Week 5 Add/Drop: Rookies In the House

Rookie wide receivers are usually terrible fantasy choices. They almost always need time to get used to the speed of the NFL and complexity of the rulebook. In some cases though, an NFL offense is so powerful that rookie wide receivers can get by (at least for a while) on pure athletic ability. There are a few rookie WRs like that on the waiver wire right now.

ADD

Austin Collie - Maybe Pierre Garcon doesn’t have the WR2 slot in Indy locked up after all. The rookie pulled in 8 passes, including two for touchdowns, in a Sunday Night beating of the Titans. I know it’s hard to justify picking up a player who is essentially the WR3 (after TE Dallas Clark) but anybody who pulls in more catches during a game than Reggie Wayne is worth your attention.

Andre Caldwell - His last-minute, game-winning TD looked good on the highlight reel, but Caldwell has been a regular part of the Bengals passing game. He has two games with six catches and he’s had at least two catches in every single game. If the Bengals start to lean on the passing game more, Caldwell will continue to put up consistent points.

Jeremy Maclin - Yeah, his six catch, 142 yard, 2 TD breakout on Sunday is a good reason to pick him up but don’t do it just for that. Maclin has been increasing his output the for the last three weeks, with two catches in week two and four catches in week three. The return of Donovan McNabb means good things for the entire Eagles offense, incluiding Maclin.

DROP

Shaun Hill - I know the Falcons defense is tough, but 198 passing yards, no TDs and an interception? That’s his fourth straight game with fewer than 200 passing yards, which just isn’t going to get it done. With his next four games against Houston, Tennessee, Indianapolis and Chicago, it looks like that streak might continue for a while.

Cadillac Williams - OK, enough. His ten carry, eight rushing yard performance this week was his third game with fewer than ten rushing yards. That’s worth repeating: in 60% of the games this season, Williams has fewer than ten rushing yards. There’s no way you can rely on that. A 37 rushing yard day from Derrick Ward isn’t a good sign either.

Trent Edwards - Man, I don’t know what to do with this guy. I really liked him in the preseason, but he has just been playing like garbage with only one touchdown and five interceptions in the past three games. With J.P. Losman playing in the UFL (the what?) the Bills have former Bengal Ryan Fitzpatrick waiting in the wings. He might be entering stage left (to continue a bad cliche) very soon.