This has been a fun week for me. The Jets had some distance put between them and the teams chasing them for the final wildcard, I overcame Philip Rivers' anemic day in the NFL Experts League to win, and -- most importantly -- it was a Dana-free episode of Homeland. In fact, I'm judging my happiness on Sunday nights by how good Homeland and The Walking Dead are. So let me give you some quick advice before we get to Higher/Lower. If you're in a Walking Dead fantasy league, pick up the Governor, and try to trade Herschel. Every episode I think to myself 'They're focusing so much on Herschel's character, he's going to die tonight' but he keeps making it. However I don't know for how much longer. Try to sell high on him if you can.
Waiver wire: In the Foles
It's past time to recognize the value of Nick Foles. Michael Fabiano urges you to get him off the waiver wire. More ...
1: How many more stars whose 2013 futures you have to worry about because their teams stink and they won't risk further injury by playing them as they fall out of contention. Over. Fantasy met reality in Tampa Bay and Houston, where Doug Martin and Arian Foster were shut down for the remainder of 2013 because those teams have long since fallen out of contention. Watch out if you have Roddy White or Steven Jackson. How much longer will Atlanta put these guys on the field if they're not truly healthy? By December at the latest, they could be on season-ending injured reserve. So don't count on them for production now, or in the future. And stock up on Jacquizz Rodgers and Harry Douglas if they're available. They'll be your Falcons playmakers the final few weeks.
2: How many quarterbacks graduated to week-in-and-week-out starts regardless of matchup after Week 10. Push. Welcome to the club, Russell Wilson and Nick Foles! Wilson has at least two touchdown passes in each of his last four games and will always get you an extra 2-8 points due to his running ability. The Seahawks offense is starting to peak, and now they'll get Percy Harvin back, who can turn a 10-yard dump off into an 80-yard TD on any given play. What else do you need to see from Nick Foles? Okay, so being named the starter by Chip Kelly was what you needed to commit to him, but now you can start him every week. How high? Look at the current state of QBs. Unless you have Peyton Manning, Drew Brees or Matthew Stafford, I'd start Foles over everyone else considering how prolific the Eagles offense is. No matter who they play, they're going to run a ton of plays, throw it deep, and roll up over 400 yards of offense. Who else can you be confident enough in to do that every week?
10: How many fantasy points you can expect out of Ben Tate every week. Under. Don't fall in love with Ben Tate in Houston. The Texans need to find out about Case Keenum and if he's their quarterback of the future. This means they'll be dealing exclusively through the air the rest of the schedule. Tate is in a contract year, so getting him touches won't be a priority. Play him as a flex, but don't expect Foster-type production. Even expecting 50-75 yards a week and a touchdown is too generous.
100%: How much I believe there's no such thing as overpaying in a trade at this point in the fantasy season. Push. The final installment in my three-part-series-within-a-column-wrapped-in-advice about the best ways to trade. Most likely for you there's three weeks left in the regular season, and you know the missing ingredient your team needs to make some noise the rest of the way and into the playoffs. Now is not the time to back off giving up too much for what you want. Early in the season, sure. You don't know what most of the campaign is going to bring you but by now you have a pretty good idea. So if you need a running back or a wide receiver and you think the other owner is asking a little too much, give it to him. I'm not saying do something irrational, but say for example you need a tight end and are offering Philip Rivers for Rob Gronkowski. If the Gronk owner wants Chris Ivory -- and he's someone who's a bench player for you -- then include him. Don't be the guy with a hole in his roster when you need it covered just because you got nervous and wouldn't trade a player who's not really contributing for you and is a luxury.
Jason Smith writes fantasy and other pith for nfl.com. You can see him as the host of NFL Fantasy Live that airs Sunday through Friday on NFL Network at 5pmET/2pmPT and also at 1amET/10pmPT. Listen to him on the NFL Fantasy Live podcast available at nfl.com and on itunes. Reach out to him on Google plus or Twitter @howaboutafresca, and listen to his Fantasy Podcast with Michael Fabiano and Elliot Harrison every week on nfl.com. He only asks you never bring up when the Jets play poorly.
