Bye Week Replacements - Week 4

The bye weeks are coming...
And as much as we dislike having to bench our fantasy stars, bye weeks give owners an opportunity to show some creativity, flex their fantasy muscles and dig a little deeper than normal to find acceptable subs. Much like last year, the purpose of this post is to highlight a couple of players in each offensive position that you might have a chance of snagging (according to Yahoo! statistics) off your waiver wire for a bye week sub or flex play. I don't cover kickers, and depending on feedback, I may add team defenses in the next week or two. The teams taking a breather in week 4 include Arizona, Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia.

QB

• Jason Campbell - Washington - 33% owned: Despite the Redskins' humiliating week 3 loss to the bottom-feeding Lions, Campbell put up solid numbers with 340 passing yards, 2 TD's and 1 INT. I'm not going to lobby for Campbell as an every week starter, but Washington has an opportunity to bounce back from last week's loss against a highly suspect Tampa D in week 4. Look for Campbell to lead the charge and attempt to repeat last week's statistics.
• Mark Sanchez - New York - 41% owned: After watching the Jets dismantle the Titans in week 3, I have to grudgingly admit that the Jets are the real deal. Their run D is stifling and Sanchez is benefiting from one of the most solid offensive lines in the league. Week 4's matchup against the Saints has all the makings of a shootout between Brees and Sanchez. If you don't already have a decent backup QB on your bench, Sanchez might be worth stashing for the long haul.

RB

• Glen Coffee - San Franciso - 24% owned: Coffee proved to be a capable backup during the pre-season. Now with Frank Gore sitting out 2-3 weeks with a sprain/strain, Coffee will have an ample opportunity to showcase his talents. With the Niners failing to sign Michael Crabtree and no obvious talent in the wideout category, Mike Singletary has been forced to roll with a run-first offense. This won't change just because Gore is hurt. NOTE: That % owned statistic is pre-waiver clearance. Coffee may be the hottest wire prospect of the week and that % owned figure will jump by Wednesday.
• Correll Buckhalter - Denver - 36% owned: While Knowshon Moreno is well on his way to owning the starting role in the Denver, Buckhalter has been running so well that a permanent time share is almost a certainty. Buckhalter had 14 carries to Moreno's 21 against the Raiders in week 3 and owners can expect a comparable week 4 workload. It's important to note that recommending Buckhalter is based on his anticipated touches, not the matchup. Dallas did a nice job shutting down the Williams/Stewart duo in week 3.
• Fred Taylor - New England - 32% owned: New England's running back situation is quickly replacing Denver's as the most frustrating and hard to predict in the NFL. However, Taylor had a nice game against Atlanta in week 3 (105 yards rushing, 1 TD) and may have distanced himself from the pack. An injury to Laurence Maroney could also net Taylor additional carries in the coming weeks. Once again, this recommendation is being made based on Taylor's anticipated workload, as New England's matchup against Baltimore is not ideal.

WR

• Pierre Garcon - Indianapolis - 28% owned: Peyton Manning and company appear to be thriving despite the early loss of up-and-comer Anthony Gonzalez. Part of that success is attributable to Garcon, who notched 64 yards and a TD in week 3's romp over the Cardinals. Garcon is a highly athletic wideout with possession and deep threat potential. He has a nice matchup vs. Seattle in week 4 and will likely contest for a permanent starting role if his outstanding play continues while Gonzalez rehabs.
• Mike Sims-Walker - Jacksonville - 36% owned: Many owners have already gone to the wire and snagged Sims-Walker. His 187 yards receiving in the past two weeks have firmly established him as David Garrard's weapon of choice. He represents a rare opportunity to grab a team's #1 wideout off the wire. Especially during a week when the Jags will face Tennesee's porous pass D. Act accordingly.
• Nate Washington - Tennesee - 25% owned: Acquired from Pittsburgh during the off season to provide a provide a deep threat for Kerry Collins, Washington's value plummeted when he was injured during the pre-season. Now he appears healthy and has snagged a TD in each of the last two games. His performance will likely continue to improve throughout the seasons as he builds rapport with Collins, and he presents an exceptional value for a bye week fill-in or replacement for an underperforming or injured draft acquisition (e.g. Eddie Royal or Anthony Gonzalez).
  

TE

• Anthony Fasano - Miami - 31% owned: Coming off a miserable game, where Fasano's only real contributions were his two fumbles, the Miami TE is not a popular individual. But the loss of Chad Pennington, may be enough of a shock to the Miami system to make Fasano productive again. After a stellar 2008 campaign, the potential for Fasano's resurgence under Chad Henne presents a high risk/reward opportunity.
• Kevin Boss - New York - 44% owned: With the emergence of multiple talented WR sleepers in the Giants offense, Boss has been relegated primarily to blocking duty. However, New York's week 4 matchup against the pathetic Chiefs could result in lots of looks during play-it-safe garbage time.
  
• Bejamin Watson - New England - 45% owned: Watson created some major buzz for himself after catching two TD's in New England's week 1 comeback over Buffalo. Since then he has been quiet. However, Baltimore's defensive powerhouse may force Tom Brady to look for Watson frequently as checkdown option in New Enland's week 4 matchup. I would like to see at least one more solid game out of Watson before recommending him as a roster mainstay. But for bye week purposes, he's a nice option if available in your league.