Week 15: Pickups of the Week

QB Brady Quinn, ---

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Here's the kind of risky play that may not be for every one, but it could be a difference maker for some adventurous owner. We've certainly seen Brady Quinn struggle in '09. He was eaten alive in his first three starts and didn't have a multi-touchdown game until after the bye week, but let's cut him a little slack. His first three games this year -- his first three as a professional, mind you -- came against what were, at the time, three of the league's top defenses: Minnesota, Denver and Baltimore. And two of those games were on the road. Then he got stuck playing the Ravens again in his week 10 return. Let's afford him the benefit of the doubt and credit him for what he's done since. Some rookie growing pains are only to be expected (especially for a much-hyped QB who's stuck with few receiving options on a team that's dealing with significant chemistry issues). Nevertheless, Quinn has excelled at times. He torched the Lions for 304 yards and four touchdowns in week 11, then dropped three scores and 271 yards on a stiff Chargers secondary two weeks later. Sure, he was held in check by the Steelers, but his team did get the win. Now, I'm not saying Quinn is the next coming of Joe Montana and I'm not discounting some of the stinkers he's orchestrated so far this season, but I do think that against the right kind of opponent, Quinn can be a fine fantasy performer. Kansas City (this week) and Oakland (next week) are both the right kind of opponent.

RB Arian Foster, ---

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Here's where fake sports get risky. We all learned the hard way not to trust Mike Shanahan, who cruelly messed with our minds week-in and week-out by keeping us guessing as to his plans for the game-time distribution of carries. Bronco backs would be starting one week, benched the next. There was no rhyme nor reason to it and fantasy owners were left with no recourse but to take a blind stab in the dark and hope for the best. Well, Shanahan prodigy Gary Kubiak has exhibited some of the same nefarious qualities this year. He benched Steve Slaton, a high fantasy draft pick and seeming star in the making. He flashed us Ryan Moats one week, Chris Brown the next. But at least he's been forthcoming in letting us know the method to his madness. Slaton was out because of fumbles. Brown wasn't productive enough; Ditto Moats, who also has a case of the butterfingers. Now, Kubiak has told the Houston Chronicle that he'll be looking to rookie Arian Foster to "pick it up big time." Kubiak may have a soft spot for the undrafted Foster (who represents the hard work and commitment to detail that's been lacking in other Texan runners this season). Against the woeful St. Louis Rams, we'll see if that faith pays off and we'll get a sense of exactly what this young RB is capable of.

RB Quinton Ganther, ---

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Ganther wasn't even on an NFL roster just a few weeks ago, and now he has the most dubious job in sports: starting tailback for the Washington Redskins. He's the latest in an ill-fated string of players to have the misfortune of riding the running back carousel in Washington, but we can still hold out hope that he somehow breaks the jinx. On the positive side, there's virtually no one left to replace him, so you know it'll take nothing less than the loss of a limb for the Redskins to shut him down. In seriousness, Ganther played well in his first career start, crossing the goal line twice against the Raiders and showing some ability on the ground and in the passing game. He's another player with modest upside that you should pick up if for no better reason than to prevent your opponents from doing so.

RB Maurice Morris, ---

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With the news that Kevin Smith's season is over, Maurice Morris takes the reigns as the number one guy in Detroit. True, it's not an ideal locale for a running back, but a starter is a starter and Morris has the kind of multi-purpose wilingess that should allow him to be a serviceable fantasy play going forward. He draws Arizona in week 15 -- usually no slouch in the run-stopping department, though they got, ahem, gored by San Francisco in week 14. Morris isn't the waiver wire gem that will single-handedly win you the fantasy playoffs, but he can provide you with some much needed depth and support as you strive to lead your team to the finals healthy and with plentiful options in the backfield.

TE Fred Davis, ---

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Fred Davis is yet another Redskin who has turned it on in the latter half of the season. He seamlessly transitioned into the role as the team's most consistent receiving threat and even led things off with an impressive eight catches for 78 yards and a touchdown during the very game in which Chris Cooley went down with what would turn out to be a season ending ankle injury. Washington hasn't missed a beat since and Davis has recently taken things to a new level with scores in three straight games. He faces a Giants team this week that was routinely exposed by the Eagles' Brent Celek in week 14. There's every reason to believe the red hot Davis can follow suit.