Seahawks about to provide a fountain of points
Desperate for a wide receiver? Still need help at quarterback?
Then head west - far west - and you'll see an oasis emerging in Seattle.
After this week's bye, coach Mike Holmgren's Seahawks will welcome back veteran receivers Bobby Engram and Deion Branch.
If either or both are on your waiver wire, now is the time to grab them before the rest of your league wises up. Engram had 94 catches and 6 TDs last season, and Branch has averaged 55 receiving yards per game with 8 total TDs in two years with Seattle.
These aren't earth-shattering numbers, but both players are very capable No. 3 receivers for a fantasy team. Plus, with Nate Burleson injured and out of the picture, QB Matt Hasselbeck will rely on Engram and Branch almost exclusively.
As for Hasselbeck, he's probably on somebody's roster right now, but if you need a QB, this is the time to use the quarterback's slow start (2 TDs, 3 interceptions) to your advantage. Whoever has Hasselbeck is probably disenchanted at this point and may give him up for next to nothing.
What should grab your attention is the 267 rushing yards Julius Jones has pounded out the past two games, which bodes well for the passing game once Engram and Branch return.
Points a plenty will be coming out of Seattle very soon, so stake your claim before it's too late.
Other QB developments: Derek Anderson owners, beware. It may not be long before the Browns bench their struggling signal caller in favor of Brady Quinn. ... San Francisco's J.T. O'Sullivan is emerging as a possible starter in favorable matchups. He has 510 passing yards with 3 TDs the past two weeks. ... Another up-and-comer is Buffalo's Trent Edwards. His yardage totals have increased each week (215, 239, 279), and he's on an offense with a solid running game anchored by Marshawn Lynch. Don't be surprised if Edwards finishes with 20-plus TDs and over 3,500 passing yards.
My teams: Well, my two teams are 1-5 combined, but when you play teams that keep racking up ridiculous point totals, there's not much you can do about it. In my unit league (second most points overall), I fell 74-45 with Tony Romo and Terrell Owens essentially giving way to the Dallas running game. In my other league (third most points overall), I lost 106-95 despite big games from Michael Turner and Kurt Warner.
Good bets
• Jets RB Thomas Jones vs. Arizona. The Cardinals have allowed a rushing TD in each game.
• Niners QB J.T. O'Sullivan and WR Isaac Bruce at New Orleans. San Francisco will have to throw a lot to keep up, so O'Sullivan could be looking at a 3-TD day.
• Packers RB Ryan Grant at Tampa Bay. Call it a gut feeling, but I believe Grant will finally return to form against the Bucs.
• Bills QB Trent Edwards at St. Louis. Teams have been feasting on the Rams' defense thus far, and Edwards has the tools to shred this secondary.
• Panthers WR Steve Smith vs. Atlanta. It was a semi-slow start for Smith last week (4 catches, 70 yards), but he'll be finding the end zone at least once Sunday.
• Texans RB Steve Slaton at Jacksonville. Like Ryan Grant above, call this another gut feeling. The Jaguars have already allowed 4 rushing touchdowns, and something tells me this unit throttles Houston's running game.
• Titans RB Chris Johnson at Minnesota. Johnson (34-202, 5.9-yard average) has been as good as advertised, but he'll find precious little running room in the Metrodome.
• Bucs QB Brian Griese and WR Ike Hilliard vs. Green Bay. Hopefully none of you are foolish enough to start Griese despite his 407-yard day against the Bears. The entire Tampa offense will come back to Earth against a tough Packers defense.
• Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall and WR Hines Ward vs. Baltimore. What a rough introduction to the NFL for Mendenhall, going up against a tough Ravens squad. As for Ward, he is averaging just 47 receiving yards with no TDs in his last three meetings with Baltimore.
• Read more from John at ffmastermind.com, and hear him each Thursday in the 1 p.m. hour with Mike Murphy on WSCR 670-AM.