NFL.com offers up 10 players to target off the waiver wire to improve your fantasy football team. The number listed in parenthesis is the percentage of NFL.com leagues that the player is still listed as a free agent.
Matt Cassel, QB, Chiefs (91.3 percent)
Cassel is coming off a poor performance in a loss to the Colts, but he's still worth a look if you're desperate for a quarterback in Week 5 based on a matchup against the Texans. Their defense has been absolutely awful against the pass, allowing an average of over 20 fantasy points per game to opposing signal-callers on the season.
Vince Young, QB, Titans (41.3 percent)
Last week I advised fantasy owners to add and start Ryan Fitzpatrick, based on his matchup against the Jaguars and their porous pass defense. He went on to toss three touchdowns. Well, I'm going to stick with that theme and promote Young -- he faces the Jags in Week 6. The Titans quarterback is coming off a nice game against the Cowboys and can be useful in larger leagues.
Fred Jackson, RB, Bills (33.4 percent)
Jackson has taken over the top spot on the Bills depth chart with Marshawn Lynch now in Seattle, so there's no reason he shouldn't be added in all leagues with 12-plus teams. Playing in a terrible offense does limit his statistical upside, but owners should still take a look at him if for no other reason than depth purposes. In Week 5, he averaged an impressive 6.1 yards per carry.
Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seahawks (76.2 percent)
Maybe it's because he was on a bye last week, but Lynch is still available in a lot of NFL.com leagues. That will change, though, as he now has a chance to be a featured back after being traded to the Seahawks. In fact, I think Lynch can be as much as a No. 2 fantasy back as the new centerpiece of their offense. Go ahead and get him now before it's too late.
Ryan Torain, RB, Redskins (98.8 percent)
Coach Mike Shanahan hasn't changed his tendency to offer fantasy owners a sleeper running back now that he's with the Redskins. This time around it's Torain, who has little competition while Clinton Portis is out. With a matchup against a weak Colts run defense next on the schedule, Torain needs to be owned in fantasy leagues with 12-plus teams.
Danny Amendola, WR, Rams (97.4 percent)
The Rams have lost Mark Clayton for the remainder of the season due to an injured knee, so Amendola is certain to see an uptick in targets. That was evident in Week 5, as he hauled in a team-high 12 passes for 95 yards in a loss to the Lions. He's not going to score a lot of touchdowns, but Amendola is still worth a look -- especially in PPR leagues.
Jabar Gaffney, WR, Broncos (47.5 percent)
A preseason sleeper on NFL.com, Gaffney has more than met fantasy expectations after five weeks. While Brandon Lloyd has established himself as the best fantasy wideout in Denver, Gaffney is still seeing a ton of targets. In his last three games, Gaffney has hauled in a combined 26 passes -- that includes a nine-catch performance in Week 5.
Brandon Tate, WR, Patriots (88.1 percent)
The trade that sent Randy Moss to the Vikings opens the door for Tate to see a much bigger role in the Patriots passing game. In fact, he's destined to see a major increase in targets. It also doesn't hurt to have a quarterback like Tom Brady throwing him the football. Tate won't be the second coming of Moss, but he needs to be owned in most leagues.
Mike Williams, WR, Buccaneers (69.6 percent)
I have been touting Williams as someone to grab off the waiver wire ever since Week 1, but he's still a free agent in a ton of NFL.com leagues. Well, maybe that will change after the Syracuse product posted seven catches for 99 yards and one touchdown in a win over the Bengals. Williams has now caught five or more passes in three of his first four games at the NFL level and has found the end zone three times.
Roy E. Williams, WR, Cowboys (45.5 percent)
Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of Williams from a fantasy perspective. But with two straight solid stat lines under his belt, he's earning back the respect he lost last season. Williams has scored three touchdowns in his last two games and is clearly back as a prominent option in the Cowboys pass attack. In fact, he's becoming a viable No. 3 fantasy wideout, especially in leagues with 12-plus teams.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com. Have a burning question for Michael on anything fantasy football related? Leave it in our comments section or send it to **AskFabiano@nfl.com**!
