Derek Carr, Quarterback, Oakland Raiders
With seven touchdowns and zero picks over the past two weeks, this second-year quarterback has jumped on to the fantasy radar big time. Entering Monday's game, Carr is the 12th-best fantasy quarterback on the season. He's posted above-average fantasy numbers in four of his past seven starts — making himself one of the most consistent non-elite fantasy quarterbacks out there.
Carr is available in over 65 percent of Yahoo! fantasy leagues right now. If you have a bottom-tier QB1 on your roster, we'd even go as far as to indicate you play the matchup after picking up Carr. Heck, he's performed at a higher level from a fantasy perspective than Russell Wilson. Just think about that one for a second.
DeAngelo Williams, Running Back, Pittsburgh Steelers
Now that Le'Veon Bell is reportedly lost for the season with a torn Achilles, Williams becomes a must add in leagues that he's still a free agent. When Bell was sitting out the first two games of the season with a suspension, Williams actually found himself as a top-five fantasy running back during that span.
If you are able to add Williams to the mix, he immediately becomes a solid RB2/FLEX option in standard 12-team leagues. Pittsburgh's offensive line is darn good from a run-blocking perspective and the return of Ben Roethlisberger will force defenses to play the pass more than the run. This makes Williams a potential fantasy coup moving forward on the season.
Willie Snead, Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints
With an average of 7.1 targets and 5.0 receptions over the past seven games, it's readily apparent that Snead has become one of Drew Brees favorite targets in the Saints passing game. And considering Brees himself tied a NFL record with seven touchdowns while putting up over 500 yards on Sunday, the targets will continue to be there for this previously unheralded pass catcher.
Owned in just a quarter of Yahoo! leagues, Snead is currently the 26th-ranked fantasy receiver on the season. That makes him a top-end FLEX option with a ceiling as a top-15 performer in any given week.
Kamar Aiken, Wide Receiver, Baltimore Ravens
With Steve Smith now lost for the season after tearing his Achilles, someone has to step up for a talent-stricken Ravens wide receiver group. Aiken, who has been the most-consistent Ravens receiver outside of Smith, has to be that guy.
Aiken is currently off the fantasy radar as the 47th-best performer at his position this season. Though, he has put up a minimum of six targets in four of his past six games. With an increased role on an offense that has put the ball up an average of nearly 40 times per game, the targets will most definitely be there. Pick Aiken up off the waiver wire, sit him for a week to see how he gels with Joe Flacco, and then go ahead with starting him.
Michael Floyd, Wide Receiver, Arizona Cardinals
Playing third fiddle to Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown earlier in the season, Floyd was an afterthought from a fantasy perspective. In fact, he's currently owned in less than 20 percent of Yahoo! leagues. Finally finding a rhythm with Carson Palmer, Floyd has put up 12 receptions for 215 yards and three scores on 20 targets over the past three weeks.
While Brown will continue to make an impact as his hamstring improves, Floyd remains a rosterable player in standard 12-team leagues. The key here will be playing matchups and not relying on much more than FLEX production from the former first-round pick.
Jordan Reed, Tight End, Washington Redskins
It's absolutely absurd that Reed is owned in less than one quarter of Yahoo! leagues. While injuries are definitely a concern here, the former Florida standout is actually averaging more targets per game than Rob Gronkowski. In fact, Reed has seen eight-plus targets in four of his five games this year.
On a bye in Week 8, Reed was actually the top fantasy receiver the last time he suited up, going for 11 receptions and two scores against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In a year that has been defined by surprises at tight end, Reed is among the most-surprising fantasy performers at his position. That's not going to change as long as he's healthy and on the field.
Benjamin Watson, Tight End, New Orleans Saints
Talk about coming out of nowhere. Watson, a 34-year-old veteran, had tallied a combined 362 yards in his past two seasons. With Jimmy Graham moving on in a trade to Seattle back in March, Watson has taken it upon himself to fill the void.
Through eight games, this former New England Patriots first-round pick has tallied 38 receptions for 472 yards and three touchdowns. This has him as the fourth-best fantasy tight end through eight weeks. In the Saints high-volume passing attack, don't expect any of this to change moving forward.