Fantasy Ticker: Week 10

Looking for the best players to target on the waiver wire this week? Well, the Fantasy Ticker is just the place for that. Here are the top pickups for Week 10, as well as a key player to trade for and one you may want to quickly unload.

HOT PURCHASES

These players should be free agents in many leagues. Pounce on them if you can.

Redskins RB Ladell Betts(notes) (owned in 7 percent of Yahoo! leagues)
With Clinton Portis(notes) leaving early in Sunday’s game after getting knocked unconscious, Betts becomes an intriguing pickup. He answered the call at Atlanta by rushing for 70 yards and a TD on 15 carries, and he also added a 23-yard reception. Although Betts hasn’t had much fantasy relevance the past couple seasons, he played well when he last started in 2006, racking up yardage as both a runner and receiver. He would be in line to take over if Portis misses time, which seems likely given the nature of his injury. Betts certainly is worth grabbing if you need RB help.

Raiders RB Darren McFadden(notes) (31 percent owned)
Remember him? Yes, this is the same Darren McFadden who likely was taken early on in your draft. Thanks to a knee injury that has sidelined him since Week Four, he is currently owned in less than one-third of all leagues. However, now might be the time to pounce on him. McFadden reportedly looked good in practice last week and did not suffer any setbacks, putting him on track to return in Week 10. It’s not like he was playing well before injury struck, but the 2008 first-rounder obviously has a wealth of talent. If you have an open roster spot, there might not be a higher-upside player to stash.

Bengals WR Laveranues Coles(notes) (38 percent owned)
Coles didn’t look like a player owners wanted anything to do with earlier this season, contributing very little to Cincy’s passing attack. But that hasn’t been the story the past few weeks. Over his last three games, the veteran has 12 catches for 149 yards and two TDs, providing QB Carson Palmer(notes) with a nice alternative when Chad Ochocinco(notes) is covered. And now that WR Chris Henry has been lost for the season with a broken arm, Coles figures to see his playing time increase. Since he should be fairly involved going forward, the wideout makes for a decent add in larger leagues.

Chiefs WR Chris Chambers(notes) (21 percent owned)
Nobody could have predicted that Chambers would make such an immediate impact with his new club, especially after the way he had struggled in San Diego. Joining the Chiefs just days before Sunday’s contest at Jacksonville, Chambers started and proceeded to explode for three catches, 70 yards and two TDs. Lacking a legitimate deep threat all season, Kansas City brought Chambers in to play that role, and that’s exactly what he did against the Jaguars, snagging a picture-perfect 54-yard scoring toss from QB Matt Cassel(notes). The veteran should only improve with more practice time alongside Cassel and his new teammates, so the potential is there for Chambers to have decent value the rest of the way in this pass-oriented system.

BUY LOW

Here’s a player who has underperformed thus far and seen his value drop. Trade for him before it’s too late.

Ravens QB Joe Flacco(notes)
Flacco hasn’t been his productive self the past two weeks, throwing just one TD and two INTs and averaging 185 yards. But the Ravens’ offense didn’t get bad overnight. While Flacco might have struggled against solid secondaries like those of the Broncos and Bengals, he won’t do so against many of the easier pass defenses he’ll face in the second half. Remember, this is a guy who already has three 300-yard games and is still on pace to pass for 4,000 yards this season. If you want to acquire a reasonably priced QB with huge potential down the stretch run, getting Flacco now might be your best option.

SELL HIGH

Deal this guy for productive players now, because his value is about to fall off.

Bears QB Jay Cutler(notes)
It’s always tough to trade a guy coming off a huge game, but that could be wisest thing to do with Cutler. Putting together his best game as a Bear Sunday with 369 yards and three TDs vs. the Cardinals, Cutler’s stats were inflated by Chicago falling into an early hole and being forced to dig its way out through the air. For the Bears to get back on the winning track, they’ll need to create a better balance between the running and passing attacks, handing off to RB Matt Forté more and cutting down on Cutler’s pass attempts. They also face some difficult defenses the rest of the way, making it unlikely that Cutler posts many more sparkling lines.