FanHouse Leonard Weaver

Weeding through those unwieldy waiver wires requires a keen eye and a quick trigger. Thus, Waiver Wire Wonders provides a weekly snapshot of players worthy of consideration who should be available on a good portion of league waiver wires.

We're halfway home, folks, and if history has taught us anything, the second half of the season is when fantasy football requires the keenest attention. At this point, draft day means nothing. First-round draft picks mean nothing. It's the waiver wire that wins championships.

With that in mind, Week 8 leads us into the home stretch with a nice batch to consider. The key to note for this week's waiver wire action is that pickups will likely depend more on roster needs, as we did not see any glaring adds for those who are quick on the trigger. Still, consider a breakout running back performance by a backup including three touchdowns, the solidifying of a hot rookie prospect, and a good sign from one of the league's most popular rookie quarterbacks. Plenty to do, so don't get caught on your heels.

Next week there will be a game between the two best teams in the NFC East, and it's not going to involve the defending division champion New York Giants. In beating the Giants to a pulp Sunday, 40-17, the Eagles -- and the Dallas Cowboys, who beat Seattle at home -- have sent the G-Men back to third place. New York has now lost three straight games, while the Eagles won their second in a row after an embarrassing loss in Oakland.

Leading the way for the Eagles was Donovan McNabb, who barely broke a sweat in destroying the Giants' patchwork secondary. He completed 17-of-23 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns. He continues to show a strong chemistry with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek, who combined for 11 catches, 186 yards and three scores.

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The Seahawks landed arguably the top player in the 2009 draft with the fourth pick, then followed it up by drafting a center/guard who should start soon after the team was willing to trade away its third and fourth-round picks to move up.

But if there was one position of dire need that Seattle didn't address in the draft, it was cornerback, where the team was relying on disappointing former first-round pick Kelly Jennings and Josh Wilson to occupy the spot opposite Marcus Trufant.

But we found out today why the Seahawks weren't that worried about drafting a corner on Sunday--they signed a veteran instead, bringing back Ken Lucas five years after he left to head to Carolina as a free agent. Lucas' signing is the first benefit from the cap room brought about by dumping the franchise tag on Leroy Hill. The Seattle Times is reporting that the 'Hawks added fullback Justin Griffith as well. Griffith fills the hole left when starting fullback Leonard Weaver left to sign a free agent deal with the Eagles.

Because the NFL season never ends, we present our 2009 Offseason Roadmaps for front offices to navigate through the summer.

Mike Holmgren has long been one of the primary identities of the Seattle Seahawks. He took them to the Super Bowl and made them a perennial winner of the NFC West. Then last year happened. As Holmgren's retirement tour rolled along, more and more injuries piled up, Seneca Wallace had to start at quarterback for a few games, and the Seahawks stumbled to a 4-12 record.

Weeding through those unwieldy waiver wires requires a keen eye and a quick trigger. Thus, Waiver Wire Wonders provides a weekly snapshot of players worthy of consideration who should be available on a good portion of league waiver wires. Enjoy those pickups...

As we near the halfway point in the fantasy football season, don't you dare go resting on those laurels. This is when the rookies start claiming their stars and the feisty vets prove they still have them. Week 8 solidified a couple of the question marks from weeks past and procreated a couple of new babies. Hit those waivers hard as the second half of the season comes to fruition folks, because the nimble fantasy players win championships.

Tedd Ginn, Jr. (WR, Dolphins) - With Chad Pennington really playing well the past few weeks and the Dolphins moving the ball better, Ginn's huge breakout day provides a perplexing add (seven catches for 175 yards). While typically one big game from a receiver would not pique too much interest, Ginn has been all over the radar screens since the Dolphins jumped on him way early in the 2007 draft. Everyone always says that the second year is when wide receivers really break out (i.e., Calvin Johnson), so Ginn's big game may not be a fluke. If you aren't deep at wide receiver, let it ride.

Donnie Avery (WR, Rams) - Bag it, tag it, and sell it to the butcher. Avery is ready for mass consumption. He made the list last week as we mentioned his big game that could have been even bigger if a couple of deep passes were on the mark. This week, he solidified his name in gold with six catches for 163 yards and a touchdown. Avery is officially looking like a stud down the stretch, so if it's not too late, grab him. You won't be sorry.

The Seattle Seahawks' best runner is definitely not former league MVP Shaun Alexander, and it might not even be Alexander's backup, Maurice Morris.

No, the best runner -- at least, the most effective runner on a per-carry basis that Seattle had this year -- is fullback Leonard Weaver. And Weaver showed what he's capable of doing with the ball in his hands early in today's playoff game against the Washington Redskins.

In the first quarter, Seattle had the ball at the 17-yard line, and Weaver lined up as the lone back in a four-receiver formation. The Redskins clearly thought that meant the Seahawks were going to pass, and when the handoff went to Weaver on a draw, the Redskins weren't ready. Weaver took went over the right tackle and raced into the end zone to score and give Seattle an early 7-0 lead.

For Seattle coach Mike Holmgren, getting Weaver involved in the offense is smart. Although Weaver is a 242-pound fullback who doesn't look like a great runner, he has deceptive speed and a knack for finding holes. Seattle called five running plays in the first quarter: The Weaver touchdown, two Alexander runs for 19 yards and two Morris runs for six yards. Holmgren should keep getting Weaver the ball.

The Seattle Seahawks host the Washington Redskins today, and the always loud Qwest Field crowd should give the Seahawks a decided advantage.

But the weather forecast for Seattle could put both teams at something of a disadvantage. Rain showers, a high temperature of 46 degrees and gusting winds up to 50 mph are expected, which makes the game conducive to running, not throwing. And the Seahawks and Redskins are both better through the air than on the ground.

Seattle's offense is absolutely brutal at running the ball, as Shaun Alexander is a shell of his former self. But thanks to better play from Alexander's backups, Maurice Morris and Leonard Weaver, and a mediocre year from both of Washington's runners, Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts, Seattle has actually been slightly more effective running than Washington has been this year.

What does all that mean? It means that if either of the quarterbacks, Matt Hasselbeck or Todd Collins, can get just a couple of big plays through the air, that could make the difference. And it means that we could be in for a sloppy game today.