FAABulous: Fantasy Football Pick-ups Week 5

Matt Schaub's job and his jersey are under fire in Houston. (cbssports.com)

FAABulous will recap the week of football activity and point fantasy owners where to spend their hard earned (not really) FAAB or waiver priority. Players will be owned in at most 50% of Yahoo! FFL. This is the one time where mo' money probably wouldn't mean mo' problems.

Cute is what I thought when I heard that Houston Texans' fans were burning Matt Schaub jerseys after the Texans blew a 17 point lead and lost in overtime to the road weary Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. First off, you own a Matt Schaub jersey? Good thing there aren't any world class players on your team like Arian Foster or J.J. Watt. You opt for Schaub? #Smrt decision (h/t Keith Law).

Second, I found it cute that a franchise that has existed for 12 years had to suffer for 9 long seasons before they became one of the best teams in football. I understand the frustration and I respect the right to vent and boo, but burning jerseys? That's a bit much. That's reserved for fans that have been much more long suffering than the Texans (Google: Cleveland Cavaliers). I'm not passing judgment, believe me, I know what it's like to have a couple of idiots immediately brand your fan base. I'm sure if any Texans' fans are reading this, they're shaking their head at how stupid this was, but for me it was cute.

What the takeaway should be from Matt Schaub's critical interception in Sunday's game is that this is a franchise that is getting older. For the past 7 years the Texans have waited and begged and pleaded for Schaub to become something more than just a league average quarterback. Yes, you can win with league average, especially after the Texans developed one of the best defenses in the league, but this waiting period for Schaub is ultimately hurting them. Getting rid of him after 2 or 3 years would have been a bit hasty, but 5 or 6 years - now you have enough on the guy to make a clear decision. The Texans, however, decided to wait.

Sunday's game might have been the breaking point for the fans, but it should also have made a big impression on the Texans' GM Rick Smith. The window on this team is slowly closing. Andre Johnson's injuries are piling up, Arian Foster is slowing down, and the thing with a good defense is once you have one, then other teams come and get your players. Not that J.J. Watt is going anywhere but glue guys that make the defense strong all around get paid more money and make it more difficult for the team to hold onto them.

Unfortunately for the Texans, this is the NFL. Rarely do big-time trades happen, and even more rarely do big-time QBs hit the free agent market. If Schaub cannot rebound from this game and undoubtedly the most heat he has taken in Houston, then the Texans will have to look elsewhere. Developing a QB would have been a smart move a year or two ago, but as it stands, T.J. Yates is still the back-up and they didn't use a single pick in the 2013 draft on a QB. So now, they might have to take a look at Jay Cutler, Josh Freeman, or Michael Vick. There's the possibility of trading for a team's back-up, but again that seems to not be a step forward. 

What fantasy owners should take from this situation is that you don't want to spend your fantasy season riding a player that will ultimately drag you down. We are a quarter of the way through the season and there's still a lot of games to play. Players can turn it around, so if you feel strongly about a player - sure, stick with him, but if you have a C.J. Spiller on your hands don't sit on him and hope for the best. Make moves, go and overpay for a Frank Gore or Fred Jackson type. If you wait too long, you'll be out of the playoff hunt before you know it.

Hey, speaking of adding players, let's take a look at some Week 5 adds.

Robert Woods (10) has formed an immediate bond with E.J. Manuel (3) in Buffalo. (nfl.si.com)

Robert Woods, WR - BUF (13% owned) @ CLE

Sure Woods is a big, non-speedy receiver from USC. We've seen his type before. But Woods does appear to be different. He's playing virtually every snap, and using his quickness (i.e. not downfield speed) to make himself the preferred target of E.J. Manuel. 

Charles Clay, TE - MIA (48%) v BAL

Clay is taking advantage of his opportunity in Miami. The FB/TE is using his versatility and athleticism to get a lot of playing time alongside Ryan Tannehill. 

Justin Blackmon, WR - JAX (43%) +St. Louis Rams 

Back from suspension and back in our hearts, it's Justin Blackmon. Having Chad Henne throw him footballs does no one any favors, but Blackmon was on the end of double digit targets in each of his last 4 games last year. He has the potential to have huge games, but is worthy of a stash at this point.

Roy Helu, Jr., RB - WAS (13%) BYE

This is a precautionary add for any Alfred Morris owners. He dinged his ribs up, but fortunately has the Bye week to rest. I would expect Morris to be fine next week.

Brian Hoyer, QB - CLE (6%) v BUF

Hey, what can you say? When a guy plays well a guy plays well. Hoyer has led the Browns to two straight wins, and he comes from the Tom Brady School of Quarterbacking. He had a great game against a tough Bengals' defense, and now get's the terrible Bills' secondary on short rest. 

PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED

Nate Washington, WR - TEN (16%) v KC

I fell for Washington's big play ability last year, and it got me nowhere, so I'm not buying this Nate Washington. This doesn't have as much to do with Jake Locker's injury as you may think. Ryan Fitzpatrick can air the ball out, but especially this week against the Chiefs along with Washington's inconsistency gives me reason to stay away.

THE 1%

Sean McGrath, TE - KC (0%) @ TEN

Thanks to injuries to the two TEs above him on the depth chart, the Bearded One is taking on a cult following in Kansas City. His catches have gone up each week, and we all know the combination of Andy Reid and Alex Smith will provide a lot of opportunities for McGrath.

FAABulous: Fantasy Football Pick-ups Week 4

Time to get real about replacement officials. (cbssports.com)

FAABulous will recap the week of football activity and point fantasy owners where to spend their hard earned (not really) FAAB or waiver priority. Players will be owned in at least 30% of Yahoo! FFL. This is the one time where mo' money probably wouldn't mean mo' problems.

Well that was a nice dream.

The idea that these replacement or SCAB officials could step in for proven or veteran NFL officials officially was lowered into the ground and covered in terra firma in week 3 of the NFL season. The cherry on top was of course the monstrosity of a miss-call on the game ending Hail Mary from Russell Wilson  to M.D. Jennings Golden Tate.

There will be more than enough reaction pieces, pundits screaming, and treating the NFL's inability to find some change in their $9 billion budgets to pay the actual refs. By the afternoon news cycle Skip Bayless is going to need to be hooked up to an IV to replenish the fluids he's going to lose screaming all morning. Around the Horn will probably cut the wire on the Mute button, and Pardon the Interruption will bring things home with Michael Wilbon in utter disbelief while Tony Kornheiser brings everything back in perspective with his intense stare, open palm down on the PTI table and telling all of America this has to be the end of the line for the NFL's posturing with the real officials.

Like Weezer said, "If you want to destroy my sweater / pull this tread as I walk away...".

That call was the errant thread on your finely-knit sweater and fans, players, and NFL intelligencia are starting to pull, and the whole system is breaking down.

People will talk about player safety and greed as factors for why this is or isn't getting done, but after last night, what we've really seen is the degeneration of the replacement refs, and the realities of week in, week out calling NFL games catching up to these refs who mean well and try hard, but in reality are completely unqualified for this job. A job where hundreds of millions of people watch you perform every week, everyone thinks they know as much or more than you, and there are a dozen cable channels whose jobs are to talk about sports and more than likely pick you apart even more. It's a no win for the refs, and now a no win for the NFL.

Above all, once the integrity of the game is called into question, you have to react. More than injuries, more than money, more than anything if the sport you put out there isn't deemed legit?...well, that's a big problem. The NFL isn't going anywhere. They could send an email to every season ticket holder in the league with two big middle fingers and say tough shit and it would survive. But it is embarrassing that the most lucrative and popular sport can seemingly let this pass.

Roger Goodell has been contradiction thus far as NFL commish. He is known mostly as a disciplinarian. Trying to clean up the players off the field as well as on it. Stricter fines and closer examination of hits that may lead to concussions. However, as the link and Jason Whitlock's piece beautifully illustrates, he's also been looking to endanger players vis a vis Thursday night football every week, an 18 game regular season, and while throwing some money at brain studies or trying to eliminate kick returns (still never understood that) sounds good, ultimately compared to what he's tried to implement, they are empty gestures.

This all brings us to fantasy football, where let's face it, with poor officiating, affects points. Players are getting or being denied opportunities based on the poor discretion of the officials. If you had Wilson last night, that TD is a gift. If you lost by 2 and you had the Packers D, well that should have been a tick in the W column.

Integrity of the game, both real and fantasy, is why Goodell needs to do something.

Let's see what players need some cash splashed on them...

Hip hip hooray for big plays. (Getty)

Nate Washington, WR - TEN (64% owned)

Granted spectacular catches and blown coverage aside, Washington owns the best receiving yard average in the NFL through three weeks at 26.4. Washington has always had ability, but now with Jake Locker more relied upon in the Titans offense since Chris Johnson is laying an absolute stink bomb, you can count on a couple of deep plays getting called for #85 in the coming weeks. Plus, you can't begrudge a receiver some luck. It worked for Victor Cruz last year.

Kyle Rudolph, TE - MIN (40%)

I'm going to try not to repeat people on this, but Rudolph has a special place in my heart. This is the last stop on the bandwagon. Food and drink carts will be coming down your aisle shortly.

Jerome Simpson, WR - MIN (11%)

Strike while the iron is hot in the Twin Cities. Simpson is coming off his 3 week suspension, and with the Vikings looking more than competent with Christian Ponder delivering passes at a high efficiency, Simpson could add a deep threat to all the ruckus Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin cause underneath coverage. SKOL!

Ronnie Hillman, RB - DEN (9%)

I can't tell you why I like the 5'9 tailback from San Diego State. The 3rd round pick hasn't made an impact yet, but with Willis McGahee nursing some bruised ribs and the mercurial Knowshon Moreno serving as back-up, I find it hard to believe that Hillman doesn't fit what Peyton Manning needs more than Moreno or anyone else on the depth chart. Work on that play action fake, Ronnie.

PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED

Jake Locker, QB - TEN (38%)

The first three weeks have been kind for Locker. He's put up big numbers and looked good doing it. However, even with playmakers in the route running department, the biggest crux of Locker's success is the dreadlocked one in the backfield. It's still early in the season, so teams preparing for the Titans probably have Chris Johnson on their mind. Three weeks in and he's produced zero. This may be a Jamaal Charles situation where Johnson could bust out in a big way, but probably not. Johnson just has to be somewhat effective at some point this year, but starting now, I would imagine a defensive coordinator would be a lot more focused on pressuring Locker, forgetting about Johnson. An increased focus on taking away potential targets for Locker at the expense of Johnson potentially gaining more that 2 yards will be well worth it.

THE 1%

Damaris Johnson, WR - PHI (0%)

This would be a total speculative add. Johnson is the 4th WR on the Eagles, but with Jeremy Maclin battling injuries already and DeSean Jackson waivering between wanting to play and not, a spot could open up for Johnson to get on the field and make plays. He did have 84 yards against Arizona, and his speed could make him a tasty option for the struggling offense.

Also, should Michael Vick be replaced or more likely injured from the punishment he is taking by a pass first offense behind a depleted offensive line, then Johnson does have a lot of reps with back-up/potential savior Nick Foles.