inside running skills out of one-back formations. I'm mystified by the Bucs success, which is not supported by any statistics. Pick Blount up this week on waivers if you can. Trade value for him right now is 20-to-30th overall back and at that higher end, I'd definitely be a seller.

Mike Tolbert(notes) looks set to steal Ryan Mathews'(notes) real carries in addition to goal-line ones after outplaying him once Mathews left with a cut face. Who would have thought that BenJarvis Green-Ellis would be a better fantasy option right now than a healthy Mathews?

Mark Sanchez(notes) ignored an uncovered Braylon Edwards(notes) free in the end zone and instead heaved one to well-covered Jerricho Cotchery(notes), targeted a team-high 13 times (four drops, including a critical one late on a 30-yard pass). Why is Cotchery still getting more snaps than either Edwards or Santonio Holmes(notes), who did not help his cause by dropping a ball on a crossing pattern that would have been about a 50-yard score? Sanchez also had Edwards on the far side for a walk-in 90-yard TD, but stuck with the half-field read on the bootleg side even though there was no pressure.

How is it possible for the Jets to have plays from scrimmage of 49, 32, 40 yards plus a 47-yard kickoff return and not get an offensive snap (barring the field goal attempt) inside the opposing 20-yard line?

Aaron Rodgers(notes) had no answers for the Jets defense, which now features a fully healthy Darrelle Revis(notes). But it didn't even matter.

Brandon Lloyd(notes) is just ridiculous with 878 receiving yards and 20.9 yards per reception. He's been an invaluable waiver pickup for his owners, who must do without him next week with Denver one of six clubs with a bye. But if you can sell at a price close to his production to date, do so as it might soon be Tim Tebow(notes) time.

Jon Kitna's(notes) day demonstrates the trouble with an interception tax. Three of his picks were off the hands of receivers and none of those were particularly tough catches. Kitna is playable in all 12-team formats given the strength of his receiving corps and the Cowboys' suddenly floundering defense.

Wade Phillips saying he "hopes not" when asked if he's lost the team tells you all you need to know about him. Maybe he really wants to be fired.

I don't know what to make out of Mike Sims-Walker's(notes) day. I don't trust any of the Jaguars skill players except for Maurice Jones-Drew(notes). Mercedes Lewis is a low-volume, high-production guy, but it's tough being TD-reliant on a low-scoring team (most days). Lewis is definitely a top-12 tight end though, with seven touchdowns already among his 25 catches.

If Carson Palmer(notes) didn't rag arm so many deep passes, Terrell Owens(notes) would have about five more long TDs already and be a certified All Pro at (almost) age 37. Plus the Bengals would have two more wins.

The Dolphins have to junk their stupid Wildcat, useless when the "quarterback" has no throwing ability. Even when he has marginal throwing ability, that play is so played. It's been a victim of its success. Too many teams do it now. The Dolphins need to lose that and use the extra practice time to figure out ways to get Brandon Marshall(notes) the ball in high-leverage situations. Then maybe they won't need to kick five field goals every week.

Jamaal Charles(notes) put the Chiefs on his back all day. Will he be rewarded next week with extra touches? Probably not. He had the most yards of any back in NFL history the final four games of 2009 and his reward was a timeshare with Thomas Jones(notes).

Confession: I systematically steal my kids' Halloween candy in dribs and drabs, slyly splitting the thievery between them. It's really for their own good. Remember, the worst-case scenario is that they blame each other. They fight anyway, so I might as well get fed.

Mike Shanahan has to man up and admit he benched Donovan McNabb(notes) instead of giving us cause to question his faculties by saying he opted for Rex Grossman(notes) with the game on the line because Grossman is better in the two-minute drill. Really, Rex Grossman? And when did Grossman ever see action in the two-minute drill in that quasi-Shanahan system in Houston? He threw nine passes as Matt Schaub's(notes) backup last year.

If you can sell Matthew Stafford(notes) off his four-TD game, do it pronto. Stafford has 212 yards on 45 attempts – awful.

Matt Moore(notes) looked terrible again. The Rams have a very underrated defense, but three picks is crying out for another benching, which would be bad news for Steve Smith owners because with Moore, at least Smith has a chance.

No one was more down on Randy Moss(notes) than me after the trade from New England. But I never imagined he would be a fringe starter in 12-team formats. He's been mostly invisible as a Viking.

The Seahawks haven't had an offense all year. But their defense is good, making Oakland's second-straight dominating offensive show something to really respect. The most available of their guys who are interesting is Darrius Heyward-Bey(notes), who just might return you more than Randy Moss going forward – all for the price of a waiver claim.

Michael Salfino writes for the Wall Street Journal and is a regular contributor to Yahoo! Sports.